This is the first thing we saw as we walked:
Next we noticed that some over-achieving neighbors already had their Yuletide lights out, and with it not even being Thanksgiving, we thought them worthy of posting.
Happy Thanksgiving loved ones!!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Royal and I Walk Through the Neighborhood
It was such a beautiful evening that I decided to take a few photos with my phone as Royal and I took our evening walk. It was already dark, so my subjects are of the "dark" variety.
This is the first thing we saw as we walked:
The moon was much more spectacular in person!
Next we noticed that some over-achieving neighbors already had their Yuletide lights out, and with it not even being Thanksgiving, we thought them worthy of posting.
We hope you enjoyed our walk as much as we did, but our favorite part was having a glass of wine on the patio while talking to Devin on the phone after we returned!
Happy Thanksgiving loved ones!!!
This is the first thing we saw as we walked:
Next we noticed that some over-achieving neighbors already had their Yuletide lights out, and with it not even being Thanksgiving, we thought them worthy of posting.
Happy Thanksgiving loved ones!!!
November Blossoms
It has been the most amazing fall in Kansas City. The date is November 20 and there are still flowers and plants blooming all over town. The grass is green as people are still watering and mowing. The only evidence of the late fall are the leaves on the trees.
This hidden beauty is what remains of a gorgeous trailing geranium that I tossed aside after we winterized the patio and simply ignored for weeks! When I stepped outside this morning I noticed it was still blooming so I honored it with this post. (Glen can tell you that it just kills me to watch a yard plant die. I have to hide them somewhere while they silently wither or I will bring them indoors and try to winter them, which is messy and takes lots of space).
So for my California loved ones, Kansas can be mild and temperate even in mid-November. Weather reports claim we will have a mild, dry winter with conditions setting up for a major ice storm...pics to follow!!
Yummy Hackberries!
Anyway, I was checking the perimeter one day when I stumbled onto these crazy black berries all over my backyard! Even though it wasn't even close to dinner time, my tummy was already rumbling so I decided to give 'em a taste. Wow! They tasted amazing, so I quickly ate as many as I could before Rhonda came outside and yelled at me to stop! (She's a little overprotective and she thought they might be poisonous, silly lady!)
Well, Glen is a lot smarter than Rhonda about nature stuff cuz he's a farm kid. He told me they were called Hackberries and that I could eat as many as I wanted unless they gave me diarrhea. Man, that sounded awful, so I sure didn't want to get that. But whenever I'm out in the backyard I can't stop myself from piggin' out on them!
In case you ever want to try them like Rhonda did, they have this crispy shell on the outside, a delicious sweet juice with a huge seed on the inside.
Know what? When Maddie came over, I told her about Hackberries and she taught me how to graze for them. Before that, I just looked for the twigs that fell off the trees and I stripped the berries off with my teeth. But Maddie's pretty smart, too, and she said, "Hey Dummy, why don't you just eat the ones that fell off the trees that are laying all over the ground!"
I started to worry that Maddie was gonna eat all my yummy hackberries but she said, "Royal, you are a fool...look up! The trees are loaded!!"
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Husband, a Father, a Teacher and a Friend
Life will never be the same again for the Rucker family, whom we love. Jim passed away Thursday, October 21 at 10:55 p.m. after a two and a half year battle with cancer.
When Adrienne and I arrived at their home on Sunday, we were welcomed with arms wide open by Jeanne, whose poise and grace never wavered over the next 24 hours. I cannot fathom where she drew her strength from, but it was very clear that she possessed some deep and tremendous faith that carried her through the difficult minutes, hours and days following Jim's death.
