Petrified ForestNP/Painted Desert 04/12/08

This morning we drove to the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert and did some hiking. Probably throughout the whole day we only did 6 miles but it is a good warm up for when we do the Grand Canyon hikes. It felt so good to be hiking instead of riding in the car today. Since the weather was much warmer than previous days, I didn’t even need a jacket while we were hiking. We hiked to the Agate House, Long Log Trail, Jasper Forest, Crystal Forest , Agate Bridge, Blue Mesa, and Puerco Pueblo, just to mention a few hikes. We left there and then headed toward Flagstaff for the night. After talking to some friends on Twitter, someone suggested that we stop in Winslow and see the historic La Posada Hotel, which we did. Then we finally made it to Flagstaff. We got a motel on Rt. 66 again in another vintage motel (a step up from yesterday’s vintage motel). I’m just wondering if we look so old and in need of protection because at every motel we stayed at, they have given us the room closest to the office where it is “safe." After a quick trip to Wal Mart to get a tripod for my camera (I brought a tripod but forgot the thing that attaches the camera to the tripod!) and some diet pepsi for me, we ate dinner at McDonalds.

This is a petrified log.

Here I am standing beside a petrified tree roots.

These were petroglyphs seen at the Puerco Pueblo.

Here is the trail in the Blue Mesa.

3 States in 1 Day

Today, we started out in Amarillo, TX drove straight across New Mexico and ended up in Holbrook, AZ. The scenery was awesome along the road because it looked like we could see for miles. We also started out in the Central Time Zone, crossed over the Mountain Time Zone, and ended up in Arizona, were the time doesn’t change, so they were same as the Pacific Time Zone. That in itself was confusing to me and I felt like I asked for the time everywhere we went.

Early in the morning, as we left Amarillo, we stopped at the “Cadillac Ranch.” This millionaire planted 10 classic Cadillacs in the middle of this huge field. We didn’t stop in Albuquerque other than to get gas. When we arrived in Arizona, we headed to the Petrified Forest National Park. We did a whirlwind drive through the park and decided we wanted to spend the night somewhere and return tomorrow to do some hiking. The park is also in the Painted Desert which extends to the Grand Canyon so the scenery was breathtaking. I probably took over 100 photos! Hubby decided we would stay in a “vintage” motel (which I considered “run down”) but he was happy because it only cost $29! Of course I didn’t complain when the bathroom was clean, water was hot, and there was even strong water pressure in the shower. I can’t wait to do some hiking tomorrow!

Here are some photos from today:

On the Road 4/9-11/2008

Yes, we are still on the road and will be for around 2 months. We left on Wednesday morning and spent the night in Russellville, Arkansas. After hearing that we were under tornado warnings, I was a little apprehensive and wondered if I would wake up in the morning "not in Kansas anymore, Toto." The loud booming thunder kept setting off car alarms in the parking lot which meant I had to keep getting up to check that it wasn't our car. So I didn't get a lot of sleep that first night. Then last night we stayed in Amarillo, Texas. The crosswinds were really awful and made it hard to drive. My hubby's hands are sore from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. The scenery has been awesome though as we travel along I-40 and Route 66.

Blog prompt: Let's end the week with some fun. Post a joke, a funny story, a video...whatever makes you laugh.

This morning we passed the Cadillac Ranch. I made hubby turn around (he hates u-turns) so I could take photos of this for a scrapbook page in the future. There were 10 classic cadillacs buried nose deep in a field. It actually looked pretty neat and it made me laugh. I can't wait to show y'all!

Advertising

Blog prompt: How do you feel about advertising? Favorite ads? Ads you can't stand?

I saw an ad yesterday that should have been shown during the Super Bowl. It was the AFLAC commercial with the duck driving a race car. It was really cute. (no animals were harmed during the filming of this! lol)

The one that really bugs me is a radio commercial for Little Cricket (a convenience store like 7-11) where they people call each other dummy. I guess it is the teacher in me that comes out but I hate when someone calls someone else a dummy and it really irritates me to listen to this ad. In fact, I usually change the station when it comes on.

photo credit: Aflac! by antifuse

Spring

Blog prompt: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word 'spring'?

I think of flowers. I love to see flowers that are beginning to bloom or are blooming. The bright colors just make me happy! We are heading out west for a 2 month trip today and I'm leaving my yard which is just beginning to bloom. My red and yellow tulips are blooming and look bright and cheerful in my front flower bed. Along the side of my yard, the red tips are covered in blooming wisteria. Along the driveway, my azaleas are beginning to bloom in rich hues of pink. The previous owners mixed azaleas that bloom at different times so my driveway looks beautiful for a long time as the azaleas seem to be in constant bloom.

I remember going to Big Bend National Park in Texas during April one year and the cactus were all in bloom. I'm hoping as we head west that we will get to see these blooms again. It is always amazing to me that these cactus with sharp needles can have such beautiful blooms. I guess it is kind of like life: times can be sharp and painful but usually there is a beautiful bloom that arrives if we are patient.

