Putting it All Together

We chose to assemble the expo project in the guest room. I reasoned that the room wasn't traveled through and the dog would most likely leave it alone in there. We spread out over the floor, the bed and the dresser. We started with sorting out the things that we had collected and that business' and agencies in Vermont had sent us. When we first started the project a million emails went out to different places in VT. Some emailed us back information, some mailed us information and a few promised things they never delivered. The people in VT were very friendly to deal with and we ended up with a ton of stuff, much unlike Utah which was our last state project.

Long Day... Week...Year... (fill in choice here)

When your long day is over and you can barley drag your feet...
Back in October or November, the fourth grade was assigned a long term project. Pick a state that isn't NH and learn all that you can about it. Make some maps. Make some charts. Do some projects. Gather information and products and when you are done all of this.. put it together and be ready to present it to the class and then the whole school. Ms. Thang chose Vermont, our neighbor to the west. We have enjoyed learning about Vermont, although I'm sure we barely scratched the surface. Tomorrow is the big day. I am so glad it's almost over. I'll share pics this weekend in between drumming gigs.

Cigarettes & Coffee

"But it seemed so natural, darling That you and I are here Just talking over cigarettes and drinking coffee, ooh now"*

Growing up, my parents were heavy smokers. They smoked in the house, in the car, at friends and relatives houses (not my grandparents house though), before meals, after meals and in bed. You name it, they did it and I hated it. I hated the smell of it. I hated the stuffiness of it when we would be in the car driving somewhere. I hated the way the smoke would burn my eyes at the end of the day. I hated the overflowing ashtrays that seemed to be on every single surface. I hated everything about it. I always vowed I would never grow up to be a smoker. My brothers went so far as to break cigs in half, throw matches and lighters in the trash and put funny things you could get at the dollar store into the ends of the cigs to make them bang or catch on fire. They hated smoking too.

Mount Snow

I went out into the yard this afternoon looking for signs of spring. What I found instead, along with eleventy two million pine branches from various bad wind storms, was a mountain of snow that finally melted its way off of the back roof.

It avalanched off the roof the other day after school, which is always a good time if you are around for it. It looks cool as it slides down past the window, and it freaks out the dog. Good times.

I did witness a robin in the yard around dinner time. It had gotten dark and grey outside, and a light rain had started, that has since turned into snow. But the robin was out there, determined to have a good dinner. I watched mesmerized as it pulled worm after worm out of my lawn. It was the first robin of the season which made me quite happy. I turned the heat off upstairs as it hasn't kicked on too much this winter anyhow and hasn't been on in quite a few weeks. In the next few weeks I'll start spring cleaning up there. I have a plan to follow that old theory... If you wish it, it will come.

Sometimes You Just Have To Start Over

I had good intentions when I started. 100 miles in 3 months.. no problem. I don't run (bad knees).. but I love to walk. 100 miles over 3 months is a little over a mile each day. I walk a total of 1/2 a mile every day just going to and from work. If I walk at lunch it's another 1/2 mile, and my after school/after dinner walk is 1.25 miles.

I started out good... but it got bitter cold. And my school year got worse. And stress entered my life on a level I've not experienced in a long, long time. By lunchtime (been 1:00 for a long time) I was too tired to think about doing more than eating and de-stressing. At the end of the school day I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Besides, it was too cold/slushy/rainy/fill in excuse here.

It Ends Tonight.....

This little bird is a Dark Eyed Slate Colored Junco. This is the first year the flock of them has come to visit my yard. I'm not sure... but I think there are 8. There could be more, but I haven't counted. I have enjoyed them a lot. They aren't really feeder birds.. they eat the seeds that fall to the ground under the feeders. They play on the snow and in my hedges.. around the base of two different trees. I love the way they sort of hop. They are small and soft looking and I am happy to have had them here this winter. According to Google.. they are snowbirds and I won't see them much longer. That saddens me.. but not enough to be sad that winter is coming to a close.

I'm looking forward to feeling the warm sun on my face as I walk to and from school. I'm looking forward to being able to walk after school, or dinner as the day may dictate. I'm looking forward to the grey, dreary world going away and the green lush world I miss reappearing like a knight in shining armor. My soul is feeling as bleak and dreary as the world around me, and I am in need of renewal.

I need the grass, and the birds, and even the nasty pollen of all types that makes me sniffly and miserable. I need to watch the leaves burst forth from their buds and the flowers bloom into beauty. I need to throw open my windows and rid my house of this old stale air that presently resides in my house. I want to wake up in the morning with the sun glowing on the other side of the windows.

