Well, we had a nice routine going. That was until the Mamá had a stomach virus all weekend. Then Randy got sick and spent Monday afternoon and evening in bed. Then Bob came home sick Monday, tried to work Tuesday and came home at 10:00 a.m.. Then Marianne got a stomach virus and threw up at the Penguins game Tuesday night. Randy bounced back the fastest, taking a bike ride on Tuesday after school, albeit a short one. Mama is still on slightly shaky ground, her insides gurgling a lot. Bob went back to school on Wednesday, but spent the evening under an afghan with hot tea. Marianne will finally go back to work today. And I've been knocking on every piece of wood I can find, along with taking echinacea with orange juice several time a day.
I am beginning to wonder if my skipping a flu shot this year was a foolish move. I reasoned that since I wouldn't be exposed to all the little "angels" and their germs, I should be okay. So far, so good. Lunch with Patti yesterday at Kaya was wonderful, one of those things I enjoy about being retired. She has a one-year lead on me, so I look to her for wisdom about what's to come. She agreed that for a long time there is almost a euphoria about being able to get up each day and make one's own plans. It's not as if I don't have to consider anybody else, or even as if I have no obligations. It's just different, especially with the things we were required to do for the last few years.
I had lunch with Jay on Monday, partly to get some information about the Standardized Patient portrayals from an insider. He agreed that even teaching on the university level was very different when he retired from what it had been when he started. I related the story to him about the man in the class I taught after Dr. Burrett died. He hounded me about his grade, and eventually I began to feel that for a temporary part-time gig, I was putting way more thought and getting way more stress than it was worth. But on the college level, students tend to think if they've paid their money they're entitled to a grade.
It was good to talk with Jay, because we do actually have other things to talk about than the SP program or even theatre. He does some respectable cycling, and we compared notes on bike trails. He has also done the trail near Franklin, though he said he stopped at the tunnel because he didn't have a light. He is possibly interested in trying the trail in Maine that was written up in the most recent Rails to Trails magazine. How ironic that one of the few people who does decent distances and rides fairly frequently is even older than we are.
The routine continues to settle in, despite the contagion around me. I have kept faithfully to the yoga schedule, incorporating a new video which includes vinyasas, which are good on the days I don't run or cycle.. I feel better physically than I have in a while, something I attribute directly to the yoga. I have continued with projects around the house, and hope to be able to keep a handle on things during the holidays.
In the meantime, the elderly continue to crumble. Irene is still in rehab, and Bob talked with her yesterday while I took my mother's dinner to her. (We don't want her exposed to Bob and his respiratory illness). He said she seems quite disheartened. It's ironic, since she has had her share of adversity. It's just that before now, her challenges have been emotional. Her first husband died suddenly, her son did the same a few years ago, and then Dad battled Alzheimers. During that time, she had some minor things go wrong with her, and her hip replacement, but was always strong and able to hold her own. I'm going to recommend the Benedum Geriatric Center to her daughter, in case they need to get her psychological help.
Our local mayor's wife died this week after a years-long battle with cancer. I never met her, but she was liked by one and all. Everyone I talked to said was a truly nice person she was. It makes me wonder what people will say about me!
Still on my to-do list: tea with David Lewis, calling the Watershield people, calling the exterminator back, taking more time to write. Randy is at Mary's parents' house until after Thanksgiving. That week, all hell will break loose with the knee surgery and my first SP case portrayal. Wheee!!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
11/9 The value of routine and variety
So, here's what I've come to realize in the last few weeks. As much of a lover of routine as I am, I also need some flexibility. The last few days have finally settled into what is a heavenly way to live. With a little less yard work to do, and with cutting back PT to two days a week instead of three, my daily routine has become quite pleasant. I seem to have passed that exhaustion that I think comes with the change of seasons and I've been getting out of bed before 6:30. That gives me back the few hours I was losing to sleep for a couple of weeks. I've managed to finish the mulch, get a good handle on a housecleaning routine, exercise the way I've always wanted to and have time for some relaxation and fun. Couldn't be better.
We had a scare with Bob John's mother last week; they told him to call his brother up from Florida because they did not expect her to last the week. She rallied over the weekend, Gary returned to Florida, and she seems to be doing better all the way around. On the other hand, we found out that Irene had two toes amputated, which turned out to be better than the alternative "leg above the knee" option the doctor here was planning. Her family took her to Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion and they did a bypass in the leg to improve circulation. She is currently in rehab until she gets a handle on the walking thing again.
Had an epiphany. I am a lover of routine, so I have to be careful not to regiment myself too much. I have achieved an almost-perfect balance of routine and variety, so that my life at the moment seems perfect. I don't mean without problems perfect. Just that it's a comfortable pace, I am getting things done, I am able to relax some, I am not bored. I have enough exercise options that I can shake things up and stay in the best shape of my life. Life is good.
I have two case portrayals on my schedule for December, so I'll be getting my feet wet in the SP program. They seem to have the confidence I can handle these without an observation, so I'm going to give it my best shot. This morning I read a CNN article about people who have had memory impairment illnesses in their families and what they do to stave off the same in themselves. Ironically, ballroom dancing was considered the most perfect way to do that. It combines exercise, socializing and having to learn something, the three key items to staying healthy and avoiding memory impairment. Bob John would die!!!!
We had a scare with Bob John's mother last week; they told him to call his brother up from Florida because they did not expect her to last the week. She rallied over the weekend, Gary returned to Florida, and she seems to be doing better all the way around. On the other hand, we found out that Irene had two toes amputated, which turned out to be better than the alternative "leg above the knee" option the doctor here was planning. Her family took her to Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion and they did a bypass in the leg to improve circulation. She is currently in rehab until she gets a handle on the walking thing again.
Had an epiphany. I am a lover of routine, so I have to be careful not to regiment myself too much. I have achieved an almost-perfect balance of routine and variety, so that my life at the moment seems perfect. I don't mean without problems perfect. Just that it's a comfortable pace, I am getting things done, I am able to relax some, I am not bored. I have enough exercise options that I can shake things up and stay in the best shape of my life. Life is good.
I have two case portrayals on my schedule for December, so I'll be getting my feet wet in the SP program. They seem to have the confidence I can handle these without an observation, so I'm going to give it my best shot. This morning I read a CNN article about people who have had memory impairment illnesses in their families and what they do to stave off the same in themselves. Ironically, ballroom dancing was considered the most perfect way to do that. It combines exercise, socializing and having to learn something, the three key items to staying healthy and avoiding memory impairment. Bob John would die!!!!
Friday, November 4, 2011
11/4 Onward
It's been quite a week on the geriatric scene. My mother completed all her appointments leading up to the orthopedic man yesterday. He took one look at the x-ray of her left knee and literally apologized for not realizing how bad it must have been last year when she saw him. She has replacement surgery scheduled for Nov. 30. Recovery will mostly take place here, and he is happy about that since it apparently significantly reduces the possibility of infection.
She also got her Q-Tenza treatment on Wednesday. Hopefully soon, she will have no pain to complain about; then what shall we do?
I was just offered a case portrayal on Dec. 1. I hate to decline, since this really is a vote of confidence on the team's part, but I worry that I will be exhausted because of mom's surgery the day before. On the other hand, she will be safely in the hospital, so that would free me up.
She also got her Q-Tenza treatment on Wednesday. Hopefully soon, she will have no pain to complain about; then what shall we do?
I was just offered a case portrayal on Dec. 1. I hate to decline, since this really is a vote of confidence on the team's part, but I worry that I will be exhausted because of mom's surgery the day before. On the other hand, she will be safely in the hospital, so that would free me up.
Monday, October 31, 2011
10/31 Trick or Treat
Well, check another one off the list. We've been promising ourselves for years that we would do weekend bike trips: out one day, back the next. This past weekend we parked in Foxburg, PA on the Allegheny River, rode the bike trail 34 miles to Franklin and spent the night. They have a beautiful Quality Inn there. We ate at McGinness's, purportedly an Irish pub, but with really good food. Really good food. I had scallops that had been marinated in Sriracha with cheddar grits and fabulous braised greens. Bob had hanger steak brushed with ancho jelly with the greens and whipped sweet potatoes.
Saturday it rained the whole day, which was actually better than the snow that had fallen here all night and morning. It wasn't a driving rain, but enough to annoy. Sunday was dry, but cold. We awoke to about 29 degrees and it shot up to a balmy 35 by the time we reached Foxburg for lunch and the drive home. It was a refreshing weekend, and we definitely want to repeat the experience. I'll need to keep looking for trails that go far enough to make it work, but that are within a reasonable drive for a weekend. Though we ride roads all the time, that's the point: we ride roads all the time. It's a nice break to not have to deal with traffic. That trail was by far the quietest place we've been for a long time. There are miles and miles with no real population on either side and no railroad on the other side of the river. Since Saturday was so rainy, we didn't even hear any birds.
We saw several deer and some turkeys, but we can do that right at home! Sunday we were treated to the sound of migrating geese (good riddance!) and we did get to meet some of the people who live on the trail when we stopped to fix a flat. The two tunnels (one about 2800 feet long and the other over 3300) were a challenge, but when I remembered the flashlight app on my iPhone, we were much better able to navigate them. All in all, a great time and perfect way to celebrate our 33rd anniversary.