As we sat on the church pews listening to the stories shared by colleagues, friends and family, a picture of the man Jim had been emerged...clearly he was a man who loved his family, immeasurably, and cared about his friends and community. The eulogy delivered by son, Jason, showed that he was loved deeply in return. It saddened me that I had not known Jim better or longer. Now there were only the memories and the stories we would hear and the kind words from his family and friends, or the family pictures that we viewed while in the company of his family. As Jason contemplated the purpose of Jim's life and of his own, I knew that Jason had already stepped-up. And while he would never try to fill Jim's shoes, he would be the man that Jim had fathered him to be. It is the hardest time of life. Jeanne, Jason, and Jill will need the love and comfort of family and friends in the difficult days ahead, so keep them in your hearts and minds.
Jim's Obituary
Dr. Jim D. Rucker, 63, died Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010, at his home in Hays.
He was born April 22, 1947, on the family farm near Maywood to Ivan and Sylvia (Hoschouer) Rucker. On June 14, 1970, he married Jeanne A. Moss in Gering. Jim received his B.A. degree in education from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1969, his M.S. in education from Chadron State College in 1979, and his Ed.D. degree in administration, curriculum and instruction with emphasis in business education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1983. He began his teaching career as a business teacher in the Shelby Public Schools from 1969 until 1971. He was a business teacher at the Columbus Junior High School from 1971 until 1976. He was a graduate teaching assistant at Chadron State College from 1978-79 and a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1979-80. He was then the assistant professor, business division, at Wayne State College in Wayne from 1980 until 1982. He was a professor in the department of management and marketing at Fort Hays State University since 1982. Memberships include the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays, the National Business Education Association of which he was the past president, the Mountain Plains Business Education Association, the Kansas Business Education Association and the Association for Business Communication.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanne, of Hays; his mother, Sylvia Rucker of McCook; son, Jason Rucker and his wife, Ginger, of Roeland Park, Kan.; daughter, Jill Dilly and her husband, Jon, of Overland Park, Kan.; brothers, Gary Rucker and his wife, Connie, of York, and Ron Rucker and his wife, Connie, of Yankton, S.D., and a sister, Beverly Elliot of McCook.
He was preceded in death by his father and an infant daughter, Jamie Rucker.
Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Monday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays. The family will receive friends from 9 a.m. until service time at the church Monday. Memorials are suggested to the Dr. Jim D. Rucker Scholarship Fund at Fort Hays State University, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine, Hays, Kan. Condolences may be sent to the family at haysmemchapel@ruraltel.net
When Adrienne and I arrived at their home on Sunday, we were welcomed with arms wide open by Jeanne, whose poise and grace never wavered over the next 24 hours. I cannot fathom where she drew her strength from, but it was very clear that she possessed some deep and tremendous faith that carried her through the difficult minutes, hours and days following Jim's death.
As we sat on the church pews listening to the stories shared by colleagues, friends and family, a picture of the man Jim had been emerged...clearly he was a man who loved his family, immeasurably, and cared about his friends and community. The eulogy delivered by son, Jason, showed that he was loved deeply in return. It saddened me that I had not known Jim better or longer. Now there were only the memories and the stories we would hear and the kind words from his family and friends, or the family pictures that we viewed while in the company of his family. As Jason contemplated the purpose of Jim's life and of his own, I knew that Jason had already stepped-up. And while he would never try to fill Jim's shoes, he would be the man that Jim had fathered him to be. It is the hardest time of life. Jeanne, Jason, and Jill will need the love and comfort of family and friends in the difficult days ahead, so keep them in your hearts and minds.
Jim's Obituary
Dr. Jim D. Rucker, 63, died Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010, at his home in Hays.
