So here's the short of it, 
Chattanooga check-in!

And here's the long.

I got a new microwave this evening, and Valdis came by and helped me get it set up. I really appreciated the help.  He also helped me move a few things from downstairs to one of the upstairs rooms. That was another big help!

He's started classes at Chattanooga State. So far, he reports, so good!  I'm sure wishing him luck as he pursues this adventure. He's already taking two of the classes required by the nursing program that he's interested in applying for. And he seems pretty excited.

Liga spent the night last night and we had a chance for a nice pleasant visit.  She's starting to think about going back to school so that she can do something different than continuing to work at the outpatient lab. She's doing some good research to help decide what she may want to do.

I've heard from Alan a couple of times.  That long drive is pretty hard - but he sounds like he's recuperated now.  He picked up lunch and visited with Pennie this afternoon for awhile and then this evening they went to Brian and Julie's for dinner. I know they'll have a great visit.

I'm letting it get late again with an early morning in front of me, so I'm heading off to bed!

So here's the short of it, 
Work...

And here's the long.

Our teachers are overwhelmed with the increased work load.
Almost every day, I encounter teachers that I don't work with who are overwhelmed.

I know we will shoulder through this year, but I'm really concerned that the very people who are pulling the funding from our schools are the ones who don't understand the consequences for our students. We don't still live in a world where a chalkboard and some books will prepare our students for the world they will inhabit.

I do believe that the strength of our country, our democracy, rests on having a relatively educated population. I also know that this is a really difficult financial time, but we've taken a wrong turn somewhere.

I'm glad to come home to a great husband, a wonderful dog, and a cuddly kitty -- and tonight a sweet daughter to keep me company.

So here's the short of it, 
Wonder if I'll get hot coffee in the morning or if it will be warmish. 

And here's the long.

Our microwave started arcing tonight! Just out of the blue!

So it's not dead yet, but it's one of those kill it before it kills you things.  I mean who wants to start a fire or cause some other problem.  So there won't be any warming up the coffee in the morning. I usually keep the microwave humming in the morning, since I really like my coffee hot. I hit the coffee pot when I first get up - because I set it up the night before and Alan always gets into the kitchen and turns it on while I'm still trying to struggle into wakefulness. Then I pour a half cup or so and keep warming it up until I have a whole cup or more in my system. But I like it hot! I suppose I'll need to get a new microwave in the next little bit! Wonder which one is the best.

Alan is headed off in the morning for a few days of visiting with Pennie.  He's really looking forward to spending some time with her, and I find myself wishing (even more than I thought I would) that I could go along. But I'll be off and working by the time he gets started on his way.

I met our new neighbors tonight. Hunter and Vanessa and two of their boys. It's nice that the neighborhood is adding more children. We have a new baby across the circle and now three young boys next door. I'll be they'll liven up the place around here.  Now we'll see who buys the house on the other side!

So here's the short of it, 
Irene has brought us a few breezes.

And here's the long.

The news from the East Coast is difficult to hear, but all of the folks that we know or know of seem to have done OK.  The news, though, is showing the worst spots, and some of them are pretty bad. Of course most of the coast is just relieved that it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

Irene has brought us cooler temperatures and some lovely breezes. But we didn't get any rain from it at all. This draught has really dried everything up. I didn't irrigate this year, and the tomato garden is just parched.

It's hard to believe that the weekend is already gone. Monday, I'll be ready for you!

So here's the short of it, 
Irene is slamming it's way up the coast. 

And here's the long.

Shelley says they are "hunkered down". I'm glad that Lou is able to be at home tonight!  It looks like they are going to have quite a night and maybe even worse tomorrow.  It looks like Myra and Milko will feel it first in Yardley, PA. Marcia's kids are in the area as well!

The weather channel is predicting winds up to 60 miles per hour for all of them - and of course heavy rains with the possibility of flooding! The threat of being without electricity and the damage to the infrastructure is another awful possibility.

This evening when I took Sophie out for her evening walk, we could feel the farthest reaches of Irene. We had a breeze for the first time maybe all summer. I have to say I felt almost guilty for enjoying it as I thought of the horrible weather that's bringing it our way.

So -- we are thinking of all our family, friends, and those we don't know.

So here's the short of it, 
It's nice to close out the week and start thinking of a morning with no alarm!

And here's the long.


Such an exhausting week -- I'm glad to see Friday night. I'm going to make sure there are no alarms for tomorrow morning! And I'm going to hope to do some serious sleeping tomorrow morning!!!