The weekend ended with "the girls" going out to visit the Ramseys on the annual Halloween trek. Good snacks were had by all.
Saturday it rained the whole day, which was actually better than the snow that had fallen here all night and morning. It wasn't a driving rain, but enough to annoy. Sunday was dry, but cold. We awoke to about 29 degrees and it shot up to a balmy 35 by the time we reached Foxburg for lunch and the drive home. It was a refreshing weekend, and we definitely want to repeat the experience. I'll need to keep looking for trails that go far enough to make it work, but that are within a reasonable drive for a weekend. Though we ride roads all the time, that's the point: we ride roads all the time. It's a nice break to not have to deal with traffic. That trail was by far the quietest place we've been for a long time. There are miles and miles with no real population on either side and no railroad on the other side of the river. Since Saturday was so rainy, we didn't even hear any birds.
We saw several deer and some turkeys, but we can do that right at home! Sunday we were treated to the sound of migrating geese (good riddance!) and we did get to meet some of the people who live on the trail when we stopped to fix a flat. The two tunnels (one about 2800 feet long and the other over 3300) were a challenge, but when I remembered the flashlight app on my iPhone, we were much better able to navigate them. All in all, a great time and perfect way to celebrate our 33rd anniversary.
The weekend ended with "the girls" going out to visit the Ramseys on the annual Halloween trek. Good snacks were had by all.
Friday, October 21, 2011
10/21 Here comes the weekend
I decided yesterday that the big thing I have learned so far in retirement is flexibility. If you know me, you know that I am rather insane about my scheduling. I suppose it comes from so many years of having to manage my time so closely, but I have tried to have at least a skeleton of a schedule in retirement. This week, I realized that my schedule for cleaning won't work, since I would be cleaning next week in the middle of two mornings of training, a gluttons dinner, a dr. appt. for my mother, the big town meeting with the planning commission and lunch with friends.
It sounds small, but I am very proud that I was able to come up with an alternate plan and to realize that the world will not end because I didn't stick to the cleaning schedule I set for myself. So the question is: did this happen to me because of so many years of teaching with its tight schedules, or was I attracted to teaching because of the scheduling.
Dinner: tried making risotto last night for the first time. Mushroom/Leek risotto to be exact. It was quite labor-intensive and as I finished it up, I wondered if it was worth it. Apparently, I won't have a choice. It was a big hit.
It sounds small, but I am very proud that I was able to come up with an alternate plan and to realize that the world will not end because I didn't stick to the cleaning schedule I set for myself. So the question is: did this happen to me because of so many years of teaching with its tight schedules, or was I attracted to teaching because of the scheduling.
Dinner: tried making risotto last night for the first time. Mushroom/Leek risotto to be exact. It was quite labor-intensive and as I finished it up, I wondered if it was worth it. Apparently, I won't have a choice. It was a big hit.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
10/19 - Catching my breath
Yesterday was another morning training session for the Standardized Patient Program. As I sat there thinking, "Why am I doing this again?" I realized it is one of those things "they" tell you to do to keep your mind fresh and alive. I had to learn new material, meet new people, be in a situation different from anything else I do. It's fun and I think it will be worthwhile. I just don't think I'll have the time to devote to it that some people do for a while.
Yesterday was the day of sadness: Nina emailed and it finally hit her that not only has she left us behind, her own family will be four hours away. Marianne and Randy had bouts of the seasonal depression. It was a tough day, but we all got through it. I just finished emailing pictures from the party to Nina. It's still hard to believe that her stay is over. We'll have Randy here for a while, but he is in and out and much more independent. Thanksgiving break will happen and he'll be gone for almost a week, I think.
Today starts the round of appointments that could lead to my mother's knee replacement. We see the cardiologist today, which she hasn't done for a couple of years. Tomorrow, Boniva injection. Monday, Dr. Yee, the pulmonary lady. Then the knee man at the beginning of November. In between, I'm trying to get some more gardening done.
Here's hoping that all the sad people make it through.
Dinner: yesterday was beans and greens (penne, spinach, cannelini beans, tomatoes and peppers.) Today, I think we'll go with chicken and chilis.
Yesterday was the day of sadness: Nina emailed and it finally hit her that not only has she left us behind, her own family will be four hours away. Marianne and Randy had bouts of the seasonal depression. It was a tough day, but we all got through it. I just finished emailing pictures from the party to Nina. It's still hard to believe that her stay is over. We'll have Randy here for a while, but he is in and out and much more independent. Thanksgiving break will happen and he'll be gone for almost a week, I think.
Today starts the round of appointments that could lead to my mother's knee replacement. We see the cardiologist today, which she hasn't done for a couple of years. Tomorrow, Boniva injection. Monday, Dr. Yee, the pulmonary lady. Then the knee man at the beginning of November. In between, I'm trying to get some more gardening done.
Here's hoping that all the sad people make it through.
Dinner: yesterday was beans and greens (penne, spinach, cannelini beans, tomatoes and peppers.) Today, I think we'll go with chicken and chilis.
Monday, October 17, 2011
10/17 It's official
Yesterday, my 55th birthday, marked the official beginning of my pension. My account with PSERS goes active as of that date, so it's yet another milestone. It was an emotional day for many reasons. Nina left to head back to Germany and to university, where she'll become an engineer with a keen understanding of economics. It was a tearful day, since we had all become very attached. I'm sure as she left she was convinced she might never see my mother again. I am here today with material to study for my new job and no one to cook for or do yoga with, and it feels very strange.
The other big event of yesterday was the Jackie Evancho concert. We had looked forward to it for months and it didn't disappoint. The concert was also a promotion for the opera and it was quite effective. Since I don't play volleyball this Friday, I might take my mother to see La Traviata. I've wanted to see it since our days with the Red Masquers when Jean Brodie talked about it in the play.
I can afford a few more minutes of stalling, then I have to get to the business of serious study. I have to figure out how to become a person I don't like. Hmmmmm.
The other big event of yesterday was the Jackie Evancho concert. We had looked forward to it for months and it didn't disappoint. The concert was also a promotion for the opera and it was quite effective. Since I don't play volleyball this Friday, I might take my mother to see La Traviata. I've wanted to see it since our days with the Red Masquers when Jean Brodie talked about it in the play.
I can afford a few more minutes of stalling, then I have to get to the business of serious study. I have to figure out how to become a person I don't like. Hmmmmm.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
10/12 - Winding down
There are days I actually am glad it's raining, because it eliminates one possible chore: yard work. I finished the mulching except for some minor tweaking. Yesterday was my first day of training for the Standardized Patient Program at Pitt. I am excited about it, and the thought of having homework makes me laugh a little.
Today I am trying to get caught up on communication chores and some inside work. Yesterday was a whirlwind: a.m. training, lunch with Jay, fighting the presidential motorcade closures to get to Green Tree for an appointment with my financial planner. Today will be less hectic. Or not.
Much of my thought lately revolves around my mother's condition. It really is sometimes hard to deal with the mental/emotional fallout of her physical problems. I just need to keep remembering that having her here with all the baggage is still better than not having her.
Nina leaves this week, and Randy has moved in for the next eight weeks. We'll get some minor house chores done, but most importantly, he'll be able to patch and paint my mother's upstairs rooms. There is always a window open when a door is closed.
Dinners this week will be Nina's favorites: my homemade pizza, pesto pasta.
Today I am trying to get caught up on communication chores and some inside work. Yesterday was a whirlwind: a.m. training, lunch with Jay, fighting the presidential motorcade closures to get to Green Tree for an appointment with my financial planner. Today will be less hectic. Or not.
Much of my thought lately revolves around my mother's condition. It really is sometimes hard to deal with the mental/emotional fallout of her physical problems. I just need to keep remembering that having her here with all the baggage is still better than not having her.
Nina leaves this week, and Randy has moved in for the next eight weeks. We'll get some minor house chores done, but most importantly, he'll be able to patch and paint my mother's upstairs rooms. There is always a window open when a door is closed.
Dinners this week will be Nina's favorites: my homemade pizza, pesto pasta.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
10/6 - Reeling from the news
I am still reeling from the news of Steve Jobs' death. although I knew of his health issues, I really expected him to hang in there and prevail. It's odd how much the death of a person you never knew personally can affect you. I cried last night.
Life has been incredibly busy, but in that good way when everything that happens leaves you wondering how you deserve so much blessing. Nina continues to be delightful. The three of us had a great trip on the weekend to Niagara Falls. After riding the Maid of the Mist, we drove up to Niagara on the Lake to see Lake Ontario. It was a classic fall day by then, the morning rain having cleared up. The sky was, as they say, partly cloudy, but sun sneaked through on and off. It was windy, so the lake looked absolutely wild, with waves crashing on the rocks at the shore.
We celebrated Bob's birthday on Monday, and that has me thinking about mine. It will be a mixed day, since that is the day Nina leaves. We have tickets to an afternoon concert, so I will need to arrange her transportation to the airport for her flight home at 7:00. I also got word that I was accepted into the Standardized Patient Program at Pitt Medical School, and I begin training next week. That has so much more appeal for me than retail or subbing. I think the flexibility will fit nicely with the schedule I'll have.