Here are some pictures of our car packed for our trip. Everything we need for the next 2 months are with us.

To Be Young Again

Blog Prompt: Today is Ponce de Leon day. He discovered Florida and searched for the fountain of youth. Do you wish to be younger again?

Absolutely not! I love being my age and I worked hard to get where I am and I love my life as it is. Growing up was hard for me and not my happiest times. Even that is hard to say because I was loved by my parents and sisters and extremely spoiled but I didn't feel happy as a teenager. Of course, being a high school teacher, I realize that teenagers weren't meant to be happy and put on this earth to be in eternal angst so that they could appreciate happiness when they became an adult. I think I'm that person. I love all the experiences that have brought me to this point in my life where I have better judgement in choosing friends and making better decisions.

No Housework Day

Blog prompt: Someone has named today 'No Housework Day'. What your least favorite housework chore? How about the most favorite (or least dreaded)?

I hate, no despise, no abhor cleaning bathrooms! I had to do that when I was a little girl and I still hate doing it. We had a maid come clean the house every other week until we retired and then I couldn't justify paying someone to do what I had the time to do so now I have to do it. I have made a schedule of chores that I need to do and picked a certain day to do each one so I'm not trying to do it all in one day. This helps keep me from being totally miserable.

My least dreaded thing to do is to wash dishes. I don't have a dishwasher (I hate them!) and since there is just the two of us, we don't usually have enough dishes to fill a dishwasher. I like to listen to my Ipod while I'm doing dishes so I don't notice the time go by. For some reason, having dishes go from dirty to clean is instant gratification for me and it makes me feel like I accomplished something.

photo credit: Washed Dishes by (SG)*489

I am Happy With...

Begin today's prompt with the phrase "I am happy with..." and then take it anywhere you'd like!

I am happy with my life! I have a wonderful husband and as long as he is with me, I'm happy! We live in a beautiful house (when we are home) in a safe friendly neighborhood. We were close friends with our next door neighbors before we moved in which made the transition into our small town much easier. My hubby and I love to travel which is what we are doing now that we are both retired. Since retirement, I have been involved in doing only activities that I enjoy doing (other than housework and paying bills) which makes life extremely stress free. I tend to go overboard and what to do too many things and luckily my hubby balances me out by bringing me into reality and cautioning me to think before I leap. We are both healthy and young enough to do all the traveling that we want to do and we are just beginning our adventures. Stay tuned for updates!

Blog Prompts 4/2 and 4/3

Wednesday blog prompt: Sometimes two great things get together and make something even better! Name some things that you think go great together.

1. Hubby and me
2. Hiking boots and backpack
3. Tent and campfire
4. Dresses and heels
5. Toyota Prius and GPS
6. Teachers and students
7. Me and computer
8. Friends and food
9. Diet pepsi and a bathroom nearby
10. Peanut butter and jelly


Thursday blog prompt: Is there someone famous and living today that you find particularly interesting?

This is so easy because yesterday I was fortunate to hear Henry Winkler give our keynote address at the CEC conference. Henry suffers from dyslexia but still graduated from Emerson College and got a graduate degree from Yale University. His speech was extremely motivating and inspiring. Since I am on the board of directors for CEC, we were able to meet with him before the general session for a small reception. I was awestruck and when I went up to introduce myself, I got tongue tied and he immediately hugged me! He met and talked with everyone in the room without acting like it was an imposition. When asked if he would take a picture with the whole board, he readily agreed. In fact, he took control and positioned all of the board members in the right spots, and took a picture with half the board and then the other.

During the keynote address, he even read from book 2 of his Hank Zipzer books. He talked about his school life with his dyslexia and how family and educators dealt with him. It is amazing that he never gave up. He states that he has no idea how he coped and when asked what his “strategy” was, he said he had no strategy except the will to get out of school. He compares himself to a punching bag with sand in the bottom that when punched, it pops back up.

After the general session, there was a president’s reception. Every year the keynote speaker is invited, but they never come to this. Henry Winkler did and talked to everyone as well as voluntarily took a gazillion more pictures. He mingled with everyone there and did not even have an entourage with him. He acted like an everyday person and treated teachers as if we were something he was impressed with meeting. He is the kind of celebrity that didn’t push his celebrity status in your face and seemed truly sincere when talking to you.

Boston 04/03/08

I spent most of the day in a CEC board meeting but the fun happened late in the afternoon. Our keynote speaker was Henry Winkler (The Fonz) who talked about his dyslexia and even read a chapter from one of the books he wrote. He was so personable and accommodating while he took a gazillion pictures. He didn't arrive with an entourage and acted like an every day person. After the keynote address, there was a president's reception and he even showed up there (which was unusual because usually the keynote speaker never shows up to this) and mingled with everyone. Again there was no huge entourage and he took a gazillion more pictures. I can't say enough good things about him and wrote about his address in my Successful Teaching blog. Please drop by and read about his wonderful comments.

