A Lovely Long Weekend and Some This and That

We left Thursday morning heading towards Pittsford, NY to attend my nephew's high school graduation.  We decided to make it a mini-vacation.  We found ourselves heading to Corning, NY to visit the Museum of Glass. I'd been there over 40 years ago, and I didn't recognize anything!  We drove through some lovely NY state scenery down I-88 which I'd never traveled before and arrived at the museum about 4 pm.  It's open until 8 pm during the summer so we had plenty of time to visit the exhibits and attend a hot glass show.  After the museum we found a great restaurant downtown (Sorge's) where we enjoyed some terrific pasta.  We spent the night at a chain hotel in Corning, and then headed northerly along Seneca Lake.  We had hoped to stop at some wineries, but we were on the road too early.  None of the wineries opened until 10 or 11 am and we were on the road at 8:30.  The lake is beautiful, and the drive up Rt 14 was leisurely.  We got our bearings in Geneva ( a lovely college town) and then headed westerly towards Canandaigua.  After a short drive along the eastern side of the lake, we headed to my sister's town of Pittsford.  We played tourist (since that's what we were!) and took a 90 minute cruise on the Erie Canal on the Sam Patch.  It was a gorgeous afternoon and the canal scenery is really pretty.  Once back on land, we called my sister and headed to her house for family festivities.  The graduation was held in the RIT fieldhouse.  Despite the ceremony being 2 hours long (240 graduates), it never got boring.  The student speeches were excellent.  I was amazed by the poise of the young men and women speaking to an audience of close to 1000.  My sister and her husband hosted a great party for friends, family, and neighbors, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.
Sunday saw us heading home, and after 8 hours on the road, we arrived back safe and sound. I have to give my husband a lot of credit. He did ALL the driving.  We usually take turns  - 2 hrs on, 2 hrs off, but my hands were so painful, I found it hard to grip the wheel.  We just took it slow, and stopped more frequently than normal.

Monday was laundry, catching up on mail and chores, and grocery shopping.  Today was a bit more of the same, except that I also worked on my ordering for my classroom  and had to head over to school for a bit to take care of some staff development things.  I'm co-chair of the district's staff development committee, and we're in charge of making sure all teachers have completed their requirements for recertification by June 30.  A couple of procrastinators had failed to get their completed paperwork in by the end of school, but had dropped it off on Monday.  I had to go in and check it all and add the "stamp of approval" to their documents.  It didn't take long, but it sometimes bugs me that some people leave it so long!

I managed to knit 6 rows on my socks this afternoon.  The dr said that I could knit as much as my hand could stand, so I'm taking it easy.  I have so many projects I want to knit -- some Christmas presents, a baby gift, and some sweaters.  I'm not sure whether I will succeed.

For the rest of the week:  pick up new glasses tomorrow, bring the business bookkeeping up to date, dentist, visit to the rheumatologist, water aerobics, finish my classroom ordering, and a celebration dinner at a favorite restaurant with a dear friend and his wife.  He's retiring after 36 years as a teacher and principal.  He will be missed by parents, kids, and the community!

Hot + Humid = Unhappy Person

The hot humid weather snuck up on me and I don't like it!  We've had a lovely long spring and for the past week it's been in the 50's at night, and the mid-70's during the day.  And very low humidity. When I woke up yesterday, it was already 67 at 6 am, and very humid.  I had a long morning at the doctor's and when I emerged from the medical center at 11:30 it was almost 90.  Today is day 2 of "Severe Heat Advisory".  The saving grace is that we are heading out on the road to my nephew's high school graduation.  So, while the prospect of a long road trip isn't that appealing, the day spent in the a.c. of the vehicle will make up for it!  And an air-conditioned hotel room will be nice.  Our house has no a.c. so when it gets sultry, it's really hard to sleep!  And of course, I am grateful that school is out.

Getting Some Answers

First of all, school is out!  We've never been out before June 15th since I've been teaching, so June 14 was a  huge blessing.  I did go in on Friday to attend a "Get Acquainted with Your iPad" workshop.  The district bought all the middle school teachers an iPad to use next year so I spent 3.5 hrs playing with it, with expert help available.  I had a terrific year, but it is so wonderful to be out for 9.5 weeks!

