Last Day of 2010

Reflections of 2010 resolutions:
1. Travel I even went to Michigan and the Mall of America~
A. I would like to go to Wilmington, North Carolina over spring break.Yes, did that and went in the summer and then in November for a funeral.
B. I would like to go and see Rachel in Philadelphia/Doylstown.
C. I would like to go and see Mom and Dad in California and all the rest of the family who live there too. 1/2 done
D. I would like to go to Florida with a stop off in Georgia!
2. Attend a retirement meeting done
3. Go to Lita's band performances done
4. Crochet an afghan. Started but need more lessons. I just need to finish the afghan!
5. Get to know my neighbors. To do this I think I need to have people over for Saturday lunch or Sunday dinner. Or I can go outside and just visit in the summer or get a flat tire!Now I have new neighbors to get to know.
6. Have friends over for a meal monthly- by doing this I should be able to do number 5.
7. Play cards more often. To do this I think I need to go to Georgetown, Ky.Really Georgetown is where I go to play cards.
8. Join the rec center and swim daily in the summer (or look in to joining the YWCA in Richmond.)Not done at all. Do this again!
9. Check papers at school and keep the web page up to date!!/2 done
10. Keep on top of birthday cards for family and friends! 1/2 done.

What to Do?

And today's blog... Things to do when you don't have anything to do.
1. Write letters to those who give you presents or do things that make you happy.
2. Watch t.v. ( I prefer old movies and so do other women of a certin age)
3. and come up with some exercises to do during the ads.
a. walking back and forth across the room
b. do walk push ups
c. do floor props
4. Go to the library and check out some good books.
5. And that old stand by- clean! Or at least vaccuum.
6. Call someone up and go out to lunch
7. Scrapbook
8. Make cards
9. Knit or crochet

A Christmas Miracle

Yesterday as i was driving to Rushville I was listening to a reenactment of the birth of Christ and I was amazed again at how perfect the timing of God's miracles is. I also recalled how nothing was impossible with God. I said a little prayer asking that court be swift and then girded up my loins and walked up to the courtroom alone to face the judge, John and Harold and Ruth. While sitting upstairs Ruth spoke to me about some money that I owed her from the other house. John talked to me asking how Lita was. I got irritated about that and said that he should not talk to me. I knew he had talked to her on Sunday because she had told me. Then my lawyer arrived. We went into the courtroom and began to discuss the point of today's court. John tried to interrupt us then he said that he just wanted the whole thing to be over and then he got his wish. He said that I could have everything. I was gracious and gave him use of the truck with the understanding that when it was paid off Lita would have it. I said that I would pay his medicine bill off. I got my maiden name- Anna Keith Kelly back and it was over. Amazing the judge didn't ask him if he understood the law about 1/2 of the assets or anything. So in a matter of 25 minutes I was divorced. I am still in shock.
But Christmas miracles do happen.

Is it Christmas yet?

I think my brain is going mush just like when I had a baby.I mixed up a set of parents and thought that I had already held a conference with them when it was a different set of parents. I couldn't remember where the check out stand was in Kroger. I lost my keys and looked for them for 2 yes two hours and they were in my sweater pocket. I am choosing to believe they were somewhere else and God took mercy on me and an angel put them there for Karen to find. But I do remember where my house is and I can find my way out of Southern Knolls. I also know the way to work in the morning and the way to San Jose. Just give me a map. All those years at AAA have to be good for something!
Christmas break is just around the corner, but I hope the snow keeps us home tomorrow as I need to do Christmas cards. Be of good cheer, hope, joy and love.

Heaven or Hell

I went to church this morning. The music was loud but full of good thoughts about God. I worshiped with lots of 18-21 tear olds and wished All my children could be there. Win and Nancy Clark were there and they are now being missionaries for an organization that wants Americans to adopt orphans from the Aids epidemic in Africa. I took a brochure and this might be a good Christmas gift idea for those who have everything. The sermon was excellent and about Heaven and Hell. Since mom just died I paid close attention about what Jesus said about these two places. He was very clear about the eternal aspect of each and that there was no way someone else could be baptised for you or no way you could just go to pergatory for a while. Good to know that those were just man made ideas. Anyway Jesus said that Hell would be darkness and fire and pain without relationships. Heaven would be joy and relationships. So Joy to the world is better than pain.I pick joy! An 88 year old missionary needed a ride home from church and as I was driving her, she told me that I can hopefully have surprise and the joy of seeing mom in heaven. Faith, hope and love and Joy!