It's possible that my mother will be having knee replacement surgery again on her left knee. We'll know more when she sees her doctors. That will probably mean her coming here, since getting in and out of the house is much easier with four steps than her 20 or so.
I am now settling into a rather pleasant routine. I have begun to let out my breath concerning the list of things to do. The mulch has arrived, as have some plants. Once that is done, I will officially shut down the push to work in the side yard. One section will be done and until next spring, nothing major needs to take place. That will allow me more indoor time and more time to get together with friends and do the things I always said I'd do when I retired.
Having our friend Charlie visit inspired me to try to plan more weekend trips. We'll either fly to Boston in the spring for a long weekend, or head to P'Town in June, or both! Routine is good, but we need to remind ourselves that there is a big world out there for us to have fun in.
From all reports, school is continuing in the downward spiral. I still miss the students and my friends and I do miss the sense of being free from all the duties here while I was at work, but I don't miss the bureaucracy and paperwork that took away from the joy of it.
Dinners have been many and varied. Nina likes my cooking!
Life has been incredibly busy, but in that good way when everything that happens leaves you wondering how you deserve so much blessing. Nina continues to be delightful. The three of us had a great trip on the weekend to Niagara Falls. After riding the Maid of the Mist, we drove up to Niagara on the Lake to see Lake Ontario. It was a classic fall day by then, the morning rain having cleared up. The sky was, as they say, partly cloudy, but sun sneaked through on and off. It was windy, so the lake looked absolutely wild, with waves crashing on the rocks at the shore.
We celebrated Bob's birthday on Monday, and that has me thinking about mine. It will be a mixed day, since that is the day Nina leaves. We have tickets to an afternoon concert, so I will need to arrange her transportation to the airport for her flight home at 7:00. I also got word that I was accepted into the Standardized Patient Program at Pitt Medical School, and I begin training next week. That has so much more appeal for me than retail or subbing. I think the flexibility will fit nicely with the schedule I'll have.
It's possible that my mother will be having knee replacement surgery again on her left knee. We'll know more when she sees her doctors. That will probably mean her coming here, since getting in and out of the house is much easier with four steps than her 20 or so.
I am now settling into a rather pleasant routine. I have begun to let out my breath concerning the list of things to do. The mulch has arrived, as have some plants. Once that is done, I will officially shut down the push to work in the side yard. One section will be done and until next spring, nothing major needs to take place. That will allow me more indoor time and more time to get together with friends and do the things I always said I'd do when I retired.
Having our friend Charlie visit inspired me to try to plan more weekend trips. We'll either fly to Boston in the spring for a long weekend, or head to P'Town in June, or both! Routine is good, but we need to remind ourselves that there is a big world out there for us to have fun in.
From all reports, school is continuing in the downward spiral. I still miss the students and my friends and I do miss the sense of being free from all the duties here while I was at work, but I don't miss the bureaucracy and paperwork that took away from the joy of it.
Dinners have been many and varied. Nina likes my cooking!
Friday, September 30, 2011
9/30 - Weekend adventure
Though the official start of fall was a week ago, today is really the first day that feels like it. The forecast is for lower temperatures, and unfortunately, rain. It is definitely sweater weather. We are heading to Niagara Falls with Nina, since that was her big request. Plans are made for Sunday dinner, since my sister and her husband will be in Aruba.
Today has been partly a day to catch up. The only thing on the docket is taking the Mamá to PT. I spent the morning doing a "spa day": hair gloss, pedicure, exercise and just catching my breath. I will pick up Nina after her class, since she forgot bus money to get home, go to PT and then finalize packing and pick Bob up at school. We'll leave straight from there.
The crazy, big, rocking news for the day is that Patti had a heart attack. I'm assuming it was a mild one, but the enzymes definitely show it was there. So she is in the hospital in Beaver County and we are all in shock. It can seriously rattle you when someone you hang out with regularly has a heart attack.
Today has been partly a day to catch up. The only thing on the docket is taking the Mamá to PT. I spent the morning doing a "spa day": hair gloss, pedicure, exercise and just catching my breath. I will pick up Nina after her class, since she forgot bus money to get home, go to PT and then finalize packing and pick Bob up at school. We'll leave straight from there.
The crazy, big, rocking news for the day is that Patti had a heart attack. I'm assuming it was a mild one, but the enzymes definitely show it was there. So she is in the hospital in Beaver County and we are all in shock. It can seriously rattle you when someone you hang out with regularly has a heart attack.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
9/29 - This is more like it
Little by little, things are starting to balance out. So far this week, every project has worked out and our plans for the next few weeks are falling into place. We have finalized the Niagara Falls arrangement (Nina's one request while she is here) and have gotten a ticket to a hockey game for the last week. Next Friday will be high school football, not sure yet which school, and things are running smoothly here at home.
Yesterday I took the plunge and did a role-playing interview for a very flexible part-time job. I don't want to jinx the results by talking about it, but suffice it to say it is something I would do for free, and yet I would get paid! I think I did pretty well-the feedback from the committee was very positive- but I won't know for sure until next week when I'll be informed by email.
We also had an interesting occurrence here. The rehearsing and filming for the Tom Cruise movie has begun and they have been racing around the Sand Castle parking lot for days. When Gary brought Mom home from PT yesterday, there was a car parked and two men with a camera that had the longest lens I've ever seen. They were actually paparazzi, trying to get a better view of the Sand Castle lot. They thought the street would do it, but with the trees still leaved that didn't work. I took them through the woods to get a better vantage point from the place we used to play baseball. They were very happy with the results, and showed me the shots on their camera that might sell. So, check the celebrity mags. And remember that it might be all due to me!
Today was my "day off," or at least partially. I had to take my car in for inspection, so I called Rose and John to see if they wanted to do Panera for breakfast. They rescued me in time from a whining three-year-old at the dealership waiting room and we enjoyed conversation. My car was done fast and I got a lot of paperwork done when I got home. Now going down to help the Mamá take a bath and then get her to do some ironing for me.
Life is good.
Yesterday I took the plunge and did a role-playing interview for a very flexible part-time job. I don't want to jinx the results by talking about it, but suffice it to say it is something I would do for free, and yet I would get paid! I think I did pretty well-the feedback from the committee was very positive- but I won't know for sure until next week when I'll be informed by email.
We also had an interesting occurrence here. The rehearsing and filming for the Tom Cruise movie has begun and they have been racing around the Sand Castle parking lot for days. When Gary brought Mom home from PT yesterday, there was a car parked and two men with a camera that had the longest lens I've ever seen. They were actually paparazzi, trying to get a better view of the Sand Castle lot. They thought the street would do it, but with the trees still leaved that didn't work. I took them through the woods to get a better vantage point from the place we used to play baseball. They were very happy with the results, and showed me the shots on their camera that might sell. So, check the celebrity mags. And remember that it might be all due to me!
Today was my "day off," or at least partially. I had to take my car in for inspection, so I called Rose and John to see if they wanted to do Panera for breakfast. They rescued me in time from a whining three-year-old at the dealership waiting room and we enjoyed conversation. My car was done fast and I got a lot of paperwork done when I got home. Now going down to help the Mamá take a bath and then get her to do some ironing for me.
Life is good.
Monday, September 26, 2011
9/26 - Trying to catch up
I won't bore with clichés about how I don't know how I fit in working, but they are true. Let's just let it go at that. The gardening project continues, I need to fit in cleaning the house, and I need my calendar more than ever.
This weekend brought a family wedding, one I never thought we'd see. Bob's cousin Greg got married to the woman he brought to last Christmas dinner. She has a 19-year-old daughter with Down's Syndrome, and the ceremony reflected that they were now a family, not just a couple. It was very touching, and good to see the family at a happy occasion.
The roof work continued at my mother's and we finally resolved the satellite dish problems. I have come to realize that the house will be an ongoing thing to work on as long as we own it. Unlike ours, there are updates and maintenance that haven't been taken care of, so we'll be doing that now.
In the meantime, how to stay serene. Hmmmm, better stop skipping yoga workouts. Time to get to work!
This weekend brought a family wedding, one I never thought we'd see. Bob's cousin Greg got married to the woman he brought to last Christmas dinner. She has a 19-year-old daughter with Down's Syndrome, and the ceremony reflected that they were now a family, not just a couple. It was very touching, and good to see the family at a happy occasion.
The roof work continued at my mother's and we finally resolved the satellite dish problems. I have come to realize that the house will be an ongoing thing to work on as long as we own it. Unlike ours, there are updates and maintenance that haven't been taken care of, so we'll be doing that now.
In the meantime, how to stay serene. Hmmmm, better stop skipping yoga workouts. Time to get to work!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
9/22 How did this happen?
I realized today that if I didn't post, the meaning of it all would soon be lost. I have spent much time in the last two weeks helping our guest, a young lady from Germany, settle into American life. Nina will be with us until mid-October and is taking English classes at Point Park University. Her English is very good and she tested into the Masters class, but her afternoon class is conversation practice and film study. That group is very basic, but she is making the best of it and plans to talk with the instructor today to see if she can help out with the more basic students or do extra work to help herself advance.
