Journaling Heals

Just read an article in the Indy Star newspaper that said journaling lowers your blood pressure, reduces missed workdays, lowers visits to doctor, and increases immunity. People who journaled about stressful and emotional events saw improvements in personal strength and appreciation for life. Great article with lots of insight, but not once did it mention blogging. Perhaps they have never tried blogging or are unfamiliar. But it could be that one can write mean and hateful things in the journal book that should not be expressed in a blog.

What Are the Odds?

Four vehicles left our town sometime in the morning, without planning with each other. Four vehicles arrived in the line to the parking garage at the hospital in Indy one right after the other. We couldn't have done that if we tried!

Kill the Rooster

I'm on Spring break this week so I've had an opportunity to sleep in every day. Well, I did just that this morning--5:45. That may sound too early to be considered sleeping in, but not when I have awakened between 3:00 and 5:00 all week. Getting older brings about some weird changes such as the inability to sleep. (I'll just stop there on the changes.) If this continues, I will be up before my kids go to bed!

Sprung!

Spring, beautiful Spring has sprung! Hubby spent Tuesday morning raking and cleaning out the flower beds. Hard to believe that many of our plants are up 2 or 3 inches. Makes me excited to begin working in them. Last night we showed our granddaughter the hostas peeking out of the ground. Of course she had to smell each and every one. When we got to the sage, she wasn't impressed with that smell. Our little one also enjoyed the warm weather and spent time going down the slide, swinging, picking up acorns, asking grandpa every time what the acorns were, rolling acorns down the slide, and bringing each of us "treasures". It's going to be a fun summer!

Updating Dad

I visited my father in the hospital today. When I arrived he was eating or attempting to eat his lunch. Since he is legally blind, he was having quite a time of it. I offered my help and began feeding him the beef strips. He enjoyed those, but did not want the rice, stir fry veggies, green beans, macaroni and cheese or tossed salad. He asked for chocolate ice cream of which he ate a couple of bites. I could tell that he was feeling better because he was complaining to the nurses one minute and preaching from the Bible the next. Good thing the nurses rotate often or he would have them resigned or baptized. At one point he turned to me and announced that he needed to use the crapper. So I pushed the call button and asked for the bedpan. I don't think any of those young nurses would know what a crapper was. By late afternoon, he was moved out of cardiac critical care and into the neurology unit. New nurses, new converts, new victims. And he will enjoy every minute of it.

What Did You Do On Spring Break?

Went to help put my elderly father to bed on Fri. evening and found him very disoriented. Rushed him to local hospital. They flew him by helicopter to Indy same evening. We suspected a stroke, but no. He has bleeding on both sides of the brain, probably due to hitting his head more than once when he has fallen over the past few months. Needs surgery to "suck out" the old and new blood. Will probably happen on Tues. Glad I have Spring Break so I am off.

Let's Cut Our Hair

When our girls were little, maybe 2 1/2 and 4, they were at home with dad, under his watchful (LOL) eye while I was working at my mom's. Got a phone call from dad who said I probably ought to come home. Seems the girls decided to cut their own hair. Now I had just paid big bucks for professional haircuts for both of them. Ally, the eldest, treasured her long hair, and had it in braids on that fateful day. She talked Heidi into finding mom's super-sharp sheers, and dared her to cut her own hair. Being 2 1/2, Heidi knew that she probably shouldn't do it. But then older sister went first by cutting her own hair. With it in braids, she could have sheered herself short in no time. BUT, Ally only cut two loose hairs, then handed the scissors over to her sister. By the time dad noticed what they were doing, Heidi had only a small handful of hair on the left back of her head remaining. She had cut it so close on top that it was a miracle that she didn't cut her scalp. Thinking about it right now, Heidi is left handed and at 2 1/2 would have struggled with those heavy sharp sheers. Perhaps Ally assisted her after all. Well, had to take Heidi for her third haircut in one week. A friend of ours started calling her Freddie because she had such a short cut. If I knew how to put in the picture of it, you would love it. Skip forward to the present. When I saw my granddaughter last night, I noticed she was sporting super, super short bangs. (Good thing she looks cute with her hair in pigtails and short bangs.) When I asked how they got so short, her mama, Ally, admitted cutting them once. Then trying again to straighten them out. Then again. Then one last time. I stifled the urge to remind her of the Hair Cut long ago.

What's In a Name

It occurred to me recently that my life has been joined with many famous names, not the actual famous people, just famous names. A former boss--Johnny Carson My dentist--Dr. Johnny Cash School mate--Danny Thomas Relative--Howard Hughes Fellow church member--Al Hirt Car salesman--Jerry Lewis My life has also been intertwined with someone related or close to a famous person. Worked a Special Olympics meet with Carolyn Rose, wife of Pete Rose. Struck out Johnny Bench's sister in softball. (She was mad!) Worked at a restaurant with Kurt Thomas's wife. And just some names of note: Veterinarian--Dr. Fixx A weight loss doctor near my allergy doctor--Dr. Ton

What? Speak English!

If you know anything about special education, SPED, you know that there are many terms to learn and many initials to designate those terms. One could talk almost exclusively in initials, understood by those involved in the CC, case conference. For example, "The ACR was held with the TOR, OT, and parents to discuss the ADHD, OH, ODD, LD, for the IEP." I'm not the RT so I am not as proficient in initial speak as the RT and OT. Besides initials, the terminology soon becomes overwhelming. Recently, at another school, a father declared that his child had artsie, the hamburger kind. What he meant was his child had autism, the asperger kind. Maybe we should go back to talking in initials.

Why the Green?

Just googled St. Patrick's Day to update myself. His mission was to convert the pagans to Christianity. He is rumored to have used the 3 leaf shamrock to represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So the mystery is solved. In America, 1600 years later, we wear something green, step on toes, parade the streets, and hoist the mugs of brew. Go figure.

Are Ye Irish?

Many of us will don the green today/tomorrow to be involved in St. Patrick's Day. As a teacher, I know how important it is to wear green or else wear steel-toed shoes. But actually, I am part Irish. (Must be where I get my temper, and my daughters' their red hair.) This is the one day when someone of small stature is "looked up to"! Ha! By the 18th, the small one will be shorty again. And we will put away the green ornamental junk that we wore and wait another year to claim to be Irish. But if I get mad enough, I'll claim to be Irish any other day of the year.

Musicians of Bremen/Daycare

Bought a gift for my granddaughter. It's a furry bunny that plays "If You're Happy and You Know It" when you press the critter's paw. It also claps its ears above its head at the appropriate time. I know that she will love it because she keeps sneaking out of her class at daycare to go to the office to steal the menagerie of singing animals. She has been caught several times due to one or more animal going off while cradled in her arms. One day last week she enlisted the help of two of her friends to steal the Musicians of Bremen. But alas, they were caught and sent back empty-handed. Bet that won't deter her.

My Favorite Blogs

For those of you who have visited this site more than once, you have seen my list of favorite blogs. Several of them I stumbled on and have enjoyed enough to share with you all. However, two are on hiatus, one has ceased to blog, and one has passed away. Guess I should update the list. I know what some of you might be thinking, with her record, hope she doesn't include my blog.

Full Moon

Ask any teacher what phase the moon is currently and on days like today, most teachers will respond that it must be a full moon. The kids are wild and crazy, not only in my room, but in every room in the whole school. The day was spent putting out fires, defending, intervening, etc. By the time school was over for the day, I felt ill and could have walked out the door and never returned. Not a pleasant day to remember.