The School Nurse Speaks

Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-27T08:03:00.000-04:00

I think I have discovered the source of my lack of creativity....it is called lack of sleep. Last night for the fourth night in a row, I had less than two hours of sleep. Try to go to sleep early....maybe I sleep for the first 30 minutes....then I wake up and am up until 4. Since the alarm goes off at 5:30, this is not the best scenario. Melatonin did not even do it for me last night and I cannot take Ibuprofen or Tylenol this week as I am having a colonoscopy on Friday.... You think the thought of the prep and procedure has something to do with my sleeplessness....I could go to sleep right now but that would not work since it is 8:00AM and my work day is just starting.
Thanks for listening.....time to go to ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Oops sorry I dozed off for a minute.

Someone important....

2011-09-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

Last week and again this week, JBM had a writing assignment where he was asked to write about someone important in his life. We started by making a long list of options....should I be concerned that I had to twist his arm to add his Mom and Dad. I was concerned that we were not obvious choices......
Anyhow, the list was narrowed down to three people...Grandpa, Cool J (Ellen's son) and our Colonel friend at West Point. The Colonel was the choice both times. When he was done with his pieces, the thing that impressed me the most was JBM's reasoning...."the Colonel is important to me because he lives his life to guarantee the freedom and safety of mine." For a child who hates to write this is a rather profound point....and very true.

Sandwich...

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

No this is not a recipe.....I wish it were.

I was thinking yesterday about why I have not blogged in such a long time. It is mostly because I am a member of the sandwich generation and I am the filling of the sandwich. My Mom is 93 and my son is 10. Trying to balance their lives and mine is a daily challenge....

I love my life and everyone in it but there are times I resent not having a few moments to breathe. Soon enough I know I will have plenty of time when Mom is no longer with us and Junior Bird Man is out of the house.....I relish the days I have now....but my Gold status at Kohl's is in jeopardy!

Let's try this again.....

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

If I still have any followers, you most likely noticed that I have not blogged in several months. Somehow. coming up with something witty and interesting to write about each day lost its appeal for a bit and life seems to have taken over....but enough whining....I am going to try again to be entertaining or at least get some thoughts out of my mind to share with those who still care.

Until tomorrow........

New Season

2011-04-25T08:55:00.002-04:00

After a brief hiatus and marked absence of sports participation....the new season starts today. Baseball! FlyBoy is not managing the team this year but is assisting as a coach. The jury is still out on the manager....and the team but JBM is happy to be back "into the swing of things." I think that was a pun intended on his part.

Happy Monday. Will have some vacation photos to share later this week of a surprise encounter for JBM and me.

Better Days?!

2011-03-21T08:47:00.002-04:00

So I am hoping that this week will bring some better days....nothing life shattering going on but a few things that have left me feeling less than enthusiastic.....

Got the results of the school nurse certification exam that I spent six months studying for....I missed passing the exam by one question! So I spent some time this weekend dusting off the books and making a plan to study some more and take the exam again in August.

Had some "minor" oral surgery last Tuesday. Saturday night it occurred to me that six days later, my mouth should not still be swollen, I should not look like I am carrying a golf ball around in my mouth, my mouth should not be throbbing and it should not be warm to the touch....can you spell infected! Now on antibiotics for 24 hours and feeling much better. The packing comes out tomorrow and I hope that the graft took! Glad this happened with the last surgery and not the first.

On a happy note....it is Spring. Although I did drive through snow on the way to work today.

Happy Monday!

And a week later......

2011-03-16T08:31:00.002-04:00

Last night was the Squirt House championship game against the Devils. JBM's team is the Rangers. The Rangers were flat and the team's goalie looked like he wanted to be somewhere else.....JBM and his line played their hearts out but the team lost 2-0. The Rangers were robbed of a goal in the third period by the referees but that is what live sports is all about.

Lots of tears at our house last night and in the locker room after the game....it is hard to watch but you've gotta love the passion! TSAnnie tells me that the tears will shift from JBM to me some day....that has already happened.

On to baseball.........waiting to see what team he will be on. FlyBoy has chosen not to manage this year.

Good sports day......

2011-03-09T10:10:00.003-05:00

In between school work and CMTs, JBM loves and plays sports....recess and team.

Yesterday was a good sports day in our house......at recess JBM scored the only touchdown in the football game and won the game for his team. Hockey playoffs started last night....I normally do not go to the games but thought I should go to the playoffs. Did not arrive until the beginning of the second period but arrived just in time to see JBM score a break away goal! Yeah.

On a side note, FlyBoy has asked me not to come to any more games as I am a bit too enthusiastic with my cheering.....boo hoo. However, I was the first one to notice that there were not enough kids on the ice for one of the shifts and my voice carried better than everyone else to get the coaches attention and JBM on the ice in time for an assist. The head coach thanked me later.

I guess living with a mother who is profoundly deaf has some benefits :0

Happy Wednesday.

School Haiku

2011-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone seems to be thinking in haiku this week so I thought I would join the fun?! Here is mine:

School hurts at age nine
March is now CMT time.
School will hurt Mom more.

For those who do not know what CMTs are, the letters stand for Connecticut Mastery Tests and they are given in all schools for grades 3-8 during the month of March. Every student takes them and every bit of education that has occurred to this point in the school year is geared toward the CMTs. I cannot wait for them to be over....we will have many visits to the health office in the next two weeks (stress and exhaustion) from both students and teachers. And I will have a very tired child at home at the end of the each day.....pray for me.

The Best of Times

2011-02-28T10:57:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day back to work after our February school break. I think it is safe to say that we all had the best of times.....
JBM spent a few days with Ellen and her hub. They went to the Liberty Science Center, bowled a few games, played miniature golf outside and had a good time all around. Of course, it does not hurt that Ellen and her hub indulge most of JBMs desires while he is visiting. We all love them for that!
FlyBoy and I get to spend a few days to ourselves and did so on the Outer Banks. The weather in February is unpredictable but there was no snow so that means everything. We took nice walks, did a little shopping and ate a fabulous dinner each night at our favorite restaurants that do not have chicken tenders on the menu.
We all are so blessed to have Ellen and her hub as our friends....they are not really friends....they are family of the best kind. Thanks to them for their kindness, hospitality and open hearts!
We all love you! You are the best!

Big Changes Ahead

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the past two weeks, I have gotten a glimpse to what lies ahead in the next school year. Normally, I try not to think ahead as it is all I can do to get through current life....but these events have left me no choice..... Last Friday, the principal of our school announced he would retire at the end of the school year. He has lead the school for the past 10 years and been an educator for over 39 years so I guess it is time. Then, yesterday, my immediate boss announced she would be retiring at the end of the school year. Needless to say, next year could prove to be very different....but I am up for the challenge and, no, I have absolutely no interest in taking my bosses place!

On a thankful note, the Mom of the child who is currently in preschool and is a brittle diabetic told me the other day that she is considering leaving him in preschool for one more year. That would be a big relief for me.

Happy Friday everyone....more snow is on the way....UGH!

iPad Obsessions

2011-02-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Santa was kind enough to bring me an iPad this past Christmas. Since then I have a set of new obsessions (as if I needed more). My most favorite is playing Words with Friends. It is an electronic version of Scrabble that you can plan with other iPad and iPhone users. I have had an ongoing game with TSAnnie. So far she has beat the pants off of me every time....of course she does not have a nine year old playing in her absence. The concepts of Double/Triple letter and Double/Tripple word placement escapes JBM. He is just so happy to be able to play a word for me and proud to find a new way to use his growing vocabulary and help his Mom at the same time.....gotta love it!

With another storm on the horizon.....

2011-01-31T09:41:00.002-05:00

Here is my question for each of you today......

Washington, DC

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

A trip to Washington, DC for business turned into an exciting opportunity for JBM and FlyBoy. I left on Tuesday and they joined me on Thursday. Not without some drama at home as FlyBoy had to find alternate care for Hope before he left. Once they arrived, they had a wonderful time. Our Congressman helped get them a tour of the Pentagon and the Capital Building. They also visited the top of the Washington Monument and Arlington Cemetery. Together we took a night tour of the city which was wonderful.

