Notes to remember April and May 2022

It has been a busy couple of months.

We found a house close to our son and his family and signed the papers in April.

We look forward to being close enough to attend all the school programs, ball games, recitals, 

and Friday movie & pizza nights.

Ava's dance recital was a fun walk down memory lane for Gran and Grumps - Songs from the 60's.

Yesterday we enjoyed the Junior Kindergarten Circus featuring our favorite Tall Clown.

After the show Ava said in an aside to Martin, "I'm wearing a wig."

So cute.

Monday was David's birthday - a big SIX year old.

We sent him a Star Wars play set with baby Yoda and his protector.

It was a hit. Em says he plays with it when he eats, when he does his homework, 

and has told brother not to touch it!

He and his kindergarten friend are going to have a combined birthday party in the park this week end.

So, this is Amber wearing one of my vintage 1969 dresses.

I am thrilled to find someone to share my favorite vintage clothes.

I hope to find homes for more items when we move.

Also in May our niece Kimberly finished her doctorate in pharmacy.

Hope this is the beginning of a great adventure.

Had to save this photo sent by Joey.

Twenty month old Kenton wanted to ride on the back of his stroller with sister.

Get Ready! The Two's are ahead.

These two visited Washington, DC, on their Spring Break.

I hear they are experts at ordering food in restaurants.

And I have to end this photo diary with Martin reading to Ava and Kenton.

They love to read books with their Gran and Grumps.

We are in the midst of packing and doing all the things.

Boxes are everywhere.

Excited

Enjoying the process

 

Treasure found while packing to paint

 

Martin has been painting the house and getting it ready for our move in a few months.

He is down to the last bedroom which is the one with most of my hoard.

I found this as I was going through a school messenger bag.

Last Will and Testament of Janice C., member of the X Team - Extremely Special Exiled Teachers of the Spann Trailer Park.

With the Extraordinary powers that all X Team members share by virtue of teaching many grade levels and content areas and being of extremely exhausted mind, I hear by bequeath and bestow the following powers to my fellow Spann travelers:

To the Kindergarten team I leave the ability to ignore tattling and the joy of being presented with tiny bouquets of wild flowers by eager little learners.

To the First Grade team I leave the ability to negotiate 'she says she's not my friend' disagreements and the thrill of working with beginning readers. 

 To the Second Grade team I leave the ability to doctor extensive paper cuts, stomach aches, head aches and other maladies and the fun of helping competent learners dig into engaging content.

To the Third Grade team I leave the ability to separate hot heads into opposite corners so they can cool off and the excitement and challenge of students working together in teams.

To the Fourth Grade team I leave earplugs to block out the incessant chatter and the lovely sight of engaged students who are beginning to work independently.

To the Fifth Grade team I leave blinders to ignore inappropriate flirting by budding romantics and the relief of working with willing student leaders.

To the X team I leave the ability to guide groups of students to class, the buses, and the car rider line in all kinds of weather.

To the Assistant Teachers I leave the ability to identify the correct buses for the English Learners (hint: the White bus is a short bus.)

To the Custodial Staff I leave their favorite get-away spot for the summer, otherwise known as Portable 067, the farthest away from the boss ladies.

To the Office Staff I leave the ability to understand English Learners' parents (hint: talk slowly and listen patiently.)

To Mrs. M. and Mrs. T. I leave my empathy for parents who struggle to communicate about their most precious possessions - their children.

Thank you for being a great staff and understanding that I'm an introverted extrovert.

Thanks for graciously listening to my 'research says' reports.

But most of all, thanks for loving my kids.

It has been almost six years since I left Spann and almost three years since I retired from teaching. Most of the days were rewarding and I'm glad I chose teaching all those years ago.

End of a Chapter

Just a few memories.

I started this post the day we signed the papers selling Dennis & Helen's home.

I looked for a photo of the house and yard and found this recent one.

I have many more photos of the house, flowers, and fun times we had here.

We found so many treasures as we sorted through all the cabinets, closets, and drawers.

Below is an early photo of Dennis around the time he and mom married.

Mom's engagement photo in black and white.

Emily made an interested drawing of this pose

that we displayed at Helen's memorial service.

I found these Easter eggs above the kitchen stove.

Mom blew out the eggs through holes made with a pin, washed them out, then colored them.

She used these for egg huts with grandchildren and visiting kids.

Egg hunts and treasure hunts were favorite outside activities.

Anna Sabree took this photo of mom reading to her great-grandsons, Liam and David Sabree.

