holiday nostalgia

My first stocking... later got a new one that was a bit wider-- this one would get stuck on the stocking stuffers because it was knitted with threads hanging on the inside. But how I loved it.
This was always at my Grandma and Grandpa Gardner's house.

My favorite wall dec-- notice it is now taped in many spots! Yet my mom still hangs it up. ;)

Probably the most memorable Christmas decorations-- I played with these endlessly... the deer pulled the sleigh below, attached by my favorite piece of red yarn.

And all of these trees would come to life.

A rather hideous sleigh, but it certainly flew well, launching off of Dad's recliner!

Santa's boots

While playing a card game this Christmas, my mom asked, "Did you see what Dad hid by the mean tree?" And (because I am a big dork I knew what she meant), I immediately looked to "the mean tree" (it was always the bad guy in my christmas decoration playtime), and there was a hideous elfin creature lurking in the shadows! Clever, Dad, clever.

snow watchers

Grommit and Harley at Greta & Nicole's house

The last 20 minutes of my drive home from downstate-- it got worse!

winter woods

A delightful snow day afternoon with my dad, Bryce, and Cosmo snowshoeing... topheavy branches, psycho snow dog, catamount-ready Dad armed with spear/ski pole.

Couldn't ask for anything more!

conflicting realities

This morning, my parents, Bryce, and I waited for our breakfast in a McDonalds. Dad and I sat at a table watching the news on the television mounted on the wall. Two young children raced over to the table just under the t.v; both of them early elementary age wearing pastel brand name winter clothes, missing a couple of teeth each, and laughing happily together. I wished that I'd had my camera with me, because the image of those girls clashed so greatly with the images on the television screen above them... footage from the terror in India.

And now, as I write this, full from my yummy pie and cranberry-orange relish, I see news of the worker who was trampled to death when he opened the doors to his Wal-Mart store. It just sickens me.

Commercialism, materialism, and the current state of the world brings fear to my heart.

Yet, we got to watch Miracle on 34th Street on the big screen of the State Theatre this morning at 10:30 for 25 cents, and the theater was packed. It was inspiring, reassuring, to see the families watching an old classic about the real spirit of the season and about having faith in something "when common sense tells you not to". So, I have faith that good will prevail, and hopefully I'll be able to do some part in bringing about goodness in my own small part of the world... surely if enough of us share our devotion to peace and love, the rest of them will catch on?

lovin' the north

Saturday night outside the Kal-Ho... You can see the Trout across the way!

happy snowy non-snow day

the walk to school this morning


Despite early morning disappointment at the absence of a snow day phone call, I had a rather lovely day at school. Highlights: bringing my snowpants and playing in the snow at morning recess with my first-graders (going down the super-fast slides too, and sliding down the pole), making "stuffed" snowmen (the kids did their own shapes, as I am very anti-cookie-cutter-activities, so there were some hysterically shaped snowmen).



the walk home

predictions

I am always quite skeptical when the rest of the teachers are gleefully exclaiming about the possibilities of a snow day the following day. Tonight, however, at a bit after midnight, I am feeling more confident than usual. Being the practical forecaster, I must cite wunderground's traverse city/williamsburg forecast which expects 6+ inches of snow during the night tonight. Surely Kalkaska will end up with more, being in the snowbelt?? So, I am hesitantly optimistic. I even ventured to the Kal-Ho tonight with Rachel, which is not my typical school night activity.

Based on past experiences, though, the above letter and photo might apply tomorrow morning. I will let you know how things work out.

morning update: WE HAVE SCHOOL--ACK!

cold nights, warm kitty

Welcome, winter! I envy my kitty cats and their amazing ability to warm up instantly. Sometimes I feel guilty that we keep our house so cold-- I'll touch Lucy's ears and they feel like ice-- but then I totally use the cats as heaters, pulling them under the blankets with me to toast my body... a live fur blanket.

