Here We Go Again...

My husband thinks I'm pathetic. So does Mike, that man I co-teach with. I can tell that other people are holding back from rolling their eyes at me, at least until they turn their backs, when I mention the series. But, then there are those who are all too willing the discuss the series with me. It's bad....really bad. I started reading the Twilight Series again. I can't help myself. I even told myself that I would go slowly and savor it this time around. But I just can't do that. I cannot put the books down.

So, that is the reason for my lack of posts and now that I think about it...it was the reason before. There are four books in the series Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. However, she did start writing a fifth book called Midnight Sun and this book is the same as Twilight but written in Edward's voice. You can read a few chapter of it here - it's free - a legal.

I would like to promise that this is my last entry about Twilight, but I can't make that promise.

I am about halfway through The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and I have to say, it's not bad. I absolutely love Edgar - he is such a sweet boy, as I'm reading I picture my own son as this character. Except that Edgar doesn't yell - EVER!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- This book can be read in about a day. This is a very easy read - another book geared toward teenagers, but it does have a powerful message. It would be a great book to discuss with my own students. This is also a movie - I haven't seen it...yet.

Jared's Report Card

My husband and I were a little surprised when our son's preschool was holding parent-teacher conferences. A good surprise. Maybe.

I understand what a handful he can be at home and the fits he can throw, so I was a little apprehensive about what his teacher would tell us.

When we went into the classroom she handed us a sheet of paper....his report card. I noticed a pattern. For the items that required knowledge or a physical activity, he mostly scored high. However, for the items that required interaction and sharing with his classmates..well...those weren't as high.

The teacher tried to reassure us that it is very typical at this age and also because Jared is one of the youngest members of the classroom.

One last thing...she did mention Jared's singing abilities. Everything would be quiet in the classroom, the children playing quietly, then all of a sudden Jared would break out into song. Usually Snow Miser, his favorite.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

Here I am....I know that I want to write something, but it's just not coming to me. I remember when I was in my 8th grade composition class and we needed to keep a daily journal. We were told that if we couldn't think of anything to write about, to write just that. So, here I go. I don't know what to say.

What's going on right now...
Jared is watching the Mighty Bee
Dan is at the fire company, probably still wondering what happened to his SOP book (whatever that is). He thinks he may have left it at his ex-wife's house when he moved out....8 years ago.
I am sitting on our living room couch typing.

Here is something that's been on my mind lately...the school district in which I live...
My step-daughter is entering her geometry class this semester and was informed that she NEEDED to purchase a TI-89 calculator...oh, only about $100. Now where I work, we provide the calculators for the students...isn't that obvious? Anyway, my concern is about the student who really does come from a poor family, whose parents aren't even living paycheck to paycheck where it's worse than that. How do they have a equal opportunity for education? It breaks my heart.
Then, my cousin and I were talking, and it came up about her daughter's classroom (same district). She just went to the store to buy tissues for her class. Tissues? This school district doesn't even provide tissues? What the?
Am I wrong? Did I miss something? Is the district's budget that tight that they can't afford these things?

I guess I was able to find something to write about. One more question before I go....Is it wrong to allow your child to eat cookies, goldfish, marshmallows, pudding and a banana for supper?

Strange Doctor

There is this man who lives in the same town that I do...and well...he's a little on the strange side. I was reminded of him this morning on my drive to work (yes, even teachers have to work on the weekend).

Now, this man is strange to say the least, but the way I saw him this morning takes the cake.

Where I live it is very hilly, perhaps that's not the correct word, mountainous I believe better describes where I live...the Pocono Mountains. Anyway, this man is a doctor and he live in the same town that I do and works in a hospital that is 2 mountains away or about 20 miles.

Does this man drive his car to work? Nope.

Does this man catch a ride with someone else? Nope.

This man rides his bicycle.


Please imagine this, you are sick and in the hospital and in need of a doctor. But the doctor that is assigned to you just rode 20 miles on his bicycle to work and over 2 mountains and did not get a shower.

The way I usually see this man, of course, is with him on his bicycle and looking a lot like a wild man, a man that lives off the earth.

This morning when I saw him I could not look directly at him as I was afraid that I would not be able to look away. He had an object strapped to his back and I could not believe that he made it over 2 mountains and 20 miles on a bicycle with this strapped to his back. Are you ready? I can't believe this....Here it goes. You asked for it.....

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Yes, a wooden pallet.....strapped to his back!

High-Maintenance

I was never THAT girl. You know the one who spent an hour in the bathroom putting her make-up on, the one eying up jewelry, the one want 100 pairs of shoes. In high-school my closet looked a lot the the comic Nancy's, but my wardrobe was jeans, a baggy tee-shirt, and sneakers, not a a black and red dress. That's what I wore everyday...even throughout college.
Today I was at work minding my own business when one of the girls walked by. When I saw her handbag I thought, "That's a nice handbag, that would totally go with my one shirt." I froze right where I was...Did that thought just come from my brain?
The other day my husband and I went to the mall and when we passed a jewelry store I slowed down to see what they had to offer. Really?
I NEVER wore pink...it was too girly....looking at my closet now, 1/4 of it is pink. What happened to me?

When did this change occur? I don't remember seeing this change and then all at once, just by looking at a teenage girl's handbag, I saw myself. At first I thought my 16-year-old self might yell at me if she were able to see me now, but I think I might be wrong. If I know her like I think I do, she would be proud of me. I no longer look like a slob. My uniform is not longer jeans, a tee-shirt, and sneaker (except of weekend mornings).

