Category Archives: adventure

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 →

Veterans Day – Semper Fi

Sunday, November 11, 2012, @ 9:11 amadventure, country, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingeducation, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, patriotism, reading, teaching, World War I, writing, WWIIClay

Today is Veterans Day. It is celebrated on the eleventh day of the eleventh month; the day also marks the remembrance of end of the First World War. There is no coincidence.

dad_usmc — Private Robert N. Watkins, USMC, my dad

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

As a young child, there were two topics, which I constantly read – World War II and football. I could not read enough or learn enough about the war. I was fascinated, and I still am intrigued by history. My dad helped foster this learning and I remember watching Patton at the Palms Theater in third grade. At the time, I thought it was a great movie. I have watched it many times since and have the soundtrack in my music library. I am listening to it as I write this morning. I still think it is a great movie about a great man, who like many was flawed, but did what was needed when it was needed most. Continue reading Veterans Day – Semper Fi →

5:04 PM, October 17, 1989 – 23 years later

Wednesday, October 17, 2012, @ 11:00 pmadventure, Family, jobs, Life in General, sports, teaching, Weather, Writing1989 World Series, baseball, earthquakes, eating, education, Family, great days, Lomo Prieta quake, making the days count, seventh grade, Vie de France, writingClay

250px-1989_World_Series — image courtesy of Wikipedia

23 years ago, I had tickets to Game 3 of the World Series. It was the San Francisco Giants vs. The Oakland A’s. There are a few things in life that you’ll never forget, and going to a World Series game is probably one of them. Yet, that is not what I remember the date for, it was 23 years ago today that I was in a major earthquake.

I moved to the Bay Area in 1987 and B moved out there a couple of years later in ’89. She worked for Macy’s in the electronics buying office for the west coast. I loved baseball and I enjoyed watching games on TV. It was BK, before kids, Continue reading 5:04 PM, October 17, 1989 – 23 years later →

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 →

Conflicted Monday

Monday, October 8, 2012, @ 9:54 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, fall in the Midwest, Family, hard work, high school football, history, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, teaching, weather, writingClay

I am conflicted. It’s Monday morning and everyone is up. I got up early this morning, well early for a day off and instead of working, I read. It was good to read, but the opportunity cost is that I’m writing and it’s time to work to get things done, move, shake, rattle, and roll. But, I want to write. I also, need to grade and plan for the coming week. Before I know it, the day will be gone.

Instead of working, I read. I have been reading Continue reading Conflicted Monday →

Fall is here

Saturday, September 22, 2012, @ 11:19 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, Guys Read, hard work, high school football, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, softball, writingClay

iphone5 — a picture of me – on an iPhone5 screen!

Fall is here, like it or not. I’ve known it was coming. I could tell, every morning the light seemed to come later and later, and last Wednesday I returned to O’s softball practice in a panic that she was waiting for me because practice had been called for darkness. They were still practicing, but I can no longer rely on time of day as a way gauge light or dark. Today is the Autumnal Equinox when we’ll get an equal amount of daylight and darkness and then it will go downhill from there. Continue reading Fall is here →

1969, an earthquake, and Amuay

Thursday, August 30, 2012, @ 5:18 amadventure, Family, history, jobs, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writing1969, Amuay, children, education, Family, great days, history, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, teaching, Venezuela, writingClay

1969_clay_pedro1 — Pedro and I – 1969 Venezuela

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.

Continue reading 1969, an earthquake, and Amuay →