Well, I don't know if that is the greeting for December 26 but had to try it. Yesterday was fun with family. Went to B & E's to watch Liam open presents. At 18 months he doesn't quite have the concept of presents and opening wrapped packages but he loved all the things he got. Then we came to our house and finished getting lunch ready. Joey & Jessie made good time from Memphis and we had lunch and time for presents again. I made Liam a navy corduroy jacket and fleece blanket with trucks all over it. Martin gave me five pairs of cute socks and four pairs of earrings. Be on the lookout for cats on my feet and ears.
Today Martin had to work but Joey, Jessie, and I went to see the Hunger Games movie # 2. It was actually better than the book. Ready to see the next one. Tomorrow the guests will drive home, Martin will be back at work, and I will get some sewing done. I have a zigzag quilt started for Alicia and have several ideas for quilts that I want to start. Then there is the list of unfinished quilts I need to complete.
Oh, and what am I reading these days? I picked up two free paperbacks at the library. They are mysteries written in the 1940's. The detective is a former governess, Miss Silver. Really enjoyed reading the first one and can't wait to read the next one. Hope there are more at the library. Enjoying time at home.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Busy, Busy, Busy
I am busy. Can you tell from the post title? Putting together a reading conference and working full time as a teacher makes me a little crazy, right? The conference is driving me crazy. The number of participants is way down from previous years and I am having to cut items to save money. The last count has only 127 registered. That is impossibly low. Last year we had over 300. Did that many people feel that meeting at a casino was a vital part of the conference? I hope not. If so, I am very disappointed in the professional quality of my peers.
The conference program book is coming along but I will need help with the layout. Hopefully, hubs will help since that is his daily work. Soon I will finish the preparations and just have to sit back and let things happen as they will. Very hard for a control freak like me.
My book escape has been and continues to be the Stephanie Plum Mysteries. I try to save reading the books as a reward for getting something done on the conference.
My quilt escape actually is two quilts. I started a chevron quilt for a niece and then had a brainstorm to give the conference keynote speaker a quilt. So I will be working on quilts during Thanksgiving break. That should keep my mind off things I can't control.
Breakfast is ready so I will sign off.
The conference program book is coming along but I will need help with the layout. Hopefully, hubs will help since that is his daily work. Soon I will finish the preparations and just have to sit back and let things happen as they will. Very hard for a control freak like me.
My book escape has been and continues to be the Stephanie Plum Mysteries. I try to save reading the books as a reward for getting something done on the conference.
My quilt escape actually is two quilts. I started a chevron quilt for a niece and then had a brainstorm to give the conference keynote speaker a quilt. So I will be working on quilts during Thanksgiving break. That should keep my mind off things I can't control.
Breakfast is ready so I will sign off.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Visiting Grandmother in the 1930's
On Tuesdays when I visit mom, I try to get her to remember things from her childhood. This week she remembered visiting her grandparents in Clinton. They lived in Brookhaven and took day trips to Clinton to visit her maternal grandparents. I remember their house because when I was a kid we would visit one of mom's aunts who lived in the old home place.
Mom remembered stopping at the Redwood Inn on Terry Road on the way back to Brookhaven. If they behaved at their grandparent's, they could get a foot long hot dog or a cold soda.
Nowadays there are many ways to go from Clinton to Brookhaven but back in the 1930's the main roads were Clinton Boulevard and Terry Road. Mom said the pavement ended around Terry and was gravel from there to Brookhaven. She said sometimes they would take a back road short cut that went from Terry cross country to Clinton. She didn't think it was Springridge Road or Midway but maybe McRaven or Maddox. She said that it was a narrow, dirt road.
I asked how all seven children fit in the car. She said they sat in the front and back seats and there was a system of taking turns sitting in the front, back, and by the windows. She said she didn't care that much about sitting by the window because her hair was cut in a short bob and the wind would whip her hair into her eyes and mouth.