Meanwhile, my hubby spent the day sightseeing. He went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Beacon Hill. There was an explosion at 1 Beacon Hill and he even got photos of the commotion before any news cameras got there. According to the news, there was an electrical fire that caused an explosion and 2 people were injured. They showed one man with half his suit burned right off of him.

Boston 4/1/08

We bought a day pass for the subway and ventured out on our own. First we headed to Fenway Park and had a tour of the park. It was pretty interesting as we watched them getting ready for opening day next week. We saw places that normally we wouldn’t get into if we were there for a game. I was surprised how small the stadium really was.

After that tour, we went to Chinatown and had lunch. I love getting the Hong Kong Noodle Soup for lunch especially since I was having sinus/teeth problems. I spent the day popping aspirins because every time we went on the subway, the pressure must have messed with my sinuses which pressed on my teeth and caused me excruciating pain.

After lunch we went to the Samuel Adams brewery for a free tour. It was pretty neat and well worth the admission price.

After that tour, we walked on the Freedom Trail for a couple of hours before returning back to our hotel. We went to Whiskey’s Steakhouse and Saloon again for some beers and 10 cent wings.

Boston 3/31/08

We went on a tour with Old Town Trolley which took us all around Boston for about 2 hours. We saw Faneuil Hall, Bunker Hill, Fenway Park, site of the Boston Tea Party, site of the Boston Massacre, Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, Chinatown, the Boston Children’s Museum, the Mapparium, Paul Revere’s house, the Old North Church, Trinity Hall, Symphony Hall, and Cheers.

We stopped in Durgin Park in Quincy Market for lunch. My hubby had clam chowder and baked beans. I had knockwurst, fries, and beans. It was pretty cold and we even saw snowflakes in the air.

For dinner, we met friends who picked us up at our hotel and drove us to the Legal Seafood restaurant in Brookline. I haven’t seen Tom in years and got to meet his new wife, Mary Jane. It was wonderful to visit with them and then they drove us back to our hotel.

We ended up walking to Whiskey’s Steakhouse and Saloon for a few beers before bed.

On the Road to Boston

We left Long Island at 8:30 and headed to the outlet malls in Connecticut. There were hardly any cars on the road so we got there in under 2 ½ hours. Even though the speed limit was 55, the other cars were flying past me and I felt like I was standing still. Then we found some antique stores along the way and stopped there. Don found postcards and “stuff” to buy so he was happy. We arrived at our hotel (Sheraton) around 4pm. Then we walked around the hotel trying to get our bearings. There is a walk way to shops and restaurants which is pretty cool. We finally found the food court (and Ben and Jerry’s) just as it closed. PF Changs had an hour wait so we moved on. We ended up eating at a place called Whiskey’s Steakhouse and Saloon and my food was pretty good. I had Bourbon St. Pasta which was so spicy my mouth is still burning but it was really tasty and good.

photo credit: Driving into the New Year by Ben McLeod

Long Island 03/28-28/08

We drove out to Montauk Point along Sunrise Hwy. It is amazing how different this is from the city. There were lots of wooded areas and state parks. At the end was a lighthouse but since it started to rain, we didn’t stay there long. We went back into town and had lunch. We drove back along Montauk Hwy and stopped in little towns along the way. The houses in Southhampton Beach were enormous and looked very expensive. Don said that I could get one of them only if I won the lottery (drool!) but of course I will need a live in personal assistant to help me. We also stopped in an antique store in one town and Don found lots of postcards to buy so he was happy! We got back in time for pizza and watching the NCAA tournament on TV.

On Saturday, Deanna and I brought back bagels and knishes for breakfast. We just spent the morning visiting and catching up on all the stuff that has been happening. The kids played basketball outside and didn't seem to feel as cold as I was feeling, but I guess they are used to it. After lunch (more pizza!), Mike gave us a tour of Oakdale and Sayville. Then we got back in time to eat more junk food before going out to dinner. Fourteen of us met at the Fortune Wheel for a huge Chinese dinner. Some of the dishes we had were Peking Pork Chops, lo mein, shrimp fried rice, crispy chicken, braised chicken, a Chinese vegetable that is like young broccoli, salad of seaweed and kale, and steak. No one left hungry.

Then we came back to Deanna’s house so we could pack up and get ready to leave for Boston in the morning. Everyone came back for dessert and we had a great time visiting and taking lots of pictures!

My Favorite Hobbies

I like to do many different things but the following are my favorites:

1. Traveling - I love to go to new places, try new foods, and see new things
2. My computer - I blog, twitter, do email, chat, and keep in touch with friends.
3. Reading - I read when I'm eating or just sitting. I have a hard time just sitting and doing nothing.
4. Crocheting - this relaxes me. I also can have a conversation with my hubby when he is driving while I'm doing this or I can listen to podcasts at the same time.
5. Hiking - This makes me appreciate the world around me.

