So here's the short of it, 
All of us in the office are so tired!

And here's the long.

Several of us were talking today about how just exhausted we are.  What is it about people who work in schools and the end of February and just being so tired!

In just a couple of weeks we'll spring forward - with two weeks of work left before spring break! Oh me, Oh my!  Of course as tired as I am, I'm plagued by the inability to turn my brain off and go to sleep before pretty late in the evening.

One thing that does help me relax is the pets of the house.  Lola cat is stretched out on my leg just purring away right now. It's so calming to feel the roar in her chest against my leg and see her relaxed form. And just on the floor over Sophie is stretched out snoozing away and snuffling and snoring a bit.  It just relaxes me.  Now if I could be sleepy as well as tired and relaxed.  How lucky I am to have these two sweetie pie girl pets to keep me company!

So here's the short of it, 
Today was a yucky tummy day. 

And here's the long.

I must have some stomach virus that isn't really making me sick - just miserable! I'm glad that my work day allowed me to be close to the bathrooms today.

Sophie and I had a wonderful walk this afternoon.  For the last several weeks she has had a spurt of cognitive maturing.  I love to take her for her afternoon walk around the circle off leash.  She can mosey at her own pace and sniff at all the things that I can only imagine have passed by.  But there are a few dogs that walk through the neighborhood that I don't want her to approach.  All the girls and guys who live on the circle are out off leash as well and all love to play.  Here's our major step forward.  When she is off leash and far away from me, she will sit if I give her the command and wait for me to walk over to her and put her on leash.  This is such a great leap forward in training. I'm going to really keep working on getting this to happen from  further and further.

She's sacked out sound asleep right at my feet tonight. We'll both be trotting right off to bed here before too long!

So here's the short of it, 
The weather was nice and the day was pleasant enough...

And here's the long.

This was a nice start to the week.  I do wish for a bit more winter weather.  It's just a little early for springtime, but it looks like it's coming whether we're ready or not.  The Farmer's Almanac seems to say that the really cold weather is just done for.  I fear that we are going to be plagued by fleas and other bugs this summer since we had so little cold weather.  I know our pets really won't like that one little bit.

But as for me, not having to head to work in the cold will be just fine. It does look like there will be some cool/cold rainy days this spring according to the Farmer's Almanac

FEBRUARY 2012: temperature 43° (3° below avg.); precipitation 4" (1" above avg. north, 3" below south); Feb 1-3: Sunny, cool;Feb 4-8: Showers, then sunny, mild; Feb 9-13: Rain and snow north; t-storms, warm south; Feb 14-19: Sunny, cold; Feb 20-25: Rain, then sunny, warm; Feb 26-29: Rain, then cold.

MARCH 2012: temperature 61° (8° above avg. north, 2° above south); precipitation 2" (4" below avg.); Mar 1-7: Sunny, turning warm; Mar 8-12: T-storms, then sunny, cool; Mar 13-17: Rain, then sunny, nice;Mar 18-31: T-storms, then sunny, warm.

Annual Weather Summary: November 2011 to October 2012

Winter will be much drier than normal, with temperatures above normal in the north and near normal in the south, on average. The coldest periods will be in the early and late parts of December, January, and February. Snowfall will be below normal and limited to the north, with the snowiest periods in mid-December, mid-January, and early to mid-February.

April and May will be slightly warmer and wetter than normal.

Summer will be cooler and rainier than normal, with the hottest periods in early and mid-June and mid-July.

Tomorrow should be another good day - both weather and work.  

So here's the short of it, 
Sleep, lovely sleep.

And here's the long.

I've been taking benedryl each night ever since my episode with the rash.
Well, I skipped a couple of nights but mostly I've been taking it.  I have slept so much better the nights that I've taken it!  So I'm starting an experiment.  Today I bought a generic children's version and I'm going to try taking it in the evenings and see if it helps with the sleeping.

I'm watching the Oscars - but I do think I'm going to click the off button and head off to bed.  I have the feeling that a really good night's sleep before the work week begins is much more important than knowing who wins the awards tonight.  I'll catch that on the morning news.

It looks to be a busy week, so maybe it will fly by and another weekend will be here before we know it!

