Tag Archives: Family

Much is required

Monday, January 21, 2013, @ 10:19 amcountry, Family, growing up, history, Reading, sports, teaching, Writingeducation, Family, Har-Bowl, Houston Oilers, making the days count, patriotism, reading, sports, Super Bowl XLVII, teaching, writingClay

The 49ers made the Celebration of the Century - 1980s decade stamps — The 49ers made the Celebration of the Century – 1980s decade stamps

Sunday was Championship Sunday and yesterday, I got half of my wish. I was hoping for a ‘no feathers’ Super Bowl, instead we got the Har-bowl: a Super Bowl where two brothers – opposing head coaches – are pitted against each other. It will be a good one, no doubt, but I will be rooting for the 49ers.

If you have followed me for a while, or even for a short time, you know I enjoy football. You might recall I have rooted for the Packers in the playoffs (2011), the Patriots in the Super Bowl (2012), and wonder if I just root for the team that is on top. Not true. Continue reading Much is required →

Saturday morning, a little late

Saturday, January 19, 2013, @ 2:06 pmFamily, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, education, Family, hard work, reading, seventh grade, weather, writingClay

It was early Saturday morning when I started writing this. When the alarm buzzed, rang, and disturbed my sleep this morning – I didn’t want to get up. But, I did. It’s a three day weekend and it will be over before I know it. It almost already is. Usually, we head north to snow country, but not this year, not enough snow and the kids have activities that keep us home – wrestling and softball. Then, of course, it is the football championship weekend and O and I will sit down and watch the games together, I hope.

The past week went by quickly. It was a blur. Continue reading Saturday morning, a little late →

Movies and the Oscars, and thinking, too

Sunday, January 13, 2013, @ 1:04 pmadventure, Family, growing up, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, education, Family, geography, hard work, history, Landfillharmonic, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, teaching, Wasteland, weather, writingClay

Hellfighters with John Wayne was one of the first movies I remember watching as a kid. I saw it at the Palms Theater in Sugar Land when I was in first grade when we were preparing to move to Venezuela. I saw many movies at the Palms; it was the kind of theater that every small town had with one screen, a concession stand, its walls were painted with a tropical theme lit just right before the movie began to give the feeling of being somewhere besides Sugar Land, Texas. I remember the children’s movies I saw there, but Hellfighters was for adults and there was something about watching movies with real action like oil well fires. It was hardly a great movie, but I remember it well. We even saw it at the theater in Venezuela, it was in Spanish with English subtitles, but they had cut the part at the end about Venezuelan rebels. I have seen it many times since and I even have a copy in iTunes my brother Warren gave me a few years ago.

I stopped going to the Palms when I got my driver’s license and I didn’t need mom or my bike to get me to the movies. Continue reading Movies and the Oscars, and thinking, too →

Shaken or stirred

Friday, January 4, 2013, @ 12:03 pmadventure, Family, growing up, history, Life in General, Music, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, WritingBond movies, children, education, Family, great days, history, James Bond, making the days count, movies, reading, seventh grade, writingClay

I did not want to leave, I never do. The last day at the cottage is always the most difficult – especially over winter break. I had a few errands and other odds and ends to do before I left and B and I went through the kid’s skiing pictures and sent some off to be printed. I finished my thank you notes, wrote short notes to my mom, B’s parents, and a cottage neighbor and got them in the mail with the photos. I ran some final errands before packing the Tahoe and driving home last night. It was full with just enough space for W and Ivy. W was comfortable and watched a DVD he had gotten before Christmas and Ivy had just enough space to stretch and lay out. It was a perfect night to drive home – dry roads and hardly any traffic. We made good time and by starting late, we were able to spend almost a full day at the lake before leaving.

The road disappeared before us Continue reading Shaken or stirred →

Resolutions, renewal, and reflection: New Year’s Day at the cottage

Wednesday, January 2, 2013, @ 9:55 amadventure, Family, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, Writingchildren, Family, great days, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, winter sportsClay

christmastree_cottage — the cottage Christmas tree!

