Saturday was over before I knew it, it counted in so many ways: thirty, two, twelve, forty-four, ten, and negative one. All of these numbers are significant because they are related to an event during the day. Yet, the most important number of the day is the rollback of Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. It is always a sad time, yes we do gain an ‘extra hour’ of sleep Saturday night, but we lose daylight in our day. Continue reading Numbers and Daylight Savings Time
I shared the introduction paragraph with my classes yesterday and most seemed interested in my story. We broke down the elements of the paragraph and they could see the flaws in their writing and made notes on their papers before I collected their work. I will make copies and pass them back today. I introduced the rising action paragraph and got them to work while I checked in with students around the room to coach, motivate, and to discuss the stories they’re writing. Continue reading Day 50: Rising Action
As I wrote last week in Day 45: The Writing Process, I am teaching students to write a personal narrative and their assigned topic is a time in their lives when they had a personal conflict and the conflict led them to learn a lesson or an important life-changing lesson. As adults, it is easy to look back and see some of these moments, but it is not easy for a seventh grader to look so introspectively at their lives. Continue reading Day 49: Leads and Seeds and the Introductory paragraph
Beth had wanted a wakeup call and I woke up early and came downstairs about six. As usual, I was welcomed by Ivy, but she curled up on her pad and went back to sleep, she was fast asleep and stayed that way until eight, when I had to wake her to go outside before I left for church.
Wheaton was established when the United States was growing rapidly in the nineteenth century. It is largely a Christian town with Wheaton College and legend has it – more churches per capita than any other town in the United States. Wheaton was established by the Wheaton and Gary families who settled it west of Chicago. Continue reading Day 79: Sunday: church the kids come home…
This is the day I had not been looking forward to, return to Wheaton and ending summer at the cottage. I had been back for a two day trip and a three day trip, but this was final, it signified summer was over and a return to a normal schedule.
I did have a schedule: wake up, take Ivy out, make coffee, and write. This would be different though. It would mean I would have to accomplish more in a day than rest, relax, rejuvenate, water, boat, cook, and campfire. It is also a good thing as well because it means getting ready to go back to school and being alert and ready to go for a new school year. Continue reading Day 68 and 69: Home to Wheaton, back to reality
The Browns had arrived the Monday and Grandma and Grandpa were arriving Tuesday in late afternoon. It was quiet in the house when I woke up, Ivy and I came downstairs and we practiced our ritual; start the coffee then Ivy gets a short walk, followed by Ivy going back to sleep and I get to write. We had to be especially quiet as John was sleeping on the couch. Continue reading Day 67: Fishing, part two.
Wednesday and Thursday went incredibly quickly, but I suppose that happens when you are driving on the interstate and trying to keep up with traffic. I have to reflect on the contrast of returning from Normal Wednesday and driving to the cottage on Thursday.
The SLA wrapped up with sessions Wednesday morning and early afternoon. I decided to skip the last session because I did not think it would help me in my role as the Communications Liaison and I wanted to get home. It was hot, humid, and still. The kind of weather that makes me recall my time growing up in Houston. I have grown accustomed to the Midwestern summers with cool mornings and warm afternoons – especially at the cottage. I do not do well when it is hot enough to melt crayons. Continue reading Days 61 and 62: from Normal to the Cottage…
I have reached a milestone in my blog: fifty, five-O, 50 posts, or a half century. However, I look at it – it is a lot of writing. I never imagined I would have written so much. I have looked back at my writing, not all of it, and decided it needs polishing, revisiting, and it helps me remember what I have accomplished this summer. Some of the writing is reflective and some informative. It has been a pleasure to write. Continue reading Day 59: Driving to Normal, my 50th post.
I woke early Sunday morning, it was dark out, and Ivy barked. Not the bark I had learned that meant she needed to go, but a different bark. I opened the door and there was Beth coming in from the race – it was 4:36 AM and she and William had just gotten home from following the race. Continue reading Day 58: The Finish Line
The frenetic pace of leisure finally caught up with me and I had a very lazy morning. Friday’s events had worn everyone out and Beth and the kids slept late, or so I thought they would. Despite the excitement of Friday afternoon, Olivia was up ready to go at eight. William and Beth woke up later. It was cloudy and sprinkling, it did not look good for the afternoon’s parade or the evening’s canoe race. Continue reading Day 57: The Parade and the Race