Tag Archives: Family

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 →

T minus eight

Sunday, August 12, 2012, @ 9:44 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, sports, teaching, Writingbaseball, children, Cubs, Family, great days, Guys Read, high school football, making the days count, reading, scouting, seventh grade, softball, Summer Vacation, teaching, writingClay

It’s been a while, too long between my last post and today. Don’t worry, the days have counted and they are counting. Last week it was fifteen today it is eight, and counting.

W and I came home a week ago and we hit the ground running – school, errands, scouts, football, Continue reading T minus eight →

Sunday morning, fifteen days left

Sunday, August 5, 2012, @ 8:39 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

It’s Sunday morning, it’s bright, sunny, windy, and lake is blue, as blue as the early morning light colors the water. Wind rustles through the trees and blows in through the open screen door and through the cottage. Last night, a front blew through the area and brought much cooler and drier weather. It is the same front, which blasted though the Chicago area and later northern Ohio with high winds, lightning, and rain. We were supposed to get storms with rain and high winds, but nothing happened; the storm broke up before it arrived. We got pleasant weather instead. I’ll take the trade-off, anytime. Continue reading Sunday morning, fifteen days left →

Sleeping late, Friday morning

Friday, August 3, 2012, @ 10:19 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, sports, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, sports, Summer Vacation, teaching, water sports, weather, writingClay

I was up late last night watching the Olympics. I crawled into bed full of national pride for our Olympians and thinking about all of the athletes who have trained for years with the dream of being an Olympic champion, only to have their dreams dashed by a small mistake, a minor misstep, or a better athlete. That happens in life. We all make small errors or come up against someone or something better. It is what we do afterwards, that matters that makes the day count. Continue reading Sleeping late, Friday morning →

August and a rainy Thursday morning

Thursday, August 2, 2012, @ 8:09 amadventure, Family, food, Life in General, pets, Reading, sports, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, fishing, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, water sports, weather, writingClay

Wednesday was a great day. Fishing, boating, swimming, skiing, dinner out, and no clean up! This morning I ignored my alarm and slept a little longer. I could hear the wind in the trees and the lake slapping the pontoon and kayak and I got up to a grey sky, rain, and a very quiet morning. It is a good way to begin the day.

weatherscreen_0802 — this morning’s weather screenshot, courtesy the Weather Channel’s weather app

Yesterday was a fun day. O awoke and asked Continue reading August and a rainy Thursday morning →

Monday night summer storm

Wednesday, August 1, 2012, @ 7:23 amFamily, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Weatherchildren, Family, fishing, great days, lightning storms, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

Twenty days, less than three weeks, Monday felt like a Monday. Summer vacation seems like a perpetual weekend, almost like Groundhog Day or the book I read earlier this summer, 11 Birthdays, where the day is repeated over, and over, again. It’s not quite like that but there is no break in the week and if I am not careful the line between one day and another blurs.

There is a difference between the weekend and the week here, the lake is much calmer, there are fewer boats, and there are fewer people along the lakeshore, but for me there is little difference.

Sunday had been a late night watching the Olympics and Monday night would likely be no different. Continue reading Monday night summer storm →

Summer Olympics

Monday, July 30, 2012, @ 7:38 amcountry, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, sports, teaching, Writingchildren, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, Family, Grayling, great days, making the days count, patriotism, reading, seventh grade, sports, Summer Olympics, teaching, writingClay

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 →

Weeding, fishing, and a mean sunburn!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012, @ 8:44 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, Weather, Writingchildren, eating, Family, fishing, Grayling, great days, making the days count, reading, Summer Vacation, sunburn, teaching, weather, writingClay

ivy_sleeps — Ivy’s nest in the corner by the front window

It’s mornings like this one when I truly appreciate the cottage. It is quiet and the lake is calm, much calmer than yesterday when the wind whipped the lake into whitecaps, the trees rustled in the wind, and the sun beat down through the clear blue sky.

Grandma and grandpa left almost a week ago and I miss grandma and our early morning coffee together in the front room looking out upon the lake. Ivy’s curled up on her pad almost as if it is her nest, sleeping. I got up much earlier and it was cool, crisp, and clear I decided to sit out on the deck and invited Ivy to join me, she decided to stay inside and curled up and went back to sleep. Continue reading Weeding, fishing, and a mean sunburn! →

Sunday morning by the lake

Sunday, July 22, 2012, @ 10:13 amadventure, Cooking, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Weather, Writingchildren, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, making the days count, Paris, pets, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

survivor_bracelet — my survivor bracelet – courtesy W

I have been in a writing funk for almost a week, now. I started to write Thursday and stopped. I started, again Friday, and again Saturday and stopped both times. Honestly, the summer has been a whirlwind and lately, I have been having a hard time keeping up.

After a week in the hospital grandpa came home and my in-laws returned to Ohio late Wednesday; and grandpa is recovering, slowly. Beth returned with them and is helping where she can. The kids and I stayed back at the cottage and I feel, sort of guilty enjoying summer at the cottage. Though, I’m not really enjoying summer as much as I would or could. Continue reading Sunday morning by the lake →

Monday, lake time

Monday, July 16, 2012, @ 7:21 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingageing, children, Family, grandma, grandpa, Grayling, hard work, making the days count, reading, Summer Vacation, teaching, writingClay

Grandma and I are enjoying the lake, sipping coffee, talking baseball, and sharing memories of our time up here. I am writing, but my mind is somewhere else; our thoughts are with grandpa and we’ll hop on over to visit him this morning.

O and I drove back to the lake Saturday afternoon. She won her game and she was elated, but she was even more excited about getting back to the lake. I can’t blame her. Except for a bit of rain as we drove out of town, the drive was dry and clear. I could see thunderheads off to the east, or west, or north, but we missed them all.

IMG_0178[1] — thunderheads loom ahead in the distance, the road disappears behind us, and we get closer to the cottage every minute

As soon as we pulled into the driveway and unloaded, W and O were in the lake and having a great time. Ivy was content to sit in the yard and watch as they played in the water. O took the kayak out and the hooked it to a buoy and played together in the water. They swam and played until they tired of the water and came in, dripping. Continue reading Monday, lake time →