I had a great visit with my oncologist today. Dr. Schlabach is the best!  When he came into the room this morning almost the first thing he did was give me a hug!  Maybe that's not everyone's picture of a great doctor - but it sure is mine! He also remembers particulars about me and my case.

So the outcome was a prescription for physical therapy.  I still have lots of trouble with steps!  I can walk just fine on flat areas or smooth surfaces. But no stairs and bumpy terrain is still difficult for me. He seems to think that it's neuropathy caused by the Taxotere and that some physical therapy and then my continued work on the exercises may help.  I'm sure willing to give that a go!

The other thing he's requesting is a colonoscopy.  Diarrhea was my constant companion while I was on chemotherapy - I've never quite recovered exactly.  I still have issues with urgency and while I don't have diarrhea all the time, I do have it quite frequently, and I'm not ever really normal!  So he wants to  have it checked out.

I asked him about the episode with my port hurting during the Colorado trip. He expected that it was the heights and was just really pretty intrigued that it would hurt at the site of the port. He thought that was probably pretty unusual.

I'm about to fall asleep at the computer keyboard and it's not nearly as late as I usually stay up.  Alan and the cat and dog are all sound asleep.  I should go to bed.

Night, night!

So here's the short of it, 
So here's my reflection for today. 

And here's the long.

I can remember Mom saying that you ought not to judge someone until they've had a chance to live their whole life.

I can remember hearing someone else in my family say that you should judge people and stained glass only in their best light.

These are really good things for me to try to remember.

It's been a long, long day full of wonderful surprises.
I'm tired as can be - I got up this morning at 4:00. But I'm feeling a pretty good morale boost.

I'm going to get to bed before long - I'm needing that rest tonight!
Tomorrow I have an appointment with my Oncologist - I'm expecting just a routine, we'll see you in 6 months.

Night all!

So here's the short of it, 
Nice day. 

And here's the long.

We had visitors today from another county in Tennessee. With them, I visited 4 schools and 5 teachers. I tried very hard to see everything through the eyes of a visitor instead of an employee. I was very impressed with everything we visited!  That was a pretty big boost to my morale after the stress of opening school. I know this is going to be a stressful year, but this is a day I can look back on to help through those times. And I'll be trying really hard to make some more days like this one happen again.

I'm getting up REALLY early tomorrow. Mom is going to spend a week with Elizabeth in San Jose to help with her new great grand-daughter Avery, and big brother Elijah. I'm taking her to the airport to catch a 5:45 AM flight!

So I suppose the smart thing to do would be to go on to bed right now!
Not sleepy yet though...  Maybe I can get to bed pretty soon though.

So here's the short of it,
Bye Bye Shelley and Max.

And here's the long.

It's been nice to have Max here so that we could see him and get a chance to be with him some.
Marjorie had us for a goodbye dinner tonight, and it was lovely to all be together and have a chance to see Max one more time before they head off for home.  Mom and Valdis were able to join us as well. Dinner was pretty yummy! The only bad part was not having Liga able to join us because of work.  But she and Valdis will have some time to visit in the morning.

I've got an early morning tomorrow. I'm heading to bed pretty soon.

So here's the short of it, 
The world lost an amazing young woman today. 

And here's the long.

This was a sad day for the students at the Center for Creative Arts.

Kelly Butler, the president of the senior class and expected to graduate as the Valedictorian of her class was killed in a motorcycle accident this morning.

She was on her way to school when she veered off the road and crashed into a road marker. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

I was at the school this afternoon before I had heard the news. When I walked in the door there were two counselors from other schools. I should have known something was going on to have a crisis response team in the building, but I just didn't make an immediate connection.

I didn't know Kelly. I know from what I heard from the students and teachers talking that she was an amazing young woman. I know that she's left an indelible mark on those who knew her. Her family and friends are in my prayers.

So here's the short of it, 
Happy Birthday Mom!

And here's the long.

Today was Mom's birthday. Joyce spent the night with her last night and they went to church together this morning.  After church they stopped by for a little visit and then they spent the afternoon together - getting Mom re-acquainted with Facebook, and working a bit outside in all that heat! Joyce had to get back home this evening so she wasn't able to join us for dinner - But Max was!!!


It was so great to have Max came over to spend some time with us and celebrate G-MaMa's birthday.  We had a great visit.

Here's a great interlude when he and Poppa were playing cars. He also got a good visit in with Sophie and they really liked one another!




Uncle Waldrus came over and helped us celebrate as well!  It was a great evening.  Mom and I were talking about how glad we both are that she's living in Chattanooga. It's really comforting to have her right here - just down the road.