It was a wonderful bonding experience for the boys and we also enjoyed interstate train travel which none of us had ever done before. I think we may have found a great alternative to traveling by plane....within reason of course.

Unfortunately, we were not invited to dinner at the White House. Maybe next time.......

Man's Best Friend

2011-01-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Our weekend was filled with emotion. We said good bye to our special pet, Hope, yesterday. She was 14 years old and had been steadily declining in health. By Monday morning, she was no longer walking well or eating. We were all with her (incluing JBM) and she went peacefully.

This is never an easy decision but we went to bed last night knowing we had a new guardian angel to watch over us.

We love you sweet girl!

The First Gift of Christmas

2010-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

We visited with Ellen and her hub this weekend for their annual Holiday Open House. It is always such a fun time as they have a wonderful group of friends and neighbors.

While visiting, JBM received his first gift of Christmas. No it was not a silver bell that only those of us who believe in Santa can hear. JBM had seen Ellen with a LED book light and thought how nice it would be to have for those days when he starts (or finishes) his homework in the car. So, that is what he received and he also has a new lap desk for the car.

The first official use of the desk....writing a letter to Santa on our way home yesterday!

Thanks to Ellen and her hub for a great weekend and a wonderful gift! Both will be well used and loved!

Copycat Meme

2010-12-06T08:46:00.002-05:00

Ellen and Kate at Chronicles of a Country Girl have this meme on their sites and I loved it so I will play along too!

1. Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider? Definitely hot chocolate or as Fly Boy and Ellen's hub would say hot chauwcolate (northern NJ accents).

2. Turkey or Ham? Love turkey but Christmas dinner needs to be beef.

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it yourself Christmas tree? We do fake as I am highly allergic to pine. We do go to the local tree farm to enjoy the festivities.

4. Decorations on the outside of your house? Lighted wreaths and a blow up of Santa flying a helicopter. Would you expect anything else?

5. Snowball fights or sledding? Sledding

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping? We do not have a downtown for shopping and I hate the mall but I do try to shop with the vendors in town.

7. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies? Love to watch them and our family favorite is Miracle on 34th Street. It has to be the original one with Natalie Woods.

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Before the decorations go up in our house....Thanksgiving weekend.

10. Stockings before or after presents? After...we used to do them on Christmas Eve but with JBM that cannot be done any more.

11. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them? We do not have any in our area...they would get killed trying to maneuver our road.

12. Go to someone else's house or they come to you? We have Christmas Eve at our house and go to my Brother's on Christmas Day.

13. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so, when? We read both the Christmas Story and the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

14. What do you do after presents and dinner? Get in the car and head to the OBX for the rest of the week.

15. What is your favorite holiday smell? Cookies baking.

16. Ice skating or walking around the mall? Always prefer to be outside!

17. Do you open present or presents on Christmas Eve or wait until Christmas Day? Christmas Eve with my extended family and Christmas Day with our little family.

18. Favorite Christmas memory? The first year that JBM took piano lessons, he learned Silent Night for the Christmas recital and it made FlyBoy cry......I love it.

19. Favorite part about winter? Playing in the snow with JBM and then having hot chocolate in front of the fire when we are done.

20. Every been kissed under the mistletoe? Yes. The one kiss I miss the most is the one from my Dad.

Let's keep playing!

"I don't want to go to school, Mom."

2010-11-18T07:48:00.003-05:00

I know we have all either said this to our parents or heard it from our kids over time. Up until this week, I had never once heard it from JBM. These words came out of his mouth on Monday morning and I was shocked! Fourth grade has been challenging. While the work load is not much different, the teacher is...... We went from warm and caring with lots of re-enforcement to aloof and no re-enforcement at all! The other night, I walked into JBM's room to check in while he was doing his homework and found him crying. Just rip my heart out on the spot!

So what do FlyBoy and I see as a result.....self-confidence is plummeting and the desire to do those things he loves outside of school (hockey and piano) are being self questioned as he thinks he no longer has time....excuse me? As a nine year old child, should JBM be soul searching the rest of his life and giving up what he loves? I don't think so.

School conferences are this week and somewhat to my relief, I am hearing similar things from other parents in the classroom. I guess I feel comfort in numbers and we have all decided we need to say something to both the teacher and the administration. Being a member of the school staff, I have to be careful what I say and how I say it. Hmmmm...maybe I need to leave that up to FlyBoy.

We all remember those one or two teachers we loved and hated for the rest of our lives. Guess JBM is starting his list....

As always, thanks for listening...I feel better now.

On Line Education

2010-11-12T08:32:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in my prior posting, I started an online class two days ago. Similar to college, I started the class with an assignment that was due for that class that had been posted one hour prior to the class.....HUH? As an adult, I have other things going on in my life and surprises like this are not always easy to manage.

So here is what I think of on-line education so far:

1. Students need a primer before the class starts on the teachers expectations.
2. How are we supposed to know what criteria to choose for posting and what our role is in the on-line application we are using (student was not one of the options)?
3. It is always comforting to know that you are not the most technically challenged in the class.
4. Nurses are technology challenged in general and like to complain about it to anyone who will listen!
5. I had the role of Help Desk geek during class the other night as I was one of two participants who had logged in ahead of time and palyed around with the application.
6. Attending class through a chat room is weird and un-natural.....but the reality of our life today.
7. I need a new computer.....my computer could not handle a podcast, powerpoint presentation and a chat room all at the same time.....Santa, are you listening?!

Now I have homework to do that is due in three hours.....not going to happen.

Happy Friday!

A new first...

2010-11-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

Hey all....I am back. Don't know how often but I could not stand the guilt I felt by looking at the date of my last post and the sideways pickles one more minute!

Anyhow, I am starting an online class tonight at a university in Seattle. I have never been to school on-line before nor have I ever attended a university in Seattle before. It is a review course of a national certification for school nurses. Several of my friends have asked me why I am taking the course and taking the four hour exam. Passing the exam does not earn me any more money or distinction. This is one of those things that I am doing just for me. Studying the ins and outs of school nursing will improve my skills and knowledge in many ways and that will make me a better care taker for the kids at school. Maybe some day the certification will also mean more money.....but until then, it is just for me!

Another new first, I have been asked to present at a national conference. I applied to be a trainer for Managing Asthma Triggers and was accepted! If the school district approves my attendance, I will be headed to Washington DC in January. Not the best time of year but I see this as a great opportunity to stretch my skills.

Finally, my boss is going away this weekend to New Orleans and has asked me to step in as her sub on an elementary school level. She has never asked me before. If she thinks she is grooming me to take her place.....NOT!

Now if I could just find the time to download some awesome pictures from my life in the past three months, I can get this whole blog thing started again.

Pickles

2010-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

We finally had a weekend at home with no commitments and no work to get in the way. So what did that mean for Nurse Nancy....pickles! We have harvested seven picling cucumbers so far. Made the brine (thanks to Ellen for the recipe), bought the dill and garlic and here they sit in the jar waiting to be consummed. I will let you know what my critics think!

Sorry for the sideways photo and "crick in your neck." I cannot figure out how to fix it.....

4 Weeks Down and 2 to Go.....

2010-07-26T13:11:00.002-04:00

I hope....this has been a long summer for me. It is in my nature to go until I collapse from exhaustion. Having knee surgery has slowed me down and limited me far more than I thought it would. Recovery is going well and I am now crutch free....I am starting mile walks this week and taking the dog (poor Hope won't know what hit her). Hopefully, by the time we go on vacation, I will be ready for longer distances and even some running. I never thought I would miss running but I do....

I think (I know) that when I run I feel entitled to eat more ice cream....haven't had any since my visit with Ellen. Boy do I miss ice cream and Ellen, of course.