The fun part is that I can do 2-5 when I am traveling so I can do more than one hobby at a time!

Brooklyn 03/27/08

Today we drove to Brooklyn to see Shea Stadium and see the new stadium being built. After that and many u-turns, going around in circles, we went to Flushing Corona Park which is home to the Unisphere. This was the huge world sculpture I remember from the 1964 World’s Fair. There was another huge rusting structure that looked like it was a viewing platform but I’m not sure. The Unisphere looked in great condition and I could imagine the park full of people, vendors, noise, and lights all around. Of course at the time I was only 5 years old so I’m not sure how much is memory and how much is fantasy.

Next, we drove to Coney Island to see Astroland. I’m told that they will take the roller coaster down and I don’t know if the whole amusement park is closing or if they are just getting rid of the roller coaster. We ate hot dogs with sauerkraut at the Original Nathan’s and then we walked along the boardwalk on the beach as it began to rain.

We came back to Long Island before rush hour started and I drove to my old elementary school (Southwest Elementary) and my old junior high school (when I was there it was West Jr. High but now it is West Middle School).

I feel like we spent the whole day eating. We started out at Panera Bread, then in Flushing we stopped at Dunkin Donuts. When we got to Coney Island we ate Nathan’s hotdogs with sauerkraut. When we got back to Long Island we ate hamburger and fries at White Castle. A little while later we ended up at Friendly’s where we ate soup and salad followed by a Jim Dandy. A Jim Dandy is like a banana split but it has 5 scoops of ice cream, lots of toppings, whipped cream and walnuts. I will be as big as a house when we return home!

Favorite Music

I have weird taste in music because I like a lot of different kinds. I like some country music and I love John Denver songs. My prom date (many many years ago) even looked like John Denver and played a guitar. I like some classical music and used to play it in my class while the students were working. Reggae is fun too and especially makes me think of the cruises I have been on. I also like Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals. In the car I listen to oldies (60s and 70s) but I like 50s music too. When I play my accordion at the nursing homes I usually play 40s and 50s music. My favorite music basically depends on what mood I'm in at the time.

photo credit: music by [phil h]

New York City 3/25-26/08

Tuesday: We got on the LIRR at 4:30am to head in the city with Deanna and Mike. When we got to Penn Station we immediately hit the Dunkin Donuts place so we could have enough energy to roam around. We got on the subway and went to Times Square to look around. It is so exciting to see the crowds of people, all the tall buildings, and lights and billboards. We also went to the World Trade Center site because we go every time we are here to see what new stuff they have done. Every time we see it, it looks different. We walked around Wall Street and that area. Then we took the subway to Canal St. and walked to Chinatown. Around 4:30pm we headed back to Long Island. It was a fun day but boy, did my feet hurt.

Wednesday: We went into the city around 8:30am. Then we went to Times Square to walk around again. We stopped for lunch at Juniors which was jam packed. I even got a chocolate egg cream and it was so good. I wonder why they call it that when there isn’t any egg in it. I don’t care though, because it was just like I remembered it. We saw Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. At 2pm, we went to the Westside Theater (49th St. and 9th Ave.) to see an off-Broadway musical called “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” We both enjoyed it. When we left we caught the LIRR back to Long Island around 5:30.

My Favorite Food

My favorite food is pasta. I love penne pasta best but I would eat any kind of pasta. I love pasta with red meat sauce but would eat it alfredo style if I had too. I love pasta covered in cheese too. When I go to my favorite Italian restaurant, I get baked ziti which is full of cheese and meat sauce. If I didn't exercise I would be as fat as a pig (oh wait, I am already!). I could eat pasta every day and not get tired of it!

Photo credit: Cooking Lab: Italian - Penne con salsa Bolognese by panduh

Yeungling Brewery 03/24/08

We went to Pottsville, PA to the Yeungling Brewery for a free tour. It was really interesting. We walked up and down a lot of stairs and looked into the big barrels. After we left there, we headed out to Long Island. I took the wrong turn and went downtown Newark which was an adventure. We left Newark and went through the Holland Tunnel and ended up right in the middle of New York City. After crossing the Manhattan Bridge we finally made it into Long Island around 4:30. We visited with my sister before ending up at my niece's house.

100 Things I Love

(These are not in order of importance. They were noted as I thought of them.)

