Month: April 2016

The View from the Window


After spending the morning at Urgent Care for a bad sinus infection and pink eye, aka conjunctivitis, gratis of my kindergarten pals, I find myself again sitting looking out the window.

I am losing my pleasure at it.

The girls aren’t having much fun either.

Jim is out celebrating our friend’s 70th birthday on a boat ride in Delaware Bay followed by a dinner. I am feasting on chicken broth and boiled chicken.Hmmm…what’s wrong with this picture?

When I am well enough to return to work, even though I have stock in hand sanitizer, suffice it to say, I am going to be really careful!

Now if only the students will work with my plan.

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A Z pack later

For the first time since the end of February, I am home sick. Really sick.

I don’t know how this got to this point but I am glad I got the antibiotic and this morning I cooked up a pot of chicken soup for me so I have been nibbling on salty pretzel nuggets, Ritz crackers and chicken broth. Appetite isn’t really the issue.I am just sore as all hell from all this hacking.

One really weird thing was calling out sick.I actually miss the kids, knowing that they are probably responsible for my illness..lol.I have come to understand the affection behind working with children. Hey, I remember some of the good teachers and nuns I have had.At the age of 46, I finally get it.

It is easy, too, because, I love my fur girls and the love there is unconditional.Granted the children affection isn’t unconditional, but the interaction is so nice.

Doctor’s order’s has me lying low over this weekend, so I hopefully will be back with the kiddos on Monday.

The Cheese stands Alone

We were without the lead teacher today,due to illness. Correspondingly, it made for two of us to lead the class.

Between students having a rough time, and all who came into our room as we were honking, sneezing and coughing in unison, I think the department oh health was soon to follow.

So after a  7 day battle I have thrown in the towel.The md has put me on a Z pick, so I am sure the weekend will be questionable, but if good health returns, it’ll be worth it 

To all those who have come before me…

..such as my cousin Bernadette, the grade school nuns. high school teachers,college professors and friends such as Jane Sennett Wilson, Debbie Zinnar, Greg Miziorko and Gen Dagney…did you all take an oath not to let the new people in regarding student borne illnesses? Do you have to do the job for 25 years before they tell you? Oh sure, take tea, honey, brandy, vodka, Tamaflu, Tylenol PM…..hahaha.

At last count, thanks to my buddy, Kate, I have a bad virus, that tends to linger, based on being in the classroom with little guys with habitually runny noses.Thanks to a spill in the neighborhood the other night with Kasia and another pup, I feel as though I got hit by a bus.
But there is something about forcing fluids and Mucinex and yet,with thanks to Lord Tennyson, when I go in the morning, feeling as though I am indeed, leading the charge of 600, I can only wonder how long this viral issue will keep going around in circles.

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EarthDay

E dTyyI am sitting in a gym class where the teacher based all the events on recycled thing, i.e,empty laundry bottles,water weights..quite clever.

I stop and think of what my and previous generations have done, but it’s great that folks have brought it to the forefront. My complaint? It should be every day! 

 

Bedtime

Well, it’s 8:01pm, and I figure I need to shower and go to bed soon.

Yes you read right:bed.

I have a full school day tomorrow, mixed in with the fur girls, and then the long ride to see “Eat your Science”, starring Alton Brown.

Actually, I fibbed,as I am doing a small load of wash before bed. I have decided that I am going to try to get some rest this weekend.

What is it they say about the road to hell with good intentions? Lol

  

Pain

There is nothing like pain to really make you wonder about life.

How can you feel better? What should you do? How can you get friends and loved ones to realize that you are not bitchy, but you are in legitimate pain.

You are in a new town, well, relatively new, and you are waiting on test results.Call up your local physician who entered the referral for the test and says, ” Uh, take alive until we get the results.”

Uh, sure.

I have never used ice like I am now.If only my mind and body can just get together and decide to be at peace.I am praying every day, and trying to wait things out.

We’ll see…..

Dear King of Cutthroat Kitchen Alton Brown

Yes, It’s me,your Twitter friend “Zushies Mom”

Thought I’d drop you a line to let you know I am going to see you in Atlantic City Friday Night at the Caesar’s Theater.There’s only one issue.

I’ll be sitting in the center section up a bit in row X.seat 524. Where I come from, I believe they would call it a ” nosebleed” seat.

