For some reason, I have not been writing. Lazy? Busy? Blocked?  No real reason that i can point too. I just have not written. But then Sunday my writing began to flow, and one of my works in progress gained not only works but a solid direction. I posted it on my facebook page the story teller. I sort of like it and I hope I am not being kennel blind.

But today was a break through day for me. Perla my ESL student for whom I para asked to read to her in English and then to summarize it. Woozer! She is doing well in class, and now i know she comprehends instructions and material for the most part. Now, we have to make her speak more often but she is getting braver.I  am so proud of her and her work ethic. Tomorrow is final Friday a monthly event in which those students who have no grade below c may spend the last hour of the day in the gym, playing games or just talking with friends. Unfortunately her best pal may not be in that group this time. but we will see.

The  second trimester is coming to an end. The seventh grade is antsy and spring break is not until the end of March. I admire the patience of the teachers at working with wiggling , giggling children. Still as a para I am learning or relearning much of the science and math. They are doing simple chemistry and geometry. Far beyond the subject matter taught during my seventh grade year.

Enough. I will write sooner.

1/2/2016 can I keep this up?

So it is the second day of a new year and I am doing the second blog of 2016. Two in a row and I hope to keep it up. Wish me luck whoever reads these random blogs.

The sun is shining and it is warm. I could venture out  to pick up meds and photos. Yet I have to go out to mass tomorrow and to a meeting at  three so I am trying to decide if I should go out two days in a row or just relax this next to last day of winter break. I really think the relax choice may be my option though I could go to  the Saturday mass at 5PM. Choices!!!

Do you ever get to the point when of two choices they both look  equally good? I rather think everyone has been there once twice in a lifetime. Still it seems this happens more often now as I only have to please myself when it comes to choices. My children are grown,I am single and so what I decide to do affects only me. Life is less complicated  schedule wise but a bit more thoughtful about such choices.

It  does not matter what I decide as it affects only my life. One thing always comes to mind when faced with a choice about going out. My mom ingrained in me the idea that a "lady" only goes to town one or two days a week and one was better. She also believed  a"lady" was only in  the newspaper at her birth, her marriage, and her death. I do not follow these and the newspaper is almost  a lost cause as I have had bylines in three papers. Still I find myself trying to schedule things so except for work I am not out every day. Does anyone else find these childhood induced ideas coming forward at the oddest times?

NEW YEAR

It is here -- the new beginning. Resolutions written, new hope formed, all the things a new year promises. I am not going to write about these.Too many people do it. Too many resolutions created to last  a week or a month until the old routine creeps back into our life. For those that stick to them,I praise you. I usually just say to stay healthy, active, and connected to people and I do that normally so it is easy to keep the list.

However I did decide to do two things I think I can cope with during the year. One is the jar. Each day I deposit in the jar  the amount of money equal to the day's number. The first penny is in. The last day is 3.65 cents. Sort of a home grown Christmas fund. Another item I intend to do is to purchase a gift card each month--- visa or store  and save it to spend next December.Might be a 10 card at a store or a bigger amount visa. Another year end bonus. One daughter shops at Target for staples as they often offer gift cards with such purchases. She saves those. I think ,I may have to check into those.

Today  has always meant pork and kraut for luck during the year. Not sure about the luck but the memories of eating the lucky food with my mother are strong. If we had money, it would be a pork roast cooked lowly smothered in kraut; if not ,it might be pork and wieners. This year I forgot to get the ingredients. Hm! What to do??  Solution Ham and Kraut pizza from Gambinos in South Hutch. So that is covered.I can do this as I live alone and only my palate needs to  be pleased.

Also I have Dana Stabenow's rustic bread on its second rise.  I love this crisp crusted peasant bread. Easy to make its 24 hour first rise works well with my school day schedule---mix it up Friday morning and bake it on Saturday and it requires no kneading. Here is a link to illustrated  directions and let me say she has others just as good. The lady needs to do a cookbook.https://www.facebook.com/danastabenowauthor/posts/870110663017233

That's all for today folks. Here are my best wishes for a great long yea 2016. Yep it is a 366 day year--cause it is leap year. Sadie Hawkins runners on your mark.