So here's the short of it, 
Mom's in the gardening mood. 

And here's the long.

Mom' needed to run a couple of errands over near the mall - something she really doesn't like to do by herself, so we went over late this morning.  She wanted to get some gardening stuff.  We headed over to Home Depot, and she shopped for seed  -  she wants to go ahead and get some peas in the ground.  She spent lots of time out in the garden area - it was way too cold for me out there!  She got potting soil, a shepherd's hook, some plants, and some tie ups to work on posts for her blue bird houses.

I spent the rest of the afternoon piddling around the house.  I haven't had lots of energy this fine day, so it ended up being a lazy day after all. I did get outside this afternoon long enough to take Sophie for her afternoon constitutional around the circle.  

One more treasured weekend morning with no alarm clock to sound!  Even when I don't sleep in on the weekend, just knowing that I don't have to get up is such a luxurious feeling!  Thanks weekend.  I love you!

So here's the short of it, 
I am so thankful the weekend is here. 

And here's the long.

We went out to the Home Show and made a pretty quick trip through. And now we're home and I'm in a recliner. HGTV is on.  Sophie is sleeping nearby. Alan is already snoozing and I'll be in bed before too long.

I haven't felt particularly well today.  I think maybe I've got a touch of some intestinal bug.  I made it a point to stay pretty close to the bathroom today - so I made it through the day.  I think I'll treat myself to some yogurt before I crawl into bed and hope that works some magic!  I'd say that and no morning alarm will make tomorrow a better day for sure.

So here's the short of it, 
Really not feeling very well tonight. 

 And here's the long.

I had a friend who used to say he had the "gonks".  I think that was his description of just kind of feeling off.  There was a little fairground toy from the 70's called a gonk.  I suppose I feel a bit like a gonk looked - a smile on the face, but ragged around the edges.  - I don't know really what it is; I'm just off.

I had a bone density this morning - that's one of those routine checks they do to make sure the Arimidex isn't causing any bone problems.  But that isn't any kind of injection or anything - it's just lying on a table while a very low dose x-ray machine scans my back and hips.  I did have to get my legs in an awkward position - legs spread apart and toes pointed inward - I guess to see how the hip joint flexes.  But no exertion of any kind.  Then it was a day at the office.  I had eye troubles - I think it was the sun reflecting on my computer screen. But by the time I got home I was just SO tired and weary.

It's pretty early - I'm getting into my pajamas and I'm going to get myself into the bed early.
Tomorrow is another day and I'll get up and whack at it again.

Love my life!!!  Really, I DO.

So here's the short of it, 
It's a dark and stormy night.

And here's the long.

All day it's been threatening to really let loose.  It finally did!

We went out to dinner again tonight for a last quick visit with Shelley, Lou, and Max - and other family.  This time it was to Mellow Mushroom - and a great mushroom and onion pizza - for one thing.  Along with salads, appetizers, and lots of good company.

We've sure had a couple of calorie dense days!

I'm sure glad I've stuck with the good old oats in the mornings! Maybe tomorrow I'll get back into a better eating mode!

Anyway it started raining great big drops as we headed home, and by the time we hit the driveway it was starting to be really rain.  And within 10 minutes of being in the house it started to just pour down and the wind was really whipping around.  We got that whole thunderstorm thing just like predicted!

Tomorrow we are supposed to be cleared up and very warm!  This weather is just crazy!

So here's the short of it, 
Shelley, Lou, and Max are here for a really quick visit. 

And here's the long.

This evening we got together with them for dinner at --- where else --- Provino's!

  

Dinner for me - my favorite and always dependable - Eggplant Parmesan, Salad, Garlic Bread. 

But of course the very best part of all was getting to see Shelley, Lou, and Max.  We were at a big long table, so I didn't get to visit with Lou very much - and I didn't get a good picture of him either (but he's looking good!)  

Here's a good shot of sweet and pregnant Shelley, and that adorable Max.  

He's got a birthday coming up in just a few weeks. (The big 3).  But when G'MaMa (that's my Mom, his great grandma) asked him how old he's going to be, he told her "a thousand".  When pressed, then he said "no, seven".  

