The Last Fieldtrip

I took my very last fieldtrip as a teacher.  We didn't leave until 10:30 so we were able to participate  in Vehicle Day.  This is where several businesses bring in one of their trucks or cars and they take the time to tell the students about their work.  Our first vehicle was a funeral home car that carries the casket.  This is a job that really gets the kids asking the gross questions.  They all want to know what happens to a body that has been completely mangled--how is it taken care of.  The guy wasn't phased at all.  Then we moved over to a hazmat vehicle that stores all the goodies for  figuring out how the fire started or cleaning up a biohazard problem etc.  Now it is getting colder and the sky is turning darker.  Then we move to the animal control officer and he shows us all his tools he works with.  He brought a rabbit with him who decided to go visiting and couldn't find his way home.  It's really getting cold and we move over to the storm drain truck and they  proceed to explain how they clean out the drains and the muck in the sewer.  (Does anyone remember the "Song of the Sewer"?)  We'll have to sing it to you young kids some time.  Anyway  the sky is almost black and we are freezing when we move to the Speedy Tow Truck--this reminds me of the books that talk about Speedy Motors.  By this time we are so cold hardly anyone is listening.  The children are bouncing up and down trying to keep warm.  I ask questions so the guy isn't feeling quite so ignored.  Then we are asked to go sit on the lawn to wait for the helicopter.  The police are getting one of their attack dogs out to demonstrate to us but by then it starts to pour.  We have had enough and I make the decision to take them in.

At 10:30 we are on the bus, going to the planetarium.  I let Cathy be in charge and just sit back and enjoy the ride.  I notice that one of my students is hiding something under her jacket but she says its just a blanket to help keep her warm.  Knowing this little girl's strange ways, I accept this.  When we got off the bus, I notice that she has several dollar bills coming out of her pocket.  I take them and ask her what she is going to do with them.  She wants to spend her allowance money in the little store.  I count ten dollars and tell her she can't do that and I will give it back to her at the end of the day.  Then I tell her to put the blanket under her jacket back on the bus and we head in.  I'm following this little girl up the stairs and notice that she has more money flowing out of her pocket.  I confiscate it along with many quarters and count another $17.00.  A total of $27.00.  These bills are just folded and wadded.  I can't imagine what she was going to do with all this money.  At the end of the day I left a message for Mom and put the money in an envelope to return tomorrow.  Children can do some strange things.  My favorite though, was the little girl who packed her lunch for a fieldrip and on the bus opened the box to discover that her popsicle was melted.  Yes, I'm done but the fun memories just keep returning.  I think I'll miss school.

Button

This is Button.  A cuter, funnier, little animal could not be found.  He is ssooo sweet.  HaHa!!  This dog is crazy.  He loves to get up at night.  To do this, he will bounce around on the bed.  If that doesn't work, then a few licks in the face.  It that still doesn''t work, a wet willie  in my ear will usually do it.  So I get up half awake, walk down the hall assuming the dog is right behind me, open the door to let him out and uhhh no dog.  Back to bed I wander only to find him curled up on my pillow or against Lee.  This can happen 2-3 times a night.  Finally last night at 4:15 a.m. he just shoots out the door.  My he really must have a job to do.  I wait and wait and wait and wait.  After 15 min. I head outside hoping none of the neighbors are up to see this neighbor wandering the back yard in pj's that are 8 inches to short after many washings and a polo shirt that hangs sloppy.  I wander around the house like this  only to find no sign of Button.  I know I let him out.  I check back in the bedroom, out the front door, back around the house.  Then I realize this stupid dog has dug a hole under the fence again and he won't come back until he is ready.  I hear him moving around in the neighbors back yard and wait again until he scampers back under the fence.  My nights are so long sometimes.

A Big Day

Today was an awesome day.  Retirement dinner at 6:00 p.m.  Thats great but Jane's doctor decided that this was the day to bring Little Miss Lilly into the world.  That's OK.  I'm sure we can do both.  Sandie calls to tell us that Levi will be coming in at 7:30--would we like to come to the airport to welcome him in.   Uhhhhh--NO!!  Can't do that.  She does understand but I feel bad.  