 It is sunny and chilly outside today. Taking Boba out the side door to potty I sense the icy fingers caressing my body through a heavy sweat shirt. The warmth of the house was welcome, but
I need to brace myself and go out once again to get material for writing second semester class schedules. So that is my goal once I post this.

 To be truthful Cabin fever is setting in. I have not been out in the world since Christmas Eve and need to contact with humans  though the fur babies are company. Still ice is not my favorite footing for trips far from home tomorrow. Tomorrow I have some annual tests at the clinic so will go out then if the snow being once again predicted does as it has the past few nights fails to come.

Being home has caused me to get somethings done----freezer and fridge purged, laundry caught up, etc. Oh yes, there are still  chores to get done .  One is writing donation checks and getting them mailed off by Thursday. Not as big this  year due to gutter replacement and less income cutting into them but still feel the need to give what I can.

Not much of import here but I have blogged.

Fancy a trip to Ireland, Wales,Scotland andEngland. Follow the link. Sign on by 1/11/2016 and you can get monthly payments.
http://www.eftours.com/tour-website/1665525TX?utm_source=link&utm_medium=TourManagement&utm_campaign=sharetrip

The sky is slate. no, That is not right. Slate is darker. It is pewter but again the color is not right. Pewter has a slight glow to its surface and there is no glow to this sky. It is simply  grey  dim dull grey . That sky along with cold winds are accurate predictors of coming winter weather. Now it is raining which will be ice and/or snow. No need for the scientific weather forecasts when this type of weather sign is so evident.  All they can say is how long and how much but the sky and the wind they tell us  the major changes.

All day I have been thinking of the song A Cold Winter's Night by Sting. It is mid-evil in its tone, and while I can not find it, my mind repeats its tone and the mood of quiet survival it speaks of. Winter is a season ,at least for me, of reflection of days spent inside doing solitary tasks. It is a time of the year I hate due to ice and snow, but one I love for its beauty and the solitude offers.Fall will always be my favorite, but this time of year( the starving moon of the Lakota) is dear to me also.

The dogs are aware of a coming change. Put outside for potty time, there is little playtime as they run out and soon are at the door to come into the warmth. They find warm spots; an old fleece robe or a heat vent will do for them to flop on and to sleep. It is 3:30 now ,but as dark as it usually is at 4:30 or 5.  They are ready to hunker down for the night. Winston paces to the bedroom door and back. Zoe  goes to her kennel and lays alone. Boba finds a spot and waits for me to kennel him. It is too early, but the darkness of the day has them befuddled.

They are content in the warmth of the house and, I think ,in my presence. I ,too, am content the quiet of a grey day and the simple tasks and the lack of rush it grants me. 

Christmas and His faith

 It is cold windy and it is reminder that it is winter and not the false spring we have been enjoying. It is like forgetting one's age and overdoing an activity and the aches telling the body "hey hold on here." I need go out before the promised  rain comes. Christmas small presents need to be bought. Not much monetary value but reminding people I care is important to me.

Christmas has always been for me a time of family and friends--- a time of good memories and making new memories. It is a time for meditation and reflection on the good things the world we live and of the common humanity of all creeds and races. The word races bothers me if the truth is spoken, Skin color should not classify us. A person's actions define him  not his skin color.

Christmas is a time of faith but not While Christianity has named this period, we need to remember other faiths celebrate holidays of importance at this time of year---Jewish festival of lights, Kwanzaa and others. This year I have been saddened by the  sternest of "Christians"  who forget that Christ was a swarthy middle eastern man who looked like many of a faith now beginning demonized by narrow-minded people. Christ held his arms open to all men and accepted all. This new line of thinking, this idea of  being the chosen  brings images of ovens in prison camps and women made to be slaves to the men in their lives with no rights to property etc. It is a faith of exclusion and judgement: it is not the Fait that Jesus of Nazareth preached. I fear many of our leaders will not pass the eye of the needle test when their time comes.

But enough said this morning before i really get on my soap box as it  is Christmas and  I want it to be Christmas that Christ would be  happy with when he watches us celebrate his holiday.

Peace and live my readers.