He seems to enjoy "tricking" people with his answers.  He was sitting right catty cornered from me, so I got a chance to enjoy his personality.  

So here's the short of it,
What a lovely home day!

And here's the long.

I did wander out with Alan right after lunch for a quick visit with Mommy Anne and run into Earth Fare for milk.  We took back a 1/2 gallon that had spoiled way before the expiration date.  The young man who took it in acted as though he wasn't sure it had really spoiled.  He opened the jug and smelled it!  I asked - "should I have left the spoiled milk in the jug?"  Fortunately another manager showed up and took care of us.

Except for that brief out, I worked on some home stuff.  I finally dug into the pile of stuff left over from my illness.  Wow -  lots of really strong diarrhea medicine to get rid of! I'm so glad to get rid of it too!
And also some big time nausea medicine is on the way out of this house - the kind that just knocks you right out of this world for awhile!  I really worry about putting this in the trash or flushing it down the toilet as is sometimes recommended! Maybe pretty soon there'll be one of those community drop offs like we had last fall.

It was really kind of nice to get into all that medicine and take a look at it and then put it behind me.

So here's the short of it, 
There is something SO special about a three day weekend!

And here's the long.

Well, it is Sunday night and normally I'd be getting myself geared up for another week at work. But this is a holiday weekend for for the school system. And this time of year, when the days are short and cold, and morale seems to slip, when the schools are full of sniffles, coughs, and sometimes even worse, it's good to have a three day weekend.

I'm somewhat recovered from last weeks episode. It seems that it may be just coincidental about the Flexeril and the visceral detachment? It may be.  But it really seems connected to me.  As soon as I stopped taking it, my eyes began to feel better, and they've actually gotten better each day now.  Yesterday I had a massage.  I hadn't seen Kelly since I started taking the Flexeril, and she was amazed at how much different my tissues were. So my next question - is there something else that could bring some level of relief - I can already feel the tension returning. But I'm so glad to get rid of the other stuff the Flexeril brought on.

So tomorrow I have another day.  Right now I'm planning to stay right here around the house. I'm going to piddle around and do things I wouldn't normally have time to do.  I'm going to take Sophie out in the middle of the day when it's warm!  I might even cook something in the middle of the day!

I'll also take a moment to think of our presidents and celebrate them all - even the ones I don't think moved our country forward. I'm particularly thankful for the country we live in where we have presidents and the opportunity to participate in the political process - to change things we know need to be changed and to continue to work hard when we know we need to change things and it seems the time is just not right yet.

So here's the short of it, 
Tonight Alan and I heard Congressman John Lewis speak.

And here's the long.

I've met Congressman Lewis a couple of times and each time I see him I think about how he and other civil rights activists must have just stepped into their fears to move toward their dream.

When I heard the phrase "Keep your eyes on the prize."  a couple of times tonight, it made me understand that having our eyes on the prize is exactly what allows us to step into that fear. I think that must be especially true when we confront something where we know we are called upon to take a stand from a moral view of the world.

I'm grateful that I got to hear him speak again.  My circle of influence is sure a lot smaller than that of John Lewis, but I'll say this - the next time I'm confronted with not speaking up or not doing something out of fear, I'll take stock of the situation and try my best to "Keep my eyes on the prize".

So here's the short of it, 
I am feeling better today...

And here's the long.

I am certainly feeling better!  Last night I took Benedryl before bedtime; then this morning I started on a steroid pack as well as Claritin. I also started using artificial tears very frequently.  My rash is still very apparent, but it isn't so itchy.  My eyes are feeling much less stressed even though that big floater is still there.

I've got a three day weekend and I'm thinking that by the time I have to go back to work I'll feel lots better.  I just hope that this diagnosis of allergy reaction to the medicine is really the right one.  One of my colleagues has been out of work for six weeks because of a variety of medical issues, and is just now getting clearance to get back to work. With good luck I will get over this episode in short order and it will just be one of those stories to tell.

So here's the short of it,
I'm hoping I have the answer to my rash and eye problems!

And here's the long.

