January 31: Favorites

 It was 2 degrees early in the morning when we headed to the pool, dressed warmly and wondering if we would be alone.  We were met with good music and equally-crazy friends who filled the locker room with shared wisdom before heading back outside. This conversation ensued as I put on my socks!

"Let me see those," she said,
Pointing to socks bearing my name

Honoring my love of books.

"They're warm and my favorite," I began

Interrupted by 

"Have you seen my favorites with the image of my dog?

"My favorite socks have kittens!"

"My favorite cousin sent me these," I finished.

"My favorite cousin lives far away. I miss her."

"My favorite cousin sent me soup when I was sick."

"I made my favorite lentil soup last night."

"I had my favorite salmon at the Inn."

"I snuggled into my favorite pajamas early,"

"This cold is not my favorite."

I think the message is this: If you show a group of women in a locker room a pair of socks, they will talk about everything and anything!

January 29 Weigh, Weight, Weights

One thing I have noticed again and again about writing is that the more I write, the easier the topics seem to flow from my cursor! A trip to the Dr spurred this one.

• 
  

"Hop on and we'll see

What you weigh," she

Said with a cadence suggesting

It has been said before and

Will be said again.

"Your weight is borderline," she

Said with a cadence suggesting 

It has been said before and 

Will be said again.

"I'm exercising and lifting weights," I 

Said with a cadence suggesting 

It has been said before and 

Will be said again.

These days, I do the weights

Even if it does not help my weight.

Bones, muscles, strength, stairs,

My goals not theirs, but clearly

Weights seem to offset the scorn

When what I weigh is not the 

Optimal weight.

January 28 Something Valuable Has Been Stolen

Yesterday, Glenda Funk wrote about a prompt triggered by another blogger, Kim Johnson, based on a book found in a thrift store.  One of the prompts, Something Valuable Has Been Stolen, spoke to me. This Post makes me very sad.

I wish you had been here

When

They were tiny miracles, dependent,

Squishy bundles, reflecting the future.

They took those first  bites, steps, rides

Reaching for support, reassurance, 

They drew you a rainbow, 

Filled with hope, love, 

They ran, biked, slid, scooted, swam,

Faster and faster and faster time has gone

They needed those lessons, snuggles, ideas

Linking their history with their future.

They have a void they cannot fill because

Something valuable has been stolen

January 27 I Hope

I am sharing as part of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life group today.  I am devastated by the recent ICE events that killed two people. This has weighed heavily on my heart making it hard to focus.  I know I am not alone.

Frigid temps, 

Huge storm looming,

Emily in Paris, total distraction until

Fitful sleep, waiting the beginning,

Waking to steady snow, devasting news,

Watching, processing the events, 

Shoveling, listening to reactions,

Watching, in disbelief,

Shoveling, praying for change,

The Housemaid for distraction while

Frigid temps, 

I hope this ICE storm ends, soon.

January 26 A Charged Rhetorical Moment

At Ethical ELA, Sarah Donovan shared "Teaching a Charged Rhetorical Moment with Care: Reading images Before They Become Arguments" on January 26.  It is worth a read even if you are not faced with the Herculean task of working with our youth during these very challenging times. We are all trying to process the words and pictures that evoke strong emotional responses. 

Dr. Donovan suggests, "To keep this work from becoming positional or combative, writing should function first as sense-making rather than argument." She goes on to say, "literacy is not only about persuasion. It is also about attention, restraint, and care."

January 25 Out of Touch

There is a mega winter storm brewing amidst a nation in crisis; yet, as Robert Frost said, "Life goes on," and this is how I am spending this day or two.

It had been wonky

Freezing up randomly

Yet working fine other times.

Until late last night when I 

Tried to do a restart.

It did not, so I am 

Out of touch.

Yes, there is still

Email. Facebook, Instagram

Google Chat, Neighbors,

News, Netflix, 

But, I am still

Out of touch.

I am thinking about

People who might try to 

Text, call check in

While we are all 

Grounded from this winter

Storm amidst bigger

Life changing storms 

In this life

But, I am

Out of touch.

For the next few days

I have a very first world

Very minor issue

During this very sad,

Scary season of life

In this country

Out of touch. 

