The Problem with Me and Country…

I haven’t always disliked country music. In fact, way back when, there was a time I liked some of it. My childhood soundtrack includes artists such as Glenn Campbell, Ann Murray, the Carpenters, the Lettermen, Johnny Cash, Donna Summer, Starland Vocal Band, Fleetwood Mac and the list goes on. Maybe it is just my faded childhood memory, but I seem to remember radio stations playing it all. There wasn’t a Country station, a Rock and Roll station, and a Pop station. You simply got what came in on your AM band radio and listened to what they played.

Today, if you choose the radio, you can fine tune your station choice to play a genre to your specific liking and even hand pick the artists it will play. Or so I am told…as I do not have anything fancier than the FM stereo choices in my car. Even so, I have my stations programmed to 93.1, 100.5 and 97.9. I channel surf around depending on the time of day and the day of the week. 100.5 plays unplugged on Acoustic Tuesdays, and 93.1 plays most of your current top 40 hits. Then there is Y94 which I plain and simply cancel out between Halloween and New Years as they play Christmas music 24/7. But one station I simply avoid, is 104.7. I cannot do country.

Now why this from the girl who grew up loving Kenny Rogers and doing the occasional sing along with Johnny Cash in her Dad’s truck? Why can’t I do today’s country music? My answer is two fold. First off, if there is one bit of twang in the music I have to escape immediately. The effect that sound has on me is the same as nails on a chalkboard to some (which, by the way, I am ok with). It hurts my teeth, my ears and the static noise starts to creep in as the room goes black. Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating just a little bit on the nearly passing out part, but not by much.

The other issue I have with country songs are the lyrics. I do not want someone’s life story in 3 minutes. I do not want to know about your alcoholic father, your abusive husband or your cowboy boyfriend’s horse. I just really don’t care. I don’t want full blown details laid out for me. I actually would rather think about the words and create my own meaning. Imagine that! In today’s society of fast food, instant gratification and no one being responsible for their own actions…some of us still want to think for ourselves! Some of us still would rather read the book than see the movie, hand write a thank you note than send an e-card, or bake a batch of cookies rather than swinging by the bakery at the store. Some of us still want to do it on our own!

I prefer my song lyrics to be like an inspiring painting. I want to stand and look at it, making my own interpretations. I can take in the colors and the emotion and try to experience what the artist was feeling, or better yet, what I am feeling. I love to look at Van Gogh’s Starry Night and wonder what was on his mind when he painted those swirling stars. At the same time I want to let my own thoughts wander and contemplate my life. I want to participate in the painting and not simply look at it.

One painting that I carry in my memory is a Manet I saw at the Art Gallery Ontario in Toronto several years ago. I was familiar with A Bar at the Folies Bergere, but in person it was so much more emotional. Something about the barmaid kept drawing me back. I really wanted to know what she was thinking about. I wanted to know more about her life. No one was there to lay it out for me in a country song though…I had to analyze all the information the artist left me with and draw my own conclusion. I spent a lot more than 3 minutes with the barmaid that day and walked away never forgetting her. Edward Manet gave me something to think about. Through his brush strokes I saw beauty, felt sadness and questioned life. I felt like I knew this woman, perhaps even shared her secret. All of this without a word spoken between the three of us.


When I choose music I do enjoy a variety. Music, to me, is like wine. While I am not really into sweet reds, there can be a time and a place for it. Really there can be a time and a place for just about any wine! But my music has to speak to me in a certain way. The only time I have ever felt a place for country was…was…okay so I have not found a place for country in my life up to this point.

Here are a few lyrics from some country songs that stand out as annoying me:

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy
With the baby in the backseat

Here is an example of a song that is purely laid out step by step for us. We can’t even put ourselves in Carrie’s car and pretend that we are driving to Oswego with our dog to see a friend because she is telling us she is going to Cincinnati with her baby (legally in the backseat even) on Christmas eve to see her parents. We also get a full weather report and know that Christmas fell on a Saturday that year. The story continues to unfold and we find out even more than we wanted to know. She is almost out of gas and she is 50 miles away and she is speeding. All I have to say is Oh Jesus, please help us! Take Carrie’s wheel and tell her to SHUT UP!!!