My family (24 people including parents, sisters, in laws, nieces and their families, and nephew)
25. Hiking
26. Computer
27. Reading
28. Crocheting
29. Driving and exploring the US
30. Going on cruises
31. Digital Scrapbooking
32. My accordion
33. Meeting new people
34. Black licorice
35. Hershey’s kisses
36. Steak
37. Juicyfruit candy
38. Good and plenty candy
39. Retirement
40. Blogging
41. Teaching
42. Keeping in touch with former students
43. My Toyota Prius
44. Gardening
45. Backpacker magazine
46. Twitter
47. Shelfari.com to organize my books
48. Voicethreads
49. My Ipod
50. My cell phone
51. Helping others
52. Eating
53. Being able to see long distances (since my lasik surgery 8 years ago)
54. My microwave
55. Chai tea
56. Diet pepsi
57. Watching movies with happy endings
58. The Waltons on TV
59. Little House on the Prairie on TV
60. 7th Heaven on TV
61. NCIS on TV
62. CSI on TV
63. Numbers on TV
64. Criminal Minds on TV
65. My hot tub
66. My treadmill
67. My new hoodie sweatshirt that I wear all of the time
68. Blue jeans
69. Hiking boots
70. Hiking poles
71. Ramen noodles
72. My hiking club: Greenville Natural History Association
73. Council for Exceptional Children
74. Having a clean house (but I don’t like cleaning it!)
75. To laugh
76. Tours of businesses that make things
77. Utah because it is the most scenic state I’ve been to.
78. Kentucky – for its great hiking trails
79. Texas – friendliest people on the face of the earth
80. Alaska – remote and wild and exciting
81. Italy – love the food, the history, the food
82. Paris – music was everywhere, in the metro, on the streets
83. My long hair
84. My exercise watch that measures pulse and calories
85. My neighbors who are always there for us
86. The mountains
87. National parks
88. Friendly people
89. Keeping up with old college friends
90. Email
91. Ustream
92. Vitamins
93. Reading glasses – couldn’t read close up without them
94. Church
95. Pecan sandies – cookies
96. Chocolate chip cookies
97. Swiss miss hot chocolate with mini marshmallows
98. Froot Loops cereal
99. Drakes Coffee cake jrs. – mini coffee cakes
100. Watching the birds drink from my water garden

Photo credit: Love of Nature by glisglis

Trip to NY Sunday 3/23/08

We left home at 6:30am with the plan to end up in Lancaster, PA. On Monday morning we would go to some Amish stores, places and then end up at the outlet malls. When we arrived, we found out that the restaurant that we like to go to (Good and Plenty) was closed on Sundays. Then we decided that we would go to the restaurant Plain and Fancy but they wanted $20 per person for dinner and we weren't that hungry. So, we decided to look for a hotel and after stopping at a couple, we found out that much would be open in the area because it was still off-season and some places would be closed for Easter holiday. So, we decided to head toward Philadelphia. As we got closer to Philly, we thought about Monday morning traffic and the fact that we have been to Philly before and wanted to go somewhere different. Luckily my hubby remembered seeing on the internet or the travel channel that the Yeungling Brewery was somewhere in Pennsylvania. Since I now have Verizon broadband, I was able to look it up in the car and found out that it is is Pottsville, PA and gives free tours. So, we whipped the car around and headed to Pottsville. We found a cheap motel in Shartlesville which only cost $45 per night. Of course you get what you pay for. Luckily it was clean so I was happy. We decided no more motels for under $79! I had fun all day in the car on the computer because I was able to use twitter and keep in touch with my friends, keep my sister updated every time we crossed over a state line, and read blogs and emails. It was a wonderfully productive day, even if I was in the car!

Photo credit: car travel - 19 by isthatkid

My Dream House

Blog prompt: Dream House (blueprints and journaling about the house we’d love)

My house right now is pretty close to the dream house I would like with a few minor adjustments. I would have my side porch (see porch photo) screened in so we could sit in our rocking chairs and hubby wouldn't be eaten by mosquitos. Then I'd add a wrap around porch on the corner to hook it up the side porch with my back deck. I would also like rounded flower beds in my back yard (see yard photo) with garden paths that wander through the flower beds. All around would be bird houses, bird baths, and bird feeders too. I would have little cameras positioned so they focused on the bird houses, baths, and feeders so I could watch the birds on my computer and not scare them away. I would also have a huge greenhouse for my tropical plants and houseplants in the winter plus a place for me to grow seedlings. I would add a two story garage also where the upstairs would be a fully functional apartment so my hubby could play with his trains up there, and have a bathroom and kitchen if he needed it while he was there playing. When we got old, we could hire a housekeeper or college student to live there and take care of us and the house. I would have to win the lottery though if I wanted to make this dream house come true!

My Most Memorable Birthday

Blog prompt: Birthdays (shots from various birthdays and/or birthday memories)

I have to admit that I like my birthday. We don't do anything special to celebrate it because my hubby usually gets me anything I want when I want it so we don't wait for birthdays. I just like the thought that if I have a birthday, I am another year older and I'm still alive. I know that sounds crazy but I am so thankful that I am alive and here to enjoy each day. My mother and sister both died young and I've had many friends who have died so that I know how precious life is.

Now to tell you about my most memorable birthday:

We had only been married about 3 years and my birthday is in September. I was still in the romance stage where I thought my husband should remember my birthday and our anniversary (he still doesn't after 29 years!). September came and went and there was no mention of my birthday. I never mentioned it either but tucked those hurt feelings inside and nurtured them like a baby.

