"Stairway to Heaven"

Weather forecast for tonight: dark.

George Carlin

Today was a good day. I taught school, exersized, ate lunch, cleaned out the frige (found a couple of food items that were missing, gross!), went to the doctor (I'm doing well), took a good nap, my husband came home and cooked me a wonderful meal, served me and then he cleaned the kitchen. Does life get any better?

My daughter and her little family will be arriving two weeks from tomorow. I'm so excited... My son is getting married in three weeks. I will be acquiring a new daughter. It's so exciting. My son and his fiancee worked in Texas this weekend at "Austin City Limits" and guess who was performing?????? Robert Plant of Led Zepplin and Allison Krauss. Doesn't get much better than that. Later.........

No do-overs

Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once'

Anonymus

There are no do-overs. Only apologies. Personally, I find the need to apologize too much. I need to slow down and make sure that I'm spending my life as Jesus would want it done. I'm getting ready for my son's wedding. I'm doing a major spring cleaning. Why? Well, it's certainly not to impress anyone, we live in a trailer for goodness' sake. I just function better in "order." But, is my personal "preference" stepping on toes or making anyone unhappy? I want to be responsible for myself but, none of us lives in a vacuum. We must be responsible for our own actions and how they affect others.

As I watch the daily politico, no one wants to take responsibility for any of the wrongs and everyone wants to take credit for the good. Why doesn't the citizenry absorb some of the blame. Too many people are not being vigilant nor realistic about money, self-preservation, you name it. I can only be responsible for my behavior. Want to fix alot of the world problems...take care of yourselves first and then help those who are needy. That's not the government's job. THE CITIZENS ARE THE EMPLOYERS OF THIS COUNTRY NOT THE GOVERNMENT!!!!! HELLO!!!!!!!CHECK THE CONSTITUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received my daughter's and her family's portraits in the mail today. They are all the cutest anyone can imagine. I wish I could live in that portion of my life all of the time...priceless.

Responsibility revisited

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

Aristotle

How is it that some people can find themselves in the worst of circumstances yet have a smile on their face? Conversely, there are those who only rarely smile? I would say to you that Aristotle got it right. There are those in my life who, I would think have every reason to be happy yet are sad too often. Then, there are those who struggle everyday with unfixable issues and have the most pleasant attitudes.

My son had a friend who, placed in the worst of circumstances while he was growing up, turned out to be a most honorable person. His role models were less than respectable, in almost everyway. When asked how is was that he became a good guy he said, "I don't want to be like that." He is one of my heroes. No one would have blamed him if he had followed the footsteps of his parents but, he chose a different life for himself (Thank God).

I have a student who was born with problems that may never be able to be fixed. She has never given up and neither have we, as teachers. This young lady has more grace than me. She has alot to teach me. Unfortunately, for me, she's graduating this year. She is accomplishing things, in her studies that, many professionls told her previously, she would never be able to master. I wish she could remain in school longer--I have so much yet to learn from her.

In both cases, both people found happiness where it always resides--inside of ourselves (and that's where the Holy Spirit lives.)

One day maybe.......

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.

Leonardo da Vinci

Yesterday, my husband and I went to Houston for an appointment with my specialist. You see, I've not mentioned this before but, I have Multiple Sclerosis. I do not want to be defined by my disease. I take very good care of myself and am very vigilant in my own care. It must be mentioned that M.S. does not have me. Since my first symptom 32 years ago, my progression has been slow (thank You, Jesus.) I told my children that there may come a time when I can no longer take care of myself but, it will not be because of something I did to myself or did not do for myself. I want to be in charge, by the will of God. Anway, I digress...my appointment was wonderful and I'm still doing really well.

This afternoon my boyfriend (husband) and I are going to view some property. We live in a casa con ruedas (trailor). It's not bad really, considering that we own it free and clear but, I would like a house one day. Problem is that I think that property values are over inflated so, we'll wait.....one day. It's not the highest priority...happiness is.

Land of the Free????

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Abraham Lincoln

I believe that this country is bordering on self destruction. The population is becomming increasingly dependent on government. Businesses are now becomming dependent upon the government. The next generation is less knowledgeable about everything but entertainment. Why have we become so lazy. Sure, there are many people who are self-reliant. Lately, I've been paying attention to the people who are not. I've lived through hurricanes Camille and Andrew, both were catagory 5 storms. After Katrina, no one can seem to survive without the government's help. No one hears about Katrina and Mississippi or Alabama, no--New Orleans--where so many of the people that were seen on the tv were wards of the government. They learned early on that they didn't have to make it on their own, the government gave them stuff. Now it's their right to receive handouts. Wake-up!!!!! Take care of yourselves. Our way of life is at risk.........

Clearing the cobwebs.......

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.

Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

George S. Patton

Well, I'm cleaning out the house, one room at a time. It is essential, for me, to clean out, and organize our belongings from time to time. One room at a time, I'm moving down the hall. Today, I've started cleaning the office. How does one find the space to collect such meaningless junk? This is going to take a few days. Not only am I cleaning but, I've got pre-organized piles and the pre-piles will be fully-organized at a later date. While pre-piling, I found some of my grandmother's writings. She did have the gift of composition. I found some poems that she wrote after I was born. My mom said that I saved her life. You see, when I was 3 weeks old her two oldest sons were killed in a one-car collision. They were my dad's older brothers. I just can't, as a mother, imagine losing two children at the same time. They were 23 and 22 years old. I have trouble comprehending how my dad handled the loss. I really thought the world of her. She taught me so much about life and she told the best stories; it's as though when she was telling a story, I was watching a movie. She left for me and my brother 13 years of journals. They tell of her childhood, being a wife, being a mom, being a grandmother--a wealth of information. They are just priceless to me. This is a poem she wrote for me:

*******

For Lisa

Blue are my darling's eyes-

I stare, until it is pain

To see your blue, blue eyes

Telling me so plain

Of those, who were once little boys.

One who's eyes were very blue

The other a soft, soft brown.

********

Was this mere chance, my darling, or

Was this coming together, you and me,

God's way of showing my need for you?

Teach me patience, Lord, and

Let me remember that little children need

Not only material things, but also laughter.

********

As Patton said, "Don't mourn, but be thankful for God's gift"--my grandmother.

Cuddle up a little closer...

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.

Albert Einstein

As usual, this morning I was driving to school and listening to my MP3 player. Most of my favorite music is on it and I like to listen to it in the schuffle mode. I do have alot of music from the fifties and sixties on it. Every morning when I arrive, the other teacher and myself sing, to the class, a short snippet of a song. I think some times that the students think we're nuts (we probably are but, we ARE good teachers.) The songs are completely unknown to the students but, we know the words and melodies. It really adds brightness to our day. I can only imagine what I would have done if my teachers in high school had sung a few bars of some out-dated song to our class. There is a certain priviledge that goes along with teaching in a private school.

My mom stayed over last night. We had a lovely evening. She left this a.m.--at 5:30 to visit my daughter and her family. I got up at 3 a.m. with her and drove her to the airport at 4:15 a.m. (notice the stress on A.M.). I helped her get all the way to security. I left, then guess what? I went back to sleep as soon as I got home. Cuddling up a little closer to my husband, I woke-up late. No make-up, only a shower and clothes. My face feels like a prune with no moisturizer.

My husband is the best in the world. My teacher friend and I agree on this point. Hers is the best too. We also agreed that we were starting to acquire these little pains occasionally but we are still, both soooo cute. Our husbands love us, our kids are great, and that makes all of the material things in this world so small. Life is great and I am blessed.........

Oh, when I called to see if mom arrived, my daughter said, "The Eagle has landed..." Too cute.

"Woe is to me!" from ...Greek Wedding

Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.

Aristotle

I'm a teacher; you knew that. I'm troubled by the enormous lack of enthusiasm for education by the general public. Education is not high on the list of priorities for too many people. I had trouble the other day with a cashier not understanding exactly how to give change. The cash registers in many fast food restaurants don't even have numbers on the keys but, there are pictures. Simple spelling seems no longer to be important. Verbal skills are waning. Proper grammar skills are becomming rare. Math....what's that? What is literature? "I don't like to read." They simply don't know how to be educated or that it's even important.

Where has education strayed? The difference, as I see it, is that education is only important, for most, when someone else is the teacher. Parents are supposed to be the premier educators. Instead, many parents have chosen their own personal lives as the most important issue and, the child is shoved into the teacher's lap to be educated. Parents of animals seem to be doing a much better job. They protect them, teach them everything they need to know and when the time comes they are kicked out of the nest, den, whatever. Of course, their decorating and housekeeping skills leave much to be desired and they don't have a car. Did someone say that's important.........

Is it the weather, is it hormones, what is it?

Anger cannot be dishonest.

Marcus Aurelius

How true.......what sets us off? I guess that I'm really angry. That's the easy part. The difficult part is trying to figure out if the obvious reason is the REAL reason. I guess I get angry when I feel duped. After 53 years, you would think that I would be able to figure this out. When someone gives me approval, I believe them. I don't play games. When someone asks me my opinion, I tell them the truth. Sometimes I use obvious sarcasm but, I would never allow someone to make, what I think is, a mistake without saying something. If I don't agree yet don't say anything, it's because I trust the person making the decision. It's just that easy for me. The difficult part is the game-playing--I just don't do that very well. The best thing for me to do right now is meditate, It cures everything everytime.

Ike without Tina......

