Tag Archives: hard work

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 →

6th grade, all over again

Saturday, November 10, 2012, @ 11:11 amFamily, history, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall leaves, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, sixth grade, teaching, writingClay

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 →

Election Day 2012

Tuesday, November 6, 2012, @ 6:08 amcountry, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, Election 2012, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, teaching, writingClay

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 →

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 →

Lazy Sunday Morning

Sunday, September 16, 2012, @ 11:31 amFamily, food, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingbirthdays, children, education, Family, football, great days, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

This weekend is B’s birthday. The actual day was Friday and we were all at school. Saturday was softball and football games and household chores. Sunday is church, normally, and homework and relaxing, when we can. So, we decided to celebrate the weekend, the entire weekend.

Last weekend, after dropping W off at football, I stopped by the French market and scored some beautiful roses for my wonderful wife. Continue reading Lazy Sunday Morning →

Getting it together

Thursday, August 16, 2012, @ 6:09 amadventure, Family, Life in General, Music, pets, Reading, sports, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, great days, hard work, high school football, making the days count, music, pets, reading, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

morning has broken — my backyard, as I sipped coffee and watched Ivy

It’s the last week of summer vacation. It’s the week peppered with regret and excitement. Regret, because I didn’t lose all that weight or win the lotto, but excitement because school is starting next week. I am slowly getting back in the groove. I had a meeting yesterday and met many of the new teachers in our district and I even recognized one of the names from my first years as a teacher. The new teachers are getting younger and I am getting older, yeah, I am getting old. Really, I am not old but experienced and wiser. I keep telling myself, when I start acting my age, I’ll need to worry. Continue reading Getting it together →

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 →