I've been having a lot of trouble with my hands (and other parts of my body) and I've been seeing the orthopedics dept as well as occupational therapy to deal with pain and swelling of my fingers.  After some blood work, it was determined that I needed to go see a rheumatologist, and wonders of wonders, I managed to snag a cancellation appt this morning.  Otherwise I would have to wait until September!
I apparently have inflammatory arthritis, probably rheumatoid arthritis, although the tests haven't been definitive.  At the moment it's being called "atypical" RA.  I got sent to the vampires again, and this time they drew 8 vials of blood.  I was also sent for a chest Xray - as a base line, since RA can attack heart and lungs too.  Joy! (not!!)  I really liked the doctor.  He spent over an hour with me, interviewing me as far as symptoms, and lifestyle,  and he of course did a neuro assessment.  I liked the way he made me feel comfortable, and took his time to get to know me.  So, while I'm still waiting for test results, at least I've got a preliminary diagnoses that explains a lot.  Now to learn how to control it.

It's Almost Over!

Three and a half more days to go.  We are getting out earlier than we've gotten out in years.  This was due to only 2 weather days this year.  Usually we have 6-7.  It's been a great year for me.  I finally (after 4 years) got back to teaching 6th grade social studies and language arts.  Although language arts was a challenge this year because I had to give up my reading/writing workshop format to teach a prescribed curriculum, it was such a pleasure to teach 6th graders again.  And after 4 long years I got to teach 6th grade social studies -- ancient civilizations-- which is my passion!  What a difference it makes all around!!  The icing on the cake this year was the great group of kids we had.  They were genuinely caring, kind, and funny.  Yes, they were very young 6th graders (several who still believed in Santa), and they were terrible listeners, but I am having a difficult time saying good bye to them.  And I love that!  If I could have several more years of classes like this one, I could see myself teaching till past 60!

Yesterday two incredible things happened on a walking field trip to a local ice cream stand.  As I placed the order for ice cream for my teaching partner and me (myself?), a gentleman at the next window asked if I was a teacher.  I said yes.  He then insisted I put my money away, and he paid for our orders telling us that we aren't appreciated enough!  Later, as we were getting ready to leave the picnic area, I went back to the order window to get some ice cream for the principal back at school.  A woman commented on how polite, caring, and well-behaved are students were and she wondered what church group we were with.  When I told her we were from the local public school, she was flabbergasted and she told me that she had no idea public schools taught kids how to behave well.   (A sad commentary on public perceptions!)  I thanked her and told her that our school values are respect, responsibility, and integrity, so we try very hard to instill those values in our kids.

So, with only 3 1/2 more days to go, I'm glad to say it's been a terrific year, for a change!

Frustrated and Annoyed

My hands hurt.  The more medical advice I get, the more they hurt.  It started with my left middle finger.  It swelled to twice its size and became very painful to bend and use.  I went to my dr who ordered an Xray which showed that my left hand is missing cartilage between just about all the first knuckles of my fingers . . .but that's not where the pain was located, nor did that joint seem to be the source.  She sent me to the orthopedics dr who diagnosed tendonitis and treated me with an 8 day course of predisone.  That reduced the swelling a bit, and the pain lessened.  About a week after I finished the prednisone, the finger started swelling again, and it became even more painful.   At the same time, several fingers on my right hand started acting up and the right hand side of my wrist (under the little finger) got quite painful. A second visit to the orthopedist resulted in blood tests that show that I may have some sort of inflammatory disease, but the tests weren't precise enough to indicate which of several.  I have to now go see a rheumatologist  once they can find an appointment for.  I've also been referred to occupational therapy.  They've recommended some finger and hand exercises plus contrast baths (hot and cold) several times a day.  I'm also to  relieve pain and swelling with Aleve and Tylenol per dr's orders.

All which goes to say that while I've been given the OK to knit, I can't!  It hurts too much, and I can't grasp the needles well.  I also am having difficulty opening jars, cutting fruit and veggies for meals, opening doors, and even shifting my car into drive and reverse.

Today I'm frustrated because I had a hard time repotting some plants, and so I decided to enjoy the beautiful weather on my screen porch and work on a jigsaw puzzle since I can't knit.  But can I find my puzzle board anywhere????  We had a new heating system put in this past fall, and things got moved. I've always kept my puzzle board (a large felted board that folds up, holding puzzles in progress) behind a large desk in the family room.  The desk and therefore the board was moved during the renovation. Can I find it anywhere??? Nope.  I didn't move the furniture - it was done by the heating people.  Everything else was left in the middle of the rooms they were working in.  Not the board!

Oh well. I just might have to buy a Kindle book since I'm just about finished with the one I'm reading.

Time Flies!

Where did the month go???  It has literally flown by.  It's been busy of course.  When is it not?
So . . . without further ado:

1.  3 pretty intense weeks of school.  Third quarter ended, report cards, and end of year planning begins.  April vacation seemed so far away, and now it's over.  Last day before vacation was crazy with a schoolwide community service day.  All 3 grades (approx 400 students) spent the last 2 hours of the day out and about our town, cleaning up litter, sweeping asphalt playground and sidewalks, raking, weeding, etc.  Thank goodness it was a nice day or that could have been a disaster.

