HEADING TOWARD CHRISTMAS

IT'S SUNDAY NIGHT LADIES. Of course, it is. I only seem to settle down at the computer on Sunday evening, wishing I could talk to you all in person. Everyone's Thanksgiving has been put away in the memory box, leftovers fed to the dog, and maybe the Christmas tree put up already. Not here, but maybe at your house. Our Turkey day was wonderful; everyone was here and in good humor, the food was all edible and the Grinch won't show up till Christmas. I chose to eat early this year. Shawn's sister was in from Michigan and they had to eat with her family, too. But I got to choose what time. I decided eating early would ensure everyone would be hungry and I was right. They ate and ate, then crashed on the couch, beds and recliner. Caleb even took a nap!!! I love having sleeping kids in my house, it feels so cozy and safe to have them resting. Stephen King and I may have been the only ones with our eyes still open by 5:00. The daughters-in-law helped me straighten up before they left which made me happy:-)

The kids had no more than cleared the drive when I started coughing and haven't stopped yet! Sinus infection, I suppose. So I've been confined to the house all weekend. Hope to go to work tomorrow, as I need to decorate the office and lobby. And all the other reasons I should be there, of course.

Our football coach has been "asked" to resign by the Super and AD and I'm about to get myself into a twit over it, I think. He is a great teacher and a wonderful man, a true role model for the students, but hasn't had a winning season for awhile. And Valley being Valley, some want him gone. I am this man's friend, but more than that I know our school would be losing more than a coach if he left. Our mission statement is all about turning out productive citizens ready for the real world and doing everything for the "good of our students". Forcing him to resign flies in the face of our mission. We must teach our students that winning isn't everything, how you play IS important, being men of strong morals, caring, and honest is important also. This man represents all these characteristics and is homegrown and has a family in our town, kids in our school, a wife employed by our school. He doesn't want to leave. Small schools don't have great teams very often, this is not our time. Our other sports teams are not successful right now either, but our Band took 3rd at state! It was their time. Our time in football may come again, 20 years ago we went to state finals. In the meantime, we stand to lose two wonderful teachers, two talented individuals we cannot afford to lose. I am taking a stand for my friend by calling Board members, organizing student support and encouraging attendance at the deciding meeting. People are scared to step forward and are warning me to drop it. I cannot do that. Our kids, our school need to see caring people stand up and be heard, not just roll over. Am I doing the right thing here, Girls? Or getting ready to get my ass kicked?

I have almost all my Christmas gifts bought already!!! Yay for online shopping. Still haven't figured out how to beat the high costs of shipping to Australia, but I'm working on a solution. Now if I can wrap it all before 12/24, I'll be set. I hope to decorate a little more this year, too. Some years lately the tree was a last minute addition. I miss those days of being home all the time and getting everything done; decorating, cooking, shopping, wrapping and loving every minute of it. Another life.

Well, this is the life I'm living now and I'd better get myself to bed so I can continue tomorrow. Our fall gagglefest was terrific, Ladies. I was so happy to spend good time together. I hope everyone can make the Winterfest! Take care and talk to me, Love.

Hello Ladies,
What a great week! Our weather is "outstanding" to quote Stefan. You just cannot imagine the blue in the sky overhead. It was already 65 when I got up today. We are having a pitch-in at Nina's for Stephen King's birthday today and Trent's tomorrow. The kiddos will be playing outside and all G-ma's chicks will be together. Happy, happy. :-) Courtney's been home for a couple of weeks, going back to Oz the 16th. It's been great to have her home, but her heart is Down Under. She isn't coming to Indy with us because my niece, Stori, is coming back from Africa with her new babies on Saturday. Those two boys are so precious, little brothers only 10 months apart, 8 and 18 months old. Chad, the oldest, speaks French but is catching on to English fast. The whole town is involved in this adventure because of Stori's blog and FB. I hope some of you have looked at "ourstoribook". It is a leap of faith for the family.
I'm excited about our gagglefest next week. Kirstie's baby bump should be obvious by then! I loved your comment on "Mrs. Mac taught us", Kirstie, great to know they are listening and learning! Hope you are feeling better, Jill. And the rest of you, STAY WELL. Gotta go fix myself for the party. Talk to me, Ladies. Hedy

