Sunday, June 29, 2008

Summer School

I took an intense, 8-hour a day class for five days and will receive 3 hours of graduate credit. I got all of my work completed and handed in on that day. I am pleased with the class and that I do not have to worry about mailing in my portfolio. I will take another one in mid July so my teaching license will be taken care of for the next renewal, nearly painlessly, except the back of my legs are covered with bruises from the library chairs and 8 hours a day sitting. Maybe the princess should take a cushion to the next class! I am thankful I can move around and walk and stand whenever I want to on my real job, cause sitting all day every day actually causes injury! It was kind of fun to present my project to such a wide range of teachers, from K through 12, higher maths, special education, language arts, and math math math. There were two art teachers. I don't like to take classes during the school year as my energy goes to my classroom, so these are ideal.

Amish Fireworks

Those Amish know how to throw a party and we met our law-daughter, her husband and three year old for his first big fireworks. We sat in a lovely park with a great playground full of small running children. H's eyes sparkled with the joy of so many other people in his age group to run and climb with. Fortunately for H or unfortunately for us, we were slightly behind some trees for the lower part of the show. The show was so exciting and noisy for H that the screen was a good thing for him. He would sometimes curl behind a parent when he couldn't take anymore or hug in my lap, and at one point he was so tired from being up so late, that he said his eyes would not stay open. He and I slow-poked our way to our cars, me for my knees, him to be with me and we separated and tried to leave town, we were forced in the wrong direction, then were in a long line of traffic. Interesting in a thousand horse town, but finally on my way home and I forgot there was a speed trap, sudden and very enforced so for the first time in my 60 years, 45 of them driving, I got a speeding ticket in a place I know for what it is. Damn, did I feel stupid. I was thinking when he saw my spotless record he would merely warn me, but that is not why he sits there hours and hours a day raking in the money for the county. Oh well, I was speeding. It was way past midnight on a big Amish party night and I am sure the coffers are groaning with the money of tired folks trying to get home WAY PAST THEIR BEDTIME, but stone cold sober anyway. It was really fun except for the ticket.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The Worst Thing About Teaching

The worst thing about teaching is opening the daily paper and seeing a 15 year old former student in the obituaries.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Dog Days

The dog is gone again.. She left on Friday, was gone and in the shelter two days last week, and leaves every chance she gets. She had a great weekend playing with grandson and running with him until her tongue drug on the ground and actually slept on a cable in the yard without complaining, she was so tired. If Dh doesn't get her her country home soon, we will be picking up her body off the side of the road and it won't be her fault. Just so you know, I have no cartilage in my knees, it isn't just meanness that I think this dog needs a more suitable home, as the dog whisperer says, the energy does not match. She needs a couple of athletic teenagers who run--not two crippled up 60 somethings. She needs vigorous walking two or three times a day AND a companion. Siberians are pack animals and need a pack.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Bones

I went to an orthopaedic guy at a renowned ortho place-- he told me my knees are trashed, no cartilage on the inner knee, the rheumatologist said I was no where near knee replacement....ortho guy scoffed. He also told me I do not have severe over-pronation at all, but that the birks do hold the arthritic smushed ankle in place. The ankle is pretty much destroyed. I can get an orthotic with a very high arch to hold all that in place, I can wear a brace, or I can have a surgery to fuse things together and screw things together and have a 4 month recovery, two in non-weight bearing cast and two in weight bearing cast....I thought I was going to have an easy decision to clean out spurs and cysts and go about my merry way. And, of course, size does matter. So back to family doc who has recommended bariatric surgery. I feel slightly depressed. oh, and the surgery will leave me with up and down movement of the foot but not a flexing side to side. At any rate, that explains what makes me such a bad Chicago mom.
Please dear daughters, NEVER jump rope on the front porch in bare feet, never take aerobics classes with bad shoes, and never be overweight for 30 years. Add that to my
always wear good shoes" advice. Your grandma MJ believed in that for her kids and they have great feet. and ankles.