I've been thinking about...

...being a creature of habit

2012-02-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

There are no assigned parking spaces at our villas. Truth be told, there are no parking spaces, period. No neat lines telling us where (or where not) to park. But, for the past five months MY spot has been up close to the building, right under my living room window. I've noticed that others are creatures of habit as well, and usually park in the same location day after day. Lately however, someone has been parking in MY space, forcing me to park outside the compound walls. In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal...or so I thought. I had to laugh at myself this afternoon--I swung wide to enter the gate and was triumphant to see that MY space was empty! (No big deal? Hmmm...I guess it was after all!)

Maybe I should borrow the traffic cop from school and tell the person in the dark Chevy to

taking my parking space! (As you can see, Katie made a new friend while here in December.)

...a carrot

2012-02-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

I have been here for six months. Six months! August 4th, 2011 seems like an eternity ago. Life has gotten easier in many ways, but school continues to get busier and busier. It's mid-year and the push is on to get paperwork taken care of. We were observed last week and heard through the grapevine that Teacher Portfolios will be checked this week. (Just what exactly is supposed to be in said portfolio hasn't been shared with us--one of the many things we're supposed to "know" without being told.) My observation went well and I expect I'll be told if my portfolio is missing something important. The girls and I are having fun with our chosen theme this trimester (The Cinderella Story) but I still feel like I'm in that mid-year slump.

It helps to have a carrot out there to keep me going.

My sister Arlene and I have been planning and saving for a trip to France and Italy for the past five years, and this summer is THE summer. We'll be meeting in Paris on the 18th of July, spend two weeks traveling, then fly home together. We have a house on a lake reserved for a week in Provence, and plan on going to Venice, Bologna, Pisa, and Assissi, if time permits. To say that we're excited is an understatement.

My last day of school is the 12th of July and I've been wondering how to spend those days until meeting Arlene on the 18th. I was thumbing through my Lonely Planet book today and something caught my eye: Fat Tire Bike Tours in Paris. Yes! Question answered. I am even more excited, if that is possible!

...things that make me smile

2012-01-31T07:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas cards in January. What fun to read all the messages from friends and family and know that they were thinking of me a month ago! I thought that using the school's PO box would be easy, convenient, and a money-saver. Now I know better. (Nothing is easy or covenient here!) It did save me a bit of money, but the frustration wasn't worth it. Mail is low priority here--the box gets checked only once in a great while. (I now have my own PO box in MZ where I live, and check it once a week.)

Audio books on Kindle. I just discovered that I can download audio books to my Kindle. The daily commute just got a whole lot more enjoyable! (Currently listening to "The Kitchen House." I recommend it.)

Emails from folks at home. This week has produced a bumper crop of communication--long emails back and forth with Katie and a couple of good friends. Ahhh, just what I needed! :-)

Skype. What a wonderful (free!) invention. I happened to come home early on Sunday (too pooped to go to the gym) and caught Arlene and Jadyn online before they headed out to breakfast.

Homemade soup. I made a bean, lentil, potato, vegetable soup on Sunday evening, put it in the crock pot Monday morning, and could smell it before I even opened my apartment door that night. (Comfort.)

My students. They delight me. They make me laugh out loud. They puzzle and frustrate me. They intrigue me and make me wish I spoke their language. (They are working hard to learn English!)

...a Pitiful Pearl kind of day

2012-01-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

My friend Mr. Insomnia visited last night. He hasn't been around much since I moved here and I was beginning to think that we were no longer an item. But he had different ideas and dropped in for a quick visit--only keeping me awake until about 1:00 a.m. Not terribly late, but late enough to make me drag today. I got up late and raced through my morning routine to make it to school on time, skipping the cursory application of makeup. It's been unseasonably cold here, so today I wore my jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, covered by my abaya. I drove a little faster than usual and made it in time for assembly. I headed up the stairs to stow my bags but forgot to hold up my skirt so I wouldn't trip. Bam. I pitched forward and caught the full weight of the fall on my left hand. Not fun on marble stairs! I picked myself up in a daze, went to the office and sat down. A sweet, kind coworker asked if I was ok. I was trying to keep it together, but burst into tears and bawled, "No, I'm hurt!" She called the nurse for me who gave me Pandadol (same as Tylenol) and checked for broken bones.