At 5:30 we head for the hospital but on the way I decide that we'll have to wait until after the dinner.  I call Greg's cell and he answers with "she just popped out!!!  You have another grand-daughter.  I tell him we are on our way.  We couldn't go to dinner without seeing Lilly.  We arrived so soon that the baby hadn't been cleaned up, weighed or measured.  She is beautiful!  Jane and Greg were so cute.  They felt so blessed to have this new child.  I could tell that they were very touched.  We spent a few minutes with them and headed uptown to the dinner.  

It was hard to listen to their comments of appreciation for these wonderful teachers who were retiring.  They said they would miss our experience etc.  But don't let the door hit you on the way out.  The dinner was nice.  The company was great.  No program--just a reading of names and good-bye.  We were out of there within less than 90 minutes.

Then we headed to our daughter's home to welcome home our soldier.  He looks great.  We were glad to finally have him home.  Sandie has been wonderful and so have the little boys but the family just isn't as complete without Dad, no matter what.

I wish I had pictures of all of this but if I waited for pics, I would never get anything written.  Go to Sandie's blog to learn more about Levi's homecoming.

WARD CLEANUP

Ward Cleanup was this morning.  Lee and I have decided that we need to do the right thing and recommit ourselves to doing service for others when we are asked and even when we aren't.  We are going to start looking for ways to help when we can.

This post is a tribute to my sweet man.  We were asked to help Sister Strauss with her yard cleanup.  We were to spend just 2 hours digging, pulling, and cutting.  Most of the men worked on the fence that had fallen during the winter.  Lee sent me home for the trimmers, cords, etc. so he could mow the lawn and trim the bushes.  He worked hard for those 2 hours and when it was time to leave, he wasn't done so continued.  When he came to a stopping point he promised Sister Strauss that he would spend a couple of more evenings during the week to finish up.  He just couldn't leave her in the middle of a job not done.  

This guy  would do anything you asked of him.  Sometimes he grumbles, but that is just his nature.  He'll do it anyway.  I've watched the way he has worked with his 85 year old Dad, which is a whole other story, and how kind he is to this extremely difficult personality.  I have no doubt that when I become "old", I will be well cared for by Lee until he just can't do it anymore.  

I hope his children see the kindness, love and devotion he gives to his father and that they will reciprocate in return when the time comes.  I will haunt you if you don't!!!!!

Ode to Dogs

This is my attempt at a beginning of a personal history.  I am writing about my dogs.

I have a dog.

Do you have a dog?

My dog's name is Hoppy, after Hop-a-Long Cassidy.

He was a cockapoo before it became a name.  Hoppy was born into our family and

became my dog, my friend.  He was a sweet animal, always asleep under the piano on the pedals.  We couldn't afford grooming him so Mom was always cutting the matts off of him.

Hoppy is buried in the back yard of the old Holladay home.

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

Champ followed Richard home one day.  Richard always had some animal following him home.  Champ was a mixed collie with black and white markings.  His eyes were also mixed--one blue and one white, he also had a scabby nose.  We still loved this dog.  He would go with Richard on his early morning paper routes.  He died of old age and is buried in the back yard of the old Holladay home.

I have another dog. 

Do you have a dog?

Laddie was brought home for Mom on Mother's Day (I think).  Mary, Peggy and David found this English Sheep dog at the pound and thought that Mom would be overjoyed with his presence in our home.  Think again kids.  Laddie was a great dog as far as big dogs go but he was hard to groom and eventually sent to a ranch in Colorado.

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

After we were married Lee and I adopted Pupper.  He was a little mixed terrier that we loved deeply.  He had a heart of gold and a grin on his face that would light up when we came home from work.  He would dance around on two feet waiting for our attention.  But Pupper had one big fault that cost him his life.  He would escape out the front door to chase after cars.  Bobby Boogart his him with her huge car.  We buried Pupper in the back yard of the old Holladay home.  

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

Scooter was also adopted from the pound.  He was a small dog that the kids loved to tease and play with.  He was often found in Jane's baby carrier asleep.  Unfortunately, he had the same fault as Pupper though and this time it was Lee who ran over him.  Scooter is buried in the back yard of the the old Holladay home.