He was born April 22, 1947, on the family farm near Maywood to Ivan and Sylvia (Hoschouer) Rucker. On June 14, 1970, he married Jeanne A. Moss in Gering. Jim received his B.A. degree in education from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1969, his M.S. in education from Chadron State College in 1979, and his Ed.D. degree in administration, curriculum and instruction with emphasis in business education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1983. He began his teaching career as a business teacher in the Shelby Public Schools from 1969 until 1971. He was a business teacher at the Columbus Junior High School from 1971 until 1976. He was a graduate teaching assistant at Chadron State College from 1978-79 and a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1979-80. He was then the assistant professor, business division, at Wayne State College in Wayne from 1980 until 1982. He was a professor in the department of management and marketing at Fort Hays State University since 1982. Memberships include the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays, the National Business Education Association of which he was the past president, the Mountain Plains Business Education Association, the Kansas Business Education Association and the Association for Business Communication.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanne, of Hays; his mother, Sylvia Rucker of McCook; son, Jason Rucker and his wife, Ginger, of Roeland Park, Kan.; daughter, Jill Dilly and her husband, Jon, of Overland Park, Kan.; brothers, Gary Rucker and his wife, Connie, of York, and Ron Rucker and his wife, Connie, of Yankton, S.D., and a sister, Beverly Elliot of McCook.
He was preceded in death by his father and an infant daughter, Jamie Rucker.
Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Monday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays. The family will receive friends from 9 a.m. until service time at the church Monday. Memorials are suggested to the Dr. Jim D. Rucker Scholarship Fund at Fort Hays State University, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine, Hays, Kan. Condolences may be sent to the family at haysmemchapel@ruraltel.net
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Bye-bye Bro!
Fun weekend with brother Ronnie, wife Lisa and niece Caitlyn! We had to hustle to get bedrooms set up because Adrienne took the antique wrought iron bed that she slept on in high school for her guest room. I found a black, wrought iron canopy bed on Craigslist, but we needed to get another queen mattress and find bedding for it before Friday night. The bed turned out to be the one Caitlyn slept on, so we teased her about being the "Princess" in the marshmallow bed because it has a memory foam topper on it.
They arrived before 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening so we just sat around and talked. Royal got really excited and threw-up all his dinner right on the living room rug! His tummy didn't settle down until bedtime and he put on quite a show for all of us. For some reason, everytime he had to puke he walked out to the living room to do it but then retreated to the bedroom!
We all got up before 8:00 Saturday morning and had fruit and bagels for breakfast. They left for the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs and Glen and I worked in the backyard on the patio. We had decided to grill for dinner and then go to a movie. So R, L, & C came back around 6:00 and we enjoyed a meal on the patio, (the weather was perfect!) and then went to the AMC 30 for "The Other Guys". It was good for lots of laughs and we came home pretty satisfied.
We planned to brunch on the Plaza Sunday before they left to travel back to Hays. We went by Adrienne's house to pick her up then on to "Ingredient" for breakfast food. Everyone ordered such yummy looking meals that I want to go back and try some of what they had! After, we stopped by a doggie bakery and bought "Growloween" cookies for the dogs. It was a fun place, I would love to try some of their delicacies, too! Then Adrienne took us through the ritzy part of KC so we could drool over all the mansions.
My bro and family left around noon and once again we wondered why they don't come out more often!
They arrived before 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening so we just sat around and talked. Royal got really excited and threw-up all his dinner right on the living room rug! His tummy didn't settle down until bedtime and he put on quite a show for all of us. For some reason, everytime he had to puke he walked out to the living room to do it but then retreated to the bedroom!
We all got up before 8:00 Saturday morning and had fruit and bagels for breakfast. They left for the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs and Glen and I worked in the backyard on the patio. We had decided to grill for dinner and then go to a movie. So R, L, & C came back around 6:00 and we enjoyed a meal on the patio, (the weather was perfect!) and then went to the AMC 30 for "The Other Guys". It was good for lots of laughs and we came home pretty satisfied.
We planned to brunch on the Plaza Sunday before they left to travel back to Hays. We went by Adrienne's house to pick her up then on to "Ingredient" for breakfast food. Everyone ordered such yummy looking meals that I want to go back and try some of what they had! After, we stopped by a doggie bakery and bought "Growloween" cookies for the dogs. It was a fun place, I would love to try some of their delicacies, too! Then Adrienne took us through the ritzy part of KC so we could drool over all the mansions.
