Sunny Saturday

It was a gorgeous day yesterday!  The SUN was out! It was spectacular and I am sort of disappointed to say, such is not the case today.  I see little snowflakes floating down out there, so once again- grey is the color of the day.  Oh well.

I have a lot of stuff I want to do today: first and foremost removing signs of Christmas from the house.  For now.  I would have had it done by now, but a certain sicko has been firmly entrenched in my livingroom for the last 3 days.

Now I am sure that it was no fun for him, either, but I couldn't walk through the room without that pathetic voice wanting something.  Oh brother.  So, regardless, I am cleaning up today.  I am hoping he and the Barber can go hang out in the cabin this afternoon!

 I also plan to spend 20 minutes relearning lesson 1 of Italiano and going for a walk!  Sun or no sun, I need to get back at it.  I'll just go on the road today, get some miles.  I probably should wear my Yaktrax, but we shall see.  I know it is going to take a while to do the Christmas stuff so I need to prioritize.  1a. Take down Christmas  1b. Go for a walk 2. Italiano 3. eat lunch..... good plan so far.

I have to go back to school tomorrow, and that is good and not....   I do have to sit down and look at my google docs for work and see what the heck I am doing with everyone this week.  Believe it or not, there is only 3 weeks left to the semester.  YIKES!!  This affects my elementary not one bit, but wow does it affect my HS plans.  It seems like ages since I have been at school....

This virus has been obnoxious- I feel like I lost 2 weeks of my life.  And the coughing lingers and it is such a pain.  I hope none of  you get this.  I am not sure what the heck it was, not a cold really.  Oh well, at least I did not pass it on to any of the grandchildren.  Speaking of which - only a little over a week to Grandkiddo #4!!  Woo HOO.  I can't wait to get down there and hang out with them a few days later this month.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the sun photos.  I am enjoying putting them on here, as it is the only way I will see any blue sky until later in the week.  Oh well.

I hope you all enjoy your Sunday and find a little joy!

Another week in the books

Today marks the end of the 3rd quarter at school and it is almost the end of March in my life outside of the classroom.  I am glad to divest myself of THAT quarter, too many weird, crazy things have happened and I need my usual crazy.

I am breathing a giant sigh of relief as I did manage to get a LOT of grading done in the last few days and today I will finish it up.  Monday begins the giant clean sweep of the art room.  I will save a lot of things for  the art show I am having at the credit union in a few weeks, but the rest will be handed back.  I have a bunch of stuff left (I recently discovered) from the first semester, imagine that!!  Lol.  I WILL change the displays at the front of the school next week- that is the next item to cross off the list.  After that, I will be able to get some more organizing done in my rooms.  This will make the Mad-Artteacher very happy.

I am thrilled to say I got in several miles of walking in this week.  I am going to probably go again tonight as well.  My times are getting quicker again and it is so necessary for me to be outside and in the sun.  I am not all that thrilled with the temperature turn of events the last few days- WOW it is cold again, but that won't last.  Easter comes in a week and with that I will begin my weight lifting routine again.

So how is my arm, you  might ask?  The left one is just dandy.  The right one has it's moments.  It can get very stiff and I still have a hard time writing neatly for long periods of time. It is really weird.  But overall, it is pretty good.  I get little aches and pains but not bad.  I have to decide this coming week if I need to go see the Orthopedic doctor again.  I am going to see what happens by Wednesday.  The orthopod will be in town the week after Easter so I will have to make an appt. before Friday.  I think I just have to let it heal, I don't foresee an appointment being necessary.

So the weekend!!  YAY!!  There will be a trip to the north for coffee and Coco's and hiking on Saturday.  I am SO EXCITED!!  Why are we going??  Because my friend in all things Bayfield and hiking and I made it through the 3rd quarter unscathed (HAHA- well some of us were scathed and both of us may carry a bit of emotional baggage, but we are alive and sassy!) and  because we WANT TO!  AND of course there is a small matter of a bunch of coffee that I need to purchase. Don't judge me!  Then a quiet Sunday and 3 days of school before Easter break.

Since I apparently will not have company on Easter this year, I have decided that Thursday I will go shopping somewhere out of town- all by my lonesome.  Kind of a celebration of sorts- of spring and no school and why ever shouldn't I?? Otherwise only a plan or two, most of which will involve possibly a book and a couch and who knows what else.  Oh, perhaps a walk or 4.