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

Windy was a little, bitty poodle that was so sweet.  She slept with us, drove places with the kids  in the back seat, and just spread her joy all around.  Tuffy, the Fassler's large poodle, thought she was pretty special, too.  He got her in the family way.   When it was time to deliver we had to take her to the vet where she had a C-section and was spayed.  She gave birth to a small pup like her and a large pup like Tuffy.  The small dog was easy to place in a home but Beauty, (that's what we named this little mutt) would be placed and returned.  This happened a couple of times.  She was a barker and a chaser.  The neighbor complained but she continued.  We put up witht hem for a couple of years until Sandie was dealing with her asthma constantly.  We felt we needed to rid our home of all animals.  So Windy and Beauty ended up at the Humane Society.

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

Sandie ended up dating a young man in highschool who had dogs and birds and who knows what else.  I decided that we had gone long enough without a pet dog.  In  1991, Lee and I went to the human society on a whim and came home with the most precious dog ever.  He chose us.  This was Streeter, a Italian greyhound.  This is the miniature breed.  Streeter was a couch potato of the first kind.  He couldn't stand the cold weather or house or car or anything.  When the towels came out of the dryer, he would dig his way under and stay.  When I was sitting down, I always had to have a blanket with me so he could get warm.  Uncle Steve called him a "dog in a cat suit".  Streeter was Momma's dog.  We cried and cried when we took him to the vet to be put to sleep.  Streeter is in doggie heaven, not in the back yard.

I have another dog.

Do you have a dog?

Lady was just that--a lady.  We answered an ad in the paper.  I took Streeter and the kids that were home to see if they were compatible withthis dog.  She was a corgi, beagle mix.  Streeter needed a companion and Dallin needed a dog so he would quit teasing mine.  Lady chased Streeter and Streeter teased Lady endlessly until they both became too old to bother.  Lady slowed down after Streeter died and she became lonely.  She slipped away from us a year later on Father's Day 2005 at the age of 13.  Lady is buried in the back yard of our Sandy home.

I have another dog.

"You've got to be kidding"!!!

Do you have a dog?

There wasn't supposed to be any more dogs but one of my students parents came to school with the 3 cutest puppies.  The apricot pup had not been sold so I made an offer and then had to figure out a way to tell Lee.  He wasn't happy about it but he gave in.  I wish he wouldn't do that.  Our FINAL dog is Button and with a name like that you can guess what his short name is.  He barks, he pees, he jumps on company and he doesn't cuddle.  Anyone want a cute, noisy peer.  Oh, well, we raised 4 kids, we can raise another dog!

TAGGED

Sandie tagged me some time ago and I have put it off until I was able to take the time to think about divulging--I believe this is the word she used--7 things about myself.  The above picture includes many of my favorite people:  Carolyn H, Darold H,  Marva, Elaine C, Leigh K, Shirley , Laura, Joy W, and Marlon A.  About 1969.

1.  I loved to ballroom dance.  After taking a class in college,  I yearned for the opportunities to be able to dance.  After college our singles group attended the Thursday Night dances at the Terrace Ballroom where I made such good friends that I eventually applied to be on the dance committee.  I loved it.  Along with my good friends, Jan and Kay,  we had some good times.

2.  I consider myself a "river rat".  With a brother as a river guide and belonging to a group that loved to play,  I have been on several river trips.  But not near as many as Aunt Shirley, who made it a point to never get her hair wet.

3.  I bite my fingernails down to nothing.  3 years ago Terrie took me over to TipTop Nails.  I have enjoyed long nails ever since.

4.  My greatest joy in life has been my children giving me grandchildren.

5.  I was afraid to go to Thailand because I knew that I would never be able to find a potty when I needed it or if I did, it would be a hole with places to put your feet on either side.

6.  I would rather read the book than go to the movie.

7.  I miss my own mother more than anyone knows.

There. now you know a few things about me that no one has ever really asked me about.

Retirement

Life is overwhelming right now.  I am beginning to sign papers with the district and the state to get my retirement set up.  You work for 30 years over the last 40 and suddenly it comes to an end.  I've been going to school or working since I was a college freshman at the Y in 1964.  It's hard to believe that at the start I was 18 years old looking at my  whole life before me.  I wanted to do so much and yet not sure that I would find that special guy to have a family with.  That happened and then we were providing for 4 children who were our responsibility.  Who would have thought that all of this would just happen and then your life becomes an empty nest and you are back where you began.  Now its time to get to know Lee again and determine what it was that attracted him to me and me to him.  We have to start courting each other once again and find that sunset that we watched together  in the beginning.