Then November came and we had a humbdinger of an argument. I don't know what it was about but I remember ending with something like "I know you don't love me, you don't care about it, you didn't even remember my birthday!" And then there was silence...and more silence....Then he asked, "When was your birthday?" I mentioned that it was 2 months ago and walked out of the room. Nothing else was said. I'm sure we made up but I thought that was the end of it.

I drove to school the next day in my little Triumph Spitfire convertible (I loved that little car!). I remember still feeling hurt as I taught all day and telling a friend about our argument. When I left school that afternoon and approached my car, it was filled with so many helium balloons that I couldn't even get in the car. After finally getting the balloons out, I noticed little wrapped boxes all over the seat and floor. When I opened the boxes, there were beautiful pieces of jewelry in each one. I finally found a card that said Happy Late Birthday from my hubby.

It was so sweet that I could have cried. I know that was the last and only time he has forgotten my birthday. Of course my daughter calls him every day a week before my birthday now to remind him (lol). I did better with gifts when he forgot than when he remembers!

Photo credit: Birthday cake in Hamburg by robokow

Books

Blog prompt: Books (crammed bookshelves and favorite authors)

I am trying to keep a record of what I read and what I plan to read on Shelfari. I like Shelfari because when I decide to look for a book to read at the library, I can go right to this website if I'm at the library to look up a title and author. I go through phases when I read books. I grew up on harlequin romances (my mom read them) so of course they are entertaining to me. I like Nora Roberts books and Debbie MacComber lately. Of course when I need a break I like mysteries like the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I also like James Patterson's Alex Cross mysteries. In between all the fiction, I am in the process of reading The World is Flat by Tom Friedman which is phenomenal. This book analyzes the progress of globalization with an emphasis on the early 21st century and I didn't think I would like it (thought it would be dry) but I find it very interesting. There are so many books at there that I want to read but a lot depends on the mood I'm in.

Photo credit: Books, I have them by Saturnine

Collecting Magnets

Blog prompt: My collection

I have collected a lot of things over the years, but tend to move on to something new after awhile. I collected pigs, salt and pepper shakers, plates, tshirts, and houseplants but they tend to take up too much space. Then we started traveling and I wanted to collect something that would remind me of the places we had visited but that could get expensive. At first I bought postcards but once I put them in a box, I never saw them again. Then my hubby suggested magnets because they were easy to pack in our suitcases and we could display them where we could see them. As you can see, we have done such a good job that our refrigerator is full and we have moved on to the washing machine. I am thinking of getting a big magnetic board from ceiling to floor about 4 feet wide that will fit in our playroom and we can start adding them there.

Once Upon a Time

Blog prompt: Once Upon a Time (page about childhood toys)

I remember playing with my leggos and my Barbie dolls. During different phases of my childhood "careers" I think these 2 toys were my constants. When I watched the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth, I was going to be an explorer and leggos were turned into exploring tools and my Barbies were my fellow explorers. When I became a teacher, my leggos because classroom equipment and the Barbies were my students. When I became an inventor, the leggos became new inventions and the Barbies were my guinea pigs. When I saw the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, I became a lawyer and the leggos were my courtroom and the Barbies were the jury. Both of those toys just stand out in my memory because I think they withstood the test of time, where others were "here today and gone tomorrow."

Photo credit: Microcity by tempo

School Revisited

Blog prompt: Schools Revisited

Furman University: I loved my college life! It was my first experience with independence (800 miles away) and I made so many friends. Those were good years. I loved it so much that I got my master's degree here and I was married at the Bell Tower on campus. I even am an adjunct instructor here teaching courses to teachers who are getting their master's degree in special education.

High School - those years are fuzzy. My oldest sister died right before I entered high school so everything is blurry. I had transferred to a new school in a different district (for reasons you will see as you read on) and it was hard making new friends. I did have a best friend in high school called Bunny and she helped me survive. I was so advanced that I took all AP courses in 12th grade and had early dismissal. I was also part of the drama club which helped since my parents were extremely overprotective.

Junior High - Horrible. I hated every minute of it but the event that clinched the whole thing was a major gang fight that I was innocently involved in. An acquaintance who walked the same way I did to get home somehow was walking with me this one day. Apparently she said hello to this other girl's boyfriend (known bully who was a couple of years older than us but had been held back for a couple of times). This bully and her gang of girls confronted the acquaintance and me (since they thought I was her friend). Since I was a chicken, I remember knocking this boy off his bike and riding home. My dad put the bike in the car and drove me back up to the scene. When I gave the bike back to the boy, I tried to get the acquaintance in the car but she refused because she didn't know my dad (stupid!). We left and the next day I found out the acquaintance was in the hospital with a broken collarbone, broken arm, broken leg, internal injuries, and kicked so much between the legs that she would be unable to ever bear children. Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck the rest of the year. Of course I was also shocked when the victim came back from the hospital and became friends with the bully. I knew I wanted out of there, so we used my sister's address so I could go to a high school in a different district.