Happy Birthday Mom!

So here's the short of it, 
Max, Mom, and Joyce - what a great day!

And here's the long.

This morning we had Max! What fun. We went to the zoo for a little while. Not too long, because we wanted to leave before it got too hot. Then to the new IHOP for lunch - he charmed everyone around us. Then to see Mommy Anne for a little while. All the pictures are on Alan's camera! Shucks.  We loved our time with him.

Then later this afternoon, Joyce came down.  Mom and I took her to Claire's in the mall and after all these years surprised her by getting her ears pierced!  It was very fun.  Then we met Alan at Red Lobster to celebrate both of their birthdays. Two stops after that - Babies R Us, and then to Jo Anns.

We finally ended the evening with a visit to DQ.

I'm so glad Joyce lives close enough to come down and visit with Mom from time to time.

This was a great day!

So here's the short of it, 
Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!

And here's the long.

There it is -Today's harvest from the tomato garden (minus the ones I ate for supper)!

It's been too hot, and I've been too tired to harvest tomatoes after getting home from a long day at work this week, but I decided that I'd better get out there this evening.  Sure enough, I had let several of my big beautiful Purple Cherokee rot on the vine. And some of my Black Cherries were too far gone as well. Not a good feeling for a gardener!

It has been so hot and dry that it is a wonder to me that they have done anything much at all. They all have the blight. I'm going to have to fight that battle much earlier next year. And this year when Alan offered to set up our little drip irrigation system, I wasn't quite ready - I still had some I wanted to set out and then I never got around to having him do it. And after school started, I just haven't gotten up early enough to go out and water every or even every other morning! So they've been really distressed in all this weather!

But my oh my, they are so good!  The little Black Cherry is such a sweet little one. And that Green Zebra has such a distinctive flavor.  I love home grown tomatoes!

So here's the short of it, 
It's taken me a couple of hours to get out of the funk from work.

And here's the long.

But I can remember Dad telling me that we can always choose how we will respond when confronted with unpleasant situations.

I am going to choose to see things in the best light possible. I'm going to focus on the things in my life that bring me joy.

So here are a few from this evening. After work I went by and helped my Mom book her trip to San Jose to spend time with her brand newest great grand-daughter - who by the way is every bit as amazing as the other great grands!

I came home and took my great dog for a walk. I watched her do this amazing dog thing.  My neighbors are moving and their last hurrah was to get the cat and put her into a crate to move her as well.  She was unhappy!  She resisted and screamed (with screaming meows) all the way to the car.  When we got around the circle she ran over to the scene of the cat removal and started sniffing around as though the smells were creating a picture of the event for her!! I was amazed as I watched this happen.

Then just a little while ago, my beautiful daughter came by after work and visited with me and had dinner.

Now I'm working on stretching out this back and thinking about trying to have an early bedtime...
  ...but Sophie just brought me her toy! Alan made her a toy that is her favorite! It's a tennis ball tied up in one of his old socks. She loves it.  So I'll have to play with her for a bit.

And of course there's the beautiful Lola... she'll be a great end to the evening with a sweet session of petting and purring.

All good choices to keep my head in a space of goodness.  Thanks Dad.

So here's the short of it,
Work, work, work, while the guys are at play!

And here's the long.

Today was a good day, except I missed out on the pool party with Shelley, Max, Poppa, and Uncle Walus.  There are some great pictures on facebook! Try this link to see all three guys at the baby pool. Yes that's Max all covered up from the southern sun! So you can't see how cute he is.

This evening Alan and I had an event to attend, so I ran home and got ready - Alan's driving the convertible because Shelley has the SUV with the baby seat in it. Tomorrow she's driving over to Nashville for a few days and leaving Max here. So there's going to be a car trade and she's going to drive the convertible. Alan had taken the convertible and had it washed and cleaned up really well!  I thought that was such a sweet thing for him to do for his oldest daughter! It had cooled off a little, and we drove over with the top down. That was really nice!

They are having a Father/Daughter lunch tomorrow. It makes me think of the Father/Daughter times I cherish with my Dad. I hope they have a good time and make a good memory.

So here's the short of it,
Great evening after a good day.

And here's the long.

Well, some good happened today at work. Enough good to make me much less cynical than I was at the end of the day yesterday. When good things are happening for kids, I start to feel less angry about the freaking bureaucracy and how short sighted people are when they make the "rules". Not that there aren't some really stupid rules in place, but at least there's lots of good stuff going on to kind of balance the stupidity.