So I walked to school today; it just takes about 10 minutes or less, and I've decided I like the feel of crisp winter air. I'm not sure that I will be so hardy when the winds kick up... but at least for these early winter days, I can save gas, get exercise, and let fresh air energize me first thing each day. I know that I should be walking *every* day, but this fall was a blur. Too much to do, late sleep-ins due to illness or busy nights, and a frantic need to get to school asap. Now it's like it's almost pointless to start the car early to warm it up, clear the snow off if I've parked outside, and then drive... takes almost as long as just walking!

I think I shall heat some water for raspberry tea.

this historic moment

teaser

Halloween, 2nd night.
more photos to come-- once the election is done! I'm too overwhelmed by my mind to do much on here...

awww... very cute video from Alaska

a Happy Halloween, for real

We had such fun getting "dressed up" together-- What a nice day & night, all in all. We got ready at our house... then headed to the Kal-Ho!

Tonight I'll become an 80's prom queen, so I should have some good photos to add tomorrow. ;) I'm feeling the effects of being 30 and having a happy Halloween,

which is my excuse for this being a semi-lame blog post!

the right stuff

Awww, yeah. Jill, Angie, and I-- Wearing the shirts with pride!

swollen face

So, I went to school today knowing that the right side of my face was still a bit swollen... It had started in the jaw (even though Larry told me he couldn't see any swelling-- it's quite clear in the photo of us), and it started to spread to my cheek and upper neck. Kelly kept telling me it was looking worse and encouraged me to go to urgent care this afternoon. Jill swooped in to sub for me, and I have now begun my course of antibiotics for a facial infection! Weird. ;) I head back to school in about 45 min. to go to our staff meeting. What an odd day.

Top 10 on 30th weekend

1. Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight are still HOT.


2. Larry is a good self-esteem booster, assuring me that my thirties will rock.
   
3. My old NKOTB t-shirt still fit and actually looked cuter than it used to.


4. Road trip music mix on mp3 player... rusted root, phish, missy higgins, ben harper, melissa ferrick, etc. ... makes me smile!



5. Crazy weather... downpours, hail, rainbow, sunny skies, ominous clouds, unusual cloud formation (hee hee)



6. Hangin' Tough with a little We Will Rock You thrown in for good measure.



7. Night out with Larry... Pontiac bar bands, Jumbo's drinks, Beevis & Butthead (don't ask), Psychedelic Horseshit spending the night too (don't worry- just a band from columbus), 4 a.m. bedtime




8. Detroit driving-- my favorite




9. Drinking wine and watching Arrested Development with Larry on an early night in (midnight-ish instead of 4)



10. I am thinking that 30 isn't so bad after all.

New Kids on the Block, let's rock

So, I am home sick from school today, and it's a good thing I am, because if I had gone in, I surely would have grown crabby and unhealthier. I have a scratchy throat and feel feverish, but I have taken medicine, had plenty of liquids, and SLEPT for forever. The reason this is important is because this weekend is a big one... turning 30 on Sunday (ack), heading to Detroit tonight where I'll see fabulous friend Larry, and tomorrow night I will be seeing in concert, for the first time in my life... Danny, Donnie, Joe, Jon, and Jordan! Woo-hoo!

I think I am gaining some energy, so I must be feeling better? Fingers crossed...

friends

lucy baby

She truly brings me peace of mind.

This photo is from a couple of weeks ago, but Lucy is my cuddle-bum kitty on a daily basis. And when she's not snoozing in my arms, she likes to kiss my face!

my republican friends

I haven't posted in a long time because I can't get my mind to focus on anything but politics. So, since it's been a while, I'm just going to post-- about politics!

During my canvassing and phonebanking experiences in Kalkaska, we encounter mostly undecided folks who welcome the chance to discuss politics freely, because it's typically quite taboo in the workplace and social gatherings around here (yes, I'm trying to break free from that societal constriction).

So, the biggest two "beefs" that I have with McCain supporters is that the ones I have met are actually people who I consider friends, and I can't understand the logic behind their choice, and that has caused me some great frustration.

