The Pool is Open!!!!

The pool is now open! We spent the weekend floating around in our floating chairs as the weather turned hotter and hotter. We didn't mind the 90 degree heat. We just floated and floated. This was the earliest we have ever been able to enjoy the pool. Never before have we spent so much time in the pool on a May day.

We do have a May tradition. We always jump in the pool and get completely wet and even try to swim at least one time in May. Usually, Darrell dives in and swims under water to the steps on the other side. I stand there with a towel ready to wrap him up and keep him from freezing. I am not that brave. My usual idea of a May swim is to get in gradually. Yes, I do know that it is torture, but I can't help it. I then get up to waist high and just plunge in. I then rush back to the steps and grab a waiting towel. I always feel proud that I make the plunge, but as I am chattering and turning blue, I wonder what in the world was I thinking.

This year it was different. The water was 80 degrees...just right. The air was in the 80's also. So when Darrell did his dive, it wasn't such a brave feat. Then it was my turn. I actually pushed into the water and swam to the side steps, turned around in the water and swam back. It really wasn't that bad!  Not that big a deal to be in the pool in May this year!

In the pool last year with Audrey!

MEMORIAL DAY 2012

Today is the day that is set aside to remember those who have served to keep us free. One day to thank those men and women who put their life in harms way so we can enjoy the freedoms of this country. There are flags on graves, parades in many towns and cities, and even some fireworks to remind us of what they have done. 

Is it really enough to just set aside one day to remember?  Is it really enough to have one day of fireworks to remember? What about one day to stop and thank those service men and women?

In World War II, my father served along with his younger brother, Aaron. They were not even too far from each other, but didn't get to see each other. That is when my dad received the news that his brother had been killed. This was, of course, before I was born. I heard the story many times and it always made me sad. How unfair. But my dad never complained. It was his duty and he did it willingly and proudly.

This last week our town lost one of their own. Even though I did not know this young man, many people I know did. How difficult it must be for that mother. How difficult it must be for that wife raising a little son. My heart goes out to them all. But even more than that, my gratitude goes to them. They sacrificed something so I could have my freedom. Saying THANK YOU just doesn't seem to be enough.

No, maybe we should have fireworks every night to thank these troops for what they are doing for us. Maybe every day there should be parades shouting our thanks to them. But, the very least we can do is not forget on this holiday weekend to stop and thank these heroes!

Decoration Day

Grave site of my grandparents



Grave site of my parents

It is now called Memorial Day, but before that it was known as Decoration Day. Every year my parents would gather peonies, irises and lilacs. We would put them in large tomato soup cans filled with water. We had been saving those cans for weeks and weeks. Then we would load them up in the truck of the car. We had several cemeteries to travel to that day. We would spend time at each one, getting those cans of flowers placed just right. Those memories have lasted with me over the years.

This year, just like I have done for many years, we made our rounds of several cemeteries. Instead of the live flowers in tomato soup cans, I now purchase artificial flowers from Walmart. I make sure I have red, white and blue individual flowers for my grandparents' big urn on each side of their stone. I make sure I have something that says MOM and another that says DAD for either side of my parents' stone.

This is a tradition that I look forward to every year. It helps me keep memories alive and feel closer to those I've lost. I have been asked, "What are you going to do for the long weekend?" When I answer, "Well, one thing I will do is visit the cemeteries." I hear a version of this reply: "Why?" 

My hope is that this tradition does not get lost. The reason for this special holiday does not get forgotten. I want to be sure to take Graham and his little sister with me someday as we make our rounds of the grave sites. I want to tell them the stories of how as a little girl I would visit with my grandparents these very same cemeteries. I want them to have memories to keep.

Dave's Swimming Adventure!

What a silly dog!

Tonight the weather was perfect to be outside. I was watering our flowers around the pool in our backyard. I always take the hose and pull it as far as I can. That way it doesn't get into the flower beds and disturb the plants. Dave, the dog, was keeping out of the way of the hose and water. He is not a fan of the scary water spray!

