Last year end of year high school project

This turned out great. Had it in the display cases over the summer 

Texts and meltdowns

So I got a text from Sarah Grace this morning. Ella was having an emotional morning and apparently had a melt down because she wanted to go to Gramma Debi's. I was a little verklempt. 

So I went into the workroom before school and made a short little video. 

This picture is after she watched. Grandma mission- accomplished. 

So nice that someone in this world wants to be with me that bad. :). Well there might be one or two others, but they haven't gone that extra mile and had a melt down.  Lol

If needed, I'll send you all a short video too! Because that is how I roll. Joy givers, unite!! xo

I'll be with you soon my Ella Bella

Love u, 

Gramma Debi 

What's Up, Buttercup?

 So I find myself saying these kinds of random things to kids- not sure but I think I picked this one up from The Big Bang Theory the other night.  I have, of course, heard this before, many times....

What's up?  Well I have been whining to every person I know about the ROTTEN reception that I am getting in my HS art room regarding the internet.  Not sure, but I think someone left the room when I started complaining yet again..  but ya know, if you don't say something then no one will know and then how will it get fixed??  Well, it is being worked on and that is awesome.

So it wasn't a terrific few days for my internet service anywhere, except for on my phone.  Somehow AT&T manages to come through for me.  My home internet service took a dive this past Friday, which on the one hand made me SAD.  On the other hand I managed to weed out probably 4000 photos from the computer.  Yes, 4000.  Don't judge me.  Why this happens to me only on weekends (losing service) is way beyond me, why Friday night or Saturday morning..... ideas??  eh.  Whatever.  Anyway, spontaneously the internet comes back up on Sunday night, after I had made an appt. for a service call- they said Tuesday.  I didn't get a chance to reply to an email saying I didn't need a technician, which is good in retrospect, as someone came of course today.  A GREAT Centurylink guy came to the house, after calling  me at school, to check my line, and it was fine.  However when I walked by my modem when I got home, it was down again- and phone call was made to said technician, who came to my house on his way home, and wa LAH- new modem and functioning service again.  I would like to fill out a survey and see if I can get that guy a raise.  I've had him at the house before, when he worked his magic on the outside of the house and he is STELLAR.  

Now I need my kitchen light replaced (of course this involves going to pick out a new light, and I haven't done that yet) and at least 2 dripping faucets fixed.  That would be great!  But barring miracles and lottery tickets, I will have to entice someone into the house for those little tiny jobs, perhaps with cookies??  Just throwing that out there.  Call me- anyone who wants cookies.  And can do light plumbing and electrical.....  :)

I feel super sleepy tonight again, this is coming from someone who rarely gets to sleep before 11:30.  I think the children have infected me with something.  Seriously, people.  So I have been popping zinc and I rested tonight instead of walking or lifting.  I am glad I stayed home I guess, but I feel like I am slacking.  I have to find my Vit. C too, and I suppose since I am turning back into the ghostly white girl that I am (instead of my summery pale beige), I need to pull out the Vit. D as well.  I wish I was out in the sun much of the day still....  Ahhh summer

So I did get out for some walks, and best of all took some pretty good photos on the river Sunday morning.  This getting up at 6 am on Sunday thing.  WUT is up with that??  Well, until the leaves are all fallen, I anticipate going out on the Flambeau regularly.  I am now able to get into the kayak without getting my feet wet (oh the grace that I have) and more important- I can get OUT of the kayak without falling over and getting wet.  And I don't even have my kayak buddy to hold the front of the boat while I regain feeling in my - well - until I could stand again.   I love going out there in the cold mornings and go through the mists.  It was suggested by an old friend that I play the Peer Gynt Suite on my phone while paddling, but I am able to TOTALLY bring that to mind, so all the time I have that tune going through my head.  It is a hoot.

So I am doing some serious babbling and I should get ready for bed.  It is going to take a bit to download photos and finish this, so off I go!  I hope you all can find some joy this lovely Monday night....  I have some dental work tomorrow (yay me) and then I am in wait mode for another little Oswald baby to make their appearance.  I get to be Gramma for a couple days and be there for a certain adorable little Oswald boy!  And that will be a  joy for sure.

