Peeps for Only the Good Friday

For several weeks I've been participating in the "Only the Good Friday" meme that was started at http://thiseclecticlife.com/only-the-good-friday/  Below is my weekly contribution to the optimism virus sweeping the blogosphere.

Spring is finally here. We had a little rain today, but this week we’ve also had sunshine and cloudless skies. Although my tulips and daffodils haven’t bloomed yet, around town I’ve spotted trees in flower and patches of yellow blossoms in the sunny spots. The quail were in the yard this morning. There are more than a dozen from the last summer hatch. Our pheasant wandered across the lawn a little later. There was no sign of his hen. I hope that she is busy sitting on eggs. I love the hopefulness of spring. It is a time of rebirth and renewal. Everything is new again and the future is bright.

Easter is just around the corner. Today I picked up little Easter treats to send to my grandchildren. I will miss being there to see them search for eggs. I will include a package of yellow peeps in their parcel. I don’t remember when it started, but every year my children looked forward to gathering around the microwave and watching a peep get nuked. The peep grows to several times its original size. My daughter carries on this silly tradition with my grandchildren.

I am grateful for spring blossoms and the almost forgotten feel of sunshine on my face. I am thankful for all that spring brings including those gigantic nuked peeps…and making memories.

Life is good.

A Special Birthday-Only the Good Friday

For several weeks I've been participating in the "Only the Good Friday" meme that was started at http://thiseclecticlife.com/2010/03/19/the-best-thing-about-a-carnival/  Below is my weekly contribution to the optimism virus sweeping the blogosphere.

I substituted in the life skills classroom at the high school on Friday. It is always a challenging but enjoyable experience. It was one student’s 17th birthday and part of the morning lesson was to bake a cake so we could celebrate in the afternoon. (And if you’ve ever tried baking with a group of special needs kids, you know what an exciting teaching experience I had.) The birthday student basked in all of the attention and announced to everyone who came in the classroom “Today is my birfday. We’re having cake!” We heard about the cake all day.

After lunch two high school students who serve as student assistants came to the classroom. As the girls entered the room the birthday student announced “Today is my birfday. We’re having cake!” They told her that they knew it was her birthday and they gave her a bright pink gift bag. I don’t know who was smiling more, the birthday girl or the two student aides. The birthday girl tore into the bag and discovered a princess birthday crown, a princess wand and princess jewelry. For the rest of the day the student announced to everyone who walked in the room “Today is my birfday. I got a princess gift.” And then we ate the cake.

Two caring students reaching out to brighten the day of a special needs students…it gives one hope for the future. Life really is good.

Laughter

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Is there anything better than hearing a child laugh?

It brings a smile to my face just thinking about my granddaughters' laughs...not giggles, but those high pitched, full-out chuckles that come from deep within. Their squeals as they fly down the slide at the park is the sound of innocence and joy. It is pleasure in it's purest form.

All is good with the world when the children are laughing.

Only the Good 'ventures With Nana

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When your children are small people give you lots of advice. I don’t know how many times I heard “They grow up so fast. Enjoy them when they’re little.” I remember that when I was mired in the toddler stage, it seemed like it would never end. I think I was sleep deprived for years. And then they were graduating and heading off to college. Now I’m a grandparent to two beautiful little girls. I learned my lesson…they do grow up fast. I’m enjoying them as often as I can. Unfortunately, they live in Austin, Texas and I live in Oregon. I’m leaving this morning to visit them.

Every time I visit we do the same things. We will walk to the park and Nana will push them on the swings. I will read lots and lots of books, mostly about princesses. We will go shopping (Megan will wear her “shopping shoes”) and Nana will indulge them with just about everything they ask for. They like to go on adventures with Nana, or what Hunter calls “ventures.” They really enjoyed the “venture” to the Blue Hanger Goodwill. The Blue Hanger is a Goodwill outlet store…who knew that Goodwill had an outlet? It was an adventure for both me and the girls. There were very interesting people and piles and piles of stuff. We came away with a wedding dress for dress up, a straw hat, and a pink feather pen that lit up.

They grow up so fast. I am so lucky to be retired and able to visit whenever there are less expensive airfares. We’ll be making memories this weekend.

Life is good.

