Teacher Appreciation Week

Our room parents got together decorated each teacher's door...with something that fits the teacher's personality....the doors are SOOOOO cute.

There are dogs for the dog lovers, sport equipment themes, coffee, flowers for kinder"garden" with photos of each child in the center of the flowers... and then there is mine:

and the little finish line flag....side two...

So far this week I have gotten handmade cards, chocolate candies and lots of little gifts...like those rubberband bracelets, bookmarks and notes. And today we had breakfast made by parents. It's a good week to be a teacher!

Tomorrow is National Ride Your Bike to Work Day! You can bet I will be riding the wrong way to work by 6 miles just to stop by and get my swag back for the 20th anniversary of Ride Your Bike to Work Day!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RIDE YOUR BIKE TOMORROW*

...and yes, I remembered my towel for the club today :)

Monday....

Swim 1 mile
Treadmill- 1- 8:27 mile
Stairs 1 - 7 minute mile
Bike  5 miles
Weights
Shower- NO TOWEL- Priceless drying off with two mini hand towels for wiping up sweat.
HAPPY MONDAY :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I WON'T DO THAT AGAIN*

Z

Z is for Zamboni...I just keep coming back to this for Z. I loved watching the Zamboni smooth out the ice during intermission at our local ice skating rink when I was a kid. I loved how Zambonis are decorated for each hockey team...

Photo from pizzastop blogspot

...and I love the story about how, in a local parade for our city's anniversary, the Zamboni from the local ice rink was right behind and a group of us representing the elementary school I worked at, when it blew a tire! It was an amazing shock and we all had a good laugh when we recovered!

I love this book

and who doesn't love to say "ZAMBONI!"

Happy A-Z April! We made it!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*A-Z SURVIVORS*

Y

Y is for.....da, da, da, da, da, da da, dh....Ya say it's your birthdaY...(que the Beatles,) You're gonna have a good time....
Yes...I am 55 today...double 5's ...5 and a half decades Young.
I am in the best shape I have been in since I have had kids...it's about time I had a little time to start eating well, working out and just having to work and have fun.


EnjoY !

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME*

X

X is for X marks the spot...as in, I am exercising and have hit that spot where I feel good and am setting some personal bests. Last Thursday, at the local running store's Adventure Run, I followed some youngsters on the route. I don't have a smart phone and the map is sent out as an email when the run begins. You have 1 hour to run to as many checkpoints on the route as possible...and this was the first time I have made it to all checkpoints. At first I wasn't going to go to the furthest point...but I kept catching the 20-somethings at each stoplight so I just kept going. They were running fast- like sub 8 minute miles...but they had a smartphone with the map and I thought I could turn back if I had to. But I kept them in sight...and they kept tripping the lights for me. I think that run made me realize I could go faster. My mile swim yesterday was surprising too...I thought my time was 35 minutes and when I saw the time on my Garmin I was pleasantly surprised to see 29. I am not a fast swimmer but that was a great time for me. I just need to keep it up so I can rock an Rugged Mudder event next month.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONEGER*LAUGH HARDER*X IS AWESOME*

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA

29 minutes and some change! A new record for me...and a lot of money raised for cancer research:

Thanks to all who donated....we raised $61K!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER* SWIM ON YOUR BIRTHDAY WEEKEND*

W

W is for worms...

and we don't say "Ewwwww,"

The newest babies have hatched in second grade...see those ity-bity black things on the white cocoon? They are Silk "worms," which we know are not worms but caterpillars....but silk caterpillars just doesn't sound right. I should have put a penny in the photo for scale but I noticed that they hatched right as I was leaving on Friday...so I had to run out and pull leaves and fruit from the Mulberry tree and my new Mulberry bush, both of which just began putting out leaves. The "worms" are the size of a eyelash, They will eat and eat and eat for about a month and then spin a cocoon of silk. It really is a fascinating process. 

I have ordered duck eggs to incubate. They were set to arrive on Thursday and then I realized that they would hatch when I was in Colorado for BIG Foot's graduation. I hope they are able to change the mail date for the following week!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*
LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY THE 
CIRCLE OF LIFE*

T, U, V

T is for Tahoe. Two times I have ridden my bike around the lake and out to Truckee in the 100 mile "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride." This time my small bit of spring break there was truly for enjoyment. 

This is Emerald Bay and we hiked out to where you can see the only island in the entire lake. Fanette Island. My friend's mom is 84 and she hiked down and up like a trooper. It was a 700' change in elevation in less than a mile down.

U is for unscheduled, as I have been lazy and not scheduled my A-Z posts ahead of time...thus falling behind.

V is for my favorite of all the letters...Vanity plates. I LOVE license plates...I collect a license plate from every state and country I visit. I have them on the walls of my laundry room but they will soon be moved to the base of each stair when we re-do the stairs to our downstairs.