January 24 Ready for the Storm

It would appear that nerves are frayed on many levels today and the forecast of 2-24 inches of snow and ice has put locals on edge.  

If they forecast storms

With epic potential 

To upend life, people will run

To stores in panic

To clear out milk, bread, eggs,

As if their lives depend on it.

Inside my home, I have books ready

Along with flashlights, tea and dark chocolate.

January 23 Storm's Coming; So is Spring

There is a storm heading our way and the mixed emotions, valid concerns, and pure excitement seem to be bubbling over.  As for me, I am going to park my car at the end of my driveway and wait for spring in 56 days.

Doom,

Prepare,

For the worst,

Ice, snow coming.

Shovels and blowers

Flying out of the shop

Milk, bread, soda, chips, flour,

Binge watching til power goes out

Snow plowers, shovelers preparing

For the brightest of days ahead for them.

While at Shop Rite the crowd is wild with

Panic, excitement, mixed with fear

While hope for a snow day loom

Brightly amidst the fear

Of a zoom day or

A clean your room

Or a change

In the

Storm

• 

January 23 Celebration of Life

I am pretty sure none of us really want to go to events that focusing on loss; yet, I found myself deeply reflective and divinely inspired as I listened to his children, grandchildren, and friends talk about a gentleman who celebrated learning, loving and life.

We only get one opportunity

To fill up the "dash" between

Our birth and our goodbye.

Embrace your family,

Learn a sport (or two),

Master an instrument,

Start a business,

Pick up a lifelong hobby, 

Like chess, puzzles,

Give generously,

Uplift others,

Solve problems,

Advocate for those

Less fortunate, in need.

Adopt causes,

Welcome challenges,

Enjoy a good mean

Celebrate with friends,

Eat dessert.

January 22 Arthritis Relief

 Days of cold. Not everyone is complaining. A nonet for my grand dog.

Lay in this gnarly blanket of cold

Feel the relief, arthritis be gone,

Forget about your aches, pains

Nestle into the cold

It's the spa you need

The best skin care

It's outside, now,

Enjoy

Snow

January 21 Supply and Demand

Today was the coldest in a long time in these parts. This weekend is looking like the snowiest.  I guess some of us had gotten a bit smug about handling winter weather and a reminder was needed!

"Get ice melt," I reminded myself as the crusty old remains

Slid onto the walkway days before they forecasted 

"A really big one is coming," sending everyone 

Scrambling for chemicals or even beet juice before

"I have to clear the walkway," became a reality again.

Yet supply and demand still rules hardware stores, so

"I'm sorry but we are out," after so many mild winters

We have less, and now there is more snow and more ice!

A

SOL25 January 20 If I Could

I am sharing with writing friends from the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Group today. I am struggling with threats and abuses of power that weigh heavy on my heart.

If

I could

Live again

I would not fill

A single day with

Anger, hatred, spite, scorn,

Jealousy, grudges,

Virulence, dread,

Resentment

Mean words

If

Only I

Could

Ethical ELA: January: Collective Nouns

This morning's Ethical ELA post asks us to write a poem considering collective nouns. I admit to doing an AI assisted search in order to come up with a list of flying animal collective nouns. 

I tried to run from the

Murder of crows flying above the

Parliament of owls watching the

Flamboyance of flamingos staring at the

Cloud of bats hanging ominously while the

Convocation of eagles watched in

Eagle-eyed fascination as the

Swarms of bees took flight and the  

Pandemonium of parrots mocked them all.

Sweating, panicking, dreaming of

Collective nouns.

Vin

January 19 To Forgive

On this day remembering Martin Luther King, there is no shortage of quotes reflecting his wide ranging thoughts on people and their relationships including this one from his book of sermons, Gift of Love: 

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

I know

It is hard to forgive someone

Who changes the course of your life.

Who hurt your loved one, your friend,

Who acts in ways that hurt people, 

Who put themselves and their goals 

Ahead of others. 

Though hate eats through souls

Like a cancer, destroys people,

Disrupts families,

Erodes the dialogue of nations,

Changes to course of history.

We can disagree

We can be sad, dislike, 

We can even hate

Evil actions, decisions, 

Behaviors, of other humans 

Without hating them 

Without harming them.