Saturday Shopping with Shawn

On Saturday my friend Shawn and I went shopping in Tri-Cities, Washington. Sometimes a girl needs more than Wal-mart to quench a lust for shopping!
Tri-Cities is a quick 30 minutes away and, unlike Hermiston, has major retailers. Macy’s was having one of those One-Day Sales that actually started the day before. They have these sales several times a month and Shawn and I can usually be counted on to participate at least once, especially if they’ve sent us a selection of “Star Rewards” coupons!

I had nothing on my shopping list. Retirement calls for a much more casual wardrobe and since my clothes fill both walk-in closets in our two spare bedrooms, I probably already have the right outfit for just about any event. ..and the shoes and the perfect purse. My plan was to shop for Shawn.

But it was a GOOD sale! Shawn was no help in my quest to live on a fixed income. She found a cute zebra print jacket that was just my style and it was an additional 40% off (plus my “Star Rewards” coupon!) And there was a short wool jacket in a black, white and red subtle plaid. It was a perfect fit, but a lot like one I already have in my closet. A stranger in the dressing room agreed with Shawn that I had to buy it. The expensive green sweater was 50% off, but still costly. It had great texture and a unique style, so it went in the buy pile. We hauled our loot to the cash register. The nice thing about Macy’s is that they hold our purchases for us to pick up later so we could continue shopping.

We had to continue shopping because Shawn convinced me I needed red flats to go with that plaid jacket. So much for living on a fixed income.

In the car on the way home, the trunk bulging with our purchases, we congratulated ourselves on our shopping expertise. Everything we bought was on sale. We are good shoppers. Shawn says her epitaph will read “She never paid retail.”

What a great day! Hunting for bargains, laughing, talking and having fun, and at the end of the day I’ve got a cute new zebra print jacket and shiny red shoes. I am grateful for a good friend and great sales!  Life is good, even on a fixed income.

The Sound of Science

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Last week my son-in-law had surgery to restore his hearing. Four years ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We were fortunate that the tumor was operable and benign. A month before the birth of his first child he underwent brain surgery. In the process the hearing in his right ear was destroyed.

Being deaf in one ear turned out to be a bonus with a newborn in the house. Jason could bury his good ear in the pillow and go to sleep with the squawking baby. The down side was that he no longer had stereo hearing. He had lost the ability to tell the direction from where sounds were coming. It was sometimes difficult for him to hear when his good ear wasn’t facing the conversation. He was well aware of these consequences when he had the surgery. We were all grateful that he survived with minimal consequences.
Last week’s surgery will restore his hearing in his deaf ear. A device was implanted in his head that will use his skull to transmit sound waves and bypass his damaged inner ear.

My understanding is that the actual device will attach to this port that is embedded in his skull.  He has to wait at least six weeks for the port to firmly attach to his skull.  Stay tuned and I will post updates of his progress. 

As a kid I remember watching the 6 Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman. I never thought I would have a bionic man in my family! I continue to be amazed at scientific advances. How lucky we are to live in a country where these advances are available. It really is "Better Living Through Science." I’m grateful for the scientific and medical discoveries that will improve the quality of life for my family.

Life is both good and amazing!

Formal Friday

I was called this morning to substitute at the high school for half a day.  Half a day!  I'm not getting out of bed to be paid for half a day; it's not worth the effort.  I declined the job and went back to sleep for another half an hour.  The phone rang again and I was offered a full day subbing in photography.  What a fun day.  The kids were working in an area that they enjoy and they were all engaged and on task. You hear a lot of criticism about today's teenagers, but the majority of them are caring and hard working.  I enjoy talking with them and I learn something new everytime I sub. 

Tomorrow is Friday and a group of kids at the high school participate in Formal Friday.  I had noticed one student who is always dressed in a suit and tie and carries a briefcase...he stands out in the crowd of jeans, t-shirts, and backpacks!  He started a movement to dress up on Friday's.  Now quite a few kids participate.  I wonder if I'll get called to sub tomorrow?  I'll need to shave my legs so I can wear a dress and high heels...it's Formal Friday.  Life is fun!

Just Over The Horizon

I grew up in the late ‘50’s and ‘60’s in Southern California. Our house, on a hillside overlooking the San Fernando Valley, was surrounded by lemon groves until 1958 when developers ripped out the trees and built cookie cutter houses all around us. Almost overnight we had sidewalks and neighbors and one lone tree left standing in our front yard.

