A whole pile of random things...

So I sort of have lots and nothing much to say.....  this is my mood these days.  Which is mostly just fine with me.  Those who need to know my stuff do- and those who don't, well, don't.

First off, I recently purchased an AMAZING wide angle lens for my camera. (Insert happy dancing here)  And I do mean amazing.  It is the lens I have wanted my whole life and didn't know it.  I will be using it for cloud pix and landscapes mostly, and already, it is so incredibly satisfying.  It ticks off so many many of my photography needs....  I could soliloquize for days, but I won't.  But look!  LOOK at those pictures!!! It really bothers me that I didn't have it for my Bayfield trip.  I had ordered with what I thought was plenty of time, but the order got hung up in processing.  Um- wut?  If I didn't know that lens was going to be amazing for me I would have canceled.  I'm glad I didn't though- so very glad.  But what is up with that Canon???  HMMMM???

This was a really good weekend for the most part, I got a lot of little things done- plus finished one book and polished off a collection of short stories.  GOOD STUFF PEOPLE!!

The short story collection especially was excellent- called Drown by Junot Diaz.  A group of 10 stories about different members of a family based in the Dominican Republic and in the US.  Some brutal stuff, but quite compelling.  One of my favorite books in this genre!   The favorite other short story collection that I always recommend is Interpreters of the Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - both worth picking up and reading.

Old house with a bit of mystique

In other news it has been cold and tomorrow will be warm and then it will get cold and I want daffodils.  The warm weather has pushed me into premature daffodil longing- I try not to think about it too much before the end of March, but here I am- wanting some.  I've had a couple photos sent my way by people that understand- - -  I will take more of those!!!!  :)    Pictures will do until I can either pick some or procure them in another way.  

The MA has been busy busy this month, as you all mostly know.  He sort of hit the ground running very early in January and has been in the office every day since.  LONG days....  So when he gets here we do chit chat a bit.  The man is getting even funnier these days- I feel like I should get a book and record the things he has been saying, sort of like what you want to do for your kids or the students at school.  Because you know you are never going to remember them in an hour.  The last thing he said a couple days ago- and maybe it is funnier to me than any one else when we were discussing the lengths that people go to maintain their accountant.  The miles they drive, the things they do.....  he tells me: No one wants to tell the new guy about their life.  Which like I said, sent me into fits of giggles, but other people may not get it??  No?  Oh well.  Anyway, he sleeps a lot in front of the tv after he finishes supper.

LOOK at that smooshy, kissable face

Not me though, the more I do at school the less likely I am to sleep.  It is just a wonderful thing being awake for the 4th time at 11:30 pm- said no one ever.  So I slept a lot (I got laughed at when I said I slept "in" until 6:30, but that IS sleeping in for me!) this weekend, as I really was able to relax.

As you may or may not know, tis the play time of the year and the Chequamegon school is putting on The Music Man- you know- 76 trombones and all that.  Lots of fun- silly, catchy songs.  Plenty of scenery to paint.  And my initial massive group of enthusiastic volunteers has dwindled a bit.  But such is the life of the Mad-Art teacher!  We will be fine, the troops will rally.

Last month's visit with the grandgirlies

It has been intense at school, though.  Many students have a hard time in the middle of the year like this- the winter, the school work, the rare days off and the stresses of families seem to add up to a lot of kids in distress.  Seniors are focused on finishing strong, junior are worried about imminent ACT tests, sophomores are sort of lost and freshmen still- as a group- are pretty clueless. But warmer, longer days are coming- and we will make it. As I said in my last post, this snow day could not have come at a better time.  We needed this unexpected mental health day.

I still have more artwork to get into the hallways, I need to do my high school progress reports and I shall be needing to get to looking at art work for the upcoming art show as well.  So there will be no easing up in the foreseeable future.  But that just makes the week go fast, so thats ok.

Lots of things coming up, lots of things to make the day go by fast.  I've said frequently the last few weeks that I would love to discover a worm hole and a perpendicular universe so I could come to school- get into that time warp and clean both of my rooms- then come out of it and teach school.  In a tidy art environment.  That would be great- someone needs to hook me up with that - K?  Anyone?