Ethical ELA January 18 Anagrams

This morning's Ethical ELA prompt asks us to consider the power of anagrams to generate ideas and encourage writing. As a teacher of often reluctant beginning readers and writers, I am keenly aware of the challenges spurred by was-saw, post-stop, who-how. Yet, I also see anagrams as funny in stressed-desserts. On this second snowy, stay-home day in a row, I am trying to embrace the forced quiet while remembering the challenge of anagrams for my readers-writers! 

It is quite quiet,

This morn in the Northeast

Where snow has become norm.

She will decide to 

Stop and read a post,

She will dare herself to look out.

Fearing the outlook is

More snow 

As the newsroom said,

It's clear, if she waits, 

It will be up to her waist!

Ethical ELA January 17 Inevitable Change

I am participating in Ethical ELA this morning as part of its monthly write. The prompt asks us to start with the last line of a recently read book. I just finished re-reading the Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber. (thank you CB) The last line in the book is, "The last spy of the Duke of Coffin Circle, alone and lonely, in the gloomy room, thought he heard, from somewhere far away, the sound of someone laughing."  

Alone, but not really lonely,

Thoughts of friends, children,

Writing their own stories,

I settled into the couch with a

Mug of Earl Gray, Chopin on 

Spotify, Homeschooled on Kindle.

The glow of an early morning swim

Mingled with the silent snow falling.

I thought I heard the sound of

Someone, from long ago,

Laughing as she worried about

Embracing the moment, and the 

Inevitable, change.

PS As of today, I have also joined the Stafford Challenge to write a poem every day for the next 365 days or so.  I'll see how this goes.

January 16 Life Goes On

Long, long ago, I attended a large, sprawling campus where commuters parked more than a mile away in a huge lot where a famous sign glared at them as they ran to class, "Are Your Lights On?"  To be honest, I have more memories of commuting on the Beltway than campus life as I spent much of my time off campus at placements in nearby, struggling schools. 

I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and landed a full-time job in a school where I had been student-teaching!  I skipped graduation in order to stay in school with my horde of first graders, at seriously, Flintstone Elementary!  I did return to campus, once, long ago, for a National Lacrosse Championship game with another Alma Mater. But, I have not even driven by that sprawling mega-campus in many, many decades.

Later today, my first-born grand and her mom will head to that Alma Mater for a swim event. There is part of me that wishes I was going and might find the energy and excitement I had all those decades ago when I ran the mile from the parking lot to classes. The rest of me is fully aware that you really cannot go back again as Robert Frost's words echo in my head, "Life goes on."

January 15 A Safer Place to Visit

 "Would you be interested in talking about upgrading?" he asked politely as I took a walk around the showroom after several hours of waiting. "You would be amazed at the value of your car on a trade in. We have some 2025 models that are ready and waiting and many, many options for paying. This might be the day to trade up? What year is your car," he asked effortlessly as he pulled out his I pad and I felt the pressure of a novice salesperson who was sent out on a mission.

"Not today," I smiled even though I wanted to talk about the outrageous prices on cars that used to be considered economy cars. The prices on the windows were just scary, I thought. "I'm just looking while I am waiting," I added firmly.

"We will do much better than those prices," he smiled, "do you want to talk about it?

I admit there was a wee bit of me who was bored and would have enjoyed letting this novice practice, but I chose to return to the safety of my book as it might have been hard to contain my conversation to a car when the state of the world seems to be hanging by a thread. 

Instead, I listened to the long ago memories, like the neighbor's tiny Volkswagon Beetle and my sister's long ago VW Camper van. They were a safer place to visit, today.

January 14 We Matter

 

I live in a small community where two family homes mingle to support affordability. You can get Latin, Mexican, Thai, Celtic and Italian take out on Main Street. We have pretty good schools, pretty safe streets, and people who care about our country as evidenced by the daily gatherings where those who can stand (and sit) for what matters to them. I live in a community where people respect nurses, police and our volunteer fire department. We respect those who are native to America and those who come from immigrants. We all matter.

It's the same in most other communities large and small, to the North, South, East and West. We are diverse with varied roots; yet, we all matter.  

SOL26 January 13: Starry Nights

 

I am grateful for the Slice Of Life Community for this weekly community.

