#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.

Waiting.......

I say, "Nothing has happened at the house this week?"
They say, "We are waiting for inspections
Plumbing, electrical, code violation"

I say, "How long?"
They say, "Any day now."
I think,
Wonder what that means.?

I say, "Is there anything I can do?"
They say, "Meet me on Monday morning at 7:00."
I think, "Why would you say meet me on Monday
When it is Thursday?"
I wonder if this is a lost week?
I say, "Of course."
It is a lost week.

First world problems?
Renovation problems?
Problems in Hawthorne?

I guess I am waiting.
Sigh,,,,

#sol19 A little excited

I'm days away

From launching a big project at work.

I'm weeks away 

From taking a bath in this tub.

I'm months away

From paying for the walls, tile, sink and medicine cabinet!

I'm years away

From forgetting this crazy season

Of living out of a suitcase!

I'm definitely over

My unlivable house.

I'm a little bit overwhelmed

With all the decisions.

I'm a lot frustrated 

With all the setbacks.

I'm grateful

I'm not homeless. 

I'm a little excited

About the possibilities ahead.

I

#sol19 Long, Hot, Showers

First world problems,

The state of my bathroom,

The condition of my kitchen.

September, 

Season of fresh starts,

New beginnings,

Looking forward,

New adventures,

Walls, floors, cabinets,

Warm, gingerbread cookies,

Long, hot showers

The Year of the Bag

Perhaps its the 60+ years of school?
Perhaps it is that inevitable change in weather that always occurs at the end of August (to return to hot and humid after school starts)?
Perhaps it is the sweaters piled high is stores?
Perhaps it is just the way it is!

September, Labor Day heralds the start of school.
In these parts, and for me, at least, it's the start of a New Year.

While I typically skip resolutions in January in favor or a OLW (one little word) for the year, I usually DO set goals that certainly resemble resolutions at this time of year.
Usually, they focused on getting organized. keeping organized, keeping better records or something along those lines.
Usually, my house is at its best this time of year.\
Usually, I have lots of prepared produce in my freezer.
Usually, my closets are cleaned and my bills/paperwork organized.
Usually, I'm more excited than scared!
Usually, I know life is about to get crazy!

This year is a little different, except my life is about to get really crazy!
My belongings are shoved into closets where they will sit for about 6 weeks.
My essential clothes, workout gear, make-up, pills, and my few "valuables" are stuffed into bags.
I have bags for each course and bags for resource books
I have bags for technology and bags for power cords and chargers.
I have bags for swimming gear and bags for workout gear.
I have bags for shorts and bags with sweatshirts and another bag for presentation wear!

I've lived through home renovation several times!
I know it will get better.
I know it will be worth it and the new tub will drain in less than 2 days.
I know the new stove will stay shut.

I've done this before.
I know there will be unforeseen problems.
I know there will be decisions to make on the spot.
I know life on the run will be challenging.
I've never felt less organized in my life and yet,
Perhaps I am ready for this new year! 
I'm calling it the Year of the Bag.

#sol19 Birthdays

Remember

Being a young thing and thinking your special day would never get here? 

Wanting a special cake, a new toy, an outrageously expensive outfit?

Being asked what you wanted for your birthday and not knowing what to want?

Being on the edge of that driver's permit and waiting not so patiently to go to the DMV?

Waiting not so patiently for the day when you could legally consume an adult beverage?

Thinking "that" birthday meant you were getting old?

Gratitude for a birthday shared with friends and loved ones?

I remember

There was a time when there were birthdays almost every day in August (for my family)! 

Celebrations in kitchens, on campgrounds, at the ocean, with cousins, at the ocean.
Discount cards for Michael's, Joanne's, Talbots .......

Happy ones and not so happy ones. \Busy ones and quiet ones.

Today
It is one of my cousin's special days.

I wish her a happy day and the start of a good year;
I want to remember that every day,

Not just a birthday,
Is a special day.

#sol19 Thanks for the Rain

I'd slept fitfully for several nights as the heat and humidity built up both outside and inside my home. The over-sized, Casablanca-style, fan usually did the trick; not this week. The first warnings of thunderstorms and flash floods had been 24 hours ago! I was tired, grumpy and waiting for a break in the weather when finally, the sky took on that familiar dark blue hue.

I hunkered down through the first, second, third and fourth rounds of the storm as water poured from the sky and the temperature slowly began to drop. I ventured out through the flooded streets to rescue a commuter; however, this was not to be a night for errands!

Several hours after it all started, the power and internet went out while the gentle rain continued as if on a mission to refresh the parched earth.

I opened the front door slowly to survey the damage and felt the peace, that follows a big storm, envelope the neighborhood. The change in the air was profound and so I sat for a while, on the porch, thankful for the rain even though it had caused delays, flooding, and accidents.

I thought of the power of water to harm and to help. I guess it's like so many things in life: coffee, chocolate, wine, fast cars. They help us in reasonable amounts; however, too much, is harmful.  Then, even though it was still fairly early, I went up the dark stairs, brushed my teeth in the dark, and climbed into the dark bed, thankful for the rain.