Last Saturday the three of us toured the Carrie Furnace site so that she could get an idea of the history of the area we live in. About an hour after we arrived home, our friend Charlie cycled in on his way to St. Louis. He spent until Sunday morning with us, but we had a very good visit. As it turned out, shin splints caused him to leave off his trip yesterday and fly home to Boston from Columbus. He was fine on the bike, but any walking was extremely painful and he was afraid of doing permanent damage. We thoroughly enjoyed the time he was here, and we all vowed that we would not let four more years go by until we see each other. We are going to plan either a weekend in Boston or some days next June in P'town.
The other exciting thing is that I have a role-playing interview next week with the Standardized Patient program at Pitt. In this program, people play the roles of patients to help medical students hone their communication skills with patients. The phone interview I had yesterday went very well and they invited me for the next stage before the end of the day. This would be a very flexible option that pays fairly well and is much more palatable than subbing. I feel fairly nervous about it, especially since our friend Jay is involved. But I think it's an adventure I'm willing to try.
Nina has fit into the household well, and seems to like my cooking. She has not rejected any dishes yet, and pronounced my grilled chicken and vegetables "delicious." Tonight's dinner is shredded beef sandwiches at Ward and Terri's. I will bring roasted salt and vinegar potatoes. We're going to watch the season premiere of The Big Bang Theory together!
Last Saturday the three of us toured the Carrie Furnace site so that she could get an idea of the history of the area we live in. About an hour after we arrived home, our friend Charlie cycled in on his way to St. Louis. He spent until Sunday morning with us, but we had a very good visit. As it turned out, shin splints caused him to leave off his trip yesterday and fly home to Boston from Columbus. He was fine on the bike, but any walking was extremely painful and he was afraid of doing permanent damage. We thoroughly enjoyed the time he was here, and we all vowed that we would not let four more years go by until we see each other. We are going to plan either a weekend in Boston or some days next June in P'town.
The other exciting thing is that I have a role-playing interview next week with the Standardized Patient program at Pitt. In this program, people play the roles of patients to help medical students hone their communication skills with patients. The phone interview I had yesterday went very well and they invited me for the next stage before the end of the day. This would be a very flexible option that pays fairly well and is much more palatable than subbing. I feel fairly nervous about it, especially since our friend Jay is involved. But I think it's an adventure I'm willing to try.
Nina has fit into the household well, and seems to like my cooking. She has not rejected any dishes yet, and pronounced my grilled chicken and vegetables "delicious." Tonight's dinner is shredded beef sandwiches at Ward and Terri's. I will bring roasted salt and vinegar potatoes. We're going to watch the season premiere of The Big Bang Theory together!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
9/13 - Moving along
What a difference a day makes. After my mother's heartfelt declaration on Thursday night, Friday morning brought disaster. At 5:30 a.m., she fell getting out of bed and had to crawl to the phone, since she couldn't reach the one on her bed. She finally reached me at 8:00 and I had to rescue her, not an easy task and one for which the details are best left out. I took her to see the Physician's Assistant at her PCP's office and she was sent home with a splint. She wanted to do PT and I thought that would be a good idea, since she was going to be stiff from the fall and her long crawl. It seemed to take the starch out of her a little and we are trying to build her back up, both physically and psychologically.
Over the weekend, we had the chance to see some friends we don't get to be with very much. I am still reeling from the news that the wife of one couple has some symptoms of early onset Alzheimers or at least some form of serious dementia. Apparently they have been wrestling with this for many years, but I managed to miss that bulletin. They both look terrified under a very thin veneer of coping. The situation has haunted me since I found out, because they are only 65, retired a few years ago and have been living a great life with their young grandchildren nearby. The husband is trying to keep it together and keep things rolling as normally as possible, but this will be very hard on him as he is a planner and organizer and I know from experience with this disease with others that some things are unpredictable.
It really has me thinking about the value of what we have. I worry some about Bob, since his father died with Alzheimers, but he does everything right, i.e., all the things the articles say help stave if off. Still, it is a haunting thought.
So, I will return with thoughts about life and school and such tomorrow, but today am still a little rocked by the news.
P.S. - We finally did get my mom's hand x-rayed and she has a hairline fracture on her left ring finger. The ortho doc splinted it differently and it seems to feel better.
Over the weekend, we had the chance to see some friends we don't get to be with very much. I am still reeling from the news that the wife of one couple has some symptoms of early onset Alzheimers or at least some form of serious dementia. Apparently they have been wrestling with this for many years, but I managed to miss that bulletin. They both look terrified under a very thin veneer of coping. The situation has haunted me since I found out, because they are only 65, retired a few years ago and have been living a great life with their young grandchildren nearby. The husband is trying to keep it together and keep things rolling as normally as possible, but this will be very hard on him as he is a planner and organizer and I know from experience with this disease with others that some things are unpredictable.
It really has me thinking about the value of what we have. I worry some about Bob, since his father died with Alzheimers, but he does everything right, i.e., all the things the articles say help stave if off. Still, it is a haunting thought.
So, I will return with thoughts about life and school and such tomorrow, but today am still a little rocked by the news.
P.S. - We finally did get my mom's hand x-rayed and she has a hairline fracture on her left ring finger. The ortho doc splinted it differently and it seems to feel better.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
9/8 Visiting
Last night my mother called and said, "I am feeling so much better and it's because of you making me do physical therapy." It reminded me of students who hate the assignments, fight you all the way, try to get out of doing things, but in the end are happy they learned something. So the gratifying feeling from bumping into someone years after you've taught them and finding out they loved your class is still here.
I straightened out the online version of the subbing system so that I will no longer get phone calls at 5:30 in the morning. I really have very mixed feelings about subbing. I would like to see the 7th graders I monitored last year in the cafeteria as sixth graders, but I don't particularly want to tangle with the administrators. I'd like to see the 9th graders and Shawna, but don't necessarily want to deal with the high school. At the moment it's a moot point, since there really isn't time.
I've given myself a day off from PT duties next Friday. Gary will take over and do the routine. That's the day it's possible that Charlie will arrive in Pittsburgh, and it will just be nice to have a day without that obligation. I know that if I don't give myself an occasional break, things won't go well. I find myself gritting my teeth a couple of times a day, but all in all things are going well with my mother.
Monday, Nina arrives from Germany. I spent some time the other night checking on bus schedules for her. I'm not sure how she'll feel about the bike routes that are possible now. One of the two main bike trails into the city is closed on week days and requires a walk along railroad tracks to join. The other trail has a ridiculous detour, and takes some road riding to get there. Since her classes start at 8:30 a.m., she'd be riding during rush hour. I figure I can take her on a dry run and see what she thinks.
Dinner tonight: stir-fried beef with broccoli.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
9/7 Catching up
Last night a facebook friend posted a link to a CNN article about what teachers would like to say to parents. What struck me is that the author used an analogy I've been using for years, but in a different way. When people complained about school taxes or teacher salaries, I would always ask, "If your child is sick, do you look for the cheapest doctor? If your child is in trouble, do you find the cheapest lawyer?" I never could understand why people thought it would be a good idea to hunt for the cheapest possible educators to to the one thing that might affect their children's lives the most.
I think the problem is that people don't think of the education part. Most people look at teachers as people who enforce silly rules that prevented them from doing exactly what they wanted to do when they were in school.What most people seem to object to when they think back on their education is that they were forced to do things and learn things that they weren't interested in, as if their interests are all that matter. They remember the assignments they thought were pointless without stopping to think about what they learned from doing them. Teachers, to them, are the butt of jokes in movies and the scapegoats for everything that goes wrong in society.
We were recently at a family reunion picnic that involved three large families. Someone related to my cousin has a son with severe autism. My mother expressed dismay at how difficult it was for his family to help him navigate that social situation and what patience it took. My comment was, "Can you imagine being a teacher who has that child and maybe four more like him in a room with 25 other students and trying to help everyone achieve a goal?"
My problem in the last few years of teaching was not mainly with parents. Sure, there was the occasional parent who refused to see the reality of their child's situation. I had one father, I'll call him "Jim," whose first email to me had a friendly tone. His son had marginal grades all year, but it didn't become an issue until his grades kept him from playing baseball. (Notice that we made it all the way to spring without an email or phone call.) When I said that the homework missed was a done deal, and that I didn't offer bonus, but I would be willing to help him from there on, he even suggested that I make the boy do the work he missed even if it didn't count. "Though I think it should," he added. In any case, before replying to him, I spoke with the student.
"What seems to be the problem in my class?" I asked. "Your father has questions, and I wanted to hear your side of it before I got back to him."
"I don't study and I don't really try," he said. Okay, that's what I had thought, but didn't realize he was quite so conscious of it.
I relayed that information to the father along with my offer to help his son if he came to me during a period of the day set aside for that purpose. My only requirement was that he would need to do that on his own, that I would not hunt him down or remind him. And that the work he neglected to do for the first weeks of the grading period would not count, but that there was plenty of time left to bring up a failing grade if he did the remainder of the work.