Elementary- elementary school was good for me except 4th grade. This was the year that influenced me to become a teacher. We had a teacher (I still remember her name(s)) and she was engaged, married, and divorced in the one year that we had her. She came to class with sunglasses a lot and physically abused us by slamming students in the wall or jerking them out of the chair by their hair if they gave a wrong answer. She threatened to kill us if we ever told anyone and I don't think any of us ever did. In fact, I never told anyone about this until I was married after college. I had the beginning of an ulcer that year but I was the perfect student with straight As. I swore that when I grew up that I would become a teacher and my students would never be afraid of making a mistake.

Photo credit: Furman Bell Tower from Furman Alumni Page

TV Shows

Blog Prompt: Those TV Shows

I tend to watch TV shows that are hokey, good family shows. During the day I like to watch reruns of the Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, and Touched By An Angel. At night I watch Criminal Minds, CSI, Law and Order SVU, NCIS, and Grey's Anatomy. (oops! left off Numbers but just saw it on Tammy's blog so I came back here and added it.) Of course right now all the reruns are at night so I play on the computer and use the TV as background noise. I'm so sick of reruns. I can't wait to see new episodes. Of course when the new episodes come out, we will be on the road and won't have any TV while camping in a tent so I will watch everything for the first time when they are really reruns!

Photo credit: The Future of Television by Lee Bennett

Worth Remembering

Blog Prompt: Worth Remembering (things I don’t want to ever forget)

1. My husband loves me.
2. Appreciate the things I have.
3. Learning is a lifelong experience.
4. Never stop dreaming.
5. Look for the good in everything.
6. Keep a positive outlook on life.
7. Be thankful every day that I wake up.
8. Don't forget to tell people thank you for things they do.
9. Keep in touch with friends and don't let them slip away.
10. Family is family no matter how mad they can make you feel.

Note: How cool is this! I'm in the car on my laptop doing this while hubby is driving us to the trailhead for a hike with our hiking group. Verizon broadband is the bomb!

A Day In My Life

Blog Prompt: A day in my life (things about my day)

Since I have retired, my days are pretty routine unless we are traveling or going for a hike and I love it!

I get up very early in the morning and have about two hours to myself which I use by reading my bible, checking email, writing on my blogs, working on my summer course that I will be teaching, and reading messages on Twitter (if you have never used this, it is pretty cool and I'm addicted). If you want to know more, click on Twitter in Plain English.

When my hubby wakes up, we go to Panera Bread for a bagel and tea. We have been eating there every day for so long that they put the bagel in the toaster before we get out of the car. As soon as we enter, the bagels are presented on the tray ready to eat.

When we leave Paneras, will either do my grocery shopping (no crowds in the store because everyone is working or in school) or we end up home where I do some chores around the house like folding clothes, vaccuuming, washing bathrooms, etc. before I get on the computer. Once I get on the computer, all is lost and I don't emerge unless I have to. I don't think it is a serious addiction though because I have no problem leaving to go shopping or walking but I really have nothing pressing that I have to do so I can play when I want to.

If the weather is nice, we will go walking our 4 miles either before our after lunch. Since we retired, we are actually eating at home more often so we will fix a light lunch at home. Hubby usually has a sandwich and I have left overs from the night before (hubby won't eat left overs) or I have ramen noodle.

The rest of the afternoon usually involves either playing on the computer, reading a book, or crocheting. Once the weather warms up, it will involve gardening also. I have also been teaching my hubby how to blog and do things on the computer so it helps that we are sitting side by side at our respective computers while he is learning. All I have to do is lean over and fix whatever he has done. This is also the time we go shopping or the library.

Around 4pm, I start cooking dinner and we eat by 5pm. After I do dishes, we watch the news on TV and our usual TV line up. I do more crocheting, reading, or playing on the computer until bedtime. This is also the time I call my parents in FL or my sister in NY and talk about the day.

By 9pm, I'm usually in bed reading or watching TV and by 10pm, I am asleep.

As you can tell, I'm a creature of habit and I love my routine. That is what I missed most when I retired was a routine. Slowly I have established a routine that works for me and may change when I tire of it. I hope you aren't bored to tears now or sound asleep. That is my routine for the day which doesn't vary much unless we are traveling. Since we will be gone for 2 months traveling, I will have 2 months of non-routine and that should be interesting and stressful for me!

photo credit: Hospital Hallway by Headur

Snail Mail or Email?

Blog Prompt: snail mail or email?

Most definitely email. Ever since I learned to write letters, I have despised preparing envelopes. I could write letters all day long, but they would sit because I wouldn't make the envelope. I have no idea why I hate envelopes but I do. Then the other matter is the price of postage and I hear it will be increasing again soon. I do not think it is worth the money to mail a piece of paper like that. This past year I did not send any Christmas cards and it saved me abotu $50 in postage. I have told my family that they will now get birthday postcards (which I can make on my computer) instead of cards. One December, I sent my parents a Christmas card and they never got it but never said anything to me. In Februaray I got the card back saying "no such address." I called my step mom and told her that and she said that she had been living there for over 30 years and hadn't moved! I took the card to the bank and explained to them that there was a mistake and they told me that I could resend it but I would have to pay new postage! Needless to say, they got it the next time I visited them and could hand it to them in person.

