Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Happy News!
Wonderful news...I have a new faerygodbaby. Hailey Rene was born last night. I saw her today. She is beautiful. There is nothing better than holding a brand new life to make the world seem like an okay place. And for those who are keeping track, Hailey is my ninth godbaby.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Catching up
Okay, so I've been really bad about blogging. To be fair, I've been very, very busy. So here is the latest:
The 4th of July weekend went off almost perfectly. We had over 10,000 visitors to the Wall. Visitors came from all over New England. Many were vets who were thrilled to have the Wall be near home. One visitor was a Gold Star mother. She visits the traveling walls anytime they are near her home in VT. She always brings a bouquet of flowers and a note for her son. Then she has someone else place them at the Wall for her. She can't look at his name, even after all these years. She told me she's just not ready to give him up yet. There are lots more stories, I just can't quite write them down yet.
My grad school classes are done, projects aren't. Okay, one is all done. The other two are in the process of being worked on. The cool thing about Antioch is I do not have to do traditional work. I swear if I had had to write a research paper this summer I was going to hurt someone. So I created a handbook on working with teens in group settings. It's called "Herding Cats" (For those of you who know my kids at the NET, you understand). My other projects are illustrating and writing a book for kids on salt marshes (my favorite type of wetland) and doing a monitoring visit and an easement proposal. Do I know how to have fun or what?
The other project will be my authentication project for my practicum. Since I don't finish teaching until August 7th, I'm not worrying about that until the 8th. Then, I'll work on the curriculum. UGH! (I hate curriculum development, it is evil).
With any luck, I will have the details of my fall and spring practicum ironed out today. Though I'm still awaiting official word that I have been selected to be the student editor for the 2009 edition of the Whole Terrain Journal. We'll see after today what is what.
My garden is growing well, despite it's very late start. I expect to have the first harvests from it in the next week or so. My rosemary plant is thriving. Apparently, I can only grow them outdoors. I do have to spend a little time weeding and hoeing up the plants. I have to wrangle up red worms too, so we can start vermiculture composting in the house (Don't tell Rowan). Inside, my jasmine plant is also blossoming for the second time this year. I'm very excited since it usually only gets flowers every 18 months or so. Of course now I have to wait again to repot it. It needs a larger pot and a sturdier trellis to grow up.
Other than that, I've been taking lots of naps. For some reason, I'm not tolerating the heat very well this summer. By 8:00 in the morning, I'm generally saying it is too hot (Yes, I know, frightening isn't it?). I blame it on associating with so many snow faeries. (You know who you are) They must be rubbing off on me. Bad faeries! I just need to hang out with my dark faeries once school is back in session. They will counter the evil snow effects. Maybe we can even conjure up an Indian Summer. Hee!
The 4th of July weekend went off almost perfectly. We had over 10,000 visitors to the Wall. Visitors came from all over New England. Many were vets who were thrilled to have the Wall be near home. One visitor was a Gold Star mother. She visits the traveling walls anytime they are near her home in VT. She always brings a bouquet of flowers and a note for her son. Then she has someone else place them at the Wall for her. She can't look at his name, even after all these years. She told me she's just not ready to give him up yet. There are lots more stories, I just can't quite write them down yet.
My grad school classes are done, projects aren't. Okay, one is all done. The other two are in the process of being worked on. The cool thing about Antioch is I do not have to do traditional work. I swear if I had had to write a research paper this summer I was going to hurt someone. So I created a handbook on working with teens in group settings. It's called "Herding Cats" (For those of you who know my kids at the NET, you understand). My other projects are illustrating and writing a book for kids on salt marshes (my favorite type of wetland) and doing a monitoring visit and an easement proposal. Do I know how to have fun or what?
The other project will be my authentication project for my practicum. Since I don't finish teaching until August 7th, I'm not worrying about that until the 8th. Then, I'll work on the curriculum. UGH! (I hate curriculum development, it is evil).
With any luck, I will have the details of my fall and spring practicum ironed out today. Though I'm still awaiting official word that I have been selected to be the student editor for the 2009 edition of the Whole Terrain Journal. We'll see after today what is what.
My garden is growing well, despite it's very late start. I expect to have the first harvests from it in the next week or so. My rosemary plant is thriving. Apparently, I can only grow them outdoors. I do have to spend a little time weeding and hoeing up the plants. I have to wrangle up red worms too, so we can start vermiculture composting in the house (Don't tell Rowan). Inside, my jasmine plant is also blossoming for the second time this year. I'm very excited since it usually only gets flowers every 18 months or so. Of course now I have to wait again to repot it. It needs a larger pot and a sturdier trellis to grow up.
Other than that, I've been taking lots of naps. For some reason, I'm not tolerating the heat very well this summer. By 8:00 in the morning, I'm generally saying it is too hot (Yes, I know, frightening isn't it?). I blame it on associating with so many snow faeries. (You know who you are) They must be rubbing off on me. Bad faeries! I just need to hang out with my dark faeries once school is back in session. They will counter the evil snow effects. Maybe we can even conjure up an Indian Summer. Hee!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The Wall That Heals
I know I've been bad about updating. School, teaching and getting for the Wall That Heals has sucked up all my time. The good news, it is finally here!