My bro and family left around noon and once again we wondered why they don't come out more often!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Dream Visits
I love it when my relatives visit me in my dreams. Last night it was Brandon. The back story isn't very interesting, because it didn't really make a lot of sense. We were at a public swimming pool and I guess I can relate the setting and the feeling of being there with Brandon to the night that we all went to the pool when Glen and I stayed at Brandon and Angela's in June. The powerful part of the dream was the feeling I had of hugging Brandon and just being able to touch him, which is what I miss when I only get to talk to my sons on the phone. It is so surprising to wake up from a lucid dream like this one and actually feel a sense of satisfaction, as if I really did hug Brandon.
Devin and Adrienne appear as main characters in my dreams, too. The last time Devin visited me, he was a child and we were living on the farm. These are "yearning" type dreams, I always wake with a bit of sadness.
Dreams of Adrienne have a decidedly "current" theme, very much like her appearances in our lives now, here for a visit and gone, or we are on a mission to accomplish something.
I'm not "into" dreams as much as I used to be, I share this blog only because Brandon's visit is still so fresh in my mind and I wanted to capture the feeling from it. I no longer have nightmares like I used to either. It's too freaky to share a nightmare about a loved one...and the fact that I rarely have them or remember them anymore is fine with me.
You started something with your Chocolate dream, Devin!
Devin and Adrienne appear as main characters in my dreams, too. The last time Devin visited me, he was a child and we were living on the farm. These are "yearning" type dreams, I always wake with a bit of sadness.
Dreams of Adrienne have a decidedly "current" theme, very much like her appearances in our lives now, here for a visit and gone, or we are on a mission to accomplish something.
I'm not "into" dreams as much as I used to be, I share this blog only because Brandon's visit is still so fresh in my mind and I wanted to capture the feeling from it. I no longer have nightmares like I used to either. It's too freaky to share a nightmare about a loved one...and the fact that I rarely have them or remember them anymore is fine with me.
You started something with your Chocolate dream, Devin!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Dreams
I love to hear the stories my grown children tell about their dreams. For instance, Devin called this evening, and as so often happens, he was telling me all about his weekend and I got distracted and forgot to ask how his diet is going and instead started telling him about Royal's latest problem. During the course of this conversation, he told me about his lucid "Chocolate" dream. In the dream, Chocolate ran up to him and Devin was so excited to see him and petted him. Naturally, this rekindled my feelings for Chocolate. He was such a young, small puppy when we got him from Nate of Fairport. He fit in the pocket of my jacket and we took him with us to a track meet the first week we had him. He was very popular that day. What he lacked in size, (a miniature rat terrier), he made up for in his big, exuberant personality! He was fearless and cocky, definitely the pack leader around our farm! He chased a big, husky salesman up onto the picnic table one evening, and the man refused to come down until we came out and called Chocolate off!
I don't want to think about why we gave Chocolate up or what happened to him after...but I do. What I am certain of is that we all loved him and that we gave him a good life while he was with us. RIP little buddy!
I don't want to think about why we gave Chocolate up or what happened to him after...but I do. What I am certain of is that we all loved him and that we gave him a good life while he was with us. RIP little buddy!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Run Royal Run
One of my favorite canine activities is taking Royal to the dog park! We went to Heritage Park this morning...a gorgeous beginning to the day. They have done lots of good stuff to the park since we were last there, solar powered restrooms for owners, new entrance slab, and the park was mowed nicely. Royal hasn't been since last spring, probably April!
You can see how much he loves to run in this photo. It is so fun to watch him, too. Someone at the park will always comment on how fast he is. He's really just trotting here, but I love how Glen got the shot just as his ears were thrust upward in mid-stride! It makes him look like an exotic dingo.
