These late summer days always hold a feeling of hope for me. There’s nothing like going back to school, seeing my former students, catching up on the latest news, and creating a learning environment. The energy created by starting over with a clean slate and clean notebooks is addicting. Continue reading “The first days of school”
Forging ahead … and waiting
Well, the house was appraised today (a step in a looooong succession of bank steps we’ve been through, it seems), thus clearing one more hurdle. After this it should be smooth sailing. No, really. In a matter of weeks this blog will actually chronicle renovations rather than my rather uninteresting and pathetic life. Continue reading “Forging ahead … and waiting”
Happy Elvis day
Thirty-one years ago today, Elvis died in his bathroom — a fact, unfortunately, that will be the only one recalled by the minds of today’s youth. It kind of depresses me, but I guess that’s the way celebrity deaths go. Continue reading “Happy Elvis day”
Just missed the good part
Last night around 8:15, I had just changed into my jammies, twisted my hair up and under a clip, and washed all the makeup off my face. As I was feeding my boys a bedtime snack, I noticed an orange glow emanating from the window. A storm had been steadily making its way south, but ended up to the west of us, and the sunshine was just beginning to peek out from under the clouds. I looked out the window and noticed that the bats had already make their appearance, and they made quite a show as they flitted around the sky, silhouetted against the orange glow of the sky. Continue reading “Just missed the good part”
Let’s ban this word, OK?
I was watching TV last night — a show that is totally mundane and I shouldn’t have been giving ratings to, but was actually halving it with the Olympics, switching back and forth. I won’t say what the show was, except that it may or may not have starred the daughter of a Hollywood producer — a daughter who used to star in a show about a certain zip code. LAME! I know. I even felt tinges of guilt while I was watching the show, because essentially, it’s a show about nothing. The show makes me smile, though, when this actress, while shopping for a new house, talks about how she can’t afford a certain one. Good one! I’m sure money is a top concern in your life. Continue reading “Let’s ban this word, OK?”
Oh, happy day
Meanwhile, back in Iowa …
Apparently, our bank’s phones have been hijacked and they are unable to provide an update with our home improvement loan. I know, I could call them too, but I need to take a breather after the weekend I just had. Assuming that our renovation will get going soon, it was the perfect weekend to precede what will probably be a crazy building mess. School starts next week, which will just add to the joy that is Everyday Life. Goodbye, summer, hellooooooo classes! Continue reading “Meanwhile, back in Iowa …”
The soundtrack of the fall
Who knew that such an ugly bug would become a part of my life? I’m talking about cicadas — big, ugly bugs that molt on tree bark and leave behind shells that make you shudder when you find them. There’s been more than one occasion where I’m walking under one of the trees in our backyard and I happen to see a big chunk o’ somethin’ stuck to the tree. Squinting and gradually drawing closer, I see that it’s a cicada molting. (I mean “molting” as a noun there; I don’t torture cicadas trying to shed their shells by letting my boys molest them in mid-process.) Then I like to pluck it off the tree and let it serve as entertainment for my two bug-lovin’ boys. Continue reading “The soundtrack of the fall”
Fun with 50s ads, Part II
I kind of got on a roll the other day when I was gathering up all these humorous ads from the Ladies’ Home Journal collection from the 50s. Here’s another round of some great ads, with a few more manic zombies thrown in. (Yes, I realize that “manic zombie” is a bit of an oxymoron. But it works for me.) Continue reading “Fun with 50s ads, Part II”
Things I’d like to have, and things I’m glad I don’t
Yet another day of waiting for the bank. <sigh> In the meantime, I’d like to share some pretty — and some not-so-pretty — things with you. There are tons of pictures I could have selected for this post, but I narrowed it down to three. Continue reading “Things I’d like to have, and things I’m glad I don’t”