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
Category Archives: history
Election Day 2012
The alarm went off at four this morning and I noticed we had a visitor in bed this morning. Sometime after I crawled in bed and fell asleep, Ivy came upstairs and jumped into bed with us. She usually sleeps downstairs, but it is comforting to have her lying at my feet warming my legs, even if she isn’t supposed to be our bed.
Today is Election Day, Continue reading Election Day 2012
1969, an earthquake, and Amuay

It has been two weeks since my last post am I feeling guilty that I haven’t written, but I have been busy with my school starting, the kid’s school starting, and the activities that come along with active kids and a family– sports practices, clubs, church, and family. I actually began writing a post earlier this week and stopped because I didn’t have time to finish and get to school, on time. At the same time, I have been trying to get the sleep and rest I need to lead a healthy and productive life. It has been a challenge keeping all of the roles in balance.
Summer Olympics

July 1976, it was the summer before high school. It was hot, as only southeastern Texas could get. It was the summer of a lot of things for me; growing up, figuring out who I was, figuring out what was ‘cool’ and what was not, who was cool and who my friends were, and getting ready for high school. It was also time for the Summer Olympics.
The Summer Olympics come around every four years, which is fortunate because if they came every summer, they might not mean the same thing, they might not be as special; because, the Olympic Games are something special. I have no memories of the Olympics before 1976. Continue reading Summer Olympics
Friday morning, early
I skipped writing yesterday, too much goin’ on, in-laws arrived and I had a bunch to get done. Though momma might dispute that – I did take a nap yesterday afternoon before they arrived.
This morning, I came downstairs and grandma and grandpa were up. The morning culture at the cottage is sipping coffee in the front room and enjoying the lake view. It’s been that way as long as I we’ve been coming here. It is an amazing view. Continue reading Friday morning, early
Independence Day – 236 years later
‘We hold these truths to be self-evident…’
Originally, I planned to sleep in and skip today’s post. I figured most people would be busy at parades, barbecues, picnics, or fireworks; which just about describes what we’ll be doing here. Maybe even a bit of weed pulling and there are a lot to pull, or cleaning, organizing, and getting ready for grandma and grandpa to arrive Thursday.
But, I awoke at 5.15 and decided to get up and start the day; Continue reading Independence Day – 236 years later
Setting sail, catching the wind
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

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
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
Next stop, High School
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
