Into the Wild Wood and Home Again

Today's the day! From 1-3 at NCCR, there will be a community open mic in the radio station performance space, livestreaming for all the world to hear! We will be celebrating community, good words, and the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month!  I have selected three poems to share, one of which is by Jane Kenyon, titled "Ice Out." Now, here's the funny story about me and standardized tests. I discovered this poem, and Jane Kenyon's work, through proctoring some tenth grade standardized test decades ago. I was not as widely read in poetry as I am (and still am becoming), but I fell in love with the poem. I read the questions, and found them awful. But when it came time to turn in test materials, somehow (!!) that page of the test booklet ended up in my papers. I still have the purloined page in my files at work.  (I have a history with standardized tests-- when I was in elementary school, probably around 4th grade, I got in trouble while taking the IOWA tests. ...

One more day.  We'll see how many kids show up for the AP review today-- it's not mandatory, and most are going elsewhere. I'm even bringing blue-nana bread. Probably I'll end up taking most of it home. I don't know why they don't care about this test enough. Maybe I am too invested. I never wanted to do AP stuff, but I agreed to, and I'm up to my freakin' eyeballs in it. Literally. I have eyestrain that would fell a Cyclops. That said, we have a week off from school next week. I have a few things I want to do, a few things I should do, and heaven help me, I want to NOT think about school stuff except for the small collection of essays I will slog through. And I suspect it'll be a slog-- same group of kids, same ennui.  The roses need some attention. I have a slim volume of reflections by Ada Limon to read and review. And there's G's closet. I'm not sure much else will get done, or even should be done, but there's the rough plan. Toda...

The morning temps have been inching their way up over the last few days; today, it was 32. Spitting rain, but 32, nonetheless. The backyard is glowing green-- it always amazes me how vibrant the first grass is. The fruit trees are budding small leaves. The lilacs are leafing out. And of course, my eyes itch and I am snuffly, but it's okay. Spring is here. Spring means new life, right? Except, it's also the time of year-- May, specifically-- that we've buried our parents. It's a bit sobering, even though some time has passed.  On the other hand, it's still April, and Saturday is going to be fun, I hope. From 1-3 at North Country Community Radio, there is an open mic for poetry-- ending National Poetry Month with a bang. If you are local, come join us! Favorite poems and/or your own are more than welcome. It will be broadcast live, too, so if you are not around, tune in-- you can l ivestream it on the internet. Two more school days. Amen. I need a break in the worst ...

April is an expensive month, most years. This one, more so. Taxes--ouch. Windshield getting replaced next Tuesday-- 528.00 of ouch. New all-season tires coming Friday-- 484.00-- ouch again. And the sewer bill is the low-ball at 418.00.  Barftastic. When I hear the feds yap about how "gas prices are not that bad" they ought to pump some. Our gas bill (we use a credit card each month, then pay it off), capped out at $493.00 this month.  There's something incredibly broken if the feds think that prices are going down. That we are all willing to feel a "pinch" for the "greater good" of blowing up other countries. And which is it? Are they going down or a mandatory sacrifice? Upside down world.  Prices on everything are higher; costs of shipping things alone are driving that bus. I'm glad I have bought ahead on some things --would you believe, extra summer sandals and a second set of sneakers? I got those a while ago, knowing that the prices of imported...

The temps are disappointing-- 28 this morning. At least it's not snowing again. Yesterday was a strange mix of bluster, snow squalls, then windy and sunshine. The ball games were postponed (wisely), so kids will not be full of game recap/complaints, so maybe we'll get down to business today. Actually, I don't mind a small bit of game analysis; it shows they care about something, and that's a lot better than the dull, staring behavior I get from some of the others who either a/ live in their heads, or b/ have nothing up there, and they are broadcasting test tones.  I'm glad vacation week is coming up. I have so many this-and-thats to attend to. The long range forecast is disappointing in a lot of ways, but at least it'll be a more fluid schedule. Yes, we'll have Holly almost every day, but with G home, too, it'll be a little less stress for me. If it's not awful out, she'll go out to play. I will likely have to go, too, but maybe we can share the ...

Yesterday was a decent day. Church, then breakfast at the diner with Holly and G, then puttering around the house while Meg did some laundry. We got the spring/summer curtains up, and I have the pile of winter thermals to wash. No rush, though. And I got all my laundry caught up, too. G took Holly to her CCD class (last one of the year), then went to a meeting later on at work. I treated myself to a nice dinner from the new noodle place--so good. O my.  This week is likely going to be a very busy one; keeping things in order at work will be a priority. Vacation week is next week, and if you've ever taught seniors this time of year, you know what I mean. It's a challenge akin to herding cats.  I have no huge plans for vacation week, but it'll likely be some sort of cleaning/sorting/organizing thing, yard work if the weather behaves, and maybe a ball game? We'll see about that last one. If the weather is not going to cooperate, I'm not going to push the issue. We'...