Whatever

I am a little nervous about a different schedule next year. I am also somewhat excited to be able to work more closely with the people in my own department. I have never , ever taught in a school WITHOUT teaming!!

When I started at South in 1996, all of my male department members were desperately trying to hang on to their identity as a science department. And I mean desperately. And I should use the word deliberate as well. They were deliberate in their actions to maintain an identity as a SCIENCE department. Whatever. I played along ( Anderson scared the shit out of me, Al Ford spooked me out & I could never get over staring at Babitzke's perpetually twitching eye lid) and wondered what all the hoopla was over teams and specifically over "interdisciplinary teams". Now there's a word that I haven't heard in awhile. Interdisciplinary teams. Again. Whatever.

In a small catholic school, Sts. Peter & Paul, from 1981- 1987 I worked on an interdisciplinary team. The school was so small that there WAS only one 7th grade team of about 125 kids and only one 8th grade class of 125 kids, so of course we were organized into teams. Duh.

Whatever. I just wish my "what evers " weren't hiding the fact that I am unsettled about the changes we will experience together as a staff at South. Again.

Whatever.

Mary

Stopped me in my tracks.

I am reading a book called EMMIS by Cecil Wade. She is an old family friend (as in 78 yrs) and self published her first novel after having it get rejected by several publishers. She did, however , win $3,000 from the McNight foundation after having submitted it for their consideration.

What Cecil gave me as a kid growing up I cannot put a price on however. Cecil's the one who has always encouraged me, "Mary, the Fifth Avenue tree house kid" to write.

The setting for her novel is in a small pre- depression era farming community surrounding a rural town called EMMIS.

It is the following that stopped me. It rings so true:


“ I never thought and still don’t think there’s anything wrong with chasing the dollar. When I left Ontario I was already a rich man. I wanted to be richer. I made good money in lumber, I made more in building railroads, I made even more in lucky investments.

“I never cheated my men by underpaying or overworking them, so help me God. That’s the one thing I wanted you and Tom to know, that having money is having command, and the really great command is not using money to hurt somebody or to stab someone’s dreams like nobody’s dreams but your own matter.

“But all the benefits of having money are not as powerful as what you find is true about money, sadly true. Nothing can change this one very bad thing about the human circumstance: in a business or in a house, the person with the least good intentions or who is the least noble rules everything.

“It’s a kind of Hell when you live in the shadow of such a person’s nature. We can laugh, we can sing, we can look away, but the dark stain reaches us.

“Trying to move where the stain can’t reach us changes who we are, changes everything. “

EMMIS by Cecil Wade.

I know i shoudn't be

doing this, but I have to say horaay !! Dan & Joe worked out the business... Dan got bought out with cash.

He is so relieved. No hard feelings between he and Joe. 30 years of partnership & it ven ended well!

Dan put his hand on my knee in the car on the way to school today... hasn't done that in years.

I have my man back:)

Should I or shoudn't I?

Well, you'll be too late to give an opinion as I have a hair appointment in an hour & am considering adding some color. Welllllllllllll. THAT won't be hard you might say. White pretty much will show any color added.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. I've always wanted to shave my head too....


Mary

Buster got a makeover.

Even though he may not show it in his facial expressions, Buster's self esteem has improved since his latest haircut. He is much more frisky and he whispered to me tonight that he just can't wait to go for another walk in the woods!!!

Too cold

I woke up early this morning thinking I could ride my motorcycle to school, but it is only 38˚. Crap. Too cold for me!!!

Maybe later in the week.

I DID go for a nice little ride yesterday after school though! Went past the Meyer school house, down cty #7 to 146 , past Ray & Ginia's , around to Linden township's town hall , to Warner Lake Park and back home. About a 45 minute ride of shear, calm joy. FUN!

I have a post... SJH friends.

It's tag is "for your eyes only" & it is in draft form. Waiting until Friday. And you thought I was tough.

Do you like my motorcycle picture? I'm Haawt!!!!!

Maple Syrup!!!

Dan's first attempt at making maple syrup has been a great success!! It tastes delicious (although we'll admit to just light spoon tastes so far!!) & it's pretty too don't you think?

None of our kids will be home for Easter for the very first time in our lives ... so sad...so we've decided we will have an Easter breakfast of homemade pancakes and syrup.

After all, Easter is all about new beginnings, right??

Happy Easter Everyone!!

M

Dan is home & happy:)

My Man is officially unemployed. You could say that he is retired. He is in the process of dissolving his partnership with R&M Masonry Construction. It is a very great thing. Dan is a man who thinks things through very carefully before he says anything to his wife, because she will drive him nuts with questions like but why? We will go broke!! We can't afford Jessica's tuition! What if my car breaks down?

His solution to this problem in our marriage is to be prepared. So one day , about a year ago now, he said out-of-the blue, "Mary. I've been watching our bank account. I figure that if I quit work, we can easily live on your salary". So I looked at him and said. "OH REALLY!!!!. How NICE!!!".

Actually, I couldn't be happier. I'm happy for me. I get a hot cup of coffee brought to me every morning. I come home from school with supper made. Tonight we had pork chops on the grill, mashed potatoes & a fresh salad.

For the last few days he has happily been collecting box elder sap three times a day and nearly has 5 gallons. He will boil it away & wind up with a pint of syrup. He made 5 pints of wild grape jelly just 4 days ago. He caught enough fish this winter that we ate freshly caught fish 3 Xs per week on several occasions.

He has been clipping coupons. He gets great deals on things such as salmon... like two for one. And he marinates it in sesame/ ginger, dribbles honey over the top & grills it.

Dan is proud of himself & happy & I am ok with it all and getting a little pudgy.

M

Coming soon: Danielle Mary Meyer

Hold on to your hats. She wears many....

Jess on spring break 2 weeks ago.

Here are a few picts of Jessica & BF Matt Schulte in CO over Jess' break. They had a blast.

Family profile: Jessica Cathryn Meyer

Jessica is in her 4th year at UMD. She has played on the woman's club hockey team all four years. Dan & I finally made it to Duluth to watch a game in February. Here is proud Dad & equally as proud Jessica. Jessica's stick handling & mental game has improved immensely.

All of this, of course, is due to Westling's influence.

Jess is majoring in Exercise Science , will be a "super senior" next year, apply to Physical Therapy schools in MN in the fall, hopefully be accepted (fingers crossed) and graduate with a PT placement next May.

Jessica loves to eat cereal.

Doors.

Have you ever wondered about doors? Their purpose is to either keep people out or keep people in. They are not intended to be semi permeable.

With the exception of the band The Doors, doors are useless when people can't figure them out.

Doors.

Rock on.

Flash