We stayed for about an hour and Royal made a few friends, which is another interesting aspect of dog-parking. Apparently, dogs pick out other dogs to associate with much like people do. Some dogs will get a passing glance from Royal, some he completely ignores, others will get his attention immediately, and he will engage in play or chase right away. Today he chose a nice looking border collie, first. The collie chased and chased trying to catch Royal, all the while he had a huge grin on his face as if to say, Ha! You'll never catch me!
Royal likes dog owners more than he likes dogs, I think. He always picks out pretty blonde girls, little kids, or grandma ladies. He likes men, too, but they don't usually talk to him like the others do. He gets pretty excited and jumps up for kisses, which most folks don't really appreciate!
He's pretty tired right now, laying on his cushion all rolled in a ball. Guess he knows its time for football and he better get his nap in before the yelling starts!
Friday Dinner @ Stonewall Inn
Glen got talked in to buying one of those "coupon books" from a former golf student, so we have to use it until we get our $20 investment back. I looked through it 3 times before I found something I thought would be worthy of the drive out there. Brandon had told me about Stonewall Pizza years ago. He said he wanted to eat there if he ever figured out how to get there. You can see it across the 35 right of way, but you obviously can't get there directly. Well, a few years later (I know...) we realized it is right on Pflumm St. in Lenexa, Ks, established in 1978 and successful all these years later. We stopped to try it out that day, but we were too early in the day and then never got over there again. We noticed there is also a Stonewall Inn in the same lot whose specialty is pan-fried chicken, (I'm thinking this could be another Strouds!).
Long story short, we chose the Stonewall Inn coupon and headed out. Although it wasn't even 5:00, there were lots of cars in the parking lot. People were sitting outside eating pizza and drinking beer or at the Inn eating fried chicken. The inside of the inn was rustic and homey, with a dining room, bar area, and a large outdoor patio.
I ordered the fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans. Glen had the special, fried fish and chips. We agreed the food was good and we left just as the place was filling up. We also agreed that we would come back and try Stonewall pizza so we could tell Brandon whether it was as good as he had heard, although, he doesn't much care anymore.
Long story short, we chose the Stonewall Inn coupon and headed out. Although it wasn't even 5:00, there were lots of cars in the parking lot. People were sitting outside eating pizza and drinking beer or at the Inn eating fried chicken. The inside of the inn was rustic and homey, with a dining room, bar area, and a large outdoor patio.
I ordered the fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans. Glen had the special, fried fish and chips. We agreed the food was good and we left just as the place was filling up. We also agreed that we would come back and try Stonewall pizza so we could tell Brandon whether it was as good as he had heard, although, he doesn't much care anymore.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Pizza but not on Friday
We ordered dinner from Papa John's tonight. I always order it online, now, so I don't have to talk to the cashier, pretty pathetic, huh. I was still surfing the web when it arrived, incredibly quick. We devoured it just as quickly.
But the pizza got me thinking how we used to have pizza every Friday night. It started on the farm where my goal was to make homemade pizza taste just like Pizza Hut's. That didn't happen. But I learned a few tricks along the way, until we moved to Hays and could order Pizza Hut any time we wanted it and it came right to the house!
Its not a Friday tradition anymore, the kids have all moved on and I don't even think they eat pizza that much. We order it occasionally, or we go to Papa Murphy's and bring the pizza home to bake in our own oven. Never would I have imagined that you could get me to pay for pizza that's not even baked! I'm not knocking it, its pretty good pizza!
Its sad that we have to drop some traditions and I think that was what I was really missing tonight. Its not Friday and its just Glen and I and the dogs, no family around the table, wolfing down the pizza before it all disappears.
But pizza isn't all that healthy for us. I would settle for family dinners every Friday night. Maybe we should start Salad Night!!!
But the pizza got me thinking how we used to have pizza every Friday night. It started on the farm where my goal was to make homemade pizza taste just like Pizza Hut's. That didn't happen. But I learned a few tricks along the way, until we moved to Hays and could order Pizza Hut any time we wanted it and it came right to the house!
