Back to School

Summer seemed especially short this year. Paul went off for a new job in North Creek NY. The kids stayed home. There were lots of things to catch up with around the house. I've started a veggie garden again after several years of not having one. With the bunnies I wanted to make sure the poop wasn't laying around smelling up the place. The plants are loving the fertilizer. I am loving the fresh vegetables and herbs.

Claire and Justin had big birthdays this year... 16 and 30. Where has the time gone?
I waited and waited for my car to be fixed, finally gave up, and flew to New York. Good thing Paul picked up the antique spinning wheel in Arizona and drove it to NY for Stella. Without driving there was no way for me to take it. I was only at Innisfree for about 10 days. Paul's job did not work out so we had the time together. We never have time together so I guess the Universe gifted us. I guess having time alone at camp is just not in the cards for me yet.

Stella Boyer came up to pick up her gorgeous blue spinning wheel and brought the 2 bunnies I reserved from her earlier. We so enjoyed having Stella, her son, and friend Tina at camp for the day. The ladies and I have decided to get together for a spinning/knitting/crafting weekend next summer.

My birthday was spent driving into Utica/Whitesboro to pick up a little buck from Kim in Canada and two does from Joan Hastings. We were now up to 5 bunnies to drive cross country to California with us. We left camp for Ohio where Lisa from Somerhill Farm lives. We picked up Maximo, a red satin angora buck who is beautiful and so personable. In Ohio we got the remaining health certificates for bringing them into California and then got headed west again.
We had 6 rabbits stacked behind us in the Mustang convertible. Illiad, the little buck who traveled from Canada, liked putting his paws in his water dish, shaking them off, and then licking his paws instead of drinking out of the bowl. He cooled us off many a time on the way. These bunnies have such funny sweet personalities. They had a lovely time riding in and out of the hotels on the brass luggage carts. So cute.

It was so hot while we were gone, my daughter brought the 2 rabbits at home into the house. Both adult, one doe, one buck. Guess who is pulling fur and making a nest tonight... We may have baby bunnies in the morning.

I have had students for 5 days now. I was moved to a new school for the year. Our district is trying two schools as K-6 schools this year so several of our 6th grade teachers have moved to the elementary schools. It is working out well, I think. I have also been changed from a math/science teacher to a language arts/social studies teacher. I wasn't thrilled about either change to begin with, but now believe I got the better end of the deal than the teachers left behind at my old school. The reward for getting named one of the 6 "Middle Schools to Watch" in California was to have our 6th grade team broken up and get a new principal who is a micromanager and is very pushy when it comes to standardized test performance. (Not that it was needed, our school was the only middle school in the district that has passed the 800 mark. I guess the inflated CST scores the students have been coming to middle school with will be continued to be inflated in the middles school as well...

Well, hope the school year goes well for you all. I am looking forward to it. Also looking forward to puttering around the yard again, finish the bunny hutch for the new rabbits and expanding the garden around the new cages. Now I just need to get rid of the gopher...

Ahhh Summer

Let's see...what have I been doing. School for me got out the end of May. It is now July 11th and I haven't left for New York yet.
I have been working outside around the pool, patio, and garden for six or more hours a day since school got out. It's starting to look nice. The pool is filled again and the kids are using it. I have ignored my plants and yard for so long now. I lost all interest in most everything for the last couple of years. If feels good to get something in shape. Now that I finally got water that will reach where I garden I am out watering and planting like crazy. Good thing too because it is really hot.

My car is being fixed. Three people hit it in it's first year. Hope that's the charm. I am going to drive it to New York. It should be out of the shop in the next couple of days, then I hit the road. I have to carry a carrying cage for my bunnies. I am bringing back four Satin Angora bunnies. I have told a woman I will pick up her spinning wheel in Philadelphia. I am driving a Miata. Hope the weather is good because I may just need to keep the top down from Philadelphia to New York once I get the spinning wheel.
Needless to say I am traveling light. That's not something easily done for me. At least I have a spinning wheel, circular sock knitter, and sewing machine at camp already. I have to remember to take a couple of the bobbins and some fiber, and some basics for the sock knitter. Of course I need to take a couple of knitting projects too. Clothes you say? I don't remember what I left, but I do have some there. One bag with enough clothes and toiletries to get across the country and that's that.

The kids are not going to camp this year-Summer School, though they weren't offering the classes my daughter needs to take. Paul is already in New York, about an hour away from Innisfree/Cool-Shag-Na. He got a job in North Creek as Chief Mechanical Officer of a new railroad. Start-up is next week if they can get everything done. Jobs appropriate for him just aren't available in California. He's finally got a job that he deserves and can shine. Unfortunately it's on the other side of the country. Well, he or we can visit.