It is mid-morning and my plan to wake and write early, didn’t come to pass, because I didn’t wake up, didn’t set an alarm, letting my body let me know when it was time to get up and get moving. But, that was it, when midnight struck that meant it was time to get some sleep, much needed sleep.

Our plans for New Year’s eve were dashed a bit and it was quiet at the cottage. So, we had to ring out New Year’s night in the same manner we would have rung in the night before, a backup plan. We had the traditional New Year’s Day dinner – roast pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes, the tree was lit and it was festive. Continue reading Resolutions, renewal, and reflection: New Year’s Day at the cottage →

Winter Break

Thursday, December 27, 2012, @ 7:56 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchurch, Family, making the days count, pets, seventh grade, weather, winter, writingClay

Like most, no all, teachers, I eagerly waited for Winter Break. I knew how many days there were between Thanksgiving and break. I worked at making the learning count, while still counting the days until I could breathe. I dreamed. I made plans. Then, I got sick and ruined it all.

Since I have been married, I have spent Christmas in Ohio with my in-laws. I could not have chosen better in-laws, truly. There have been only a couple of times when I woke in my own bed on Christmas morning, and those were times when one of us was sick – me, B, or the kids, and travelling was just not a good idea. And, then we eventually made it to Ohio a day late. This year it was me. This year I had made it all the way to the last Friday Continue reading Winter Break →

Let it snow!

Friday, December 21, 2012, @ 6:21 amFamily, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingeducation, Family, making the days count, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

winter 2012

When I logged on this past Monday morning, the weather app thundered at me. It makes the thunder sound to alert me to a weather event; a watch, a warning, or worse. Often, it is an event in progress like a thunderstorm. This was warning me of the impending winter storm forecast to hit the region Thursday and Friday. Well, the storm came through last night. We got rain all Wednesday night and Thursday morning, then it got cold and started to snow. It was nice to watch, but it didn’t snow near enough, just enough to coat the grass and cover the ground with a thin white layer and not even enough to shovel off the driveway. But, it is a start and that means I can turn on the snow, on the blog that is.

Today is the day before Winter Break at school and the kids were wound up yesterday. Today is gonna be a letdown, because they were hoping for snow day. It didn’t happen, regardless, it is gonna be a great day! I know it, it’s the solstice and so much more. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, one snowflake at a time.

What are you gonna do to make today a great one?

More numbers…

Sunday, December 16, 2012, @ 10:30 amFamily, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, education, Family, history, reading, Sandy Hook Elementary School, teaching, writingClay

newtown_patriots — image courtesy of the New England Patriots and the NFL

It was a crazy day, Friday. My day began with a meeting, then an impromptu school tour with my advisory students, after the bell rang. We looked at how former students have left their mark on the school. We looked at the support posts, the pillars, which have been decorated with character traits: strength, courage, and patience – to name only a few. They were painted from drawings made by students a few years ago, who have since moved on to high school and, in this case, to college. I took them to down the main hallway, pointing out several spots, which we all pass by without thinking because they have become part of the scenery, like a billboard or a signpost along the road. We ended in the main entry hallway where flags from around the world hang. Continue reading More numbers… →

The watch

Saturday, November 24, 2012, @ 8:41 amFamily, jobs, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, Family, great days, Guys Read, hard work, history, making the days count, reading, sixth grade, teaching, writingClay

It’s Saturday morning, again and I’m sipping coffee and thinking. Thinking about all I have to do and all want to do. They do not line up it’s not even close.

I didn’t win the lottery last night, but I didn’t expect that I would. Yet, that reduces my options to the realistic ‘to dos.’ Grading papers, planning, balancing the checkbook, paying bills, decorating outdoors, cleaning the house, etc., and in no particular order. And, the list goes on.

We chose to stay home this holiday weekend and so far it’s been restful and what we needed as a family. I’ve been working on a few ‘to dos’ that have been ‘to dos’ for far too long and I am making progress. The kids have been kids. They marched in the parade holiday last night and W had wrestling meet Wednesday and another this morning. My girls, B and O, went shopping at the mall last night, and I went to the bookstore for three books and came home with four! Continue reading The watch →

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…. →