First, one of the issues people I know have struggled with is the whole pro-choice/pro-life drama. I don't quite get it... because if people look at the approaches taken by Obama and McCain with regards to sex education and accessibility of birth control, it is very clear that Obama's ideas would prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place! Hence, leading to less abortions. There is a much more eloquent opinion piece about this here, and I think it shows that Obama and Democrats take a much more common-sense approach actually in tune with the times.

The second issue that frustrates me is the whole identification with the Republican Party. People say that they believe in what the Republican Party represents... but hello!? The Republican Party has done anything BUT represent what they originally stood for. Small government? Less spending? Give me a break. Under some *new* democratic leadership from Barack Obama (that hasn't been completely overtaken by the power of big corporations), we surely won't see as much money being wasted on war and owed overseas. We surely won't bend over backwards for the big business people, and there will be some actual accountability where citizens can actually see how their tax dollars are being spent.

Note that I said *new* leadership... I am greatly aware that Democrats have been just as guilty of misleading the public and bowing to big business. But I believe that Senator Obama is different, and that he will lead our country to a better place.

slacker uprising

Tonight at the State Theatre, Michael Moore had a free viewing of his newest movie Slacker Uprising, which will also be available for free download on Tuesday. The movie was awesome-- footage from his 2004 Slacker Uprising tour to get out the vote, and even though we know how that election turned out, the film does a superb job of documenting the emergence of energy from young voters, and it really makes you want to get out and pound the pavement for the 2008 election.

Anyhow, one of the amazing things is that Bryce and I were quite involved in the 2004 campaign, and this film will help us share the "history" with our children someday. For one, it starts out in Elk Rapids, and you even see a shot of my head for a brief moment!

As we were driving home, Bryce mentioned how we were there at the beginning (in Elk Rapids), and how we were also with Michael Moore the day after the movie's end (election day... we watched the results come in at a friend's house, and michael and kathleen were there too). Right after Bryce said that, we noticed a mini-van next to us in the right lane-- and Michel Moore waving out the driver's window! Hilarious. So, we waved back and flashed the peace sign, once more amazed that northern Michigan has given us such a unique entryway into the world of true progressive thinkers.

only up north: raccoon rescue

After school yesterday, I was on the computer when Cosmo began barking ferociously from the couch. I, of course, yelled at him, because he always barks ferociously but it's not allowed indoors, but as he leaped down from couch, I saw a glimpse of a small furry animal climbing along the stone ledge of our house, turning the corner towards the flower box. I hustled over the dining room window and saw a baby raccoon peer around the corner. I grabbed the camera, ran outside, and got some photos. The little buddy was moving slowly and awkwardly, so I was very concerned about him.

I got online and found some wildlife rescue/removal numbers, and I called one up. By now, the raccoon sat in the middle of the road. The man on the phone said, "Let nature take its course," and I said, "even in the middle of our neighborhood?" He said being hit by a car would put it out of its misery, as surely it was sick. A car stopped in the road, and I went out to shout out to the driver-- He said call animal control, because the raccoon could be extremely vicious if someone went near it. So, feeling sad that the animal was headed to certain death, I resigned myself to the inevitable and got on google to find the number for Animal Control.

Suddenly, a car drove by quickly and came to an abrupt halt just past our house. The next time I glanced outside, the raccoon was gone! I jogged to the front door and spotted... a young guy carrying the raccoon in his arms, getting into the vehicle. I opened the door and called out, "Is that your pet?" (not sure what else to say), and he said, "Well, sort of," and got out of the car. I walked over to him, and he told me his story. Mama J has a license to raise raccoons, and they just happened to be driving by and spotted this one. At this point, another guy got out of the car, and 2 more climbed out of the back hatch. I was chuckling inside, because they truly looked like a gang of hoodlums... but they were the wildlife rescue teens apparently!

I asked why the raccoon didn't bite, and he said it is truly a baby and hasn't developed any of its senses yet. Vicious my a**! I told the guys that I had been so worried that the raccoon would end up dead, and they told me not to fear, "Mama J knows what to do." I asked, "Is your mom really good with animals?" and was told, "Mama J's not my mom; she's Billy Bob's mom, but yeah, she's good with animals." He offered to let me hold the baby, but I chose to just pet it instead. By now, the car had taken off and the boys were awaiting Mama J's arrival. One of the guys assured me, "Don't worry-- we've got tons of forest behind the house." I smiled in relief.

