douala

I always thought I'd want a drug free home birth and a Douala. The my friend Mimi had complications and I was glad she had the facilities available. Now since this is not Gwen's first baby she has a much better feel for her delivery process. Having Baily and Miss Clare there are more of an issue.

Now I'm older and would want drugs.

I'm still sick but sleeping sitting up helps and the crackling in my lungs has eased and I don't seem to be drowning in fluid or hacking out pieces of my lungs every 10 min. Having this weekend to sleep and rests helps.

Radio

We watched the movie Radio as a 6th grade monthly reward. It was really good. Considering I still have no voice it was a good filler.

Who knew 6th graders do geometry? I sure can't teach it.

I got a nice offer ftom Michael to use his condo. That will help a lot.

not a good idea

I know admininstators don't want you to call in sick with a cold but when you have no voice it's better. You don't infect the other staff and students and get some rest. At least when I was vertical I could breathe better and not hack my lungs out trying to clear flem. The class today was 7th grade foods. Fun....not.

My lungs fill up with fluid this is the first time I haven't drugged them with sudaphed.

I am sick and tomorrow is 6th grade.

Patience

O.K. I got It I'm here to learn patience.

After bring up all night hacking and blowing I went to teach a p.m. kindergarten class. They only come from 11-4 so the morning was spent on prep, making little booklets, no I'm not any good st it and all you have to do is cut the paper in two and then put a cover on and staple it 22 times.
My throat was killing me and mint tea and lemon barely stayed down not to mention a banana or oatmeal.

The good part was I had no appetite.

I helped the other teacher with centers and she helped me. I got things that come from an egg like a snake and a fish. then they drew a picture. Fortunately there was a model because no I can not draw snake or a fish.
Then play and math and recess and snack.

My taxes are coming down as I give money to every one.

Subtraction was tough for them.

those little germ factories got me

I knew all that sneezing, coughing then wanting to hold my hand would get me sooner or later. First in Sept and again today...those schools are inubators. I had my flu shot too.

At least i have no appetite and my troat is so sore only ice cream works. Then it revisits me. Water and juice hurt.

Can I claim Lacey as a deduction?

1st grade and Kinder teachers have a lot of patience

I don't have any. I can not believe the amount of time it takes them to do everything.

My patience was gone by math and then the actually had to write a paragraph on the beach. Now granted they have two prompts on the wall and they have to list first,second,third...but do they really have to show me every single change our of 10 x 20? Then there is math. Now this is not my best subject but addition and subtraction I've got and it's really hard for some of them.

I needed a nap.

They write huge. That's why they have that 2 line paper.

I need a printer.

I've decided all the money I owe Uncle will go to Autism, James Madison Univ,SPCA, Town Cats and Am M. H. Assn.

Why is it that AAA does not have East Coast state maps? Why can't they get them?

Kristallnacht

The essay Richard has to do plus a bibliography challenges me. History and Geometry too how can he keep up?

It took me an hour or two to knock out this essay plus bibliography and footnotes.

He was still working on his outline and does not understand the concept of crystal night despite the pictures and films and explanations.
Can she really expect a 7 pg. paper out of this kid?
If we got 5 paragraphs I'd be happy. That's what is needed for his h.s. graduation.

Oh and this needs to be typed in 12 pt font and double spaced.

After 4 hrs. I have no patience and I'm ready to scream...time to stop.

He wouldn't understand why I was upset ot what he couldn't do that frustrated me. It's not his fault. My expectations are too high? Help me Lord...this is a trial maybe that"s why I keep going

Back to first grade

tomarrow...
I better rest up.

I go back and forth on whether I can afford this trip.

I don't get a lot of family time.

Life is short
You have the time or the money not always both at the same time.

Fresh squeezed O.J.

Nothing better.....

When dad would come to stay with me, since he was always an early riser, he'd get up, pick oranges off my trees and squeese them. Then rinsing his hands but nor drying, he'd drip his way to my bedroom, knock on the door and try and tempt me up with a big freshly squeezed glass of o.j. and say "I hope you lie the service in this hotel."

What is it about gardening that is so good for the soul. It makes me feel good to pull weeds, plant impatients, petunias and marigolds and seeds in the form of tomatos, basil, and cut freesias. They look so pretty and they are good for the soul and my spirit. They make me happy. They will probably all die while I'm away unless I have Gloria come over to water. The rain has already all but stopped. We didn't have much this year.

There is a cat living under my house. I think. Lacey follwed her under today. I've got to replace that screen when I'm sure she's out. She goes under to escape from Brutus, a big neutered Tom, that slinks thru my yard looking for handouts. He likes it when I clean out my frig. Brutus once jumped up on my legs to attack...I hosed him. Then the next day he lets me pat his head, the next pick him up and today pat him them growls and hisses at me, I can meow, growl and hiss back louder...sorry cat I am the alpha not you. I pay the property tax.