On a very clear day we could see the thin band of blue of the Pacific Ocean on the horizon. In the 1950’s pollution alerts were still in the future. The air was clear and warm and kids played outside unsupervised all day long and sometimes late into the evening.

We rarely travelled far from the neighborhood. Family outings were uncommon. Mom, Dad and little brother in the front seat, my brother Leigh and I in the back seat. In those days before seatbelts, my brother and I were welded to the plastic in the back seat by the heat. The only air conditioning was the air blowing in the rolled down windows. With the radio tuned to KHJ we headed through the winding canyon road to the beach. There was a long tunnel cut into the hillside and we begged our father to honk the horn as we drove into the darkness. We emerged again into the bright sunshine and around every turn we quickly scanned the horizon for the first sighting of the ocean. As we came to a rise in the roadway we anticipated the ocean on the other side. My brother and I bickered about who spied the ocean first until my mother would finally turn around and demand that we stop…and we would, for awhile.

I still think of those drives to the beach with my family. Although I live hundreds of miles from the ocean, when I find myself approaching the crest of a hill there’s a little flutter of anticipation and I almost expect to see the ocean on the other side reaching to the horizon. It’s a memory of the pleasure of anticipation. Sometimes it’s the journey not the destination that makes the trip.

I'm enjoying the journey.  Life is good.

Too Much Information?

The danger of this medium is that I become so comfortable sharing my thoughts, opinions, insights and foibles that I cross the line into recklessness. How much is too much information? The gift of retirement is that I am past the point that anyone will be vetting me for appointment to the Supreme Court or even for the position of greeter at Wal-Mart. I continue to be surprised at what other bloggers share on their sites. I don’t think I will ever totally lower my filter…and I wonder if my writing is any less powerful because of this decision? On the other hand, isn’t it awfully self-important of me to think that anyone even cares what I write about?

My brother read my blogs for the first time yesterday and agreed with my perspective that seeking out the positive helps with the path to happiness. He shared with me that his wife has a routine in her daily short drive back and forth to work to think of something that she is grateful for. He is convinced that this gives her the opportunity to think of him twice a day! That was one of my moments of delight for the day. I am grateful to have a brother with a sense of humor. We share an outlook on life that I don’t see in lot of other people. I could bemoan that he lives so far away, or that we rarely see each other, but it is better to celebrate that he is there for me and he gets me and when we get together it is a laugh fest. I think it’s time to make a trip to San Diego.

Shared memories, funny people, family…life is good.

Dancing Into Retirement

As I update my blog I’m watching the Grammy awards. I love the music. I love hip hop, and the Black Eyed Peas, and Pink and especially Lady Gaga. I can sing along with Beyonce and I wish I knew all the moves to her “Single Ladies” dance. Uh Uh Oh!

I listen to this music on my ipod when I’m cleaning the house. I dance around with abandon…when no one else is home. I sometimes listen to my ipod when I’m shopping and I have to remember to restrain myself from dancing. I’m too old to be cool dancing, but not old enough to be eccentric.

I love the poetry in the lyrics. Can't you hear the pain when Pink sings "Please don't leave me" or the longing in Eminem's "Lose Yourself." It's raw emotion.

There’s so much good music and not enough time to dance. I’m grateful for for the music. Life is good.

Great Literature

I just returned from visiting my grandchildren in Austin. They are growing so quickly. My oldest, Megan, will start kindergarten next September. Her sister, Hunter, aka "The Beast", is two. Yesterday morning they both crawled in bed with me, each with an armful of books. What a great way to start the day: two jammie-clad kids cuddling, sunshine just starting to peek in the window, and a plentiful sufficiency of books. This would be a better story if I could say that Nana was importing the wisdom of classic English literature to a new generation. The reality is that they are enchanted with all things princess and I am an indulgent grandmother.

We read about Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, and Jasmine and Belle, and Ariel, who is a mermaid but apparently also a princess. The princesses are always kind to others, polite, friendly and adventurous. While this generation of princesses still looks for Prince Charming, they aren’t bad role models. I’m always quick to point out that the princesses are also intelligent and strong. Not great literature, but a good way to start the day.

Megan cuddled in close, reached up and stroked my cheek and said “I love you, Nana.”

“I love you too.” I replied.

It doesn’t get much better than this. Life is good.

