HONK, HONK, DID YOU HEAR ME?

Hi Ladies, did you hear me honk as I flew by on Friday night?

We were coming from Chicago, reading all the exits signs to your homes and I honked my loudest at the Gaggle at each town. Deb and Courtney marveled at how you live in the flatlands.

The Ophelia Conference was great, again. The ladies have expanded their research into somatic symptoms of RA and have really opened up a critical area in the lives of our youth. You can really soak up the info from them, they all give freely. I'd like to do some training with them when I quit working. Maybe do train the trainer in Indiana schools. They are looking for people to do this all over the nation. Crown Point, in your area, has a strong CASS program in the high school. CASS is creating a safe school and is the Ophelia model for school. Good stuff.



Once again, Jill and I failed to connect in French Lick this weekend. The stars need to be in better alignment apparently. Maybe next time, my friend. It was nice to talk to you, even if your news was not good. Ashley had another car accident, but is OK. Just needed Mom.



We are still on fall break today and I have celebrated in silence; total silence. No TV, no radio, no phone calls, Steve is mowing at the other farm and I'm enjoying every minute. Of course, I slept most of the day, the lupus is taxing me for a busy weekend. I have a new casserole in the oven; pork chops, onions, cabbage, potatoes and an apple cider glaze. Smells great, hope they can eat it. I'll make those pumpkin chocolate cupcakes for dessert, if I can remember how. Hey, dinner's over and the casserole was nice. I'm not too fond of sweet additions to entrees but the fruit and cider were nice additions to the meat and veggies. I fixed frozen chocolate chip cookies, could not remember the cupcake thingys.



It has been nice having Court home again; she is managing well. He has had a few meltdowns but she handles everything in stride. I am proud of how strong she is. We takes turns cooking and doing laundry, read alot and take walks in the evenings. She and her dad are going to the lake in the kayaks some and caring for the livestock together. And watching TV, she is a TV nut like him.



Alison, I couldn't figure out how to post the pix, but I loved seeing them. The guys have grown a foot since summer. My goodness, Jordan looks like an 8th grader. I bet that was a wonderful trip for you all. How is your Dad?



Janelle, I checked out the family shots on your other website; Lady A looks determined to stir things up. Did they ever get a good one? She is a corker, looking so sweet and soft, with a spine of steel and a hard head. Gotta love her.



How's everyones' football team? We made 3 touchdowns this season, didn't win a game and are so glad it is over. Or will be after the 1st sectional game. My buddy, the coach is beyond puzzled with his team; they are all good kids, but heads are elsewhere. I suppose these things happen to all teams sometime. It is hard to watch these boys suffer every week and each week has another injury. We have several on crutches or wearing casts on even in wheelchairs. Not the year of the BlackHawk.

The Valley is buzzing with new happenings this fall; the waterpark is to open soon, we have a new open air market and an art gallery, for Pete's sake. The casino is no longer "a boat in a moat", they have transformed it into just a building. We have a new CVS that is 10 times bigger than the old one. And Big Red Liquor is building next to Chicago Pizza. Thank Goodness we will have alcohol. No really; French Liquors has closed. It is a wonderful town, cannot buy a shoelace, but all the beer you can wish for.

I'm trying to get Stephen King to install a new (old) back door for me. Not much luck. Caleb and Gavin told me yesterday they would do it for me. Sweeties. My Mom gave us her old door with a wonderful window at the top, my laundry room is so dark except for the light from the cracks you can see through. I also need a new floor in there and the kitchen. Does anyone have gold vinyl flooring from the 70s anymore? I tried to remove it down to the hardwood like the rest of the house, but it was glued down with tar or some sticky black stuff. Gotta love retirement.

Back to school tomorrow, hope everyone returns with positive attitudes in tow. We were all feeling low on Wednesday. The free time and beautiful weather should have done the trick. I ordered cut flowers for tomorrow; I'll place one in a pop can for everyone's desk. And I'll take in some of the cookies for my middle school staff. Gotta keep up their spirits. Tomorrow means figuring the grade stats as the kids got their 1st 9 weeks report cards last week. Then I look for interventions to raise grades before the semester break. Positive reinforcement is next in my bag of tricks. The staff loves me. I know, but somedays I worry about snipers outside my office door.

Talk to me, Gaggle. Have a honkin' great week.