Did you ever look back and wonder, When did that happen?

I have some explaining to do

I'm sorry. I don't really have a good excuse for being away for so long. But I'm back. I guess it's the weather...is that good enough an excuse?

Today is Martin Luther King day and tomorrow we will receive our first black president. What a turning point in history. I don't want to talk politics so I will leave this topic at that.

Updates:

1) I finished the Twilight Series and LOVED it. But if you've been reading, you already know this.

2) I read Water for Elephants and enjoyed that as well. I'm all about happy endings in books, and although this did have a 'happy' ending, I was left with a feeling of guilt for some lost characters. I know, I know, real life isn't always about happy ending. Trust me, I am fully aware of that. And that is why I love happy endings in books.
I do have to say this about the book. It felt real. Sometimes I lost myself in her words. I could easily picture the scenery in my imagination. A very talented writer.

3) My next project: the book The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. I will let you know.

4) My emergency fund is coming along nicely. My goal for the end of the year is $2000. So far I have almost $300.

5) Jared recently declared that he is The Master of Discuss! I believe he meant The Master of Disguise. And yesterday he told me that he is Captain Pickles. I think that was from a cartoon.

6) I started a quilt as a gift for a relative with cancer...a teenager. Doesn't that break your heart?

7) I redecorated my bedroom. Before and after pictures will be available soon.

8) The Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!! My husband is one happy camper.

Until next time!!

Josephine

Who is Josephine? That's been a pressing question for my family lately. My grandmother on my mom's side passed away recently and my mother and most of her siblings have been going through the estate. There were always rumors that my grandfather, Allen, had a girlfriend, possibly a wife, before he married my grandmother, Rachel.

As my mom and her siblings are cleaning, they come across some interesting things. The first time they found information it was contained in a small green tin and it contained mostly Christmas cards. The cards were address to a woman named Josephine and send to a hospital in Philadelphia. Some of the cards were addressed to Josephine Ramsey, others were addressed to Josehpine Keller, Allen's last name. From the information found in this tin we came to this conclusion...
My grandfather fell in love with a woman who developed cancer. She was admitted to the hospital and my grandfather married her there before she passed away. Doesn't that just touch your heart?

Then the next time my mom and her siblings went back to the house they found more information. Apparently, they had a rather long engagement and were married before she was in the hospital. She was from East Stroudsburg and I'm not sure how they met, since he was from Kresgeville. She was an educated woman, a columnist, and frequented New York. I was impressed as most of my ancestors were mostly farmers who never left home.

The eerie part is this... my mother mentioned that my grandfather seemed to take to me unlike the other grandchildren. Not that I was a favorite, but he was just different with me. As I was looking through the information that my mom presented to me, my heart jumped when I saw the date she died... my birthday.

I would love to find out more about her. I know that she had a young daughter when she passed away. A daughter from a previous relationship. The daughter's name was Mary Ramsey, but I have no more information than that. One day, my mom and my aunt when on a little scavenger hunt and found Josephine's tombstone..."Josephine Keller". My grandfather buried her in the same cemetery that he and my grandmother are buried.

Here's a question that I've always wondered about. If my grandfather was truly in love with Josephine, but his family was with Rachel, then how do you decide who you will be buried next to?

I am in Love

My wonderful husband took me to see Twilight at the theater yesterday. And I have to say I wasn't disappointed as I usually am. I love to read books and then watch the corresponding movie but all too often the plot is changed so much that's it's a totally different story. Not the case here. Obviously, a few things needed to change but these were details. The plot was exactly the same.

My husband would have enjoyed a little more violence or blood, but this is geared toward teenagers. What did he expect? I left the theater wanting more. Fortunately, my mother hates to see me suffer and purchased the 2nd book of the series, New Moon. I am afraid. I am afraid that I will finish these 4 books and then it's over. I need to slow down and savor.

I spoke with my students today about the series and the girls agree with me. They love the series.

Enough about the series. I did start the book, 'Water for Elephant' but I had to set it to the side once my mother introduced 'New Moon' to me. I do enjoy this book so far, much more adult-like. I will let you know my thoughts once I am through.

Thank you for letting me ramble on and on about Twilight. Has a book ever done this to you?

Great Find

I am so excited! I frequent this hidden gem of a shop only 5 minutes from my house. This is an antique/quilt shop and I love both. I went to the shop with the intentions to purchase fabric to make a quilt for a relative with cancer. I will definitely show it to you once it's complete. Before I looked at fabric, I decided to walk through the antiques and this one piece jumped out at me. You will need a little more information...

For Christmas I was able to buy my husband a new recliner with the money that I made from direct sales business. This gift is a little selfish in that I wanted his old recliner. I fit perfectly into it and he was too tall for it. So, we rearranged the living room and I was without an end table. I was heartbroken and couldn't wait until yard sale season to buy one.

For Christmas, my Mother-in-law gave me a $50 visa gift card (among many other thoughtful gifts) and at first I was overwhelmed. I LOVE gift cards, the possibilities are endless, endless. So, first I bought myself a book (no, not New Moon, you'll see) and I bought this table....

Here's a closer picture...

And the best part...the book shelf underneath. This table matches my passion for red. Are you looking close County Mouse? Yes, Water for Elephants. I can't wait to start it! Thanks for the tip.