Corona, mom's mom, was the youngest of a large family. My uncle John said the Smith family first lived in Brownsville which is down Tinnin Road outside of Clinton. There is nothing there now but at one time there was a schoolhouse.
When I was in high school I asked my great-uncle Sam, one of Corona's brothers, about the brick streets in Clinton. I thought the bricks had been there since the Civil War. Uncle Sam said he remembered when the streets were paved with bricks in the 1920's. And he told me about the first time he saw a car. He went to Mississippi College and lived in the dorm. He said the students had to cook their own meals over the fire in their rooms. Uncle Sam was a teacher, principal, and administrator in Louisiana.
This has rambled more than I thought it would but I want to record these memories. Mom is the last of her siblings. I never knew my grandparents. I would like to have these to read over again.
Mom remembered stopping at the Redwood Inn on Terry Road on the way back to Brookhaven. If they behaved at their grandparent's, they could get a foot long hot dog or a cold soda.
Nowadays there are many ways to go from Clinton to Brookhaven but back in the 1930's the main roads were Clinton Boulevard and Terry Road. Mom said the pavement ended around Terry and was gravel from there to Brookhaven. She said sometimes they would take a back road short cut that went from Terry cross country to Clinton. She didn't think it was Springridge Road or Midway but maybe McRaven or Maddox. She said that it was a narrow, dirt road.
I asked how all seven children fit in the car. She said they sat in the front and back seats and there was a system of taking turns sitting in the front, back, and by the windows. She said she didn't care that much about sitting by the window because her hair was cut in a short bob and the wind would whip her hair into her eyes and mouth.
Corona, mom's mom, was the youngest of a large family. My uncle John said the Smith family first lived in Brownsville which is down Tinnin Road outside of Clinton. There is nothing there now but at one time there was a schoolhouse.
When I was in high school I asked my great-uncle Sam, one of Corona's brothers, about the brick streets in Clinton. I thought the bricks had been there since the Civil War. Uncle Sam said he remembered when the streets were paved with bricks in the 1920's. And he told me about the first time he saw a car. He went to Mississippi College and lived in the dorm. He said the students had to cook their own meals over the fire in their rooms. Uncle Sam was a teacher, principal, and administrator in Louisiana.
This has rambled more than I thought it would but I want to record these memories. Mom is the last of her siblings. I never knew my grandparents. I would like to have these to read over again.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Haircut!
Finally I decided to go to the hair presser that many ladies in choir use. He sings in the choir, too. Let me just say-he is very talented cutting hair. I love the cut and how easy it will be to care for it.
I have read the last of my Mamur Zapt books. Don't want to buy any more and there are no more new titles at the library. Guess I will try the quilting stories that I borrowed from Doreen.
Since my last post I have moved into exile in a portable classroom as far from the office as I could get. The good things are I have my own key and I can park right next to it. Slowly I am getting it arranged so I can find things. I'm getting my 10,000 steps in going back and forth for all my groups. Trying to make lemonade.
I have read the last of my Mamur Zapt books. Don't want to buy any more and there are no more new titles at the library. Guess I will try the quilting stories that I borrowed from Doreen.
Since my last post I have moved into exile in a portable classroom as far from the office as I could get. The good things are I have my own key and I can park right next to it. Slowly I am getting it arranged so I can find things. I'm getting my 10,000 steps in going back and forth for all my groups. Trying to make lemonade.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Funny mysteries
Just finished reading a Stephanie Plum mystery, Eleven on Top, by Janet Evanovich. I picked up some free paperbacks at the Ridgeland library a few weeks ago. I thought I was getting mysteries but most of the ones I got were romance-ick! I'm going to return those and try to get more mysteries. I had never read any Evanovich and didn't know what was in store. Funny main character.
My other reading obsession is the Mamur Zapt mysteries by Michael Pearce. I actually bought 3 because I read all of the ones in the libraries in Madison County. Really interesting historical mysteries. The author brings in background information about the middle east that helps me understand some of the conflict going on in the area now.