Its not a Friday tradition anymore, the kids have all moved on and I don't even think they eat pizza that much. We order it occasionally, or we go to Papa Murphy's and bring the pizza home to bake in our own oven. Never would I have imagined that you could get me to pay for pizza that's not even baked! I'm not knocking it, its pretty good pizza!
Its sad that we have to drop some traditions and I think that was what I was really missing tonight. Its not Friday and its just Glen and I and the dogs, no family around the table, wolfing down the pizza before it all disappears.
But pizza isn't all that healthy for us. I would settle for family dinners every Friday night. Maybe we should start Salad Night!!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Ebony and Ivory
This picture was taken on a different sleepover. If dogs could talk I would ask them why they mirror one another, but seem to distance themselves, not fully giving in to true companionship and camaraderie.
When Adrienne first adopted Maddie I thought, Wow! I hope Adrienne knows what she's doing, that dog is not very lovable! She was easily 20 pounds over weight and not all that interested in me. But in just 7 months, she is at her proper weight and a great match for Royal. Maddie runs to me and always hopes for a small treat, but she is wonderfully bonded to Adrienne. Maybe they both compete for Adrienne's attention, so they have figured out its best to hold out on each other. At any rate, she is a beautiful dog with a great personality!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
What's in my blood?
The doctor finally convinced me to start taking a cholesterol-lowering medication and I have been taking it for one month. A pharmacist at Wal-Mart puts it in a little white bag and charges me $24 because it is a knock-off of Zocor, 80 milligrams, the highest dose. I share this because it is not my diet that caused the high-cholesterol, it is my genetic propensity.
I have tried to eliminate bad fats from my diet by visualizing the little chunks of fat swirling around in my veins, sticking to the walls of my arteries and clogging up the works so that they eventually cause a heart attack or a stroke. But each year the numbers went higher, so it is time!
Age 53 is my first milestone, the mark put there in my future by my father and his brother, who each died of a massive heart attack at. or about that age. In my family, me and my surviving siblings have passed the first mark. There is no excuse for inaction.
In two more weeks, I have my blood rechecked and I am hoping that those numbers have started down so that the dose can be lowered. I don't want to become dependent on this drug to do for me what I may be able to do for myself. You see, High Cholesterol has a twin demon...High Blood Pressure!
Sorry to be "Debbie-Downer" but facts is facts and three other people share these genetics with me, so I guess I'm being pro-active with you even though I know your reasons for eating right and being fit may be different right now. It will help you in the future to think about The Twins now!
I have tried to eliminate bad fats from my diet by visualizing the little chunks of fat swirling around in my veins, sticking to the walls of my arteries and clogging up the works so that they eventually cause a heart attack or a stroke. But each year the numbers went higher, so it is time!
Age 53 is my first milestone, the mark put there in my future by my father and his brother, who each died of a massive heart attack at. or about that age. In my family, me and my surviving siblings have passed the first mark. There is no excuse for inaction.
In two more weeks, I have my blood rechecked and I am hoping that those numbers have started down so that the dose can be lowered. I don't want to become dependent on this drug to do for me what I may be able to do for myself. You see, High Cholesterol has a twin demon...High Blood Pressure!
Sorry to be "Debbie-Downer" but facts is facts and three other people share these genetics with me, so I guess I'm being pro-active with you even though I know your reasons for eating right and being fit may be different right now. It will help you in the future to think about The Twins now!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Team Time
Yesterday and today we met with our SFT Teams for most of the day to share goals, expectations, and engage in icebreaker activities to get to know one another better. My team is named Team Courage and my fellow teammates include seven other SFT teachers and 85 of our eighth graders. Its been really fun to work with other teachers and actually get to know these students in a different way. Normally, I would only see them when they come in as a class for a quick lesson on research, or to check out books and textbooks yada, yada. But we did really cool activities like "a team handshake, logo, motto, rap, etc." Our team includes an art teacher, P.E. teacher, math, social studies, english, science, librarian, and resource teacher. Now that we have all gotten to know one another, we will not meet as a complete team for several weeks. Instead, I will spend every day from 2:40 until 3:10 with my core teacher and our 25 students. We have a fun group of students and a good diverse group, too.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rain in the forecast!