On a side note, it is comforting to know that even my sadistic physical therapist is human. He torn his medial meniscus last week getting off a treadmill and will be rehabing along side me within the next week. Guess I can show him a thing or two.....

Happy Monday.

Vegetable Choices

2010-07-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

As promised, we have cooked and consummed our first harvest. Normally, I would assist in making the choices of seeds but this year, JBM decided he would buy them himself with FlyBoy. The results....about half way through consumming the sugar snap peas, JBM asked me if he needed to finish them. Of course, I said yes......and waited for the second half of the conversation...... "Mom, you know I love peas...but I don't love these." Oh well, we learn as we go. Moral of the story, next year, I will be present for the purchase of the seeds....and we will stick with frozen peas for now.

First Harvest

2010-07-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

JBM and I came home after a week to find that some of our crops were ready for harvest. The extreme heat of the week had taken a toll on the pea plants but the harvest was OK. The burgundy beans look as if they will be plentiful this year. Here is a photo of our lovely treats! By the time you read this, we will have cooked and eaten all of them and will be looking to pick more.

By the way....I was right that the first harvest was before 7/15......I will try not to gloat too much :)

The tomatoes are huge and look like they are going to be plentiful. I think the plants have topped five feet in height! Any bigger and I will be picking them off a ladder! But I heard a story on NPR that the blight from last year is back....I hope not!

Surgery

2010-07-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Just had knee surgery last week. Arthroscopic and thankfully somewhat minor. What have I learned? It is really hard for me to slow down and ask ANYONE for help (including my own family). And with modern day medicine, there is no babying yourself anymore. PT started two days post op...it hurt but I worked hard and felt som much better! Six weeks before I can start running again....I cannot wait.

They Grow Up Fast

2010-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe that JBM has just completed the third grade. While our lives have changed so much in the past nine years, we would not trade the parenting experience for anything in the world. Each day, something happens or is said that makes us laugh..maybe cry...and always swell with pride. I could do without being corrected every five minutes....and I know it will only get worse.

The first photo was taken the first day of school and the second on the last day of school. Subtle though it may seem...I think he grew up a lot over the course of the school year. Always fun to compare....now these photos will go into the scrapbook I started in Pre-K. First day, last day and class picture each year. I hope it will be a cherished memory for all of us some day.

Signs of things to come....

2010-06-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

The vegetables are maturing and beginning to flower. A sign of things to come. We cannot wait.... The photo on the left is the flower on top of one of the pea plants and the one of the right is the first flower from the tomato plants.

We hope for many good harvests....I am being told that the first cannot occur before 7/16 according to the package of seeds. I think it will be sooner.

Summer is here!

2010-06-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the last day for the kids and today is the last day for me! Yahoo! Happy Summer everyone.....

Garden Update

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Well...it has been a bit over a month since my last post and the garden is planted. We have had an ideal Spring for planting. Perfect temps, just enough rain and lots of sunshine. And, as you can see, all those factors combined with JBM's hard work have paid off. We will soon be harvesting peas, tomatoes and burgundy beans...and soon after that German yellow beans and cucumbers. YUM!

The Process Begins

2010-05-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

JBM could not wait another moment and neither could I.....the weather was predicted to be warmer and it was scheduled to rain. So we came home and decided to start planting. So the sugar snaps peas are in and the tomato seedlings are too. In another week or so, we will add the cucumbers, the burgundy beans and some special German yellow beans from TSAnnie. We hope we did not take too big a chance.....

To play or not to play......

2010-05-12T08:43:00.002-04:00

Woke this morning and it is drizzling, foggy and cold. FlyBoy thinks that it is OK to play baseball in this weather....for eight year old boys to play baseball in this weather. It is not like they are making millions a year like the major leaguers...and he obviously does not have to deal with the kids who come down with colds from playing in the cold and wet..... I think our only saving grace would be for all the games to be canceled. I can only hope and ask the coach to "get a clue!" If only I was not married to him :)

We are ready.....

2010-05-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

......but the weather is not. JBM is so anxious to get out and plant seedlings and seeds in our raised vegetable bed. We have decided to keep the crop simple this year: tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas and burgundy beans. We worked diligently on Sunday to turn the soil, add some manure and fertilizer and plan out what goes where. Now if only the temperatures would cooperate...temps of 25-29 at night are not exactly planting weather!

Southern Living

2010-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

There is something very special about southern living. The people are warm and friendly and life is a bit less frenzied. I have had two experiences this week that I wish I could say happen to me in the Norhteast.
First, I was in the local Home Depot looking for some mulch. A gentleman on a fork lift saw me reading signs, stopped and asked if he could help me. While the product I was looking for was sold out, he recommended a similar product (which was cheaper), loaded it on a flatbed cart for me and loaded it into my car. Would that happen in my local community? Pardon me while I laugh and cry at the same time.
The next day, I was in the grocery store shopping for wine. Don't get me started on how much I love buying wine in the grocery store. I was looking for another bottle of a wine we had the first night we were here. Another pleasant gentleman stopped what he was doing, came over the help me and went into the store room to bring out the wine I was looking for.....again, would this happen in the Northeast? I think not.
I want to live in the south and hope to have that dream come true some day.

Toy Story Revival

2010-04-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are looking forward to the release of Toy Story 3. Toy Story 1 and 2 have been favorites in our house for a while. In traveling through a big box store a few weeks ago, I came across the Bucket O Soldiers.....Ellen's spawn had this same bucket and spent hours playing with them. I bought a new bucket for JBM. He has been having a ball waging war between USA and Japan (WWII) on the cocktail table and in the driveway with water pistols! Such fun...oh and the bucket has had an interesting entertainment factor as well.

Livin' the Life

2010-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are currently away for spring break and visiting the beach! All in our family love the beach and JBM especially enjoys southern living because it means quiet time in the morning...and not having to "get up and go" first thing every day. This photo seemed to capture the moment.
Has been a great week for all so far...as you can see, Hope gets into the relaxation act too.
Do we have to come back?

Gaaaatorland

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

In looking back at this blog, I realized that the story of our trip to FL was never completed. Guess the brain was waterlogged by the rain storms in March. So now is the time to complete the adventure.

The last day of the trip, JBM, FlyBoy and Ellen's hub made the exciting trek to Gatorland. This was the one place that Ellen's hub did not want to miss as it was featured to be a "slice of old world Florida." Well, since I did not go, I had to rely on the word of the boys. Two thirds of the troop thought it was thrilling...the other one third? Let's just say, if you have seen one gator you have seen Gatorland? Anyhow, it was enjoyable to live vicariously through the experience.

First, Ellen and I enjoyed the stories from JBM and Ellen's hub. They were thrilled at the sight, size and number of gators. They enjoyed the "jumping" show and also had the chance to feed the alligators. Then there were the text messages from FlyBoy. Don't get me wrong, he had fun too but was done with the experience a little sooner than the others....each text message had a few more "a" in the word Gator.

The visit to Gaaaaaatorland seemed like appropraite way to end a vacation that started with a day at the Daytona 500. Can you say "redneck"?

Waiting......

2010-04-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Every morning before school, JBM and Hope hang out together and wait for the High School bus to stop across the street. This morning, Hope decided that JBM made the best pillow going. Truly a peaceful moment.....a dog and his boy.

Happy Tuesday.

My Two Geeks

2010-04-12T08:00:00.002-04:00

Dateline did a special last evening of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 13. Needless to say, my two men were glued to the TV for the full hour.....not a word was spoken, except during commercials and this was the position for the full hour.

A priceless moment...enjoyed by me and captured forever.

Really?!

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

A little more than a week after having 8-10 inches of rain over 36 hours, there is a Fire Weather Advisory posted for our area for today. This means that conditions are ideal for a brush fire. Really? I still cannot walk in portions of my back yard for fear of sinking into a wet murky puddle..... I guess if a fire breaks out, it would go out fast!

On a happy note, it is going to be 85 here today! Woo hoo!

We are back!