Strawberries are in season

I can't eat enough strawberries, asperagus or artichokes.

I've been working on my itinerary.

Here's where it is at the moment.

I arrive 4/19 at Dullus
then the next day
4/20, I'll leave and drive down to Williamsburg and hopefully have some time to tour the campus. I've been through the old town but I would like to have tea at the Williamsburg Inn.
Then we meet for dessert and drinks
4/21 the wedding
4/22 breakfast and leave for Charleston
4/23 Charlestown, Beauford, Hilton Head and Savannah
4/24 Savannah to St, Simons island
4/25 SSI to Charleston
4/26 Charleston to Ashville, NC I'll forgo VA Beach, been there done that.
4/27 Asheville to Galax, VA I love tese mountains.
4/28 Galax to Woodbridge, VA
4/29 Woodbridge, Alexandria, DC, Visit MD cousins
4/30 Depart Woodbridge for Gardner PA
5/1 Depart Gardner for Quakertown, PA
5/2 Depart for NYC, Hamptons to Newport, RI
5/3 Depart Newport to New Haven and Hartford, CT
5/4 Depart Hartford for Greenwich, CT services and dinner
5/5 Pamela's bat mit
5/6 Depart Cady Stanton House for Va, Karen's and IAD (Dullus) fly home

Now I'm off to play with 6 and 7 y.old's. They actually weren't too bad. My expectation of understanding two numbers is still beyond their capability but for those thst finish earily I still give then a few problems to try adding. The trick in these classes is the teacher has the kids doing the student teaching, I like that. It helps a lot.

I had an aide today. Now I know an aide knows the kids but she came in during lunch;

Glad the weekend is here. I was on my laptop making reservations in RI and I felt guilty. After school I'm so wiped out I don't even contemplate the store stop for more than a few minutes.

Doesn't bode well for hiking and travel.

Big brother to the rescue again

Bob tells me there may be a way to reduce some of my tax liability. I've funded my Ira so that won't help but I can put in some handeling fees from by retirement and annuities as small as they may be.

So far this history gig is not so bad. They want to run wild but at least they are at the level of reason even if they are posturing. These hormones you know and they all go wild.

Once on task they seem to go well. We are reading a play and several girls refused to take parts. Ok fine, AI can't remember doing that as a kid but I won't push it.

There are enough good kids to override the others and when you ahve a grade level class it's a whole different story than at risk and low functioning like I had all last year and for summer school.

Today there is an assembly which means I have 1.5 hr off. Good deal one more class then lunch.

After that 2 more hours and I'm out of here. Not too bad.

All in all it was a good day for my 4 hrs. tomarrow I'm back in hell with first graders. I'll miss kids over the age of reason.

I'm going to interview with Milpitas H.S. for a librarian position next week.

The blossoms blowing from the trees look like snow

It's a bit blowy out there and the white blossoms loosened by the rain have been picked up and it looks like a snow storm --cool.

I'm going to be really brave tomarrow and take a middle school history assignment. We'll see how I survive the day. I've enjoyed going over history with Richard even though I suspect he doesn't really understand when I'm talking about or we're reading about or what the films are about.

A run on the bank is still about people running to him even with a picture, and explanation and memorization of a bank holiday. Two days later he doesn't remember.

Unfortunately, I know how much teaching goes on in a 50 min. class time, then there is an assembly and the good point or bad is they are gone in 50 min and a whole new 5 groups come in.

As I told my 8th graders last year about Harriet Tubman and slavery and WW 2 they really didn't relate untill I whipped out Shindler's List and shocked them into consciousness. By the end they were numb and horrified.

I took a haul of stuff to Goodwill and Back to work a professional womans career closet that helps women get business suits and blouses and shoes to wear to work.

I hate to dump it when it was all on hangers in plastic just back from the dry cleaners. At least I got to say see attached list and include my itemized list on the reciept.

Gas is over $3.08.

I picked my 1st roses of the season today and the freesas are in bloom. They smell so good,

Lacey doesn't seem to have been affected my the pet food scare. She snuggled up to keep my feet warm last night. She gets one treat a day.

I owe a lot in taxes this year for the first time. I shouldn't have sold stock. I need to dump a looser this year. I need more deductions. I am so screwed.

Spring

The trees are all in bloom including my orange trees and they smell wonderful. The pink plum are beautuful and the tulip I love. The white ones look like delicate snowflakes.

Libby will be 1 y.o. in May. I just got her these peek a books.

I'm reading Obama's book: The Audacity of Hope.