FALL IS IN THE HOUSE

It is definitely fall in Southern Indiana: rainy and only 43 degrees, dark, gloomy skies, but IT IS FALL BREAK. Four days to be lazy, or not, to sleep-in or not, whatever, it is our choice. No bus duty, no meetings, no lunch duty, no parents, no kids, no teachers. Life is good. :-)
I'm not quite ready for such cool weather, but I love the chance to wear sweaters and jackets again. And since my office is a constant 58 degrees with winds out of the north, I have been choosing some bright, colorful new toppers for my basic black look. I find it amazing what a good cover-up can, well..cover! No one needs to know what chunkiness lies beneath my new bronze brocade jacket with tiny ruffled trim. Or that the little patchwork number is disguising 3 rolls of excess insulation. And the navy swing cardigan, oh my, how well it flows over all the extras and makes me look taller and leaner. We all know tall and lean aren't words usually used to describe me, but this navy job is almost a miracle worker. If only it came in other colors. I even bought some new jean trousers, dark indigo, long, lean legs which transform my fat little stubs into legs to my chin. I am so happy with my new things or with the cataract on my right eye which is distorting my vision enough for me to think I'm seeing all these things... yeah, I guess it is the cataract, girls. I'll still be the same ole' dumpy goose when we get together in Indy in a few weeks. No surprises.
My mom is on meds now for the memory loss, she has good days and bad. Depression has been a big issue lately, for the first time in her 80 years, she doesn't have anyone to serve. My nieces have gone to school and aren't there much. Mom has had these girls since birth al days everyday, while their parents work. My brother and his wife would eat at her house many nights when they came to pick up the girls. And now she doesn't have anything to do, to look forward to and she's sad. My sister spends several hours each day with her and I do weekends, but it isn't the same for her. Mom is the oldest of 13 kids and started caring for her younger sibs as a toddler. She babied my dad and us kids, waited on us hand and foot, until we married and beyond. Her life has changed and for her this means it is over. She just doesn't know how to relax and enjoy life. It breaks my heart. I pray you all will never know this for your parents, it is such a feeling of loss. Right, Jill? They are here, but not here, with you, but not really. Loosing my dad was much easier than watching Mom go through this.
I have my annual laryngitis again. No voice and coughing fits every few minutes. Fun, Fun. No fever, just no talkee :-). Fall allergies in the Ohio River Valley, I guess.
I hope everyone is doing great, no snow storms yet, no impossible school issues, no family emergencies. I can't wait to sit down with you all and catch up. After a few days of wallowing in self-pity, I've put away my violin and face each day anew and make the best of it. I do everything I'm capable of to make our school a safe environment for our kids and leave it in my office at night. I always find it waiting the next morning, no one has solved the problems, but at least I didn't take them home to Stephen King. I wasn't being fair to him or myself. Every once in a while I have to see I'm not in control, we all answer to God and He has the Plan. Not me. Rather humbling sometimes.
Courtney is coming home on the 24th for a few weeks, yay! Be wonderful to see her again. The computer has helped with emails, Facebook and Skype, but I need to see and touch my daughter again. At least for awhile.
I'm planning to take my girlies to B-ton for an overnight on Sunday. They have plans for tonight and tomorrow, so they won't be free til after church, but we can go shopping and they can swim. Even Caleb is going, I think. He says he is on Fall break, too and wants to go swimming. Pray for me and my chicklets!
Love to all. Talk to me. Hedy

PUMPKIN MADNESS

Hello Everyone,
Saturday night, my kiddos just left and I'm tired. I didn't think I would get through this past week alive. The weather change has everyone wired, we are doing Aquity Testing, and it is Pumpkin Festival week in the Valley. Chaos rules the land and all young brains turn to mush. I do believe this place could qualify as a research habitat if some enterprising university would look closely. Suddenly an 8th grade Honors Student finds fractions much too difficult to comprehend. A 6th grader challenges ME to a duel. And sadly, a bright, beautiful girl decides to quit eating. My heart breaks and I'm laughing my head off during the same lunch period. Do I look like I can DUEL? And why oh why are bright, beautiful girls in such need to control something in their lives? What is going on that they can't just be young and carefree and healthy? A former student showed up at the end of the day and cried that her babies were taken from her. ..and her husband just got out of jail. ..and she's just been released from rehab... and she has no money and no where to live...can I help her? The last time we saw each other, I gave her $500 to take her babies and go to her mother's up north. She bought pills instead, got busted and lost her kids. Oh, yes, she's pregnant again. Looking at her, I see my last 20 years go up in smoke. Why did I think I could help anyone? The world is way too big and bad to defeat.
Jill, you are right, we can't do this anymore. Let's retire and run away.

