Month: June 2016

Waiting..

.for my BFF Kate to cut through traffic and actually make it down here.

I feel bad for her, as anyone coming down here on the 4th of July weekend, well, let’s just say that I am really glad I live here.I know the actual fourth will have me holed up with the girls with the television on high and the air blasting so they don’t hear the fireworks.

I really am looking forward to Kate coming down, as it has been a year since we hung out and relaxed.

Here’s hoping things pick up!

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Ugh!

It’s kind of a rule of thumb that if we get up through the night, we let the dogs out to….uh, water the flowers. Usually it’s not an issue.

Until tonight, when Kasia came in smelling like Eau de Stink,er,Skunk.It’s easy to forget we don’t live in the city, and the smell of skunk , uh, rubs it in, if you forgive the pun.

Mom always said I’d have one just like me.Thanks,Mom.

Independence Day Redux….


I loved Bill Pullman as President Whitmore on “Independence Day.”I really enjoyed the movie when I saw it the first time, and every time after .

I was really wanting to see the sequel, but read this past weekend that it wasn’t too good. I wish sometimes that reviews would be held back so the viewer can make up their own mind. Granted Pullman is older,as is Jeff Goldblum, and Will Smith isn’t in it at all. I just wish they’d let the viewer decide.

No Clue

I was looking on the Church paper and saw the Mass times for today and noted the changes for next week, Fourth of July.

Fourth of July?

How did that sneak in there? It means I have to go and blare the television and put the air conditioning on so the girls can make it through the fireworks.

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I guess it’s a good thing, as it usually means that summer is at the half way mark. Great: all I have to worry about is it time for a hurricane and when do the crayons go on sale…Ha-ha!

Here a Downed Tree, There a Downed Tree….

…and you know the rest.

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Power is back, and things are somewhat normal, but walking the girls through the area, I am saddened to see the amount of downed trees that have been so quickly sawed down and piled up to be carted away, if they aren’t already.

In a post from a while ago, I lamented the sale of a local piece of vacant ground that now has a house on it.I said in that post, they aren’t making virgin ground any more.It seems when I see the piles of wood stacked up, that I can see what is coming down the pike.

**Sigh**

I’m back…

As of 3:30PM yesterday the power came back thanks to hunks and non-hunks like this…

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By the way, I have to give my former Ferry buddy and neighbor, Linda, credit for snapping this shot!

The food had to get ditched but that was a small price to pay, and the fact that today was trash day was good.Now we are raking downed leaves and branches and waiting for the township to come by and pick them up.

I guess this OFFICIALLY marks the beginning of the summer season. If that is the case, September can’t come quick enough for me!

Lions and Tigers and Bears….

Allegedly two tornadoes were in the vicinity yesterday. It sure felt that way and the power is still off!


I have been cooking off food this morning to save it: if it works I’ll let you know.Windows open and we are happy at any breeze going our way.

Now if we could only get the power that’s been off since 3:30 yesterday, the girls and I will be happy.

Just Rough

It has been a hard weekend for me.

I miss school already: wondering WHY my school teacher buddies didn’t give me a heads up on this? In the meanwhile,I’ve decided to get my coughing to Olympic caliber and my sinuses are following the route.

Tomorrow is Father’s Day.My Dad passed away on August 24,1998.

What can I say? At 56 I shouldn’t feel quite so bad but I do.Hopefully, I will shake it off with the girls.They have been quite generous with their love this afternoon, and I am so blessed. Tomorrow will be a little better of a day.

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Angst

The children who don’t want to be in first grade are acting up.

The angst they feel is only the beginning,for they have the rest of their lives ahead of them.


Some aides are rough and I am sure they won’t be missed.Hopefully I will be one that’s missed.

My Student, My Friend

My one student who I had been helping out a lot had lunch with us today. The lunch aides were out since it is the last week of school. As a result, the class and teachers all ate together in the classroom.

So my buddy opens his lunch kit and I pull my lunch out of my bag. I pull out my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I had some cheese balls to snack on the side. My student had Capri sun and the same exact lunch!


