Now and Zen

Memorial Day - to remember our fallen heroes. And the official start of summer season. For humans, it's not the tilt of the earth or the length of the day, it's the calendar. In three short weeks, the kiddies will all be off from school for ten long glorious weeks. I started my first blog here about summer and childhood memories.
This weekend was a classic in my opinion for my son.
Friday: short day, long playdate, capped with a trip to Skippolini's for pizza and funny little squishy eraser animals that are so in with the elementary crowd.
Saturday: playing G.I. Joe all day in Daddy's jeep, then the new Star Trek movie (two buttery fingers up!)
Sunday: nine holes of golf with Daddy, hours of swimming with friends at the pool including dodge ball in the baby pool. Throwing a ball and hitting people? Does it get any better? What is it about you boys.
We just finished eating Daddy's bbq on the patio and the boys are throwing baseballs into the dusk.
I got paperwork done, a top feeling in my book and I got the front yard looking spiffy. When it's clean, my little front yard becomes a moving Zen painting. The rock river winds around sprouting palms, bright yellow rock daisies with the overhead canopy of our gigantic mulberry tree, my favorite tree ever. When the weeds are tamed and the rocks are gracefully misplaced, it all comes together to create a little green paradise. It may not look like much to outside eyes but to me it is art in nature. It is mine and Mama Nature's.
Ahhh,,summer.

Now There Is No Excuse for Being Stupid

http://www.openculture.com/

You Say It's Your Birthday

Me, Dad and Paul, 1962


Couldn't bear going to work today. Tuesdays are my most challenging day so I took a sicky as they say in Oz. Luckily the principal of the school I'm at on Tuesdays doesn't read my blog...remind me to NEVER give anyone I work with my blog address.

Today was glorious. A beautiful morning of writing on my back patio, listening to the birds. Hershey kept rubbing on my legs, more than she usually does, I think she knew it was my special day.

Decided today was to be a productive day. I always feel better when my affairs are in order so the morning was for crossing things off the list.

My car: filthy, took it to the carwash: hey! they give you free car washes on your birthday. Bonus. I got to give the guys an extra big tip, I love doing that. Nice way to wake up on your birthday. Something unexpected cuz you're birthday girl? Sweet.

Went to get woodchips, not the most green thing to do but man, does our corner yard look like crap. After two plus hours of back breaking weed pulling, heaving 16 cubic yards of wood chips, blowing, rock arranging, dirt moving, etc., my yard looks gorgeous. Well, it's not the hobo yard anymore. I also found a dime and anyone who knows me well knows what that means. I have a thing about dimes, my Dad's favorite number-ten and the promise he made to me....

I usually don't like working there-it's next to the busy road and I always find dog poo. I love the constant parade of pedestrians past our side house but not the ones with bad dog manners. I have a big flat rock in there, last year a small breed dog used it as their regular toilet. Ewww and good lord! it's weird enough the dog did it but even more strange the owners let them. If my dog did that I'd be like, "dude! quit shitting on top of rocks in people's gardens." I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so to speak.
I'm planning to make a little sign that says "bee and black widow habitat - potentially harmful to dogs." Maybe that way they'll stay the fuck out of my yard.

Then I watched some tv while I had vegie burger and cheese puffs with diet coke. Yum. May sound wierd to you but yum to me.

Did a little reading, emails, paperwork, vacuuming. MAN! I got it going on!
Then, I took Jake to swim practice, yeah. First time this year. He's in the next age group and I think he's very happy about that. Alot less goofing off, too. Coach Garrett is such a sweetie, he was glad to see Jake again.

Now we're kicking back until the family gets here..I'm blogging as you can see.
Jake's tummy feels a bit funny, I think he might have pulled a swim muscle. Last year he got six pack abs from swim team. Time for me to get back to doing laps!!!

I got lots of phone calls from my favorite friends, tons of facebooks of course. My beautiful step daughter called and asked when she could see me. What a peach.

Last year this time I remember thinking, " just think, this time next year I'll have my teaching credential." Sweet. Dude.

Okey dokey. Happy Birthday to me. I feel blessed, happy, clean, orderly, calm, peaceful, loved, accomplished, prosperous.

This is my new year.

I love the smell of chlorine in the morning....

I miss the beach but the pool is a great consolation prize.
another fun year of swimming, bbqing, hanging out with friends, swimming in the dark, parties, swim meets, movies in the pool, etc., etc.,
I'm co-spirit coordinator for the team which means double the fun this year.
A great, fun crowd of people who love to be outdoors, swimming, staying cool in the warm WC sun.

We'll miss the first big event as we're off to Georgia to see Ang, Vanessa and their babies...can't wait...

Birthday Season

Birthday season is upon me again.
Last night, my homegirls took me to the Claremont for a workout and a soak, then we hit the "new" Brennan's for roast turkey sandwiches, horse radish and Irish Coffees, or my fav, Hot Celtics or Sweet Janes as they were called in my drinking days. That's another story...

Birthday season, time to reflect...

I got a teaching credential, that's pretty big.
I spent lots of time with my Aussie cousin, that was big.
I'm in better shape than I was last year, that's huge, scuse the pun.

My favorite thing is my project though. I'm so superstitious that I don't even want to blog about it.
In my professional life, it is as important to me as teaching, in fact it's a form or teaching.

I'm sounding vague and uninteresting so I'll bid you adieu.
Happy Birthday to me....