Clear Vision

Since retiring and starting to live on a fixed income, I've considered dropping my membership in Costco. The prices are good, but not unique. The selection is limited, but usually of excellent quality. I wind up buying large quantities of good stuff that goes bad before I can finish it. My last trip to Costco I bought a huge box of wipes for cleaning eyeglasses. It's a gigantic box of individually wrapped cleaning tissues that you usually see by the check stand of a convenience store. It's a little bit of heaven. I get a little thrill each time I open one of the little foil packets and clean my glasses. It is a decadent pleasure. One of those little daily moments of delight that I now take the time to enjoy.


When I was a kid my mother saved tin foil. After each use she washed and rinsed it and saved it for another use. We never had kleenex in a box. Why would you buy kleenex when toilet paper worked just as well and was a lot cheaper? We had store brand bread, not Wonder bread...I lusted after that soft white squishy Wonder bread. Early training is difficult to change. I still use paper towels sparingly and have been known to rinse out lightly used zip-lock bags. We usually eat whole grain breads, but occasionally I buy that soft processed bread and have a tuna sandwich. Ohhh, a little moment of bliss.

I do believe that thrift is a virtue. I don’t squander resources, but it has taken me years to get to the point where I can treat myself to very small luxuries without guilt. Like with most things in life, the trick is maintaining balance. I’m not going broke buying lens wipes; the bills are still being paid. I am conscious of the indulgence and I revel in the enjoyment of using a disposable lens wipe. It’s important to have clear vision.


I think I'll go clean my glasses....ahhhh......Life is good.

The Right Words

Words are important to me. There's such a feeling of satisfaction when I can find exactly the right words to convey my thoughts or feelings. I've enjoyed finding a few blogs with excellent writing. I, of course, compare my pitiful efforts to the blogs I read. I learn a lot reading others and I'm expanding my vocabulary. Here in eastern Oregon we don't use a lot of ten dollar words.

This next week I'm going to visit my granddaughters in Texas. They know how to use language in inventive and evocative ways. Hunter, who is 2, sometimes gets frustrated when she isn't able to adequately express herself with words and will resort to typical toddler behavior and scream. Using language creatively her four year old sister commented, "She's making my ears cranky." Now in our family when a noise, or Hunter, is loud and irritating we say that our ears are cranky. I love language…and the granddaughters!

Life is good.

A Turning Point Every Day

My friend , J, and I drove 50 miles yesterday to attend a workshop. The best part of the day was not the presentation, but the chance to talk in the car. We got caught up on each other's families and how we had each spent the holidays. We talked about the challenges facing our schools with the anticipated budget reductions for the coming year, and, not that anyone would ask us, our solutions for all the problems facing our district .

One thing I miss since I retired is the focused discussions with intelligent, dedicated and visionary people. Most of us got into education because we like kids and we want to make a difference in their lives. When I left the classroom to become an administrator I had the same goal. As an administrator I could help change the system to give kids a better educational environment…or so I thought.

J is now a school administrator and deeply involved in school reform. She was a teacher when I was the vice principal at her school. It was fun to rehash memories from my days as a building administrator. We did some good work back in the day. J reminded me that sometimes it is many years later when you realize the impact of an encouraging word, a wrong turn, or a seemingly insignificant incident.

I am grateful for the people who provided those insights and inspirations for me that had an impact on how I led my life. The people who encouraged me before I had faith in my own abilities pushed me down the path to success. I have a responsibility to be a positive influence for others because I never know when my words or actions could be that turning point for someone else. 

Life is good and I am grateful.

Starting The Day Right

Clean crisp sheets, a down comforter, rain drizzling against the window and I have no place I need to be but toasty warm in bed. For years there was always a reason I had to get out of bed.  Now that I am retired and my children are grown, I have given up the alarm clock and most mornings I spend a few moments just enjoying the comfort of a warm bed before starting my day.  There's no rush.  I can get up or not.  For the first time since childhood, I am fully rested.  Retirement is a gift I get to open every day. 

Life is good and I am grateful.

The Marsha Stipe School of Positive Reinforcement

I am a graduate of the Marsha Stipe School of Positive Reinforcement. We were a small graduating class, made up of school administrators from the district where I worked prior to retirement. Marsha Stipe was our assistant superintendent, my supervisor, a visionary leader and a mentor.