And here is a song Reba sings that again, just way too literal for me:

I remember it all very well lookin' back
It was the summer I turned eighteen
We lived in a one room, rundown shack
On the outskirts of New Orleans
We didn't have money for food or rent
To say the least we were hard pressed
Then Mama spent every last penny we had
To buy me a dancin' dress

The song goes on and on and on only giving us every depressing detail including a starving baby, the mother’s illness and the father taking off on her. The lyrics stretch clear into next week needing an intermission just to get through them all. No thanks, Reba…I’d rather hear about someone throwing Johnny’s lunch box away. Then my mind can wander off to my Suzy Homemaker oven and wonder what the hell ever happened to that!

Speaking of Johnny. John Mayer is one of my favorites. He writes music, lyrics, plays guitar and sings. He steers clear or twang and lets us think for ourselves. He tells us that his music is not about his life, but our own. He wants us to bring our own experiences to his songs and get lost in them that way. Finally…someone who thinks like I do! I have been all caught up in his latest album, Battle Studies, on which this song is found:

Come out Angels
Come out Ghosts
Come out Darkness
Bring everyone you know

Ok…now we’re talking….the first 4 lines and we don’t know whether John is taking us to a Halloween party…or to a graveyard to hold a seance. My curiosity is peaked.

I'm not running
I'm not scared
I am waiting and well prepared

He is ready for anything that might happen with all of these spirits from the “other side”. Is he ready for death himself?

I'm in the war of my life
At the door of my life
Out of time and there’s no where to run

Now we know there is some kind of struggle going on. Could it be love? Could it be cancer? Could it be a major life decision to make….

The song continues on to let us think about our own life demons, the choices we have to make and the consequences we will face. He tells us to fight on. I go back and listen to the song again and again, each time hearing something a little different.

I got a pocket
Got no pills
If fear hasn't killed me yet
Then nothing will

He is totally on his own to fight this war…he is strong enough to win…and when he does there will be:

No more suffering
No more pain


Sometimes I am pulled in to just a single sentence or phrase from a song…John has so many of these. They stand on their own as well as being part of a whole…just a small sample of some of my favorites:

“By the time I recognize this moment….this moment will be gone…” -Clarity

“Whatever happened to my lunchbox
when came the day that it got
thrown away and don't you think I should have had some say
in that decision…? - 83

“I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe
There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me…” Edge of Desire

Of course JM is not the only one whose lyrics I get lost in. There have been hundreds over the years, but for the sake of keeping this under 10 pages, I will close with a song from Norah Jones…one of my favorites musically and lyrically. Titled simply, Toes. Maybe I am drawn to it as I was inspired to spend my summer recording daily foot pictures, or maybe there is no reason other than it brings me pleasure. Isn’t that why we listen to music in the end? Because it brings us pleasure and takes us to a different place?


The current is strong from what I've heard
It'll wisk you down the stream
But there never seems to be much time
My toes just touched the water
My toes just touched the water

Daydreamed on the bank again
I was swimming with the fish
And I thought this time that it may be true
But) My toes just touched the water
My toes just touched the water
My toes just touched the water


Walked a mile just to find the edge.
Some place low enough to step right in
Now I'm here and I can't begin - to move

The spoiled sun up over there
It always has to have its way
And I know that the river's there to shelter me

My toes just touched the water
My toes just touched the water

Life is busy and there isn’t time to pursue the adventurous side of life. It is dangerous and a risk. I haven‘t been all the way. I’ve spent a lot of time dreaming about what it is I am wanting so badly to do…but I’ve still only just been part way. Looking for a safe way in…to avoid some of the risk…I’ve found a way but I’m still not sure I can take the plunge….God is there watching over me no matter what decision I make…

So that is my interpretation of what Norah is singing about. It isn’t a swim in the rapids…she is trying to make a life altering decision…what her life altering decision is we can’t be sure…but we can put ourselves into the song and make it be about whatever it is we need it to be at the moment.