I'm not so sore this morning, just exhausted since I was up reading till 2 after tutoring. Even with my afternoon nap I was zonked. One of my students yeaterday told me I looked like her grandmother and my hair was kind of like her's too. Once I was at the hospital to visit a new mom and they thought I was the grandmother and that was 15 years ago!

I think I will stay on the East coast from 4/19 through 5/7. It really doesn't make any sense to fly home Monday and turn around and fly back on Fri.

I may go though the Shenendoah Valley. I'm thinking to stay in the D.C. area for the weekend of the 30th then drive up through PA, NJ, and NY to the beaches, then CT and maybe to the cape. I've always wanted to see the Hamptons and I really like the Cape. The Clam Chowder and scallops are great. From Va I'll stay in this mansion of an iron master in PA that was a underground rr stop during the Civil war. In Charleston and Savannah and Greenwich I will too. I love these old houses turned into b and b's. CT fasinated me. Especially when they go back to the 1760's.

When I lived outside of Hartford in 77, the year Gwen was born, I didn't go to see Twain's home or that of Harriet Beecher Stowe.

I remember going to the Poconos to check out the honeymoon hotels with Jeff. Boy were they sleazy. Those heart shaped tubs and round beds looked good in the Bride magazines but shabby in person. I was glad we looked before we booked. Actually since that engagement was called off, it was moot. I just had a flashback on the tour and camping in 72 the year Emily was born.

Joe and I lived in Groton, Michael called to tell us Gwen was on the way, we went to Mystic but never to the cape and to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard till Jimmy's 2nd wedding in 1988 we only went to Boston. We did take weekend trips to Boston and Montrael and Vermont once.
I never even explored Groton much I was still commuting back to East Windsor to teach rather than find a new job for 3 months. One morning everything was coated with ice, the trees and the roads. I didn't hear the cancellation since I was out of the area until I rented a car and called the principal after I drove all that way in dangerous conditions for nothing. Nancy and I went ice skating. I don't miss that.

During Jonathan's bar mitzvah I was facinated by the history of CT and Greenwich and loved the Cady Stanton House. I loved seeing all the crocus poking up.

Spring in each part of the country is different. In the east, Utah and CO more so since it is so hard won.

Sometimes appreciation comes with age, knowledge or experience.

Tutoring

I'm not patient enough to teach. I just had a 3 hr session with Richard. I asked him to put the trash out first. He had a hard time putting the recycles next to the trash. Then when he had to go back and put the cart out I gave him two more envelopes to recycle and he put them in the mailbox. I wonder if he knows how slow he is?

He doesn't remember the 3 definitions we did on sat. Now we have 25 more.

I'm also supposed to teach him to do a bibliography. Yikes! Yeah right.

After all my walking yesterday, I was sore this morning. You have to get through the pain to get the gain.

I had a combo 4/5 class today. I enjoyed the reading but keep me away from 5th grade fractions.

Tomorrow I go to a 4th grade class.

I turned in an application for summer school today. They wanted to know my experience in teaching at risk kids. (clue here)

The Cavalier

After 80 years this venerable VA Beach hotel got a face lift. I wonder if the indoor pool is still as wonderful as I remember as a child.

After taking a 5 hr. test today I walked all over downtown San Jose today. It was beautiful out.

I misplaced my electronic key so left the car ready to steal...sorry to say it's not the first time. I can start it with a push of a button but anyone else can too. On my lunch break I went back and searched and found them on the front seat. I searched my tote bag in vain and in a hurry and a panic and 7:45 sure they were in there but...they weren't.

I've done it at school a few times too.

If thieves only knew they could push a button and drive away it would be gone. I've got to keep better track of my key. It took me a month to discover I didn't have to put it into the slot!

My closet and garage donations to good will keep growing I'm up to 7k now and I need the deduction!

It's asparagus season and I can't get enough. I wouldn't touch the stuff or zucchini either when I was a kid.

It's been so dry I had to go out and water. The oranges are falling off the trees so I guess it's time to pull out the ladder and pick em for juice and pick up the drops.

Strawberries are ripe and plentiful too. There's a person on every corner trying to sell you a crate.

Invitations

I got the invitation to Pamela's May 5th celebration in Rye. I get to stay at the Caty Staunton house again this cool bed and breakfast in Greenwich.

It doesn't make sense to fly home Mon. and back Fri. Maybe I'll go to the Hamptons or Boston or the Cape.

Another black tie event....hum could I get by with a white evening suit?

Emily and her family are coming to the wedding...yeah! It will be good to see her again and to see all the kids together.

I cleaned out my closet and so far have over 5k of professional clothes to donate. Yikes. The closets are not done yet but they are lighter.

I tutored Richard in History for 3 hours. I wanted to scream. He did manage to memorize bank holiday although he thinks a run on the bank is when people go running but he can nor tell you they close the banks to avoid money taken out. Two other definitions took him over an hour. An 18 question fill in the blank quiz another 1.5 and a short essay, impossible. I don't think there are enough hours in the week to get this child to pass.