I've felt out of kilter all day--both from Mr. I. and from the fall. My hand is stiff and sore, but nothing appears to be broken. (Alhamdullilah!) My grade 11 girls asked if I had been crying. I explained that I hadn't slept well, got up late, didn't put on makeup, and then had had a mishap on the stairs. (Clumsy was one of our new vocabulary words from the story we're reading! Miss Sue--exhibit A!) Maitha R. asked, "Miss, how you say I hope a person feel good?" I wrote "I hope you feel better" on the board and then they all chimed in with their wishes for me. (Have I mentioned how much I love these girls?)

Bedtime will come early tonight and I'll take something for my poor, sore hand. Tomorrow is a new day, and it's good to be reminded that I am surrounded by caring people.

One last whine: This sight doesn't make me smile. The construction out my kitchen door is moving ahead at a brisk pace. The view of the city lights from my perch outside is now blocked and I can no longer see the sky while in my kitchen. Rats. So it really has been a Pitiful Pearl kind of day.

...a wedding

2012-01-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Meena invited me to attend her uncle's wedding last week, and I was delighted. I ask the girls about customs--should I bring a gift? What should I wear? What time should I show up? They said not to bring a gift--no one does, and to be there about 8:30 p.m. As for what to wear, they were quite adamant. "Miss, wear a dress, do your hair, and put on some makeup!" I said I would do my best.

The wedding was quite an experience. I got there a bit late because I couldn't find the hall, but was warmly welcomed when I arrived. I didn't recognize Meena when she came up to me. At school Meena wears her hair pulled back off her face, no makeup, and dresses in her school uniform with chucks on her feet. The young woman before me had eyeliner galore, hair styled and hanging down past her waist, and a form-fitting sequened gown on. I gasped; she laughed. Meena led me to a table where other students from our school were sitting. I sat down and looked around in wonder. There were about 50 tables in the hall, and each one had a huge platter of rice and (goat? lamb?) meat on it. Even though I was late there was still plenty of food. This hall was for the ladies only, and I imagine there were as many tables laid in the men's hall. The women were dressed much like Meena--over the top hair, makeup, and dresses. I have never seen Emirate women in anything but their black abayas, so this was an eye-opener.

I was in time to see the bride come in--by herself--for a photo op. She then sat down on a throne on the stage and waited. Soon, a black veil was draped over her head, and the women started putting their abayas and shaylas on. I knew this meant that men would be coming in. The groom arrived with the men in his family. They danced with their canes down the center aisle, stopping to greet guests along the way. The groom's father (and Meena's grandfather) was a wizened old man who cried as he made his way up the aisle. It was touching to see. This part of the pageantry felt very ancient to me. I can imagine Bedoins with their tents set up side by side, then the men of one family coming to claim the new bride for their family. The men finally made it to the stage where the bride was seated and they continued dancing. Women from their family (close relatives who did not have to cover their faces) joined in the dance. After some time the groom sat down next to the bride and the veil was removed from her face. He saw his new wife's face for the very first time. There were many, many photos taken, and then the couple processed out of the building. Once all the men were gone, the women removed their abayas and shaylas and started dancing. Do they ever move! I left soon after that, but not before one of the girls made me go out and dance with her! It was a delighful experience, and I hope to be invited again sometime.

...a disaster

2012-01-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

Don't worry--this disaster was not life-threatening. No, this was the kind of disaster that makes me laugh each time I think of it. Last week our English department was asked to bring something to share for the Professional Development meeting on Thursday. The school was providing some of the "hospitality" but more food was needed. Hospitality and generosity are big here, and since we were hosting the meeting for several schools, it was especially important to do it right.

We had a discussion in our office about what each of us would bring, and since it was the end of the work week and we were tired, most of us agreed that we would just be stopping by the store after school to pick up something ready-made. That was my intent as well. I don't have an oven for baking, and use a microwave and a two-burner hot plate for any cooking I do. And, I haven't accumulated a lot of kitchen "stuff." (Remember, the place was absolutely empty when I moved in--I have had to buy every single item.) But, I have a saucepan, and a glass tart dish (I had intended to make a blueberry pie at Christmas and the tart pan was the closest thing to a pie plate that I could find.) So, I had the great idea that I would make a flan-like dessert to take to school. (I also bought a tin of cookies as a backup plan--just in case I didn't have the energy to slave over a two-burner hot plate once I got home.)

