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Thursday, March 28, 2024

#sol24 March 29 A Day With Diverse Memories


Good Friday has almost always been a day "off" from school and for me, it spurs many, diverse memories.

Last year, I was happily cleaning and cooking for an extended family gathering at my house. All of my grandchildren were to be gathered under my roof and I was as excited as a Meme could be. I made Easter pails for all of the children and listened to Bruce Springsteen as I prepped our desserts. I had so much to celebrate.

Two years ago, I was boarding a plane for a long awaited trip to Italy to eat, drink and celebrate that tiny part of my heritage, wearing a mask, and worried sick about each and every Covid test we took. There were many! Yet, we left JFK filled with excitement and on sitting in the Business Section!
 
Four years ago, I was beyond sad, confused and depressed. There really wasn't anything to celebrate. I went to my son's house and walked around outside without hugging or being close to anyone.  It was so weird. Schools and churches were all closed.  I watched Shark Tank all day long.  I am not sure, but I  think I cried more that once.

Nine yeas ago, I was  doing crafts and making decorations for the holiday ahead of us with my nieces who came for a "play date" while their parents worked.  Soon, most of my immediate family would be gathered in my dining room for what would be the last time at that table, in that house, or as that family. It was a good thing we did not know what was ahead as I remember a wonderful, joy filled day with a table filled with flowers made by my nieces. 

Twelve years ago, we went to Little Italy to buy fresh pasta, delicious pastries and the rest of the supplies for Easter dinner.  We put everything in a cooler and then we walked the High Line, all of it.  We went to St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC for mass that was long and afforded lots of time to think, reflect, pray, and hope.  It was late when we finally got home, but we were energized and hopeful.
 
Twenty years ago, I spent the day cleaning as my house was out of control dirty.  I was back in grad school and my my kitchen was filled with the paper evidence of my research and dissertation.  I spent the day sorting data into the drawers of an old dresser I took from one of my children's rooms. I was thinking of Easter dinner and headed at some point to the store but I was also planning for a soon to be college graduation. We had no idea that life would soon change and colon cancer would emerge, again, and change our family.

Many, years ago, I was sewing an Easter dress for my toddler while my husband and that toddler made an Easter Rabbit out of snow that covered our yard,  I was clearly expecting a second child and  we were going to be hosting my family in two days. The house needed to be cleaned. There were dust bunnies everywhere.  I think I was as happy as a human can be!

Many, many years ago, one of my siblings found my mother's secret stash of Easter candy in her closet. Candy was not usually part of our world and so it was a chance to eat our way into a candy coma. We ate our weight in candy that night. That was the end of the Easter Bunny for us!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

#sol24 March 28 I Took a Deep Breath


I took a deep breath as I answered the phone, not sure of the reason for the call, but pretty sure that any call from a doctor on a Sunday afternoon was not good news,  I am not quite sure I ever had a call from a doctor on a Sunday afternoon, so to be honest, I have no idea why I have such a thought about such a phone call.  I was pretty sure he was going to cancel my surgery or tell me some horrible news about my recent scans.  The best case scenario, in moments of my mind flying out of control with anticipation before answering the phone call was that my surgeon was going to cancel tomorrow's procedure. 

"Hello?" I asked slowly, because I really had no reason not to answer.  

"Hi," he answered quickly as if he was expecting me to be awaiting his call. "I hope you are having a good weekend.  I just wanted to check on how you were doing and how you are seeing before tomorrow's appointment." 

I took a deep breath as I tried to construct a verbal response while wondering  why an esteemed eye surgeon was even thinking about my eye surgery the next day?   But, somehow I managed a response and engaged in a sincere discussion about what I was able to see and what difficulties I still had. After a few minutes, he thanked me for my time and I thanked him for his time.  "I just want to make sure of  the best outcomes," he responded. " See you in the morning!"

I thought about the conversation with the doctor who just wanted to make sure we were on the same page as I got ready for bed and several times in the days ahead.  It's crazy that any call from a doctor we expect to be bad news!  It's also crazy that any call parents get from teachers is usually bad news. We really should be working together to do the best we can to make sure of the best outcomes!