For example, I told him to write two words short answer on the top of his paper and pointed to the spot and wrote out the words. He wrote the definition for bank holiday.???

I asked him to put an envelope in the mailbox, put up the flag and put some weeds in the street . He put them both in the street. One thing at a time.

I asked him to take some strawberry tops down to my neighbors 2 houses down for their backyard chickens. He could not count two houses. I'm frustrated and it was just 3 hrs.


We went to Safeway to return a salad. I told him to ask the manager for help. Then he gave him a note and they helped him exchange it, he came out and crossed the street to the car.

Money

Do you remember how you first learned about money? It took a lot of practice in 1st grade. We played with coins then dollars like Monolopy money.

Now I'm teaching the concept to 1st graders and interestingly an 19 y.o. autistic boy. Richard has no more concept of money than the 1st graders. When you ask him how much something costs he says $20.00 his favorite amount. If you asked him for 4 dollars he could give you a one, five, ten or hundred and not know the difference.

Then there is history and English. His Individual Instruction Plan says he will pass both and be able to write to pass the exit exam. I worked all summer with him to get him to be able to do a paragraph.

History is tough. He does not understand what he reads. He can memorize. It's like a picture to him. I get him movies. We talk but he cannot respond verbally to "what were the causes of the great depression"?. However, I make flashcards and he can drill and memorize the facts.

I'm frustrated. How do you get through?

Lord save me from from from 1st graders that break into tears because they don't have their homework or are called bossy and need to go to the office because they scraped their knees or their eyes hurt because of the flower pollen. All day long they tell me about their imagined slights....someone is my friend not hers.....et al.

It's 86 degrees today. No such luck for my East coast people....and here I was wishing I could come earlier and that I'd miss spring...maybe not.

On my trip I'll go from No. VA on Fri. to Williamsburg. Then after the wedding, I'll head to Charleston then Hilton Head and Savannah the next night. Beauford sounds like a nice area to explore so once I finish with the plantations and the gardens I'll head down, then on to St. Simons' Island.

On the return I'll go throughSC, NC to visit my friend Jane in NC, then VA Beach to see a college friend, Mary, and head back Richmond to see my friend Kathy from high school and into Northern VA by Fri. get to visit with family in MD and my friend from high school, Karen.

I want to see the Holocaust museum, I'm rereading Night with Richie, and wander through Alexandria a bit.

I head out Mon at 6.

I'm reviewing for a test on Sunday. I thought my days of having to calculate those word problems of a car draveling x at y speed.

Now, I'm learning radio jargon and terminology. Greek to me.

Wedding Outfits

I pulled out the evening suit I assumed I'd wear to the wedding......nope.

Can't wear white to a wedding.

Guess I'm going to have to find a coat to take too.

It will be Gwen's birthday.

I dug in to find another outfit glad I didnt wait.

I wonder If I can just forgo the garment bag.

I'm purging my closet of all those 8, and 10's I'll never use again.

Another beautiful day and I spent it writing an IEP and conservatorship papers for an 18 y.o. autistic boy.

Sure is a long involved process.

Tomarrow I'm back in 1st grade.

Smoking ban

CA is the first state to ban smoking in restaurants and now on sidewalks and apartments.

I hate it.

I can't stand to walk by someone outside smoking.

Today it was 82.

My tenure in 1st grade is done. It was painful. 6 and 7 year olds are cute but 20 at a time need a lot of one on one attention.

I changed my 7 day trip to 10-11. I had too far to go and to little time to do it in. Now I will have time to spend with my friends and see some family.

A week isn't long enough

I am planning my Southern Oddessy.

I will be in VA on Thursday 4/19 then on Fri. head to Williamsburg. The wedding goes on Sat. them I head to Charleston and from there to Beauford and Hilton Head in Route to Savannah; then a quick trip over to see what all the fuss is about in St. Simon's Island and it's time to head back.

Not enough time.

It was 84 today. Time to find the sun screen.

Below the age of reason

I've been teaching 1st grade. They are driving me crazy. They ask the spelling of everything and want to show you their papers everytime they change a character.

It takes a lot of patience. I don't have a lot for this age.

I am introducing the quarter and we are adding coins. You never realize how much you know until you see what they don't.

Bless the teachers that have the patience for this.

Chinese New Year

San Francisco has the largest Chinatown and the largest Chinese New Years parade complete with this great 60' dragon and fire crackers galore. The crowds line the streets waiting to see the floats and dragon and bands pass by.

I taught 2nd grade on Fri. decided that they are too young. They can;t do stuff indepently. Third grade may be my favorite so far.

I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love. http://amazon,com