The other side of the coin is my family, my friends, my co-workers and most of the kids in my school. I love them for being normal and gentle and supportive and sweet and non-threatening and excited about life and the future. I am so blessed to have everyone of you in my life. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the others. I'm sorry I let that happen.

Our weather is turning cool and the sky is absolutely magnificent at times. The clear blue is contrasted by the bright white of big, puffy clouds floating through it. The trees are just beginning to turn; each day brings more color. The humidity which seems to blur the air for the entire summer has gone, leaving a clarity that was forgotten. Everyone is struck by it, no one seems to remember it being this bright, this clear last year or ever before. I recall hearing this every fall of my life. It makes me happy that people still notice small things like the weather. We aren't quite so caught up in the rat race that we aren't aware of God's blessings...yet.
I've always felt safe and sheltered in our hills of Southern Indiana. How can the flats of your Northlands offer protection from Nature itself? I suppose the trade off is wide open spaces for hillls and hollows. I wonder if I could have survived in Kansas or Nebraska where the Plains roll on for days without a break in the horizon. I think not. I find comfort in small rooms, small houses, small towns.
I am so excited that most of us are planning to be in Indy on the 13th. Angela, I hope it will work out for you to be with us. Staci, Carrie how about you? I can get a third room, no problem.
Courtney is coming home for a visit on the 24th, we pick her up in Chicago. I hope she stays till after Thanksgiving, but don't know her plans yet. My niece, Stori, adopted 2 Congolese boys and they will be here Nov. 7. Courtney will stay with Stori and her family to help with them for a week or two, I'm sure. They are 6 and 16 months old, Jamey and Stori have an 8 year old boy and a 10 year old daughter. We all are over the moon over getting these babies home. What a wonderful, selfless thing for this family to do. We are so proud of them.
Our family is well, no N1H1, just coughs and sniffles. The boys are growing like weeds and are beautiful. Maddie is as long legged and thin as a colt, doing real well in 4th grade. Mackenzie was inducted into National Honor Society last Sunday in a beautifully quiet ceremony. We were excited and proud that she made it in as a sophomore. Shayla is sporting a new hair style today. Clipped short and spikey, very edgy. She looks much more her age than usual. She will be 21 in December. Such a sweet heart, I worry about her future when Nina and Trent are gone.
Thank you, my girls for letting me bend your ears tonight. I needed to talk. Looking forward to tomorrow. Stephen King and I may go for a long drive. Good night, Gaggle.

GAGGLEFEST FALL '09

INDIANAPOLIS MARRIOT NORTH
3645 RIVER CROSSING PARKWAY
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46240

FRIDAY NOV. 13, 2009. TWO ROOMS EVERYONE WELCOME
FOOD, DRINK, CHAT, FUN
WEDDING NEWS, BABY NEWS
NO SHOP TALK, UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

SEE YOU THERE!!!!!

Next Gagglefest????

Another Sunday night, my girls, the world keeps spinning around to Sunday night. Someone needs to get the next Gagglefest going. I'm the least busy, I know, but don't have a clue when you all could take a break in Indy. I'll just throw out some dates; Nov. 6-7. Friday night and Saturday? F-ball shouldbe over and B-ball not started. I'm not sure about dance or little kids . What does anyone think, can we do this? If not post some other dates. I'll get a couple of rooms on the North side or downtown??? What do you prefer?
We are all terrific, the weather is superb in the south, you all should try it! Jill, have you run off with the office supply man? I'm beginning to worry, Lady. Speak up...soon.
Back to the ZOO tomorrow, for us all. Smile and enjoy it, we could be working for IPS. Now that would hurt. Or DOE, anyone scared by Bennett? He and Your Man Mitch are quite the dynamic duo, what?
Stephen King is headed to New Mexico with the sisters on Wednesday, if you are down this way, stop in and we'll go to the casino or at least to a nice restaurant for dinner. I'm off to bed now to watch Design Star, finale. I thought they were all bad designers this year. But I've watched this far might as well see it through.
Good night, Ladies. Have a wonderful week. Talk to me, Hedy

Bright Skies Overhead and In My Head!!!