2010-03-18T09:57:00.002-04:00

After being off for three days due to the storm over the weekend, we are back today..... It is like we never left. Two hours into the school day, the door has not stopped opening. I think we have many cases of post traumatic stress disorder. I feel for everyone in our community. This has not been easy for anyone. Hope it gets better with each passing day.

40 Bag Update

2010-03-17T08:10:00.002-04:00

With a big storm this past weekend and a few unexpected days off, Nurse Nancy has taken full advantage..... This was the weekend I had planned to clean the basement. The weather had other plans and I spent part of the weekend cleaning water out of the basement. Once the first job was completed, I moved on to the second. The results:

10 more bags of garbage
One trip to Goodwill (with the back of the truck completely filled)
A bag of baby clothes for a friend (was JBM ever that small?)
.....and a dead end.

The rest of the "stuff" that needs to sorted and evaluated belongs to FlyBoy. I think I will be old, gray and crippled by the time he gets around to it....sigh.

KSC

2010-03-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

If anyone asked JBM what we were doing for February break, his answer was "Going to Kennedy Space Center." So, of course, our trip would not have been complete without a visit to KSC. What a fun day.....included a briefing on the current mission, lunch with an astronaut and a tour of both my childhood and JBM's present space life. I do not think anyone can appreciate how primitive our space program was and how brave early astronauts were until you see up close what surrounded them in space. We also realized how far we have come and how far we have to go.
On a side note, JBM walked up to our tour guide at the first photo stop and told him that he planned to be the first astronaut to walk on Mars. He is about the right age...

The Disney Cure

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have blogged in the past about JBM's "need for speed." Well, Disney had the temporary cure for this...or maybe it made matters worse?! Here we are at the Tommorrowland Speedway. First he was happy to let me drive...but that did not last long. Do you think I can limit his teen driving years to an annual trip to Disney and a few passes around the track? I can dream can't I... :)

At one with Nature......

2010-03-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

While waiting out our reservation for dinner at Epcot, we enjoyed the warm weather and the seating around a nearby fountain. Also enjoying the fountain was a mallard duck couple. What was most interesting to us was that they did not seem to be begging for food and were not the least bit concerned about the people around them. It was fun to watch....in addition, as we strolled through Epcot, Flyboy noticed a mature bald eagle flying above us. It could not have been more the 100 feet in the air. Too beautiful!

Test Track

2010-03-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I talked about Epcot Center and some of the fun things we did. Top of the list for JBM was Test Track. For those of you who have not had this experience, it is an exhibit sponsored by GM where the rider is taken through the experience of test driving a new car before it is sent to the showroom. The most exciting part of the ride is the speed component where the rider is taken up to 65 miles per hour before the brakes are abruptly applied. Based upon the photo above, I think it is safe to assume that JBM had a good time.

p.s. The arm in the photo belonged to me. Good time? Not so much but the ride was short and sweet so I survived.

Vacation Day 2 - Epcot Center

2010-03-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our second day was the warmest day of the week and we jumped at the chance to wear shorts in February. It felt so good even though we did need jackets.
I had not been to Disney in over 22 years and JBM had never been there at all. I was not sure if I was more excited to be back or to have the experience with JBM.
So what had changed? New exhibits, new experiences and still all good things. Loved Test Track, Mission Space and Soarin' Although I have to admit I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to rides so the exhibits mentioned were the outside edge of my comfort realm and well worth it.
We dined in Germany. JBM's Oma was one of the best German ladies I ever met and a great cook. Flyboy and I really loved the Rouladen (beef dish) and both thought it tasted just like Oma's did. Have not had anything that good in 10 years!

Vacation Pics and Stories Part 1 - Daytona 500

2010-03-08T20:50:00.008-05:00

Where to begin......our trip to FL was so wonderful and I do believe that JBM had the time of his life.
Day 1 - The Daytona 500
The day before we left, I had a casual conversation with a friend who within an hour called me with tickets to the race! Have I ever told you that JBM has this wonderful aura about him and nice things happen in his life? We live by the "do unto others" philosophy and it works!
Based upon the pictures shown (race in progress, JBM, and JBM with Ellen's hub)....I think a nice time was had by all (despite the pot hole delays)....and Dale almost won!
Ellen and I had a lovely day shopping and lunching like two proper ladies.....(please don't laugh too loud).
I am not sure why these pics show up the way they do and I do not seem to be able to move them around....guess I have more learning to do about blogging (SIGH).

Volunteer Work

2010-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know that many of you have done more volunteer work in your lives than I have in mine. We do volunteer work for the satisfaction but do you also find it frustrating? For the past three years, I have been actively involved in the PTA. The first two years I was co-chair for the membership committee and this year I am co-chair on a committee to raise money for the library to help acquire more books.
The first two years were great! I had a partner who taught me the ropes and stepped back and let me learn. This was wonderful. She stepped back in when family issues pulled me away and we worked seemlessly together. This year is a whole different story. My partner should be in charge, she should be teaching me and she should be leading the process. NOT! I have essentially been stuck with everything....and am frustrated to the point that I have decided not to serve the second year.
Why do people volunteer when they are not prepared to fulfill a commitment?
Thanks for listenting....I feel better now.

13 Bags and Counting

2010-03-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, I kow I promised vacation pictures and have yet to deliver....however, I thought a quick update on the 40 bags in 40 days was warranted. Last Friday, it snowed and we were home all day.....very nice. Spent it going through old financial papers, purging checkbooks from dead accounts and organizing some of my own stuff for a change. Resulted in three more bags to throw out or shred! My desk is a beautiful sight both inside and out. JBM has more stuff to shred (thrilling for him)! My boys are so proud of me....lets see how long it lasts (the clean desk I mean, not the pride). Happy Wednesday and I PROMISE vacation pics are coming soon!

Happy Birthday!

2010-03-01T11:22:00.002-05:00

Today is my oldest brother's 60th birthday! Had a nice family dinner last night and good cake was enjoyed by all!

Happy Birthday Bro!

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

By the time you read this, I will hopefully be in sunny FL with JBM, FlyBoy, Ellen and her hub. This trip has been in the planning for two years and the highlight will be our visit to Kennedy Space Center.

Enjoy a week without me and we will have lots of photos to share when we get back.

Happy Valentines Day.....spend it with those you love and savor every moment!

Peaceful Snowday?

2010-02-11T10:23:00.002-05:00

What I hoped would be a peaceful snow day at home turned out to be anything but.....the phone rang and it was my brother who lives with Mom. She fell in the hallway and hit her head in two places and was on her way to the ER. I met them there and was immediately struck by how large the lump was on her head. After CT scan and full body Xrays, the report was good and she was sent home. All turned out well but the anxiety took some time to dissipate. Did I mention that it really stinks to get old? In more ways than one....I don't like seeing my mother age and I don't enjoy the role change to being her caretaker. But the alternative would be much worse.....

Hoping for a Snow Day

2010-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Snow is in the forecast for today...our custodian has predicted no school. I hope that he is right and that as your read this I am at home..dreaming about warmer places, paying bills, organizing my life (be it temporary) and just enjoying a little down time.

Happy Wednesday!

Challenge from JBM

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Later this week, we head to sunny FL for a nice week with Ellen and her hub. Over the weekend, JBM heard me speaking with Ellen about playing tennis. The plan was for Ellen to play FlyBoy. I do not play FlyBoy because I have too many permanent scars and bruises from my attempts in the past. Anyhow, within the hour, I heard loud bangs from the playroom and a few times the walls were shaking! FlyBoy ventured downstairs to check on the cause....JBM was practicing his tennis swing. His exact words..."I am practicing tennis Dad. I am in training and next week when I play against you...you are going DOWN!"
I promise to provide an update on the tennis match after vacation :)

10 Bags and Counting

2010-02-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

As of this weekend, we are 10 bags into the 40 bag total. This weekend, JBM and I focused on purging toys and other sporting equipment that he no longer needed, "its broken," "missing a part," or "just too old to play with any more." This last one was hard for me to accept.
All the wonderful trucks have been put in large storage bins and JBM looks forward to playing with them with his own children some day. Since nothing had lights or power, they are great toys that are ageless.
I have to say that JBM is a great decision maker and his playroom looks wonderful. We are down to a massive collection of City Legos and two boxes of Kinex. FlyBoy and I love to see what the creative juices produce.....currently, we have several military vehicles engaged in battle.
What a great feeling it is to simplify and purge. We have decided that when we get to 40 bags, we are going to make a monetary financial donation to a good cause. The discussion of what that cause is has already started....we ruled out "JBMs toy fund" and "new shoes for Nurse Nancy." Oh well!
Happy Monday!

