Life on Two Acres

16 rockets waiting to be decorated in class tomorrow and go to new homes

2012-01-24T19:50:00.001-05:00

A new scarf for me

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modelled by my favorite bear. The texture of the yarn is wonderful. Soft and heavy. Perfect for cold weather.

It was cold on the Parkway today

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For a moment winter came

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The crocus are up

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Last year it was January 17th. Keeps getting earlier.

In other news one of my students has started sniffing me each day to see if I smell good. Luckily I have passed the sniff test so far.

In the past 48 hours

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I have learned that
1. a dog's digestive system is very vascular. Bella spent 21 hours at the Emergency Vet clinic with some sort of digestive issue. No blockage but passed a lot of blood. She is now on meds and is doing better.

2. That a backache by itself can signal a urinary tract infection.

3. It is easy to get dehydrated in the winter and hard to drink cold water (at least for me). Drink Water!!!

Bella is now on a chicken and rice diet. Snoopy approves. They are getting 4 - 5 small meals a day. My washing machine ran non stop for awhile but now is getting a repreve.

A Study in Red and Green

2011-12-28T10:30:00.002-05:00

This afternoon I said goodbye

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to our youngest, watched the cat power struggle and looked at my new favorite magazine.
What did you do?

I am Kit

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and I am in charge.

Christmas 2011

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Our Christmas Eve Dinner: Baked Salmon rolled with feta cheese and spinach, Butternut squash soup, Braided rolls, Cookies, Water

Our Christmas Dinner: Spiral Sliced Ham, Mashed potatoes with Borsin Cheese, Green Bean Casserole, Braided rolls, Cookies, Water

Merry Christmas

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May your day be bright and wonderful.

Christmas images

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Bear on chair.

Butterflies on the tree this year.

Since Kit was last at our house

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(for Thanksgiving) things have changed. There is now a tree in the livingroom! For a 6 month old cat this requires major investigations. (She belongs to S1).

Our favorite restaurant

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is closing Dec 24th due to landlord issues. Husband and I made the last trip today and even though it was packed and the staff upbeat it was still sad. We have eaten there for years. Taken our children and had wonderful family breakfasts there. My parents have gone there with us. Lots of good memories.

Conversations that I had today that you did not

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Me: Did you wipe your nose on the back of my shirt?

Child: Yes.
**********

Me addressing a group of boys that likes to wrestle: When you see me wrestling Mrs. X(coteacher) then you may wrestle.

Indignant child: But you two never wrestle.

Coteacher: Exactly!

And the trumpet came through

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last night in a blaze of glory. I was at the Messiah Sing In at the local big university. It was the 44th year and has always been led by the same gentleman.

It is an evening of singing, humor, and for me watching the violinists play. Also waiting with anticipation for the trumpet player. Last year I did not go. The previous few years to that were a disappointment. The trumpet players treated it as something cavalier. Thinking that maybe they were better than the music and therefore would show up and ace it without giving it the respect that Handels Messiah deserves. And every year that attitude bit them and disappointed the audience.

Last night 2 girls showed up. One with a letter jacket on. And the other with short braids. Age maybe 20 or so. I watched Girl with Braids with hope. Conducting to herself as the music was approaching her part. Serious. Into the music. I could feel the hope rising in myself . . . .

She played beautifully. The trumpet player that so many of us had been waiting for. So wonderful was the playing that the conductor had us do the piece over again. We gave her a standing ovation then. And we gave her another at the end of the evening. The smile on her face was priceless.

The Christmas Tree

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was cut down today. Young families, older couples - some with chain saws, some with borrowed saws. A sweet time on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

For the past few day I've had to keep reminding myself

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to slow down. After all it is only November. Still.

So yesterday Bella and I went to the park at the mountains to have a hike and shake off some excess energy. I shake it off better than she does :-).

Christmas Craft/Today My Class Made Bells

2011-11-28T18:54:00.003-05:00

Supplies:

Small clay pot
pipe cleaner
jingle bell

The children painted the pots red and green on the outside. (I had put their name and the year on the inside). The pots were allowed to dry and some modge podge put on after for gloss. The jingle bell was strung onto the pipe cleaner which was tied and knotted so to let the bell hang just below the edge of the pot. The two ends strung through the hole in the pot and twisted together. Ready for hanging on the tree.

Thanksgiving this year was

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husbands entire family. All 6 grandchildren together for the first time in 13 years. The youngest now 15, the oldest 26. Due to lack of room in the dining area we had a children's table in the kitchen which was a hit. I put the same foods on each table so that no one had to get up for anything.

Green bean casserole, mashed potatoes with Borsin cheese mashed in, rolls, turkey that was drenched in olive oil and seasoned with poultry seasoning, sausage stuffing, salad, cranberry sauce, gravy, and 4 kinds of pies. My sister-in-law and husband graciously did the cleanup.