When we lived in San Diego I ordered vanity plates for the Captain for his 21st birthday. He drove a'69 VW Bug (that is sitting in our garage to this day,) and I thought plates would be cool. I filled out the paperwork and sent in a check for $25. Weeks later he received a reply- "SORRY 'GNEISS 69 IS INAPPROPRIATE'.

Gneiss is a metamorphic rock- the Captain was a Geology major...apparently the officials thought 69 was crude...it's not like we pulled that number out of the air....it's a 1969 car!

The Captain never bothered to refute. In 1983- when the unemployment rate was as high as it is today- we moved our poor unemployed selves to UT. I was pleased to find out that vanity plates were $15 and a one time charge!! Unlike CA where you pay year after year and only a fraction of the money goes to a cause that supports the plate. The only drawback was the plates only held 6 characters...but MAREY was not taken- I claimed it immediately. It was on the VW when Coppertone paid us to drive the car around like a billboard.

My friend moved to UT shortly after...she was amazed that everyone said, "Oh My Heck" as a swear word.....her vanity plate said, "O MY HEK!"
The Captain and I began collecting license plates...and they all hang in my laundry room-  and we try to get one from each state or country we travel to......one year while in UT I bought this cool fabric and made curtains for my laundry room....

Remember when CA gave these out each January....when everyone in the entire state's license fees for the year were due?

If you remember that you are at least my age....they were mini plates to put on your key ring....in case you lost your keys.....but what they didn't count on were dishonest folks who found your keys and then searched for a car with matching plates....and drove it away!!- I used to use these little plates with my Barbies....(they made cool 8 track tapes!)

What would your plate be? Or if you have one...what is it?

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*FINALLY CAUGHT 
UP ON A-Z APRIL*

S

S is for Spring Break...it finally arrived!
S is also for snow...today there were snow showers at Lake Tahoe and I when I went for my run on the shore, the snowflakes swirled around me!

This is from my cell after my run...hard to see the snow ...and it has melted from the roof tops.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LET IT SNOW*

R

R is for Run...run baby run....RUN BOSTON- as in today...one year later.
I have never run Boston...I could be good enough to qualify if I had time to train...and not work...and had no other responsibilities. But unless I am still running when I am 80, I do not think I will ever qualify.

But today is history. A day to LIVE BOSTON STRONG. To defy terrorists. For those who did not finish last year, they may finish today...some on artificial limbs and some who are now deaf and have scars that are visible inside and out.

A nursing instructor had her students working at the finish line last year. She prepped them for dehydration, hypothermia, exhaustion and muscle cramps... and treating blisters. She told her students they would be inspired pushing those so exhausted in a wheelchair to the tent for care. Instead, the students turned into trauma nurses right there at the blast. She hoped her students would not change majors after the horrific experience. The next day her nursing students came to her and said they were going to be ER or trauma nurses as they wanted to be there for the worst types of accidents.

Boston changed many lives last year. Do you remember where you were when they found out who the suspects were?

The finish line is painted in the street...did you know that? Here were are at the finish last summer.

 And below are notes at one of the blast sights. There are two...with notes and photos pinned to the knitted Boston sleeve on the lamppost.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN BOSTON STRONG*

Happy Easter

I hope the bunny was good to you!

LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*EAST CHOCOLATE*

Q

Q is for:

Question Authority

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I SAW THIS ON A BUMPER STICKER*

P

P is for painting. One that was especially just purchased for our bedroom...


The Captain and I had this area of the house that was originally a furnace room, made into a master bedroom 18 years ago. With kids and all the activities they come with, coupled with full time jobs, we never made a point to decorate our walls...they sat bare until I put my foot down and said, "WE HAVE TO FINISH OUR ROOM!"

I did some decorating but we still had a blank wall. So for The captain's birthday we went to a Flower and Garden Show at the fairgrounds. And right when we walked in we saw a vendor with sets of paintings that came in 3's. We chose this one as it matched our beachy theme.



And on a totally unrelated A-Z theme....last night my teacher's union held signs on the local busy street near the district office to raise awareness of our lack of contract...like 2 whole years without one. The district and bargaining team are most likely going to fact finding. When the news cameras rolled out, I crossed the street to join some other teachers as I did not want to be live on the 6:00 news. I successfully avoided being filmed...imagine my surprise when I saw this on the front page of the paper!!

That's me between the two signs! I never saw a photographer so assume it was taken with a zoom lens from across the road.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY THE WEEKEND*

O is for.....

Open register....

I seldom have the opportunity to be home alone...especially on a weekday...and it has proven to be interesting to see what goes on in the house when I am at work:

7 a.m.

8:30 a.m.

9:45 a.m.

10:50 a.m.

12:45 p.m.

2:45 p.m. She was fast asleep that black cat...but she didn't want to be photographed sleeping on the job...so she got up quickly...and the gray kitty is going to steal that vent.