I opened the box confidently on New Year's Day.  I started the border.

I was pretty sure the puzzle was defective on day 2 when I couldn't some edge pieces. 

I was thinking unkind thoughts about the gift-giver on day 3.

On day 4, I realized that pieces fit together perfectly even if they didn't match. 

On day 5, I finally finished the border.

On days 6, 7, and 8, I worked on the Cypress tree which will henceforth be known and the gray-green monster.

On days 9 and 10, I worked on the stars. They were a royal pain.

On days 11 and 12, I worked on the swirling trails from those stars. 

Today is day 13 and I am thinking about the village, the church, and the many tiny trees that might come alive some day in the future.

I am feeling every single bit of Van Gogh's turmoil and tension

I am hopeful that some day, I will match up the piles of blue pieces that connect the earth and the sky.

I am hopeful (my OLW) I will complete this replica of Van Gogh's masterpiece, some starry night.

January 12 In the Olden Days

"Look at this," she grinned. "You can tell exactly who read this book on this list! Shannon, Hae Ni, Lindsay....Do you ever use these in the olden days?"

I thought about telling her that everyone used these in the days before computers.  

I thought about telling her how the old fashioned system with a date stamp made sure you knew when the book was due back.  

I thought about expanding the conversation to the card catalog file as

I thought about the power of Ann Martin's writing to extend across generations of young ones.

I thought about the joy of reading about a group of girls who long ago talked about the same trials and tribulations of growing up even though their world was so very different. But then,

I thought that perhaps their world was not so very different as the joy of friends solving problems is a universal theme. My mind wandered as

I thought about how reading graphic novels about an imaginary babysitter club as spurred an interest in the old fashioned books! As my mind wandered again and I 

I thought about the amazing power of Etsy to share these old books with a new group of avid readers as I kicked myself, again, that of course I gave all her mother's old copies to cousins rather than saving them. Then I smiled as I responded simply to the only question I was asked,

"Yes, I used them in the olden days." 

 

January 11 Hamnet

I read Hamlet a long time ago because that is what you did in English class, and used Cliff's Notes to help me understand the complex story about revenge, life, and death. I loved the rhythm of Shakespeare's words even if understood only a fraction of the them. I took note of the "famous line" and have used it more than a few times;  Then, finally, after a trip to the movies, I understood the historical roots of the story that my teacher did not share with us (and probably did not know).  Now, with a bit of help from a historical fiction movie, the story makes sense!

Shakespeare might really have been a tutor when he met his wife and they really did have three children including twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet (and Hamlet are considered the same name) might really have wanted to join his father's theater company in London; however, he died during an outbreak of the bubonic plague and his parents bereft. Perhaps, Shakespeare really did begin to write Hamlet as he contemplated suicide and pens, "To be or not to be..."  Forever, in my mind, the long honored play will be a tribute to a treasured child.  

Yes, I am reading it again through a new lens I wish I had in 10th grade. Yes, I am reminded that taking the time to talk about the author and potential roots of a book can enhance understanding and enjoyment. 

January10 Still Full of Memories

January is the season on "resolutions" for some and "cleaning out" for others - perhaps depending on your season of life.  I'm in the latter and was determined to "trim down" my holiday decoration stash before putting it away. I was determined to reduce the stash to 1 box. Getting rid of the broken down garland on the porch, held together with string and a prayer was the easiest part, or so I thought. They were lovely, but probably dated if I am being honest. Yet, they reminded me of that Inn.......

An hour or so later, I was left with 2 strings of lights that each half worked. This was the way it had been for a long time and getting rid of them would mean replacing them in order to decorate a tree in the future. I was also left with 2 dark red balls purchased at a going out of business sale of some department store many, many years ago. They were special as they were the first purchased decorations for our tree.  Up until then, I made decorations out of paper, felt, and foil. Sigh.  Last up were 2 homemade decorations featuring the glued together likenesses of Care Bears from their first visit to stores, long ago.  They were pretty strange looking even when they were new, long ago!\

In the end, I kept the garland, lights, balls, and bears even though each was worn out, broken down, and looking a bit ragged around the edges, for now.  "They are a lot like me," I thought as I put 2 boxes away again, "worn, but still full of memories."