Suddenly "Jim" became "Mr. James F. Parent, L.L.R.C., or some other collection of initials. That reply had been cc'ed to my principal. Because I didn't give him the reply he wanted, he would show me that he had authority over me. In my next email, I reiterated my position, but this time, instead of signing "Maggie Holder," I signed it "Margaret C. Holder, M.S. Ed." I think he got the point. The issue went no further.
I wish I could say that the student dutifully came in and did the required work in a stellar fashion, but that was not the case. Once the father realized I wouldn't be bullied, he gave up and the boy squeaked by with a D. But he could play in the outfield and that was important, since he might get a scholarship for that. Never mind that he won't be able to handle college work and that universities don't routinely collapse under the demands of parents.
The beat goes on. Earlier this summer I read a review of the book "The Help" in which the author points out that in most societies, including those considered by us to be "primitive," the rearing of children is considered to be an important and sacred job. Nonetheless, many of the richest of our society relegate to those whose humanity they barely acknowledge. So it is with teachers. We're fine as long as we don't cause waves. That's why so many children find themselves adrift.
The link: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html
Dinner tonight is jambalaya from Paul Prudhomme's cookbook, lent to me by my good friend Karen.
I think the problem is that people don't think of the education part. Most people look at teachers as people who enforce silly rules that prevented them from doing exactly what they wanted to do when they were in school.What most people seem to object to when they think back on their education is that they were forced to do things and learn things that they weren't interested in, as if their interests are all that matter. They remember the assignments they thought were pointless without stopping to think about what they learned from doing them. Teachers, to them, are the butt of jokes in movies and the scapegoats for everything that goes wrong in society.
We were recently at a family reunion picnic that involved three large families. Someone related to my cousin has a son with severe autism. My mother expressed dismay at how difficult it was for his family to help him navigate that social situation and what patience it took. My comment was, "Can you imagine being a teacher who has that child and maybe four more like him in a room with 25 other students and trying to help everyone achieve a goal?"
My problem in the last few years of teaching was not mainly with parents. Sure, there was the occasional parent who refused to see the reality of their child's situation. I had one father, I'll call him "Jim," whose first email to me had a friendly tone. His son had marginal grades all year, but it didn't become an issue until his grades kept him from playing baseball. (Notice that we made it all the way to spring without an email or phone call.) When I said that the homework missed was a done deal, and that I didn't offer bonus, but I would be willing to help him from there on, he even suggested that I make the boy do the work he missed even if it didn't count. "Though I think it should," he added. In any case, before replying to him, I spoke with the student.
"What seems to be the problem in my class?" I asked. "Your father has questions, and I wanted to hear your side of it before I got back to him."
"I don't study and I don't really try," he said. Okay, that's what I had thought, but didn't realize he was quite so conscious of it.
I relayed that information to the father along with my offer to help his son if he came to me during a period of the day set aside for that purpose. My only requirement was that he would need to do that on his own, that I would not hunt him down or remind him. And that the work he neglected to do for the first weeks of the grading period would not count, but that there was plenty of time left to bring up a failing grade if he did the remainder of the work.
Suddenly "Jim" became "Mr. James F. Parent, L.L.R.C., or some other collection of initials. That reply had been cc'ed to my principal. Because I didn't give him the reply he wanted, he would show me that he had authority over me. In my next email, I reiterated my position, but this time, instead of signing "Maggie Holder," I signed it "Margaret C. Holder, M.S. Ed." I think he got the point. The issue went no further.
I wish I could say that the student dutifully came in and did the required work in a stellar fashion, but that was not the case. Once the father realized I wouldn't be bullied, he gave up and the boy squeaked by with a D. But he could play in the outfield and that was important, since he might get a scholarship for that. Never mind that he won't be able to handle college work and that universities don't routinely collapse under the demands of parents.
The beat goes on. Earlier this summer I read a review of the book "The Help" in which the author points out that in most societies, including those considered by us to be "primitive," the rearing of children is considered to be an important and sacred job. Nonetheless, many of the richest of our society relegate to those whose humanity they barely acknowledge. So it is with teachers. We're fine as long as we don't cause waves. That's why so many children find themselves adrift.
The link: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html
Dinner tonight is jambalaya from Paul Prudhomme's cookbook, lent to me by my good friend Karen.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
9/6 - Good morning!!!
So, it was inevitable, I should have been expecting it. But the 5:30 a.m. call to report substitute opportunities was just annoying! I received instructions during the summer about how to enroll in the substitute reporting system that my district uses, but since it only gave instructions for the phone version and not the online system, I ignored it.
So today, now that students have been in school for a full week and teachers almost two weeks, they need subs. My former colleagues have instructions to shoot me if I ever came in to sub, and most of them do own firearms. Remember, it's Pennsylvania, where we even get the first day of deer hunting season off. I actually might have to rescind the instructions, since my retirement was earlier than I had planned, but I certainly was not ready for the call this morning. I never really got back to sleep, so this morning was fairly productive.
The weather dictates that all household accomplishments will be taking place indoors for most of this week, so I did get to some tasks that had taken a back seat to the landscaping extravaganza. Sunday we managed to put in some shrubs, just in time to catch the rain that's been falling since. Today I am legitimately wearing jeans and long sleeves, since it is only about 60 and doesn't promise to get much warmer. I am still waiting for the perfect "second cup of tea on the porch swing" weather.
Some former students on facebook are struggling with papers they are writing about Huck Finn. I forgot how much I enjoy those discussions. Maybe if I do sub, I can make sure to get some English classes. In the meantime, I have actually made time for some meaningful reading. Bob read and passed on 1491. It's an account of the Americas before Columbus, based on some new research, interpretations and thinking. Some of it is slow going, but it feels good to flex my "brain muscles." When I finish it, I will follow him in a reading of "The Island at the Center of the World," a history of New York recommended by our friend Carolyn.
My early start earned me some extra time later in the week for such pursuits. So I continue to tackle the jobs one at a time and work on mom's physical well-being.
Dinner tonight: Mexican chicken with sour cream and chilis, accompanied by leftover penne with black beans, spinach and peppers and some homemade guacamole.
So today, now that students have been in school for a full week and teachers almost two weeks, they need subs. My former colleagues have instructions to shoot me if I ever came in to sub, and most of them do own firearms. Remember, it's Pennsylvania, where we even get the first day of deer hunting season off. I actually might have to rescind the instructions, since my retirement was earlier than I had planned, but I certainly was not ready for the call this morning. I never really got back to sleep, so this morning was fairly productive.
The weather dictates that all household accomplishments will be taking place indoors for most of this week, so I did get to some tasks that had taken a back seat to the landscaping extravaganza. Sunday we managed to put in some shrubs, just in time to catch the rain that's been falling since. Today I am legitimately wearing jeans and long sleeves, since it is only about 60 and doesn't promise to get much warmer. I am still waiting for the perfect "second cup of tea on the porch swing" weather.
Some former students on facebook are struggling with papers they are writing about Huck Finn. I forgot how much I enjoy those discussions. Maybe if I do sub, I can make sure to get some English classes. In the meantime, I have actually made time for some meaningful reading. Bob read and passed on 1491. It's an account of the Americas before Columbus, based on some new research, interpretations and thinking. Some of it is slow going, but it feels good to flex my "brain muscles." When I finish it, I will follow him in a reading of "The Island at the Center of the World," a history of New York recommended by our friend Carolyn.
My early start earned me some extra time later in the week for such pursuits. So I continue to tackle the jobs one at a time and work on mom's physical well-being.
Dinner tonight: Mexican chicken with sour cream and chilis, accompanied by leftover penne with black beans, spinach and peppers and some homemade guacamole.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
9/4 Catching up
Friday was a day that I suspect will be more typical of this new life I'm leading. After 26 years of sticking to a lesson plan, I have a tendency to schedule my day almost to the minute. Things have been going fairly smoothly, especially in the Physical Therapy department. My mom is making good progress and actually asked to have her routine bumped up to include some upper body work.
Before PT, though, I had set the goal of getting the lower bank weeded once and for all. I was making good progress when a car that had passed slowly and turned around stopped in front of the house. When I approached, the man inside asked how long the house had been gone. It turned out to be the husband of one of my mom's cousins who had grown up there. I got him caught up on the situation, showed him the pictures, and he relayed the news of his family to me. I lost about a half-hour in that process, so didn't get the holes dug for the new boxwoods. Ah, well.
The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. I checked on my friend who is taking sick leave and deciding what to do. I worry that she might be depressed over the situation, since she pretty much relies on her daughters for her support and they're both out of town. I think she'll be okay, but it is not a pleasant way to end a career.
My last paycheck has come (and gone!) so now this is for real. I will be setting up my pension benefits to coordinate with my 55th birthday and the wheels are in motion for our savings/investments to tide us over until my first check arrives. Scary.
Before PT, though, I had set the goal of getting the lower bank weeded once and for all. I was making good progress when a car that had passed slowly and turned around stopped in front of the house. When I approached, the man inside asked how long the house had been gone. It turned out to be the husband of one of my mom's cousins who had grown up there. I got him caught up on the situation, showed him the pictures, and he relayed the news of his family to me. I lost about a half-hour in that process, so didn't get the holes dug for the new boxwoods. Ah, well.
