#sol20 March 10 Are Your Eyes Open?

"Are your eyes open," he asks as he not-so-gently climbs over me and slides under the covers holding tightly to the car of the morning.

"The sun is awake," he offers as he sits up to show me the not-anymore-pitch-black-horizon.

"See, Meme, it's a new day," he sings as he climbs in beside me and presses his warm-from-sleep feet into my warm-from-sleep legs.

I sigh
 I realize
He's growing at break-neck speed.
 He barely
Spoons into me these days. 

I sigh
With gratitude
 He is with me
While his floors are redone.

It was not long ago
I was rocking his tiny self to sleep
 After reading Snuggle Puppy.

It was not long ago
 He was climbing in and out of his cozy coupe.
Finding joy with Clifford in a box,  

It won't be long
Before he heads to kindergarten

It won't be long 
Before he will not want to snuggle his Meme.

I can't think about that.
I enjoy this moment. 

I'm trying to write every day in March 

Two Writing Teachers' March Challenge

This is a Slice of My Life this week

#sol20 March 9 "Just" the Flu

Got a text ✔
She has the flu ✔
But how ?
Flu shot ✔

Plenty of fresh air ✔

Healthy diet✔

Plenty of rest ✔
But how ?

High fever ✔

Chills ✔

Positive test✔
Didn't she have it already?

This is Flu A ✔

Another strand of the flu ?

It's very scary ✔

It's hard to watch those we love suffer✔

I wonder ? 

Is this late, hard flu season ?

The price of a warm winter ? 

It's scary ✔
Even if not the virus paralyzing us ✔
Even if it's "just" the flu✔

I'm participating in the March SOL Challenge
With Two Writing Teachers

This was a real slice of my life this weekend.

#SOL20 March 8 The Last Night

It was a Friday night in late June and I was the kind of tired that teachers know as "End-o-year-counting-the-days-exhausted." 

I had at least 20 report cards to finish and an inbox filled with grad school student papers.

My elderly mother had been upset because her anniversary was on the horizon and she wanted to visit the cemetery and she wanted to go out the that restaurant near the cemetery; yet, I had to work on that last for her (in retrospect) anniversary as it was also the last day of school.

"Let's try that Chinese place one last time," he said in a text that was prophetic, yet not unreasonable as the previous take out had been sub par.

We settled onto the porch on that warm June night, just like we normally did. 
Shrimp fried rice and chicken with broccoli in plastic bins with take out chop sticks,
He opened the wine and we began small talk about our day.

In retrospect, tired was not my biggest problem that June day.
In retrospect, it was the last Chinese food I ate.
In retrospect, those report cards and papers did not matter all that much.
In retrospect, I probably carried the conversation as he was quiet.
In retrospect, my mom's problem was not one to worry about.
In retrospect, he probably didn't eat much.
In retrospect, it was suddenly chilly.
In retrospect, it was the last time we sat on the porch.
In retrospect, I can't believe I didn't see "it" coming.
In retrospect, it was the last dinner.
In retrospect, life as I knew it changed in an instant.
In retrospect, it was the last night.

'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/

This is a sad slice of my life!

#SOL20 March 7 Cans, Paper, Dressers

I remember my grandmother washing out cans, taking off the labels and saving them in a bin on her back porch. She was a young wife and mother struggling to make ends meet during the Great Depression and she never really changed how she lived or how she recycled. I thought it to be a strange, old fashioned thing to do;!  My mother just tossed cans in the trash in what I perceived to be the modern way!

These days, recycling has become, once again, the norm at least for bottles, cans, and paper.
Recently, where I live, we've begun mandated use of our own shopping bags. I've begun to adapt to the BYOB stage with a stack of bags from Trader Joe's and Home Goods in my car.

Yet, for me, the greatest recycling project of all happens on the first Friday of each month at the curb.  People put out their "trash" - old strollers, old dressers, old brooms - and the recycling rangers, as I call them, comb the streets for anything that might be reusable by anyone.

I know the impact of recycling cans, plastics and paper is huge. I know the impact of using our own bags is huge. I am SURE those recycling rangers who took everything but an old bed frame is huge as well. 

#SOL20 March 6 They Left the Back Flow Potty!

