I got up early this morning and finished my book, Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. I have been reading it since early January at night before bed, reading as much as I could before I could no longer hold my eyes open. Last night, when I got home from the dance, I wanted to finish it, but I was exhausted and spent from a long week and read only a few pages before falling asleep. I woke in the middle of the night and went downstairs to read – to go back to sleep. I read a bit on the couch before dozing off with the light on and the dog at my feet, I woke up to a bark and dog who needed to go out. I made pot of coffee and covered up on the couch and finished the book. Overnight, we got a dusting of snow and the dreary cloudy days of Thursday and Friday were erased by a clear, bright sunny Saturday morning. Continue reading Embarrassed, seriously.
Tag Archives: writing
Let it snow – part 2

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
Making Time

@MakingDaysCount and MakingtheDaysCount dot org, on many occasions, I have written about time and using it wisely; and if you have been looking for an update and wondering where I have been, I’ve been here, or there, seemingly everywhere – but not on the internet and certainly not at MakingtheDaysCount dot org. It has been a long three weeks. During that time, I have started a couple of entries but they have died on the figurative vine and been left unfinished. Continue reading Making Time
Pearl Harbor – 70 Years Later
I wasn’t around seventy years ago, but my in-laws were, they were teenagers then and remember the day quite well; much like I and my generation will remember 9/11
Yesterday, I casually mentioned to my seventh graders that today was an important anniversary and they looked at me in odd way – sort of like Ivy when she is confused, tilting her head to one side and cocking her ears back, as if to say, “So, you say?” What it really means is that they have no clue what you are talking about and they don’t have a good answer, because by the way I am looking at them, they should know. Continue reading Pearl Harbor – 70 Years Later
Day 67 – is it real?

Today is the sixty-seventh day of the school year. It doesn’t seem possible, but, it is. It is funny how time moves so quickly. This week has virtually evaporated. A week ago, it was Thanksgiving Break and now I am looking down the barrels of Winter Break and a long two-week holiday, which will seemingly go faster than Thanksgiving’s five days. Continue reading Day 67 – is it real?
Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving
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
Elementary, my dear Watson
Another busy weekend, full of choices: what to do, what to leave undone, unfinished, or unstarted. It had been a busy week at school and home. For my kids – William and Olivia, it was the last week before Thanksgiving break. They get the entire week on vacation. For me, it was the end of the narrative unit and the beginning of the mystery unit and Sherlock Holmes. I like Sherlock. I like how he helps me think at a different level and I marvel at his ability to see things others do not. Continue reading Elementary, my dear Watson
Veterans Day 2011

It is Veterans Day and I am off school. My students are off school and it is a vacation day. But, not all schools are out, my kids are in school and a few other local school districts are in session. I teach in one school district and I live in another. It is nice to have a day off, but it would be nicer to celebrate what the day means and honor veterans for the service and sacrifice.
So far, I have accomplished little with my day off. It sounds like a whine, and it is. I took Ivy to the groomer and have picked her up – she’s resting upstairs, I have e-mailed a few folks, replied to a few comments, called my mother-in-law, talked to a friend about a fantasy football trade – I declined, and in general had a restful day. It is Veterans Day and I should have done more with it than I have. I feel guilty. Continue reading Veterans Day 2011
Part 5, the conclusion, and the ride home
The gentle rain on the roof, rolling into the gutters outside my bedroom window was soothing and I slept well last night, perhaps, too well. I had a hard time convincing myself it was a good idea to get out of bed and start the day. I finally got up went downstairs, started the coffee, and made lunch for William and me – salads. Continue reading Part 5, the conclusion, and the ride home
It is raining and Falling Action
I made it through Monday, though barely. The weather was dreary today and it made it even worse. I read that at our latitude we lose 3 ½ minutes of daylight each day, that sucks! There is just no delicate way to put it. In addition to being narrative writing season in my classroom, it is a busy time in the school and at home. I got home from school and helped Olivia with her math homework and then we were off to a book fair at her elementary school, that wasn’t. We ended up at the town library instead. She was ‘on fire’ to pick up a good book to read and I wasn’t about to stand in her way. Continue reading It is raining and Falling Action