Before I go I still need to get two cars registered and one more fixed. It needs some suspension work and the muffler separated on Saturday. It sounds like an airplane. It's checked out and arrangements are made except for the welding of the muffler. Still need to get to the dentist and make appointments for kids to get their whooping cough shots so they can go back to school in August.
I am essentially a single parent again and hitting the road for three weeks. At least there is another mom available. Jessica, a friend of Claire's who has been living with us since before Christmas will have her mom staying with the kids while I am gone. Justin and Audra will be checking in and hopefully swimming and taking some veggies from my garden. I think all will be alright. I hope so because I really need to get away from it all for a while. I just don't know who I am anymore and need to be away from my regular life to get a grip on where I am going. The Adirondack Park is a good place for reflection on the natural world. Or should I say real world?

Ta Ta For Now...

We've Driven Off the Map!

We drove into camp early this morning after driving most of the night and taking a nap at a service area about 20 minutes from Utica. We didn't want to get to the grocery store too early and get hassled by security waiting for it to open. Besides, I was really tired. Nobody was at their best when we did get to the grocery store before 6 am and found that it was open 24 hours a day. Anyway, we stocked up and headed to camp a bit more than an hour from there. It rained on the way, but not hard. It is such a heady experience driving closer and closer, the smell of the balsam and pines perfuming the way. My eyes dilate to soak in the green. I LOVE trees! We don't have enough of them in Southern California. They aren't lush like these either.
I guess we are now officially off the map until we come into town to get on the internet. Through Otter Lake and after Old Forge our GPS signal failed. Our cell phones don't work here either. So I guess, we are officially off the map for the summer. You may see me sporadically here. If you don't, Have a Great Summer!!!

Prepping to Leave for Camp!

It's getting close. The car is getting it's last touches/repairs for the trip. I am procrastinating getting my laundry done. I guess we'll all be trying to get everything done at once. Today is the planned day for getting the car carrier and Swing-Away out and ready. The kids are starting to get excited. I guess my oldest daughter will get to join us this trip too. It'll be good to spend some time with her. Lots of catch up work around the house to try to get to. Some more driving practice on the freeway in the Expedition with loaded weight for my son. We have a birthday party for my youngest daughter to get through Friday, Father's Day and Summer Birthday dinner Sunday, orthodontist appointment on Monday then ON THE ROAD!
I wish everyone was going but Paul needs to work and Justin has other things going on. Besides someone needs to look after the house. Hopefully they'll come out before we leave. Paul will probably fly in to drive us home. It's usually quite a haul on the way home. It's strange to be starting out without them.
I finished knitting a bag for the trip. I just have to felt it now. I need to get what I want to work on this summer organized. I would so like to work on some glass flame working but that is just too much equipment to have to take along. I don't know what Jewelry making stuff would be appropriate either.
Time to start packing...

So Close I Can Almost Taste It!

Only three days left of the school year! With students that is. I have to take everything down, pack it up, clean and get my paperwork in. One day extra to check out and I'm FREE!!!! From that kind of work anyway. Appointments, car service, household upkeep, and driving back East will keep me really busy!

Summer is Coming, but Not Fast Enough

It's got to be in the high 80s today already. It's lovely, but too hot to work in the yard. It makes me want to hit the road for New York. It's routinely still hitting the 30s at night there though. I guess I'll have to wait a little longer. And I do have a job and all.
One more week until standardized testing at my school. One week of testing, then 4 more weeks to keep the lid on until summer. I've got such an 'interesting' class this year. I am not looking forward to any of it.

Summer is really over for me

See you next year Innisfree and Cool-Shag-Na.
I've been home and back at work for two weeks now. School is in full swing complete with parent meetings, back-to-school nights this week, lesson plans, and tech problems. My son is playing stand-up bass this year and my daughter auditioned for a play at one of our high schools, so will have to be taken to rehearsals regularly after school now.
Not too much knitting going on. I am trying to finish one more pair of socks before Summer of Socks '08 is over on Sept. 1st. I guess I'll have time to knit waiting at rehearsals.

We're working hard to get the house back together with the living/family room relocated to a bigger room and the computers relocated too. Furniture, books, and knick-knacks are all over the place. There is practically no where to sit down. We are almost done with the painting of the two main rooms and should be able to get furniture moved tomorrow (I hope.) I can't wait to see how everything looks when it's organized. Maybe I'll even have a lamp to sit and knit under.

The bathroom work is almost done. I finally have a tiled shower upstairs. Just have to wipe off the haze, seal the grout, hang the shower curtain, and take my first shower. Oh yeah, the handles still need to be adjusted. Bought primer to seal the replaced piece of wall too. We'll have a really nice bathroom soon.

My older kids are at Innisfree now enjoying the lake and my new finished kitchen. I am very envious. I only got to use my kitchen one day while we were there with all the renovations. And I really didn't get to have that much fun with everything there was to do. It's still just a wonderful place to be.

Ready, Set, SUMMER!!!

Yippee!!! I am out of school. Made a stop at the District Office, signed out at school, got a chest x-ray, cleaned the microwave, scrubbed the shower, knit two heels for my Maple Leaf socks, went shopping, found dresses for my daughter to wear tomorrow night when she and my son dance at their studio's showcase performance. Now I have dinner on. It feels great to be free(so to speak.)