Friday, September 24, 2010

Technology Gadgets Are My Friends

Welcome to Friday Fave Five!  Because I am on a weekend trip with The Professor, I can't post photos until we arrive at our destination.  However, I can still post a FFF.  If you would like to join in and post your faves, link them to Susanne's blog Living to Tell the Story.

I love technology that helps me!

1.  Our phones have internet access!  I can check my email in the car!

2.  Latitude.  It's an app on my phone.  We used it to monitor our progress toward our overnight destination.  How cool it was to watch our little icon move along Hwy 101 North and eventually meet up with our son's icon on his campus.

3.  Our car.  Even though it registers 170,000 miles on the odometer, it's still reliable for a 1400 mile round trip. Yeah, it's a weekend trip, but it's worth it.

4.  I can post this FFF from my son's uber fast uber cool computer.

5.  A student needed some papers and I am able to email them in an attachment to her.  That is SO much easier for both of us!

That's Willow's Week, short and sweet.  How was yours?

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Fog

It's a foggy afternoon along the Pacific Coast Highway beach route.


Sometimes the low clouds creep across the road and up the steep coastal mountain.


It's difficult to discern where the sea ends and the sky begins.




But it's still fun, and it's still PCH.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

School--Week One: Check

Five Favorite Events.  Every Week.  On Friday.  It's a tradition at Willow's Cottage.  Even during a busy ramp-up-to-school time, I want to focus my thoughts and my blog posts on Being Thankful at least once a week.  Susanne's Friday Fave Five is my way to concentrate on gratitude.  If you would like to participate in FFF, click HERE and  post your Faves.

1. While most schools have been in session for two or three weeks already, including the university where the Professor teaches, I just started my classes this week.  That's an advantage of teaching homeschool kids.  The co-ops can plan their own schedules.  What a great first week it was!  One of the students walked out of class and exclaimed to his mother, "That was fun!"  It was fun for me, too.

2. I will have to 'fess up that I did not write about a particular fave last week.  It was a purchase with which I'm quite pleased.  After deliberating for months about whether we really needed new phones and about which phone to buy if we did, we finally decided that it was time.  Fortunately, there was a deal at the phone store for a buy one, get one free deal, and so we each bought a new MyTouch phone.  I am so twenty-first century now!  Or I will be when I learn how to use some of the apps and functions.

3. This week I've finally been able to return to my workout group.  I joined the week I sprained my ankle, and it was truly frustrating to not be able to participate.  My goal is to do the workouts twice a week with the group, and then the other days I can hopefully motivate myself to walk or ride my bike by myself.  The leaders are encouraging and helpful, and the other people in the group are lots of fun!

4.  Cooler weather.  Foggy mornings. Sunny afternoons.

5.  Meals at home.  I just love eating our own home cooked dinners.  They taste so much better than restaurant food!  The Professor makes a mean grilled salmon.  Sometimes the simple pleasures are the best.

What made your fave list this week?

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Labor Day Week

Labor Day week always marks the end of summer.  It has been like this as long as I can remember.  Labor Day comes. Then School starts. Every year. This week, the week at the end of summer, I spent mostly away from home.

1. A safe road trip is always a fave. The road from Willow's Cottage to Phoenix, Arizona is long and involves many transitions from one freeway to another, notably as the road wends its way through Los Angeles, so a safe and timely trip is not a guarantee. Fortunately, The Professor is a safe and careful driver.  I just sat in my spot, read a couple of books, did a little knitting, and occasionally attempted to catch a quick photo through the window.

2. I treasure my visits with my family.  On the weekend, The New Boy and his Mama were there in Phoenix, so they could see Uncle Dan before he left on his own long trip.  We were invited to stay with other relatives, and that time was very special, too. My beloved cousin/sister who lives in the northern Arizona mountains drove down to spend one day with me, and that was a delightful addition of family time.

3. Breakfast at the Cracker Barrel.  It's a cute little (chain) restaurant that serves yummy breakfasts.  Sharing the meal with recently transplanted California friends made the French toast taste even better.

4.  Air conditioning.  Phoenix is famous for its three digit temperatures in the summer, and the city did not disappoint in that area. Happily, the air conditioning didn't disappoint either.

5. We attended Chaplain Dan's Deployment Ceremony. Previously, we had met some of his fellow soldiers, and it was a privilege to see them again and wish them all "God speed" for their year away from family and country.  As a mother, I was happy to be able to hug my son one more time.

What did you do during your last week of summer?  Share your five special memories!  If you want to, you can join the Friday Fave Five crowd over at Living To Tell The Story.

PS:  Thanks for all your concerns about my sprained ankle.  Although I am still wrapping it with ace bandages and keeping it elevated as much as possible, I am able to move around with almost no pain.  The ankle is healing well!

Friday, September 03, 2010

Gratitude Through an Owie

Welcome! This is an edition of Friday Fave Five, a weekly event focused on thankfulness for the little things in our lives.  Susanne hosts FFF on her blog Living To Tell The Story.  Click on the link to go over there and see what it's all about.

I sprained my left ankle.  It swelled remarkably.  It turned purple.  But there is a silver lining in this purple cloud of pain.  How could I be thankful for a sprained ankle?  Let me count the ways!

1. I stayed home most of the week and when I did venture out I was 'dropped at the door' by thoughtful drivers so the distance I limped was shorter. 

2. Other people did the driving.

3. Because three adult children were around over the weekend, I didn't do any dishes.

4. I am certainly glad that before any of my children left for college and adulthood, I made sure they knew how to do laundry, clean and cook.  The Grad Student has turned in to a passable cook.  He's actually quite good, but I don't want to brag here.  One evening he cooked up an excellent curried lentil soup.  Another night, the main course was vegetarian curry with coconut milk.  He also cleaned up after dinner.

5. Because I sat around the house with my foot elevated, resting on an ice pack, I put in a lot of hours on school preparation.  The year's lesson plans are finished.  Of course, teachers all know that plans are tweaked as we go, but my basic outlines for the writing classes I'll be teaching are ready to scroll.

*6. I've learned the value of ice packs (see #4)  for swelling and have become acquainted with the benefits of ace bandages.

*7. I do not take my ability to walk for granted anymore.  I appreciate every step!

I'm pleased to report that although I won't be running in any 5K races this weekend, I am up and around and even able to stand and photocopy my completed lessons.

What are you thankful for this week?

*bonus points :)

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

The Beach

Some days


I wish


I was here


or here.


Do you have days like that?