Why I love teaching

I observed in a first grade class today. All of the children were busy reading and the teacher was having a discussion about folk tales. The children were comparing and contrasting the different versions of the tales. One boy in all innocents asked, "Why did Little Red Riding Hood's parents give her the name "Riding" for a middle name?" In all my years of teaching I never wondered that nor has any other child. Amazing you can learn something new every day! And what would be the answer?

Life and Death

The week of November 13 to November 21 is now known as the week of death to me. I pray that Jesse and Mom at the last minute remembered that God is God. Dick knew that there is a God and he was not afraid to live a Godly life.
Jesse Findley died in a Car wreck on Friday 11-12-10 I heard about it on Saturday at the laundramat. Rushed over to talk to Becky. Haven't seen her since.
That same evenng my mom was placed into the ICU at GWU hospital. She had excellent doctors but could not overcome the bad bacteria in her colon. Rachel was there with her on Saturday, Thea arrived on Monday morning, I got there on Monday afternoon. I spoke to her but she never answered. It is good that I spent that time there in October. She didn't make it to Thanksgiving. Mom I miss you. The you who used to feed me the peas out of the vegetable soup; the you who sewed outfits for me and let me cut out the patterns for new ones; the you who laughed at the blue place when we last ate dinner there.
Last of all there is Uncle Dick. He died 24 hours after mom maybe she and he went to see the gates of heaven together. Dick had a white Christmas stocking when he spent the night Chrsitmas eve. He and Dad went Christmas shopping. The Dick who let me ride in the back of that tiny convertible with no seat belt. Uncle Dick gave me savings bonds when I was a kid and i used them to pay for Graduate school. Dick who love to sing loved beer and loved his family, is, I have no doubt, in Heaven.
What can you say to the man who has everything? Life is short enjoy it while you can. Things change in a twinkling of an eye. Knowing Jesus is the most important thing in your life. Don't forget that part.

Things I Can't Believe

Things I can't believe are all around.
I can't believe that I graduated from High school 40 years ago. Where did all that time go?
I can't believe that I haven't blogged since August. A teacher truly spends too much time thinking about school!
I can't believe that yesterday I watched bird drama unfold in my classroom. Do I have a story for you! Some how a bird was caught in some embroidery floss. It tried to fly out of the nesting area and couldn't. So two of its friends tried to help they lifted it over the glassed in area. Then it was on the perch and still stuck. It tried to fly and was knocked off. The two friends tried and succeeded in bringing it back onto the perch. But then it strangled itself when it next tried to fly. So this poor thing hung there while we watched and its friends tried to help it. Too sad. It is now in Bird heaven. We paused for a moment of silent meditation.

I can't believe that this morning it was still there, but at 8:30 maintenance pried the bird feeder off the wall.
I can't believe that for the first time ever I was in the Talawanda homecoming parade.
I couldn't believe that the best they could do was get me a size 4 X-way too large. I can't believe that I am so tired that I am going to bed by 9:30.

Ah...Sigh.. summer is almost over...

I love my kids so much. Without them I would not have been able to see my sisters and breathe the most vitalizing air on earth.
We went to Eagle Harbor and stayed at Lake Bailey Cabins and had a great time. I miss every one so much.
My favorite thing was having someone to talk to all the time and someone to do things with when you wanted to do things. Oh for more chances to be free like that.

Today's Update

I was looking at my bloggings for the year and I decided to check up on my 10 resolutions.
#1 Travel This I have done and will continue to do.
#2. Done- thank you JJ
#3. I went to a lot of Lita's band concerts. there is one more this summer I hope she gets involved in IUPUI band too.
#4. ? I don't recall what it was
#5. 1/2 done
#6. 1/2 done
#7,8,9 Not done yet
#10 done for the first half of the year!

