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