Well, it wasn't a big, drenching rain, but it was still welcome as its been nearly a month with no moisture and scorching temperatures. I have busted my butt watering every single night since sometime in July and it was getting old. I got to take a break last night and tonight, but the weather man says its going to be hot again near the end of the week.
Today we had just the 7th graders for half a day and meetings in the afternoon so the routine was exactly the same as yesterday. Our principal wanted to reward us for making AYP in most areas of Reading and Math, so there was a "sundae" bar in the lounge after the meetings.
When I got home, Glen reminded me of his Parent meetings with 10th graders tonight, so Royal and I left at the same time he did for a very nice walk. We were almost home when we passed a house just a few spaces from our house. The parents were outside working on one of the cars parked in the driveway when one of the kids let their black lab and another large lab mix out of the house. They both raced right for Royal and that is one thing he really doesn't handle well, esp. after he was attacked while on a leash about a year ago. It turns out the dogs were both really friendly but it took the dad a few tries to get them away from Royal, who was crouched in fright with his hackles raised and his tail between his legs! Poor guy.
If you think today sounded exciting, just wait until tomorrow, NOT!
Today we had just the 7th graders for half a day and meetings in the afternoon so the routine was exactly the same as yesterday. Our principal wanted to reward us for making AYP in most areas of Reading and Math, so there was a "sundae" bar in the lounge after the meetings.
When I got home, Glen reminded me of his Parent meetings with 10th graders tonight, so Royal and I left at the same time he did for a very nice walk. We were almost home when we passed a house just a few spaces from our house. The parents were outside working on one of the cars parked in the driveway when one of the kids let their black lab and another large lab mix out of the house. They both raced right for Royal and that is one thing he really doesn't handle well, esp. after he was attacked while on a leash about a year ago. It turns out the dogs were both really friendly but it took the dad a few tries to get them away from Royal, who was crouched in fright with his hackles raised and his tail between his legs! Poor guy.
If you think today sounded exciting, just wait until tomorrow, NOT!
Strouds
Adrienne suggested we should come over and help her with the new front door color on her house and also, go out to lunch at Strouds while we were in the neighborhood. It was our first time so we didn't really know what to expect. Stroud's specialty is their pan fried chicken, homemade pan gravy w/mashed potatoes and rolls that they call cinnamon rolls, all served family style (the green beans are good, too). Wow! If you are into old fashioned, just-like-grandma-made-every-Sunday-chicken, then Strouds is the place to go! We got there just ahead of the church crowd because the place was busy but nothing like 45 minutes later! I liked it alot, but it isn't the kind of thing one should eat very often. The food has a very retro, home cooked quality that you just don't get nowadays at a very reasonable price. We were all stuffed and all we ate was one chicken breast apiece and the sides.
After we got home it was time to get in the "school" mode, but we do that so easily its not a big deal. Monday was 1/2 day with just the incoming 6th graders. We got to watch a little of the WEB presentation (Where Everybody Belongs), and then returned to the library to try to get some work done. Around 10:30, groups of 6th graders started touring the building with their WEB leaders, so we just quit what we were working on and greeted each group that came through.
That evening Glen had to go back to North for Parent meetings with the incoming 9th graders, so Royal and I took our walk then watched TV until he came home. We took our nightcap out on the patio and enjoyed the cool evening, so refreshing after upper 90's and 100 degree days we've had this month.