This morning was early shopping without many people so no lines. Gifts bought. Boys and 2 of their cousins that are staying here still asleep.

The feast on Friday

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was a huge hit with my class. (Shown are the cornacopia headbands that we wore). Chicken nuggets, cranberry sauce, muffins and pie were among some of the offerings. Today we sing Thanksgiving songs for the parents and grandparents.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T20:03:00.000-05:00

Our electric bills have

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dropped significantly over the last 6 months. Quite a few variables to be sure. We have been out of town more than usual, we may not have used the airconditioning as much as in years past, and our dryer broke down.

The dryer breaking down was huge. We have been diligent about hanging clothes on the clothes line and if we plan it right - also taking advantage of the shower rods in both bathrooms (using plastic hangers). The air is so dry in the house right now that the clothes that are washed in the evening are dry by morning. Yes, we have to iron but that hasn't been that big of a deal. (we just have to remember that the ironing board was not meant to be part of the den furniture and put it away when done :-).

This week we got the dryer fixed. Why?

The boys will be in and out over the holidays and it will be easier to have the dryer available. Notice that I said, Have it available. We still will be drying on the line unless crunched by time or our sons want to dry their clothes (they are not as fond of the iron as their parents). Also, it is easier to wash the dog beds in the evening and dry them before bed. Then there is that little thing of pet hair on dark pants.

The clothes line is here to stay. Saving money is addictive.

This week - chimney sweeps coming.

We danced at

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school yesterday and hopefully it is one thing that I will always remember.

The dancing started with one boy twirling a girl under his arm. Then he asked me to put on some dance music, which I did. 3/4 of the class started to dance. Two boys worked on their break dancing. Some children danced by themselves while others danced with the same sex or the opposite sex.

I held my breath while I watched. Times like this can go sour in a heart beat. Toes can get stepped on, feelings get hurt etc. But that never happened. At the end one boy looked at me and said, with a smile on his face, "I'm a good sweaty."

Autumn Colors

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If you have seen the movie, Ev@n Almighty, this is the dam that floods DC at the end of the movie. It's a decent sized dam but it is 3? hours away from the city and doesn't hold enough water to make it to my house which is closer. Made for a great story line though. And it is a beautiful place in the fall for a photo op.

Laying a Foundation

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The other day I was whining to myself about my lack of skill in certain areas. This came about as I was thinking about turning 51 in a few weeks, having some skin cancer taken off of my face this week etc. What to do with the rest of my life. Do I like the job that I have? Do I want to do something different? Is it too late? I feel the years slipping by fast.

First, the skin cancer is basal and I should be fine. So that concern should be checked off.

Second, I love my job and it gives me the time to pursue other interests. Check.

Third, 51 is still young. Check.

Fourth, and I think this was my most important revelation of the past few weeks, is that if I want to do something else I have to properly lay the foundation. I did that for my job and still do it. I read for it, research for it, take classes for it. I subbed before I got the job, taught Sunday School for years to get ready and the prep paid off.
So as I try to decide what my next step in life will be I think of this often. Laying the foundation for something new, whether it be playing the violin better, crafting better, getting chickens, gardening better. It's all about the prep. And I will live like I have the time to properly do so.

How Many Trick or Treaters Did You Get?

2011-11-01T14:25:00.003-04:00

I had two. A coworker had 1. Other numbers floating around 40 (coworker), low 80's (brother). The all time high was another coworker of mine who lives less than a mile away.

550. Yes, 550 children.

Location, Location.

It was a good Halloween at school

2011-10-31T22:05:00.002-04:00

We had a parade for the parents. Costumes included Tinker Bell, a paleontologist, Capt Hook, a witch. Usually we have one or 2 children that are unsure of the excitement, seeing friends in costumes, wearing a costume, etc. Today there was one who needed his mom to walk with him in the parade. We are flexible. 4 years old is little. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. They need hugs, reassurance and love just like toddlers do.

During the night

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it snowed and even though it was raining when I got up there was enough snow left to take a photo. S1 is visiting so he and I went shopping at the downtown mall in the cold and rain while husband was working. We got some coffee and other things and window shopped. Now the sun is out. Mother Nature seems to be asking forgiveness for her lapse of judgement.

Fall In Virginia

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We are under a winter

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storm watch.

Yes, we are. 5 inches expected over 1500 feet.

Wordless Wednesday

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Nursery Rhyme - A Variation

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I read part of a nursery rhyme.

One, Two
Buckle My ________

After the word "My" I pointed a child to finish the rhyme.

Child answers - SEATBELT!

Peanut Butter Bars

2011-10-24T18:44:00.005-04:00

When my grandfather was ill with Alzheimers, my grandmother found him pouring water into her recipe box. This was unknown to me and much later, when I asked her if I could go through her recipes, she told me what had happened and that the recipes were gone.

But. . . some were not.

