The Creek!

When I saw this picture I remembered how much....I love the Creek.
I love getting my feet wet as I am walking in the creek! The water is so cool. The snakes are so black. The shady areas are so green. The rocks are so wobbly and slippery with green slime. There is that certain decadent odor from a creek and the sand glitters from the mica in the tiny pieces of rock.
Many years ago I used to walk along Sligo Creek and every time I would fall in~even when I wasn't supposed to get wet. I would take a hike over it as a short cut walking to Rollingcrest.
At Miami I loved the science classes for teachers where we would walk along the Hueston Woods creek beds. We would turn big chunks of rock over and look at the little critters under the rock. We would hunt along the rocky shores for fossils like the pointy horn coral crinoids that reminded me cows, brachiopods (those tiny double bumped grey ridge ones) and bryozoa (the little sticky things). See I even recall the names of the darn things!
But my favorite creek to hunt along was at Peiffer Park. It was such fun to hike along the Bluffs and then slide down the hill and into the creek at the bottom. Many a summer day I took my kids there after church on Sunday. As we would walk along it we would see the baby black snakes or maybe even find a box turtle. Ah, now I can hardly walk along the creek bed. I worry that I will fall in and being not much more coordinated than I was 50 years ago I probably will fall in!
Yep a creek is a good thing.

What do you really need?

Or you can't take it with you so why buy it to begin with?
A strong healthy body, someone to love and a place to live.
Hmm don't forget food and clean clothes.

Happy moments

There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day. So we have 20,600 moments every day to be happy!
What did you do today to be happy?
I ate two healthy meals ( so far) and enjoyed going to the library. I did a little genealogy research and wrote a few friends.
I cancelled my hair appointment until the next flex med check comes back. And planned to go to a social studies curriculum meeting next week.
I called and e-mailed friends. It is so good to keep connections. I think I will go to Ky. in a few weeks before school starts.
I read my Bible and prayed (several times) and took my daughter some money for tonight at the competition.
I am going to be happy for more moments I just don't know what they will be.
What were your happy moments today?

So Sad

I am afraid that I am no longer a Big Ben fan. He has been accused of rape. Someone involved with the case is quoted as saying, " that fan shouldn't be taking him to court, She should be thankful that he had sex with her.." I really didn't like that comment. So.... though I am glad he helped the Steelers win games, including the Super Bowl and I am glad I got to see him as an M.U. student, He is no longer An A child.
Another sad thing today~ the 4-H fair has been really rainy and those poor kids had to show cows in it. I don't have picture of the fair, too much rain to walk over there! I do have one of the rainy street and the cow trucks.

Staying healthy

For several months now I have ben trying (with varying degrees of success and lots of discouragement) to get healthier or just plain be healthy.
I am swimming for at least 30 minutes a day now with a few days off every now and then. I have seen the swimmers who are at least 35 years younger than I am and they are in good shape. May I become like one of them...hmm perky? probably not but they sure are cheerful.
I am eating fruit, vegetables, and fish, turkey, chicken, or nuts, only whole grain breads.
I am trying to only drink water.
I still have not lost any weight, but hopefully that will be happening soon.
And today I had to go for a blood test. They couldn't find my veins to get the blood out. Agh! I have a sore wrist,on both hands and a sore inner arm on the left side, Tomorrow there will be bruises I am sure. One good thing I didn't faint from the blood.

Ramblin' Woman

Whatcha doin' now?
Nothin'.
Whatcha do yesterday?
Nothin'.
Whatcha doin' tomorrow?
Nothin' that I know of right now.
I don't know if I will like being retired and on half salary; we hardly can do anything now. Maybe I should quit my teaching job and find another one that is more interesting and in another state near the ocean instead of retire.