The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. I checked on my friend who is taking sick leave and deciding what to do. I worry that she might be depressed over the situation, since she pretty much relies on her daughters for her support and they're both out of town. I think she'll be okay, but it is not a pleasant way to end a career.
My last paycheck has come (and gone!) so now this is for real. I will be setting up my pension benefits to coordinate with my 55th birthday and the wheels are in motion for our savings/investments to tide us over until my first check arrives. Scary.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
9/1 News
Well, count another one out. I heard yesterday that a long-time colleague who had been in guidance and returned suddenly to the classroom because of budget cuts left. In the long run it will be good for her because the whole situation was so stressful, but it was not a good way to go out.
In the morning paper, the Extra section had a round-up of facts about each school district in the region. Besides the basics, like names of superintendents and tax rates, there was a blurb about each district. The information was obviously provided by the districts in an attempt to convince residents and potential residents that in spite of the budget cuts, they were soldiering on and offering great things. There were two interesting things about it.
1. Many of the facts were wrong. It listed my husband's school district as starting classes next Thursday, when in fact they started this past Monday.
2. Many of the districts featured the same canned programs and tried to spin negatives into positives. The reading program touted by many places as a plus was the same reading program that my experienced colleagues were frustrated by when they were forced to use it in place of the methods and materials they had had success with for years.
It seems that the upper administrations in the area attend meetings or are part of a network, and when one district tries something you can bet it will show up in most of the other districts in the area before too long. My husband and I use to laugh at the dinner table at this phenomenon. My district would try something for a few years, then by the time we were dropping it, his district would begin to implement the same thing. Or vice versa. Always looking for the magic bullet.
I never understood in my 26 years of teaching and multiple years of preparation why no one trusted teachers' instincts to use the unique blend of personalities and needs of students every year to make things work. That's when things worked the best: when no one watched over my shoulder and I could use my personality to make my students want to work for me. During those times, my lessons might not have fit the required structure that was the latest miracle cure, but I have run into 40-year-olds who still remember lessons and classes that really clicked. But what do I know?
So instead of helping students unravel the mysteries of language acquisition, which is what we'd be doing this first week, I'll be planting shrubs, helping my mom take a bath, making lunch for my cousin and scanning some pictures for her. And that's okay.
Lunch will be an experiment of a polenta bake. Dinner: grilled salmon with the chipotle sauce and baked potato salad.
In the morning paper, the Extra section had a round-up of facts about each school district in the region. Besides the basics, like names of superintendents and tax rates, there was a blurb about each district. The information was obviously provided by the districts in an attempt to convince residents and potential residents that in spite of the budget cuts, they were soldiering on and offering great things. There were two interesting things about it.
1. Many of the facts were wrong. It listed my husband's school district as starting classes next Thursday, when in fact they started this past Monday.
2. Many of the districts featured the same canned programs and tried to spin negatives into positives. The reading program touted by many places as a plus was the same reading program that my experienced colleagues were frustrated by when they were forced to use it in place of the methods and materials they had had success with for years.
It seems that the upper administrations in the area attend meetings or are part of a network, and when one district tries something you can bet it will show up in most of the other districts in the area before too long. My husband and I use to laugh at the dinner table at this phenomenon. My district would try something for a few years, then by the time we were dropping it, his district would begin to implement the same thing. Or vice versa. Always looking for the magic bullet.
I never understood in my 26 years of teaching and multiple years of preparation why no one trusted teachers' instincts to use the unique blend of personalities and needs of students every year to make things work. That's when things worked the best: when no one watched over my shoulder and I could use my personality to make my students want to work for me. During those times, my lessons might not have fit the required structure that was the latest miracle cure, but I have run into 40-year-olds who still remember lessons and classes that really clicked. But what do I know?
So instead of helping students unravel the mysteries of language acquisition, which is what we'd be doing this first week, I'll be planting shrubs, helping my mom take a bath, making lunch for my cousin and scanning some pictures for her. And that's okay.
Lunch will be an experiment of a polenta bake. Dinner: grilled salmon with the chipotle sauce and baked potato salad.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
8/31 Dreaming
It is so strange to me that I should still have so many school-related dreams. Last night I dreamed I tried to set up my own sub, forgetting that the person should have a degree and clearances. The major themes of the dream were about getting to school on time. It really does amaze me that it all worked as well as it did for all those years.
I thought yesterday about all the things I thought I'd have time for once Bob went back to school. I have been trying to fit them in, little by little, but I haven't touched the piano or picked up the box of things that need a little repair. The days seem to fly by, just as they did when I was in the classroom.
The other night when our friend Bob was over for dinner, I got an email from a former student (I guess they're all "former" students now!) about her first day at the high school. As I read it, I had the only glimmer of nostalgia. I do miss my colleagues, horribly, but that is tempered by the knowledge that I will see them when I want to. Students are different: most of them probably won't remember they had me, or be cognizant that I am gone. Their lives go on and I won't have any more stories to share at the dinner table, or at parties.
That really is the only "regret," though. Every time I open the paper or listen to colleagues talk about what is happening in their buildings, I am glad I no longer have to fight the system. I think of all the things that have gone by the wayside as the emphasis on testing continues to grow. Students from the past talk about the things we did as a team, back when all anyone talked about was the multi-disciplinary approach. We went through peer editing, transition to workplace, grading in pencil, formative evaluation, cooperative learning, project-based curriculum, inter-disciplinary units, teacher as facilitator, I could go on and on.
Every time, we thought we had the answer or at least were a step closer to it. And every time, just as we got good at what we thought they wanted us to do, it changed. The most recent changes, though, are the most alarming. In our district at least, there was a single-minded focus on the tests and the prescribed curriculum. If we followed the "rules," there was very little place for personality and creativity in a field where those two things were what set apart the good teachers from the mediocre ones. Students didn't care whether you were on the correct page of the curriculum for that date; they cared that they were learning and that you were at least fair. If you were also an adult they could trust and and enjoy, so much the better. My fear is that there is less and less to enjoy.
I thought yesterday about all the things I thought I'd have time for once Bob went back to school. I have been trying to fit them in, little by little, but I haven't touched the piano or picked up the box of things that need a little repair. The days seem to fly by, just as they did when I was in the classroom.
The other night when our friend Bob was over for dinner, I got an email from a former student (I guess they're all "former" students now!) about her first day at the high school. As I read it, I had the only glimmer of nostalgia. I do miss my colleagues, horribly, but that is tempered by the knowledge that I will see them when I want to. Students are different: most of them probably won't remember they had me, or be cognizant that I am gone. Their lives go on and I won't have any more stories to share at the dinner table, or at parties.
That really is the only "regret," though. Every time I open the paper or listen to colleagues talk about what is happening in their buildings, I am glad I no longer have to fight the system. I think of all the things that have gone by the wayside as the emphasis on testing continues to grow. Students from the past talk about the things we did as a team, back when all anyone talked about was the multi-disciplinary approach. We went through peer editing, transition to workplace, grading in pencil, formative evaluation, cooperative learning, project-based curriculum, inter-disciplinary units, teacher as facilitator, I could go on and on.
Every time, we thought we had the answer or at least were a step closer to it. And every time, just as we got good at what we thought they wanted us to do, it changed. The most recent changes, though, are the most alarming. In our district at least, there was a single-minded focus on the tests and the prescribed curriculum. If we followed the "rules," there was very little place for personality and creativity in a field where those two things were what set apart the good teachers from the mediocre ones. Students didn't care whether you were on the correct page of the curriculum for that date; they cared that they were learning and that you were at least fair. If you were also an adult they could trust and and enjoy, so much the better. My fear is that there is less and less to enjoy.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
8/30 Ladies Who Lunch!
Today I am meeting our friend Patti, who retired last year, for lunch at Bahama Breeze in Robinson. I purposefully set the date to make sure that I didn't forget to have some relaxation and fun in between geriatric care and house projects. I am looking forward to it.
I have thank yous to write for the gifts I got on Friday night, as well as cards for Ward and Shawna. It still hasn't truly sunk in that I just don't have to get up and go to work every day. I got an email from a former student who is starting ninth grade. She lost her mom last year just before school started. She is a wonderful kid, bubbly but not obnoxiously so, and just an all-round good person. She was excited to be starting ninth grade, and at the same time was accepted for volunteer work at the hospital. She was going to get her TB test checked so that she could begin training for that. I expect great things from her in the future, and that is what I shall miss: being a part of people's future.
For the moment, I'll have to stick to enjoying that vicariously through my friends who are still teaching. In the meantime, I'll plug away at working for the Planning Commission here to try to improve the community. A second hotel is being built at the Water Front and we are planning some activities to help improve the part of the borough that people pass through on their way there. It is exciting, and I am hoping I can keep track and keep juggling the tasks.
Last night, we saw Horrible Bosses. A funny movie, though no 9 to 5, which I just recently rewatched with my mom. We had our friend Bob to dinner and the three of us went to Loew's at the Water Front. All in all, the evening must have been relaxing, since I did sleep through the night. It was either that or the Benadryl I took before I went to bed.