So, I am feeling like I need to get out a book and read and relax and get myself to bed here soon.  I hope all of you have a great productive week and if I find someone who can direct me to the nearest 4th dimension, I will let you know so you can get everything done you need to do, too!  I'm helpful like that!  And I send you a week full of joy as well.

Oh YaY! Friday!

I really am not a person to wish away my week.  Let me edit that to say, I do wish away Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, but only when I'm perched looking towards an afternoon of noise- I am fine when I am in the midst of it.  I had someone state at a class this past summer, in the midst of my Lymes disease fog, that each day of the week, collectively,  is 1/7th of your life.  So enjoy every single one of those days.  So, as I don't feel negatively about Mondays (I like them!), I don't pine for Friday either.  I  REALLY like Friday, as I get to eat with grownups, I have a good productive prep time and we all wear more casual attire.  Yay for jeans and boots!!  But it is really another day in the rhythm of my week.

 Anyway, I am SO HAPPY today is Friday. This has been my first full week back and I am a wreck this morning.  (If any of you know what I had for dinner last night, let me tell you that wine and cheesecake has little to do with how I feel, so there!!  ;))  My arms are very stiff and I think could be a little swollen.  I woke up a badillion times last night, my weirdo feet went from freezing to sweating about 5 times and all in all I am NOT well rested.  Washing my hair was uncomfortable, and I am just a little off.  If any of my siblings read this- this is not an opening for responses, Lol.

Compounding the issue of a typical week, of course is that we are working afterschool I have been doing scenery with the kids for the musical.  We have a good start, but I enumerated the things we still have to do and my right eye started to twitch.  If any of you need me next week, you will find me back stage.  I plan to bring food and water and basically hang out until someone pushes me out the back door to my car.  Cell service is dicey on the stage, so good luck with that.  I have a big week coming up AND I have to begin clay with my little ones.  I am thinking of how to get my clay set up so I don't have to lift the 50 lb boxes.  My mind is always working through things like this, no wonder I wake up distracted with sweaty feet.

I would have taken today off, but I have not seen my Friday elementary kids for 4 weeks, or maybe 5.  I can't figure it out myself right now..... since January 25 at any rate.  And since that is one of my favorite Elementary days, I just can't wait.  Fortunately, I have a custom of no stage painting on Fridays, we all need a break, and after a quick stop at the grocery (more freaking lifting, good grief) I am going to go home and dive under a blankie on the couch and sit in my little corner of the sectional.  and rest!!!

I have an adventure coming on Saturday, because indeed I don't heed the good advice that myself and every living person in my life would give me, as in: rest for the day.  NOPE  I am BUSTING OUT OF HERE, BABY!!!  If I don't get out and do something fun I will lose my mind.  And so I am, and you will find out about it on Sunday!  Or on facebook Saturday, depending on if you do that or not.

Anyway, here is to another day of joy and coffee and advil and kids and by the looks of it, SUN!!  I hope you find some joy in your day as well.

Catching Up: The Sleepy Edition

I realized it has been a while since I did a little update here- once school began, holy smokes have I been running from the beginning of the day to the end.  And there is no sign of slowing down!

As you can imagine, I have a lot of things to catch up on at school.  Being gone for 2 plus weeks has taken a toll on many different aspects of my job.  I REALLY need to take down displays and put new ones up, but that is the LAST thing on my mind right now.  I have to post progress reports by Friday, and that is the first thing that will need to be done. I am always playing catch up on my planning for lessons.  I have posted barely anything in the elementary, tho they get the majority of my prep time.... Oh boy.  Then there is the after school work I have been putting into prepping and painting scenery for the play.  I go home and kind of crash.

I see no sign of things slowing up for a few weeks, either.  I went to a class this past Friday/Saturday that I need to give some attention to soon.  I have a little homework that needs to be finished and submitted.  The class was a physical test of endurance, too.  I drove for just shy of 3 hours both Friday and Saturday.  My arms did surprisingly well.  But I had a little pillow to rest them on as I drove- that worked great.  The pillow was not as helpful when sitting in front of a table for extended periods of time. Something about that is just uncomfortable for me.  But there were frequent rest breaks and it was an upbeat way to spend some time and learned some very valuable things.

