Category Archives: Life in General

Stormy Tuesday, and other days

Tuesday, July 3, 2012, @ 7:42 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, Family, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, water sports, weather, writingClay

july2_weathergraphic — Weather graphic from the *Chicago Tribune*, 7/2/12

Yesterday, it was warm and dry here, but early this morning storms rolled through with gusty winds and lightning setting the sky ablaze. I heard the rumble of thunder and rolled out of bed to close windows and gather drying towels before the skies opened. We need the rain, it’s been dry here, and it’s been dry back home.

Home has been dry for over a month and June was a record dry month in Chicagoland. Before leaving for camp, I spent early mornings and evenings watering the plants and reluctantly, the yard. Continue reading Stormy Tuesday, and other days →

Thursday’s camp update

Friday, June 29, 2012, @ 12:46 pmadventure, country, Family, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, reading, scouting, Summer Vacation, weather, writingClay

Troop 35 begins Thursday with the Flag Ceremony

I have been blogging all week from Troop 35’s spot on the web – Wheaton Troop 35 dot org, chronicling the troop’s adventures for the folks back home. I have been writing and I’ve had help with the photos from the other assistant scoutmasters. It is great to be part of such a wonderful team, I know the scouts can feel it, too. Below is today’s post to save you time. Today is truly gonna be a great day. Making the Days Count from Scout Camp, one day at a time! Continue reading Thursday’s camp update →

Setting sail, catching the wind

Friday, June 22, 2012, @ 9:07 amFamily, history, jobs, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, reading, scouting, seventh grade, sports, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

It has been windy, lately, and my sails have finally caught the wind. The past couple of days have been hot, humid, and windy. The days have been full, productive, and truly ‘countable.’ Like many things this summer, I started and did not finish yesterday’s post.

The weather this summer, so far, has been warm to hot and dry. Tuesday and Wednesday were very windy, juts the right amount of wind to pick up my sails and move me out of the doldrums. I still have a ways to go before I am at full speed, but there is nothing like a sailboat on a summer afternoon. Continue reading Setting sail, catching the wind →

Flawless upgrades

Friday, June 15, 2012, @ 11:25 amadventure, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, writingClay

the trumpet flower vine surrounds the deck

So far, summer has been everything I have asked for, but I have yet to tackle the most pressing things on my agenda. Yesterday, I upgraded the web in my home. It went flawlessly, because I read the directions and followed them to a ‘T’ and the outcome was what I wanted – expanded wireless service at home and being able to be on the net on the deck. Continue reading Flawless upgrades →

Ten days in

Tuesday, June 12, 2012, @ 10:27 amCooking, Family, food, history, jobs, Life in General, Reading, sports, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, WritingBrown's Sweet Shop, children, eating, education, exercise, great days, Guys Read, high school football, making the days count, Ohio, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, Versailles, weather, writingClay

: warm and dry – courtesy of The Chicago Tribune

Today is the tenth day of summer and it feels like the tenth day of summer. The weather yesterday was warm and dry. We need rain, the forecast yesterday called for rain however, the rain went either north or south but it completely avoided us.

There are things I would like to avoid, like interruptions, distractions, and lack of focus. However, that is what and who I am. I can distract myself like no one else. I can also be very productive or incredibly unproductive, like I was yesterday. I got nothing done and except for the annual physical – required for scout camp and because I am of a certain age. I did not learn anything I didn’t already know or suspect; I need to lose weight, I need to exercise, and I need to start now. Every summer, I get started and I lose a little bit of weight and exercise more than during the school year, but once school starts, I fall back to my old ways of doing things and eating. From what I heard yesterday, I need to start and make it happen AND stick with it. Continue reading Ten days in →

Alice’s Dairy Bar

Friday, June 8, 2012, @ 7:21 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, eating, Family, great days, making the days count, Poultry Days, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, writingClay

It has been a week of summer so far, six days; some short, some long, but six days nonetheless. The kid’s summer started Wednesday afternoon and Thursday we headed off to visit grandma and grandpa in Ohio. Continue reading Alice’s Dairy Bar →

Next stop, High School

Wednesday, June 6, 2012, @ 11:37 amadventure, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, reading, scouting, seventh grade, Sugar land Junior High Class of 1976, Summer Vacation, writingClay

I remember it like it was yesterday. I can close my eyes and see my classmates around me crossing the stage as we waited in the lunchroom for the ceremony to be over so we could bust out the door and summer could start. That was thirty-six years ago and last night I sat in the gym watching the same event from my parent’s eyes, except I wasn’t crossing the stage, William was. Continue reading Next stop, High School →

What now?

Saturday, June 2, 2012, @ 9:58 amadventure, Cooking, Family, food, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, education, Family, great days, hard work, humor, making the days count, Paris, reading, restaurants, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, VdF, VdF Woodfield Mall, Vie de France, writingClay

Several years ago, I left a job after over twelve years. I remember that first day after I resigned, I decided to take a week off and wait for my new job to begin. I was uncomfortable, bitter, and out of sorts – feeling as though I had lost something, but not knowing exactly what it was. I had a similar feeling yesterday at the end of the day. Friday was a short day, but it counted as a workday and an attendance day for the students. I was finished with all of my duties as a teacher, cleaned my room, filed my grades and I was on my way home. I was exhausted and spent. The previous weeks had been frenetic at work and I had put off things at home to finish things at school, and vice versa. I was mess. Continue reading What now? →

Down to two

Wednesday, May 30, 2012, @ 5:20 amFamily, history, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, Guys Read, hard work, history, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, writingClay

I can always count on opening my laptop to slow my productivity to a crawl. With three days left in the school year, there is the frenzy of finishing all the end of the year stuff, cleaning my room, and trying to channel my student’s energy in the right direction. I awoke early this morning, very early, because a) I set my alarm and it was ringing, and b) Ivy was barking about something. I let her out, started the coffee, and went outside to wait for her to finish the yard inspection and the coffee to brew. She came back to the deck satisfied the yard was safe, at least until daylight and we both went inside. I grabbed a cup of coffee and together we went to the basement; I went to wrap up grading a final set of papers and focus on Wednesday and Thursday and Ivy lay down beneath the desk and went to sleep. I think she got the better part of the deal. Continue reading Down to two →

Memorial Day 2012

Monday, May 28, 2012, @ 9:00 amadventure, country, Family, history, Life in General, racing, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, Indy 500, making the days count, Memorial Day, teaching, WWIIClay

It is a beautiful morning and I’m sitting on the deck and enjoying hearing the birds chirp and call each other, the wind rustle the leaves, and watching Ivy inspect the yard to keep us safe from critters of all sorts. It has been a delightful time though I’ve frittered away some prime writing time by thinking, reading, and looking back. Yesterday, William and I went to the Indy 500. It is a family tradition – started by Beth through Beth’s dad, and continued through her brother, Tim. I’ve been going since 1991, and William, since 2004. It was a great race but an even greater day – father and son together enjoying time together and a tradition they share. It was a good time. But, I want to write about today and what it means. Continue reading Memorial Day 2012 →