I got home from the gym Wednesday evening, had some dinner, checked my email, then decided that I would go ahead and make the flan. So I opened boxes, measured the milk (I now have a measuring cup!), and stirred and stirred. I spread the packet of carmelized sugar in the bottom of the tart pan, and when the custard came to a boil, poured it in. I popped it into the fridge, cleaned up the mess, nibbled a few cookies with my tea, and went to bed.

In the morning I was happy to see that the flan had set up nicely, but realized that I had nothing with which to cover the pan--no plastic wrap, no aluminum foil, not even any wax paper. Now if this had been a regular custard or pudding, there wouldn't have been a problem. But, that carmelized sugar at the bottom of the pan made the whole concoction slip and slide whenever it was moved. How was I going to get it to school? I grabbed a roll of paper towels (that I had on hand because I mistakenly thought I was buying bathroom tissue) and carefully placed the pan on the floor of the passenger side of the car. Carefully, carefully, I drove over the umpteen speed humps to get out of my neighborhood, and carefully, carefully pulled out onto the highway. So far, so good.

As luck would have it, this particular morning was a foggy one. (What a surprise to have fog in the desert!) This wasn't the first foggy morning I've experienced, so wasn't terribly concerned. I drove slower than usual, both because of the fog and my wobbly passenger on the floor. I kept one eye on the flan and was happy to see that while it did jiggle a little, it was still contained in the pan. Then all of a sudden, the fog got worse, and at the worst possible location. I had just entered the roundabout in Liwa, about ten minutes from school, and realized that I could not see a thing. Nothing. Thankfully, other drivers in the roundabout were tapping their horns to let others know they were there. I made it safely through the roundabout and immediately pulled over to the side of the road to wait for a bit. There was no need to rush to get to school--everyone would be late this morning.

But--the fog distracted me. When it finally appeared safe to forge ahead, I had completely forgotten about the flan. I was driving along, knuckles white with stress, when I happened to glance down. Liwa is very hilly, and at some point the flan had splooshed out over the edge of the pan, deposited a chunk of itself on the carpet, then settled back down for the ride. Oh dear. Well. I pulled over to the side of the road again, and assessed the damage. Hmmm, not pretty, but not horrible, either. I cleaned up the carpet, wedged some paper towels under the pan to try to stablize it, and started out again. Another hill, another "sploosh" and another chunk on the floor. There was no way I could serve this to the workshop participants. I wasn't too far out of town, and a turn-around point was coming up, so I did a U-turn and went to the gas station where I bought some chocolates to share. (Why had I opened the cookie tin last night? So much for my backup plan!)

Back on the road, I headed up and over the hills to school. I glanced down at the flan and saw that things were going from bad to worse, and I realized that there was no way I could even offer it to the ladies in my office. So, I pulled over to the side of the road again, intending to get rid of the evidence. I gave that flan the heave-ho...but it had the last word. As it landed with a resounding PLOP! it sprayed droplets of sugar and sand all over my black slacks. By this time I was laughing so hard that I'm sure I looked like a crazy woman to anyone passing by.

(I think I'll just buy cookies the next time and leave them in the car.)

...things that I will miss

2012-01-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

A while back I posted a list of things {from my old life} that I miss. I wondered if there would be anything {from my new life} that I would miss once I returned to my {new} old life. There is. Are. And surely the list will continue to grow the longer I live here.

I will miss the little salon behind mirrored doors, in the city mall. Or, more accurately, I will miss the nine young women from Pakistan and the Philippines who work there. They don't have an easy life--they work from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Friday when they have a few hours off. They all live together in a two bedroom villa with one bathroom. (Um, yeah--I have been provided with a two bedroom, two bathroom villa. Ouch.) They are not all friends, but they make the best of it. These young women are always kind and friendly and ask about my children. (They met Katie, but not Nate since men are not allowed inside.) I always leave feeling renewed in body and soul.

I will miss working with one of the most incredibly talented teachers I have ever met. I am humbled by what she is able to do with her students in such a short amount of time. (I feel like a child again, watching my mom work in the garden. She made whatever she was doing look easy, so I would ask to use whatever tool was in her hand. Once it was in mine, however, it wasn't easy at all.) So I pick A's brain and marvel at her innate ability, knowing that there is no way I can come close to replicating what she does.

