Everything 50's

I started this post Friday, April 8, when I thought I would be undergoing surgery.  At the time while I was writing, it seemed cathartic, but then I just couldn't bring myself to post it.  I guess I need some time.  I decided to come back to it today and edit it into a weekly or monthly journal.  Maybe when this journey is over or at least when I know more, I can post it. Friday, April 8, 2016      This year I decided I would be really proactive with my health.  I had two partial knee replacements a couple of years ago and have seen a rheumatologist I really like and therefore I was feeling good with my bones and joints for the first time in quite awhile.  I am pretty good at having my yearly mammogram, pap smear, twice-yearly teeth cleaning, and so I added to this finding a primary care doctor and scheduling a colonoscopy .  I watched in tears over 15 years ago as Katie Couric  told on The Today Show  how everyone should ...

I drove out to Heltonville, Indiana today to a graduation party for one of the sweetest students I have ever had; and as I was driving I reflected on Memorial Day and what the holiday means.  Of course, I knew it had to do with honoring those who have died in service of our country, but for me it is a great holiday to also reflect on memories of days past as well.  As I drove, I passed more than three houses set in the country side that were the setting for a party. Cars were plenty in the drives and yard, and everyone was sitting around in a lawn chair circle. It really made me remember. I started thinking about holidays and times spent with my grandparents, my Mamaw and Papaw Whiteley.  I never ever went through a phase in my life when I didn't want to go to an event at my mamaw and papaw's.  I loved it there. I spent the night with them several times when I was a teenager  and even a young adult with my own children; and have so many fond memories. To many,...

Wednesday I received a phone call with the horrible news that my uncle, my mom's baby brother passed away.  I thought when my cousin called she was going to tell me that a new baby was coming to our family so when she gave me the news I was absolutely blown away.  My feelings, however, are not what I want to write about. I want to write about my memories of my Uncle Fred, so that his kids, my cousins, will know how much he meant to me.  I can only hope he knew. The first memory I am going to write about is not really a memory, but a story I have been told.  When I was born I was the first grandchild and my Uncle was only 15 years old.  He was the baby of the family and was a jokester.  I do remember him playing with me a lot at my mamaw and papaw's house and always thought he was the best.  My mother has told me this story so often it seems like a memory.  Evidently he taught me to say the word "shit" thinking it would be really funny to hear a ...

I teach high school English.  This year I am teaching sophomore literature, Indiana Literature, and a class of students who are repeating freshman lit.  My classes are pretty full, some have over 30 students, some just under, so all total I see about 170 students each day.  It has become harder and harder for me to get to know all their names as I get older, and that bothers me. It hurts me when I call a student by the wrong name because I see in their eyes that they must not be important to me.  That is not it at all.  It is that I have three boys in one class who all are brown headed and wear their hair the same way, hang out together in class and I can't tell one from another. Or that I have three Zachs in one class, three Allisons in another, three Alexis in two others, two Brayden's (different spellings), and two Madisons.  I don't know why I can't keep it straight. What does help me to remember them is to get to know them.  I try really hard to...

My husband and I will be celebrating 30 years of marriage in July of this summer. We dated for a whopping one and a half years prior to marrying, so we have actually already been together over 32 years as a couple.  Our first date was in January of 1984 and pretty much once we went out, we were a couple.  It seems that these days 30 years is a lifetime of a marriage, what with so many marriages not lasting nearly that long.  Also seems that it used to be a 30 year marriage was the norm. Do not worry, I am here to tell you how to make a perfect marriage last.  No, I am not. I have no idea. Our marriage is not perfect, far from it.  We have had our trials.  We have had the "for worse" parts for sure.  We just persevered I guess.  There were times in our marriage where it was as easy as breathing for me.  And then there were times it may as well have been climbing Mt. Everest, swimming across the English Channel, or leaping off the Empire Sta...

I really promised myself I wouldn't do this until my gig was up, yet here I am with a glass of wine on a Friday at 4:46 typing away.  One of those days.  And actually it wasn't that BAD of a day.  I made up my mind I was going to change my attitude about a certain group of kids (period 7). And I did. And for today that worked.  But as many of you teachers know it just takes that one kid to knock you down and make you wonder what in the world are you doing here. I really don't know why I am giving - let's call him Joe - a whole blog post, maybe I just need to get him off my chest.  And my neck, and my shoulders, they are tighter than a drum right now. The story is that  "Joe" started this year in one of my classes with me and from pretty much day one he didn't like me.  Don't get me wrong, I KNOW not all kids are going to like me. I have had probably more than a few in my 15 years of teaching that did not, but never have I had one tell me so on a week...

So I have been wanting to do this for awhile. Just write down what is in my head and I really don't like to write on a piece of paper anymore--hand cramps you know.  At any rate, turning 50 has been one of the most surreal things that has happened to me.  For real!  I dreaded it.  I mean countdown, laughed about it, but deep down did not want it to happen, at all.  So I did what every normal gal almost turning 50 does.  I planned to have lots of parties happen in my honor.  Just kidding, but I did let everyone know that I was turning 50 so they would make sure to remember.  And trust me, they did NOT forget! First,  my hubby tells me he is going to take me on a little weekend trip right before my big day --we headed to several southern Indiana casinos--anyone who knows me knows I love to play slot machines. Just the cheap ones and I never spend very much and I am usually pretty lucky (I get that from my mamaw).  So on our way home we c...