In honor of the late CTK show, I’ll be wearing my blue, albeit sea glass, ball earrings along with my outfit. I just wanted you to know I’d be cheering the loudest I can down from the top of the bleachers.

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Spring is Here.

..or so Jim has announced.Today he announced that tonight was the last 30-ish degree night and,our heating bill is supposed to get a respite.

I don’t know about that though. I am sitting here at the computer in my winter bathrobe snuggled up,and thinking maybe, hot tea is the way to go tonight.

Sure, pollen is all around,forsythia is blooming along with the trees, but, hey.Give me a good 50 degree day any day of the week.

Here’s hoping your week gets better!

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8:10 PM

… And I have the voice TV show on and yet I’m ready to go to bed.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I hadn’t worked five straight days in a row, or should I say ten.Well, I think I’ll watch a wee bit more and then go take a hot shower and try to rest.

Tomorrow is an assembly, and I’m 44 years away from my last one. Sitting in a little chair that long is somewhat intimidating.

  

Pasta and Beans Pasta e Fagioli

My “sister’, Georgine, had her birthday lunch yesterday.Every year I have asked her what she wanted and she would tell me the story. When her Mom was in the nursing home, they would go our once in a while to Olive Garden, where they would order Pasta e Fagioi, a glass of wine and a salad.

So to honor my sister’s request, I cook up a pot of pasta and beans and they are actually very good.

Here’s the recipe:

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 slices pancetta, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary left in tact
1 4′-6′ sprig thyme with several sprigs left on it
1 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 small carrot chopped
1 rib celery finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
coarse salt and pepper
2 (15 oz) cannellini beans
1 can tomato sauce or can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 quart chicken stock
grated Parmigano/reggiano cheese for the table.
Crust Italian bread for mopping

put oil in the pan and heat it. Add diced pancetta to brown it,and add herbs and stems and chopped veggies-throughly season them, Add beans,tomato sauce,water and stock to pot..Bring soup to rapid boil. At that time I add ditalini pasta.Reduce heat and put to simmer, stirring 6-8 minutes,

Feed four generously,,,,we had a little left over for lunch.

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Honest, the leftover container doesn’t do it justice….it is good on a chilly day!

Pretty Sad

We are sitting around since it is stormy with wind and rain, and watching Moneyball. It is the movies about baseball starring Brad Pitt.

As we live in an area with no baseball, and we are still in mourning for the Philadelphia Phillies who died a few seasons ago, we found ourselves watching this poor replacement for a baseball game.

It doesn’t make things really light here.My mood is matching the weather, and I just can’t seem to shake how tired I feel.I haven’t had the girls out today but once due to the rain.Maybe it’s because I gave my fitbit off.

I sure hope better days are coming.

Springtime in the classroom

  
What they say about children keeping you young is true-especially if you are young.

Now, me, someone old enough to be their grandparent, well.. I don’t know if they keep me young, but they do keep me moving. This is a good thing until I stop, when the pains reappear.Then I wonder…

Today in class the children painted their flowerpots. They will be planting things in them on Friday. I really have enjoyed having continuous time with the children: I think it is safe to say we have become attached to each other.

It’s a good thing!

You can’t go home again

1. My childhood home is knocked down due to it and the rest of the row sinking.

2.My neighborhood where I grew up? Pretty stable but the former Knights of Columbus building is now a nail salon.

3. I still know where to get the best hoagie-T and F on Ridge Avenue.

4.I just want to be at my home in another state.The girls like visiting but are ready to go home.

  
5.Going home makes me appreciate our home. I don’t make a post with errors while riding in the car ….

  

April Fools Day

It makes me really miss my Mom, as no matter how old I got, she always tried to celebrate April Fools Day with a little prank.

For instance, when I was in grammar school, I’d come down the steps wearing my school uniform, and walk into the kitchen where she was making breakfast.We would start talking and she’d say, in the course of conversation, “Get upstairs and change-what is that on your uniform?” Oh my God? A stained, ripped or torn uniform or uniform blouse? I’d yell where and she’d go to show me…followed by”April Fool!”

I miss those days and Mom.

Hey Mom? “What’s that on your halo?”.. Lol..I love you and miss you every day, and that’s no April Fool!