So I started taking Flexeril in early February.  It's a muscle relaxer and has helped my back pain enormously! By the end of the week, I noticed a rash just under my breasts - Good timing as I had a regular follow up appointment with my oncologist. He diagnosed it as a yeast infection.  I got a prescription for a cream.  And by the next day, I began to notice a huge floater in my left eye!  By Monday I knew I needed to see my primary care physician.  She gave me more yeast bashing medicine and told me to get in to my ophthalmologist as soon as possible. I had already gotten an appointment for that afternoon!

His diagnosis was that I have a vitreous detachment.  Fortunately I don't have a retinal detachment or a tear. But I'm to watch carefully for signs that may be happening.

Anyway, last night when Liga noticed the rash just continuing to spread I started to try to think of what could be going on.  The only thing I could think of was beginning to take the Flexeril.  I looked it up and there on the less frequent side effects, and serious ones at that, were rashes, hives, and problems with vision.

So today, I got myself back to my primary care physician.  I'm off the Flexeril, and I'm on a steroid pack beginning tomorrow. I'm on Benedryl at night and Claritin during the daytime for a few days to try and get this rash under control.  I'm diagnosed right now as a possible allergic reaction to Flexeril.
I'll be back at my ophthalmologists Monday next or before to get a recheck on that.

I'm so hoping a medicine allergy is really the answer.
I'm also really sorry that Flexeril is not the answer to my achey back!
.

So here's the short of it, 
The Not So Newly Wed Game

And here's the long.

Tonight we went to church with Mom.  They were having Wednesday night dinner and what's become an annual tradition - the Not So Newly Wed Game.  There were four couple who answered questions like on the Newly Wed Game.  It was fun and funny, but Alan and I are sure glad we didn't have to play.  We knew hardly any of the answers.  Yes, I do know what political party he is. And on some days I might be able to tell you what book he's reading.  I do know the last movie we saw together.  BUT...
I don't know what actress he would want to be married to; there's not any of his clothes that I really don't like him to wear; and he doesn't know what color my toothbrush is.  So we sure wouldn't be much entertainment as contestants.

I'm battling some kind of rash.  Two doctors have looked at it and diagnosed it as a yeast infection. I have a cream, a powder, and a prescription for an oral anti-fungal which I finished tonight. But Liga stopped by for a bit tonight, and she asked me "Mom, what's wrong with your neck.  Lo and Behold the rash has spread to my neck!  I looked up Flexeril - the medicine that my new back doctor prescribed (muscle relaxer) - which has helped my comfort level so much and allergic reactions including hives was listed as one of the possible side effects.  I'll call my doctor tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'm guessing I won't be taking that little pill anymore.

So here's the short of it, 
Such a lovely day...

And here's the long.

So here's the short of it, 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a Kentucky Girl!

And here's the long.
This has been posted on Facebook by lots of my Kentucky friends.

photo by Susan Kennedy Hanna, tip viabelle's bakery @bellesbakerylex)

I moved away from Kentucky when I was in my early 20's and never returned there to live. But I consider myself a Kentucky Girl, because of the indelible mark that it left on me.  What I believe, how I live, and what's important to me all have their roots in my Kentucky Heritage.  From the mountain community where I was born, to the small town high school that formed my adolescent sensibilities, and my small liberal arts college down the road where I came into my adulthood, Kentucky runs strong in my blood.  While I don't follow sports and don't really know much about who's playing who or even what sports season it is, if someone is watching a game that Kentucky is playing in, I have a strong urge to sit down and root for the Cats!

So when I saw this photo, I had a rush of feeling about how important that feeling of Kentucky has been in my life.

So here's the short of it, 
Early Valentine's here on the circle.

And here's the long.

Tonight we decided to do an early Valentine celebration since Liga and Valdis and Mom would be with us and probably not on the actual day.  We had a nice spaghetti dinner.  I liked the spaghetti for Valentines and kept thinking of the Lady and the Tramp picture and how appropriate it was for Valentines.  We even had meatballs like in the movie. I think I should watch that movie again sometime.







Everyone gave cards and got cards.  Mom shared the chocolate covered strawberries that Russ and Tina sent her.  (They came packed in dry ice!).  And they were delicious.
I'd never had Shari's Berries before. But for sure they might have a repeat performance at our house.