When going through her things after her death I found some recipes. Some are water stained but most are in good enough condition to read. Tonight I made her peanut butter bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 c butter (melted)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Icing

1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup confectionery sugar
vanilla
milk (add enough to make smooth and a little runny)

Pour frosting over bars. Let set. Enjoy.

Last week I put

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in some lavender, roses, tulip bulbs and mums. This weekend I bought perennial herbs, more lavender and some other perennials. My favorite garden store has several plants at 1/2 price which is great for my wallet and will hopefully make the gardens look better in the spring.

A hike up to the mountains this morning

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with Bella to enjoy some beautiful weather.

On Thursday afternoons you

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will find me at the local coffee shop. Sitting in one of the old, tall wingback chairs (if I'm lucky). A small cup of joe with some sort of scone/sweet. It is a highlight of my week. Relaxing time with a good book.

This morning I took a trip

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to the Craft and Arts Festival held at the growing town next door. Spent time watching someone fiddle, bought some Christmas presents and some kettle corn. Watched a young boy throw balls to a group of labs as part of a fundraiser to train more dogs as helpers/guide dogs. Gave a few dollars more so that the boy could throw more balls. He and the dogs looked so happy. Something about children and dogs. . .

The last 4 days

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1. I may have had strep. Red throat, fever etc. The dr. saw me Thursday afternoon, heard that I taught preschool and had been exposed. She immediately gave me a prescription. I feel better. Fever gone, throat fine, swollen glands almost back to normal.

2. Spent some time on the neighborhood garden today. Most of the neighbors were digging post holes. I spread lime and removed rocks. Got tired and came home.

3. Watched copious amounts of BBC's comedy To the Manor Born (courtesy of the library dvd) on my sick day - Friday.

4. The allergic rash that I developed due to stinkbugs is almost gone. The stinkbugs have gone into hiding--- hiding in my closet, hiding in the dresser drawers etc. The vacuum cleaner is always on standby.

5. Was able to get some mildewy smell out of some thrift store fabric by using an online solution of white vinegar and baking soda. That with spending the night on the clothes line worked well.

6. Snoopy ate an entire bag of high fiber bread yesterday while I was otherwise occupied. He spent the night outdoors.

Wordless Wednesday

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Freiburg, Germany

Last night

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I opened the drawer to my night stand. I rarely go in there. There was a lot of movement and to my horror the drawer was pulsating with stinkbugs. I was so grossed out that I threw the drawer into the front yard. Spent the next hour vacuuming. Woke up at 5 for a thunderstorm and realized that the drawer was still in the front yard so I put it in the garage where it still sits. Meanwhile I'm vacuuming up the stragglers. Hunting them down.

That is all.

Our guest for letter S week

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was a California King Snake courtesy of our maintenance man. The children loved it. He came in and talked about his snake, answered their questions and let anyone who wanted to touch the snake do so.

Letter S/Preschool

2011-09-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

Last week we worked on the letter S. Isn't it a hard letter to write for 4 year olds you might ask? Yes and no. Some want to write it backwards, some can write it correctly and a few could not write it at all. We look at it as introducing letters and letter sounds. S is an easy sound to hear.

Not shown in the photos are the big letter S's that we made . Added two googly eyes to one end of the S and made it into a snake.

We made sunflowers (idea expanded from Mailbox magazine). Each child was measured and their sunflower was made to be as tall as they are. Paper plates were painted yellow. Seeds added in the center. A piece of crepe streamer that was as tall as them cut and attached to the back of the plate (mostly by them - some of us learned how to work a tape dispenser for the first time). They added precut leaves to the stems by way of stapler (also a first for many of them). Then I added a note that said:

My Sunflower is as tall as me.
I am _______ inches tall.
I weigh ________ lbs.

Mailbox magazine also has a kindergarten worksheet magazine that our school gets. Instead of handing out a worksheet I enlarged a worksheet on posterboard. I had two children come to my table at a time and count the seeds on a sunflower card and match it to a number. A small game but it was perfect for their attention spans and it requires no writing. We could just focus on math.

I love cute little balconies.

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Colmar, France

Age doesn't matter

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is what is proven to me time and time again in teaching little ones.

Parents every now and then will look at a class list and say "My child will be the oldest in the class and too far ahead of his/her classmates." or "My child will be older than her/his classmates and think that they are babies."

In reality their assumptions could not be further from the truth most of the time. The only child who can read in my room so far this year just turned 4. The youngest in my class last year was the first to be able to write her first and last name. Socially, some of the youngest that I've had are more together than the older ones.

To put assumptions on a child due to their age is a disservice to them. Each child develops at his/her own pace.

I think fairies live here.

2011-09-13T19:35:00.000-04:00

I worked the church social hour

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yesterday for the first time in years. As we are relatively new to the church I thought that it would be a great way to meet some people and give back to a place we enjoy. Unfortunately I have a mind like a sieve and after meeting several people have forgotten most names.

Anyway. . .

