the weather, outside, it is frightful

I won't sing the other line about delightful fires, as a neighbour recently had a fire in her house (some idiot thought putting the stove warranty in the broiler pan was a grand idea) and had to move out.   We've enjoyed hot and muggy weather all weekend, but this morning a storm brought much more seasonal temperatures.

Now I'm ready to bake Christmas cookies!  

"Don't let your tinsel get tangled"

was the wisdom I saw on a billboard...as I walked around the lake in the EXACT same outfit I wore in July.  Yes.  It's hot.

But we're still getting ready for Santa.  Did a test run of the cookies last night, and what do you know?  I think the reindeer came by and ate them.

Thanks be for friends who understand exactly what kind of white board is needed for my fridge and for the past year~fun gift to receive today.

Santa & SPF

Are not usually words I connect, but after feeling like I got a sunburn while out walking errands today, I may reconsider.  A balmy 80 degrees today.  Christmas may have to be a bbq event this year.

A beautifully crafted pot-holder arrived today from Lancaster, PA.  I may have to run the a/c to delve into any baking project right now.  

delicious evil

Finally used some of my bday monies to replace some flats that were shredding off my feet.  With all the miles I walk, am curious as to how many happen with specific shoes.

And, as per usual, since my body succumbed to whatever plagues were going around campus~decided to just delve into all the sugar I've been avoiding.  We'll return to greens and garlic another day, because...

After 24 days of disconnectedness~I HAVE INTERNET AT HOME!!!!  Woo-hoo.   Now I have movies and music to go along with the stacks of library books that I have piled around.  Vacation is commencing now! 

magic

Our lovely LS art teacher Meg, offered a painting class the afternoon between school and the evening Lessons & Carols.  Despite all of us thinking we couldn't actually paint anything recognizable (we were to bring in photos of our pets), her method worked!!

 

Voila!  My first real painting.

Lessons & Carols

Some images from what has occupied my heart/mind for the past several weeks....

I LOVE that this child showed up in a tux (with the tags still on the sleeves.)

Bell choir.

Action shot.

The sweet 5th graders.

Drummer drumming on our cool processional Gaudete.

This 6th grade class is one of my all-time favourite classes in the 15 years I've been teaching~they're eager, curious, funny, and smart.  And they say thank at the end of every single class or rehearsal.  Classy.

 

A  moment of warm ups.

These little guys belt out with gusto.  Can't wait for tomorrow's Trail of Lights with this group.

Master of the Flat

Am going to be doing a painting project tomorrow with one of our fabulous art teachers and I needed a pet photo, so I made Bogart pose this morning.

He's still a little cross that he was penned up in the bedroom yesterday as they supposedly came to fix my hot water pressure.

Faculty Appreciation Holiday Luncheon!  Yes, it included a baked potato bar, soups and breads and salads, but the desserts were the prettiest thing there!

Two Lessons & Carols performances tomorrow~70 singers, 12 string players, 9 bell ringers, a small ensemble, 7 tech kids.....my brain's spinning, but we're ready.

odds (lovely) and ends (of the building)

A very fun belated bday gift arrived this week~look forward to break and using my oven.

A gorgeous wooden angel appeared as another belated b-day gift.

The sketchy laundry at the back of my building.  How this is safe~on any level (rain/electricity~hello?).  I will only be doing laundry during daylight hours this winter.

.06 miles of bad road

This will be a random mish-mash of catching up from the past week or so.  This is Livvy~sweet dog that I at times housesit.  She was my host for Thanksgiving dinner.

One of the worst moves of my life~warm and pouring all morning.  Fired the inept movers (after they moved my bed, which is the only object that I cannot lift on my own).  And finished moving by myself (as everyone I know was either pregnant/bad spines/out-of-town) in the pouring cold rain.

Settling in.

Gorgeous trees outside my classroom.

our thanks we raise

This month has been a bit bumpy for myriad reasons and on several levels~there still are quiet thanks to give:

~my tummy is still stuffed with delicious foods.  From a meal that I was forbidden to contribute to, serve, or even do the washing up.

~the sweet puppy who was my shadow for the afternoon.

~my worldly goods are ready to be stuffed into a truck tomorrow; come hail, ice, or high waters, all of which are predicted.

~24 hours from now, I will be ensconced on my new lily pad.

why go veg...

Any questions?

You're welcome.

November scenes

T-day dinner #1 was on Sunday with some former colleagues and their grad-school children.  Tomorrow and Thursday's dinners will be with current colleagues.  It is not all bad to be alone and moving on a holiday~such kindness & food is being shared with me.

Now that I have free days, back to lots of city walking during the daylight and finding pennies!

Almost ready~at that peevish level of packing where all that's left is the humidifier and the popcorn kettle and other detritus that doesn't fit neatly into a container.  

(Also, while I've got photos uploading, the blog site is not allowing me to reply to your comments.  So.  Know that I'm not ignoring your visits!)

want ALL the puppies

Started volunteering at this incredible organization this morning.  It's bit of a mixed blessing~I do get to have my puppy fix, but it's heart-breaking to see so many abandoned pets.   And I want to adopt them ALL.  Or, mostly all.  I'll skip the 130 lb Mastiff that I met this morning. 

But it is heartening, in a world of shrieking politicians and horrors, to feed a baby kitten or walk an antsy dog and know that something small has shifted towards kindness in the dark.