Bittersweet

So the school's gorgeous and beautiful gym just opened yesterday and it really is spectacular.  The facilities are beautiful, the machines and weights are top of the line. It is a good space, and for the winter- there are even the icky brand new and beautiful cardio things. ( I hate doing cardio inside, can you tell??)

So why would I find this situation bittersweet you might ask?  If you think for a moment and have followed along at all, I miss my old gym.  I miss the people, I miss the facilities- it was like my second home.

The school doesn't have extensive hours- it is after all, a school!  I hope at some point they can add a few weekend hours, but we shall see.  While they have a lot of great things, there a few things- like a cable cross and smith machine- that they don't have.  But I will certainly adjust.

No, the thing about this is that I feel slightly disloyal for going to a different place.  Of course this probably doesn't seem logical, but you ALL know that isn't usually my gig anyway.  I somehow deeply feel the loss of my dear friend Lori  (and Brian and their kids) even though  she is doing well.  I wish that things didn't turn out like they did, because I would rather be going to Triple B.

Fortunately, I got to talk to and hug quite a few of my gym buddies last night!  It was like a homecoming. I hope to see more of them tonight and as the weeks go on.  It is the people who made that old place so special, and while I can't see some of the most special ones, I am so happy to be reunited with so many of the rest of them.

I feel the workout that I did yesterday from my shoulders to my toes, and it is a good sort of sore.  Almost all of us are starting from square one again. I have been going to a less than stellar place at a local establishment, so I am a little ahead of the game.  It was SO freaking amazing to replace the duct tape ridden Rocky Balboa type room with this well equipped gym.  Little angels were singing in my head!  But there was one or two little angels that I wish were still in my daily life....

So, I will be embracing my new place with the idea that I can't stay and over train.  I have to get in and out in 45 min. or less.  I can't have the constant carpal tunnel any more, that is too hard on this girl.

Well I better scoot and get ready for work, I just had to write this out.  And now I can go on and hit it hard.  But not too hard, and I will be remembering the joys that began at a different place across the river.....

Picture blog post

Though I am fatigued beyond comprehension, I need to at least post some photos of an amazing kayak that I took Sunday Morning.  I have a few people who are friends NOT on facebook and I want them to be able to see them.  SO- even though I slept like crap last night and then done wore myself out in a variety of ways this evening*,  I will do this!!

**I definitely need to blog about the school gym that opened- many conflicting feelings here....

Anyway, I sort of wanted to kayak on Saturday morning, but it was REALLY cold and I was too tired from school.  People in the house- ahemtheMAcough- was threatened with bad things and no breakfast if they woke me before 6:30- and yet  it was a surprise to find the clock heralding almost 7 when I woke up.  Why that man wakes up early on weekends is beyond me.  Anywho, I just couldn't do it Saturday.  So Saturday evening I loaded up the kayak and made myself get up and go- at about 6 the next morning.  I had to allow enough time for coffee!  There is something so wonderful and decadent about being out in a kayak on a quiet river at 7 am, watching the sunrise through the mist, while sipping a little coffee..... (I left out the part about frantically snapping photos during the high color time, changing lenses, and cameras and pulling things out and into dry bags and such...)  But I like to have my moments of pleasure, so I will stick with the first part of the story.  :)  Actually after the initial photo rush and the mist cleared I had a fun, leisurely paddle around Smith Lake and up and down the Flambeau.  I knew that the cold air and the warm water would give some good photo ops and I was not mistaken.

This was cool- mist receding

I have to say that the moment I came over the hill down to the boat landing was a goosebump giving, awe inspiring event.  The mist was thick and the sun was starting to come up over the horizon.  The colors were soft and beautiful and I knew that I certainly should be able to get a few good shots.  I think I was right.

If this was my dock, I'd be sitting on it every morning

I am going to get out onto the river as often as I can over the next several weeks, as I know that my time of paddling is growing to a close.  I might be able to lay hands on a wet suit, which will extend that season a bit!  That would be fantastic.

Sculpture in the water

Anyway, here are some of the fruits of my labors, not that it was much of a problem to get outside after being cooped up for the week.




I hope you find as much joy in these as I did.