Mom also brought candy hearts. We had lots of fun comparing the sayings to the ones we remember from our childhoods.  It seems that I remember them being higher quality printing as well.  Actually Liga said that first - that she couldn't remember not being able to read the candy hearts when she was younger.

"Text me" and "UR IT" are pretty clearly this generation.  "For Ever", that's the one I like.


Happy Early Valentine's to everyone!

So here's the short of it, 
We're finally getting a bit of winter!

And here's the long.

I thought winter was going to just pass us by this year!  The jonquils and daffodils did as well, They are already pushing their way up and blooming all over the place.  Now we're having a taste of the winter we should have had.  The temperature is supposed to get down to 18 degrees tonight!  And tomorrow it won't get really warm.  And if we are lucky we'll have another low temperature night.

We've had all sorts of speculation from weather people and other news folks about how bad the mosquitoes are going to be this year if we don't get some cold temperatures.  And I've been worried about the fleas for Sophie and Lola!  So I hope there's lots of truth in the weather forecast!

Besides, we are all in this warm house and going to snuggle in for this cold night.

So here's the short of it, 
Good Doctor Report!

And here's the long.

I had a follow up appointment with my oncologist Dr. Schlabach today.

In case anyone doesn't know how I feel - he's absolutely the best oncologist that there is!  I'm pretty lucky to have found him. Actually I don't think it was about luck. I do believe that finding Dr. Schlabach was one of those moments when prayers were answered.

Today was a good appointment.  It's time for another bone scan, since I'm taking Arimidex, they have to keep an eye on my bone density.  That's scheduled for a couple of weeks from now.  Everything else seemed to be in order. I have a really bad rash at the bottom of my right breast.  I got a prescription for a cream that should take care of it in no time.

So here's the short of it, 
The moon is so lovely tonight.

And here's the long.

I love hearing about the names of the full moons.  Most of the names come from the Native Americans.  Since it seems that Ma Howard was half or a quarter Cherokee, maybe some of that genetic memory runs through my blood.

We are just two days out from the full moon of February.  Our Native American ancestors had lots of names for the moons.  Here's a quote from Indian Country - a native American online news source - about the names for the February full moon.

“Some tribes also referred to it as the Full Hunger Moon or Little Famine Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult,” the Farmers’ Almanac says. “Forced to gnaw on bones and sip bone marrow soup for sustenance, the Cherokee named it the Full Bony Moon.”

The Algonquin name may have the world abuzz, but it is just one of dozens of tribal names for the February moon. Some samples are below, thanks to the site AmericanIndian.net, which actually lists the Algonquin name for February moon as wapicuummilcum, or Ice in River Is Gone.

Other tribal February moon names, according to the site: the Abenaki call it piaôdagos, Makes Branches Fall in Pieces Moon; the Anishnaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe), from the Great Lakes, named it the Sucker Moon, or namebini-giizis. The Apache had a cheerier epithet, Frost Sparkling in the Sun, while the Assiniboine called it Long Dry Moon, and the Choctaw nicknamed it hotvlee-hv’see, or Wind Moon. Back in the wintry realm, the Comanche of the southern plains called it positsu mua, Sleet Moon, while the Canadian Cree of the northern plains called it the Old Moon. Up north in Alaska it’s also known as cepizun, or Old Moon, among the Haida, while the Hopi call it powamuya, Moon of Purification and Renewal.

On a more pessimistic note, the Kalapuya of the Pacific Northwest, in what is today Oregon, called it atchiulartadsh, Out of Food. Cannapopa wi was the name given the moon by the Lakota of the northern plains, Moon When the Trees Crack Because of the Cold.

Read more:http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/02/07/get-out-your-shades-for-the-brilliant-algonquin-snow-moon-96361 http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/02/07/get-out-your-shades-for-the-brilliant-algonquin-snow-moon-96361#ixzz1lwpXvmFy


So whatever we want to call it - the sky is clear and the moon is large and yellow over the circle.  My pictures with my little phone camera turn into a small bright circle in a huge swath of black.  But standing on the porch the moon is large and bright.  It's hovering over the circle and it almost seems as though the light is puddling on the road.  It's a really peaceful feeling.