Back in School

2010-02-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was truly hoping that as JBM got older, I would have more time in the evening. NOT! As of last night, I have decided that I am back in elementary school....the only difference, this time I know what is coming. YES, YES, I know it will only get worse and the issues will only get bigger but, if it is even possible, I have less time now than I did when JBM was a baby and he needed me 24 hours a day.

I also thought that if I was ever going to go back to school, it would be for something fun like interior design.....not basic math, spelling and writing. But you know what? I would not trade this time for anything since I know it is fleeting and we are stuck together for an hour (sometimes more) every day....homework usually ends with some nice conversation. That is the best part.

Wolf Moon 2010

2010-02-01T08:43:00.003-05:00

Friday evening was a Wolf Moon - the moon was full, it appeared larger than normal and due to the clear weather in the Northeast (my home region of the country), I felt like I could reach out and put my hand in the craters. In addition, directly to the left of the moon was a pink star which JBM announced was not a star but the planet Mars. Mom stands corrected!

Despite the bitter cold weather....there were many trips to the back deck with cameras and many attempts to take photos....none as good as TSAnnie and the one at the top of this post was not one of them.

It was fun to try and the sight was beautiful....but it did keep me up for most of the night! I am one of those fortunate souls that is impacted by the full moon....and all the other thoughts racing through my head!

Happy Monday!

Sarcastic Technology?

2010-01-29T07:52:00.004-05:00

One of the treats that Santa brought us this year was a Wii and he brought Mom Wii Fit Plus. Once we found the time to set it up, it was time to hunker down and get busy working out. I never thought that sarcasm would be part of the process but I have had a few sarcastic comments from the my virtual trainer this week.....

First, every other day, she asks me to do a "body test." This involves a combination of balance and memory testing. While the memory testing is not an issue, balance is. Ask FlyBoy, he tells me that I am the only person he knows that has the unique talent of tripping "up" a flight of stairs vs. down the stairs. So I guess my center of gravity is a bit off.

Second, I skipped one day this week because there were just not enough hours in the day. The next day, I recieved this wonderful message..."Not enough time to work out yesterday? You need to pace yourself and make this time." I think I need to change the trainer from the female to the male. At least the sexy voice would make me feel better about my indiscretions.

FlyBoy is throughly entertained by my being scolded by a machine! Just wait until he starts.........

They survived!

2010-01-25T08:04:00.006-05:00

As you can see from this photo...a good time was had by all. This is at the end of day two in one of FlyBoy's favorite places, The Hatchery in Ludlow, VT.

Two days of skiing....JBM found kids to hang with at the lodge....and a nice steak dinner. What could be better?!

FlyBoy"s observations of the weekend......"JBM is me all the way." A proud Papa and a bit scared at the thought.

When I asked JBM who he missed the most being away from home? I was fourth on the list. Guess I better get used to it. The list was this.....Hope (the dog), Doggie (favorite friend that he decided to leave home), Bear (second favorite friend that he left home) and Mom.

Happy Monday!

p.s. Bag update on the 40 in 40.....2 this weekend. One was garbage as I sorted through a file of recipes I hoped to make some day and got rid of those that are unlikely and also started cleaning out my personal file cabinet. Second bag/box, recipe books that I have not touched or used in over five years.

Quiet Time

2010-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am spending this weekend at home alone....well, not quite alone as our lovely Hope will be my trusty companion. In some ways, I am looking forward to it and in others, I will miss my boys.

Plans? I am having lunch with a friend that I email everyday but have not seen in about 6 months. She works in my home town and lives about 25 miles from me but our lives keep us in opposite directions. She has two girls who play soccer, basketball and are involved in school plays and I have JBM with his various activities. It will be nice to catch up.

I also have a few chick flicks to watch that I borrowed from Ellen months ago. Glass of wine, comfy blanket and the pup. Sounds good to me.

Happy Friday!

Confirmed but not down for the count....

2010-01-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

So the concussion was confirmed and the conclusion is that things are better already and will improve with each passing day. We are glad for this....

On a side note, this event will not keep FlyBoy down as he is taking JBM skiing this weekend. The only reason our doc is letting him go is because he is going with JBM and assumes that he will "take it easy." Obviously, our doctor does not know what putting FlyBoy, JBM and fresh snow together means....... Guess I have to pray a lot!

Sports Injury...

2010-01-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

FlyBoy is the assistant coach for JBM's hockey team. This means that he is on the ice twice a week for practice and for a game. Last week, FlyBoy was moving away from a player to avoid hitting him and said player moved in the same direction. The resulting event was the two collided! FlyBoy took the worse of the event, fell straight back and clocked his head on the ice. Thank goodness for helmets.....however, we are convinced that he did suffer a slight concussion. He had a headache for two days, has been more sleepy than usual and is having difficulty attending to activities (like driving)! After much prodding and discussion, he will see the doctor and we will go on from there.

We had gone more than a year without any kind of sports injury..... I guess being a good parent involves a few bruises along the way :)

40 Bags in 40 Days

2010-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ellen put an interesting concept on her blog last week. We chatted about it the next day and I decided to be in her court. I do not have time to do 40 bags in 40 days but am making the same commitment she is which is 40 bags by Summer. The photo above is the start.

Having a rare weekend with no commitments, I started cleaning. The four garbage bags are the result of a kitchen cleaning. In addition, I filled two bags with canned goods. One for church and one for school (collecting canned goods for the needy). I sent a box of unwanted kitchen items to the Senior Center for their next tag sale, the first of many bags of clothing to Goodwill, and another bag of outgrown toys to JBM's piano teacher. She has two boys and they love JBM's cast offs and he loves passing them on.

This feels good.

On a side note, JBM and FlyBoy ventured to Long Island yesterday for an Islanders/Devils game. The Devils lost and JBM cried. The passion for sports runs deep.

The Winds of Change

2010-01-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Two weeks into 2010 and life is making some changes that I am not ready for.....no one is sick and life is going along pretty well but JBM has decided a few things need to change.

First, he has decided that he no longer requires my help in waking up in the morning. He has an alarm clock for that. What?! This is one of my favorite times of the day. We had a whole routine that included Ms. Hope as the alarm clock. She is looking very bewildered as well.

Second, JBM had decided that once the light goes out in his room at night, he no longer needs Mom or Dad to "hang with him for one minute." That one minute always turned into 10-15 and included nice conversation about school, friends and what might be bothering him. When will we get these conversations in now? Before school and after school in the car are designated "down times." I sense there is a brooding teenager just around the corner.

Oh...and we do need to work on the alarm clock piece too. He set it for 5:45AM yesterday. I was not even up yet....and since it only takes him 10 minutes to get ready, he had WAY to much free time on his hands before school. Free time for him, sends my routine off in a big way. Maybe that is why I have been completely out of sorts this week?

Vacation

2010-01-05T10:43:00.002-05:00

Just returning from the December Break (cannot call it Christmas break as we must be politically correct), I am reflecting on our vacation. After the craziness of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we retreated to the serenity of the Outer Banks of NC. It is my favorite time of year to at the beach. The crowds are gone, most of the souvenier shops are closed and we are left with the elegant restaurants and businesses that are open year round. The biggest disappointment this year....my favorite coffee shop was closed. In the 12 years we have been going to the Outer Banks....this shop has never been closed. What am I going to do? I placed an order on line for the best coffee ever but have not gotten a response yet....this may be the worst crisis of my life so far this year! (and I hope the only one)

On another note....I admitted to TSAnnie this morning that I did not take a single photo! Does that make me a bad Mom, sister, daughter, spouse....if so, oh well!