I managed to clean and organize at least part of the tool room yesterday and today I will try to buy some more boxwoods for the side yard. When I think of what I would be doing if I were still working, it's overwhelming. The normal back to school stuff is bad enough, but the added stress of a different building, new administrators to work under, new colleagues and multiple preps might have put me over the edge.
Dinner: burgers, oven fries and corn. A true summer meal. Tomorrow begins the challenge of using the party leftovers.
I have thank yous to write for the gifts I got on Friday night, as well as cards for Ward and Shawna. It still hasn't truly sunk in that I just don't have to get up and go to work every day. I got an email from a former student who is starting ninth grade. She lost her mom last year just before school started. She is a wonderful kid, bubbly but not obnoxiously so, and just an all-round good person. She was excited to be starting ninth grade, and at the same time was accepted for volunteer work at the hospital. She was going to get her TB test checked so that she could begin training for that. I expect great things from her in the future, and that is what I shall miss: being a part of people's future.
For the moment, I'll have to stick to enjoying that vicariously through my friends who are still teaching. In the meantime, I'll plug away at working for the Planning Commission here to try to improve the community. A second hotel is being built at the Water Front and we are planning some activities to help improve the part of the borough that people pass through on their way there. It is exciting, and I am hoping I can keep track and keep juggling the tasks.
Last night, we saw Horrible Bosses. A funny movie, though no 9 to 5, which I just recently rewatched with my mom. We had our friend Bob to dinner and the three of us went to Loew's at the Water Front. All in all, the evening must have been relaxing, since I did sleep through the night. It was either that or the Benadryl I took before I went to bed.
I managed to clean and organize at least part of the tool room yesterday and today I will try to buy some more boxwoods for the side yard. When I think of what I would be doing if I were still working, it's overwhelming. The normal back to school stuff is bad enough, but the added stress of a different building, new administrators to work under, new colleagues and multiple preps might have put me over the edge.
Dinner: burgers, oven fries and corn. A true summer meal. Tomorrow begins the challenge of using the party leftovers.
Monday, August 29, 2011
8/29 First Day I Would Have Had Kids
Classes begin today, so I will put my feet up in sympathy with my former colleagues who will be exhausted by the end of the day. The weekend was busy, but fabulous. It began with what I thought was going to be dinner with my two best friends from school and their spouses. I made potato salad for six, packed it up and headed for Shawna's house. So, it turned out to be dinner with about 30 of my most intimate friends from school. Hard to believe that in the middle of preparing for the year she is about to have, she had the time and energy to plan and execute a surprise retirement party for me.
It was a great night, since I know that I will see her and Ward, but I'm not so sure about many of the others. As our lives get busier, unfortunately many people are relegated to the back burner. Not pleasant to think about, but true. It was a great opportunity to feel loved as I had a chance to connect with these people again. Most importantly, talking to them made me realize how lucky I am to have been able to make the choice I made.
Shawna will be teaching all five levels of French this year, including AP and CHS for Level 5. The materials she has are minimal, since the previous teacher (furloughed late last year) had done it for several years and had developed many of the materials herself. Having taught Level 3 last year will help her, since she knows where those kids are, and Level 2 will take some doing, but is not that difficult. But it will take some understanding on the part of the administration to get her through this year. Let's hope that is forthcoming. Her work ethic and dedication will be her greatest assets.
Ward is back in the classroom after several years of Technology Coaching. He is a great teacher, so I'm sure the kids will benefit, but it will be tough at first.
Meanwhile, I continue to struggle with my to-do list. I have been waking up almost every night about 3:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep for at least an hour. That has cut into my morning work time, since I usually don't fall back to sleep until almost the time I'd set for myself to get up. I think I've been careful not to set too ambitious an agenda, but there are some projects that have to be done in a timely manner. The application for the part-time job (more about that later) had a deadline, and some of the yard work and housework have windows of opportunity as well. Besides, I'm just plain getting tired of having some things hanging over my head.
In any case, I've practiced good "sleep hygiene" just like the last time, it's just not working. I may have to resort to Benadryl for a few days in a row to break the pattern. The last thing I thought I'd be doing was having school dreams and losing sleep once I retired. Not fair.
The rest of the weekend included having a gathering for a friend of the family who really is a part of the family. She turned 90 last week and we hosted her and her actual niece and nephew to celebrate. It was a great evening, and I'm glad I did it.
On Sunday we cycled with our friend Gary to the Boston Waterfront to hear a blues band they recommended. It was a great experience: perfect weather for sitting outside and listening to good music with good friends and some good food thrown in. We biked back to dinner with my family and today is PT and a visit with my sister.
So all in all, life is good. My thoughts will be at school today, hoping that the day brings good things to all the good people involved. This is the first time in many years that the academic year really has nothing to do with me. That will probably take some getting used to. A friend who had a very hard time in high school ("I hated it," is his summary) told me recently that for years after he graduated college and worked full time, he still got depressed around September. We concluded that the "back to school" feeling might never truly go away. I'll let you know.
Some food highlights: Friday night, one of my former colleagues said, "I knew when I tasted it that this potato salad must have come from you. It tastes so good."
Tonight: hamburgers for the two of us and a friend, followed by "Horrible Bosses" at the Water Front. It won't hurt to be reminded!
It was a great night, since I know that I will see her and Ward, but I'm not so sure about many of the others. As our lives get busier, unfortunately many people are relegated to the back burner. Not pleasant to think about, but true. It was a great opportunity to feel loved as I had a chance to connect with these people again. Most importantly, talking to them made me realize how lucky I am to have been able to make the choice I made.
Shawna will be teaching all five levels of French this year, including AP and CHS for Level 5. The materials she has are minimal, since the previous teacher (furloughed late last year) had done it for several years and had developed many of the materials herself. Having taught Level 3 last year will help her, since she knows where those kids are, and Level 2 will take some doing, but is not that difficult. But it will take some understanding on the part of the administration to get her through this year. Let's hope that is forthcoming. Her work ethic and dedication will be her greatest assets.
Ward is back in the classroom after several years of Technology Coaching. He is a great teacher, so I'm sure the kids will benefit, but it will be tough at first.
Meanwhile, I continue to struggle with my to-do list. I have been waking up almost every night about 3:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep for at least an hour. That has cut into my morning work time, since I usually don't fall back to sleep until almost the time I'd set for myself to get up. I think I've been careful not to set too ambitious an agenda, but there are some projects that have to be done in a timely manner. The application for the part-time job (more about that later) had a deadline, and some of the yard work and housework have windows of opportunity as well. Besides, I'm just plain getting tired of having some things hanging over my head.
In any case, I've practiced good "sleep hygiene" just like the last time, it's just not working. I may have to resort to Benadryl for a few days in a row to break the pattern. The last thing I thought I'd be doing was having school dreams and losing sleep once I retired. Not fair.
The rest of the weekend included having a gathering for a friend of the family who really is a part of the family. She turned 90 last week and we hosted her and her actual niece and nephew to celebrate. It was a great evening, and I'm glad I did it.
On Sunday we cycled with our friend Gary to the Boston Waterfront to hear a blues band they recommended. It was a great experience: perfect weather for sitting outside and listening to good music with good friends and some good food thrown in. We biked back to dinner with my family and today is PT and a visit with my sister.
So all in all, life is good. My thoughts will be at school today, hoping that the day brings good things to all the good people involved. This is the first time in many years that the academic year really has nothing to do with me. That will probably take some getting used to. A friend who had a very hard time in high school ("I hated it," is his summary) told me recently that for years after he graduated college and worked full time, he still got depressed around September. We concluded that the "back to school" feeling might never truly go away. I'll let you know.
Some food highlights: Friday night, one of my former colleagues said, "I knew when I tasted it that this potato salad must have come from you. It tastes so good."
Tonight: hamburgers for the two of us and a friend, followed by "Horrible Bosses" at the Water Front. It won't hurt to be reminded!
Friday, August 26, 2011
8/26 First Friday
Wow, I've already broken my vow to write every day. Yesterday was well-spent, however. The main event was an appointment with our financial planner. That helped me let out a psychic breath I'd been holding for weeks. Since I don't turn 55 until October, I won't apply to draw pension benefits until my birthday to avoid a significant penalty in my monthly check. So for the next few months, I'll be drawing on our "nest egg" to cover expenses. That had me really nervous, but once we looked at the overall picture and she reassured me, I felt much better. I highly recommend hiring a professional to help with this aspect of life. Ours has worked wonders, and it is as much because of her expert handling as our willingness to sacrifice during our earning years that I was able to retire this early.
Once I had made the trip to Green Tree and back, I spent the rest of the day at home. Gary stopped by and I made lunch for us, then my mom came up for help with her checkbook. I had the chance to try a few new recipes I got from my brother-in-law, caught up on the phone with a few old friends and even had time to reflect.
Some of my thoughts:
It really is unfair that the east coast has had to endure an earthquake and the threat of a hurricane in one week. The quake was felt here in Pittsburgh; in fact, when Bob texted me about it I was at my mom's. I said, "We just had an earthquake." She replied, "Thank God. I thought I was going crazy because it felt like my chair moved." I had been running around her house doing some chores, so I missed it. But we have friends and relatives in Virginia and Maryland for whom it was more "adventurous."