As this cold and sunny day begins, it is a good feeling to have progress at school, which is where my life was really affected from this accident.  Speaking of which, I was discussing that whole accident thing from almost 8 weeks out.  I had an interesting realization of what massive denial I was in, thinking that I could go back to school after being out for only a week. I laughed for a while over that one.  It seems clear now, but I remember needing to get back to work so much.  I knew that the kids wanted me back, heaven knows the subs were happy I was back, and I just couldn't take watching stupid tv for one more day.  Ah well.  I am glad I provided some amusement to those around me.  Or maybe it was consternation, I really don't know.

So make this a wonderful, sunny, joyful day!!  Be the joy giver that I know each of you can be-- and hang on baby, the weekend is almost here!!

Slow down and take another look....

Every so often I face one of those "hang on a second" moments in life.  This particular one occurred during the busiest time of my year- and that of course is play season.  It is a perfect storm of painting, practice, long, LONG performance days, the end of the third quarter, imminent art shows and frequently, Easter for good measure.  I, like the silly thing I am, thought nothing of adding in a full livingroom renovation as well.  You throw in day to day life and it's challenges and joys, and you have someone who set herself up for a set back and that would be back to back viruses in my case.  

I got to lay on my bed, highly uncomfortable and sleeping fitfully- without a TV for noise or company, I might add- for an entire day while my kids went on stage without me.  It was an instructive moment in time, no one (not even me) is irreplaceable.  It made me still my mind, slow down my body and gave me a chance to sort of pull my self together, as I was not really together at all.  I have rethought some things that I have going on and have noticed a shift in my priorities and some of my ways of thinking.  

Not a week later, I found myself coming down with a rhinorvirus and I was ticked.  I had had an enjoyable break, but it was far from relaxing.  And to find myself getting sick with a cold on the Friday before Easter was deflating.  No wonder I was not feeling the ambition to clean up the house after The Builder finished it on Wednesday.  Again, I had no choice but to cut my exercise back and get done only what I absolutely needed to, and let the Mad Middle son and his lovely wife Sarah Jane take over the food on Saturday while I sat from my sniffling throne, half heartedly offering suggestions and basically not caring what was going on.  We got part of the livingroom stuff hung on the walls, and that was a job well done.

I was barely functioning this past week, though I felt better each day, I still had little energy to get through my workouts and certainly did not do nearly as much as usual.  But again, I found some hidden silver linings to this; I got to hang out in my beautiful livingroom and really rest and relax.  I was able to turn my attention to a few things that I hadn't had time to for a while.  And I again had time to rethink a few things that I have going on and am adjusting my reactions to them.  

So I was apparently primed for looking at things from a different angle again, and I spotted an opportunity during my sunny Thursday walk to the Stone House.  I had wanted to get over there for a few days, we had I think 4 days of sunny all strung together in a row, and I had planned to get there every day, but finally GOT there on Thursday.  It was sunny but COLD out, my hands did not warm up for 2 miles. 

Along the way...

In a swamp

I was searching for a different point of view, but that is difficult as I was not willing to walk up the bank in knee deep snow.  I had my tennies on and did not feel the need to get my feet wet with a 35 minute walk home. 

BUT an idea occurred to me - I noticed the snowmobile trail that crosses the road just North of the corner of Hwy E and B.  Even though I pass by that trail all the time, it came to me that I could and should walk on that trail.  It was the perfect time to do it- still frozen and snowy, but not deep and not too slushy.  AND it would lead straight up to that other old house that is across from the Stone House. And I did not quite anticipate the awesome change of the familiar that I was about to see!  I love this viewpoint- the hill that leads up to this old place is fairly steep and makes for an interesting shot, I think at least!

Notice the stone house and this one in the same shot!  

All these shots just demanded a little moody editing.

The snowmobile trail was a little jaunt off my usual path, and one that was welcome and instructive.  I solidified some thoughts that I had been pondering, allowed me to see things again from another side. I tend to get caught up in the whirlwind that is the MadArtTeacher and forget to stop and enjoy the view!  And then take pictures of it!

Even the ducks are standing around waiting for the snow to melt on their resident pond

Spring melt- looking down

And then I noticed this reflection in my camera's view screen and turned my lens up!

I am hoping the weather clears up this afternoon so I can take my camera and go looking for my joy.  I need it.  I have to find it.  And I am sure spring is coming.

Hello sunshine..

This says it all..........................

life is good

and this.............................

I have more to say- later!!  

Be a joy giver kids!!