Can I go too please?

2009-12-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

So the day that we all went to the Christmas Show, this is how poor Hope felt when we left the house.....poor baby. She will get her treat this week when we leave for our holiday beach retreat on the Outer Banks......

JBM Takes Manhattan (Part 2)

2009-12-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

OK, I know this is a few days later than promised....but here we go.

After St. Patrick's, it was off to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Again, the reaction was "WOW" and then, pride, as the tree came from the same town in CT where Nurse Nancy grew up and Nonnie still lives. Here is view of the tree with JBM.

Finally, the purpose for our visit was the Christmas Spectacular. Flyboy and I had not been to Radio City in 10 years and JBM had never been there. Again, the eyes and the awe were evident. The biggest thrill was waiting for the 3-D movie!

After Radio City, we walked down Fifth Avenue to 42nd Street and into Grand Central through the front door. We took note of the clock at the main entrance, the eagles on either side and, of course, the Chrysler Building which is my favorite building in the whole city.

Back on the train and after a bit of debriefing, the adventure was over.....

What a thrill for us all. Next year? We shall see.

JBM takes Manhattan....(Part One)

2009-12-16T13:59:00.004-05:00

One week ago today, FlyBoy, JBM and I ventured into NYC for some Christmas fun. It was after school, so there was no playing hookey (until the next day). In his 8 years of life, the poor, deprived child had never been to Manhattan. Perhaps the mother lion in me did not feel comfortable taking a smaller child to such a big place or relish the idea of pushing a stroller through the insane Christmas crowds. Whatever the reason, he had never been there.

Our evening started with a train trip. The whole evening could have ended right here (and saved us some money) as being on a train is always a thrill for JBM. It was a local and stopped everywhere it could with JBM announcing each stop as if we could not hear the conductor. You gotta love it!

Arriving in NYC, we strolled into the main concourse of Grand Central Station and I watched JBMs face. It was thrilling. I do not have any pictures of this moment since I knew I could not capture the real moment. Looked up at the ceiling at all the stars and constellations and then scanned the room. After the initial "wow," the next comment was "I remember in the movie Madagascar, Alex got hit in the head by the old lady on that staircase!"

We moved on to Park Avenue. By far my favorite street in Manhattan during the holidays. I love the white lights on all the trees and turning back towards Grand Central to enjoy the old building against the MetLife sky scraper. JBM thought it was pretty cool too.

We headed toward Fifth Avenue and entered St. Patrick's Cathedral. We talked about the saint statues inside and I challenged him to find the statue of St. Peter. I knew it was in the front and we would be required to make a full circle around the cathedral in order to find it. We had such a nice time talking about all the saints, lighting a few candles along the way and reflecting in front of the nativity. About half way through, JBM turned to me and said, "This place is amazing."

Flyboy and I just love experiencing those things we have become used to through FlyBoys eyes.....

Part two tomorrow with pictures...provided my camera, iPhone and computer all play well in the sandbox together!

Renegade Donut!

2009-12-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sitting in my office yesterday and in walk two first grade students. One was having a birthday celebration and was handing out donuts to the class and other staff in the building. It is always nice to be remembered....you kind of feel like one of the cool people.

Anyhow, as the students are coming in the door, I see the birthday child dive to the side to rescue the last donut that had fallen out of the box and onto the floor. She proceeded to put the donut in a napkin and place it on my desk! Thank goodness she did not wait for me to taste it. Mom tried not to laugh and the Nanny exclaimed, "A special gift, germs and all...."

While I do believe in the 5 second rule, I do not think it applies to the health office floor or the floor in a doctor's office. Guess it did not pay to be "cool" this time.

Happy Friday!

Which one?

2009-12-09T08:35:00.005-05:00

I need two pictures for my Christmas cards. One picture needs to fit in a horizontal frame and the second in a vertical (both 4 X 6). Which two of these three would you choose? Have you done your cards yet?

Opinion vs. Fact

2009-12-08T07:55:00.002-05:00

I spent part of the afternoon yesterday at the Ob-GYN office for my annual exam. Not my favorite thing to do but very necessary. Anyhow, I could not wait to engage my doctor in conversation related to the controversy about mammography and self breast exams. I have been going to this same physician for over 20 years and know that he is passionate about breast health. He did not disappoint. We talked at length about how "stupid" the idea of having mammograms every two years is and he had a laundry list of patients saved either through mammography and/or self breast exams.

Some interesting "insider" information. My doctor shared that a major part of the funding for the study was contributed by China. His thought, "they have a population issue so what do they care if people die of cancer!" Interesting. Second tidbit, he watched a panel discussion with the head of the study as one of the panelist. His overall opinion of this physician was, "it was like watching a talking tree stump." Guess she did not creat much confidence.

To make a long story short......do not sell yourself short. Have a screening mammography on an annual basis and please remember to do monthly self exams. Both of them save lives.

This concludes this Tuesday editorial....Have a nice day.

Drama

2009-12-07T09:02:00.002-05:00

It is Monday morning and the holidays. Families spend the whole weekend running from one event or visit to another. On Monday morning the kids are wiped out and then have to get up and come to school. Guess where they wind up....you've got it. In the Health Office complaining that they do not feel well. I am currently entertaining one of my favorite drama kings. He walked in the office with his long curly hair all tosseled in his face and shared the following: "We are doing yoga in gym class and I suddenly felt very dizzy and can barely walk." GAH! Add an English accent and a frequency of dramatic visits all year long and you will know that my patience is being tried already.

I think we have an actor in the making.....and I am in need of a nice glass of wine.

Happy Monday!

Officially Made the Rounds

2009-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

First it was me, then JBM and now FlyBoy. I certainly hope that the dog is not next. I do not want to say or hear the word flu in my house for the rest of the winter. Can you guess who makes the worst patient? I will give you a hint.....it is not the first two mentioned in the first sentence.

I do feel bad for FlyBoy but I know he will survive :)

A Dog's Life

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is a case of total contentment.....the blue bear is one of JBM's favorite buddies. He shares it often with Hope. Based upon this photo, I would say she likes it. Happy Tuesday.

New Addition

2009-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

While I have always said that the blow ups in front lawns are cute but not necessary, my thoughts changed dramatically this weekend. On a trip to Lowes for some routine holiday replacement bulbs, JBM and Flyboy saw this....HeliSanta. Knowing them, was there any question that a purchase was in our future? The rotor blades work too. Guess this is a case of never say never.

How we spent our Thanksgiving Day?

2009-11-29T21:28:00.002-05:00

With a very ill JBM. Woke at 2 AM on Thanksgiving day with a fever of 103, cough and eyes that looked like pools of glass. My thoughts? The flu! Went to work that morning, brought home a quick flu test and I was right.

He spent his day on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, feeling really awful and wavering between 101 and 103 despite Motrin every 6 hours. Could not keep food or liquids down...poor guy on the best food day of the year.

FlyBoy stayed home with him and I went to dinner at Bro's house. Brought dinner home for my guys. Both ate and JBM gave it all back to me within 30 minutes. Poor guy.

Next day, went to the doctor and confirmed the flu with pneumonia on top! It is amazing how quickly this H1N1 can settle into the chest.

Good news is that after a weekend of antibiotics, Tamiflu and nebulizer treatments he is ready to go back to school. I am glad the illness was short lived.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

22 years ago today, I made the best commitment of my life.....I married Fly Boy and life has been wonderful every since. Don't always like him but always love him....isn't that the way it should be?

Happy Anniversary to Fly Boy and to Ellen and her guy too! We met on our honeymoon and were married the same day and same time. I know we liked them for a reason :)

Shopping?

2009-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

It is the day after turkey day...Black Friday....are you going shopping today?

We haven't decided yet but I do know that the retail pull will get the best of me at some point this weekend.