I took this in the garden. Mom was instructing Liam in how to water the garden.

Martin and I were married in Dennis and Helen's new place in July 1975. 

It may have been one of the first special occasions at their Highway 18 house.

There were many other good times with family and friends through the years.

Love, Janice

 

January Reading

Before the holidays I checked out a stack of books from the Canton library.

Jenn McKinlay's library mystery series was an old favorite with some new titles.

Dandy Gilver is a new-to-me series. Set in the 1920's and 30's in Scotland.

I read all the titles available in the local public library.

For Christmas I ordered the newest Stephanie Plum mystery/comedy and a Steven Saylor for Martin.

I am obsessed by the Dandy Gilver mysteries so I ordered some used copies from Thriftbooks.

I had enough points to get some free books.

I have read all of the books in the photos except The Bothersome Number of Corpses.

I need to check the library for the 27th Stephanie Plum book because I don't remember reading it.

I'm going to try to post more to keep up with my reading list.

I started a Goodreads account but sometimes I forget to add titles to my shelves.

What are you reading today?

 

Wow! I have been reading so much I forgot to post

I went through my photos and these are some I took but didn't share.

Photos from most recent back to my post in June.

I have been enjoying books by these two authors.

McPherson writes funny mysteries set in the 1920's and 30's in Scotland.

McKinlay's mysteries are set in a seaside town in New England.

Both are fun reads.

Below are some books for the grands.

All non-fiction

I read a few Neil Gaiman books.

This one is a middle grade quick read.

I really liked The Graveyard Book then read American Gods and didn't like it as much.

I started reading the Sub Rosa books by Steven Saylor.

Martin introduced me to these and I highly recommend the series.

I have one left to read and want to savor it.

Here are some books I shared with literacy board friends.

Ann Cleeves and Elizabeth Peters are favorites.

And here we are at the photo from June.

It has been a strange and interesting year.

Lots of time was spent trying to let go of memorable possessions at my parent's place.

Today we got an offer on the property.

It is so hard to let go but it is time.

I started writing my reading list on Goodreads.

I know I have left many titles off that list.

Every time I walk through the stacks in the public library I see books that I have read.

Maybe I should just write 'card catalog'.

;-)

 

Random Thoughts about Books, Memories, and Families

Recently I have been reading two mystery series. Elizabeth Peter's Vicky Bliss Murder Mysteries are funny and entertaining to the last page. Her main character is an art historian who stumbles into adventures. I only have one book of this series left to read.

The other series is Ann Cleeves' Shetland series. The BBC show Shetland was based on these books.

There are 8 books and I have one left to read. 

Also, for our book group at church I have started reading Palestinian Memories by Alex Awad.

The news is full of the conflict going on in Israel/Palestine. I'm interested to know more about the people and their history.

Mom has been gone for over a year now. I am slowly giving away her things.

My brothers do not seem very interested in keeping much of anything.

I am having a hard time deciding what to keep, donate, or sell.

The junky stuff is easy to part with but there are so many memories that I feel are being lost.

Many of my friends have gone through this process. It is stressful but I don't want to make hasty decisions I will later regret. 

We spent Sunday and Monday with Joey and family.

I was struck by the thought that he has reproduced at his home many of the good times he had at mom's.

Fishing and kayaking in the lake. Croquet and badminton in the front yard.

Being three hours away from one set of grandchildren and a plane ride away from the others is limiting to me. I want to make memories like mom did. Searching for inspiration.

The croquet game was short.

We enjoyed watching Ava ride her bike and scooter, swing, and look for bugs.

The weather was perfect.

When we went inside all of us sang 'Happy Birthday' to Liam with Facetime.

What are you reading?

 

Busy reading and transplanting flowers

Between sewing and reading I have been busy the last few weeks.

I bought some books by Ann Cleeves from Thriftbooks.

The two in the back were bought. The two in the front came from the public library.

My intent was to read her Vera mysteries that I have enjoyed watching on PBS.

The four books below are her Shetland mysteries which have also been made into TV shows.

These books are for young English Learners.

I volunteered to review new books for a TESOL group.

After reviewing them I gave them to a friend who teaches young ELs at a nearby school.

This week we continued digging flowers at my parents' place.

I love the irises and daisies. Martin likes the day lilies and glads.

Back home I saw this froggie in the cannas.

Hope it eats lots of bugs. 

A wren left this egg in the planter by our front door.

What was she thinking?

Here are some of the established iris in our front yard.

Not my favorite color but they are blooming like crazy.

More adventures with books to follow.