2.  I've been dealing with some hand issues.  I have apparently overused my left middle finger (no, I don't engage in rude gestures!) and after a couple of dr visits, and an x-ray, it appears that not only do I have arthritic joint in my fingers, but I've got an angry tendon.  My middle finger has spent most of the month swollen up to 3 times it's normal size, and it's been very painful.  After a short course of predisone and taping, it's much less swollen, and while there's pain, it's not constant.  I have been banned from knitting for a few weeks too, which is almost as agony-inducing as the finger pain!  I've got arthritis in both hands too, so both are benefiting from rest.

3.  We enjoyed a wonderful vacation in California this past week.  We first went to Los Angeles to visit our son and his girlfriend.  Although the weather was cloudy and downright cold for California (50°'s and 60°s) we managed to have fun.  We went one afternoon to the Kodak Theater to see Cirque de Soleil's Iris.  We had fantastic seats --- 3rd row, center stage--- and the show was wonderful.  We ate well too --- I heartily recommend Rock Sugar at the Westfield Mall which is just around the corner from our son's apartment, Cafe Chez Marie  on Santa Monica, right next to my son's office at CESD, and  The Bazaar.  This last place is where our son's significant other works.  It's very trendy, very high end, and not a place we would ever dream of going on our own.  We received VIP treatment in their bar -- and enjoyed some incredible tapas and adult beverages!  One rainy-ish day we visited the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  What an amazing building.  I wanted to go because in my ELA class we read an article about the architect, Frank Gehry.  I'm always looking for ways to enhance curriculum, so I took lots of pictures of the stainless steel building.

Next we traveled to Catalina for a few days.  We stayed at a lovely boutique hotel The Avalon.  It's the yellow building.  This was very comfortable, and very inviting. Because it was off-season, we were able to get a special deal which included the round trip ferry ride, a sumptuous continental breakfast, and the taxi service to and from the ferry landing.

The first day there was still cloudy and showery, but it eventually cleared away and we enjoyed the island very much.   This is a view from our room balcony on one cloudy morning.

This island is not cheap ---after all everything has to come by water.  Few cars are allowed on the island, but golf carts serve as primary means of transportation.  The unexpected thing was how few of the carts are electric, so there was more noise than I expected.    We took an inland tour which was fun, and we rented a golf cart one morning where I got some great shots of the harbor.

It was very relaxing . . . .we'd walk, sit and watch people fish off the pier, pelican watch, walk some more, etc.   It was tough to return home!

4.  And now it's Sunday afternoon, and tomorrow it's back to school. . . . I need a vacation from vacation!

Put a Sock ON It

I finished a second pair of socks last night.  It was a simple pattern  from Charlene Schurch, the Garter Rib.  I used some Online Supersocke in a variegated green.  Details can be found here.  This was a quick knit - only a couple of weeks, interrupted by Destination Imagination Regionals, some super busy weeks at school, and some difficulty with hand and finger joints.   While I try to knit a bit every night, some nights I am too tired to even pick up the needles!  So here they are.  My photos aren't that great --- it's really hard to take pictures of your feet!!

Phew!

You'd think that everyone would have returned to school this week relaxed and ready to go.  Not so.  I crawled into bed every night this past week by 8:15 and twice fell asleep at the Kindle.  It was a tough week.  The kids were jazzed all week, and it started right from the get-go.  We have 10 minutes of homeroom in the am before classes, and usually, there's some chatter, but they settle down once the announcements start.  Not this week.  Each day it's been taking longer and longer to get them settled down.  It must be a combination of springlike weather, and full moon.  Today about half the class talked through the announcements, so after they ended I started reminding me of the behavior expectations.  As I'm talking to them, one boy continued to chat.  I stopped, and reminded him that he shouldn't be talking while I was.
He argued back, "I'm not talking  when you're talking.  I'm talking in the gaps."  I stood there for a second, dumbfounded.
 "Excuse me?" I responded.
"I"m talking in between your words, so I'm not talking when you are."
"I'll see you at lunch.  We'll review attentive listening then."
"I'm not coming up."

He didn't come up either for lunch detention, so he wound up with a double write-up.  Later I found out that at lunch he punched another student, and had spent the lunch time with the principal, so he was "off the hook" for the detention cut.  He will have to serve it on Monday however.

Another young lady, C, is in our behavior program, and today was being shadowed by the behavior specialist. During one of my classes, C thought it would be funny to steal the specialist's glasses, and she wouldn't give them back.  Then she picked up the glasses and ran out of the room.  She wound up eventually at the time out bench near the office, where she started texting on her cell phone.  The teacher asked her to give her the cell phone ("off and out of sight" is the school rule), and C refused.   C started shouting at the teacher, so the principal came out to see what was going on.  He asked C for the phone, and she refused to give it to him.  Apparently he then got in her face and said, "I'm asking you one more time to give me your phone."  She threw it at him.