I am all about symbolism and finding the obscure to define yourself. If I’d chosen the “country music” route when choosing a tattoo to represent my artist self, I would have settled for a paintbrush and a pallet. But that wasn’t good enough. I wanted something that meant art to me, but perhaps not to everyone else. I love when someone sees my horse and is left with questions. It is my way of keeping a little bit of me a secret. I don’t have to reveal my whole self to everyone or all at once. I can decide, based on who it is and how I feel about them, what and how much I am willing to share.

To me, country songs that lay out all the detail and don’t let you think for yourself are the coloring books with crayons of music. You are stuck with what they give you. The songs that give us open ended lyrics, obscure symbolism and wonder, challenge your mind, your emotions and your feelings. These songs are the blank canvases full of creative opportunity. Songs I will get lost in over and over…lyrics that will resurface in my mind unexpectedly…paintings that I will visit over and over. Now can you wonder how I could settle for anything less?

OK, just have to put a quick note in here, for documentation if nothing else. JUST finished watching the News Channel 9 Winter Weather outlook...they looked back at El Nino years, that also had cool wet summers and chilly Octobers...as we have. The years? 1965-66 - where there was a big blizzard in '66, AND 2003 was the year I went back to work after maternity leave with Gwynn - Feb of 03, and didn't work a full week until like MAY! Hmmmmmmm, will be interesting to see!

Musical Thankfullness

Yep, totally off the Thankful wagon...it may have been too much to ask of myself. Still, I do think that just verbalizing and beginning it made me mindful to keep Thanksgiving in November. I am already doing some preparation for Christmas, for survival sake, but my mind is tuning out the noise of holiday advertising and premature Christmas music. I think it is doing the mind good.

I went to see "This is It" with Sue last night, and do believe I am still recovering from it. In a lot of ways it did not live up to what I expected it to be, but it did turn out to be one of those experiences that gives a creative "shot in the arm," so to speak. I left the theater, again amazed by the musicianship of Michael Jackson. He had such an integrated understanding of his music and how he wanted it to sound. He felt his music, and perhaps related to it as much or more than he related to the real world, and as much as that may have been the real problem for him, it gave the world an amazing catalog of musical genius for eternity.

THEN there was Orianthe! Good God that girl could rock out. She was the lead guitarist for MJ's band and just oozed cool, along with playing some kick ass guitar! True to form and predictably, I ran home and downloaded her album, and have been rocking out to it all day. It was $7.99 very well spent.

Finally, a new webisode of "Live From Daryl's House" dinged into my email inbox this evening and I have been listening to collaboration between Daryl Hall's band and Fall Out Boy. Never had really paid attention to their music before, and really only knew of the one member that is married to J Simp's little sister, but now, whew! The lead singer, Patrick Stump, is also the songwriter, and I was really impressed. Probably more iTunes in my future...sigh. Where DOES my money go?

Still, as much as all of this may be my little sideline frivolity, it does make, like I said, for the creative shot in the arm. Every time a new LFDH webisode comes out, I am inspired. Every time I hear of a new and interesting artist, I am inspired. Every time I hear an old artist, or an old song, reinterpreted...or if I simply come across an old friend I have not heard, or heard from, in a long time, I am inspired. Music is inspiration, and, guess I am not totally off the wagon, because I am ETERNALLY thankful for that.

-Cheryl

So, have already fallen off the Thankful Wagon as I missed yesterday, but really yesterday and today can easily be combined into one great big moment of thankfulness. Spent last night at Sue's for a festive dinner party, because, although it was Tuesday, we celebrated like it was a Friday, knowing today was a day off! So, yesterday I was thankful for "Tuesday/Friday," and today for "Wednesday/Saturday." There is also the fact that the sun is brilliant and bright, and Tim is buzzingly happy preparing for his big Duck's Unlimited dinner tonight. (am considering wearing the Unwanted Necklace to the dinner...we'll see.)Mom and Dad are coming up to stay with the kids. It is truly amazing...there really IS a LOT to be thankful for, every minute of every day.

