OVERLAP

So often I'm reminded of my youth, among middle school age children. After many years, I still can find a reason to smile, and tell them a story or two about my school days. You do realize my kids , ELL kids, are just learning English. So "my stories" may take on a whole new meaning. I can read their minds, "Oh that crazy Mrs. Baron, she tell many stories!!!" I like it when they shake their head in recognition of Kirby-Smith, or Andrew Jackson being mentioned. They know my friends by name, and my family members. They are my sponges, soaking it all in.
Just the other day, I was helping three boys with their social studies project. They had to do a collage on religions around the world. It was their lucky day!!!
"Boys you have hit the jackpot (confused looks on faces!), Mrs. Baron , Susan and Paula made awesome collages at the Partin house, many weekends." " I think Jude and Gail may have been there on occasion too!" ( Lost looks!) " We cut out out words, and pictures of Beatles and Stones(eye rolls), Fashion looks of the 60's and 70's!" (Hmmmm....when?)" Every inch of poster board covered and OVERLAPPED, in beauty!!!" "Go for it boys!, cut and paste, and listen to Crosby, Stills, Nash AND YOUNG!" They smile and make their perfect projects!!! No piece of paper is touching, they have cut perfect squares, measured where each one goes and I think ironed the piece!!! They smile and look at me, for.....job well done look!!! " Well, angels, they are collages of a different generation, a little wound tight (huh??), they are PERFECT!!!!"
I would give anything, if I had kept one of the collages us girls had made, I needed a visual!!!
Class is over, and they say, "Tomorrow? stories?" and I always tell them, "It's your lucky day! "

The All Night Deli is Closed

All my research about getting rid of snakes, seems to require me closing down the all night deli, which is my yard. You see I feed all the animals, so I keep stocking the buffet table for these snakes. Chip and Dale live under my front porch, and I adore them. I even fixed there entry way with a broken piece of pottery, to look nice. Hart says they are as good as GONE!!! Not my chipmunks!! Damn snakes!! Thumper and her babies surround my yard, so I leave out carrots, so they will not be hungry and eat my plants. Love the wild bunnies, hope they were not last nights supper!!!
I have recruited my family to help rattle some bushes, but they are not willing snake hunters! I may have to drum up the ghost of Steve Irwin to help me, he wasn't just good with crocs!! I know Ireland is free of snakes, St. Patrick, I need thee. Surely, I can get a mongoose on e-bay, a real Rikki-Tikki-Tavi for a good price?
I'm not having a good time, with snake worry. But......I was thinking, some cute rubber boots!!!
To keep me safe, and cute.
Satan's serpent beware of the woman carrying a pitch fork wearing cute boots! I'm coming to get you.

SNAKES In The Burbs??

When we were moving from Pennsylvania to Atlanta, I specified, do not want house by any water. I knew I was headed south, warmer weather, and snakes! Growing up in Florida La-La land, I have seen my share. Snakes and I love warm weather, but one of us has to go, and I'm staying!!! I hate snakes, I don't care if some are good and eat mosquitoes! While gardening in Pennsylvania, a garter snake showed itself to me, and I chopped that thing into a million pieces. I could have worked as a sushi chef, my hands were so agile and fast!!!
Yesterday we received an e-mail from our 'Stepford Wives' subdivision. Two Copperhead snakes found in neighbors yards. Do not let small children, or pets play outside. Stop It!!! Call Critter catchers, take some of the pool money and tennis court money and kill the snakes. Please don't send me an alarming e-mail without a solution!!! I ran to close the back deck door, and called my hubby .(who is from New York??do snakes grow up there??) " We have to call the snake people, Critter Catchers."( whom I have used before for bats, another story) OH!!( I also used them for raccoons!) New York husband replied, "Oh Lucy(lab) will scare them away!"..........I had to breathe...
"Lucy is a big baby and the snakes will get her and they may get you too for not taking this seriously!"
This weekend will be busy, I know how to use a hoe!!! Snakes be gone!!!!