In a rural school district an administrator occasionally has to travel to attend meetings and for required professional development. In eastern Oregon that means driving long distances. Anyone who has traveled with a group knows the challenges . Just deciding where to stop for a meal requires the negotiating skills of Henry Kissinger. The driver faces the additional burden of five passengers who each will share their knowledge of the best route, when to pass a slow moving truck on a blind curve, or how many miles an hour one can drive over the posted limit... and they usually share these tidbits after the fact.

Marsha’s rule for travel was simple…praise the driver. At first it felt artificial. I felt a little silly saying, “Nice job passing that Bekins moving van.” But, when I was the driver I really liked hearing, “Good parking!” The last time parallel parking was praiseworthy, I was in high school. Marsha explained that driving for a group of coworkers was assuming a risk and we should reward a person for taking on the additional responsibility. If we want people to step up to responsibility we need to let them know they are appreciated. We also want them to drive the next time so we don’t have to.

Marsha also believed in heaping praise on the person who made the dining decision. Getting a group of administrators to move is like herding cats. If no one takes the leadership role, you can spend a lot of time with the “Oh, I don’t care. Wherever you want to go is fine with me” discussion. This conversation continues with “Oh, I don’t like Chinese, Cuban, Italian, etc. etc.” until every possibility has been eliminated. I really did appreciate that someone made a decision and just told me what time to meet in the lobby. And Marsha made sure that the person was commended.

I practiced Marsha’s philosophy when traveling for a family reunion in England. My father’s wife, Elaine, was driving the rental car with my father and his three adult children through rural England, negotiating the roundabouts and back roads to get us to an obscure bed and breakfast. None of us knew where we were going but everyone was quick to point out when Elaine missed an exit. At one point Elaine calmly asked that we give her directions before the turn rather than yelling after passing an exit. I remembered the lessons learned at Marsha Stipe’s School of Positive Reinforcement and started to train my siblings on the benefits of positive reinforcement. Driving in a foreign country is stressful enough without criticism. Giving each of us in the car the responsibility to support the driver made the trip a bonding experience. We were all successful when Elaine was successful...and, she continued to drive us around England!

During my administrative career, long after Marsha Stipe had retired, I continued to follow the teachings of the Marsha Stipe School of Positive Reinforcement. I felt an obligation to carry on the tradition. In the spirit of “each one, teach one,” every time I checked out a district van to drive staff to a workshop I provided my riders with a short seminar and I enjoyed the praise of my exceptional driving skills that they heaped on me during the trip.

When we were small we were praised for every small effort. Contrary to what my granddaughter believes, I don’t think we need loud applause every time we use the big potty, but doesn’t it feel nice to be acknowledged just for doing a job well?

I’m grateful for the people who have taught me life lessons. Marsha Stipe was a great influence in my professional life, but she also taught me to be kinder and grateful for the everyday efforts of my peers and family. We are a team. We are in this life together. We must support and encourage each other in our successes.
So, today’s lesson is to practice telling our family and coworkers when they are doing a good job. It makes for a kinder, more supportive environment. Who doesn’t like to hear that they are appreciated? Life is good...tell someone what you appreciate about them and make the world a better place.

Simple Pleasures

I started the New Year by driving through a blizzard in the Columbia Gorge to spend three rainy days in Seaside Oregon. I relaxed curled up with a blanket on the couch in the toasty warm hotel room. The sea raged just outside the window and rain fell all afternoon. I read, snacked, napped, and watched the Rose Bowl football game on TV. All of this was much more satisfying than a usual weekend at home because the view from the balcony was the churning sea. Occasionally a lone surfer in full wetsuit paddled by and then minutes later would ride a long wave back to the beach. At some point I had a moment of awareness where I realized that I was content.

I’ve been thinking lately about what makes me happy. There are the obvious things like spending time with my granddaughters, but there are also lots of little moments of pleasure that I usually don’t take the time to enjoy or appreciate. Watching the ocean on a stormy day from the warmth of my hotel room on the edge of the ocean was a simple pleasure. I’ve made a resolution this year is to try to consciously recognize and appreciate what makes me happy. I want to bask in the small moments of bliss. Did you see me smiling in the car on the way home? It’s a long, long drive, but I was content. What’s not to love about heated leather seats and NPR on the radio?

Now I’m going to post these ponderings and go sit in the hot tub…ahhh, another moment of bliss, another simple pleasure. Life is good.