His twin brother had the same lunch and wanted me to take a picture of HIS lunch. I teased him,as he had cheese popcorn, not cheese balls like his brother and I did. I relented and took this shot.

I’ll miss my guys.

Last Week/First Week

It’s the last week of school and such a bittersweet time for me. On Friday, I found out one of my associates is getting transferred to another school where her student will be in first grade.

Where we work is a great spot, and my co-worker is justifiably sad.People are actually caring of others where I work. There is none of the politicking that happens at other places. I just hope they kind of over-look me and leave me where I am.

Friday is my day off.

Saturday my vacation commences with my mother-in-law, who is 97, coming to stay with us for a week here.Hopefully everything will begged and she will enjoy staying with us.

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Below is a shot of Jim and my mother-in-law from 7 years ago on her visit down here.

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Home and schoolwork continue, as does life.

A cold front blew through yesterday and I swear folks thought it was a Twister remake.


I took advantage of the temperature drop to put a Purdue oven stuffer in the oven. Even with windows open to clear out the house, the bird made it smell like home,and as long as Zush is happy smelling it: all is right with the world.

Graduation Day


Classroom is getting bare and my heart sinks a bit.

The move up day for the kindergarten class is today and I ,well,as much as I am looking forward to it, it’ll be bittersweet for all of the staff.The teacher is making up sandcastle buckets filled with trinkets for their memories. I have cards for the boys but am waiting until the last day of school.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I know I’ll be teary-eyed, but will always hold this very special class of boys in my prayers and my heart.

Missing Kiddos

So today, in the classic tradition of Philadelphia, that is, voting early and often, I am working the polls to the primary election.

My butt is dragging since I had to be here at 5:15am, after getting up at 4am to take care of the girls.So far I’ve had two cups of coffee and I am still in a fog.Now, we are onto recipe discussion, getting deep in discussion with a 91 year old,75 year old and 68 year old…see a trend there?


I miss being with my school kids. Tomorrow is their big day for their kindergarten concert.Fortunately, I’ll be back with them for it. 

Time stops for no one.

Trauma age 5

My boys had their trip to their new school today.

One wants to stay at Memorial for kindergarten , there were four who were curious, and one who was miserable.


Just for giggles, they had a bubble machine during the picnic. Didnt make the transition any easier.

All I want to do is keep the prayers coming for their happiness .Below is their new cafeteria.

Breck Girl

For those who remember the 70’s, you remember the Breck Girl who graced many a back cover of Glamour or Seventeen magazine.


Here is’s Zushie girl’s before shot.


Granted, this is not a full body shot, but here she is post-shampoo and Furminator treatment. They blew that winter coat out , got some dirt off the fur, and now she looks and feels like a million!


Love her and the sister to death💚💚🐶#MYBFFS

Joys of June

Cleaning out pre-school books, playing bingo with Marian the magnificent, as we had no cage for balls and I had to come up with numbers out of my head.The boys enjoyed it, especially that we used goldfish crackers for markers

Even with their educational problems,I have hope for their future with 10 days and counting. I know they’ll be leaving with my prayers .

I only hope that they’ll remember me fondly.

Is it Spring or Summer?

We have had some humidity here for a few days, then, out of nowhere, cooling breezes come out of nowhere.

I have to make sure that the flowers I have planted have water, on occasions that we might actually get to go out on a non-rainy weekend day. For instance, Zush has an appointment at Pet Smart tomorrow for grooming.When the days were so humid, it was a sin for her, as I had not had her coat blown out yet and I KNOW she was uncomfortable.Tomorrow we will remedy it.

They claim one of the weekend days here will be wet: which one is anyone’s guess.

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Decades

I am watching the Decades channel.

It is a “free” station, and it is pretty good,from a historical student such as me.For instance, right now, they are showing a Dick Cavett interview from the seventies with Brian De Palma and Martin Scorcese.To have to award-winning directors on one show with a quick-witted guy has been a highlight for my day.

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It strikes me as incredible, once again, for all the money that we spend on Comcast, I find some marvelous programming on the “free”channels.

Go figure.