Of course I am reading to avoid sewing and conference stuff I should be doing. My brain needs a rest from my self imposed stress, so I keep on reading.
Got to swim this morning. Wish every morning could start with a swim but I need my sleep. Swimming helped my knee, feet, and back recover a little from all the lifting and toting I've been doing as I moved from the building into a much smaller portable. Hope to finish getting everything into the new room Monday. Then who knows how long it will take to make order out of the chaos. Oh, well, what's a few days missed instruction.
I have been searching for my National Boards certificate off and on all week. I thought I knew right where it was-but it wasn't there. I know I put it in a good place; I just wish I could remember where.
My other reading obsession is the Mamur Zapt mysteries by Michael Pearce. I actually bought 3 because I read all of the ones in the libraries in Madison County. Really interesting historical mysteries. The author brings in background information about the middle east that helps me understand some of the conflict going on in the area now.
Of course I am reading to avoid sewing and conference stuff I should be doing. My brain needs a rest from my self imposed stress, so I keep on reading.
Got to swim this morning. Wish every morning could start with a swim but I need my sleep. Swimming helped my knee, feet, and back recover a little from all the lifting and toting I've been doing as I moved from the building into a much smaller portable. Hope to finish getting everything into the new room Monday. Then who knows how long it will take to make order out of the chaos. Oh, well, what's a few days missed instruction.
I have been searching for my National Boards certificate off and on all week. I thought I knew right where it was-but it wasn't there. I know I put it in a good place; I just wish I could remember where.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Too Busy Reading to Write
Okay, where did summer go? I last posted so many weeks ago and didn't realize I had neglected this blog. I have been busy with summer school, travel, quilting, swimming, and of course-reading. In summer school we read the Alex Rider book and watched the DVD. The kids loved it! Best. Book. Evah.
My other reads had to be tracked down at various libraries and the bookstore. I am still reading Michael Pearce's mysteries. I bought one and found some at libraries in the county. I bought two Roal Dahl books just to get the free lunch bag. It is a cute bag. The surprise was his biography Boy. He had a very interesting childhood and I recommend this book for biography genre studies.
School starts tomorrow. Wish I had about 4 more weeks to read and sew and swim. Just waiting for the weekends.
My other reads had to be tracked down at various libraries and the bookstore. I am still reading Michael Pearce's mysteries. I bought one and found some at libraries in the county. I bought two Roal Dahl books just to get the free lunch bag. It is a cute bag. The surprise was his biography Boy. He had a very interesting childhood and I recommend this book for biography genre studies.
School starts tomorrow. Wish I had about 4 more weeks to read and sew and swim. Just waiting for the weekends.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
New Mystery-A Dead Man in...
Yesterday I went to the Ridgeland library branch and found two more of the talking cats mysteries and happened upon a newish series. There were three titles by the same author and all began with "A Dead Man in ___". I am reading the first one and it is engaging so far. I look forward to reading the others.
Random thoughts on various topics: we started summer school this past week. We had 24 students including two teacher's kids. Since we are sharing two classrooms, I am pleased with the numbers. I expect three more in the older group and two or three more in the younger group. That's pretty good considering there are no buses provided.
The older group read a graphic novel by Herge', Tintin's The Adventure of the Unicorn. We watched the movie that was based on the series. I think more than one book was used for the movie. The kids liked the series. Next week we start the Alex Rider book. I hope the second graders ( going to third) can keep up. Tried to include a photo from London but it wouldn't upload.
Random thoughts on various topics: we started summer school this past week. We had 24 students including two teacher's kids. Since we are sharing two classrooms, I am pleased with the numbers. I expect three more in the older group and two or three more in the younger group. That's pretty good considering there are no buses provided.
The older group read a graphic novel by Herge', Tintin's The Adventure of the Unicorn. We watched the movie that was based on the series. I think more than one book was used for the movie. The kids liked the series. Next week we start the Alex Rider book. I hope the second graders ( going to third) can keep up. Tried to include a photo from London but it wouldn't upload.
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