Summer Vacation?

Supposedly, one of the main benefits of teaching is the summers off. Well, it is July 22, and I'm still wondering when my vacation starts? I supposed it is all relative, because at least I'm not getting up at 6:00a.m. and driving to work. But the word vacation used to conjure up an idea of some form of relaxation, laying on the beach, little drinks with umbrellas and pineapples, getting a massage, hanging out with people you love. I do get the priviledge of being with people I love often, but it always seems to be associated with some form of busyness. For example, yesterday I had an eye appointment which lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes--what a waste of a perfectly good morning! The good news is my eyes are very healthy--the bad news is my new glasses are bifocals!! After that I met up with Sarah and Tanner. We had a fun lunch at In and Out, and then proceeded to make the errand run--4 different stops--exhausting for us all. We did top off the day with a fun picnic at the Beach Club with grandchildren and their cousins from Florida--maybe just a taste of that summer vacation I remember!!

Just One More Thing. . . . .

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" has become a burning question in my life as of late. I have a sister, Janet, for those of you who don't know, who has many issues--the first of which are developmental disabilities (borderline--she is very high functioning) and mental illness--bipolar, depression, anxiety, obsessive/compulsive, and dependent personality disorder. As if that is not enough, last May, the quiet little town in Kansas she lived in, was 90% destroyed by a tornado. She had no place to go since her apartment was also destroyed, so we (Sarah, two month old Tanner, and I) drove to Kansas to pick her up. We are her only relatives, with the exception of a few cousins and a 96 year old uncle. After the long drive out here, we settled her in a nice little apartment here in Rancho Santa Margarita. Now we have spent the last year struggling with Social Security, Medicare, CalOptima, etc, etc, until I can't see straight! (I did mention in my last blog that I am the worst at paperwork?)
Certainly moving to Southern California is not the worst of things that could happen to a person! There is more. I failed to mention, September 2006, Janet fell and shattered her left elbow, had to have three surgeries in 4 weeks, and spent a long period in a cast--during which time she was staying in a nursing facility which she hated, and some one there wasn't paying attention. As a result, her fingers became frozen around her cast and are now at least 75% useless. She is also being treated for osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and a thyroid condition. Amidst the hassle of finding doctors in our area who will take her insurance, we did see my internist who wants her to go to a neurologist to be evaluated for Parkinson's.
When she arrived here, she was a basket case, (who wouldn't be?) with surviving a class F5 tornado and losing not only most of your possessions, but your entire way of life. We began seeing my counselor to help her with the transition and the grief process. She recommended we look into College Hospital. We got her placed in their day program which involves group therapy. After 6 or 7 months, her case manager decided the program really wasn't what Janet needed. She suggested we apply for Regional Center. After hours of paperwork and a drive to Santa Ana for an intake interview, I'm sure you guessed it--she was denied services. So now Janet is attending a Senior Day Care Program 3 days a week--which she also hates. I continue to look for other options, one dead end after another.
The last straw came last Monday. About a month ago, Janet's glasses broke--they were several years old. Well, Monday, we finally went to the eye doctor. The bad news--she has lost most of the vision in her right eye due to a ruptured blood vein. There is nothing that can be done for it. Thankfully, CalOptima will pay for her new glasses--which will take at least three weeks! My heart just breaks for her--so many things seem to keep happening to her. We do what we can to provide a nice home and things to do--we include her in most of what we do. But seriously, God forgive me, I can't help but ask, why?

Too busy to Blog?

Is it possible I'm losing interest in blogging already? After all, it has been a month. Or is it just that my life is an absolute chaotic blur? But then I ask myself, "How can that be? I only work part time, I have no kids at home, I don't do lunch with friends, I don't even have many friends, I don't watch TV, I don't cook to speak of, I don't exercise. What the heck am I doing with my life?"
I have been doing some reading--I'm finally allowing myself to do that--now that I'm in Bible Study again. I used to tell myself, I won't read for pleasure if I can't even find time to read the Bible. So now I am free to read, and of course when that happens, two or three hours go by in the blink of an eye!
It is the end of the year at work--which means tons of paperwork--my least favorite part of teaching, report cards, meetings, cleaning up the classroom--and my fantastic partner (Sarah) helps with all that. So once again, what is my problem?
I did move my sister to a different apartment on Saturday and part of Sunday. I'm still recovering from that! And I had lots of help!
Could it be I'm not as young as I used to be? I have apparently been fooling myself. Just the other day, some woman (no friend of mine, mind you!) asked me if I was Janet's mother. (My sister is two years younger--granted she has NO gray hair, but please!) That is the second or third time that has happened in the past couple of months. And then my little first graders wrote me birthday cards and suggested in their little notes that my age might be anywhere from 45 (those are my favorite students!) to 100!! Crap! That's it--I'm old!! Dang--I was hoping that wouldn't hit till I was at least 75 or 80!! I'd best get off my duff and start exercising!! Thank goodness Tuesday is the last day of school--no more excuses!! Maybe I'll even take a Yoga class. I heard someone say it's the fountain of youth!! And maybe I'll get back on the wagon of eating healthy. I was going great guns for about a month--then things seemed to get too busy. How could eating right take so much time? Furthermore, I may even start blogging more--that seems to be a young person's pastime. You'll be hearing more from me right after I get back from spending the day at Disneyland tomorrow!!