I'm also managing a Destination Imagination team again this year after a hiatus of 5 years. We've met 3 days this week, and it's been like herding cats to get them to all sit still long enough to talk to them.  Competition is in a week, and we have no props, no scenery, and they haven't figured out 3 major scoring items.   I've never had such an unfocused team before, and they do not work together as a team.  I'm just hoping that they can pull enough together in the time we have left so that they CAN compete.  I can't let them look like fools . . . .And if one more of them says "I can bring this in," and then doesn't . . . . . .  ARGH!

So I'm looking forward to a relatively relaxing weekend.  I have to do the monthly billing tomorrow, but then we're going to the movies with friends. (To see John Carter, because our friends' son was the assistant film editor).  We'll go out to dinner too.    Sunday I have nothing planned.  I may even (gasp!) skip church to sleep in!

Some Knitting

I finished these 2 projects over last week's vacation.

First is this baby sweater and hat from an old Creative Knitting magazine. The pattern is called "Adorable Baby Cables" from the Nov. 2008 edition.   While I love the color, I wasn't as pleased with the results as I wanted to be.  The hems keep curling despite some crocheted edging.  The hat especially curls in a peculiar manner.  I used Plymouth Encore which is my go-to yarn for baby gifts.  Of course, it wasn't until I'd finished the hat that I discovered (accidentally, while researching something else) that there had been a correction posted for the hat pattern.  I may re-knit it.

The 2nd finished project was this pair of socks.  These are Ann Budd's Undulating Rib socks from Favorite Socks.  The pattern doesn't show up well because of the yarn colors, but they fit really well.  I will use this pattern again with a solid color yarn or a more muted pallet.    The yarn was On-Line Supersocke Sierra 100.  I bought this yarn and the Encore from my favorite yarn supplier WEBS.

More Vacation

Tuesday was more of the same  - Words with Friends,  household chores, a little DVR watching.  Wednesday was busier.  My husband and I had some "quality time" --- going grocery shopping together.  I really dislike grocery shopping and most of the time he does it, but occasionally he asks me to go with him.  The only saving grace is that when I go, I do find different products to try.  He sticks to the list we make at home and rarely deviates, so when I am getting bored with my cooking, I make a grocery store trip to get re-inspired.  I have to admit that nothing inspired me during this last trip, other than I bought some different varieties of canned soup.
Then in the afternoon, he drove me to the eye dr's for my annual appointment.  Since my eyes were scheduled for dilation, I decided a chauffeur would be in order.  The doctor's office is conveniently located at our hospital which also is the home of our "Wellness Center."  While I had my eyes examined, my husband took advantage of the therapy pool to stretch some of his arthritic joints.  The good news from the eye doctor is that my vision hasn't changed and I don't need a new prescription.  The bad news is that she is concerned about a couple areas in my retinas - they have tiny holes-  and she wants me to see a retina specialist.  She told me that "it's probably nothing to worry about" and that it's probably a hereditary issue.  So I'm scheduled to see the specialist at the end of March.  I have to take a whole day off from school to accomplish that, but that's okay.  I ended up the day by heading out into the beginning of a big snowstorm to attend a Chamber of Commerce awards dinner.  My church won the "Non-profit Organization of the Year" award and we were being honored. As the church's moderator it behooved me to attend.  About a dozen members of the church attended and the pastor and I had to go up on stage in front of about 150 people to accept the award.  The tricky part of it was that I had assumed the pastor would make the acceptance speech.  Nope!  That honor fell to me, only nobody told me ahead of time!  Luckily my teaching career has taught me to think on my feet, and I managed to make a  few acceptance remarks.  (Back at my table, one of my companions told me that I definitely improved on the Oscar acceptance speeches!)  No matter, we got a nice plaque, some really good PR, and we had a great meal.  We've also been asked to host the local high school baccalaureate this year, so that's all good!  I got home about 9:30 after a tense, steering wheel clenching ride home -- the snow was coming down heavy, and the roads were slippery.  And thus ended day 5 of vacation.