We are in for a cold weekend, and the full moon on a cold, clear night is just really special.

So here's the short of it, 
Our little leadership group in the special ed. department is going to go through a radical change.

And here's the long.

We have 5 people who will be retiring at the end of June from our lead teacher group.  And we have another 2 who are going to be applying for assistant principalships.

If we really do have 7 new people, I can't imagine how different the dynamics will be.  It's a long time til the end of June and we have lots of work to do in the meantime, but it's one of those indicators I think of being one of the "old timers".  I have been around a long time and I've seen lots of things come and go, and I've worked with some amazing people. And there are many younger people who are becoming amazing educators; I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them.  So one of the things that I will benefit from is the chance to work with great people in a new kind of relationship. I imagine that I will really miss the old guard, but as my former boss used to say, I'll be able to see things through another set of eyes when the new folk come on board.

So here's the short of it, 
Working on the back pain...

And here's the long.

Last night I took my first Flexeril.  I had a really hard time getting up this morning. I'm going to try taking it for the rest of the week and maybe try taking it earlier.  I don't think I'll be able to use it if it makes me so tired in the mornings.  But I'll keep pushing it back earlier and maybe I'll get into a routine that has me taking it early enough to not be so tired and sleepy in the mornings.

I suppose that it wouldn't hurt me to try to go to sleep a little earlier as well!




   

So here's the short of it, 
Today was a long day.

And here's the long.

Each year we have to do assessments of every student who attends school even if they are not able to take the state assessment.  Today and tomorrow the teachers of our most significantly cognitively impaired students turned in their portfolio assessments.  This is a mountain of work for our teachers, that shows how their students are progressing toward meeting the goals that the team has set for them that year.  The teachers are always so stressed on the day that they have to turn them in.

This year, our lead teacher who runs the turn in process is in the hospital.  She was in  for a procedure, then she was back again, and then she ended up last thursday back once again.  Even though she was in the hospital, we had 4 or 5 pages of annotated instructions for getting everything checked in, checked over, and then set up for shipment to Nashville.

For the last several years that I've helped with this it's all been done on one very long day.  I think last year, we didn't get to leave until about 7:00 o'clock!  This year the turn-ins are two days long.  I think it will be better.  Most everyone was on schedule today - so we are in good shape, although I really don't think we're half way through.

I'm starting a prescription of Flexeril for my back pain tonight. I know it's supposed to have drowsiness as a side effect - that might not be such a bad thing!

So here's the short of it, 
This really was a super Sunday. 

And here's the long.

We got to see both of our in-town kids and my Mom for a good visit today.

Jennifer Richelson's wedding shower was this afternoon. She's Alan's cousin.  Her Dad is Alan's double first cousin. I hadn't seen her in so long!  She looks so happy to be moving to this next stage in her life! And I had a chance to meet her fiancee.  He seems like such a really nice fellow! It was nice to see Aunt Miriam since I had to miss her birthday party last night. And it was lovely to spend a little time with everyone.

Then this afternoon, Sarah Stoloff got married to her Marine, Kevin Bowman!

It was a lovely wedding at Mizpah!  She was beautiful, and the groom and most of his attendants in Marine dress blues made a stunning sight.  This was such a breath taker. Sarah is quite a young bride, and it just took our breath away to see her so grown and getting married!



Then tonight we had the Liga and Mom here for the first half of the super bowl.  I'm not much of a pro-football fan, but I do usually enjoy this game.  I was sincerely disappointed in most of the advertisements!  I liked the dog and the VW... but some of them were just wrong.  The dog burying the cat???  Not funny to me.  

So here's the short of it,
So happy to be home. 

And here's the long.

I had a good, but pretty long day in Athens.  The training was good, and we had a great contact with Bonnie Cramond who is the director of the Torrance Center.  I'm looking forward to some good outcomes from this trip.

There was a birthday party for Alan's Aunt Miriam tonight. (She's 90!!) I was sorry not to get home in time to go to the party. But Alan went and took his Mom - Miriam is her baby sister.  I think they all had a great time. I hope I'm up for a big party on my 90th birthday.