The List!

today I am working on my to do list and every time I finish a job I check it off. But then, I always think of some other things to do and I go on to do that and it wasn't even on the list.
For example, I orignally got on the computer to send a note to JJ about the Dell computer. It morphed into reading email and then going to favorites.
I was writing signs for Vacation Bible School and that morphed into writing letters to two church friends who were sick.
I did get a few things accomplished, laundry, a walk, and library visit (yesterday) though and now it is time to go to the grocery and to the post office. Hmm only the library was on the list!!!
So what good is a list?
To keep you on track and help you feel like you didn't waste the day I guess. I have crocheting on the list, but I really can't get back into it. Time to go do some more things on the list or find some other things not on the list that need to get done!

A writer writes. A reader reads. A walker walks. What is new? Not much. It is good to sit and think.
I have been reflecting on how to improve my next year teaching. What shall I do differently? Well, already I have a different schedule. I am not sure what will be really different. But I am going to spend more time at first teaching routines. Third graders are great.

What shall I Write about now?

Time marches on. Tonight almost 40 years ago to the day, Lita got inducted into the National Honor Society, just like her Mom. And she said see I am smart, too! She is not only smart but talented in music!
I sat with Brad Otto's mom and listened to Brad give the speech. He is really smart and funny.( and he doesn't have a girl friend! and his mom and I both agree he needs one.) At Katie's I heard some guy from Colorado and at JJ's I heard Mr. Star. JOno and JoeD could have gotten into NHS they both are smart, but they didn't try hard enough to get good grades.
And so I go to UCHS events and the featured speakers are friends of my already grown children.
And Lita wore a dress. None of my dresses fit right. So I wore a new pair of capris, I found them in the closet when I was looking for a dress.
I need one of those Gay Fabuous Frocks like they wore in the Great Gatsby in Katie's blog. Best part they were less than $2.00.
Now you can't even get ribbon for a dress at less than $2.00; well maybe at good will you can!

Ants

Ants on my backpack.
Ants on my knees.
Antsy ants are always after me.
This morning I went into the kitchen with out my glasses and discovered something was left in the cereal bowl. then I thought I saw it move. I got my glasses and saw all of them traipsing around the sink. up the windowsill and all around the bowls. Agggh!
The attack of the ant creatures!
What do I do?
Well, first I got out the Lysol and scrubbed them down the drain. Then I took a shower and came back and they were still there. How does one get rid of ants. Using my Super hero powers I looked for the safest and fastest way to get rid of them.
Out goes the dish drainer. Thank God it is white and I can see anything on it. I cleaned the counter up yet again and drove down to Woodruff's Supermart to get Ant spray and traps.
Came back and sprayed the suckers.
But I couldn't fix any breakfast there in the kitchen. So It was McDonald's for me.
I wrote Lita a note and told her to spray, too.
Tonight. No Ants yes. High Five!
Wait what is crawling up my arm?

Raking the Yard

You see I have this problem. It is the gumballs in the yard, no not the chewing gum kind. These are the ones that come off a sugar maple tree. I have tried picking them up by hand and today I tried raking them. But this evening my friend, Dick (whose son lived in Joe's room) found this amazing item on line. I am trying to decide if the cost is worth it.

Treats

After Lita's contest today we went to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. No one had steak but we did enjoy the food. I am not sure what I wanted to say then but now I say I have the best kids ever!

And now for only $75.....

Hey, Ken, there's a new man in Barbie's life. In fact, there are two of them, and they are "Mad Men". I can't believe it my favorite all time dolls going wild with so many bad habits? For those of you out of the loop there is a new line of collectible dolls based on characters in acclaimed television drama "Mad Men". The men are sexy executive Don Draper and his advertising agency partner Roger Sterling.
Now Barbie too, can have scandals. She and Midge never did that!

Katie, did I find you a birthday present?