Namaste,

Cheryl

Today, I am thankful for food, overall. Sometimes I wish I didn't love to eat, and cook, and think about eating and cooking as much as I do, but I will admit that the tastes of the season got me off on the right foot today. I bought Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese at the grocery store this past weekend, and let me tell you, that spread on a bagel in the morning, along with Pumpkin Spice coffee, it was a real treat. The day went on in its ordinary fashion, and was really just your basic Monday, but the taste of the season, the pumpkin, THAT is what I was thankful for today.

Namaste,

Cheryl

HoHoHo...blah!

Is it possible to be burned out on the Christmas season on November 8th? I am just about fed up with a lot of it already. Of course, I was out shopping both yesterday and today so I guess I did it to myself. Still, "The Christmas Creep," which has now come to define the fact that holiday items appear in the stores earlier and earlier, and not just your Uncle Larry after too much eggnog, has certainly hit, even in rural Upstate New York.

To that end, I am going to give myself (yet another) project. I am needing a lot of these to keep my mental capacity strong in the face of the aforementioned ugly school year. It has been done before, but I think it'll be good for me. I am going to log on here, even briefly, each day, to chronicle my THANKFULNESS. It is November, the month for THANKSGIVING, not CHRISTMAS, and I am going to honor it as such. I need to retain some level of peace, some level of balance and sanity before December is upon us.

Today, I am thankful for many, many things...I will go with the top 5...

1. ) Sun,

2. ) iPods with Genius...LOVE Genius, and car transmitters that make driving to get the groceries oh so much better,

3. ) buying beer or wine on Sundays,

4. ) synergistic moments of sublime shopping

5. ) Hawaiian Burgers with Grilled Pineapple and Onion Rings

Namaste,

Cheryl

November 7, 2009
Third destination on the Journey of the Unwanted Necklace.

Sometimes when life is unbalanced and ugly, we may choose to do things that seem irrational to other people. These choices that we make provide a distraction from what is missing in the equation of our lives and help us to feel happy. Whether it be a frivolous overnight just half an hour away, laughing with a friend over a lost car in the parking lot, or releasing our feelings through writing . We need these things in our lives to resuscitate what the ugly has knocked unconscious. Let no one stand in our way while we continue our quest for the olive.

"A girl in a hat is just, so, Vogue..."

Was feeling kinda vogue today (well, as vogue as one gets in a rural elementary school...) as I took to work in my new shirt, layered with a cami, and sporting the perfectly coordinated necklace. Got a lot of compliments too, and replied to each with the fact that I picked up the cute new shirt on a shopping trip to Bass Pro Shops of all places. I am beginning to think, though, that as much as some people have NO ability to shop, I could shop in a BOX.

This picture has been on my desktop for a while. I often see an image that prompts an idea that I want to blog about and drop it onto my desktop for the time I will get a moment...but as I looked today I realized I had enough saved images to keep me busy blogging for many a day. And yet, how many written blogs do I have for all my image ridden inspiration? How many words on a page do I commit to the deep ponderings in my head? Why is this? I will explain it away time and again as "no time to write," but really, is that true? We all have time in our lives for what we want to value, what we want to commit ourselves to. There is work, and home maintenance...there is what must be done...but what of those things we aspire to do. I know that the thing I aspire to, the thing I WANT to do, the writing, I have not committed to as of late. Distractions abound, and I need to, at times, push them aside.

The saving of this image was also prompted by that wonderful title...Seventeen...title of magazine...time in life. Oh to be seventeen again. I mean, truly, I would not wish for it. Seveneteen was the end of 11th grade and beginning of 12th. It WAS a fun time, but do I want to go back? No. It is over, and highschool is not something I have ever spent a long time longing for. It is a good memory, but over, and perhaps it is because I work in a school each and every day, I do not want to go back to that.

Twenties. These were good times. First there were early twenties, and college twenties. There are many, many, many times I would go back and relive there. Now, would I want to go back entirely to days of Kraft Mac and Cheese, and no money? No, but it sure would be a fun place to visit. Then there were later twenties, young and married and working and living on our own. Again, would I go back entirely to days of responsibility that we didn't really quite understand? No, but a weekend getaway? Perhaps.