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

#sol24 March 27 Seniors Just Wanna Have Fun

 

Today's post was spurred by
Over at Two Writing Teachers SOL

I have observed that Ahh feeling of clear happiness and total enjoyment of the moment many times in my life.  There are the images of my newborn grandchildren and of my children holding on to those special babies. There are images of celebrations and birthdays and graduations, too. 

Yet, sometimes random images from life can give me that Ahh feeling, like the gray-haired couple who pulled up beside my aging gray sedan at a stop light on the first sort-of-spring-weather day.  Honestly, it was still much too cold for a top-down-car day and I suspect they both were wearing long underwear and gloves in order to survive the experience.  Yet, their bright-blue-brand-new-appearing Beemer seemed like it was itching to be out on the road, still covered in winter's gray residue. 

She had a bright yellow headscarf with a tail flapping in the breeze as well as smile as wide as the Mississippi. I could not possibly hear what she was saying to her red-baseball-hat-clad partner as the music was blaring, Brown-Eyed Girl and the engine was roaring to go as soon as the light changed.

They were a colorful sight that not only caught my eye, but also brought me indirect happiness. 
I've thought of them in the days since, a reminder that gray-haired seniors just wanna have fun!

Stock photo, not a real image of that moment.


#sol24 March 26 To Be A Dog Walker

"It was Career Day," he said excitedly, "and I was a Rock StarJ was an astronaut, B was a baseball player. V was an author. L was a doctor and K was the night guard at the library."

"Sounds like a great day," I smiled thinking there clearly was some creative thinking happening in nearby homes.  

"My teacher brought her stuffed dog to school and let us pet her," he continued. "She is going to be a dog walker."

"Sounds like an exhausted and creative teacher," I thought thinking about the endless demands on teachers as well as the endless stream of dog walkers I see traipsing through nearby neighborhoods each day. The dog walker who walks several dogs near me drives a brand new BMW SUV.  

I'm guessing it's a lower stress job with good (better?) financial rewards than to be a teacher?
I'm hoping someone wanted to be a teacher? 

Sunday, March 24, 2024

#sol24 March 25 Here We Go Again

 

I had surgery at the beginning of SOL,
I'm headed back, today.
Two eyes + two cataracts = two surgeries.

This time, 
I know about all the things,
I know about all the drops,
I know to bring a blank check,
I know to bring the sun glasses.

This is a quickie.
I'll likely be home before lunch.
I'll likely have lots of time to read and comment.
I'll likely see your words better,
I'll certainly see the smudges on the walls,
I'll definitely be annoyed by the cobwebs, 
I'll be able to watch the dust bunnies multiply!

Saturday, March 23, 2024

#sol24 March 24 One That Haunts Me

 Yesterday, would have been my Aunt's 101st birthday.
This is a memory that haunts me.

When you have been healthy for well over 90 years and eschew even Tylenol, those powerful pain relieving drugs they pump through your veins when you have a broken femur send you soaring.

And they sent her flying higher than a kite. In her most lucid moments that day, she shared stories of growing up as the 9th of 10 in a big Irish family, I think the stories she told that day were real, and yet I never will  know for sure it they were or were not. For the nurses who came and went, the stories were entertainment, I suspect.  I only wish I had taken the time to write them down. But, there was a constant flow of people in and out and to be honest, we never know there won't be more time.

Thus, from my memory, I will try to paraphrase one that haunts me.......

"We really did love each other," she began softly and my ears perked up because she had never been married and to my knowledge, had never dated. "Oh yes, he was special and so kind to me. But, we had to be secretive because his mother did not like me at all. He would hitch a ride to meet me in Middletown and we would go for sodas. But, his mother would not let him marry me because I was not Methodist.  So we went our separate ways. I moved to the city and he went to war. He never came back. We didn't realize there wouldn't be more time."


#sol24 March23 I Might Go Back

Went there on a few dates, long, long ago.  
As a teenager, I was not a fan.
Took my kids there, a couple of times.  
They were not fans.
Took my kids there for birthday parties, 
A few times. Always complaints.
Loud, confusing, boring, frustrating.

Went there today, oh my it has changed!
There are no more tally cards.  
There are not more smelly shoes.
You set up your game on a computer.
Efforts are displayed on a giant screen, 
With an instant replay!
Had my best score there ever, 81,
Thanks to bumpers you add
With the flip of a switch!