Years ago, when I was a teenager, I generally helped out at coffee hour at our church in NY. My dad was the treasurer and as the money got counted after church there was a lot of hanging around time.

One Sunday stands out. A woman, who I was not especially fond of, was washing dishes with me. Her son was in my English class.

She looked at me at one point and said "My son really likes a girl in his English class." . . . I never worked with her again.

Bounty from the farmers market

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I also talked to a gentleman who gave me more confidence that I could raise and process rabbits myself.

On gloomy days I remember bright colors.

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I bought one of the hanging arrangements with the heart on it. It hangs on the door to my den and every now and then I stop at it and breathe in deeply. Smells of sunshine and hay.

Eye Candy

2011-09-03T19:50:00.000-04:00

Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Neat

2011-09-02T17:48:00.002-04:00

These are the 3 rules in our classroom. No more. They encompass all of life in the fewest words possible.

Today was Open House/Orientation. 14 little ones along with parents and siblings came to meet us and see where their hooks and cubbies are. 14 little ones whose parents needed to be reassured that we will love and look after their children as if they were our own. That their concerns will be listened to. We tell them that we are ready to be partners with them in part of their child's life knowing that to many of them we are complete strangers. There is a lot of reassuring. We will try to give their child the best year possible.

We have fun at school.

The place to be on a rainy day

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is my livingroom. It has become my pride and joy. We love the green color on the walls. The table and chair used to belong to my grandparents. Now they lends its grace to the room. The bowl and pitcher belonged to my dad's mother. The green wicker rocker was found at a thrift store. It was originally black. The quilt on it's back belonged to my dad's grandmother. The beautiful white shelves in the room were not there when we moved in but made years later by my husband. They look like they have always been a part of the room. Hope that you have enjoyed this partial tour.

Happiness is sunshiny yellow nails

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They will be toned down for the parent/teacher night :-).

From what I can tell

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this area of Rutland, VT is fine. Hopefully this is so as their downtown area is very quaint and they play it up with a farmers market and other events. But the area between Rutland and the Vermont/NH border that we travel every year is a mess according to the news. The major road is out near Killington. Quaint towns are flooded. My heart breaks.

This earthquake today was different from

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the last one I went through a few years ago. Today's was rolling with a loud growling noise. Very disconcerting especially as it seemed to last forever and made me motion sick. The dogs were a bit freaked out. Snoopy went out and barked at it and told it not to come back. The quake center was in the next county over from us. So far little damage.

Published!

2011-08-22T10:05:00.003-04:00

Earlier in the summer I received an email from the editor of Virginia Fishing Guide by Bob Gooch. For their second edition they wanted to include a photo of mine of Lake Albemarle, a local fishing spot. I gave consent and when I got home from New York last week a copy of the book was waiting for me with my credited photo inside. I am a happy camper.

Through a child's eyes

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I held the camera while my favorite 2 year old took photos of his things.

It's a rainy day - perfect

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for staying home and working in the kitchen. I bought some peaches yesterday and made two pies for the freezer. The letters on the table are for the special friend bulletin boards throughout the school year.

Tomorrow we will hang curtains for my mother-in-law and Sunday my group will sing for church. A slow weekend. Looking forward to it.

I made another quick

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trip up to my hometown on Sunday to pick up some furniture from my Grandmother's house, help price things for a garage sale and spend some time with a very cute 2 year old. My aunt and I drove past the old farmhouse that was sold in 78 and put flowers out on the gravesites. It was cloudy and overcast but then it usually is when we go up (at least that is what my kids say).

But it is time to stay home now. I woke up a few times last night and didn't know where I was. School starts a week from Monday and I need to get ready.

Due to school planning and rearranging the craft room

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more photos from Switzerland.

The applestrudel with milk sauce was divine. The flowers were beautiful.

Wordless Wednesday/France

2011-08-10T08:27:00.002-04:00

The move is 24 hours old and so

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far. . .

We were lucky for the following reasons:
1. My mil only lived an hour down the interstate.
2. The place that she moved into recommended wonderful movers who were worth every penny that she paid them.

What we did not do right-

1. Make our own check list of things that she would need. As she had spent a weekend having her sister and a cousin help her with packing we did not check to see that a few dishes were packed along with silverware and a coffee mug and glasses. That may seem like a duh moment but it wasn't.

What we did do right -

1. The first thing that I did on entering the house yesterday was take a bunch of family photos off of the wall to take with us. There were protests from my mil as she did not want to take anything personal. If I had not packed those few items her entertainment center would be bare. After getting to the apartment she was more than pleased and thanked me for bringing them.

2. Had a drawing of where every piece of furniture was to go. It wasn't perfect but close and made life much easier.

As her old house is not up for sale or rent yet we have awhile to get items out of the house so we can bring up more decorative items to make the place more homey.