"There's Mama J now!", one shouted, and sure enough, an SUV was flying towards us. I managed to get a thank you in to Mama J, a middle-aged woman smoking a cigarette, as the head guy handed her the baby raccoon. But the group was too busy making plans for the baby and keeping it comfortable, so I made my way back towards the house... glancing back over my shoulder in awe, fascinated by these local wildlife heroes.

viewer discretion advised

exhausted

No, the cat is not dead. It is simply *exhausted*, and it was the 2nd image to appear in my google image search for "exhausted"... and I thought it was appropriate, considering I am a crazy cat lady, my mother just thought that Ali had posted a photo of a dead Willow cat (not the case), and I am simply EXHAUSTED.

Allergies are on the attack, much later this year than usual. So, in addition to beginning the 2nd week of the school year (with a rather *lively* group of 1st graders), I am combating my itchy eyes, stuffy/runny nose (it goes back and forth), and scratchy/itchy throat. Itchy eyes mean that I forgo the contacts, so my glasses give me that greasy Christmas morning feeling (you know, when you're in your pajamas all day and don't shower). Stuffy/runny nose means my face is red and blotchy from rubbing (you know, when it somehow feels good to push down on your sinuses), and scratchy/itchy throat means I get impatient quickly (you know, when a drink of water doesn't offer relief and you have 22 kids demanding your attention).

The start of the school year (combined with election time) always overwhelms me with the onset of a busy schedule, much in the same way that summer's empty schedule overwhelms me at first. Any working person can relate, probably even non-working people, but let me do the quick list anyhow because it will help settle my mind... mentor meeting, mentee meetings, P-Bit refresher, Action Wednesdays, Saturday canvassing, Roman House Party, Obama House Party, Polish Fundraiser, Debate watching plans, DIBELS, switch times, KEA committee & Exec board, Curriculum Development Committee, entering voter data, and MORE lurking around the corner.

I need to remember how much I love staying active-- I am much happier when I am busy and using my time productively. I think perhaps I will up my allergy meds to perk me up! The other thing I need to remember is that the election stuff will be over in November, and that's the stuff that overtakes my thoughts on a regular basis. Just a healthy display of the OCD part of my brain! ;) It could be worse. Hehehe.

So, if another week or two pass without a new post, please take pity on me... and don't give up hope!

rally: on the road for change

My mother and I took a day trip to Battle Creek yesterday to attend a rally where Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden spoke to a crowd of over 16,000. Although the speeches were short and it was difficult to see the stage, the energy made the wait completely worthwhile. Unlike the time I saw Obama in Ohio during the primaries (a smaller townhall meeting), this was certainly a big event. My mom and I waited in the line for over an hour, then plopped down on the grass (we filled the field of a baseball stadium) to wait for another few hours with thousands of others... what a delightful group of people willing to give up their Sunday afternoons/evenings to see a man who inspires us all to do more than we have ever done before to fight for change.

On the more humorous side, I was hoping someone would scope out the crowd for people to place front and center for the speech-- I tried to look somewhat cute yesterday, but my mom really had the "look"... a battery-powered fan visor! The visor, combined with her spray bottle and electric handheld fan, certainly shouted "pick me" to the staff. Unfortunately, no one came around in search of us. Also on the humorous side-- we spotted some of our family friends the Jennings selling buttons for my old middle school history teacher, Mr. Hosner! I remember his classes, drawing political cartoons and holding the mock election in 7th grade (I "voted" for Ross Perot). And Mr. Jennings told us that they sell buttons at both Democratic and Republican events, and the Republicans are much more *conservative* with their purchases, whereas the Dems will buy them buy the bundle! :) I think we can wear them more proudly!