It is also unfair that I am still having school dreams and waking up in the middle of the night unable to fall back to sleep for a while. I guess besides an internal clock, teachers have an internal calendar. Even when my dreams are not about school, they are far from pleasant. I have awakened every night since we returned from vacation, and even a few times there.
I really need to start writing things done and making lists. I am going to try emailing myself with a to-do list so that I don't forget important things.
Last night's dinner was my mom's favorite: grilled salmon, salt and vinegar roasted potatoes, roasted red onions with tomato and roasted asparagus. (Hmm...I'm picking up a theme.)
Once I had made the trip to Green Tree and back, I spent the rest of the day at home. Gary stopped by and I made lunch for us, then my mom came up for help with her checkbook. I had the chance to try a few new recipes I got from my brother-in-law, caught up on the phone with a few old friends and even had time to reflect.
Some of my thoughts:
It really is unfair that the east coast has had to endure an earthquake and the threat of a hurricane in one week. The quake was felt here in Pittsburgh; in fact, when Bob texted me about it I was at my mom's. I said, "We just had an earthquake." She replied, "Thank God. I thought I was going crazy because it felt like my chair moved." I had been running around her house doing some chores, so I missed it. But we have friends and relatives in Virginia and Maryland for whom it was more "adventurous."
It is also unfair that I am still having school dreams and waking up in the middle of the night unable to fall back to sleep for a while. I guess besides an internal clock, teachers have an internal calendar. Even when my dreams are not about school, they are far from pleasant. I have awakened every night since we returned from vacation, and even a few times there.
I really need to start writing things done and making lists. I am going to try emailing myself with a to-do list so that I don't forget important things.
Last night's dinner was my mom's favorite: grilled salmon, salt and vinegar roasted potatoes, roasted red onions with tomato and roasted asparagus. (Hmm...I'm picking up a theme.)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
8/24: Welcome back in-service
This is more like it. We both awoke before Bob's alarm went off, but not too long before. I was able to wake up slowly while he prepared to cycle to school. My day began more in the routine I hope to keep. I ran, picking up trash on the way home. Then my yoga workout, shower and breakfast. During breakfast I texted with friends who were attending the annual welcome back spiel at school. One colleague pointed out that my usual seat was left empty in my honor. Awwww!
I was able to sort out emails and begin work on planning commission matters that will come up over the next few months. In some ways, yesterday was a false start. Too many appointments, and the overwhelming feeling that even without working I'll never have time to tackle all the tasks on my list. Today I am calmer. I am allowing myself this week to get things organized. I have to meet with my financial planner tomorrow to set up my pension options. The more physical jobs will begin next week.
I have a few indoor projects left and the whole side yard to work on. Even with the to-do list, I feel as if I've hit the lottery or been given the most extravagant gift. There is nothing to compare with having the choice about how to spend one's time. As I ran this morning, I looked down toward the river and just reveled in having the time to do that. Once I get some of the major chores tackled, I'll be able to get back to something creative: writing, maybe. Needle work, maybe.
It reminds me of when I moved from the high school to the middle school fifteen years ago. I expected that the first time I walked into the high school I would be struck by a rush of nostalgia and memories. Instead, it was just a building. Although I really miss connecting with my friends in person, I have no sense of something going on without me, or being left out of the loop. Just an incredible, intense, immense feeling of relief. Having someone else's priorities imposed on what I did every day had become a burden, especially because I felt those priorities weren't necessarily the ones that would benefit kids the most.
In any case, I am living the dream!
I was able to sort out emails and begin work on planning commission matters that will come up over the next few months. In some ways, yesterday was a false start. Too many appointments, and the overwhelming feeling that even without working I'll never have time to tackle all the tasks on my list. Today I am calmer. I am allowing myself this week to get things organized. I have to meet with my financial planner tomorrow to set up my pension options. The more physical jobs will begin next week.
I have a few indoor projects left and the whole side yard to work on. Even with the to-do list, I feel as if I've hit the lottery or been given the most extravagant gift. There is nothing to compare with having the choice about how to spend one's time. As I ran this morning, I looked down toward the river and just reveled in having the time to do that. Once I get some of the major chores tackled, I'll be able to get back to something creative: writing, maybe. Needle work, maybe.
It reminds me of when I moved from the high school to the middle school fifteen years ago. I expected that the first time I walked into the high school I would be struck by a rush of nostalgia and memories. Instead, it was just a building. Although I really miss connecting with my friends in person, I have no sense of something going on without me, or being left out of the loop. Just an incredible, intense, immense feeling of relief. Having someone else's priorities imposed on what I did every day had become a burden, especially because I felt those priorities weren't necessarily the ones that would benefit kids the most.
In any case, I am living the dream!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
8/23: First day of No school
So, for the first time in more than 26 years, I don't have to go to an in-service, arrange desks, paper a bulletin board, hang posters, tack the Spanish alphabet above my blackboard, print out seating charts and soak my feet. I had intended to retire in two more years, but as one friend put it, the perfect storm of circumstances came up and June 10 of this year was my last day as a teacher. My plan was to blog my last year of teaching, but since I didn't know it would be my last year of teaching until May I'll have to settle for blogging my first year of retirement.
I didn't really feel retired until today when my husband went to his first-day in-service. Before today, it was just a summer like always. I am still processing the whole thing, really, since I didn't have that build up: last parents' day, last Christmas break, last field trip, etc. Suddenly I was just done. More about why later.
So now, no excuses not to do the things I've always wished to have time for. I will (and do already) miss the kids and my friends and colleagues, but not much else. Those who teach know what I'm talking about. There are many things that are not obvious to an outsider: the oppressive heat when classes start in late August in a building without air-conditioning; the unbelievable ache in your feet that first week of standing all day; the hoarse throat from all the talking the first few days as you lay down the rules for the kids.
What I'll miss is the absolute possibility of that first week. The possibility that this will be the best year ever. The possibility that I will reach every kid. The possibility that I will finally find that perfect way to teach verb conjugation.
I flatter myself to think that maybe I have left a hole there, at least for some people. For the past 15 years I taught eighth-graders and loved it. We had fun every single day. Well, okay, maybe not every single day, but definitely most of them. I monitored sixth-grade lunch and my favorite tribute was the table of sixth grade boys in my section who were despondent when I told them I was retiring. One boy summed it up as only sixth-grade boys can: "It really sucks that you're retiring," he told me. "My brother said he really liked your class."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that even if I didn't retire, he'd never have the chance to be in my class. My district chose to eliminate the foreign language program in the middle school because of financial concerns. So by the time he was at the high school, I would have been gone. But that's a story for another day.
Today, I sent hubby off to his "Welcome back in-service," kept two appointments, took my mother to PT and got ready for tonight's Planning Commission meeting. I'm trying to figure out when the "retired" part happens!
Today: 9:00 massage, 1:00 haircut, check in with the Mamá, dinner, Planning Commission meeting.
Dinner: grape leaves, lentil salad with roasted red peppers and tomatoes, Greek lemon chicken soup (a successful experiment in technique), fresh peach slices.
I didn't really feel retired until today when my husband went to his first-day in-service. Before today, it was just a summer like always. I am still processing the whole thing, really, since I didn't have that build up: last parents' day, last Christmas break, last field trip, etc. Suddenly I was just done. More about why later.
So now, no excuses not to do the things I've always wished to have time for. I will (and do already) miss the kids and my friends and colleagues, but not much else. Those who teach know what I'm talking about. There are many things that are not obvious to an outsider: the oppressive heat when classes start in late August in a building without air-conditioning; the unbelievable ache in your feet that first week of standing all day; the hoarse throat from all the talking the first few days as you lay down the rules for the kids.
What I'll miss is the absolute possibility of that first week. The possibility that this will be the best year ever. The possibility that I will reach every kid. The possibility that I will finally find that perfect way to teach verb conjugation.
I flatter myself to think that maybe I have left a hole there, at least for some people. For the past 15 years I taught eighth-graders and loved it. We had fun every single day. Well, okay, maybe not every single day, but definitely most of them. I monitored sixth-grade lunch and my favorite tribute was the table of sixth grade boys in my section who were despondent when I told them I was retiring. One boy summed it up as only sixth-grade boys can: "It really sucks that you're retiring," he told me. "My brother said he really liked your class."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that even if I didn't retire, he'd never have the chance to be in my class. My district chose to eliminate the foreign language program in the middle school because of financial concerns. So by the time he was at the high school, I would have been gone. But that's a story for another day.
Today, I sent hubby off to his "Welcome back in-service," kept two appointments, took my mother to PT and got ready for tonight's Planning Commission meeting. I'm trying to figure out when the "retired" part happens!
Today: 9:00 massage, 1:00 haircut, check in with the Mamá, dinner, Planning Commission meeting.
Dinner: grape leaves, lentil salad with roasted red peppers and tomatoes, Greek lemon chicken soup (a successful experiment in technique), fresh peach slices.
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