Six Languages

That's how many languages are spoken in my class this year so far. Let's see if I can remember them all: Enlgish, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, MaiMai, and Navajo. I have a couple of Spanish speakers who are new to the country. And the two who speak MaiMai are refugees. Other than that they do a pretty good job with English. Although there's always a disparity between their social language skills and their academic skills. All in all it's been a good start to the year. I'm looking forward to getting to know them all.

On Your Mark, Get Set........

My classroom is all set up, copies are all made and paperclipped together. Now all I need are the kids. Tomorrow I start my 33rd year as a teacher. Granted, there were a few years there in the middle when I wasn't in a classroom, but most years I've taught something to somebody! You know, after that many years I don't even get butterflies anymore. I kinda miss them, so...

What Do You Think?

Today was the beginning of the new school year. Our principal challenged us to join her in making the commitment to a complaint free world. We're reading this book: And we're wearing purple wristbands which we have to move from one wrist to the other if we complain, gossip, or whine. The idea is to go 21 days without complaint. It takes the average person, they say, about 6 months to accomplish this, as you must start over each time you make an error. I'm giving it a try, even though I don't wear the band on my wrist. I just can't get used to the feel of a bracelet. (We even discussed whether that, in itself, was a complaint. Anyway, it will be interesting to see if a bunch of teachers can do this. Wish us luck.

Still Using 'Em

In an attempt to break our own world record, we went to the store yesterday and spent $411.83 on groceries in one go. The sad part is that they all fit in one cart. Well, not really. I did need another cart for the dog food. The good news is that they all fit in the reusable bags we've been taking to the store since last Earth Day. That's when my cousin sent me a shopping bag with our family name on it (big white bag in photo) on the very same day I got online to buy a set of reusable bags (the cute blue ones with the earth on them). I took it as a sign. We've added various additional bags like the two we bought up in Logan that are insulated (Smith's Marketplace $1.99 each!), when we needed to carry some cheese home from the cheese factory. It's quite a mix of types and sizes now and the store folks always comment on it. But they've been universally supportive of the effort even though it takes them more time to pack the groceries. Hooray for the little things we can do to make a difference.

Abundance

Anybody Want Some???

While we don't have this many, we have way too many summer and zucchini squash. Those tiny plants I started from seeds in March were just so cute I couldn't resist planting them all. Now I have so many squash we can't possibly eat them all. I've given all I can to neighbors and friends. At least school starts next week and the excess will disappear like snow in July if I leave it out in the faculty room.

My favorite new thing from the garden - cucumbers! I've never planted them before. The two little plants I put in the ground have produced several large cucumbers which I've pickled immediately and we've eaten already. I expected we'd can some, but probably not. The refrigerator pickles are easy and good, so who cares!

So far we've had a handful of lovely baby potatoes, two or three batches of green beans, many many squash, the cucumbers, and a few tomatoes. We have yet to see any eggplant or corn, though there are some coming on. And the tomatoes just aren't doing as well this year as they did last. By this time last year we had harvested at least 100 tomatoes. We had about 400 total last year. (Yes, Mike counts them.) Well, I hope we have a late frost. Maybe we can catch up.

HA! I beat my cousins!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTINE!

You were the apple of your mom's eye and a gift to the whole family when you were born. We had all been waiting for years to hold another baby. Here's a few photos I found in my albums to commemorate the great event. I wish they were baby pictures, but I'm betting your sisters will have some of those posted before very long. Here are some of the memories I have of you and your family over the years. The last three were taken when you were just a baby (that's you who's getting a drink from your mom) taken at Norma's house. I think it was Easter. Have a wonderful day, cousin!

Done

The colonoscopy went fine. I am all screened and done for the next ten years. I'd post the lovely photos I got as a parting gift, but you really don't want to see them. Cheers!

Stuff You Gotta Do

When you turn 50 your doctor will start pestering you to have a screening colonoscopy. If you're sneaky you can put it off until you're 53. Well, it's been "time" for three years now, so tomorrow I get to go in. I'll let you know if I survive. In preparation for the procedure I had to go off some old familiar medications and use a different one instead. It's injected. And I have to inject it. It has given me a whole new appreciation for the millions of other people in this world that have to inject themselves daily for diabetes and other problems. My tummy is sore from the shots, and I'm trying not to whine. I'll stop the shots on Friday. It makes you appreciate the stuff you don't have to do on a regular basis.

Hummmmmmmmming birds

I think it's lovely that hummingbirds visit in the summer when I have time to enjoy them.