But this evening - oh this evening.
We had dinner with Shelley and Max. Mom joined us as well as Valdis.  And we went to Provino's!  I had delicious Eggplant Parmesian (have a great leftovers lunch planned for tomorrow!) And lots of fun with them.  Uncle Valdis (which sounds a bit like Uncle Walrus) and Max had some good times. Liga got to spend some time with them earlier today as did Liga. Unfortunately Liga had to work and didn't get to join us.

MaMa gave Max some trucks, and he entertained himself and us by lining up his trucks and by showing us the firetrucks, the blue truck, the tanker truck, and lots of other truck and not truck conversation.

Here's the only picture I got home with.  But I sure did get home with lots of good memories.

What a great evening.

Tomorrow - I'm ready for you!

So here's the short of it, 
The parameters of work are quite difficult sometimes.

And here's the long.

Oh my! This is one of those days that I'd really like to do a nice long rant about some of the things I think about my work.  Well, not my work exactly, but what I consider some problems in our work system.  Now I'm not even talking about my department. I'm talking about the whole system, from the people in the state department who make rules without any regard to the numbers of kids who might be impacted negatively by those rules (and no way to make exceptions) - to the people on the local level (politicians) who make financial decisions that have very little to do with what is good for children and a whole lot to do with pay backs and back room deals to a system that is absolutely dependent on keeping the system going not necessarily doing right, good, or equitable things.

So with that being said. Let me say that I feel enormously lucky to live in a country where I am free to express just such an opinion.  Don't I know that in some places something as vague as I've just written would assure me of being arrested, interrogated, perhaps tortured, and maybe even assigned to a prison. So I greatly appreciate the freedoms that I have to express my dissatisfaction with the way I find things today!

It's been a really long day - beginning work at an early school (7:15) and not getting home til late (after 9:00)!  I'm heading to the bed!

So here's the short of it, 
Shelley and Max are here!

And here's the long.

We had a great time this evening at Liga's party room!

It was such a great idea to have a get together and let friends and relatives come and see Shelley and Max so that they don't have so much running around to do! And we had lots of people there!  It's great that Liga's apartment complex has such a nice room that we can use for such get togethers.

All the pictures ended up on other people's camera's so I don't have any to post to show how wonderful Shelley looks and what a cutie Max is!  Maybe someone will send me some tomorrow and I'll come back and add them into this post.

So here's the short of it, 
Today's been a Mother Daughter day.

And here's the long.
 
Mom and I went to run errands and do some shopping this morning and didn't get back until mid afternoon.  Then we went to the grocery. We stopped to visit Mommy Anne for a bit. She wasn't feeling well today and was still in bed when we got there.  She said that she just felt bad and wasn't able to really articulate what it was. She was so excited seeing Shelley and Max tomorrow.

This evening Liga stopped by after she got off work and visited for awhile. So I got to spend some time with Mom and then with my Mother-in-law, and then with my daughter -- and I'm anticipating getting in some Shelley time tomorrow.

And my two fur kids are right next to me. Lola is perched on the end table right near me and is giving me a lick on the arm every now and again, and Sophie is stretched out snoozing and opening her eye to look at me if I move too much.

We are supposed to get some rain tonight!

So here's the short of it, 
Alan and I took Mom and went to see The Help tonight.

And here's the long.

 I really liked the book and I thought that the movie held true to the themes.  Mom noticed that some of the chronology was off. I noticed a couple of scenes that were really not connected well to the flow, but within themselves they were great little scenes, and I could understand why they made the final cut. The theater was pretty full, and I'm glad so many people are going to see it.

Alan says he's going to read the book now that he's seen the movie.

I understand that the woman who plays Hilly (on the far left in the photo) is Ron Howard's daughter!  I still remember watching Opie stroll down the lane with his fishing pole slung over his shoulder!  And now here's his beautiful daughter playing a really hard, mean, and very disturbing character!

Mom and I were talking about this movie and its portrayal of the civil rights movement. I certainly remember segregation, and I remember the TV images of Alabama, and some of the talk. But in Kentucky, in spite of all the talk, segregation happened without much violence. Granted some parts of it came along pretty slowly, but it came. Schools integrated pretty soon and as will happen, days of going to school together taught us over time that we are really all just people. Mom said that in 1957 - just a few years after Brown vs. the Board of Education that she remembered a black girl in her psychology class at the University of Kentucky. I'd like to take my hat off to that young woman whoever she was! I wonder who she was and what ever happened to her.