After we got home it was time to get in the "school" mode, but we do that so easily its not a big deal. Monday was 1/2 day with just the incoming 6th graders. We got to watch a little of the WEB presentation (Where Everybody Belongs), and then returned to the library to try to get some work done. Around 10:30, groups of 6th graders started touring the building with their WEB leaders, so we just quit what we were working on and greeted each group that came through.
That evening Glen had to go back to North for Parent meetings with the incoming 9th graders, so Royal and I took our walk then watched TV until he came home. We took our nightcap out on the patio and enjoyed the cool evening, so refreshing after upper 90's and 100 degree days we've had this month.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Familiar Sunday a.m. feeling
Waking up this morning I recognized that familiar Sunday morning feeling, instantly...that feeling that tells me I have school tomorrow with KIDS. It is decidedly different from the feeling I have on any given summer vacation morning. These mornings are relaxed and unhurried, each day a gift handed to me with the expectation that I do whatever I wish, whenever I want!
But I am not exactly dreading August 16, it just feels like it belongs to someone else and that schedules and responsibilities must be met. I imagine everyone in my family feels the same way and three of them don't have the wonderful 8 weeks off in the summer that I have.
This year we have transitioned our ninth graders to the high school and inherited the sixth graders from the elementary school. My library is located in 8th grade hall, so I won't really be affected by the newcomers much except when they come to the library or when I have supervision. I am also part of the new "Teaming" philosophy at SFT, so I will be adopting a group of 25 eighth graders along with teammate Melissa, and will be advising, supervising, and bonding with these students each day from 2:40 - 3:10 each day. I am very excited about Teaming!!
So, it has been a pretty benign weekend for Glen and me. We both worked at our buildigs until lunch, then ate at Taco Bueno and came home and started house chores until evening. We love to mix a drink or pour a glass of wine in the evenings and sit out on our newly renovated patio and relax. Royal does the same after he checks the perimeter and continues to alert us to passersby.
Boys, I love that you document your days and don't really worry about writing an essay each time, so that's what I want to accomplish with my new blog. I realize I forget to tell you, ask you lots of things when I don't get to talk to you every day...and that's what a blog can do for all of us!
BTW, Ronnie and I have been emailing about the Larsson trilogy. He is really into the whole Swedish attraction of the books. You two better get on the bandwagon, Adrienne has already finished all three!
But I am not exactly dreading August 16, it just feels like it belongs to someone else and that schedules and responsibilities must be met. I imagine everyone in my family feels the same way and three of them don't have the wonderful 8 weeks off in the summer that I have.
This year we have transitioned our ninth graders to the high school and inherited the sixth graders from the elementary school. My library is located in 8th grade hall, so I won't really be affected by the newcomers much except when they come to the library or when I have supervision. I am also part of the new "Teaming" philosophy at SFT, so I will be adopting a group of 25 eighth graders along with teammate Melissa, and will be advising, supervising, and bonding with these students each day from 2:40 - 3:10 each day. I am very excited about Teaming!!
So, it has been a pretty benign weekend for Glen and me. We both worked at our buildigs until lunch, then ate at Taco Bueno and came home and started house chores until evening. We love to mix a drink or pour a glass of wine in the evenings and sit out on our newly renovated patio and relax. Royal does the same after he checks the perimeter and continues to alert us to passersby.
Boys, I love that you document your days and don't really worry about writing an essay each time, so that's what I want to accomplish with my new blog. I realize I forget to tell you, ask you lots of things when I don't get to talk to you every day...and that's what a blog can do for all of us!
BTW, Ronnie and I have been emailing about the Larsson trilogy. He is really into the whole Swedish attraction of the books. You two better get on the bandwagon, Adrienne has already finished all three!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
New Blog
When we moved to our current home I forgot to change the email address of my old blog and as a result, I can't access it as the owner, but I can view it. I got the bright idea to copy and paste all of the old blogs into this new one, but that didn't work either. Gotta figure out how I'm going to change it, save it, or scrape it and start new.
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