The Wall arrived yesterday afternoon. The trailer was escorted from Ascutney Vt into Newport by the Sullivan County Sheriff's' Dept. (Thank you Sheriff Prozzo and Deputy Sheriff Batista) as well as by member of the American Legion Riders and Rolling Thunder NH Chapter 1. I was there as well to get some photos before running off to get photos of it coming in at Parlin Field. (We won't talk about how fast I had to drive to pull that off....wait, I forgot, I didn't drive fast, I just hit the transdimensional portals on the back roads...yeah...that's it!) I got some great photos, which I will post as soon as I get them developed.
What I didn't expect was how I felt. I've been focusing on what needs to be done. When I saw it was really here, the first thought that popped into my head is I wish Daddy was here to see it. And then I realized, if he was, likely I wouldn't have been involved in any of this. Strange but true. I had a rough time with it yesterday. Luckily it passed.
It's not a bad thing to know that part of who you are now is informed by events in your life that were beyond your control. It's all about what you do with it. I can only hope, Daddy is happy what I've done with this.
In case I don't have a chance to update again during the weekend, everyone please have a safe and happy 4th of July. Make sure to hug your friends and family. And remember, our freedom was not nor is now, free.
The Wall arrived yesterday afternoon. The trailer was escorted from Ascutney Vt into Newport by the Sullivan County Sheriff's' Dept. (Thank you Sheriff Prozzo and Deputy Sheriff Batista) as well as by member of the American Legion Riders and Rolling Thunder NH Chapter 1. I was there as well to get some photos before running off to get photos of it coming in at Parlin Field. (We won't talk about how fast I had to drive to pull that off....wait, I forgot, I didn't drive fast, I just hit the transdimensional portals on the back roads...yeah...that's it!) I got some great photos, which I will post as soon as I get them developed.
What I didn't expect was how I felt. I've been focusing on what needs to be done. When I saw it was really here, the first thought that popped into my head is I wish Daddy was here to see it. And then I realized, if he was, likely I wouldn't have been involved in any of this. Strange but true. I had a rough time with it yesterday. Luckily it passed.
It's not a bad thing to know that part of who you are now is informed by events in your life that were beyond your control. It's all about what you do with it. I can only hope, Daddy is happy what I've done with this.
In case I don't have a chance to update again during the weekend, everyone please have a safe and happy 4th of July. Make sure to hug your friends and family. And remember, our freedom was not nor is now, free.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Happy 1st Day of Summer
I've been very, very busy. Plus I've been making sure I get enough sleep so my brain actually works sort of how it is supposed to... I wanted to wish everyone a happy first day of summer. I'll post more later about what I've been doing and upcoming plans. For anyone in the area, don't forget the opening ceremony for the Wall that Heals event in Newport is July 3 at 11:00 am. Guess who one of the speakers is? Hugs and kisses to all!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Life Lessons
As you know from an earlier blog, my best friend's dad died two weeks ago. It was both expected and unexpected. Losing him shook me up, but I found some measure of peace with it because I had enough warning that I could say goodbye to the man I had loved like a father for the past twenty five years.
Last night, I found out a member of RT Chapter 1 was killed in a motorcycle accident. She was about my age. I'd met her a few times and was looking forward to getting to know her better this weekend at the DC events. In a split second, any number of lives were altered. The email Doc sent out informing all of us, closed with a reminder to tell those we hold in our thoughts that we love them, and give them a hug.
You never know when your time or theirs will be up. We often put off telling people how much they mean to us and we shouldn't. So for all of you who read my blog, I love you. Here's your hug.
Last night, I found out a member of RT Chapter 1 was killed in a motorcycle accident. She was about my age. I'd met her a few times and was looking forward to getting to know her better this weekend at the DC events. In a split second, any number of lives were altered. The email Doc sent out informing all of us, closed with a reminder to tell those we hold in our thoughts that we love them, and give them a hug.
You never know when your time or theirs will be up. We often put off telling people how much they mean to us and we shouldn't. So for all of you who read my blog, I love you. Here's your hug.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Touching Base
I've been neglecting posting for a few days. Between trying to finish up papers, write a speech for Memorial Day, and all the other stuff that has been going on, I just haven't had time. Life has been fairly hectic lately. I'm hoping things will calm down long enough for me to at least get caught up on things before the summer insanity starts. Though I do think I've nailed the schedule down fairly well. I'll have to wait and see if it really works the way I think it will.
In the meantime, I will be finishing the immediate things up before I run away on Friday. This weekend is the annual Memorial Day trip to DC. It looks to be sunny and in the 70's the whole trip. Great weather, good friends, and lots and lots of motorcycles. What more could a girl want? Okay, there are a few things, but I don't think I'll look for them in DC.
If I don't have a chance to write again before I leave, I want to let all my friends that are veterans, that I'll be thinking of you this weekend, especially the guys from Hotel Company, and my fellow RT folks, especially the Rollins family. Everyone please have a safe weekend!
In the meantime, I will be finishing the immediate things up before I run away on Friday. This weekend is the annual Memorial Day trip to DC. It looks to be sunny and in the 70's the whole trip. Great weather, good friends, and lots and lots of motorcycles. What more could a girl want? Okay, there are a few things, but I don't think I'll look for them in DC.
If I don't have a chance to write again before I leave, I want to let all my friends that are veterans, that I'll be thinking of you this weekend, especially the guys from Hotel Company, and my fellow RT folks, especially the Rollins family. Everyone please have a safe weekend!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Sad news
For those who don't know yet, my best friend's dad passed away yesterday afternoon. Right now I'm just trying to get through the next couple of days supporting her and the rest of the family. Please add them to your prayers, thoughts, etc.
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