Tag Archives: fall leaves

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over, and the gun goes off

Saturday, November 9, 2013, @ 12:10 pmFamily, growing up, Life in General, sports, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, Writingchildren, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, football, hard work, high school football, making the days count, teaching, writingClay

'77' is for Red Grange a Wheaton alum and NFL Hall of Famer — ’77’ is for Red Grange a Wheaton alum and NFL Hall of Famer

The Tigers lost their playoff game Friday night and their season is over. I am sad. My son played his last game a couple of weeks ago when the regular season ended and is now waiting for wrestling season to begin this coming Monday. It will keep him busy and fully exercised during those lean months of little sunshine and bitter cold. It’ll give me and B something to do on Friday evening and Saturday. He wrestled last year and had a good freshman season.

If you have been following MtDC over the past several years or high school football seasons or however you want to count it, you know I am a passionate high school football fan – especially the Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers. Even before W got into high school, we were there on Friday nights. It was our Friday evening entertainment. B grew up in a small town in southwestern Ohio where her Tigers were legendary in the small school section of Ohio high school football in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s. She played in the marching band in high school and marched Friday night in the late seventies before graduating and going off to college. Her dad played for the high school team in the forties and later at Miami University after his navy service at the end of WWII. When W was a little kid we went to watch my nephew play for the Ohio State Football Championship in Paul Brown Stadium in Massillon, Ohio. They won 26-0 and it was a good game, and it was worth every minute of the four-hour drive there and the four-hour dive home.

I guess that’s why I am so agitated this morning and was even more agitated last night. The Tigers began the season rated in the top twenty and knocked off the defending 7A state champion in the first game. In the second game, they defeated another state power. In the third game, the Tigers were up against the crosstown rival Wheaton North. In a hard fought game, the Tigers dominated the Falcons in every way. The Tigers had a bump in the road mid-season and lost a game to a team they should have defeated and were soundly defeated in the second to the last game of the year to last year’s 8A state championship runner up and possibly this year’s 8A state champion. Who knows? Regardless the Tigers finished 7-2 and qualified for the playoffs. They won last weekend and moved on to the second round.

The Tigers have been successful, very successful in the nineties and ever since. Continue reading It ain’t over ‘til it’s over, and the gun goes off →

Movember

Saturday, November 2, 2013, @ 9:49 amadventure, Family, Reading, sports, teaching, Teaching and Learning, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, Grayling, great days, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, teaching, weatherClay

It’s Movember, the first Saturday in November. There is a chill in the air and after a couple of days of gentle rain to soak the ground, it looks like the skies will clear and it will be a sunny day. I can only hope.

Last week at the time, I was just waking up. Friday night I watched W play his last football game of the season and then driven north to the cottage for fall cleanup and a couple of last season chores. Saturday morning I was alone. The phone was ringing and I needed to answer it. I must have sounded horrible because my mom asked if I was okay. I was okay, just exhausted and spent. But, it was a good thing, I told her I would call her back and I crawled out of bed. I brushed my teeth, started the coffee, and began the day. I was still sleepy as I looked out onto the lake, shrouded in grey with the windows splattered with rain. It was a dreary day. It was windy, cold, and wet; perfect weather for a day spent in the yard raking and doing fall cleanup. I sipped my coffee and stared out onto the lake. The lake has power, even a grey cloudy rainy day lake. It has the power to relax, the power to heal, and the power to rejuvenate. I needed the lake and the cottage needed me. I called my mom back, sipped my coffee, and gazed out at the lake as we talked. Continue reading Movember →

After Midnight

Sunday, October 20, 2013, @ 11:04 amadventure, Family, growing up, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Tuesday's Tune, Weather, Writingchurch, education, fall leaves, Family, football, friends, great days, making the days count, Mississippi, Oxford, reading, seventh grade, teaching, writingClay

It is another Sunday morning and the sun is up, the air is cool and crisp, and leaves litter the front lawn. I slept late this morning, or at least later than I should have although I have reasonable excuse – I stayed up too late last night, past eleven – almost to midnight.

I remember (often) the days of my youth when after midnight was truly after midnight, well after midnight. Eric Clapton’s song says it all about what I was doing:

After midnight, we’re gonna let it all hang down.
After midnight, we’re gonna chug-a-lug and shout.
We’re gonna stimulate some action;
We’re gonna get some satisfaction.
We’re gonna find out what it is all about.
After midnight, we’re gonna let it all hang down.
Eric Clapton – “After Midnight”

These days, I can’t hang much after ten, maybe it’s because I have aged or I have gotten wiser, or just that I realize that have to get moving and accomplish something before noon. Continue reading After Midnight →

The turkey….

