Kate and Heather have been doing a dance every year for the school talent show and this year is no exception.
They do their own choreography. The song this year was “So What” by P!nk. They had a great time practicing and performing together.
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Several years ago I saw some crafts in a museum store that seemed to be made from recycled paper. I have wanted to make something similar ever since. This is the result: a trivet.
I tore out pages of an old fashion magazine and folded them until they were slender strips. Winding over itself and securing with hot glue. Adding the next piece. Glue. Until the circle grew large “enough”. Then I cut out a bit of felt from my stash and glued that to the bottom. Rimmed the edge with some ribbon. And voila! One less magazine in the recycle bin. One less product bought. I paired it with some bamboo cooking spoons and wrapped it in a kitchen cloth. One fabulous birthday gift for a dear friend! Our Elementary School has been recognized as a “Green School” by our state. So Earth Day is a big deal. We have undertaken many projects in and around the grounds to help conserve energy and preserve the environment. There was an “ampitheatre” installed on the hill to keep the ground from eroding. There have been trees and bushes planted. The electricity usage has been cut by changing out light bulbs and turning off lights and computers when not in use. There are recycling bins for paper throughout the school and for bottles, cans, and containers in the cafeteria. There has been a switch to compostable paper products for PTA events and annual stream clean-ups nearby. Today Kate’s class presented a play: “The Great Kapok Tree”. She was a narrator. The students also shared pledges of ways they could help the Earth at home with their families. Some students read recycling essays and played music too! “This Land is Your Land” Laparoscopic surgery is an amazing technological feat! Most of you know I had to go “under the knife” last week. I will save you all the gory details, but suffice it to say “female stuff”. The journey was not without a story. Our good ‘ol insurance company thought they could run my health care decisions from behind a desk in a cubical in some other state… Lets just say I trust my doctor. A novel concept really. Lets say that, upon examination and tests, he prescribes surgery. After reading about it, talking with every friend on the planet, and praying for God’s wisdom, I make a decision to go for it and it gets scheduled. wait… for… it… Insurance denies coverage! Yep. DEEEEE NIED! The basis for the determination was “lack of conservative care”. What does that mean?!! They thought I should try other types of treatment that my Doctor didn’t think would work! Who’s in charge here? Did someone just throw my Doctor’s diploma in the trash? Flurry of phone calls: by me, the doctor’s assistant, and even my Doctor! Is there a way to calculate the monetary value of undue stress? Isn’t that what lawyers are for? Considered calling the press. Really. Health Care is a hot topic right now! The Friday before surgery (on Monday) I didn’t know if I was going to go in! The doctor’s assistant, on her way home from work, called with the verdict. Surgery is approved! 4:25PM on Friday afternoon… Relief. Extreme relief. The operation went perfectly. High tech tools and T.V. screens. I spent my one, paid for, night in the hospital before coming home with cool drugs. My doc says you can watch operations of this type on You Tube! I looked it up. It’s true. Crazy! Now: I am so blessed to have so many friends! I have been spoiled with food, calls, cards and offers for help. I am so grateful. My body is healing quickly. Thanks to God for such blessings. We took part of the break to drive to Sandbridge. It is known as the Outer Banks of Virginia Beach. We rented a house just across the street from the ocean. We had typical spring weather with some cold rain and some beautiful warm sunshine. We made drip castles and moats; played in the freezing surf; ran with Shadow up and down the sand; and, of course, hunted for seashells. Grandy and Pop came for a visit too! It was so peaceful that none of us wanted to leave.
As if the construction last year wasn’t enough with the digging and trucks and subsequent tree removal, we are facing it again! Several weeks ago some signs appeared around the neighborhood declaring that the water company would be starting a project. A BIG PROJECT. Replacing the water mains throughout the neighborhood. The box below the sign, kinda like a real estate listing, contained a letter that explained THE BIG PROJECT would be done in summer 2011. Yep 2011. That’s over a year from now! This past week, trucks arrived on our street. Early. 7:30am. Jackhammers jammed before the kids were out of the house. A letter appeared on our door. It began: “We’re please to begin our underground water main replacement project that serves your neighborhood.” It continued in great detail using words like “regretfully” and “inconvenience” and “occasionally”. Blah. Blah. Blah. Who needs water anyway? Plastic pipes were laid over a series of days. Gravel covering them at each driveway.
