I Blew Out My Flipflop

I did NOT step on a pop top, cut my heel, and have to cruise on back home. :) I seriously did blow out one of my Crocs, though, and I love them. Guess that means a trip to Kinnucan's or Dick's to get a new pair. I think I'm going to bill Danny and Linda's neighbor since it was his boat dock on their anchor line that caused their walkway to separate from their dock, and I was stepping across that spot when it blew. lol

John and I got up Saturday just like it was a work day so we could get an early start. We left home a little before 6 and got to the lake about 9. Misty, my cousin, got there about 10.

I have to digress for a minute...I have Misty to thank for John and me getting together. This is one of those "What if..." deals. After college, I was in between jobs. A friend of my mom's told her they were hiring at the hospital, so I went to put in an application. All of the jobs posted were those that I really didn't want, but at this point, I couldn't be choosy. I had rent, utilities, a car payment, car insurance, and medical insurance to pay, and my last paycheck was coming up fast. When I turned in the application, the HR receptionist, whom I've known most, if not all, my life, looked over it and asked me to have a seat. A few minutes later, the HR director called me back to her office. An opening for a receptionist/clerk in the radiology department had just become available but wasn't yet posted. Would I be interested? Uhhh--YES! She took me down to interview with the supervisor. After the interview, Pam showed me around and introduced me to several people, one of whom was the assistant director, a nice guy named John. A couple of weeks later, I was offered the job, and I took it.

Fast forward about 3 months. Misty and her best friend Monica stopped by my apartment one Saturday night. One of the guys from the X-ray dept. was having a party, and they wanted me to go. I really wasn't in the mood, so I told them I'd just stay home. They kept on, and finally Misty told me John was going to be there. Suddenly, I was a little more in the mood to go to a party. (I'd decided that I kind of liked him just a little bit.) :) Much later I found out that Misty and Monica had made up their minds that John and I needed to get together, and they were not going to take no for an answer that night. Sixteen years later, here we are. So, what if I hadn't put in an application at the hospital? What if I'd waited a couple of weeks and the receptionist job had been filled? What if I had been insistent that I would not go to that party? I think John and I still would've found our way to each other, but it might have taken a little longer.

Back to this weekend...After I fed Misty and John a delicious, gourmet lunch of hot dogs and chips, Misty and I headed down to Danny and Linda's swim pier for a little R & R and some sun. We had a really good talk--caught up on a lot of stuff. A couple of hours later, Ron and Cindy pulled up on their pontoon.

Ron and Cindy are the first friends of John's that I met, and we clicked from the beginning. Cindy and John have been friends since their school days, and he and Ron met after college. Ron was kind of John's lifesaver after his divorce. Ron let John stay out at his house on the lake for about 6 months or so. John has said so many times how he enjoyed living there. He would get up early and fish before getting ready to go to work, and then in the afternoons he would just sit and enjoy the solitude. Ron was calling me "the wife" before John and I ever even used the "L" word. :) Guess he saw something pretty early on. After they left, Misty, John, and I headed back to the trailer to clean up for dinner.

John grilled chicken for dinner (YUM!!) Danny and Linda had come down Saturday afternoon, so the five of us had a good visit.

Misty left pretty early Sunday so she could get home to see Hudson before he had to go home. John and I walked to Danny and Linda's, and then I was back in the sun. Two days of REAL sun!! Much better than a tanning bed tan for sure. Last night, John fried up some fish that Danny and Linda had caught with Tim. Talk about good. I'm surprised I didn't sprout fins overnight from eating so much.

We left about 3 today and headed home. Coming home this time wasn't quite as depressing for me. I guess it's because I know that if I wanted to, I could get up in the morning and go back. (Ah, summer vacation...) Unfortunately, my classroom still has a little that needs to be done, and the living room and dining room won't paint themselves. I hope I can get that done before the weekend gets here, but if not, I know how I'll spend this coming weekend, and it won't be in the sun.

Just waiting...

Today was just a work day--finish with grades, clean, etc. I had all my grades done and in the computer yesterday, so all I had to do today was to wait for the registrar to run the averager at noon, print my grades, and I'd be done with that part. My plan was to clean this room and to get rid of books I inherited when I moved into this room. If you are a teacher, you know exactly what I mean. You move into a room and you have tons of stuff, but none of it is relevant to what you are teaching, or it is so old Noah probably used it on the ark. I had a cabinet FULL of old textbooks, sample textbooks from previous adoption years, workbooks, you name it. None of it has even been looked at in the two years I've been in this room. With this being our lit. adoption year, we are getting rid of all the old lit books. A company is coming in to buy them. What can be used will be, and what can't be used they will buy at tonnage. Hmmm--perfect time to clean out the old cabinet! Needless to say, right now I am covered in dust, I'm hot, and I know I'm in need of a shower! All I need to do before I can leave is to print grades. I had just started when the principal announced that we had to shut down STI for about 20 minutes because of something they needed to do system-wide. Crud. So, I'm sitting here. Just waiting.