Over the past few weeks I have added many successes to my list of things I can do again.  This past Monday I added opening my own garage door and feeding the horse back on the list.  I am going to have to have the MA transfer the new feed bags into the bin for a while yet.  I can fairly easily deal with the heavy school door with keys and bags.  I can carry my groceries, if I double check to make sure they aren't too heavy, and if they are, I use two hands.  I can carry a can of paint with 2 hands as well, so yay for me.

I have also found a host of weirdo things that I cannot do, which I think I went into previously. I just discovered that cutting a microwaved burrito with a freaking fork has been added to that list just yesterday.  Color me irritated.

I specifically asked the doctor yesterday (appt. was in Park Falls- YAY) what and how I should be doing and thinking when I am going through my day.  Obviously if I have pain, I should not do something. The thing that I was wondering about, they thing I was wrongish about, is what about the plain discomfort - and for lack of a better word- pressure that I feel when I do some things that are pushing the boundaries, or just trying to eat lunch?  It's a big old back-off-a-bit-Debi for that situation.  I thought that trying to increase my strength by pushing the boundaries a little would be a good thing, but I have been instructed to WAIT  until the discomfort is gone.  About another 2 weeks.

To say this is exasperating is an understatement, but I will do the good thing for me and be aware.  I have found many ways around the discomfort by adjusting the way I do things, and that will have to do for now.  I also have a exercise, so to speak, that I can do a few times a day to stretch all the necessary parts in my arms.  Range of motion is where it is at baby.

IN two weeks I have another appointment including x-rays, yay for me I guess, and we will see if all those little cracks and smushes have fixed themselves.  Meanwhile I will live within my limitations, and actively seek ways to work around them.  By mid-week here, I am beginning to feel the fatigue of my profession and not falling asleep until late last night didn't help much in that regard.  But that is my own fault!  :)  One more cup of coffee and I will me on my way.  Bright eyed and all that.....  or at least  upright and mobile.  I have come to the conclusion, just this second, that I am looking forward to a time where I can get attention for the things that I can and do do, and not for what I can't do.  In the coming 6 weeks I have a play to attend to and at least 2 art shows to put up.  I am not liking looking at the limitations that might slow me down.  Sh*t's getting real here, to put it in the pop culture vernacular.

So, I have to get myself up and going- see what the day brings, embrace what ever comes.  And I have awesome get away plans for this Saturday, so while I am not wishing away my time, I do have an adventure in the works.  and it is about freaking time!!

Until next time, embrace your joys, the expected and unexpected....the planned and unplanned.  And then pass some of it along to others.  You never know when someone is going to need it.

Mid March update

I have been at school- 

that is about all.

The weather has been yucky (I don't want to complain about it, but I certainly could), I have been putting the finishing touches on the scenery for the play and now managing the back stage element and tonight we go on.

Unless you work in a school, you do not understand the odd dynamics of March.  The 3rd quarter has the fewest days off (this year there have been a couple), the grey and cold weather, the TOUGH parts of learning is upon us, and everyone gets twitchy and tired and cranky and to put it bluntly, students are known to do stupid things at the time of the year.  The little kids went for almost 3 weeks without being able to get outside for recess because of the below zero temps or wind chill- during the day!  Frequent acute viruses run rampant through the buildings, and many children and adults alike, seems to reach a point of feeling just a bit hopeless.  We are all sort of rallying the troops and circling the wagons (how many metaphors can I use without it being awkward here?? LOL) and just getting through the month.  It is hard to describe the atmosphere, but it is there and it is a time that has to be constantly monitored and extra emotional support needs to be given- daily, frequently and liberally.

Personally, while I took pictures of the wonderful visit by the first Oswald son and Sarah to visit since Christmas, I haven't had time to download yet.  I haven't been lucky enough to see any great sunsets.  I haven't even been able to get to the gym!!!  SOB.  So, yeah, it has been a time of getting by and getting through it and try to enjoy what is in front of you and not sit around and miss what we don't have..... like grass and warmth and birds and daffodils.  And there is that little demon known as tax season.