Then the orange markers arrived.
Next, the hoses for each house…(note the lack of grass and pristine sidewalk we still have because of last summer)
Water began flowing from the open ends down the streets creating flowing rivers that Shadow must now navigate on our walks. Wet puppy feet even in the sun… It promises to be an adventure. And entertainment for all those kids who never have anything better to do than hang around our front yard! I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I posted. Guess there are no blog readers left!
But fear not! I have merely been hibernating for the last of the dark cold winter. I snapped this picture while at a stoplight… Huge icicles on every edge.
Spring is trying to emerge. Green is peaking out. The snow has finally all melted away. My usual love of winter diminished this year and I look forward to Spring like never before. Really. What have I been up to you may wonder…or not… Many things: I have been knitting. I found a superb bargain at my favorite thrift store. Yarn! Lots of it. I spent about $40 and (according to internet research) got over $300 worth of yarn! Whoooo Hooooo!!
Camel colored wool is trying to take shape as my first sweater. I worked almost the entire back before I pulled it all out and opted for a different needle size. If I’d have kept going as it was, maybe a Leprechaun could have fit in it! I went with Christine to the National Gallery to see a Russian independent film. I thought it was going to be about daily life in St. Petersburg. It was mostly silent and featured deaf people who worked to make a huge bell for a tower. Neither of us enjoyed it. I tried to take the arms-length picture of the two of us, but turns out I had the zoom lens on so she said “Cheese” without me…
We got the kids a 12’ trampoline. It’s amazing. What more can I say?
I’ve been eating way too many Girl Scout cookies! Love thin mints! I have not been productive around the house. Piles of laundry and clutter haunt me… Meanwhile meals still get prepared…and kids still go off to school… Activities are constant. So my Love has joined the ranks of 40+ In order to honor this accomplishment, we had a party at the house. We invited many close friends and musician types. The house was crowded and loud and “rockin’!” Rich got a small keg of one of his favorite beers, we had tons of food, and of course a cake FULL of candles. (The smoke alarm miraculously did NOT go off!) The old college buds cranked out many of the old set list and obviously had a fun time doing it. Here’s to another 40! Today we all had cabin fever so bad that we piled in the van and ventured the road. We knew the neighborhood would be the worst of it. We packed the shovels and went for it. We did NOT get stuck! We had a nice lunch out and made a few errands. It took most of the afternoon since everyone else was in the same boat. The roads were O.K. Many lanes suddenly ended because of the piles of snow. Intersections with stop signs are tricky–the high snow blocks view of oncoming cars… We got home just a new snow flakes made their appearance! Schools announced they will stay closed Wed. thru Fri. They were already closed for President’s Day on Monday… Guess I have a good chance of getting the puzzle done!
Then tonight. The bulldozer.
We got a clear street. And it began snowing…again! Snow. That’s all that anyone is talking about. We had a blizzard. We got around 30 inches of snow. The good news is that it was forecast correctly. Starting mid/late Friday morning and snowing until late Saturday. Friday morning I went to the store. The produce section was barren. There were no eggs. The shelves looked ransacked by crazy people… The school system decided to open on time, but to close early. The kids came home as the snow fell hard. It snowed constantly. Friday. Saturday. We were among the lucky few who did not loose power. Many of our neighbors and friends were without power all weekend. The temps were only in the 20s! I am so grateful! Sunday true to it’s name= SUN. Digging out began. The kids have created a constant stream of wet snow clothes to keep the drier and I working overtime! Rich took the kids on a two mile hike to the middle school for sledding. (Backpack with provisions) They met friends (who were able to drive) and got a lift home–well–to the top of the hill a couple of blocks from home! On our street…No plow has come by. Still. It’s Monday night! Cars and trucks are getting stuck in front of our house. Rich has helped push many free. School is closed, but they have only committed to being so thru tomorrow! AND we are forecast for 10-20 MORE inches Tuesday night! So… I have been working a 1000 piece puzzle in between meeting all the needs. Food. Clothes. Dishes. Clothes. Shoveling. Clothes. Do I get paid time and a half for all the overtime?!! (the pix have letters in front of them because of my sort filter–and I don’t even think it worked!) |
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