Adrian's First Day

Number one grandson started kindergarten yesterday, such a big step.
Can so many years have already passed? Uma singing "off key" all songs known to the world, as I held onto him for as long as I could.
One cold early morning, I sat in his room, holding him in the rocker chair. Looking at the frost on the window, and snow on the ground, explaining to him how much I love him. " Adrian, I must love you so much, because this Boston winter weather is for crazy people!" So many flights, to watch him grow, and now he is in school.
I remember that morning in the rocker, Emily saying, "You know you can put him in the bed?" She was a new mommy, little did she know how fleeting this baby time is. If I could wish for anything, it would be to hold my babies one more time. New mommies are so tired for sooooooooo long, they miss some things. I know this, because I did the same thing.
I do remember all of my kids first days of school, what they were wearing, and how glad I was to have some time to myself. My favorite time, was when they came home. I missed seeing Adrian go to school, but thanks to all these fancy cell phone cameras, I saw the smile. The first day of school smile, it only happens once.
His Uma is happy to be a part of this special day.

It It Wrong?

September requires me to think about putting beach towels away. Then comes the sun-screen and its over. Each fall I go down kicking and screaming. Today I wrapped myself in a towel and sniffed it, like summer smells could be locked into the fabric! That did not work, so I opened up the Banana Boat sunscreen and went to sniffing!!! Is this wrong? I think not, maybe smearing the lotion on me, could seem different to some?? I know we have a good month left to sit out, but the air feels different. It's like a stealth jet, this fall, flying low looking at me. I'm nervous, people are starting to pull out sweaters, and we had a jeans day at work!Yikes, its too hot for jeans. Labor Day is ready to take all of my white shoes, and clothes away, is that still a tradition, no white after Labor Day?? Who makes this stuff up? The same people who encourage me to start looking at fall clothes in catalogs, and BOOTS!!!Give me a minute to phase into these things.
I need to get the coat rack off my back porch, with the swim gear and tell her(coat rack is female) it's time to change. Get ready for mittens, and scarfs and coats weighing you down. I bring her in the month of September to adjust, its not easy coming in from outside, for us girls.
I did buy Halloween candy, is it wrong?? and ordered my Christmas cards, I'm trying to lay out the welcome wagon.....even if it still smells like the beach.

A Very Expensive Dorm Room

I have never held the title of "Superwoman", even though I have had Super moments!!!!
Working and taking care of a house, and people who live within, whips me.
My beautiful house, looks like a dorm room, with laundry multiplying as I type. My multi-task skills are used at school, and I turn into a vegetable when I open the garage door.
Dishes to wash, dishes to unload, shoes dropped all over these new hardwood floors!!!! Dog toys, cat toys, people toys lurk around each turn. Magazines and mail reaching near the ceiling, and it's OK. I fully embrace that I can NOT do it all!!!
My rumpled, messy palace gets cleaned on Mondays, and today its Tuesday!!!
Two loads of wash is spinning, we just finished supper, that all hands were on deck. Bill grilled, I made Broccoli and sweet potato fries. Hart took care of Lucy the lab, Tuesday and Thursday are his drop by nights. Emma did the dishes, the roomba is about to be turned on, three TV's are humming, chaotic joy. My charmed life, comes back into view.
We all can ,so quickly get overwhelmed with the little things, that we miss the big picture.
How many 59 year young women can still say they live in the dorms!!!

No Time To Think!!!

This is the first fall that returning to school, I feel I may make it!! It could be a mirage, and I may crumble any minute. Each year going back to work seems harder, until I see my kids.
Incredible, brilliant young minds, learning to speak southern English. Children from all over the globe, wanting to learn. Middle school mega drama, with no English, has to be so hard. These kids of mine, find the courage to tackle it all. I barely could change my clothes for PE at Kirby, Miss Pate scared me!!! and I knew the language.
I have depended on these children to hold me up, these last four years, and they did. I forgot for minutes about my broken heart, and held theirs. Wiped their tears, instead of wiping mine. All of us learning so much.
Grief seems to be hibernating more this year. I have placed it on the top shelf.
Although grief seems to be in a coma, its toll on me as a person has been life altering.
Work saved my life, these little children, carried me through.
This is my first fall in four years, that I can feel peace.
My family at school, and my real family will celebrate my Ward's 30th birthday tomorrow.
Laughter and Love will fill the house and the halls of school, in your honor, my precious boy.
Who needs time to think anyway!!!????

The drawing was done by Ward, the superhero, flying over mom, many many years ago. I think he still hovers near!!!