It's still noisy.
It's still hard to do.
I need those bumper guards.
It's no longer a cheap date!
 They now serve cocktails and salads.
It was better than I remembered,
I might go back, there!
I cannot believe I am saying that!



Friday, March 22, 2024

#sol24 March 22 Can You Be Inclusive?

A little about me: 
I am a special education teacher and literacy specialist, 
I spent my career working with learners who struggle;
Now, I work with teachers who are or will be 
Working with students who struggle.  

Yesterday, I was part of a workshop about adapting instruction, on a college level, to meet the needs of diverse students. It was 90 minutes immersed in recognizing the need for and learning ways to adapt materials, instructions and assessments to make higher education learning available to all.  There were teachers on the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

I was interested on multiple levels. I embrace the diversity of learning and the roles of all learners.  Recently, some of my graduate students have identified themselves as having IEPs, and or needing supports and modifications. 

I teach classes in awareness of, assessment of, and differentiating of instruction to meet diverse needs.  THUS, while I really did not learn anything new at this workshop, in those 90 minutes, I was reminded of level of discrimination that persists in education and the need to embrace a Universal Design for all.  

I left the workshop aware of the need for all teachers, on ALL levels, to be aware of how to adapt instruction, projects and assessment to be more inclusive.

Can you teach from a wheelchair? Of course you can.
Can you teach while hearing or visually impaired? Of course you can.
Can you teach while having a learning disability? Of course you can.
Can you teach if you are identified with dyslexia? Of course you can.
Can you teach while having and ASD diagnosis? Of course, you can.
Can you teach when you are blind? Of course you can!




Thursday, March 21, 2024

#sol24 March 21 Springtime Visitors

 

'Twas 8:01, on the first full day of spring
They descended upon us, ready to do their thing.

Dressed in protective gear from head to toe,
Even their eyes were covered as they started to blow.

With noisy tractors, loud motors and 
An old-fashioned rake,
They seemed to know just what it would take.

It was noisy and dusty and clearly not fun,
Then, I turned and noticed that they were done.

The leftover leaves and bountiful sticks,
Were all gone and loaded into their yard-waste mix.

It's a privilege to have someone 
Do my spring yard clean,
When they finished,
The grass even looked green!

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

#sol24 March 20 Intermingled

 

As I walked through the park bursting with pink buds and golden blossoms on the first day of spring, the sun was bright and yet the breeze was as cold as it was in January. Determined to complete my three miles, I pulled gloves from my pocket and tightened the scarf around my neck just as the first flurries surrounded me. For a moment, frankly, I was mad at the sun for luring me out into the cold for this walk. Then, as the sun and the occasional flurries intermingled, I settled into a good pace and some serious reflection.

Frankly, I have found it hard to be a fan of meditation, but I go, sometimes, in hopes of quieting the little worry monkeys in my head.  Usually, my mind wanders to problems I plan to solve or the problems I cannot solve; however, sometimes, the mediation does seem to "stick" because I think of the message of the meditation when I am walking or swimming. 

Today, the message of a recent meditation (which I am paraphrasing) intermingled with the sun and flurries this morning.

"Like the seasons of the year, that mingle and mix," she said, "your personal seasons are interspersed with the people and events that are part of everyone's life.  

During your winters, there was certainly days of heartbreak, loneliness, and illnesses that made you sad and tested your faith in things becoming better. 

Then, without fail, you find yourself with signs of spring where there were opportunities for new beginnings and hope for the future. Yet, you surely found that the cold winter breezes joined you even as you welcomed spring. 

When you least expected it, you would find yourself in a summer season where there were many distractions and everything was happening so fast you could hardly catch your breath. Yet, there were times when that sadness of winter still found its way into your days.

For each of us, there have also been many falls when we reflected on our successes as well as our failures and pondered our next steps. Fortunately, even during the days of deepest reflection, the voice of spring will often pop through the clouds and offer reminders of the hope for new adventures in the future. 

The personal seasons of life are ongoing and intermingling throughout our lives, just like the seasons of each year are ever changing and intermingling."

For me, the most valuable mediations appear to be intermingled with walking and colliding seasons.