And a week later....

I had absolutely planned to blog about my first week of school before this- this is pretty typical of most of my life.  I had PLANNED to do such and such, but then something else came up and off I went.

In my case, the weather was hot and humid over the weekend, and having no air causes me to lay like a noodle off and on through the day, under the ceiling fan, and not get too much done, other than in fits and starts.   Then Monday, when it was nice, I was off on a tear, trying to get as much done as I could..... followed by a couple hours in Debi's Sunshine aka the kayak.  I still have some photo editing to do, but that's ok.  Last night I, again,  had thought about blogging, but I took off for an early evening walk, and then got distracted ie: I flung myself down willfully on the couch after 8:30 and barely moved for a while.  Tuesday is a long day, and this one was long and enjoyable, but I was tired nonetheless.  I'm thrilled to say that I slept well and am looking forward to Wednesday.

Labor Day weekend kept me busier than I anticipated.  I went to a wedding reception on Saturday, which was lovely, then a Labor Day party thing on Sunday, which was fine- albeit a bit annoying after a while, but still.  I cooked spontaneously for the Mad-Middle son and his lovely Sarah and my sweet little Grandboy.  And like I said, I got to kayak!  :)

The first week of school was fine, active and noisy, but the kids are excited and things are good in that regard.  Things at both school seem to be going fairly smoothly, so far- so good!  In some ways it seems almost like we never left, but in other ways there are huge changes in personnel so its all changed.  That is just how life seems to go, and people seem to have settled into it.

So on this little bit sleepy morning, I wish you a happy Wednesday!  I have another post begun in my mind, but I do not have the energy to write it today.  :)  So general and random it is!  And I'll throw a couple IPhone photos in for good measure.

Be a joy giver today my friends, someone might need some of yours!

End of the first day

I looked at the clock just now that was so surprised that it wasn't 10:00.  It feels like 10, I am tired enough for it to be 10- I forget how much this first day takes out of us.

My throat is still sort of sore and my feet are fortunately not hurting anymore.  I feel like I went on a 7 mile walk!  While talking or something.  I agree with my friend the Mad-Science teacher: it feels like we never left.

I had my first day lecture going for a full 6 hours today.  Tuesday is one of my longest days and it is sort of brutal.  I began with hall duty (yippee, that is just fantastic... ), put in 45 min of talking for 2 hours in a row, ran to the elem. to prep down there, went back for the last high school class, zipped around to check on the status of a work study student, ate lunch and then had 3 hours of back to back little kids.  About 2 pm my voice started breaking down. It did hold up, though, so this is good.  My reprieve tomorrow is that I have a prep time in the elementary for an hour, so my voice will get a break.  I have to introduce new projects in the high school so there is no rest for the proverbial wicked.

I realize I have to read some article for the staff meeting tomorrow, fill out a survey for the superintendent,  plus I  was working on my lesson plans and my corresponding blog posts on my other two blogs (how do you people find those things??) and I could have gone to bed at 8!  But I got finished what I needed to, and that is a great feeling.  PLUS I know what I am wearing tomorrow and what I am having for lunch!  Winner winner!!

I posted a facebook status that said something about having had a great day at school, as well as one this morning that talked about starting the day with a picture by the door like the boys used to.  I got some super awesome messages from former students.  It is so gratifying to know that I made a difference in their lives.  They have no idea how meaningful those messages are.

I only fantasized about being out on a body of water in my kayak a few times!  Lol. It was a good day that seems like it will continue into a good semester.  Positive attitude is the key.

And joy is what you will find when you use that key.

And So It Begins

Yep, a new school year is about to be off and running.  I flipped over the calendar, and apparently the season is about to change as well, like we all don't feel that.  It is apparent in the trees, the length of the day, the feeding frenzies that are going on outside in the animal world.

It's been an amazing summer, with virtually no regrets or wishes for more.  Well a few wishes for more, but that is life, isn't it?  It keeps things interesting and keeps a person moving forward.  Here is wishing you all a good school year, if you are involved in any way- student, teacher, parent, other sorts of school employee, sports fans, whatever!

Make it a point to be a joy-giver!  Life is just too short not to be.....