Changes

This is the year of the last. My youngest daughter is the last to graduate from high school. I attended my last parent teacher conference, the one where I was the parent anyway.
Tonight was the last time I will go to a music concert for Lita. I joined some older neighbors as I walked over to the high school and I laughed, it was their granddaughter and my daughter preforming. This weekend will be the last percussion show. I hope is sounds wonderful and everyone does their best.
Soon it will be the last prom walk through the last fancy dress and cool shoes and such. Then in June the last graduation no more pomp and circumstance...
Then what?
Well, it is then time for new beginnings. New places and new faces and new ideas and new conversations.
What will the future hold?
Weddings? Babies? Baptisms? Vacations? A trip to Florida? A crocheting class?
Life goes on.

Movies!

I love the movies. I love to watch them on t.v. and I love to watch them in the theater and I love to watch them at Katie's house on the big screen and I love to watch them while I have my legs up on my bed!
This weekend I went to Conseco Field house first time ever and watched a Reggie Miller Basketball movie. It made me remember how much I love Basketball. Then last night at Katie's we watched two movies- Rendition and Couples Therapy both were OK but the Rendition one was better. Rendition made me remember to question our government about things that really do or don't happen. I also watched part of Grey friars Bobby and The Black Stallion. Good kid movies.

The Snowiest February Ever!

I remember 1993's snow. We lived just three houses over! Now this winter we have had snow not so much frozen weather. A level two advisory means don't drive unless you have to that means don't drive out to just get a coke!
I shoveled yesterday and watched a few old movies. One is called "Working on the Chain Gang" and it was soo bad...
Today the plan is to make phone calls. and crochet and shovel and watch some more old movies. I might mop and vaccuum, but the house really doesn't need it.
From the photo you are looking into the 2 car garage. I shoveled all by myself.

Bones

Dem bones Dem bones Dem dry bones....
In life you need only three bones a wish bone, a back bone and a funny bone. With the wish bone you dream big. Don't let anybody or anything break your wishbone.
With the back bone you stay strong, full of faith, and courage. With that back bone you work hard. Keep that backbone straight. And the funny bone helps you laugh at yourself, your adventures and have joy. Keep the singing in your life and along the way, don't forget to laugh.

Third graders

Third grades like to make lists, argue and cough. At least in February they do. Kara and I were going through desks removing math books and discovered that almost each of the kids had listed all their friends on a piece of paper. Too funny!
There are some kids who will grow up to be professional liars. Do they think I am blind? No, Mrs. Schriever, I didn't write on the smart board one girl said as I was watching her write on the board. Her hand even showed up on the Elmo. Then a boy was singing under his breath and said no I wasn't singing. Two boys were fighting in the hall and the camera video taped them and so the principal had to suspend them for fighting. WE weren't fighting they told the prinicpal. Another boy had a cell phone from home. He then loaned it to the child who sits next to him. the reciever of the phone typed his name on the phone and convienently forgot how it got there. FYI the word of the month is honesty! I appreciate another boy much more. "Gary Wayne are you singing?" "Yes, Mrs. Schriever!' " Well,please don't it is annoying!" "OK, I will!'
And finally
Sound from one student who politely puts his inside of his elbow over his mouth-cough cough cough. Nathan, that sounds awful. Go get a drink.
Sound all around the room...cough cough cough. Class I think we all need a drink break. And that happens all the time! Too funny! Can I do this for 14 more years? Oh yeah...if it means I don't have to share my retirement.

Crocheting

Today I went to Hobby Lobby. I should have taken a picture. I went to get some different yarn and to see about how to do a better job crocheting. I thought there might be someone at the store who could help with learning how to do the stitches to make the granny squares. well there weren't any clerks or teachers available. But I did find a customer and his mother who knew about crochet. They liked one of the squares, but suggested I work on learning the stitches. They told me to get thinner yarn or a smaller needle and to practice! So I am practicing... making dish towels and coasters. All this while I watch National Velvet, too.