So here's the short of it, 
Music has a way of taking you back...

And here's the long.

I have the TV on kind of in the background as I get myself finished up for the evening and get ready for bed.  Legends of Folk: Village Scene is on PBS. I'm listening to Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel, and Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Now, I'm not a musician, and for sure not a musicologist, but even a gal like me can tell that this was a time when something amazing was happening in music. And there was such a change as the young musicians used music to express the political discontent with the status quo - from the support of the civil rights movement to the protests against the Vietnam War.  Wow, coming of age during that time was such a rich and amazing experience.  Perhaps everyone feels that way, but I'm really glad that it was my time. Even if you didn't want to think about such things, you didn't have much choice, and for those who wanted to explore the thought and reason behind it, there was such a diversity of opinions.

Maybe I'll have dreams of great times with great music!

So here's the short of it, 
I'm feeling very reflective tonight.

And here's the long.

I had a thought today about the choices I've made in my life and how each place along the way a different choice would have led to such a different life. There are lots of people who believe that there are parallel universes that reflect life outcomes should we have made those choices.  I even had someone send me a paper explaining the science of parallel universes once - they really do exist it claimed. I'd say the jury is out on that one. I don't know enough about science to say they don't, but I can't really imagine it. I can imagine that along the way I might have made different choices, but I can't see how those different choices would have played out. I can see for example that if I had chosen a different college, I might have been influenced into a different career. But I can't see what that might have looked like!

Anyway, did I make mistakes. Well, of course! And were some of them pretty big.  Well, yes!  Would I do things differently? That's a big one, because that would have changed the trajectory of my life!

Tonight after work, I went to Cumberland - Mom invited us to come to the Wednesday night "back to school" celebration.  Alan and Mom and I had dinner. Valdis was there lifeguarding.  Once I got home I had a call from Liga just checking in because it's been a couple of days since we spoke.  As I unloaded the car, I unloaded a couple of things for Max - he and Shelley will be here in just a few days.  Sophie and Lola are stretched out very near me sleeping away, and I have lovely thoughts of our visit a few weeks ago to see Daniel.

So my life trajectory has led me to this place - this wonderful, deeply complex place - here on Tuxedo Circle - just over the hill and a short drive from the office - yes - still wishing I would win the lottery so I could open my dream of the just perfect school - still wishing I had more time to garden - still trying to motivate myself to a better diet and exercising more - still thinking of places to go and people to see - still remembering growing up, going away, and then in some way going back home again. Still ever grateful to my family, my friends, and even those who are not for their impact in my life.

So here's the short of it, 
Tomorrow kids come to school. 

And here's the long.

It's always so exciting to start a new school year. It's a chance to start over to begin again. I think most of our kids come to school with a hopeful idea of what their year might bring. And I think most of the small group of teachers that I work with are excited to start off the year.

I'm feeling so much better physically at the start of this year than I have for the last two years. I think that will make a big difference in my own morale this year. And I'm feeling bunches of great ideas that might be able to blossom a bit this year. I've got a great teacher on special assignment who's designed a really great piece of technology for our teachers, parents, and students! And I've thrown away for big garbage cans of "stuff".




I found a quote that seemed meant for the beginning of the year for me. "More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin." So we are beginning the year - and we are beginning courageously!

So here's the short of it, 
Jews in China?

And here's the long.

Alan and I went to a lecture tonight about Jews in China.  Our Jewish Federation for the last few years hosts a series of lectures sponsored by the 92nd Street Y in New York.  There are lots of interesting topics and fascinating people.  The lectures are live if you are in New York, or there are about 15 or so locations where there is a live feed and you can watch from there; but here in Chattanooga, we get a video of a past lecture and then we watch as a group and then chat about it. I think it's much more economical that way!

Tonight there were two local folks to talk about their personal knowledge of the Jewish experience in China.  Eleanor Cooper spoke about the Jewish communities who migrated to China in the early 1900's out of Russia and Eastern Europe in response to the difficulties the Jewish communities were facing.  Monica Gefter spoke about her family's experience. Her grandfather was conscripted into the Russian army and then after two awful years on the front experiencing all kinds of discrimination he jumped on a train and escaped to the border of Russia and China.  From there he sent for his fiancee - who had been patiently waiting for him all that time.  They were married and settled in China. Monica was born in China - I would have never guessed!

Tonight's lecturer was a gentleman named Shi Lei from the Jewish community of Kaifeng. He spoke of growing up in an assimilated community who nevertheless always reminded the children that they were Jewish - that their ancestors came from Israel. It is Shir Lei who actually has been responsible for leaving and studying in Israel for several years and then returning to his community to help them rediscover the traditions that they had so long ago forgotten.