Now, deeply into my "thirtysomethings," and anticipating my mate making that jump into his 40's, I wonder if, in the future, we'll want to go back to NOW. I would anticipate that life will only get better from here on out...I am a Pollyanna afterall...but the thirties have been so rich...stable life, a home, kids, friends, finally the money, travel. I finally feel like we are ticking off the "what I want to do in life" list, but at times do I still long to go back, yes. Do I feel maudlin that so many of the "firsts" of life are behind me, yes. Do I wonder if I could have followed a different path at times and in different situations, yes. I suppose time will tell. We will finish thirtysomething, and move into the forties, leaving seventeen far behind...behind, but not forgotten.

-Cheryl

Day 2 of The Unwanted Necklace...

Just an observation, I suppose..."Sometimes, focusing on the new puts the old back in its box."

I had a jewelry party, and got all this "new stuff" just as I was supposed to be wearing/observing life through the Unwanted Necklace. It sat in its box, on my jewelry armoire (yep, a piece of furniture JUST for my jewelry habit, and, quite frankly, it is full) and I focused on the new stuff instead. Sue and I often refer to how we are going to "get through the week," and I purport to say that this year there is still "no olive in sight" and we are going to need to have ways to "get through the year." New jewelry, recently, has been it. What next? Holiday shopping and merriment I suppose...oh, and there is always the wine!

-Cheryl

Journey of the Unwanted Necklace

This necklace was purchased by someone who decided that they hated it, but didn't want to bother returning it. It was then handed down to Cheryl's mom who also did not care for it. She handed it down to Cheryl who also agreed that it was ugly. Cheryl brought it to work to ask my opinion and I told her that they were all right, the necklace is just ugly. No doubt about it. But we decided to have some creative fun with it. We will share custody of the CHERRY BOMB necklace for this equally ugly school year. During our wearing period, we will take a picture in which the necklace appears, somehow showing what is going on in our life.

Thursday, October 15.

On day 1 of the unwanted necklace wearing, I break a bead before even leaving the house. 2 fire drills and 2 classes into the day, I notice the bead is broken and half missing. So symbolic of the start of this school year. An ugly first impression, when upon trying to go with it anyway, it breaks down and proves to be unbalanced and flawed . I laugh to myself and continue with my unbalanced day. I look all around my classroom for the missing bead piece and never find it. I decide that it probably represents that the school year will remain broken and unbalanced in addition to ugly. Several hours later, at home, my daughter brings me the bead piece and asks if it is mine. She saw it under the coffee table and thought that it was an olive. I guess I will fix it and maybe hold onto hope that someone will find the olive at school, too.

Journey of the Unwanted Necklace

This necklace was purchased by someone who decided that they hated it, but didn't want to bother returning it. It was then handed down to Cheryl's mom who also did not care for it. She handed it down to Cheryl who also agreed that it was ugly. Cheryl brought it to work to ask my opinion and I told her that they were all right, the necklace is just ugly. No doubt about it. But we decided to have some creative fun with it. We will share custody of the CHERRY BOMB necklace for this equally ugly school year. During our wearing period, we will take a picture in which the necklace appears, somehow showing what is going on in our life.

OH MY! Had the full intention to sit down and blog today about something positive, as life and school right now is so negative. Then as I pulled up the blog, the first image is my last foot pic, relaxing with Gwynn, with coconut drinks and coconut M&M's. It immediately broke my summer heart. Reminds me of that line from a John Mayer song...

"When autumn comes, it doesn't ask, it just walks in, where it left you last.

You never know, when it starts, until there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart."

But you know, I have to move on. Summer IS SO GONE. It was the minute we stepped in the door at McCuyler, but sadly, I think the climate there is going to be the way it is for awhile, before it, hopefully, gets better. We'll see.

My intention, as I said, was to put out something positive and totally unrelated, in any way, to school hell. My sister in law just started a blog this last week too, and I may be having a partially competitive blog reaction - ha! Love ya Katie!