Vacation Days 2 and 3

Sunday was a quiet relaxing day.  I finished a book, and I played a lot of Words with Friends. I enjoyed an episode of Midsomer Murders (Death in a Chocolate Box), and made a favorite dinner - my version of arroz con pollo.  I sauted chicken thighs in olive oil with thyme, bay leaf, and lots of garlic in my electric skillet.  Then I add long grain rice, chicken broth and real saffron.  I let that simmer a bit, and add a jar of pimentos, a can of mushrooms (or fresh), some frozen shrimp, and frozen peas at the last.  I'd add some minced clams too, but my husband dislikes them.  This is a dish my mom made a lot.  We splurge on buying saffron from Penzeys.com.  It's incredibly expensive but a little goes a long way and there is no substitute.  We make choices --- saffron instead of other treats.  I ended the day with an all-out Oscar marathon and I finished a baby sweater for a friend. I'll try to get pics up later.

Today was a WORK day. I started at 8:30 this morning on the taxes and bookkeeping.  It's 5 pm and while I still have to file all the stuff I pulled out, I've compiled almost all the tax info we will need for the accountant, brought our business books up to date, balanced the January bank statements, and solved at least 3 puzzling bookkeeping problems.  I also figured out a more efficient way to organize all the receipts my husband collects for business cash purchases.  He'd been randomly throwing his cash receipts and credit card receipts into a plastic shoe box, plus he'd also throw in receipts from purchases he'd made with checks.  It takes me forever to sort out all the receipts and match them to credit card bill or check.  I think I've solved the problem without forcing him  to change his ways too much.  I really resent having to spend my vacation working my "other" job, but that's the way it is.  At least tonight I can look forward to staying up late to watch CASTLE during live air time instead of having to record it and watch it another day.

Tomorrow I have to get some house organizing accomplished - like finally getting the rest of the Christmas decorations put away in an ORGANIZED fashion, and maybe tackling a closet or two.  I also have to run a few errands and make a few phone calls.  I did not expect to spend a full day on the bookkeeping, I must admit.

Vacation Day 1

It was a long and busy day, but definitely a pleasant one!
As is usual, I was up early on a day I could sleep late.  We headed southeast down to N.Attleboro, MA to meet up with our 2 sons.  Elder Son lives there, and Younger Son had flown in Friday night from LA on some unexpected business.  Elder Son had picked him up at the airport, and hosted him, so we went down and took them out to lunch at a terrific Indian restaurant in Providence.  We usually get the buffet when we go there, but this time we ordered from the menu.  I'm glad I did.  I had the most delicious mango curry with chicken.  It had just enough heat to warm up the tongue without overpowering the flavors of the mango and cashews and all the other tasty spices.  After lunch we visited for a while and then we had to head back . . .. because we had haddinner plans and theater tickets with some good friends of ours.  We met up with them at the restaurant where everyone chose wisely, and then we headed to Gardner, MA to the Theater at the Mount, at Mt. Wachusetts Community College.  It's an amateur theater but their productions rival the best summer stock I've ever seen.  Last night's offering was an oldie, but goody, "Fiddler on the Roof."  Another good performance, although Tevye was played a little too much for laughs.  We have season tickets so we get 5 plays a year, most of them musicals.  By the time we got back to our little corner of NH, it was after 11 pm.  So, as I said, it was a LONG, busy, and pleasant day!

February Vacation At Last!

Today is the first day of our Feb. break.  It couldn't come soon enough!  Don't get me wrong, I'm having a terrific year with my kids.  However, it seems that my tank runs out around Thursdays nowadays, and it seems to take longer to refill it.  Must be my age!  Actually I think it's because of the increasing neediness of our students.  While many of my kids come from families who are truly struggling, it's not financial neediness as much as it's emotional and academic neediness.  I probably lose 10 minutes of every class to dealing with behavior issues that never used to be a problem.  The rise of ADHD kids and kids who are unable to focus in class is incredible.  Part of the problem is the way kids have come to expect entertainment and fun and games in school instead of work.  Not that I don't provide fun learning experiences, and a lot of hands-on activities so they don't have to sit in their seats all day, but the majority of kids in my school expect that school should be easy.  The minute I ask kids to do something hard, they fall apart.  I keep telling them if I don't challenge them to go beyond what they already know, they won't grow.   In each group of students I teach, there are 2 or 3 who put in tremendous effort.  They work hard all the time and take pride in producing quality work.  But the other 20 or students just give their work a glance and work just enough to turn something in regardless of quality.   D's are perfectly acceptable to them and apparently to their parents.  And then there are the parents who take their kids out of school for vacation the week or 2 BEFORE vacation.  You gather work for them to accomplish, and then they don't do it, not even when they get back.  And then their parents get upset that their kids are failing!  For the most part my parents are very supportive, but they too are quite needy and helicoptery.

Can you tell I'm tired?

I have no plans for the week other than to do our taxes, read, knit, sleep, and watch Midsomer Murders on Netflix as well as the hours of shows on my DVR!

Head Cold Coming On Strong

It looks like I am succumbing to the head cold that's going around.  Just in time for school tomorrow. Stuffy head, scratchy throat, and swollen glands.  Yuck!