Be careful out there :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

And this is exactly what I am doing.....heading to Bro's house after work for some good grub. Bringing the sweets and the wine...FlyBoy insists!

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Giving Thanks....

2009-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to write a quick note about giving thanks. Since tomorrow is turkey day, I will not be thinking about blogging or posting. I will be thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for....not the least of which is my family, my health and my freedom to give thanks!

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and the chance to spend the day with those you love!

The Fruits of Autumn

2009-11-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Once the garden was put to sleep, it was time to turn attention to one of my favorite fall activities...making applesauce. I do not do it to the scale that Ellen does but I do make enough to share with family. This year, I had some special guest apples all the way from Missouri! Thanks to TSAnnie and her wonderful family.

Here is the picture of the results....I have another batch to do before the orchard across the road closes for the season. What is your favorite food in the fall?

A Milestone

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

JBM has reached another milestone.....his first experience with a power tool. He did a wonderful job blowing the leaves off the back deck and out of my perennial garden. My only concern...is this considered a violation of child labor laws?
Happy Monday.

It got me!

2009-11-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

I learned a valuable lesson this week that I am not immune to everything. Having been a school nurse for five years and escaping the major illness plagued by those new to this line of work, I began to assume I would be immune to everything. WRONG! I survived the first wave of H1N1 unscathed, got all my immunizations in preparation for this one and am coming off four days where I can honestly say I have never felt sicker in my whole life! Fever, cough, aches, headache and the desire to remain horizontal on the sofa or in bed with my eyes closed and in total silence. I was great fun to be around. But I am back....a trip to the doctor, a trip for some acupuncture and a new herbal supplement that will take the place of antibiotics. All seems to be working. I am glad to be back but I think TSAnnie is going to miss the nurse she was working with who brought her breakfast and lunch every day. I hope she does not expect that from me...... :)

A Great Time

2009-11-11T08:11:00.003-05:00

In addition to my adventure with FlyBoy this weekend, we had such a great time being away. Everyone was so relaxed and the weather was just spectacular. Ellen and I often refer to our families as family and that is so very true. We are so at ease with each other that there is no entertaining involved. It is just hanging out, relaxing, shopping and eating.....and a little wine. Who could ask for more. And to top it all off, my cousin and his wife were down at their house at the same time! We did not expect that and it was so much fun to hook up with them and have dinner at one of our favorite places on the OBX. Ocean Boulevard is just fabulous and we love going there. For the first time, JBM was able to dine there with us and not complain about having nothing he liked on the menu. We are turning a new corner. If you are ever on the OBX, please check them out. It is well worth every penny...... Check out the web site and menu at ocean-boulevard.com

We finished!

2009-11-10T10:53:00.002-05:00

I am still experiencing technical difficulties and Flyboy is in full diagnosis mode. Thank goodness for technogeeks! Anyhow, just wanted you all to know that we survived our race on Saturday.

We both finished! Flyboy took one hour and two minutes and I took one hour and three minutes. That last half mile was the hardest and I might have caved had it not been for my friend Millie who was standing at the check point screaming "You go girl!" to me. She was my motivation to enter the race and my motivation to finish. The fact that Bruce was singing Born to Run in my ears really helped too. What a great feeling....we are already talking about next year.

Ellen told Flyboy and me to think of it as a date - hand holding, good music and heavy breathing! :)

The Day has arrived!

2009-11-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

Remember in March when I committed myself to training for the Outer Banks Half Marathon....and in May when I actually signed up for it? Well, the weekend has arrived and I should be running the half marathon. To make a long story short....during my "months" of training, I tore a meniscus and discovered I have a cyst on my knee. Surgery? Cortisone shots? Anti-inflammatories? Nothing? I did anti-inflammatories for two weeks and did not run during that time. It worked but set me back big time.....then life, school, piano lessons, hockey practice, hockey games, family and two jobs took care of the rest. I have not run or even donned my running shoes in two weeks....... Did I give up? No. Instead of 13 miles, I am running an 8K (5.1 miles). Instead of running with friends, I am running with FlyBoy. All in all, it should be fun and the weather is predicted to be ideal. Good family time and Ellen is coming too which is an added bonus.

Will let you know on Tuesday how much we ran and how much we walked but we will finish! And I am sure we will have some pictures to share.

Technical Difficulties

2009-11-05T10:15:00.002-05:00

I have been trying every day this week to email myself pictures from home. Why you ask? Because I took some awesome photos of my backyard in its full Autumn splendor and some very funny photos of JBM. Each night I send them and each morning I get to work and they are not here! They must be floating somewhere in cyber space and someone is enjoying them saying...why am I getting these #@*#@ photos?!

TSAnnie and I even tried to access them directly from the memory card from the camera and my ancient block of computer on my desk cannot see them!

Technology is wonderful as long as it works!

Happy Thursday.

Space Geeks!

2009-10-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

JBM has an opportunity to share some of his love of space with his classmates. During academic choice (what exactly is that?), he has been reading books about Mars and the Mars Rovers and wants to share his new found knowledge with his class.

We have agreed upon what will be shared and have been chatting about how. I was hoping for the simple approach of a story board with facts he wrote himself and photos cut out from maagazines and front internet stories. How gauche of me! My two space geeks (JBM and Flyboy)have decided that this project requires technology.......Power Point, links to the NASA web site using the SmartBoard in the classroom.

Alas, I guess the days of dioramas and stick figures have gone by the wayside. And at some point, I will be overpowered by geeks or I might have to become one in order to survive in my house!

Will let you know how the presentation goes....Power Point in the third grade...oh my.

A Conundrum

2009-10-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

I feel like all we talk about these days is H1N1....on that note, school nurses are caught in between helping to assess children who are ill and trying to keep ourselves healthy. Just today, our supervisor asked us to keep our physical assessments to a minimum so to minimize our exposure to ill children in school. We had our H1N1 vaccines but it takes up to 10 days to build true immunity.

Anyhow, my struggle is trying to be a good resource to parents. If their child becomes ill in school and we need to send them home, the first question a parent will ask is what are the symptoms we found. Does their child have a fever? Is their child wheezing? Is their throat red? Do they have swollen glands? I cannot answer those questions if I have to stay several feet away in order to keep myself healthy.

I might have the wrong idea, but it is more important to me to provide valuable information to a parent then to save myself. Isn't that why I went into this profession to begin with?

And...if I get H1N1...a few days off would not be bad even if I do feel like crap (oops I said the "c word")! Down Nurse Nancy...Down off your soap box yet again!

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate.....

2009-10-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

That is the question I have been getting each and every day for many weeks now. Alas, I do not have the definitive answer. While I do firmly believe in the seasonal flu vaccine....get one every year as do my boys (since we all have some level of underlying asthma), I have been unsure about the H1N1. Some factors in the past week have helped me make up my mind.

1. The local health department is supplying vaccines for all the school health professionals in our town free of charge. If it is that easy for me to get, guess I should get it. Received it yesterday. Guess if I blog tomorrow you will know I survived.

2. JBM's doctor's office has a supply and gave an appointment for him. Since it affects younger children in a far bigger way than those at my youthful age, I am not giving him a choice. He will get his later this evening and hopefully will stay well enough to receive the next one in a month.

3. Flyboy is hopeful that his company will be giving the H1N1 at the same time as the seasonal vaccines. I do not think that is likely but I guess we shall see.......tomorrow.

My party line to parents who ask? Get the seasonal vaccine for all the kids in your family and for yourselves. If anyone in the family has an underlying condition, get the H1N1 for them. It is truly a personal decision whether to get one for yourself and also a matter of whether they are even available to get.

Most importantly, wash you hands and stay away from sick people and, if you are sick, from others who are not. So ends this public service announcement which has not been approved by the local health department or the CDC :)

By the way, for those of you who are interested, Army lost again to Rutgers on Friday night...but a good time was had by all. JBM spent the game sitting next to an injured player for Army who had just had knee surgery and did not have to suit up for the game. He now has a new insight on the game, the team and "high fiving" a cadet the correct way....although he will not tell me what that is.