For a relative that lives far away I would make a list based on where they were moving to, what possessions that they loved and make sure to bring those family photos. Add to the list anything from their past that is a conversation piece. In their new home they will meet new friends and you want to have anything interesting that will promote conversation and sociability.

It is in the early afternoon and the

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coffee pot is on. S2 and I drove back from New Hampshire yesterday. The laundry is done and hung out on the line and the car is almost cleaned out. And I'm tackling some items from the previous post. A nap is desired but really out of the question. A good nights sleep is needed before tomorrow when husband and I move his mom to our town where she will live in an independent living community.

The last 48 hours of our

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trip were stressful. Husband had us walking from the Basel/Mulhouse airport 2 miles to our hotel in France. Over 50 lbs of luggage each. No sidewalks. Etc. Etc. A very kind French woman gave us a lift after a mile or so. I may have been very upset and thinking mutinous thoughts.

The next morning we were up at 3:20 and left for the airport by 4 for a 6:30 flight. This time we took advantage of the shuttle service the hotel provided. They also do pick up service from the airport. (Read last line of first paragraph.)

The Basel flight went to Frankfurt, Germany. The reservations (not made by me) had us go next to Munich. There was a 35 minute layover between the two flights. Our flight from Frankfurt to Munich left 30 minutes late.

This affected about 20 of us on the plane. Some were trying to fly to Dulles from Munich (the 20 of us included) and the rest to Charlotte. We made up time flying but only about 10 minutes. When we landed there was a lady with a sign that said Charlotte and she yelled for the Dulles passengers to follow her also. And we ran. Which was not a pretty sight concerning me as I had a backpack on and a carryon. I didn't think that I would make it but I did. The last passenger on the Dulles plane.

We were on time for Dulles. Our main luggage was still in Munich. We filed a report and came home. On the way home I went to pay for gas and only had my debit card. I searched high and low and could not find the credit cards and drivers license.

Entered the house (remember that I had over 24 hours without sleep at that time) and something was wrong with the house. There were trash bags all in the kitchen by the back door and laundry area. Boxes by the front door and in the livingroom. The guest room had linens all over the floor.

And then I remembered that there was a surprise waiting for me. The boys had decided to clean out cupboards while I was gone. I admit that there was a need for that but the rest of the house was clean. All floors had been washed, the dusting had been done etc.

I was upset and overwhelmed.

My grandmother died Monday night.

Yesterday the dogs tore into the trash bags that I could not put out until trash day (today). One of my good shoes was in the bag. And I lost it. It's not like I live an episode of hoarders. The floors were clean, dishes put away, counter tops cleaned etc before we left. The house looked good. Now it doesn't and I'm having to put things away and hunt for others. The cupboards were cluttered. Now the house is. I have asked that this never happen again. I don't clean their apartments.

** On the happy side my luggage was delivered my 2 very nice guys yesterday morning. Happier was that I had done something stupid and left the driver's license and credit cards in my other bag by accident. Better than having them stolen.

Olympic Stadium - Munich

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Images taken in the university area of Munich

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Husband and the Bridal Party

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The bride to be and her friends were out having a good time when we ran into them. In return for a few Euro husband and the bridal party had their photo taken by me and a tiny bottle of alcohol was presented to the gentleman. One of the funniest encounters that I've had here. (The bride is in black)

Go Ahead and Jump!

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One of the jumpers told my husband that they just run off a cliff.

From the gondola

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we took a train up the mountain to Murren, Switzerland. It was raining but the views were spectacular. We were in a conversation with a young Korean guy who was traveling by himself and lonely when there was a yell in the train car. A HUGE rainbow had formed over the valley. Absolutely breathtaking. To celebrate, the Korean guy brought out a box of chocolates that he had bought in Paris and the three of us each had a piece.

I am having a few issues with the

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internet here in Murren Switzerland so blogging will be a few days behind. The first day was a whirlwind. We landed in Frankfurt, Germany and then a flight to Basel, Switzerland. Train ride, gondola, and a final train ride brought us to Murren, Switzerland. The mountains still have snow on them and I've never seen so many waterfalls in one place. Pretty amazing place. In the two full days that we have been here we have taken 2 eight hour hikes through the alps. Heidi/Maria Von Trapp I am not. I may have hugged a mountain a few times but all is well. Tomorrow we will get up early and take a hike to see how cheese is made. Luckily today I bought myself hiking poles :-). Will try to post more photos tomorrow.

The last launch of a space shuttle

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(photo courtesy of NASA)
brings back wonderful memories. When the boys were small we lived in Jacksonville, Fl and were lucky enough to live on a street that ended at the St. Johns River. I would wait close to lift off and then put the boys in the car and drive the 8 blocks or so to the river. When count down started we would get out and gaze over the river to watch the shuttle go off. It was amazing that we could live so far away from the event but still see the smoke from the shuttle in the sky.

Pearl Harbor Photos

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S1 and I stood in this parking lot

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next to the ocean late one night where we could hear the waves crashing on shore. The night was dark - all the better to see the rings around Saturn through the telescope that he had borrowed, high above this mountain.