Soup Day!

I have always loved soup, but over the last few months, my love affair with soup has intensified.  I'm constantly looking for soup recipes, and right now, if I had my way, I'd make it every day.  I like all kinds of soup too - clear soup, cream soup, spicy soups . . .

In the past 10 days I've enjoyed a fantastic mulligatawny soup with curry, chicken, and apples at a local restaurant, a superb lobster bisque at another eatery, a seafood chowder crowded with chunks of lobster, haddock, shrimp, and scallops, some decent canned chicken with white beans soup, and a lentil soup.  

Today's soup is a chicken vegetable barley soup - 1 cup pearled barley, several sliced carrots,  2 small onions, 2 cloves of garlic, a wilted bunch of celery, some herbs (heavy on thyme and parsley), leftover chicken,  and a mix of homemade and store bought chicken stock.  We will have that for dinner - or more likely lupper (late lunch/early dinner).    

Terrific Middle School Novel!

The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calvin Schwa is convinced he's invisible.  And no wonder.  Nobody ever seems to recognize his presence.  Teachers ignore his wildly waving hand in class.  Kids ignore him everywhere he goes.  And then one day, Anthony "Antsy" Bonano sees him. Antsy and Calvin embark on a series of experiments that test how often Calvin is noticed.   When they discover that he does seem to be a nonentity, they go into business together using his "invisibility" to earn money.  One prank lands them on the bad side of "Old Man Cawley", the neighborhood curmudgeon.  As a consequence, Mr. Cawley assigns both boys some unappealing jobs, including pretending to date his visiting granddaughter.  This books is extremely funny, and touching at the same time.  It explores several themes:  belonging to a group, self-awareness, inclusivity, etc.  It's also a great "coming of age" novel.  Kids can relate to it on many levels -- it's a great read, but they can also connect to the various issues.  I really liked it too.  As a teacher and a parent, I am only too aware of how kids' notions of their invisibility can shape their outlook on life.  I am definitely going to recommend it to my 6th graders!


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A Random Post

This was inspired by 2 things.  A dear cousin and his wife achieved one of their lifetime goals recently by traveling to every single state in the U.S.   And their definition of visiting a state included the requirement that they spend at least a week there sightseeing.  The 2nd inspiration was running across a map similar to the one posted below while surfing Ravelry.   So, while I can't say that I've spent a week in each of the states I've visited, my definition of visiting means I've spent enough time in the state to get a feel for it.  In other words, I didn't include things like changing planes at an airport, or stepping over the state line at The Hoover Dam and say that I've visited Arizona.  (Although I have actually set  feet there!)


visited 25 states (50%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or jurisdische veraling duits?

Three More Books

The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ruth Galloway, forensic anthropologist, and DCI Nelson are once again teamed, as they attempt to uncover the identity of six German skeletons discovered in a sea cave in the small North Sea town of Broughton.  Why were these men executed and who did it?  The investigation leads to the town's past, and its WWII Home Guard, and through the course of the investigation other murders occur.  On a personal front, Ruth is struggling with raising Kate as a single mom, as well as keeping the secret of Kate's parentage.  Nelson too is struggling with his mixed feelings for Ruth and his wife.  My only "complaint" about the book is the present tense writing - it really grates on me.  But the story is compelling enough to keep me reading.


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Breakdown by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The latest V.I. Warshawski novel was a page turner.  A group of teenagers involved in a vampire book club decided to initiate a new member in an out-of-the-way cemetery.  While there, they discover the fresh corpse of man with a stake through his heart.  Several of the girls are the daughters of powerful  Chicago leaders and there is a hurried attempt to cover up their presence.  Unfortunately a conservative talk show host gets wind of the story and uses it to denigrate the parents of the girls, one of whom is running for state office.  Meanwhile, an old lawschool friend of Vic's who is known for her mental instability asks Vic for help.  But before she can explain her problem, she is pushed off a balcony and is seriously injured.  As V.I. investigates she discovers a link between the murder, the girls, and her friend.  And as in all V.I. Warshawski novels, V.I. takes physical punishment, ruffles many feathers, and eventually gets to the bottom of everything.

I really liked this installment.  The plot was complicated enough to keep me involved, and the pace was brisk and energetic.