I love email because I don't have to fill out an envelope, and I can write and answer when it is convenient to me. I can also use my computer which means if I make a mistake, I can always fix it easily. If it is a business email, it can save and refer to it easily. It also save room when filing and saves trees too.

Photo Credit: KidNews/WeeklyEmailNewsletterForm by Ada Community Library

Things That Make My Day

Blog Prompt: Top 10 things that make my day.

1. Seeing my hubby first thing in the morning.
2. Having the sun shine a day around 65 degrees.
3. My hubby saying that he was willing to go hiking.
4. Comments on my blogs.
5. Emails from my friends.
6. Compliments from my hubby that my meal was delicious (because I am such a horrible cook.)
7. A scrapbook page that turns out better than I expected.
8. Learning something new and exciting on my computer.
9. Finishing a crochet project
10. Having someone appreciate something I did for them.

photo credit: Happy Smiley Face Button Badge by Michaeldb

Day four into our journey of self. What are your favorite things?

1. Computer
2. Digital Camera
3. Books
4. Hiking Boots
5. Hiking Sticks
6. Backpack
7. Zip Off Pants (pants that become shorts when legs zipped off)
8. Cell phone (relatives are on Verizon so our calls are free)
9. Exercise watch (time, stopwatch, pulse, calories burned0
10. Scanner
11. Printer
12. Treadmill
13. Microwave
14. Hot Tub
15. Ipod
16. External Hard Drive
17. Refrigerator (can’t imagine living in times without one)
18. Toyota Prius (at almost 50 mpg, I can go anywhere)
19. Built In GPS in Prius (we call her Mabel, gets us wherever we need to go)
20. HDTV (hubby loves it so he can watch what he wants, like Nascar races, while I watch what I want on the other TV.

All Things to All People

Blog Prompt: All things to all people…(list of the *things* I am to others)

1. Wife
2. Best Friend
3. Lover
4. Mother
5. Friend
6. Confidante
7. Advisor
8. Educational Resource
9. Leader
10.Teacher
11.Daughter

Pieces of Me

Blog Prompt: Pictures or word that describe me

1. Wife
2. Mother
3. Teacher
4. Retired
5. Hiker
6. Books
7. Crochet
8. Camping
9. Computer
10. Digital Scrapbooking
11. Caring
12. Compassionate
13. Happy
14. Content
15. Loving
16. Fun
17. Sense of Humor
18. Short
19. Conscientious
20. Over achiever
21. Perfectionist

Favorite Colors

Blog Prompt: Your favorite color. Has it always been your favorite? If not when did it change and why? Go into detail about it. What feelings does it evoke when you see it? Is it a color you prefer to see or to wear? Etc.

I actually have 2 favorite colors. I think blue has always been my favorite and have always worn blue, even growing up. Then when I went to college at Furman University, the school colors were purple and white so my wardrobe became full of purples. Since we have season tickets to the football games and go to all of them, my mother in law made us a purple and white afghan. We even got married at the bell tower at Furman so my bridesmaids' gowns were lavender. I really like all shades of purple but sometimes it makes me stand out too much and then I wear blue. I will work on a scrapbook page of this and update this later.

Leaping into Life

Blog Prompt: Today is Leap Day. Have you ever “leaped” into something without thinking? What was it and how did it turn out?

A few years ago, we hiked 5 miles up to The Hike Inn in Georgia, which in fact, is the only way to get there. It is really neat inn with small rooms, a dining hall, bathroom and showers, and a sun room with a porch filled with rocking chairs. I love to sit out in the rocking chairs in the morning and watch the sun rise over the mountain as I drink a hot cup of tea. After dinner one night, they had a program and this one night they talked about how they compost everything. They have composting toilets and they also compost most of their food scraps. This is where I first learned about the worm composting system.

All the way back down the mountain I thought about the worms and how I wanted one. Luckily my hubby is used to me and he knew what I was thinking so he agreed to help me. The day we got home, my parents came to visit from FL and my dad is really handy with tools. So the very next day, we bought plywood and supplies and my dad built me two huge boxes (4'x2'x2') for my worms (in fact, they look like little coffins). Then we had to go find the worms which was difficult because I needed about 10,000 worms which would not cost me a fortune. I finally found someone who sold me worms wholesale, because the little bait containers would have cost me about $1000 instead of the $100 I spent. Now, keep in mind, this all took place within a week of our visit to the Hike Inn!

I'm proud to say after all this time, I still have my worms and we compost with the poop. My flowers never looked better and I feel I am helping the environment by using natural fertilizer. And it is fun!