I am tired of walking in minus degree weather to school every day. I am tired of the slush, and the ice and the dirty snowbanks. I am tired of the heavy comfort foods I love so much in early winter. I am tired of being bundled up and still being cold. I hate being cold. I am even tired of my favorite warm and cozy sweaters. I am tired to the very core of my being. I need spring. I don't think it's any small coincidence that arrives when it does... it can't get here a minute too soon.

Céad Míle Fáilte

I came here to vent a long, probably unpleasant rant about life and all that is rotten and miserable. I sat down, and somehow between when I posted the photo and started to type.. I lost my steam.

I am just too tired and beaten to care. We have 59 more school days left until the last bell rings, and it can't get here soon enough.

I knit these little socks sometime last year, using the remainder of the yarn I used to knit this wee hat... and they have sat in my sock basket unfinished for all this time. All I had to do was sew up the seams... it hardly took much time today. But for some reason I just wasn't inspired to do it. Today they called out to me. They have gone into the gift closet for a future niece or nephew that hasn't been conceived yet. I just wanted to knit them and try out the pattern.

5 Random Things

1. I have no eye candy. I walked around this afternoon and couldn't find one inspiring thing to take a photo of. The light was bad. The weather was bad (still is). My mood was bad. I still don't have a finished sock to share. I will do better, maybe even next week.

2. My work week, sucked. Does it make me a bad person to be counting down the days until the last day of school? Mostly I don't think so... but sometimes I do. After yet another crappy day today.. I will have to go for NO. Unless we have a snow day, there are 59 more days left until summer vacation. Ever seen a grown woman cry on the job? I came close this week.. real close. And on top of all that... our contract was voted down again for the 2nd year in a row. That means we continue to work with an expired contract, and no raise. (sigh) This doesn't effect The Boy however, so that is good.

In Which We Find An Anniversary.. and a LONG story

They called it the Storm of the Century. It blew in on a mid-Saturday morning and when all was said and done it was the snow storm to beat all snow storms. It hammered the entire Eastern Seaboard. Highways shut down. Business's closed. People hunkered into their houses and stayed put. Or, they should have.

A friend (at the time) of mine was moving that weekend. I had just recently returned home after an extended absence and she asked if I could help her. Would I drive up to Concord, help her get her things and bring them to MA? What the hell I thought. My mother squawked on and on about this "big blizzard" and how I needed to stay home and blah blah blah. I wasn't in a good state of mind at the time, and like hell was I going to go back to doing what "mom and dad" said.

Old Man Winter Is On His Way Out.. or Is He?

There's an old saying around here: "There are 4 seasons in NH. Winter, More Winter, Mud Season and Construction." In the span of 3 days we've gone from -8 to upper 40s. Tomorrow they are calling for temps in the low 50's. My sun deprived winter weary body would love to believe that spring is right around the corner, but I'm also realistic. We haven't hard our March Blizzard yet. Heck, we've hardly really had any snow this year. Few storms.. one decent snowfall.. only one snow day.

Hey It's Friday!

So, Hi! How've you been? I haven't fallen off the planet or been sucked up by visitors from out of space. I have been wicked pisser busy, and maybe very tired too. The week after vacation if always a bit crazy, and on top of that (and some rough days) I have to train the person who's going to do my job (but at the Jr/Sr High School) next year. I never realized how difficult and crazy my job is until I had to try and explain it to someone else. It's exhausting talking about what you're doing and why all day. I feel like in the span of 5 days I've told her eleventy three thousand things already, and haven't even scratched the surface. I can tell she's a bit nervous about next year and considering all I've gone through this year.. I can't say that I blame her one effing bit. If the gods were to smile down on me, next year I will be back in my beloved special ed room doing boring things like reading and the maths (even the hard New Math!). But deep in my heart I feel that it isn't to be, just no one has the cojones to tell me yet.

In Which We Find A New Journey.....

If I had to tell you off the cuff what my favorite dessert was, I'd be hard pressed to come up with an answer. I like lots of desserts, but don't really have what I'd consider a favorite. The Boy on the other hand.. his favorite dessert is cheesecake. Not any particular type mind you.. just cheesecake. We once went away to the mountains on vacation, and he ate an entire store bought cheesecake minus once slice. Half for dessert one night, the other half for breakfast. It was one of those small ones, but still.

Back To You Bob

Since the fall... the fourth graders at our school have been working on a State Project. Each child selects a state and then does a ginormous 5 month long project that ends with a States Expo in the gymnasium. A visual presentation of what they learned about their state. They have to make 3 maps, 3 charts, and do 3 projects. They collect information and products from their state and then put it all together. It's a great project.. but I'm glad this is our last time doing it.