Who invents cartoons? I was just (well two hours ago) watching cartoons about a sponge and a starfish and a place under the sea where you buy crabby patties. I don't know about this stuff. You can also buy t-shirts with good ol' Sponge Bob on them.And there is a lot of stuff on-line about him. Who knew? Tonight there is a Sponge Bob marathon with 10 new episodes. Who watches 5 hours of that stuff?

Another topic.
Nope can't think of a thing to write about. When I am thinking about getting on line I can think of plenty, but now I can't. Maybe I should start keeping a notebook about what to write about. Hmm that is exactly what I teach my class to do....

Wild Wednesday~

When you're really feeling low go shopping. I really like to go other places, but in a pinch Walmart will do. So why is Walmart wild?
Bright colors
Low prices
Fresh fruit and vegetables like apricots, rutabaga and artichoke
When you walk in a senior citizen says, "Hi! Welcome to Walmart!" (hmm that could soon be me! except I want to be a scrapbook lady instead.)
And SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR $1.00 OR LESS
Woo girls all together say WOOOOOO
That is all from this side of town.

I Love Summer!

I love summer. I love summer because I have time to read the Bible and other fun books. I love summer because I can clean on days other than Saturday. I love summer because I can go up to Indianapolis during the week and visit my kids...If they are home! I love summer because it is sunny and warm and the sky is blue and there are flowers out and green leaves and grass. I love summer because I get paid and don't have to work unless I feel like thinking about curriculum. I love summer because I can clean out the closet and have a yard sale, even if you only make $8.45. I love summer because I can go swimming.
But living in Indiana I really miss the beach.

Friendships

For three days I have been swimming at the reccenter. That has been fun, I saw some old friends and met some new ones. But the most exciting thing this week has been that I found a former student on Facebook. She and her mother were my great friends in Chesapeake Beach Md. about 31 years ago. Her mother now lives in Calabash, North Carolina. I hope to reconnect with her and maybe this is close enough to Wilmington that I can find a good place to retire.

Wild Wednesday!

Not so wild this Wednesday!
This week Lita has had band camp with fun activities in the evening afterward. We went to a friends farm for campfire and hotdogs. Then to the Jill Butterfield shelter for Karioke.
Today is supposed to be a pool party but looks like rain.
I spent the days swimming and scrapbooking.
Working on an old Michigan one and a Heritage one and a Christmas in D.C. one.

Note to those who go boating

Didn't your mother ever tell you never stand up in a boaT?

Camping

Note to campers:
Blue tarps and ropes.
When you go camping- you put a blue tarp under the tent and dig a trough around it. to drain water away from your tent. Then you get a blue tarp and stretch it over your tent and tie it off down low to the ground to the nearest trees so that the rain rolls off the tarp and away from your tent. Otherwise all your stuff gets wet.
Another solution to rainy camping- get a pop up camper or a camper on the back of your truck.

Good Things

When You live in a small town there are some good things.
You really can know your neighbors. When you walk around the block you can stop and chat with people who have lived there like you for 15 years.
You know their kids and they know yours and you feel connected as you catch up.
When you pay your doctor bill you know that your neighbor will continue to have a job.
When you buy something made of plastic, your neighbor who works in a plastic factory will still have a job.
You can celebrate the 4th of July with a tradition- A parade with tractors and Water ball.
Your co-workers are on the fire department and if you get sick or injured a stranger won't be caring for you, someone you know will.
Your friends can sit on your porch and see the parade and you can tell how much the kids have grown up since last year.
You can go to the grocery store five times a day everyday and see your friends who work there laugh at you because you're forgetful.
You can meet someone new and discover they live in the house down the street with the beautiful ferns and get invited over to have a cup of coffee.
It is a good thing in a small town.

Happy Birthday America!

Hello!
It is time to say Happy Birthday to America!
I am so thankful to live in a nation where women are free to learn, to vote, and to be a part of society, not something left on the side to wait on the men.
I read the book the Kite Runner and this was a good time to read it as it reminded me of how great it is to be a part of America.
Festival downtown today. With a waterball show!
Tomorrow is a parade.