Summer

June 1 is definitely summer to me!! It was my dad's birthday, and the beginning of several summer birthdays in our family!! Today, the sun was shining--Grandpa and Tanner even went into the icy cold spa--for a few minutes anyway! We sat on the patio, savoring the warmth of the sun. The day was topped off with yogurt at Yogurtland. Yes, I am really ready for summer!

Decoration Day

Memorial day has special memories for me. In the midwest where I grew up, it was known as Decoration Day. We would go to the graves of close family members who had passed away and deliver fresh bouquets of flowers--mostly lilacs and roses from the yard. For us, it was my brother's grave, and a couple of cousins who had also died as children. It was hard as a child myself to go to the grave of another child. But I knew it was important to my parents, so I went willingly. Now my parents are buried next to my brother, Jackie, and I don't miss an opportunity to visit their graves with flowers. Now, however, I use the long lasting silks that are available--they are beautiful and other than slight fading, they stay nice for several months.
Other memories of the day are more upbeat--as the first holiday of summer, it meant just one thing!! Picnic in the park!! My mom would spend hours making homemade potato salad, (mashed), orange jello with grated carrots and pineapple, baked beans, fried chicken, pickled beets, and cake for dessert--sometimes even strawberry shortcake! All from scratch!! My Auntie Faye, Uncle Jess and cousin Sandy would meet us in the park with even more food! We kids would play for hours on the swings and slides in the park--and then eat this amazing meal--at the time not really appreciating it's goodness!! Now, when I attempt to duplicate even part of this meal, I am reminded of the time cooking from scratch takes. Just this Memorial Day, I made my mom's famous mashed potato salad--it took about 3 hours!! The baked beans go together quickly--thanks to Van Camps Pork and Beans--is there any other way to make baked beans? And fried chicken--forget it!! If I want fried chicken, it's KFC to the rescue. This year, Mark grilled some delicious chicken on his grill!! And once again, we ate an amazing meal--surrounded by the laughter of small children as they played the day away!

Here You Go Kristen

Five things on my to-do list today

1. Walk around the lake and feed the ducks with Tanner

2. Cancel and make doctors appointments

3. Finish laundry
4. Paper push
5. Bible Study

Snacks I enjoy
1. POPCORN
2. Cokes
3. Red Licorice
4. Fresh Fruits
5. Peanut Patties

I would do if I were a millionaire
1. Pay off my house
2. Retire
3. Pay for Grandkids college
4. Buy a Mini Van
5. Buy a pop-up camper (Dream Big girls!)

Places I have lived
1. Hutchinson, Ks
2. Lenexa, Ks
3. Quantico, Va
4. Barstow, Ca
5. Mission Viejo, Ca



Bad habits I have
1. Not shaving my legs
2. Eat junk food
3. Procrastinate in all areas!
4. Clutter Bug
5. Messy closet


Jobs I have held
1. Teacher
2. Camp counselor
3. Fabric Store Worker
4. Dairy Barn Worker
5. Preschool Director


I need to Tag some friends to start a BLOG!

Thunderstorms!!

Living in Southern California for the last 30+ years, I can count on one hand the number of times I have heard thunder out here. So you can appreciate my delight in the amazing storm we had yesterday. I was in my classroom--the sky had darkened, a flash of light hit my face--and then it happened--THUNDER!! Huge, rolling, crashing thunder! I was revelling in it--reliving my childhood memories of sitting on the front porch swing, watching the rain pouring down, even wading in the flooded street during the storm--when suddenly I was jolted back to reality with two of my little friends bawling their eyes out in fear! Needless to say, I have little patience with anyone who doesn't love thunderstorms--but, I put on my teacher hat and explained about thunder and lightning (after all we are in the middle of a science unit about weather!) and how the rain is so needed by our gardens and flowers. We even moved our barrel of flowers out from under the awning so they could drink of heavens waters. The day was complete as I walked four little ones under my unbrella over to the day care room--wading ankle deep with them in the streams of run off!! I do love thunderstorms!!