Thursday, November 22, 2012, @ 9:42 amCooking, country, Family, food, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

turkey2012 — roasting and getting ready for dinner!

It’s Thanksgiving morning and the turkey is in the oven. There are yams cooking on the stove and it’s pretty quiet. Ivy’s been out a couple of times and she had a treat to start her day. I mixed chicken broth, warm chicken broth, with her dog food this morning and she enjoyed it. Actually, she’s in the doghouse with B, because Ivy woke us up just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. She had slept at the top of the stairs just outside our room and let out a yelp and short bark to let me know it was time to go out. I felt the warm spot on the carpet when I went downstairs to let her out and start the day. Unfortunately, B’s sleep was collateral damage and she followed me downstairs.

It’s my job to cook the turkey and it’s in the oven. The smells are just now wafting through the house and before long; the aroma of Thanksgiving Continue reading The turkey…. →

Saturday morning sunrise

Saturday, November 17, 2012, @ 8:09 amFamily, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, great days, making the days count, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

sunrise0106 — a great way to start the day…

It’s great when I can sleep until the sun rises, usually I am on my way to school, and dropping W off on the way as the sun peaks over the horizon and new day begins. I would have missed it, but I set my alarm to get up early this morning, but I let it snooze and slept in. I needed it. I really needed to get a good night’s rest.

It was a treat to see the pinky-orange sky reveal a lightly frosted landscape this morning. It’ll burn off and I’ll get out, rake up the last few pockets of leaves, cover the lawn furniture, Continue reading Saturday morning sunrise →

6th grade, all over again

Saturday, November 10, 2012, @ 11:11 amFamily, history, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall leaves, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, sixth grade, teaching, writingClay

STRESS CITY. It is that time of the year, November and the push at school, home, and everywhere else. This past week was full: parent conferences at school – two full days, parent conferences for O, the election, and the kid’s activities – sports and scouts. I am grateful for B who handled scouts this week; otherwise, I might have burst. And, this week ends with my birthday. Yep, I am officially one year older today – Happy Birthday to me. Continue reading 6th grade, all over again →

The quiet room

Sunday, October 14, 2012, @ 11:37 amadventure, Family, jobs, Life in General, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, softball, sports, teaching, weather, writingClay

The sign says it all, ‘The quiet room.’ My kids tried to avoid it at all costs; I guess I would have, too, at their age. But, I’d sure like to go there for the next couple of days. Continue reading The quiet room →

Dawns Early Light

Thursday, October 4, 2012, @ 5:46 amFamily, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingfall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great daysClay

This tree always turns before the others, it is tucked around back and if you don’t look for it – you miss it.

I didn’t!

I do miss writing and I have. Much to write about, but now, this is what I have time to post.

It is day 29 and it’s gonna be a great day, I know it! Making the Days Count, one day at a time.

Falling Back

Sunday, November 6, 2011, @ 7:24 amFamily, jobs, Life in General, pets, teachingBethany Hamilton, children, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, pets, reading, Soul Surfer, teaching, weatherClay

pancakes to start the day, what better way?

It was wonderful to stay up to 10PM with the kids and put them to bed knowing that it was really 9PM or would be in a few hours. Daylight Savings Time is the bomb! At least for a day. I looked at today’s details the sun rose at 6:30 AM and will set at 4:41 PM, even this early in the morning that is 10 hours and 11 minutes, how can that be? Regardless, that is the daylight we have, so we must make it count, worthwhile. Continue reading Falling Back →

Rising Action, falling leaves

Saturday, November 5, 2011, @ 7:30 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, weather, writingClay

Yesterday was a glorious Fall day. It had been windy and wet in the middle of the week, but Thursday night the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped leaving a hint of frost everywhere. I know there is more of that to come, a lot more of it. I was up late Thursday night writing my narrative and getting ready for school even though I was out of school Friday, I still had to prepare via the web and the Blackboard – an electronic Blackboard – of sorts. Beth is out of town visiting her parents in Ohio and the kids needed me at home before school started and after when they came home. Continue reading Rising Action, falling leaves →