Hello Ladies,

I am posting again to counteract the last gloomy post. Things are looking better for everyone this week. Both our boys are back in school and doing as well as can be expected. Our friend is home from Mayo and is patiently awaiting her body's acceptance of the new meds. We are having amazing late summer weather down here with early fog giving way to bright blue skies and moderate temps... night time brings that cool crisp air of early fall.
My nephew Joe and his sweetie Bonner married on Sunday after an 8 year courtship. It was a beautiful, simple, elegant ceremony at Historic Locust Grove in Louisville, Ky. This is the home of George Rogers Clark and has been kept in pristine condition with lovely gardens. The couple was married on the big front porch while the guests looked on from the lawn. I haven't figured out how to post a picture yet, but maybe later.
Our niece Stori and her husband Jamey are adopting 2 babies from the Congo and were to leave this month to bring them home. The paperwork has been delayed and it looks like another month before our family increases by 2. The boys are brothers, 10 months apart. Ian is 5 months old and Chad is 15. Such cuties. They are living with a foster family that was able to get them out of the orphanage for Jamey and Stori. The orphanages are primitive at best and the boys have both suffered from malaria and others diseases. They are thriving in the foster home. Parker and Liv, the big brother and sister are so anxious to have their new siblings home. Liv is 10 and Park 8 and they have to be the sweetest, most kind-hearted kids around. They know the boys coming means a big lifestyle change for them, but they aren't complaining at all and have helped get the house ready for babies. Liv and Parker picked out the babies' names. Chad is the name of 2 family friends and Ian was chosen because they liked it! Our whole family is counting the days til we can hold these new blessings. No babes since Gavin and he will soon be 5.
I had lunch with Caleb yesterday in his classroom for Grandparents' Day. He is a totally different boy in school; polite and calm, but still the cutest kid in the room!!! Those big brown eyes are killers, I tell you. Friday we eat with Madeleine. next year Gav will be in K, so we will have 3 days at school! Cannot wait. The kids puff up when they introduce their grandparents to their classmates. My heart breaks for those kids who have no visitors. Most young g-parents are working.
Mom is doing better this week, she was at lunch with Rob's little girl, Kylee, who is in Cabe's room. She calls me and Debbie grandma, too, so introductions were somewhat confusing! Caleb kept saying "is not your g-ma" and "G-ma Helen is mine too" to Kylee. Quietly though.

Anna, I hope you are feeling better, Swine Flu? Hope not. Good thoughts and prayers to Angela and the kids with the doctor appointment this week. They are the busiest family I know. Elaine, how is the new job? Kids OK? I've been thinking about little Annie, how's she doing? Kirstie, still feeling good? Staci, it was good to hear from you and thanks for the support. I hope everyone else has settled in to the year without too much difficulty. I am still pleased with how we are doing here. Some bumps in the road, but mostly smooth sailing. We have had substitutes out the wazoo in the middle school, but they've been great. Progress reports go out Friday, then my real work starts; interventions for all the struggling students. Nothing like a mailing from school to get a parent's attention. We are hip deep in the new RTI work and I am not getting much cooperation from my teachers. I don't know how they will handle IEPs for everyone, which is what I see coming down the road. I hope to be out by then. Angry teachers are scary!
I'm home this morning to take Mom to Accountant appointment, she is sure she's bleeding money, but I think she's OK. Our own investments have improved lately. Thank Goodness. Stephen King was afraid he would have to look for a real job! He loves retirement and is busy all the time. Canning, freezing, taking old guys to the doctor, helping nephew rebuild the old homeplace. Loving every minute of it. He is even learning to clean up after himself in the kitchen, a true miracle, I believe.
My family is great, health wise and everyone is busy, busy. Like all the rest of you I imagine. Take good care and talk to me whenever you have a moment. Love to all, Hedy