And so I am keeping my eye on the prize- more free time coming soon, the end of the third quarter in a week, another Oswald son and his Sarah coming soon (along with that little bonus that comes with them!), and a nice trip OUT OF TOWN that will be welcome!!  And I'm pretty sure that the MA will be home a lot more in just under a month, too.  I'm feeling the need for a driver for a photo shoot or two!!

Anyway, enough of that.  Tonight is the  first performance of our school musical and it is a SWEET little play.  Funny, fun, and lot so great dancing and really enjoyable music.  This cast of kids is so great, what a fun, sweet and kind group they are.  It is has been a pleasure to work backstage with them.  Time to don the black clothes and on with the show!

And that really does give me joy!

Standing on the edge

This is not as dire as the title implies......

I am standing on the edge of a couple of CRAZY weeks coming up here.

I have so many little thoughts running around in my brain, I hope I can make some sense of them.  First of all, I feel I have to mention that I have not done a single post on the school musical this year so far.  I began my  blog two years ago during the height of scenery painting season and when I was in full gardening preparation mode.  These two catalysts for my blog have been sadly lacking here.  I feel bad for them, like the older sibling of a brand new baby in the family.....  I know this is weird, but you all should know me enough to get it.

My brand new baby has been my weight loss and my exercise and my new Debi stuff.  Which isn't new so much any more- which is an interesting concept!  This will need exploring soon.

Oh, yeah, crazy weeks.  Of course one thing is the musical that is 2 weeks from today- ohmygosh.  I can't even think about that.  And the end of the quarter is the FRIDAY of the musical- just because the timing is that good.  AND beginning MONDAY morning, I am having a major renovation done on  the livingroom of my house.

Joe the builder is going to be orchestrating this reno; there is already a big ole dumpster in my driveway.  I do plan to take nightly pix of the progress being made.  NEW ceiling, walls, floor, trim, lights, ceiling fan, etc. will be in place.  No structural changes, really, just get rid of hideous paneling and carpet and some sketchy ceiling stuff.  BUT it will be a huge change and improvement for me.  Eventually this spring I will be breaking out my tile cutter and grout and redo my kitchen floor as well.

Today I am going to go fetch myself some switch covers and most importantly,  a ceiling fan for the living room.  YES!!!  Today and tomorrow I am going to pack up my livingroom and figure out where to stash the couch and how in the heck am I going to move around the electronics. I am afraid of electronic things that have cords coming out the back of them.  Not computers- but things like TVs, receivers and crap like that.  DON'T JUDGE ME!!!!  I just want someone to do it for me.....  ugh

So, yeah, I am standing on the edge of a sort of steep hill and I see some real cool stuff down at the bottom, but feel just a little hesitant to begin down that slope.  I know that about half way through it I will feel just a little out of control and a bit dizzy, and possibly a little crabby......  But the sun will shine through!

I find morning to be a hard time of the day, but my favorite time of the day.  I like the peace of a day not yet begun, but I am frequently plagued with worry and self-doubt.  Fill up that coffee cup again, Miss Debi!

This morning I opened my emails to find some of my favorite things- including a new post from a favorite blog of mine- The Smitten Kitchen- for buttermilk biscuits.  Not that I really am craving biscuits, but the pictures brought back a lot of memories. I have that same exact bowl, that was my moms, in my cupboard.  I love that blog, she is funny and a great cook!  I also got an update from Pinterest - "weekend inspiration"- which is something I really need,  but not from Pinterest really, and a few other odds and ends including yet another recipe post for chickpeas....  If I have time, I might try it out.

I have things that I want to blog about, but I am having a hard time right now finding the time.  I just began an art education Facebook page- Mrs. Oswald's art education page- for myself and my students and anyone else who wants to check it out.  It is a bit of art history and other interesting things I can't always cover in art class.  I need a week to work out all the technology based things that I have in the works.  And there are a ton of them.

Anyway, now you see why I feel I am on a precipice!  It may not be quite the same as the looming tax deadlines of the MA, but it feels the same to me.  I have so many personal interactions to have and monitor every day, that I feel like I have almost exhausted my own personal supply of words.....

So in spite of the snow, I am going to strike out to Rhinelander soon, and begin the task of tearing down my house to be able to have it built up again.  And away we go!

Until next time, be a joy giver and don't be too hesitant to start that journey!  :)