Happy 21st Birthday S2

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I should have words of wisdom for this day but as your brother has told me - you have heard it all before :-).

Someone asked me if I was surprised that you are an EMT and hoping for a medical career. No. I'm not. You have a great skill for listening and for taking stock of a situation and reacting accordingly. Which is why, when I got so sick when you were in second grade and needed someone to call for an ambulance, that I was glad that you heard me banging on the upstairs bathroom floor and not your brother. Nothing against your brother but even though you are 2 years younger and you were only in second grade you were the one that I wanted to answer my knocking. I could trust you to dial 911 and give the info needed.
You have a lot of patience and an attention to detail. You have a good soul. I'm glad that you are camping this weekend. Saving time for yourself to recharge is important. Don't burn yourself out. You can't save the world. (Though I think that every caregiver seems to have to learn that on their own.)

Have I told you how much I love eating dinner with you? Our sarcasm drives your dad crazy but it's when I laugh the hardest.

The other day the barista at the coffee shop and I were talking about her wearing black along with excessive eyeliner when she was younger. It made me laugh as I remembered your dark day. "I'm wearing black because it matches my personality." You said it in all sincerity but as I looked at your face I saw that three year old who used to take off his shoes in the car and yell that you weren't going to school. And then when I got you to school you would calmly walk in the door like nothing happened. And so I may have smiled.

I am lucky and proud to have you as a son. Happy Birthday! Have a wonderful year (and life)!

I've decided to go back

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to the way I bought groceries when we first moved to the Little Blue House. Prices here were so much more than in Florida that the sticker shock was huge. I did a lot of things to make ends meet - cut the boys hair (someday I will show a photo. Some of the cuts were pretty bad), got a lot of clothes and some Christmas presents (games and sleds) at garage sales, furniture at estate sales, etc. I also bought most of my groceries on sale. The grocery stores in town are relatively close to each other so it makes sense to stop in where the price is the best.

Over the years, as I became busier with work and other things I got away from that. I still used some coupons but basically went to one store to save on time. But yesterday that changed.

Half of the grocery stores put out their circulars yesterday and the one store was not only advertising their double coupons (did not realize that they did that) but was also having a buy one/get one free on products that I actually use. Like dog food, pork tenderloin and crackers (among other things). I paid $54.59 for groceries. BUT I saved $43.58 on the same order. Made my head spin.

Now the prices are a bit higher at the second store, but if I'm careful it can work out to my advantage. For example I got 2 bags of dog food. $18.99 per bag. But I got one free. So two large bags for $18.99. At the other store dog food costs me $13.43 per bag. So $26. 86 for two bags. It was cheaper to drive to the other end of the shopping center for the buy one get one free. Now, I'm looking forward to grocery shopping!

Sewing Monday

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This fabric, along with a ratty piece of yellow fabric, was a pillowcase when I found it at an estate sale. I ripped out the yellow and cut two 4 inch pieces - one from the top and one from the bottom to use as straps, which I folded to make them 1 inch wide. And top stitched Then I sewed the two ends of the fabric together and the bottom closed. Made a hem at the top and attached the straps. Now I have a cute bag to carry violin music in or my current reading.

Happy Father's Day!

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Yesterday, while it was raining, the

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dogs and I watched Babette's Feast. I had read the story, which is part of the book Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard by Isak Dinesen, Thursday night for a book club that Cornflower hosts. We will discuss the book a week from today.

Babette's Feast is about 2 sisters who live in Denmark with their father who runs a congregation in a small village. Small and desolute. As the father puts it to a gentleman caller - My daughters are my left and right hand. How can I give one of them up? (paraphrase) And so, even when the father dies, the girls stay in the village out of duty and love to their father.

Babette arrives later in the story. A refuge from France she becomes the housekeeper/cook for the sisters. On the 100th anniversary of the father's birth she gives the sisters and the few congregational members that are left a French dinner.

The story in written form is beautiful but stark. And when words are few it is easier to use ones imagination to fill in the gaps. In the movie, even though it did not deviate much from the book, it was harder to ignore the reality of the sisters and everything that love and devotion to God and father cost them.

The movie was done very well. The barren land that the tiny village sat on seemed to give little. The only giving seemed to come from the sea in the form of sea creatures to eat and of course Babette. The dinner scene was fantastic. And even that is a poor word to explain. For that you will have to watch the movie.

By the end of the feast I was in tears.

So, why the cake in the photo you may ask. My mother introduced me to the showAmerica's Test Kitchen when I was visiting them earlier this spring. The cake is their recipe, Sour Cream Coffee Cake. I wish that I had a piece during the movie as the cake is certainly worthy. Sour cream cake with a delightful cream cheese filling and an almond topping. Husband loves cream danish and I made it for Father's Day - but we had to sneak a piece today.

