Tag Archives: pets

Winding Down

Thursday, May 10, 2012, @ 5:31 amFamily, jobs, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Writingchildren, education, exercise, fishing, fitness, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, Summer Vacation, teaching, weather, writingClay

: Courtesy of FineArtAmerica.com

It is Teacher Appreciation Week and I am feeling appreciated. More importantly, I am grateful for the teachers I had who shaped me through their lessons, stories, patience, and passion. Thank you to, and in no particular order, Atlee, Guinn, Wright, Giesberg, Clark, Shand, and Gilbert. I know there were more, but it’s early and I am thinking and writing. I am also grateful to the teachers who have shaped my kid’s lives and made a difference for them. THANK YOU and THANK YOU for being a teacher. Continue reading Winding Down →

Thursday, before Friday

Thursday, April 5, 2012, @ 5:18 amFamily, history, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, geography, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, teaching, weather, writingClay

I woke this morning trying to breathe, it took almost an hour of blowing my nose and trying to go back to sleep, before I gave up and started the day. Ivy wanted nothing to do with me, or my waking ideas, and is still sleeping soundly – as only she can.

“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.”
Roald Dahl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Continue reading Thursday, before Friday →

Spring Break – 2012

Sunday, March 25, 2012, @ 7:52 amadventure, Family, jobs, pets, teaching, Weatherchildren, eating, Family, fishing, Grayling, great days, making the days count, pets, teaching, water sports, weatherClay

I‘ll be brief, I promise. It is Spring Break. I have big plans and small ones, too.

The plan was to leave immediately after school Friday, but I nixed it on Thursday because I was exhausted and did not want to drive 360 miles Friday trying to stay awake nor settle back seat disputes. So, we settled on leaving Saturday morning and even then I was sleepy the last hour or two. The drive was pleasant and it was amazing to drive through budding trees and the emerging green grass. We even stopped at our friend’s house for a brief visit. I visited with the parents and the kids had fun with each other. It was a nice visit and broke the drive into two parts – But, we made it and we’re here at the cottage. Continue reading Spring Break – 2012 →

What a difference a year makes

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, @ 11:21 pmFamily, jobs, Reading, teaching, Weathereducation, Family, football, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, weather, winter 2012, writingClay

snow_corridor — a year ago I had to rescue Ivy – today the deck is bare! Might as well be spring!

A year ago, I was climbing into bed dreaming of sleeping late, really late – past seven, eight, maybe even nine in the morning – which is unheard of for a middle school teacher. Except, we had been pummeled by 20+ inches of snow beginning Tuesday night and school had been cancelled for not one, but two days! Fast-forward to this year and we have had hardly any snow, yesterday it was in the upper 50s, and except for a few patches in shady areas, there is no snow on the ground. Continue reading What a difference a year makes →

Winter Break is over

Sunday, January 8, 2012, @ 6:26 amCooking, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchurch, eagle scout, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, Guys Read, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, teaching, weatherClay

moon0105 — Thursday night's moonrise and the sunset highlights the trees

Winter Break is over. I suppose that is a good thing. I need to get back to work and have a bit more structure in the day, but I have certainly enjoyed the time to rest, relax, and restore. I have enjoyed cooking, reading, and spending time with family. I have my regrets – I didn’t accomplish as much grading as I wanted, I didn’t clean up my desk and organize my personal office like I planned and sadly, I have been restoring my waist line and not vice-versa. Continue reading Winter Break is over →

Let it snow – part 2

Monday, January 2, 2012, @ 8:01 amadventure, Cooking, Family, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

ivy_stairs — Ivy looks down from upstairs

It is still snowing and I hope it doesn’t stop, or at least doesn’t stop until I want it to. I was up late, too late, last night and when I woke up this morning, I peered out the front window and was relieved to see a blanket of fresh snow covering the front yard and extending out into the lake Evidence Ivy’s and my walk had been erased.

Olivia is sleeping and I hope she sleeps for a bit longer; she was up late, though not as late as I was. This morning, Ivy barked and wanted out and I was afraid she was getting up, but she went back to bed. Ivy went outside did her business and came back inside and snuggled up on the blanket by my feet and went back to sleep, too. Continue reading Let it snow – part 2 →

Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2011, @ 9:44 amcountry, Family, jobs, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, Paris, pets, reading, scouting, teaching, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving 2011, writingClay

I went back in time yesterday morning to last year, the year before, and all the way back to Thanksgivings past. I went way back. I have been blogging at Making the Days Count since late May 2010 and have a few readers who follow along, so I feel I can go back to last year’s post without much of a problem for readers feeling like, ‘hey, I have been here before!’ Continue reading Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving →

Falling Back

Sunday, November 6, 2011, @ 7:24 amFamily, jobs, Life in General, pets, teachingBethany Hamilton, children, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, pets, reading, Soul Surfer, teaching, weatherClay

pancakes to start the day, what better way?

It was wonderful to stay up to 10PM with the kids and put them to bed knowing that it was really 9PM or would be in a few hours. Daylight Savings Time is the bomb! At least for a day. I looked at today’s details the sun rose at 6:30 AM and will set at 4:41 PM, even this early in the morning that is 10 hours and 11 minutes, how can that be? Regardless, that is the daylight we have, so we must make it count, worthwhile. Continue reading Falling Back →

Rising Action, falling leaves

Saturday, November 5, 2011, @ 7:30 amadventure, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, weather, writingClay

Yesterday was a glorious Fall day. It had been windy and wet in the middle of the week, but Thursday night the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped leaving a hint of frost everywhere. I know there is more of that to come, a lot more of it. I was up late Thursday night writing my narrative and getting ready for school even though I was out of school Friday, I still had to prepare via the web and the Blackboard – an electronic Blackboard – of sorts. Beth is out of town visiting her parents in Ohio and the kids needed me at home before school started and after when they came home. Continue reading Rising Action, falling leaves →

Catchin’ up

Thursday, October 27, 2011, @ 4:31 amFamily, pets, teaching, Teaching and Learningchildren, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

re_orange_leaf — a leaf from the maple, picked this morning

Monday night I came home to be with Olivia. Monday night has been harried for me this year because I have to get out of school and home before Olivia makes it home from school. William has a standing appointment and that leaves Olivia unsupervised, unless I am there. Until this past Monday, Monday also included softball practice and an opportunity to get outside. But, on Saturday Olivia’s softball season ended with an 8-1 win and the Fall League championship, way to go. Continue reading Catchin’ up →