Darrell was cleaning off the cover of the pool cover. It protects the pool solar cover when it is rolled up so it doesn't get too hot and dry up. The solar cover was on the pool so perhaps the water will get warm enough to let us swim this weekend! As I was helping him, he would use the brush after I sprayed the cover. All of a sudden, Darrell yelled, "The dog's in the pool!" 

Sure enough when I turned around, there was Dave struggling to swim through not just the water, but also the pool cover!  He was headed for the middle of the pool. We yelled for him to come to the side where we were.  He turned and paddled over, looking scared and confused. I am sure he thought that cover would hold him. It had been holding the birds all day!

I reached down and grabbed his front paws as he gripped the side of the pool.  I pulled his 104 pound body as far out of the water as I could. Darrell came over and lifted the heavy rear end completely out and sat him on the ground. Dave ran to the grassy area and began to shake off the water and roll in the grass.  He was not a happy camper!

Hopefully, this will keep him out of the pool for another summer season!

No more swimming pools for me!

Professional Develpment With Voices in the Park

The Redford Girls from Haley

On Tuesday I was able to do one last Professional Development at Haley Elementary. This is where I did my very first P.D. for FWCS. The staff was wonderful back then and still is great. They were welcoming and friendly. I felt at home immediately. The building coach and I had been planning this event for a few weeks. We wanted to do something fun and yet educational.

For several  years I had been wanting to do an activity that I had seen Frank Serafini do in a workshop. This activity involved the book by Anthony Browne---Voices in the Park. With the new Common Core Standards focusing on complex text, I needed something that would stretch the teachers and still let them see what is meant by that term. This activity did that! I read the book while the building coach showed the pictures on the document camera. The staff then discussed, with a partner, what they were thinking. We then had four teachers who had been previously chosen, come up and do a reader's theater with that book. They did a great job with inflection and personality. Next, the staff was invited to interview any of the characters. What a great job they did! You would have been sure they were the actual characters up there. The staff then shared how they would use this activity in their classrooms. The most important part was the discussion of what made this a complex text.

I did get a picture taken of the building coach and interventionist with me. We had shared a room for several years in that building. The unique thing that made us special was...we each had ties to Detroit. Jamie had lived on 5 mile, my aunt lived on 6 mile and I used to visit her, Jan lived on 7 mile. These were all in Redford Township, so we called ourselves The Redford Girls!

My first retirement gift!

I Didn't Know it Was Going to Be This Hard!

I started the day at one of the schools that I have worked with for a couple years. They had a professional development and I got to be part of it. The teachers listened, they asked questions, they took away information to help them be even better teachers. As they walked back to their rooms, a few of them came up to me.

"Is it true you are retiring?" they would say.
"Yes," I replied with a smile.
"That is good for you, but not for us. We are going to miss you!"

I didn't know it was going to be this hard.

Later, I was visiting another one of my schools. I was invited to go with our language arts coordinator to watch the IREAD3 intervention. On the ride to the school, we had a chance to chat.

"We have to go to lunch soon," she told me.
"Okay, I can do that, " I told her.
"The only thing is, I am going to really try not to cry," she sniffed. "I just don't know how I am going to do this job without your help next year."

I didn't know it was going to be this hard!

Happy Mother's Day

Today I just want to say thank you to my wonderful mother...Ida Mae Parkison Brand. Even though she is not with me physically, she is always in my heart. I learned so much from her and gained so much from her. She was always there for me, encouraging and cheering me on to become the person I am today. Because of her challenging me and pushing me to do things I never would have done without her, I am who I am today.

I am also so thankful for the chance to be a mother to the most amazing son. I am so proud of  him and his family. My life is better just because I have them in it. He is everything a mother would ever want. I could not love him more than I do. Thank you, Todd, for being a wonderful son!!!