Alan said that at about 4:00 this afternoon, Sophie went out and sat in the rain on the tennis court and waited for me.  (That's about the time we left Athens!).  He said that he called her in several times and that she'd come in, but then go back outside and wait.  He said that she goes outside every afternoon and waits for me.  That's so sweet.  Wonder how she knows  when I'm not coming home like last night.


She's lying on the floor really near me just snoozing away.  She's such a great dog! We are going to move to the bedroom in just a few minutes.

So here's the short of it,
At the University of Georgia for a training tomorrow.

And here's the long.

Tara and I drove to Athens, Georgia this afternoon for a training we have all day tomorrow at the University of Georgia.  Leah is here too, but drove separately because her grandfather is not doing well and she wanted to be able to get back to Chattanooga if needed.

We took the back roads from Calhoun Georgia to Athens winding around the mountains and countryside.  We had plenty of time so we made a couple of stops.  The trip was so gorgeous. We drove through Jasper, Georgia the home of the Georgia Marble Works and the famous Tate House. It's made from pink marble. We tried to get into a driveway to see it close up, but it seemed that no one was there and we couldn't get in.  It's been a restaurant, and a bed and breakfast.  My poking around on the internet says that now it's used mostly for weddings and other events.  There were about 6 or 8 cottage type buildings off to the side and to the rear of the building.  So I imagine that there's a place for people to stay as well.

Tonight the three of us went to dinner at a place called Farm 225.  It's a neat concept for a restaurant.   Here's a blurb from their own website which you can find here.


Farm 255’s cuisine is comfortable yet innovative. Food is farm-fresh, first and foremost, Mediterranean in influence with a Southern culinary drawl. The source of our food is local, sustainable, and apparent: ingredients come from our farms as well as other local sustainable producers, with a great emphasis placed on our personal relationships with the people whose food and drink we incorporate into our menu. Hoping to revive lost culinary traditions, we reacquaint customers with the narrative behind their meal by using historical recipes and artisanal cooking techniques from around the globe.  


We are back in the hotel room and ready for bed.  The training tomorrow goes from 8:30 until 4:00.  It promises to be a long day with a long drive home afterwards.  So a good night's sleep will be great.

So here's the short of it, 
Another day another dollar!

And here's the long.

Training all morning in CPI (Crisis Intervention Prevention) for students on the Autism Spectrum. Then trying my best to get caught up this afternoon so that I can be out of work tomorrow.  I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and professional leave in the afternoon so we can get to Athens, GA for an all day training tomorrow.  Here's hoping we can get through or around Atlanta before the Friday afternoon traffic gets started.

This evening Alan and I went to the Chattanooga Symphony to hear the Russian Spectacular.  I would characterize it as Big Music.  We heard Glinka, Prokofiev, and Tchaikovsky.  I love the music, but I love the quiet now that I'm home!

Alan is already sleeping - so are Sophie and Lola - I'm headed that way!

So here's the short of it,
Getting home the fast way or the best way...

And here's the long.

I really don't like commuting home from work coming the freeway. It is never predictable, and you can't tell from the ramp where I get on whether it's going to be fine or if it's going to come to a screeching halt. And I do mean a screeching halt.  Traffic can be moving right along and then without warning it will be inching along at less than 15 miles an hour going up the ridge cut.  Sometimes I approach the ramp to get on and the traffic I can see is just moving right along.  So I get seduced into geting up on the freeway and get right to a spot way beyond the last truck you can see in the upper right of the picture - way at the bottom of that incline, and traffic including all those big rigs that can't pick up speed very fast start inching along.  And I'm stuck one more time.

Now I'll have to admit, that even if I'm crawling along up the freeway, it's probably faster than going the way I go.  But I don't have to worry about the big trucks. I keep moving at a fairly steady rate of speed (unless I'm stopped at a traffic light). So I go the slower, but in my mind, the safer way.

Tonight the roads were wet. The freeway was backed up and I came up Main Street through the tunnel and down Brainerd Road to the house!  It was good to be home...