All posts by Clay

About Clay

I've been a blogger since 2010 and I keep at it because of the community of readers I have come to know. Every day is a possibility and I intend to make every day count.

Crud….

Family, Life in General, Teaching and Learning, , , , , ,
Where did the weekend go? frame from "Prickly City" by Scott Stantis 4/17/11

I love a good laugh, but sometimes the laugh strikes too close to home. Growing up I religiously read the comics. It was the first section of the paper I read, after the sports section. In adulthood, my sense of humor has become more mature (at least I think so) and I read political cartoons to get a chuckle. I follow several cartoonists including the Chicago Tribune’s cartoonist – my hometown newspaper – Scott Stantis. In addition to be an outstanding cartoonist, he draws a comic strip called “Prickly City” and I read it when I visit his blog. I came across the strip below over a month ago. I laughed and laughed, then cried, because that is exactly how I feel when the alarm clock rings on Monday morning. Continue reading Crud…. →

Better Thursday

Family, Reading, Writing, , , ,
I keep tabs on the weather – the orange and red are warnings and watches posted foe that area….

It is getting to be the time of the year when the light begins to creep into the very early morning hours and the sun rises before six.  In fact, I just checked and the sunrise is in eight minutes at 5:53. This morning when I came downstairs, Ivy was waiting for me wagging her tail and telling me she needed to get outside. I opened the door and heard the birds chirping away. It was cool but not raining and I wish I had had the time to sit and listen and just watch and think while I sipped my morning coffee. Continue reading Better Thursday →

Why I became a teacher…

Family, history, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writing, , ,
the story needed a picture, and a single dafodil fit the bill – happy spring!

There are days when I ask myself this question; today is one of those days. I remember seventh grade just like it was yesterday, even though it was thirty-six years ago. Maybe it is because I teach seventh grade and I am surrounded by seventh graders most of the day; this year William is in seventh grade and I get to ‘live’ seventh grade all the time. It may also be because being a teacher, a really good teacher, is reaching out to kids who are struggling but having a difficult time like the one I was watching when I started writing this a while back. Continue reading Why I became a teacher… →

New week – new start!

Family, Reading, teaching, Writing, , ,
maple flowers, leaves breaking out, spring is here!

It is raining, but that beats the original forecast – snow. Yesterday, the forecast was for heavy snow across the area with accumulation. The good news is that a heavy snow in April does not last long. The bad news is that it is snow. But, even better news is that the snow is north of us and it is raining and we need rain. Continue reading New week – new start! →

Railroading…

Family, history, Hobbies and Fun, Life in General, model railroads, , , ,

I pulled into the driveway this evening after a long day at school to find no one at home. Ivy greeted me enthusiastically, as she always does, and I searched the counter for clues. I found none and called Beth’s cell, only to discover it lying on the kitchen counter beside me. No help, at all. Continue reading Railroading… →

Pridie Aprilis – last day of March

Family, Life in General, , ,

End of March, last day of the first quarter, March thirty-first, or the day before April Fool’s. The Romans used a different calendar and thankfully Julius Caesar reformed it and later Pope Gregory added his touches but for the ways to say a date no one beats the Romans. The Ides of March, which appears as a warning to Julius in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” is the fifteenth of Martius.   Continue reading Pridie Aprilis – last day of March →

Spring Break – Mr. Freeze style!

Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, travel, , , , ,
William and Olivia - on the lake, last year they were in it!

Minus four at the airport, five on the temperature gauge at the cottage. There is no other way to say it, it is cold.

We left yesterday afternoon for a short trip to the cottage and visit with grandma and grandpa. We picked William up after his merit badge class – Citizenship in the World – stopped at Trader Joe’s and we were headed north by four. Continue reading Spring Break – Mr. Freeze style! →

Spring Break – It’s Here!

Family, Life in General, pets, Writing, , ,
The three of us, dad, and Julie May 1980, from a scanned slide

I set my alarm for 5.15 this morning, because I wanted to get a jumpstart on the first day of Spring Break, but instead I slept in until 6.15, dressed, and was out the door to get my haircut at seven. I enjoy the weekend mornings with time to read the newspaper and get a start on the day before everyone in the house is awake. Spring Break is here and I want to make the most of it. Continue reading Spring Break – It’s Here! →