Debbie, the postal lady for our area, was transferred to

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a new route while I was in Hawaii. She had been our postal carrier for 17 years and in that time she knew everyone on her route including their pets. Bubbly and full of personality she would always deliver packages and mail with a smile and as one man put it - If you were short on your stamps she would put a stamp on your mail knowing that you were good for it later.

We are about the same age and have other things in common as well which fostered our relationship. Her oldest is also living in Hawaii. Her daughter graduated with S1 and Debbie and I sat in court together the day that our children received their official drivers license.

According to the lady at the post office in our little town people cried on Debbie's last delivery day.

But now we have a new carrier. I met her on Monday. She is cute, bubbly, chatty and I think will be fine.

I had meant to keep up a daily journal

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on my trip but as I am back you may kind of guessed that I did not. I had a great time but also was quite sick at times on this trip so . . . out went any daily posting. After we went to the Punch Bowl I ended up sleeping for 18 hours because of something that I caught on the plane and it went on and off from there.

But I am back, with pictures (not of illness :-/) but of some other great times and will post those soon. Now it is off to unpack, and do laundry etc.

Horseback riding

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National Memorial of the Pacific (Punch Bowl)

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Memorial Day 2011

The man sitting next to me on the plane was a source of

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concern. In his early thirties he seemed a little high strung.

Our initial conversation before the airplane took off was about the age of the craft. It appeared to be quite old to him as there were ashtrays in each armrest. To me the seats looked like any other and the plane shook like the rest as we headed up into the sky.

Then there was the tapping of the feet and the unending restlessness. He was cold. Then hot. Put on an extra shirt and then took it off. Kept rubbing his one hand. Then couldn't get comfortable. Constant moving. As he had the seat next to the window and had to get past me to get to the aisle I wasn't too worried that he was going to run screaming out the plane door but something clearly had to be done.

So I started the conversation with the "Are you going to Honolulu for business?" question. No, he was moving there. After more restlessness I suggested that he walk up and down the aisle to get warm. (And work off some energy though I didn't tell him that). He did and then came back to tell me more of the story. He was from a town in Florida where I had lived for many years. His business had failed, he lost his house to foreclosure, His wife had been a teacher who lost her job/s. No maternity leave available and her job was given to someone else each time a child was born. Through the death of a family member they had inherited a house and money in Hawaii. He had job waiting for him. The wife and tiny children were already there.

Took him 6 weeks to sell most of the family belongings. Then came the phone call that his toddler daughter was found walking on the H1 (which is a major freeway in Hawaii). She was being watched by another relative who left her alone with unlocked doors and the child did what other 2 year olds do. Walked out the front door.

He got the first ticket to Hawaii that he could.

Finally he fell asleep leaving me to ponder the purpose of strangers in each others lives. Not to say that the trip was smooth sailing after this. Still a lot of agitation and walking up and down the aisles. But by the end of the trip he was teasing me about would I be able to find my son's apartment via the waiting rental car and pointing out different sights as we were landing.

I wish him well.

We said our goodbyes at school today.

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The goodbye song was sung for the last time today. The room was quiet for a moment until a sweet voice said a little wistfully - "I love everybody."

Could not have said it better myself.

We picked 15 plus

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pounds of berries yesterday morning. The week before (when the photo was taken) I picked over 18 pounds of strawberries. Many have gone into the freezer and into 2 batches of jam.

It's been a busy week. Dental work, violin group practice and gardening took up more time than I thought they would. Graduation came at preschool on Friday even though there are 3 make up days left of classes (due to snow). Then 2 days of room cleanup and prep for summer camp which will be in mid June.

Thank you for

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your comments. A. Amelia, I will see if I can put in a larger photo in the header sometime. :-).

The big news here is that S1 has decided to move back to VA this summer. He will go back to Va Tech in the fall to get an Master's in Education. He found that he prefers teaching to researching. At the risk of sounding selfish and self-centered I am pleased.

So, in July we will welcome him back with big smiles.

I am back.

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quicker than expected.

I played around with new titles to the blog, cleaned it up a bit, changed the header writing style and decided on a relevent background.

I am still unsure of the title. Should I keep Life on Two Acres? My other choice is Sliver of Blue. Which goes along with the header photo. Blue skies that show through clouds. A metaphor you could say.

Let me know what you think.

If you don't care let me know that also.

Thanks.

A pause

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is coming to this blog.

As I sat down to write a post last night I realized that it (the post) had no life or passion to it. None whatsoever.

And I realized that I have been writing this blog since April 2005. 6 years. My children have grown up from teenagers into men. We have lost 3 pets. I have traveled more than I had ever imagined.

I'm feeling in need of a bit of a recharge. I want this blog to be a little fresher, to have more of a direction. Though I will continue to check in and comment on your blogs this one will be taking a sabbatical for ?. I hate not to give you a date but lets say I won't let it go past September 1st without an update. Maybe my muse will reappear before then :-).