Army v. Rutgers

2009-10-23T08:00:00.004-04:00

Tonight my boys and Ellen's boys are headed to West Point for the Army v. Rutgers game. Last time the two teams played on a Friday night, it poured rain and the winds were close to hurricane force. We thought that would be to Army's advantage since they are training to be in the military and fight in all types of weather......we were very wrong!

This is a new era and JBM and I are both confident that Army will hang in there and put up a good fight! We are not making a prediction one way or another but we do know that a good time will be had by all....... Oh and, by the way, the weather forecast is for rain.

Ellen, JBM wants to know if BigJ has permission to buy himself a treat at the game tonight?

Go Army! Beat Rutgers!

Pearls of Wisdom

2009-10-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

Each week JBM has a list of about 25 words that he needs to learn, spell and be able to write for a test on Friday morning. Each night he does spelling pages in his book and in the morning we have an oral quizz in the car. It is fun to be passing down the pneumonics I used when I was in school to remember how to spell certain words. His favorite so far is how I remembered to spell Connecticut.....our lovely home state....."you 'Connect' 'I' 'cut.' When doing writing assignments, it is fun to hear JBM spelling things out in his head (outloud of course).

Guess we parents do have some gems to pass on to our children.

Can you also conclude who does not listen to me at home? In reality, the answer is NO ONE...except the dog and that is questionable at best since she is 12 and hard of hearing :(

Vision and Hearing Screening

2009-10-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

We have begun vision and hearing screening in between sending kids home with high fevers and tracking ILIs. This is by far our favorite time of the year. So far, I have had to brush off my French skills so that we could test a french speaking family and we have been dealing with a myriad of kindergarteners who twist their bodies in unnatural ways to show us which way the hands are pointing on the vision chart (many of them do not know the ABCs yet). Yesterday, TSAnnie had a five year old giving her the finger (thankfully, he had no clue what he was doing but I thought my insides were going to burst)!

TSAnnie and I are on opposite sides of the room as the testing takes place and the glances that travel back and forth are beyond funny. Once the classes are done, we take the time to review and giggle. This is, by far, the most entertaining time of the year. Love to tell teachers that their classes all passed with flying colors. It confirms for them that there are those students that simply choose to not listen!

Alas, I feel that way at home every day........

It is here.....

2009-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Staying with the theme of yesterday's blog....we are the fortunate recipients of the first confirmed case of H1N1 in our lovely community. Thank goodness for parents who are aware of their children's health and take them to the doctor even if the symptoms do not seem severe. No letters go out to the class. No communication goes out to the school. A weekly update is provided by the superintendent and a count is being kept on the BOE web site. Let's hope this is not the start of something big.....oh and did I mention that the affect student is in JBM's class! GAH!

On the front lines.....

2009-10-19T08:11:00.002-04:00

H1N1 is in the news more and more each day. I was pleasantly surpirsed this weekend to hear a story on our local news station about one state that is depending upon school nurses to keep the local and state governments informed about absences from school for "flu like" illnesses and confirmed cases of H1N1. Finally some recognition!

On the other hand, the CDC has decided that school nurses are NOT part of the health care workers who should be getting the H1N1 vaccine. Imagine, we spend our whole day caring for students of all ages with "flu like" symptoms but are not considered high risk for getting the actual disease? What floors me even more is that doctors and nurses who work in pediatric practices (I do that too) are not consdered high risk health care workers either! UGH......or as MPM would say GAH.....

Coming down off my soap box now....but one more thing, if we are being counted on to keep track of cases, are not immunized and get H1N1, who will be tracking things when we are home sick?

A new season and a new coach

2009-09-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Those of you who know my family well have either tailgated with us or are bored to tears with listening to my family talk about Army Football..... We have shared in or most recently owned season tickets to USMA Army Football. One of the best places in the world to enjoy the autumn weather and a bit of militray tradition. Something that Flyboy and JBM live for.......helicopters, paratroopers, pomp, circumstance and, oh yeah, some football.

This year the team has several new things....a new coach, re-deployed players, and a new helicopter (no it is not a Balckhawk much to my boys dismay). And for the first time since 1996, they have a winning record and are fun to watch! Having a 6 foot 10 inch wide reciever does help when you do not have much of a passing game.

Maybe a bowl game is in our future this year? GO ARMY and maybe they will actually BEAT NAVY!

Lice anyone?

2009-09-24T08:41:00.002-04:00

So the school year is in full swing and we received notice of our first cases of unwanted visitors this week......head lice. It is always so much fun to be picking through a child's hair and this search often includes siblings, parents and teachers as well. Always glad to help.....but what I do not understand is why some parents feel it is important to know who the child in a class is with the head lice! Yes, I know it is a pain to have to check your child every day for two weeks (that is why JBM is buzzed!) but it is a privacy issue and I would not want any child or parent to have to deal with the social implications.

So I ask those parents out there who may get a notice about lice to take the notice and treat it seriously...don't beat up on a teacher or the school nurse to try and find out who has lice. It does not matter! Just make sure your child doesn't. It is not rocket science.

I had lice in elementary school and my hair was down to my waist at the time. It was not fun for me or my Mom but we had plenty of girl time. Oh and by the way, my hair was cut short at the time and has not been below my shoulders since!

We're Back

2009-09-01T14:41:00.002-04:00

So today is the first day of a new school year and this is the first moment I have had to even reflect on it. What does this year promise to bring our way? If today is any indication, it could be very interesting..... So far today, we have a few students out with "flu like symptoms," the lunch of a child with severe food allergies disappeared so we had to find them something safe to eat, we have news students on daily "vitamins" who really need them and waiting for parents to come and administer almost put me over the edge and we are drowning in the piles of paper that come with the beginning of the school year. I have grown to really dislike the color pink. All I have to say is...."is it June yet?"

Just a bit too much...

2009-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

The past 1o months have been interesting in our neighborhood. The neighbors across the street took down five very beautiful trees (old, tall and majestic) and replaced them with a stone wall. This wall surrounds three sides of the yard and will soon come equipped with fancy lights and a motion sensor gate. In addition, this same neighbor ripped out all the landscaping around the house and replaced it with a paver walkway around three sides of the house with an occassional planter with some flowers. During this process, the excavator managed to hit the gas line in their front yard...no one was hurt. So we thought that this was it and they were done....NOT.

Last week, I was driving down the street and practically hit the stone wall when I saw the new fountain in the front yard! In addition, there was a fancy new mailbox (made of stone, of course). I feel like I am living across the street from the house in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

No the fountain does not look like this but I think we are headed in this direction. What is most amusing about this whole thing, is that the house is a simple center hall colonial. All the pieces of the puzzle do not fit together in my mind...but if it makes the neighbors happy..good! Do you think the house is next?!

On another note, I have decided to go on vacation and leave Mom and Bro home. While I do feel some guilt (what daughter wouldn't), my other Bro asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told him that I wanted to be able to go away for 10 days and know that Mom and Bro would be OK and he would be there for them if they needed help. He assured me all would be OK.

See you on the flip side!

What would you do?

2009-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

In a few short weeks, we will be headed to the OBX on vacation. These are two weeks that I wait for all year long. This year, my s-i-l from NJ was supposed to join us. She is JBM's favorite aunt (by blood - because Ellen is #1 on the list). As Flyboy says all the time, she is predictable and as predicted she has backed out of coming with us.

Now...being the dutiful daughter and having my big brother out of work for most of the summer, my immediate reaction is to invite Mom and Bro to come along. Flyboy has said "no way" because he feels I need a break from being a caregiver....but I feel guilty about not asking. Mom would not be able to go to the beach but a change of scenery is always nice. So, I ask, what would you do?

BTW, Flyboy thinks it is important for my other brother to step up and take over for me for 10 days....I would love to be a fly on the wall for that. He will have nothing to do unless an emergency crops up since I will have taken care of all needs before I go.