My home life became challenging after a demolition crew arrived to take out my kitchen and bathroom.  In retrospect, demolition day was the easiest part of the journey towards a tub and sinks that drained.

After the dumpster left and the dust settled, the breadth and scope of the project ahead started to become real. There were old walls and holes in floors where once there had been a peeling tub and an avocado green kitchen (think 60's).

I knew this before I started, but the reality kicked in quickly: there was no running water inside my house, except the washing machine and...

A "back flow" potty in the basement.

You may have one if you have a really old house.  Way back in the early days of sewer systems, they were "required" as a way to contain the inevitable back ups that occurred. In the days before basements were typically finished, it was deemed easier to clean a basement floor.  In the early days of sewers, there were regular, messy back ups!  The interesting thing about these potties is that there  are no walls for privacy and no sinks for hand washing.  It's just a toilet sitting in the open!

In the days, weeks ahead, I was grateful for that back flow potty and I found ways to wash hands and brush teeth!

• One night, I was outside washing my face with the hose and something ran over my feet.  I screamed!
• One day, I was brushing my teeth when the mail delivery person arrived!
• One morning, I was brushing my teeth when my neighbor was headed out to walk his dog. I waved, my mouth full of paste and my bed head in full view.
• One day, I arrived at the gym as it opened and the clerk commented about my early arrival.  I was honest about my renovation. The next day, she smiled from ear to ear as she asked if I came to shower or to work out!
• I bought a gallon of hand sanitizer as they days grew colder; I used every bit!

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/

This really is a slice of my recent life!

. 

#SOL20 March 5 Sneaker begins with a p

She had been cutting the advertisement into pieces when she stopped, amazed at her own emerging letter awareness.

"I know shirt starts with an a," she said confidently.

"Shirt actually starts with an sh," I responded.

"Oh," she said looking dejected as she continued her cutting.

"I know sneaker starts with a p," she said smiling. 

"Sneaker actually starts with an s," I responded trying to figure out where this letter-sound focus was  was coming from. 

"Well then I am going to cut out that p from this sneaker," she mumbled as she cut the Puma off the sneaker. 

I smiled as I now understood from where her emerging letter awareness was coming! 

"Sometimes people put their names on the shirts and sneakers," I added wondering how much explanation was wanted.

"That's silly," she said laughing, "they already know it's their shirt!"

She will make the sound-symbol connection as she is aware there is a connection between letters and initial sounds even if she is not yet aware of advertising power coming from putting brand names on clothing items.

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/

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#sol20 Day 4 Long Time No Pedi?

In retrospect, if the shop had not been so crowded that holiday weekend, he might have noticed how nervous I was. "What to you want," he asked?

I read the signs and considered, French, Gel, Spa, Super Spa,...."I guess a regular will be fine."

"What color?" he asked pointing to a wall of tiny bottles.

"Um," I started, "perhaps a French would be best," I said slowly because deciding on a color would have been a formidable task!

"Come,"he said as he motioned to the chair. He helped me into the chair then had to show me how to turn on the massage feature as he turned on the water and settled into his seat.  

For a minute or two, I soaked and he prepped for the undertaking ahead. Pulling one foot out to begin, he studied the appendage and asked with concern, "Long time, no pedi?"

I smiled, wondering if I should tell him it was my first time? Certainly, I had cut, filed and painted my own nails many times in my 60 or so trips around the sun. Certainly, I had soaked my feet in the tub a few times although it was not a regular activity. Certainly, I had used a pumice stone on my heels while taking a shower more than a few times. Yet, after years of students, coworkers and others sporting professionally groomed toe and fingernails, I had finally decided to find out what all the hype was about! 

"Long time," I smiled and I think we both knew the truth.

"I'll make them good," he smiled. "You come to right place."

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/

Several people have been sharing memory slices

 and this one is one of my favorite memories.

#sol20 Day 3 March 3 The Lawn Jockey

Those of us who spend our lives in schools are used to decorating for every "holiday" including Presidents' Day, Groundhog's Day,.... St. Patrick's Day (even if we are not Irish).

My neighbors take that decorating spin to a new level with a small statue in their front yard, affectionately referred to by my grandchildren as the Statue Boy. 