Last night, was a great night. We came home from work, had an afternoon beverage, relaxed with the dog for a bit, then all headed out to dinner. Family time at its best, everyone is getting fed, and cleanup is up to someone else. We talked and laughed, then headed to the car wash. I had SORTA hit a skunk the night before so we paid for the more expensive wash to get the underside of the car HOSED THE HELL OFF, and little did I know how much fun that would be. First of all, an automatic car wash has always been something I have enjoyed. The feeling of "caveness" when all the soap is sprayed on, the spinning brushes and floppy rag things are even better, and although this wash didn't have those, it did have alarmingly loud and strong pressure sprays. Let's just say I was enjoying it myself and loving watching the kids enjoy it too. We kept laughing that it'd be a real trip to bring Lucy, said dog, along to see HER react to it. THEN the MOMENT HAPPENED! We, as I said, had paid for the pricier wash, and it had some kind of weather treatment spray step, and when that started up, a neon sign to the right, bright blue and flashy, started to blink, alerting us of our extra bonus of "Weather Guard!" ZZ Top was on the radio, neon was flashing and my family was in hysterics. It was better than any night out. It was much like dinner out...something necessary was getting done, AND we were having fun. What more could one ask for in a Friday night of a three day weekend?

As we drove away, still laughing, into the RAIN with our freshly washed car, I was gushing about how much fun it had been, and Tim said, "Yeah, a whole lot more exciting than the library, eh?" as that is how, often, Fridays of my youth were spent. I had to agree, in a way, but it all points to the simple things. Pleasure can be found anywhere, everywhere, and it is ours to claim...actually reminds me of another Johnny M. quote, which I love...

"It's about being in control of the pleasure in your life."

So whatever your pleasure, get out there and grab a hold of it...library, car wash, whatever...LIVE a LIFE!

-Cheryl

9/7/2009 - Labor Day

And so, the project ends. I have a "plan" for sharing the "Summer Kneeds" photos with my class tomorrow, but this is the last shot from home, the last shot of summer vacation. I had thoughts of writing something profound, but really, finishing this project is making me a little sad, so we'll just end with this. Gwynn and I had a nice little "Goodbye Summer" cocktail hour (well, she had ice water) on the patio today, in the sun, with pina colada, cheese and crackers, and yummy coconut M & M's from Sue. It was a nice way to end...but keep looking for Foot pics now and then, as we've had WAY too much fun this summer to let them go completely! Farewell Feet!

9/3 Headed down to Mom and Dad to pick up the kids. Had to take this shot. A friend suggested that this project could sort of be a coffee table book. Humorously, though, I remembered being yelled at, repeatedly, in my childhood, to get my feet OFF the coffee table. Well, rules have since loosened at my parent's house, with the addition of grandchildren, and the aging of the coffee table too, I suppose, so, even MOM joined us in the debauchery this time! Feet on the SACRED COFFEE TABLE...what IS the world coming to?

9/4 A gorgeous last pool day at mom and dad's. Note, by pruning of toes, how much time we spent IN the water that day! Fun!

9/5 Headed from Lansing to St. Lawrence and family time at camp. This is my gorgeous niece Norah, wishing she could drink with the big girls! Someday, Norah, don't you worry! (WHY I cut off her feet I do not know...blame it on the margaritas!)

9/6 Today it was time to say goodbye to camp for another year, but Gwynn and Ellie and I took some time to reflect on a great summer whilst swinging in the hammock...ahhhh.

Sunday, September 6.
A day of errands with my girl. Finished at Riversend Bookstore. J said, " I thought you don't like that store, Mommy?" I told her that I don't like it if you are going there with something in mind (they never have it)...but to go and browse I do like it, very much. She picked out a Laurie Halse Anderson animal book, while I debated over Jennifer Weiner's newest. I decided to wait for it in paper back and chose MY LITTLE RED BOOK instead...in celebration of the 30th anniversary of my first period! Yea me!!!! And a reminder that I need to have that talk, with J...soon.

Saturday, September 5.
Did a lot of sitting around today. Relaxing, finishing my Olive book. Went to Rudy's for dinner and home to a crash of sadness, that it is almost all over.