Happy Easter!

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Good Friday has been rather cold and gloomy but my class was thrilled with the party and egg hunt today. Now I have eggs boiling for my personal decorating and groceries have been unloaded and put away. Snoopy is barking to tell me that he needs another treat. And I'm thinking about putting a fire in the fireplace.

Enjoy your day!

Sleepy Kitty on a Rainy Day

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Why I Smile

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I always make it a point to smile and talk to parents and children when it's my turn to work dropoff in the morning before school. I talk to children who are in my class, children who are not in my class, siblings etc. It's just something that I do. Something that I enjoy.

The early fall day last year was no exception. What was different was that the mom mentioned how much she liked the smiling faces of the teachers that greeted her in the morning. I thought she was very sweet.

Tonight I read her blog and I understood her comment through my tears.

Spring in Virginia

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Drama, was the

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word for the day on Wednesday. The Board of Supervisors meeting started at 2 and for three hours a large group of us spoke - for and against - the local pool being turned into a day camp for children as well as keeping the pool available for members at the same time. Oh, and the camp would have Thursday night sleepovers each week.

I initially understood and could sympathize with the anger. Many of the people against were in their 70's and 80's. A few were younger than myself. They moved to a place in the country for the solitude.

But was that realistic?

Years ago, the church that we belonged to had neighbors that were afraid that a preschool would be coming to the building. Though the couple had 3 children they informed the church and others that they did not like the sounds of children. A preschool has yet to be started or talked about there.

Back to the pool.

One younger man (30's) wanted the pool destroyed as it was too close to his house and he felt broke county laws by existing. Unfortunately for him the pool has been here for 100 years and his house is only 30 years old. Other adjoining land owners also mentioned that they did not like noise, though they also knew that they were buying next to a pool. Another lied and said that there was nighttime noise. (The pool is closed at night). Some were afraid that more kids there meant urine in the pool and that the local creek would be polluted. Another woman started yelling that she wanted the pool to have only 10 members and a 6 ft high fence around it.

My sympathy started to evaporate.

I was for the change. The clientele at the pool loves young people. We have several people above 60 who want to engage younger people in genuine conversation. My sons, who were pool managers, got to know several older people. The pool is also the perfect place for children to safely explore the local streams and play. A win-win situation for pool members and campers. This is what I spoke about.

We won. And so did the others though they still might not recognize it. The sewer system for the facility will be updated. There is a noise level that cannot be gone over at night. No more than 200 people can be at the pool at a time. The facilities will be updated. Lighting will be regulated. Children will arrive mostly by one bus. A few parents will drop off and others will be able to walk.
The pool will get a needed infusion of cash to hopefully stay open another hundred years. Green space will be conserved.

In the end we all were winners.

24 hours later . . .

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DC Cherry Blossoms

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I spent about 4 hours walking around the Tidal Basin in DC looking at cherry blossoms today. Snow is due tonight and I wanted to see them while they were pretty. The crowds were not bad. Even got to watch part of a rugby game.

Cherry Blossom Time

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It is hard to capture the essence of a blossom.

Sunday was spent in Blacksburg, VA at the Cascade Falls

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with S1 who is on the mainland for the week. Before we went on the 4 mile hike we fortified ourselves with donuts from the shop that his girlfriend works at. After the hike we took S1 and girlfriend out to a sushi place. Divine!

I am drinking a cup of espresso; trying to lift myself

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out of a fog. Yesterday was our annual preschool teacher conference in Richmond. My coteacher and I left at 6 am to get to the first speaker at 8. The day ended at 5:30 with a bunch of us going out to dinner. Fun, but exhausting. Husband biked to work yesterday and I barely heard him cry out during the night for help with leg cramps.

I missed choir practice this morning as I had the time wrong. It took awhile to change gears but I have taken brush out to the pile in the back and replanted lavender seedlings in larger pots out of the starter tray. The heat is off and the back door is open to let out the winter ick. I'm washing dog stuff and the floors (which seem to be giving a big sigh as I wash them).

Husband is visiting his mother. She has had an interesting health week which culminated Wednesday in a fall that happened when she got out of a car that was slowly moving and fell and cracked her head open. She is fine. (Her friend was parking the car and she just got out). Unfortunately we found out on Thursday evening as the phone number that she gives people is our old cell phone number that our oldest son now has. Yes, S1 did get a message but didn't recognize the phone number so didn't listen to the message.

S1 is on the mainland, spending the week with his girlfriend. We will spend tomorrow afternoon with him.

And life goes on.

Mud Season

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The dogs are thrilled. The digging is easy. Snoopy has dug up our tomato area for us (and then proceeded to dig under the deck).

We are taking advantage of the easy dirt. It's time to put in more fencing against deer and dogs. More rhubarb went in today as did more peas. The seedlings from the previous pea planting are just showing.

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No tsunami. The boys are fine.