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Invisible by Lorena McCourtney

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm glad I didn't pay for this book.  It was a free Kindle read. Widow and senior citizen Ivy Malone has just lost her best friend and confidante, and as she goes about her daily life she discovers that to most of the world she's "invisible."  Nobody pays attention to LOL's (little old ladies).  She decides to use this to advantage however, as she tries to find out who's responsible for the vandalism at a historic cemetery and investigate the mysterious disappearance of a former neighbor.  I rather enjoyed Ivy herself, an intrepid and plucky woman.   I enjoyed the humor - Ivy spending nights in the cemetery, searching under the bumper of a car for a possible key in a used car lot.  But the constant proselytizing for Christianity really interfered with the story.  Faith-filled novels don't bother me (think of Father Tim in the Jan Karon series, for example), but out and out evangelizing does.  I belong to the "show me, don't tell me" school of writing and real life action. By the end of the book I wondered what the author's true purpose in writing had been - to write a cozy, humorous mystery or to create Christians.  Although I really liked the premise of the novel and its main character I was completely turned off by the rest of the package. (And yes, I am actively involved in a church and have been so my entire life.)  

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Reading Roundup!

I've been reading up a storm since the beginning of the month.  Here are my reactions to what I've read so far:
 Book #1

Savage Run by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a page-turner.  Joe Pickett once again raises the hackles of his superiors when he tries to charge an influential rancher with poaching.  At the same time, Stewie Woods, the head of a militant environmentalist group, is apparently murdered in a freak explosion.  A series of freak accidents kill other environmental leaders.  Things come to a head when Joe discovers that his wife once dated Stewie, and that perhaps he's not really dead.

This is the second in the Joe Pickett series.  I enjoyed the descriptions of the mountains, and the fast pace of the plot, kept me glued to the book.


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Book #2

Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamond Underwood graduated from Smith College in the early years of the 20th century, and after a yearlong Grand Tour of Europe, returned home ready for more adventure.  The two women are hired as schoolteachers in a rural school in northwestern Colorado.  This fascinating book recounts that particular adventure.  I am fascinated by the time period of our history - the opening years of the century just prior to WWI.  Although the east coast of the US has long been established, our west is still largely unsettled.  Life is hard, but the 2 women meet it head-on with great enthusiasm.  It was also interesting to read about teaching a century ago.  Communities showed their appreciation for education and for teachers in very concrete ways, and those who taught were held in great esteem. As is still true today, teaching was not easy, and it consumed a great deal of the teacher's personal time - not just in lesson-planning and grading, but also with involvement in their students' lives.

This isn't a very long book.  The acknowledgments, notes, and bibiliography are almost as long as the narrative!  It is well-researched by Dorothy's granddaughter, and it's also a loving tribute to both women.

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Book #3

This one I listened to rather than read, but I'm counting it!

13 1/2 by Nevada Barr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one of the most chilling books I've encountered in a very long time.  Experiencing it as an audio book was also an interesting experience.  I think in some ways, it added to the creepiness.  Eleven-year old Dillon Raines, also known as Butcher Boy, is sentenced to the Drummond Youth Center after his conviction for murdering his parents and baby sister with an ax.  He has no recollection of the the night other than terror, and he battles to keep his sanity as he comes to grip with the horrific crime.  Pollyanne Deschamps, growing up in a trailer park in Mississipi, runs away from home at 15 and winds up in New Orleans.  Many years later, she meets a fascinating man, Marshall Marshand, and they eventually marry.  However Marshall is surrounded by mystery, and he has an almost suffocating relationship with his older brother Danny.  Almost from the start of their marriage, Marshall begins to act oddly, and Polly begins to suspect that her husband isn't who he claims to be.

I've read a lot of other Nevada Barr books (Anna Pigeon series) and this standalone novel is a total departure from her usual storytelling.  The reader kept me glued to my computer all Sunday afternoon so that I could finish listening to it!

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Book #4

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fast-moving, creepy, suspenseful, scary, kept-me-on-the-edge-of-my-seat kind of book!  This is the first "Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles" book in a series that has become a TV program.  I picked it up because I've been watching and enjoying the show on TV and wanted to see where it came from.  Although it's been billed as a "Rizzoli and Isles" novel, Maura Isles doesn't appear in it at all.  That doesn't matter.  Rizzoli is a Boston homicide detective, the first female detective in the department.  She carries a huge chip on her shoulder because of this and because of family history.  The detectives are investigating a gruesome series of murders which may be connected to a presumed-solved case in Atlanta, Georgia.  During the course of the investigation, a mutual respect between Rizzoli and another detective has been growing, but that is completely shattered when Rizzoli makes a questionable shooting.  Because Tess Gerritsen, the author, is a physician, the medical details are graphic and accurate.  If you're a squeamish sort, you might choose to skim or skip some of them!  I find the TV Jane Rizzoli softer and gentler than the original, and easier to like.  But the grittiness is what makes the book work.  I've already started the 2nd book, The Apprentice.