I almost forgot-- one of the most exciting moments was seeing Obama's bus leave with the entourage of police escorts and secret service... They had megaphones and forced cars to pull off the road, as it was the main exit from the stadium! When the last Secret Service SUV drove past, I gave a knowing smile to one of the men poised to spring out of the opened back... and he smiled knowingly back at me! I was thrilled.

Anyhow, here are some photos from our day-- forgive the out-of-focus stage shot!

chills

I have been reading the transcript from Barack Obama's speech last night, and I am still getting chills from it. Let me share with you one of my favorite parts, because it truly gets to the heart of his campaign...

"...I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer, and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values.

And that's to be expected, because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare voters.

If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from. You make a big election about small things.

And you know what? It's worked before, because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me; it's about you.

For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said, "Enough," to the politics of the past. You understand that, in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same, old politics with the same, old players and expect a different result.

You have shown what history teaches us, that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington.

Change happens -- change happens because the American people demand it, because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time."

You can see the rest of the speech here, and there's a good article about it here.

three of a kind...

...not! I couldn't believe it when I turned around and caught these 3 hanging out together a few weeks ago; this is a very rare occurrence. And it's nuts that they actually stayed put while I ran for my camera.

I think my cats keep me sane. Or, maybe that's not the best way to put it (considering that being a crazy cat lady is probably not viewed as the sanest way of life). I guess I mean that they help me keep things in perspective. I woke up the other morning laying on my stomach, and Lucy was asleep on my back-- so, I started the day with a smile, because who wouldn't smile knowing they had a cat on their back?

sunny thoughts

Too cute. I took 13 photos of these two little guys in an attempt to share them with you, and they never moved! :)

I'm trying to remind myself to think happy thoughts, as I take a short break from endless hours in my classroom (during which I tend to waste time chatting or procrastinating)...

my lovely familia

A kindly stranger took these photos of us after we climbed up onto the Lake Superior rock outcroppings... a silhouetted one and a close-up. :)

(We had a pizza/pop dinner watching the sunset!)

Lake Superior sunset

I have been neglecting my blog, because we were away in the Upper Peninsula for a week, and I've also been busy since we got home. Anyhow, I will soon have *many* photos to show you, but for now, I will leave you with this peaceful sunset pic. I took it on a roadside beach just south of Copper Harbor, and I think I want to print it and frame it! Ah, relaxing...

Michael Moore: not a hypocrite

It blew my mind after Mike's Film Festival Surprise when a girl asked Michael how he keeps from feeling like a hypocrite, especially after watching an hour of Mike doing a monologue on stage in London during which he continuously challenged the audience to think critically. The crowd at Lars Hockstead Auditorium in Traverse City inadvertently defended Michael as movie-goers thanked him for everything he's done locally and nationally. Michael, however, answered the girl's question in his reliably humble manner. He said that yes, they have a nice house and send their daughter to a good school, because they are able to, but they also continue to do what they can with what they have. In another after-movie Q&A, Michael and other filmmakers discussed the notion of guilt, and they basically encouraged people not to feel guilty for being one of the "haves" in a world of "have-nots". In fact, the "haves" are the lucky ones, not just because we have wealth or health care or material goods, but because we are able to do something to make the world a better place. (Please keep in mind that Michael also sent a check to the government in the amount of his Bush tax cut that profited the wealthy and left us little guys behind. He is doing what he can to avoid any level of hypocrisy.)

Michael also pointed out the fact that his successes have been lucky-- whether or not he profited off of his books/movies/etc., he would have done what needed to be done. In one of Mike's books, he talks about how he is actually quite introverted and gets really nervous about confrontation. But he does it, time and time again, because he feels so passionately about opening up our eyes to this harsh reality in which we live. We live in a society afraid to talk about difficult things-- politics, government, inequalities. And until we can start opening up about these things, we need people like Michael Moore, who are willing to take on the task. It's almost like we live in a dreamworld of preferred ignorance because then we don't have to give a damn.

las floras en mi jardin

The garden is making me happy! Flowers, flowers, everywhere...

in my pumpkin patch,
on my tomato plants,
and in the cucumber lair...

Flowers, flowers, everywhere.