Changes...

My poor little neglected blog! I have written nothing since the end of summer when I started back to school. It has been a hectic five months! Since I am home with a vile cold and cough today, it seems as good a time as any to catch up!

After MANY years of working as a full-time speech-language pathologist, I am now working that role on a part-time basis. This year, I was hired as the special education program head for my Middle School - on a part-time basis. It was a full-time position up until this year, but budget cuts changed all that! The Program Head job technically is 3.5 days per week, and the SLP job is 1.5 days. This, of course, is ridiculous, and I work obsessively to make sure that both jobs are completed to my satisfaction. The Program Head job should be full-time, but we will see where that leads. I have to say, I am delighted to still work with my group of students...I would miss them terribly if I did not!

I have also continued my evening work with TinyEYE Therapy Services - I am able to provide speech-language therapy to students around the world via telepractice! It is very exciting work and I have been offered many wonderful opportunities within the TinyEYE therapy team during the past few months!

The trip to the ASHA Convention in Atlanta in November was fantastic! Lots of great workshops, classes, and new ideas!  It was also a great opportunity to visit with my dear friend Candy whom I have not seen for a couple of years. She moved to Georgia in 2009, and I had not been down for a visit. It was a wonderful chance to see each other, and catch up!

We had a lovely, short New Year's trip to the ocean...always my favorite!





And now, here I sit on the couch, with my laptop, tea, and box of tissues...yuck! Time for a little nap!

Day Forty-Eight - Stop

Final day of Summer School... Whoo-hoo! Progress reports are filed, materials are packed up - time to kick back and relax! (Briefly. Before I kick butt and get going on house projects!)

Day Forty-FIve - Stinker

We had a lovely time on vacation. Even our flight home was pleasant overall. The only issue was... The Stinker at the flight gate!  We wanted to tuck ourselves into the back of the gate area, as the whole room was really crowded. We walked down a narrow outside row with our carry-ons and - the guy at the end of the row had his bag across the aisle with his feet propped up on it.   "I'M not MOVING!", He snarls at us. DB stepped over him. I came along with my rolling bag. "Excuse me," I said.


"I AM NOT MOVING I TOLD YOU!"

I passed my bags over his head to DB, then climbed over his suitcase and feet. The Stinker then started to berate us, loudly, shouting about how selfish we were...why didn't we go on the other side...who the hell do we think we are... blahblahblah.

DB got up to use the restroom prior to boarding. As he stepped over The Stinker's bag again, The Stinker shot his foot out AND TRIPPED HIM! DB recovered nicely and kept walking. I said to the jerk "That was unnecessary!" I said it three times. Each time, he denied that he did anything...what is wrong with you people....you are selfish bastards...

And then he picked up his junk and walked away.

Still yelling things at me.

Glad I am me and not him.

Day Forty-Four - Snorkle

Our last full day of vacation... Breakfast at the Marina, and a visit with the Chum Fish. They hang around the docks waiting for tourists to feed them frozen fish chunks that they have just purchased from a vending machine, or until fishermen chuck innards overboard. They are huge, and amusing to watch.

Day Forty-Three - Stormy

It was a beautiful morning here today...overcast and cloudy, just the way I like it!  But as the day wore on, the clouds turned dark, the winds whipped up, and skies opened. Nothing like a tropical storm at the beach to make the day interesting!

By five o'clock, the rain had stopped, the clouds had lifted, and we were back in the pool. I love Florida!

Day Forty-Two - Skeletor

This interesting ship sailed by early this morning. It has been dubbed it "Skeletor"...it looked like skeletal parts were rising up and floating on the water.

Day Forty-One - Sky

Parasailing is the most freeing experience in the world. You are above the noise, the bustle, the craziness. It is one of my most favorite things to do. It is a chance to step into a meditation. Weightless...ageless...endless!

Day Forty - Swim

Short post...

     
        Must....

               Swim...

                       Now!

Day Thirty-Nine - Sales Job

Three hour lunch with time share sales rep...Boring, yet educational

High pressure sales pitch where we continue to counter her proposals with counter-proposals...Amusing yet endless

Walking away without spending a dime...Priceless!!! 

Day Thirty-Eight - Stress

I love vacations - but not so much the process of getting to one. The driver arrived at 4:30am to take us to the airport. Although he drove deathly slow - I figured the cops would stop him for being 20 miles UNDER the speed limit - he didi get us there in plenty of time. Security was a piece of cake. The nonstop flight to Florida was enjoyable enough. We had a little fun with the car... We had it reserved at the wrong airport, so we had to do some Internet finagling to get a good deal. But once we arrived at the beach...it was paradise! We have a beautiful corner room with a panoramic view of the ocean. It is wildly beautiful - it is so worth putting up with my airport anxiety to be here.

