Cold

Whether I am fighting a cold or allergies is no longer a question.  I feel miserable, it doesn't matter the cause.  I came home from work and went to sleep.  Unless I wake up tomorrow completely refreshed and rejuvenated, it will be a sick day.  It seems too soon in the year to be calling out sick, but I need to be healthy and rest is an important part of that.  At least that is what I hear. 

Today at school in science class we got to go outside and the students figuratively adopted a tree.  They chose one to examine and then write evidence that it was alive.  The school has a little outdoor classroom next to a pond.  It is a beautiful spot and is my happy for today.  They have benches and narrow tables looking out at the pond.  There is a tree there, some kind of pine I think (don't remember), that had a beech tree sapling growing out of it about 15 feet up in the pine branches.  Maybe I will get back there to get a picture of it another time.  I called it a Minecraft tree because in computer games it is possible to plant trees on top of other trees.  This isn't something that happens often in nature, but I guess it does happen. 

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Snippets and a Happy

Today my father would have been 85 years old, his twin is still around but last I heard not doing very well.  There are two remaining sisters and my dad's twin out of 10 siblings.  The oldest surviving is 105 years old. 



Four years ago today C and I began the hike up Mt Washington.  We spent the night at the Lakes of the Clouds hut and saw the Northern Lights.  It was spectacular.

It is quite possible that I am coming down with a cold.  Really hoping it is allergies.  I am performing on Saturday.

Being a paraeducator can be an extremely rewarded job.  Some days that reminder is necessary, especially in the beginning of the school year just getting to know the students.

I survived a meeting with my new supervisor type person at work today.

An old friend (well, ex-boyfriend from the early 1980's) friended me on Facebook today.  This is really only notable because for no obvious reason this week I have been thinking about him and wondering if he was still around.

When I got home from work a friend was here visiting.  She came so I could sign a check for her that requires two signatures.  She was able to visit for a bit and that is my happy for today.

This picture was towards the beginning of our climb back in 2014.

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Nine Eleven

Today's 7th grade students were not yet born when four planes went down in one day leaving the United States in shock.  At school today there was some history taught and a moment of silence for those who lost their lives that day.   Some of the students seemed to understand better than others, just like every other event in history. 

It was also voting day for us, primaries for governor, Senate, House and a few other things.  I was able to make it to the polls in the afternoon before rehearsal.  It concerns me how little information seems to be available for voters about the candidates.  Years ago I found a chart with issues and whether the candidate support or not those issues online.   I'd like to see things like that more around elections.

Rehearsal went well.   Some kinks were hopefully worked out and Saturday the performance will go well.  I'll try not to get too anxious about performing.  I don't feel that I did at Pennsic,  but for some reason, maybe because it is closer to home,  I am feeling it a little more this time.   Rehearsal is today's happy and the time leading up to it.   Gideon tried to read the outline to me over the phone to help.  Phones being what they are, wireless, the reception wasn't the greatest and K ended up doing much of the reading.  The effort was much appreciated. 

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Short Babble.

The adults in the family have been watching Babylon 5 lately and we just finished the first season.  I watched these when they were first aired sometime back in the 1990's.  The writers stuck things in there that touched on either historical things or the way that politics were when it was written.  So there are things that brought back to my mind the end of the Cold War and some other minor things that were in the news back then.  I am aware that this isn't a new thing, but it is weird to remember bits of history based off a show that is based in 2258.    😜


This morning I got a quick look outside and caught a picture of the red sky as the sun was rising.  This afternoon and evening have seen a lovely, mostly gentle rain, falling and cooler air.   This change in the weather is my happy for today.  Tomorrow I may quickly tire of the rain.  Tonight I think the sound may lull me to sleep.  🛌☔

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Down Day

Thinking about the day and feeling like I got nothing done.  I did.  Dishes are done, laundry mostly done, and I worked on but didn't finished a bunch of exchequer stuff.  My body is not as sore as I expected it to be after yesterday's hike.   Even the plantar fasciitis isn't as bad as I expected.  We made it out to an open house/Anniversary party for a few minutes tonight.  That was nice.  Even though we were only there a little while it is my happy for today. 

For whatever unknown reason, today my mood was not as happy as I was hoping it would be.  I will work on that for tomorrow morning.  Being in a good mood for the kids is a thing I need to be.

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Mount Major

When I reached the top, I thought I was going to cry mourning tears.  I had held them back at least three times on the way up.  I imagined how I should have brought a sign "I'm okay. just had a rough summer, appropriate hugs welcome" or some such, so that I wouldn't end up with questions from people who would think I fell or something.  The sign wasn't needed and I didn't cry.  As I approached the top, I felt the tears.  I took a breath and made it the rest of the way up, found the benchmark to take a picture of, then proceeded to look at and photograph the view.  I spent a long time up there looking around, resting (I tried to nap) and taking pictures, but I didn't cry. 

As I headed down I was kind of happy.  There seemed to be a steady flow of people hiking up.  They got smiles and a hello from me.  It was nice.  As I drove away and saw how many cars were parked in the lot and along the street I was glad I got there early.  It was a very busy trail today.  The drive back I felt good.  Most of that feeling was gone by the time I got home.  It was replaced mostly with being tired.  I thought today, this climb, was going to be rough, and it was, but not the way I had anticipated.  There is no real 'done' to mourning, but for some unknown reason, today was good. 

It took around an hour and 45 minutes to climb up today.  I moved slowly and stopped and took breaks often.  I was alone and so I made sure to pace myself.  Mount Major isn't a large mountain, it probably isn't really classified as a mountain at all, but it is a bit of a challenge in places.  And it does go up, which is a bigger workout than walking.  Up was cardio, down was how much can my knees take.  This morning when I woke up, it was the first day in many months that I had no pain from what I believe is plantar fasciitis.  So I climbed a mountain and now it hurts again.  Cause and effect.  Today was a big reminder though of why I want to hike more.  I've done this climb at least 6 times times in my life, once this spring, and the view from the top has never failed to be beautiful and the struggles to clamber up the rocks always worth it.  Being outside hiking is today's happy.

The trail...

The tree won the battle with this cable. 

Looking up the tree with the cable growing out of it. 

Old tree. 

I think that is a chickadee in the middle, but it might be a nuthatch.

 Or something else I suppose.

I didn't get as good a look as I needed to be sure.

And the picture isn't the best.

Red squirrel 

Mushroom...

Foliage 

Views 

Hand on the Benchmark. 

Resting. 

The view while I rested. 

Chipmunk wanted to come and visit me.

I think it smelled the nuts I was snacking on.

That small tree is the same one that is behind my head in the above picture. 

Was once a tree.

Many cars north... 

and south. 

🌄 ☮ 🌄

Friday!!

Surviving the first week of school gets us a pride day.  All the students and teaching staff gather in the gym and a talk is given about expectations, rewards and fund raisers.   Like last year the current fund raiser is penny wars.  Pennies add a point, every other amount subtracts its monetary amount in points from the total.  Last year the winning class got an ice cream party.  I got rid of a few dollars worth of pennies, but on the last day someone put $50 bills into the 7th and 8th grade jars, tipping the scales so the 6th grade won.  I'm not sure how the donations are distributed, most likely to help students go on field trips.

It is Friday.   My happy is making through the first week of school.  I felt much more at ease than last year, I shouldn't have.   Meeting so many new personalities is a challenge that I might have underestimated.   All will hopefully be fine. I'm still not really stressed about everything,  but I wonder if I should be.  🤪

If I wake up super early in the morning I am going for a hike. 

Sun rising. 

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