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Mother Teresa

Last night Ike the hurricane came ashore at Galveston, Texas. The storm surge was 13.5 feet. For those who are unfamiliar with these types of storms, the wall of water pushed by the wind was just that, 13.5 feet tall. 200 miles to the East, the storm surge was seven feet. Ike is a huge storm. 12 hours after land fall, the wind is still blowing here. Mother Nature is so huge and it make us look so small. There is absoutely nothing that anyone can do to stop her. We are totally helpless. The only thing that we can do is prepare the best we can and have faith. We cannot pick a fight with Mother Nature--we'll lose--everytime. My prayers are with all of the victims of this storm. The news said that ther are about 3 million without power. I pray for their strength and sense of community. We should all do the same. These events are always a reality check.

So much to do.........

If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.

Margaret Thatcher

My husband and I have been married for fifteen years. He is my protector and supporter and the absolute love of my life. There is no one in the world with whom I'd rather be. I certainly wouldn't want to be married to someone like me. That being said, why is he so disorganized? My god!!!!!!!!! He gets so excited when he sees a clean surface that he can't wait to put something on it. He could protect me in the fiercest battle but he can't put anthing in it's proper place. Of cource, he would say that "This is where I want it!" It is imperative that I clean drawers, cabinets pretty regularly. The other day (and I'm not making this up) I was cleaning the cabinets in the bathroom. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! There were six jars of jelly in one of the bathroom cabinets. Now, I do believe in supplying for the future but, supplies only serve you when you can retrieve them!!!!!!!!!!! This is what I'm up against. It requires all of my being to not lift-off into orbit!!!!!!!!!! He gets angry when I organize because he can't find anything. At least if I organize it, someone in the house knows where it is!

I was just going over this with my students about science. There must be order. I can't convince my husband. I hope the students take heed.............at least I can grade them.

Later..........

Remembering an infamous day....

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

Sir Winston Churchill

Today is one of solemnity. A reflection, a reality check, something to make us, as a people, wake-up and realize that evil really does exist in this world. It is just one of the reasons this blog is so named "Never run away (from evil) never." If you do, the evil will grow exponentially with each retreat from attack.

I have always been a momma lion. "Don't you dare touch my loved ones or I'll take you out. I never start a fight but, if it involves the innocent people, I will finish it. I'm not a vigilante but, I believe in being vigilant.

What happened on 9/11, some say was provoked by the U.S. How absurd...this country has its faults but no country, in the history of man, has given so much to so many and not asked for anything in return.

To all of the military, who have paid so heavy a price, thank you. And to all of the family waiting at home for all of those fighting the fight, I pray for you as you honor this country with your service and your blood. God Bless You.......

A very good day........

A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.

Theodore Roosevelt

School is great. The students this year are very much responsive. I'm getting excited. Biology is my first love and, because I worked in medicine for twenty years I understand the subject well. I hope that my enthusiasm wears-off on the students. I've not seen much reluctance from them yet.

When I woke up this a.m., after my solitary time, I turned on the boob-tube--POLITICS. When I arrived home this p.m. again---POLITICS. It's getting ugly. I prefer for the government to stay out of my way and I believe in the constitution so, I'm a conservative--but not necessarily a Rebuplican. I think that Sarah Palin has breathed life into the GOP. It seems that the Dems are attacking her instead of McCain. I hope people vote for substance over fluff.

I'm still organizing the house for the guests in October. What a party we'll have. My #2 is getting married and #1 plus all of her family are comming for the party.

My niece is getting married the Saturday before my son. Her shower is Sunday. It will be lots of fun I'm sure.

One of those days...

Somtimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield

Anonymus

Not all days begin well. For me, this was one of them. I'm not really sure why but, I felt like a target today. I try my best to do the right thing. I like to spend the first hour of my day in prayer, devotion, and scripture. By doing that, it seals up all the holes and there's no place for the bad stuff in which to seep. Well today, I guess all the holes weren't closed and "something just stuck in my craw." These thoughts were stewing in my mind and then my son came to visit me. What a breath of fresh air. That hole was forgotten about straightaway.

We spent a wonderful afternoon together. He took me for a ride in his new Jetta. It's so pretty. We talked alot--mostly the usual stuff--politics. We share alot of the same views and there are some diferences. One of the most heartwarming gifts that we share is the repect we have for each others' differences. He helped me outside in the hurricane hut. That was so kind because he can do the things that I can't. He's getting married next month. I love not only his fiancee but, her family is the best! What a blessing....

I started out today as the bug but, I'm going to bed now as the windshield. Later....

Starting over...

Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others.

Sir Winston Chruchill

Today was our first day of school. A fellow teacher and myself teach in a small Christian high school (6 students.) Because our school is so small, we teach all of the classes required by the State. Some of our students have health issues and some do not. We have graduated 3 students who have attended the university. We really do work hard to insure that our students leave us knowing how to teach themselves.

We are just recovering from hurricane Gustav and it looks as though Ike is moving away from us. I think that enough of us along the coast screaming "We don't like Ike!!!!!!!!!" may have worked.

Got to get back to planning for school....later.