Friday, September 4.
Morning errands checked off the list by my secretary, Jillian in the back seat. Lunch at Panera and then home early enough to enjoy the sun, my book and the pool. Of course nothing can be this perfect...a little wrench thrown into the fantasy with a message from school about a schedule change which now leaves me unprepared for my first day back with kids. But ya know what? Gotta roll with it...lower my standards...and ask myself, "Does it really matter?" No it does not. So I plan to spend the remaining 3 days NOT worrying about it...and just enjoying life!

Thursday, September 3.

Back to summer vacation. After morning errands and lunch to go, enjoyed the sunshine in the pool with Olive and Jillian. Just want to hold on to these last few days before change happens, and we are forced back into someone ...else telling us where to be, when and for how long.

Wednesday, September 2.
Ethan's birthday and back to school, or at least back to work for me, are sadly linked. The year he was born was to be my "first day back" and once in a while I get to escape it and actually enjoy his day with a little more summer after even. This was supposed to be one of those years, as Labor day is as late as it can possibly be. But Oh, No...we had to scrape together 2 extra work days in order to get our much needed Feb break, so this random day was chosen. In the end it all worked out and Ethan had a great day, and mine wasn't so bad. Looking forward to summer vacation for 5 more days now!

9/2 So today was it, Less than Super Day....and I survived, even enjoyed myself for the most part, having a nice (free) breakfast and lunch, and chatting with people I haven't seen all summer. My room is pretty much ready to go. Note the NEW Judy Blume series on my desk? SO psyched for those! Note as well that my room is so nice and neat and clean and then, all too soon, those KIDS are gonna come mess it up:) I guess the school year can begin, must begin, but NOT until I have enjoyed my LAST 5 DAYS OF SUMMER! May they be stupendous!

Tuesday, September 1.

Back in to school to set up the classroom. When all was said and done, I took a seat on the rug, as all my students are instructed to do upon entering my class. Took a look around at what will be my classroom for the last yea...r. Very sad. I love this room. It is home...it is happy....

9/1 Such a sad photo. It feels like this project is coming to an end. FIrst of all SOCKS, second of all, SCHOOL WORK spread out before me, finally SAD PUPPY who goes back to days alone looks on. Fall and school need to come, and I am excited for a new school year, but sad just the same.

8/31 Ahhhh, the roof is finally getting done! Had to sneak this shot, as it feels REALLY lazy to be putting your feet up and playing around with a camera when people are working hard ON YOUR HOUSE, but I managed. Looking great so far, and should be done on Wednesday.

Monday, August 31.

Went in to school to see what awaited me in my classroom. As usual, 50 some odd boxes of art stuff. Having ordered it all last November, I had that feeling I get every year of, WHAT IS THIS, WHY DID I ORDER IT, and WHAT WAS I ...THINKING? Got it all unpacked and some of it situated and then stopped at Cheryl's for a quick lunch, beer and gripe exchange. Home and settled out in the sun to look at my new art books and get some kind of direction for next Tuesday!

Sunday, August 30.

Another dark, rainy day. Ran some errands, took J to McDs for lunch then settled in at home and made stuffed peppers for dinner. Enjoying one of my last late nights...up till after midnight finishing a book, FBing, ebaying, and ...late night snacking. Peeked in to see if E had brushed his teeth and turned off his TV and this is what I found. Oh no! In the crate you go, Zoey dog!

8/30 So, last night was a great dinner out, and tonight was a great dinner in. Not so great for the lobster, but such is life, and death, when you're a crustacean. Thanks to Sue for the poster Gwynn made in art class at the end of the school year professing what she wanted to do over the summer. One of her desires was to "Eat Lobster." The whole family benefited! (again, not so much the lobster)

-Cheryl

8/29 Fun day out shopping, to get school stuff, and to avoid the rain. Carousel was not too crowded, and we did find all the stuff we needed, along with retrieving my camera case which I left behind when Tim and I went to see "Julie and Julia." (damn foot pictures!) Then we took the kids to Dinousar BBQ for the first time. Devin took a while to warm up to the 45 minute wait in the bar area...Gwynn of course was fine with it...yikes...but when we started to eat, Devin "got" it. His quote..."OH, I get it, so you TALK while you wait, because the food comes and then YOU JUST EAT!!!!!" Love that boy!