Day Fifteen - So Long

Well, the Cape Cod sojourn has ended...DB came down this morning to bring me home. I had a great week...lots of relaxation, and quality time with Dearest Mother. Not ever sure how many more summers she will have in her little house at the beach, so it is nice to spend time together.

We had an uneventful trip back. As nice as it is to be away, it is equally nice to come home to your own bed! Tomorrow...time to plan my summer school schedule.

Day Ten - Sojourn

Ahhh, Sunday! Dearly Beloved and I really enjoyed the day. We took a ride across the Cape to Brewster (to pick up a grill!), drove around, checked out new phones, and did a massive grocery order for Dearest Mother. Do we know how to live or what! Dixie Dog enjoyed herself as well...dog treats and new places to take a little walk - heaven! DB cooked a fabulous roast beef on our Weber, and we had a fabulous dinner!

Day Eight - Slumber

We went for a lovely dinner last night at a favorite restaurant overlooking a large marsh. Great service, great food, great view. The unpacking did not take too long to complete, and the house looked excellent.  Dearly Beloved is coming down later on, after the Saturday Grill Sales are done. It was great to wake up this morning to the steady breezes and the sound of the ocean streaming in the window. Much needed rest!

Day Seventy - Richness

Seventy days. I have accomplished many things during this time, most of which I didn't plan. I have rested and relaxed. I feel that I have recovered my health, even while I discovered a minor health condition. I have taken time to reflect on what I want my life to be in the next few years - prosperous, doing the work that I love, being with the love of my life while we travel and enjoy ourselves together. I have written this blog every day; sometimes it was challenging, and sometimes I didn't have much to say, but I have loved doing it. I have worked, vacationed,exercised, and taken time for myself.

As I watch the white squirrels run back and forth across the top of my fence while they gather and prepare for the winter, I am gathering myself together in thought and in action. I am ready to get back into the busy flow of the rest of my year. I will work doing the job that I love in two or three different venues, but I will be more thoughtful about taking time for myself. I will continue to write in this blog weekly, and enjoy each day of the next forty-two weeks, until time rolls into The Seventy Days of next summer. A bientot!

Day Sixty-nine - Receptive

It is winding down. One more day. I am grateful for the time. I feel healthier, happy, and more relaxed. Nice lunch with a friend today, then off to the trainer for some warrior moves.

Day Sixty - Return

Traveled home today. Saw a crazy goose flying right beside us as we drove along. Mum seems better. I had a wonderful, relaxing week!

Day Fifty-nine - Refined

Cape Cod Times/Steve Heaslip

Our final day of our beach vacation. The breeze sailed through the trees all day, and the whitecaps churned up as the surf pounded in. I sopped up all the wind and salt air that I could, to keep me going until I can get back here again. Mum is feeling better, and we decided to go out for an early dinner at a lovely, elegant restaurant a few towns over. Turned out it was a surprise, early-birthday dinner for me from my mother, and we had a wonderful time. I had salmon that had been poached in a chipotle pepper sauce, served with an avocado mash on top, and surrounded by a pool of crunchy gazpacho. It was fabulous! Mum arranged for a little cake with a candle for me, and I was delighted! To top it off, DB took us to an elegant inn down the street overlooking the water for an after-dinner drink. Again, I got to soak in the ocean breeze while wrapping my cashmere sweater around my little black dress as we sat on the open veranda watching the sun set. It was a divine evening!

Day Fifty-eight - Ray

It was a lovely day. The sun danced among the clouds, the west wind gently blew, the temperature was perfect, and I enjoyed my second to last day at the beach. It has been perfect - we rested, relaxed, made a great dinner, chatted. I did some writing, we shopped, and slept. We were very lazy, and it was delightful!

Day Fifty-three - Rainfall

Nothing like a day at the beach in the rain... DB took off early to head to a grill repair job that he promised he would do - a 90 minute drive each way - and I elected to stay at the cottage. Good choice on my part! I enjoyed my coffee, read my book, chatted with my mother, and just had a great time doing not much of anything! The rain poured down torrentially, accompanied by a fierce East wind that drove it through any open window in its path.  DB was soaked when he returned, but happy that he accomplished his task. We made a great dinner together (well...in reality, he did most of the cooking - I did most of the clean-up!), which we enjoyed. All in all, a lovely vacation day!

Day Fifty-two - Roundabout

In and out the roundabout... We did lots of traveling around rotaries last night and today. Dearly Beloved had a hard time getting going yesterday; we had several false starts - a forgotten suitcase being ONE of the reasons for returning home. DB was also mixing business with pleasure. He restores grills as a hobby, and we had two to drop off on the way to the beach. Thank the Universe  for GPS devices; it saves our relationship! There is something so comforting about hearing British Nuvi's voice droning, "In point two miles, enter roundabout, and take third exit..." Of course, when DB ignores her, and we hear, "RECALCULATING...", then there are two of us to gang up on him about his lack of directional attentiveness...