2:46 p.m.

But gray kitty decides to chase black kitty.

2:47 p.m.

2:48 p.m.

Woodman didn't get the vent for long...he and I drove the car to school for BIG Foot to drive home after practice...we walked home...and when we returned....

3:50 p.m.

... The King was back on the throne.

It's a tough life....but someone has to go to work to buy the pet food.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY THE HEAT WHILE IT RAINS*

N

N is for "No-One," which is what my daughter called her little brother "Nolan." She had a hard time with "L's" which were substituted with "W's" and came out "No-One."

"Who did this?"  - "No-One" ...and we still use that to blame someone to this day.

Nolan is called BIG Foot on this blog because, well, he has earned that right. When you sport a size 15 shoe and you are 6'6" tall you are sometimes mistaken for Sasquatch.



 *LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*no one did it*

M

M is for ME! Marey...I used to say Marathon Marey...but my Marathon days are over...More like half Marathon....I am also a Mom

I also have a birthday this month..which is totally not an "M" word but what the heck!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*MAKE IT YOUR DAY*

L

L is for learning. I continue to take classes and continue to learn about teaching. I also want to be the best I can be at what I enjoy doing. I want my students to be Lifelong Learners also. I end up learning the most from my second graders more than from books.


So this afternoon after my workout, The Captain and I stopped at the grocery store for salad items for dinner. I saw two boys with their dad who was pushing the cart. The younger boy around 10, did a few fake punches to the dad's face...but got a little too close for comfort. I watched the dad stop, lean down and very quietly talk to his son. He did not change his facial expression and no one in the store knew he was reprimanding his son.


What a great learning experience for his son....he was told NOT to do what he had done and he was NOT humiliated by the talking to from his dad. When I doubled back for milk on my return back to The Captain in another aisle, I passed that same dad. The boys were ahead of him and I nodded to the dad and in a low voice I commended him on his parenting.


His comment:  Thanks. Mom is out of town for 10 days....we are half way though and my patience is running low.


Too often we see parents so stressed out, embarrassed or otherwise, yell at their children or instead of talking just give them a smack...kids can't learn if treated that way.


What did you learn today?

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LEARN A LOT*

Sunday

Sunday is a rest day for A-Z blogging....so since I do not have to blog a letter I will ramble.


Yesterday I ran in a run similar to a scavenger hunt. Each runner or walker had a card to check in at a card reader hidden at an area circled on the given map. You had to hunt for the check in scanner...which was what got me on the very first check in. I knew the circled area on the map was a school...but I ended up running around the school, climbing the fences....3x....to find the card reader...finally- about 8 minutes later, I found it. By then walkers were coming up to the check in...I had lost a lot of time. This is when I miss my daughter as my running partner.


The rest of the check points were in the park near my house. The advantage was mine because I knew the hill to the park is one that goes to my house...straight up! The rest of the runners marked their check points going in the shortest distance, but I knew if I went backwards to the checkpoints, I would have downhill on the way back- and if I cut through a school on the way to the park I would not climb the street I live on. Good planning there :)


I was only running the 5K because I had a luncheon for one of my student's First Holy Communion at noon. Still because of the late start I was cutting it close. I made it to the end just after a group who had been on my heels. I ended up first in the old lady category from the results posted later...I was the second woman to finish alone and not in a group! I am not sure what the prizes were but I had to leave before they were given out....usually just a certificate but it was a fun time.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*DON'T GET LOST*

K

K is for Killer Cat...the King of the beasts around here...

17 years ago we rescued this feral cat from my mom's garage where a stray had taken up residence and had a litter of Kittens. I really wanted an orange kitten but every orange kitten we could capture was a female....and we really wanted a male. After much chasing- my 3 kids and I cornered this guy and drove him 500 miles back home with us. He is getting up in years and has reverted back to his feral ways- coming to the porch for meals and a petting only on his terms. He's never really forgiven us for neutering him.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER

*LOVE A CAT*

J

J is for juniper....(for lack of a better J)....when I was a kid, my dad would cut the tall Cypress trees that lines the edge of our yard. How I hated the trim days because my job was to pick up the branches and put them into the trash cans. No matter how hard I tried not to brush the branches against me, it inevitably happened. My skin would burn and welt. My complaints went unheard and I wondered why my sister didn't mind picking the branches up.


Years later, when I was plagued with a massive sinus blockage and could not smell for over a year, I underwent allergy testing. Nothing. Nothing to cause the infection that raged in my upper sinuses....but I was allergic to junipers...the Cypress family of trees...which is why I welted, itched and burned when I picked up the branches as a child. Too bad I didn't know that way back then or I could have gotten out of that chore.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I DON'T DO YEARDWORK WHEN CYPRESS TREES ARE INVOLVED*