Mischief

Today's vocabulary word was mischiefWell, one of the students said that his step brother was full of mischief. So full he had to go to JVC, that is jail for kids. He then proceeded to tell us the whole story of how it started with the trip to a Gamespot store and ended with his step brother breaking out the car window and walking from Hamilton to Dayton. ( Actually the last did not happen as the story progressed we learned that the police found him trying to do it.) Such drama. Is it any wonder that he has trouble settling down to read a good book? What does the story about a coyote have to do with is real life?
Well I am remembering some mischief that my children got into- dumping the cereal into the washer- J.J., stealing a park sign-Katie, unbuckling his harness and running through the store into the store window- Jonathan, talking back to the college student helper-Lita. Nothing quite as scary as this though. That boy's step brother has some kind of anger issues.

Bullies

On Friday morning a darling little girl came in crying and all the kids tried to comfort her. An obnoxious little boy from another class had told her that her glasses made her look dorky and ugly. As a teacher how do you handle this? Do you go on and say don't worry about it? Do you write to the other child's teacher and tell the teacher that so and so did such and such?
Well this is what I did. I gave her words to say when someone does this again. First of all tell him/her in a loud voice that "well, that is only your opinion." Then say, "I think glasses make me look wise." I hope that he does it agian because she is ready now. No boy is going to make her cry with words or with actions.

Dinner

Little did I know it would be so hard to get people to come over for dinner. I invited two people today and both said, "NO." How can they say no when they have never had my cooking yet? Ha! Ha!
You would think that two people would jump at the chance to not cook! Or to get to know someone better! Well I won't give up yet.

Something Fun

I wonder where these things are? I just love them and would like to put them in a dish for a center piece or something to have my hands play with when I need to play.

What I love about kids!

Third graders are so cute, not as cute as 5 year olds but cute! We were reading through the table of contents in the old reading book and talking about the stories we read. We found one that we did not cover.So we read it. It was a story about a code with a code in it to crack. The whole group minus one was on top of it. We got it done and figured it out and went on, but the minus one ( who hadn't even left the room) plugged in again and kept trying to figure out the code. He wouldn't stop until it was done.(again) Instead of thinking about it in his mind he had to have it written on paper. So while the rest of us moved on he kept at it. It is great to see kids excited about codes, you goota love them!

5t5s 3a.m. and5 amt5 46d. 1o5w 5lll aygo odn5 ght!
Codes sure are easier to fix on the computer!

Alone

For the last 3 days I have been alone more than I have ever been alone in a long long time. There has been time for reflection, and time to get chores done. Do I like this? Well it is OK. But, I think I would like something else better. It would be good to live in a dorm atmosphere for older people I think. Some of the Miss Julia books written about a place in a retirement village in North Carolina sound great. Or I'd like to live at least in a neighborhood where I knew the people and could go and visit friends. It is really weird not to know anyone within walking distance!
Working on an afghan made of Granny squares. I loved the one that Dessie had. Kate and I used to play on it with scrabble letters, and pretend that it was a garden of flowers. We used the letters to build people E and I were among the tallest.
I really enjoyed being at Jo Ann's last weekend. It was great to play cards and be around her family and mine.
Time to go and vacuum or something else active. I need exercise and it is too cold and snowy out!

Reflections!

Time for more reflections as well as cleaning, organizing, and preparing for the next few days months years. When we were children people always asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Well, I always said, "I want to be a teacher and go to Miami University." I did both of those things and I still am a teacher. I also wanted to live in a white house with a porch that went all away around it, be a wife, a mother, own a Mustang (car), live at the beach, own cats and a poodle (not happening). These are just things are are things among other things I did.
Another way to look at the days of my life is to ask what do I want to be? Healthy, happy, smart, kind, good, rich, diligent, friendly, patient, compassionate, honest, God fearing, obedient, accepting, loving, enthusiastic. I am sure there are other adjectives I need to use to describe the person I want to be. Those words, however, are a good start.
I am not sure there is a way to meet these goals though. I have heard that it is important to read, write, talk and listen every day. So maybe those are characteristics of personality that I need to work on with practice as I deal with the people, and places in my life, while I read, write, talk, and listen.
Now to decide which one to work on first. Any suggestions?