On a more fun note--we are going to the lake tomorrow, and my cousin is coming to stay tomorrow night with us! Yea!!!

Ahhh--a little RT

Retail Therapy--one of my favorites! It wasn't just shopping for "therapy" though. We have graduation Friday night, and the senior advisors will be sitting on the field. They want us to wear something that "blends" with the students--either something in school colors or conservative. Our graduation ceremony is by far the most dignified ceremony I think I've ever attended. Everyone in the community understands that this is the chance for the seniors to have their moment, and they abide by the rules. The seniors may complain and grumble at first, but they always come back to say they appreciate it.

Anyway, since all my school color clothes are golf shirts, T-shirts, etc., I don't think that would be quite what they have in mind. The dresses I have aren't really what I would consider conservative, either. Those of you who know me know that I'm MUCH more comfy in casual stuff--jeans, capris, etc. I'm not a "suit" person!

After work, I headed to Auburn to Dillard's. (Oh, how I miss Parisian!!! I'd have gone to Birmingham if Parisian were still around.) The stuff they had just really didn't appeal to me, so it was off to the other stores I shop in. Chico's had a cute dress, but it didn't fall into the conservative category. I love, love, love Coldwater Creek, but their stuff is a little too perky for a dignified graduation ceremony. Fortunately, there is a Talbot's in the mall. I found the perfect outfit--navy blue and definitely conservative! Of course, that meant I had to have jewelry to complement, and since I didn't have navy shoes, a stop at the shoe department in Dillard's.

Today was the last day for seniors. My advisement gave me a picture of all of us. They had matted it and put my name above the picture and "We Love You" under it. They also gave me a coffee mug with my name on it. They KNOW I love my coffee!! My next group has a lot to try to live up to. I'm not sure they will have it in them, because these young men and women are without a doubt some of the most wonderful I've ever known.

Old Age

A (young!) friend sent this to me. (Gee, Brooke, are you trying to tell me something? hahaha) While I don't consider myself in old age (middle age, yes) I can see the truth in this. (The purple is my commentary.)

Old Age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!) but I don't agonize over those things for long. (Would it do any good to agonize over it?)

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. (Never, never, never!) As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. (Fortunately, I have someone who decided to be critical of me for me. teeheehee) I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50's, 60's, & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love...I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, (Well, maybe not this...) despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life (people included) is just as well forgotten. (Amen to this!!!!) And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect. (I really agree with this!)

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray (although I do color it...), and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. (I really don't care about what many people think, but I think it's funny when they think I do.) I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. (Life is much more fun and interesting when you don't waste time.) And I shall eat dessert every single day. If I feel like it.

It's here!

The last week of the school year is here! Today and tomorrow are "normal" days, except for seniors. They'll be taking their 3rd and 4th block exams tomorrow afternoon. Wednesday is 1st and 2nd block exams for everyone, and Thursday is 3rd and 4th block exams for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Teachers have to come Friday to finish up, and then graduation is Friday night.

Before school started this morning, Jaquetta and Jimmon, who were in my advisement until this year when they leveled the numbers, brought me flowers! They are SO pretty and bright. Then, in advisement, one of my girls made a comment about this being it, and tender-hearted me teared up. I've been one of the lucky ones with my advisement. Not every teacher has a group of kids that they really like, but I love ALL of mine!!! I've said before in a post that there are times I want to whop 'em, but heck, they ARE teenagers. Since the seniors will all be finished Wednesday, I have a feeling that when advisement is over that day, I'll be in tears again. When you spend 180 days out of the year with the same people, it is hard to say good-bye.

Since I'll be at graduation Friday night (Mr. Davidson wants all the senior advisors to sit on the field) we won't be leaving for the lake until early Saturday. John and I decided we'd just get up like it was a normal work day so we could leave early and get there before the day is gone. We've got to get some yard work done Saturday, but I told him that my bum isn't leaving the swim pier at all on Sunday! Unless something drastic happens, he'll be off work Monday, so we won't come home until later that day. I would love it if he could take off Tuesday, too.

Since he more than likely won't be off Tuesday, I'll start my summer painting project. For the last 3 summers, I've taken a room (or rooms) and painted. I started with the den, then I moved to the front bedroom, the hallway, and the breakfast room. Last summer I got the kitchen done. My goal this summer is the living room and the dining room. That will leave our bedroom to repaint and the bathroom, but it needs some work done, so I'm not touching it until John gets his part done!

We're looking forward to an awesome, relaxing summer (except for the SUPER Teacher Institute the last week in June...) We have no huge plans, but that's quite all right. We'll enjoy spending as much time as possible at the lake, and that means spending more time with family and friends. I'm quite sure that over the summer we'll be having cookouts a lot. Hmmm--family, friends, food--what could be better?