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Book #5

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not sure why I like this so much.  It's gritty, depressing, and Jane Rizzoli isn't the most likable protagonist.  In this second installment, Jane has physically recovered from the injuries inflicted by Warren Hoyt known The Surgeon, a serial killer.  Now a copycat killer seems to have emerged.  Because she hasn't yet dealt with the emotional damage, the case becomes a mental battle.  And then Warren Hoyt escapes from prison and teams up with the killer.  This is a tense, fast-moving story and it doesn't leave much to the imagination.  

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Book #6

The Wedding Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I think I've read all of the Elm Creek Quilts novels.  I might have missed one or two along the way.  I was not enamored of this one.  It's set in the future.  Sarah and Matt's daughter Caroline is now 25 and it's the week of her wedding.  Most of the book consists of Sarah's reminiscences of her life at Elm Creek Manor.  Not much of a plot exists, and quite frankly, it was on the boring side.  It feels like a "wrap-the-series-up" novel.

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Book #7

A False Mirror by Charles Todd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one of the best Inspector Rutledge books yet.  An influential diplomat has been attacked and left for dead and the main suspect is the diplomat's ex-fiance Stephen Mallory.  Mallory served at the front with Rutledge, and despite their shared negative history, Mallory asks Rutledge to prove he's not the perpetrator.  Once again, Rutledge battles his supervisor and his past, represented by Hamish.  I especially liked this installment because I was misled as to the true perpetrator.  I also liked how Rutledge was forced to deal with his past.  

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Book #8

Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rafe Kardashian's first day of middle school is worse than he ever imagined it.  Killer Miller, the resident bully, singles him out from the very start.  Rafe however, has a plan suggested by his sidekick, Leo the Silent.   Rafe will go out of his way to break every single one of the school's rules.  This is a humorous, yet poignant view of middle school seen from the perspective of a kid who doesn't fit in.  His homelife is troubled, and academics are not Rafe's forte.  The book is peppered with drawings reminiscent of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and these drawings figure into the grand conclusion.  This was an exremely fast read (about 45 minutes) for me, and I can't wait to share it with my 6th graders.  It definitely belongs in the classroom library!

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I

Making Lemonade

We were supposed to take our students on a field trip to the Boston Museum of Science yesterday.  We were going specifically to see the traveling exhibit of Pompeii artifacts since we study ancient Rome and volcanoes in our social studies and science classes.  We were also going to view an IMAX movie about Greek archaeology, again since we also study ancient Greece.  But alas!  Late Thursday afternoon the superintendent asked us to cancel our trip because of an impending ice storm.  The storm arrived on schedule . . . . BUT . . . ..it warmed up a whole lot faster than anticipated, and we didn't even have a delayed start!

So that meant quite a bit of scrambling.  When our trip was canceled we were certain that we'd have at least the delayed start, so we planned a short day.  My teaching partner wanted to show the kids Apollo 13 since they were finishing their study of space exploration so we decided that a shortened day would be a perfect time to that, plus give the kids a "fun" day since we were all disappointed about the trip.  He called me at 6 am Friday to let me know that he hadn't been able to locate a copy of the movie - his wife had lent their copy to a teacher at her school!  So 7:15 am found us both combing the school media collection for a curriculum related video.  Then, because we had a whole day rather than the abbreviated day (2 hour delay) -- we had 2 more hours to fill than we'd planned.  So I pulled out some "emergency" activities for social studies and he did the same for science.

The lemonade part of the day was due to my husband.  (He runs the bus company that supplies the school transportation).  He felt guilty that he'd told the superintendent the roads were clear enough for his drivers but knew that we were scrambling.  (The roads were barely adequate in my opinion!)  He arrived at my classroom door armed with coffee for my partner and me, and enough donut holes for all our students!  What a guy!

Overall, we were pretty stressed, but most of the day was fine.  I did have one incident with a student who called me a jerk because I asked her to move her seat.  She is a very troubled adolescent, and we are working hard on respect.  Fortunately she decided to rethink her response!  Unfortunately she found herself in trouble with another teacher because when she left my room (with a pass) to use the bathroom, she decided to fling soap foam all over the hallway.  On the big plus side:  I had done some midyear testing with my students - the Scholastic Reading Inventory.  When I gave the test at the beginning of the school year 12% of my students scored below basic.  At mid year, only 6% of them are below basic, and the percentage of student who are proficient or advanced has gone up 10% . So despite the poor performance of a number of students on day-to-day assignments in reading, they are progressing and learning something!  I can't tell you how happy that made me feel!  I know if you are or were a teacher, you understand the feeling, especially in this day and age of high-stakes testing.

We ended the day going out to dinner with friends which made for an extremely pleasant end to the day.

P.S.  I am fully recovered from my spill down the stairs earlier in the week!