8/21-8/28

CANNOT BELIEVE I haven't posted here for that many days! It is kind of neat to see all the pics in a strip though. It is a real photo story of life. Summer is winding down in a big way, and I could look back at this blog, for several years, and see the same feelings I am having right now in black and white of another time. It is such a needed thing, the return to school and regularity of schedule, but I dread it and mourn summer's loss so much as well.

Top to bottom...

Party at Mary's - Ashlyn loved the ice

Party at Marnie's - sang with Sandy and Marnie

Started to paint Devin's room

Summer Writing Institute - heard EM Crane speak

Bookclub dinner out

Finished Devin's room

Lia party at Jill's

Family movie and living room picnic

Such ordinary variety, but all things of my CHOOSING. That is what I miss in the structure of the school year too...having to CRAM IN what you want to do, because of what you have to do. Still, not much I can do about it, and although I am low, it has been a wonderful summer just the same.

-Cheryl

Friday, August 28.
Hanging at the garage sale with Margie and Johnna. Trying to clear the last of the baby equipment from our lives.

Thursday, August 27.
Another really needed Girls Night Out! A Lia party at Jill's. Had a great time and discovered that Jill and I have been wearing the same OPI nail color, CHA-CHING CHERRY! Hey...great minds think alike! Now, about that jewelry armoir, Jill....

Wednesday, August 26.
Jillian practicing piano. I always wonder what her great grandma Letty thinks about her namesake, Jillian Letty, playing her piano?

Tuesday, August 25.

Many needs met today. Haircut in the early afternoon, quiet time in the pool, book club for dinner with all 7 of us present. Finished the night by restocking some MK needs at Yvette's.

Monday, August 24.

Another Monday, another Dr. visit. Someone in our family has had some kind of appt. every Monday so far this month.

Sunday, August 23.
Time's a flyin'! Only two more weeks and a day left of summer vacation (NOT counting that one day teachers have to go back on 9/2...NOT doin' it!).

Saturday, August 22. Honeybear Extravaganza at the Meddaugh's. Cheryl was my date. Lots of fun even though we began apprehensively at first.

Friday, August 21. Was in the house the entire day. By 7pm NEEDED to get away from everyone so I called on Calgon to TAKE ME AWAY!!!

8/17-8/19 (aka the first three images) are from our camp in the St. Lawrence, and the bottom one, 8/20 might be appropriately titled "Post Traumatic Camp Therapy" at Sue's!

Thursday afternoon at 3, August 20.
Cheryl (and kids) came over for a pool afternoon. It was another one of those perfect summer days that became even better with the wine Cheryl brought called, how fittingly, THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 3 !!! By 3 the ...kids went off to do non- pool activities and Cheryl and I got in, catching up on topics covering EVERYTHING under the sun, literally.

Wednesday, August 19.

Another night where the pool temperature is more than 10 degrees warmer than the night air. Dave and the kids are swimming while I am watching from the chair.

Tuesday, August 18.

Perfect summer day. Taking time out to "smell the flowers." A gorgeous fuchsia gerbera daisy from the Meddaugh's on the last day of school in full bloom!

Monday, August 17.
Too hot to do anything today. Sat around until 5 when I managed to take Ethan to my parents and run to the Chopper. After dinner and everyone else was in for the night, I got in the pool at 10, all by myself. It was wonderful!

8/15 Crap Sale...and it amazes me every time the stuff people will buy, AND the amounts of money people try to talk you down from. "Would you take less than a dollar for this?" The real show, though, is when you put the leftover crap at the end of the driveway with a "Free" sign and it is scarfed up in less than an hour.

8/16 HOT HOT HOT so we had lunch out (aka in air-conditioning), filled the doggie pool, and finally, went out on the boat. The lake was like GLASS.