What an interesting evening it was.

So here's the short of it, 
Sunday, Sunday - a good day for me...

And here's the long.

The garden is half way weed free, and I have another great big batch of tomatoes. The Black Cherry tomatoes are really prolific! And they are so delicious. Even though I was back in the house by 11:00 this morning, but I still got too hot and for a few hours I felt pretty yucky.

Liga was working this weekend, but she was able to run home on her dinner break and join us for our Sunday supper.  The new scrubs they have to wear are gray, and they really complement her eyes. She seems confident and in a really good place. Valdis came over right after the pool closed.  He has gotten that deep dark tan that he gets every year, and his hair has lightened up. He's planning to go to school at Chattanooga State this semester. He seems to be maturing as well.

Mom came up for dinner and brought a peach pie that she made with the peaches she got at Linda's yesterday. It was just delicious and a perfect ending for dinner.  Her back has been bothering her a lot today - it makes her awfully uncomfortable.

Hoping to get sleepy before it gets too late - work week ahead!

So here's the short of it, 
Mom and I hit the fruit and veggie stands today!

And here's the long.

Today Mom and I had a nice morning at the local Farmer's market and then over to Linda's. She wanted to pick up some peaches to make a peach pie for our Sunday evening dinner. After marketing, we had a nice lunch.  Mom wanted fish and wanted to go to Long John Silver's.  We decided that the frying probably cancelled out the benefits of the fish. (At least I decided that.)

I harvested a bunch of tomatoes today. The little Black Cherry plants are just full of beautiful, sweet little dark tomatoes.  I got bunches of them.  I made a double batch of my sister-in-law Pat's salsa and canned it, then I froze some Roma tomatoes for winter soups and stuff.

I woke up pretty early this morning, but I went back to sleep and managed to get in a good late morning. I'm headed to bed pretty soon, and I'm hoping for another sleep-in!

So here's the short of it, 
TGIF

And here's the long.

I'm so glad that Friday is here!
It was a long week, and I'm pretty tired.  Tomorrow I'm sleeping in!

I've got some gardening on my agenda for the weekend, and getting myself psyched for kids arriving back at school!

So here's the short of it, 
In-Service today. 

And here's the long.

I think we had a pretty successful in-service day today.  For the first time since I've been working in this field we were allowed to pull the teachers who serve gifted students together for a full day of in-service. We've always before tried to squeeze everything into an hour at opening or a couple of hours after school when a few could get together.  I appreciated the day today and I think the teachers did as well. I will have to say that this is a great group (small as we are) of educators. The whole feeling of the day was high positive and very uplifting for me.

We unveiled the website that we've been working on all summer and all the materials and technology we've purchased, and it was very well received.  I think that it will be a real benefit and help teachers and kids!

All in all it was a good day.  We ended up in a room with an air conditioner that couldn't manage to keep the room cool! Thankfully we were able to move after lunch to a room that had two air conditioners!  In spite of all that there were really no complaints from our teachers except of course comments about how hot it was or remarks about the Devil wanting his weather back.

I didn't sleep much last night and I got up really early this morning - and I'm pretty tired tonight. So I'll head off to bed here in a bit and try to get an additional hour or two of snoozing in.

So here's the short of it,
It's hot!

And here's the long.

Can you see that temperature. I was leaving work. This is really too hot. My friend posted a picture on Facebook of one of those portable signs that said "The devil called. He wants his weather back."

The office is pretty comfortable, but tomorrow my in-service all day long is in a room that's cooled by a window air conditioner! I hope we can stay comfortable!

So here's the short of it, 
The tomatoes are just sublime!

And here's the long.

Mom invited us for dinner tonight, and I offered to bring the tomatoes.  Oh my - they are just so wonderful this year!  There is no substitute for a vine ripened heirloom tomato variety, except for several varieties in one dish!

< Black Cherry Tomatoes


               Green Zebra Tomatoes >





< Yellow (sign at Bi-Lo said "Local, Homegrown")


                                  Rutgers >

                                        The supper presentation - It was SO Yummy!!!

So here's the short of it, 
Here's for all the Mamas. 

And here's the long.

This is an especially poignant photo for me after watching the Robin who nested outside our kitchen window this spring.  It's also such a lovely reflection to think about as we get ready to start another year. And here's a wish that every child who comes to us could experience the comfort and love of a Mom like this one.