I must admit I look forward to his changing costumes, especially his Yankee (baseball) and Leprechaun attire; yet, there was a part of me thinking that I remembered there was some unsavory history behind such lawn art?  So I did a bit of research. Yes, I Googled "jockey lawn art."

There are several different stories behind the "lawn jockey", including a version that George Washington commissioned a statue of Jocko, The Faithful Groomsmen, to represent an African-American boy, too young to fight, who froze to death holding a lantern during the Revolutionary War. 

There is also a theory that lawn jockeys played a role in the Underground Railroad marking dangerous and safe houses along the journey north. Different lanterns tied to the arm would signal if a route was safe or not.

In Saratoga Springs, NY, lawn jockeys are part of the local horse racing culture, wearing the bright colors of favorite jockeys in a long tradition of summer horse racing. At one time, many jockeys were African American; yet the "lawn jockey" is an image that transcends racial identity as jockeys today are of diverse heritage. 

So, after just a brief Google search, I am thinking that "lawn jockeys" are historical "relics" with an unclear but not unsavory past!  

Yet, if you have something to add to this story, please let me know and I will add!

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/

I'm planning to write a little slice of my life each day in March. 

#sol20 Day 2 March 2 The First Lyft

Admittedly, I'm a bit behind on many aspects of "cultural literacy"! 

I had been nervously waiting for him for since I asked him to come. I made plans in my head in case he did not come and even though I had allowed more than enough time, I wondered if I would make it and I wondered what would happen if I missed my connection?

I carefully put my two pieces of luggage on the porch and then moved them next to the porch and then moved them closer to the end of my driveway.  I went in to brush my teeth, again, and to try to relieve my anxiety that was mounting by the minute. What if he were a criminal or, I don't know, going to steal my bags (full of books and achievement tests)!

He arrived right on time in a Toyota with a license plate that matched the number relayed to me on my phone. He stopped carefully and jumped out of the car introducing himself and showing me his ID before I even asked. He seemlessly opened his trunk and loaded my luggage asking in a joking fashion, "Do you have a body in here?"

His accent was heavy, yet he made carefully articulated small talk first clarifying to goal of our trip and later sharing a bit of his own story working as an apprentice lineman for Verizon and driving for Lyft when he can in order to save funds to attend the University.  His dream was to study to be an electrical engineer like his brother who now works for Google.

After learning I was a teacher, he shared how he learned English from watching TV with subtitles in his native language. He talked of The Big Bang Theory, his favorite show, and how he watched it again and again until he could retell whole shows.

The ride flew by and before I knew it, and before I was ready for the ride to end, it was over. I knew it was unlikely that our paths would cross again and yet I knew he had given me a faith in this new system of transportation. He had also renewed my faith in this new crop of hard working first  generation Americans who are working to reshape now only their own lives but how we all live and travel from place to place.

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/
Here's the link if you want to join:
https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/03/01/day-1-sol20/

I'm planning to write a little slice of my life each day in March. 

I'm also going to encourage new bloggers as a member of the Welcome Wagon.

SOL20 Day 1 Potential Slices

I'm feeling anxious, 

Like when you approach the podium,

Yet, it's my 9th time,

It will get easier every day.

I'll be looking at everything

I see, hear, do,

As potential slices.

I'm a Mom, Meme, Auntie, Great Auntie,

I'm a Sister, Sister in Law, Friend,

I'm a semi-retired Literacy Specialist

Adjunct Professor, Mentor,

Online Course Developer.

Hopeful book publisher.

I'm renovating a kitchen and a bathroom,

(I probably could find 31 slices right there)

I love to walk, swim, sew.

Along with my writing challenge,

I'm doing a 31 minutes (at least) for 31 days,

Exercise and clean eating challenge.

I'm painting walls,

Busy trying to

Put my house/life together.

Plant a few seeds/gardens,

Every moment

A potential slice.

No wonder I am feeling anxious!

I'm participating in the SOL March Writing Challenge.

https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/01/16/sol20overview/
Here's the link if you want to join:
https://twowritingteachers.org/2020/03/01/day-1-sol20/

I'm planning to write a little slice of my life each day in March. 

I'm also going to encourage new bloggers as a member of the Welcome Wagon.