What do I do on the snow day?

Laundry, clean and put stuff away!
I am home today with a snow day. This is a fine time to make some plans as far as dealing with my health issues. First last night I found the scale in a box in the garage and brought it in! It weighs differently from the one at my work though. I guess I should go with it though. It is almost 10 lbs. different! I wonder if the slight slant to the bathroom floor makes a difference.
So starting weight on a bad scale 283. Goal again loose 1-1.5 pounds a week for 5 weeks.
No I have not taken the diabetes education class yet. I am resisting because I have read lots of literature and feel that I need to save my days off for court and other personal things. The materials Dr. Miller gave me say to eat small meals with 30 to 45 grams of carbs per meal. So I am trying that but as you wrote the hard times are in the evenings and when I am alone. The first plan is not to buy stuff that is not healthy. Last night at the store I did very well. I did not buy chips or ice cream and only bought cheerios for cereal!
The other thing I am doing to drinking even more water because I have found that taking the Torsemide I get dehydrated more often than not in the afternoon. This makes me both tired and thirsty. To compensate I found myself drinking a sweet drink which in turn made me hungry all evening.
So these are my plans:
1. aim for weight loss of 1-1.5 pounds per week.
2. limit carbs to 30 at snacks and 45 at meals.
3. drink more water.
At this point for exercise I am doing more housework but I try to walk some every day. Today I plan to sweep the sidewalk and shovel the drive way at some point, probably in the afternoon.
Tell me what you think and offer suggestions for the time alone parts. Any words of wisdom are welcome.
It is back to the laundry time.

Will It snow?

Today I went to the grocery store because I was out of dish soap. Yes, family I do do dishes. No one was in the parking lot and the employees were busily cleaning up the shelves and floor and other places. I turned left and skipped over the veggies, as I have plenty. Then I looked at the bread shelves. They were almost empty! Good thing I don't need any bread! The meat was very fresh looking and like the bread the milk frig was almost empty.
Then I realized, the whole town must have been to the store today because it is going to storm tomorrow~ go figure. Between Wednesday and Friday we might get between 3 and 6 inches of snow. Well, be prepared the motto of any good citizen of Liberty. So I got a few things myself. Not too much because it is just Lita and me here in my house. I almost forgot the dish soap but then recalled it. The parking lot was no longer empty when I left about 20 cars of people had come in as I shopped.
After doing the few dishes that will not go into the dishwasher, I sat down and finished a book I started before Christmas, then came into my bedroom to watch a t.v. show. Unbelievably schools are on 2 hour delay already. Now I am going to stay up for the 10 o'clock News to see what time they are predicting the snow will arrive.
Is there some sort of primitive need to horde because it is cold and snowy? Do school districts trust the weathermen more in the evening? Does this happen other places? Well time to do a snow dance and sing "let it snow".

Will It snow?

New Year's Resolutions

ON Monday I wrote down 10 resolutions. I had my students do the same. One fellow told me today that he has already met two of his! Well he is 8 and I am 57.....Haven't completed any yet!
Here they are for anyone who is just dying to read them.
1. Travel
A. I would like to go to Wilmington, North Carolina over spring break.Done
B. I would like to go and see Rachel in Philadelphia/Doylstown.
C. I would like to go and see Mom and Dad in California and all the rest of the family who live there too. 1/2 done
D. I would like to go to Florida with a stop off in Georgia!
2. Attend a retirement meeting done
3. Go to Lita's band performances done
4. Crochet an afghan. Started but need more lessons.
5. Get to know my neighbors. To do this I think I need to have people over for Saturday lunch or Sunday dinner. Or I can go outside and just visit in the summer or get a flat tire!6. Have friends over for a meal monthly- by doing this I should be able to do number 5.
7. Play cards more often. To do this I think I need to go to Georgetown, Ky.
8. Join the rec center and swim daily in the summer (or look in to joining the YWCA in Richmond.)
9. Check papers at school and keep the web page up to date!
10. Keep on top of birthday cards for family and friends!