#NCATE2019 Collecting Ideas and Books

Baltimore Harbor, November 2019
I'm surrounded by teachers
English, Reading, Writing, all Special,
Passionate enough about their profession for
Saturday morning, coffee in hand
Trucking like lemmings
To learn, to affirm, to reaffirm
From their peers.

I'm a long professed
Lifelong learner
Reader, questioner.
Assured there is no
One way to reach all.





So here I am,
Laden with 
New books.
Filled with
New ideas
Inspired by
Friends turned authors
Empowered by
Hope for our profession.

I'm grateful
To be a teacher.

This and the Other Side

I hope on the other side,

He'll be happy,

Feel love, hope,
Let go of regret, guilt,

Be healthy,

Find peace.

One could say, "If only...."

One could think, 

"He's in a better place...."

One could feel sad,

For paths not taken,

For roads not traveled,

For happiness not shared,

"If only in this life...."

I hope on this side,

His family will

Remember the happy times,

Remember the love,

Find peace.

sol#19 One Tile and Then Another

I'm in my office,

The only place free of construction dust.

Listening to the glorious, hopeful sound 

Of tile installation,

Scraping, tapping, 

The whir of cutting, resizing,

Wonderful sounds.

It's been 9 weeks

I could say endlessly long.

I could say hopelessly long.

Yet there are walls, now.

There are floors, now.

There is heat, now.

There is water, outside, now.

"It will go fast, now," they say.

"I hope so," I think.

"Cabinets tomorrow," they say.

"Appliances tomorrow, too," they say.

"I hope so," I think.

Hopeful words. 

#sol19 Thankful, Hopeful, Woeful!

It's been a while, but I am reminded that writing helps me put the chaos of life in perspective!



I'm thankful my house now has ceilings and walls, but not much else.  I'm told it will go fast from here however, I am not too hopeful. To be honest, sitting and trying to work or write amidst the dust and debris makes me a bit woeful! I'm hopeful it will be worth it in the end.

I'm also thankful Halloween is out of the way. It's a stressful and scary time for so many kids and the hype seems to grow each year. I'm hopeful that we will return to a focus on cute costumes and fun rather than on gruesome decorating!

I'm also hopeful for the holidays that follow All Saints Day and hopeful I can focus on gratitude and giving in the months ahead.