I will miss the exquisite yogurt that is sold by the gallon.
I will miss the endless sky and gorgeous sand dunes.
I will miss seeing camels in the back of trucks and along the road.

I will miss the people who are helping me to grow into who I am meant to be.

...sharing photos

2012-01-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't been keeping up with the blog as I had hoped to do, and I know people back home (who are not on Facebook) are wanting to see pictures from Nate's and Katie's visit. So...here's hoping this works:

http://doozyanner.shutterfly.com/

p.s. We had a wonderful time!

...a holiday wish

2011-12-24T19:25:00.000-08:00

...details

2011-12-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

While it's true that I traveled half-way around the world to take this job, I am not a world traveler. Sure, I've taken the odd trip here and there, and have been on an airplane or two, but I am not a sophisticated jet-setter by any stretch of the imagination. Flight numbers, terminals, layovers...not things I usually think about. I am also a bit of a scatter-brain at times, and forget about certain details...until too late. (And I'm afraid I've passed a bit of that gene on to my offspring.)

Nate and Katie are flying in to Abu Dhabi airport tonight. At 9:40pm. Terminal 3. And that's all the information I thought to get from Nate about their flight. I vaguely remember something about a stop-over in Brussels, and he did used the abbreviation "AA" in one of his emails, which I assume stands for American Airlines.

So now I have myself in a bit of a dither. On top of being extremely excited (and a bit sleep-deprived because of it) I am now as nervous as all get-out that somehow we will miss each other at the airport. I keep reminding myself that AD Airport is not large. I will be in terminal 3 in plenty of time and we will find each other. All is well, all is well, and all will be well.

Breathing...

...adding to the family

2011-12-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

Nate proposed to his girlfriend, Suzie, this past week! He was going to ask on New Year's Eve, but he just couldn't wait. I am delighted for the two of them, and happy that I'm going to be a MIL! Congratulations, Nate and Suzie!!!

...the end of the term

2011-12-15T01:18:00.000-08:00

Trimester one is officially over! Halas! I just spent the last 2 1/2 days in a room with about 45 other Cycle 3 (secondary) teachers, marking the official grade 12 reading and writing exam for the entire Western Region. Whew! That was an experience!

On one hand it was very tiring and stressful to read so many essays. Everything is done by hand, and, being human, errors were made. We had to check, double check, and triple check each other's math skills.

On the other hand, it was nice to get to sleep in (marking was done here in MZ, so I didn't have my usual commute), and fun to interact with teachers from other schools. My neighbor Maddie and I rarely see each other because of our schedules so it was a treat to get to visit with her in between packets of tests. So now...I am finished with school until January 8, 2012. Let the fun and relaxation begin!

(Nate and Katie will be here Sunday night and are staying until the 29th. Yippeeeee!)

...construction

2011-12-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

I live in a complex referred to as "the new teacher villas." There are "old teacher villas" and "teacher apartments behind the mall" as well. The distinction is important for giving directions to delivery men since there are no street signs nor house numbers. There is a lot of construction going on around us. In fact, our buildings are the only completed structures in this block.

Here's the front of our complex--twelve buildings in all. Pretty nice, right?

This is the other side of the street. I wish I had started taking pictures of this when we first moved in--they've been trucking right along, and maybe, just maybe, before the year is out, it will be completed.

Fencing off construction sites seems to be important here--whether to keep flying sand to a minimum, block the view to passersby, or to stake out the boundaries of the property, I have no idea. The sheets of metal make a lovely sound when the wind is howling, though!

This is the view out back--if I stand on the ledge to my patio, this is what I see. I'm hoping this project goes slowly--I don't want a building obstructing what little view I have! (I like to sit on the ledge in the evening--I can see the lights of Madinat Zayed and hear the call to prayer.)

This is the shortcut I take to walk to town--about a 20 minute walk. I turned around and snapped this--you can see our villas in the distance.

Still going through the shortcut--sand, sand, and more sand...but look at that blue sky!

I imagine that in a few short years this area will be all built up and landscaped.

...ladies first

2011-12-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned before that men outnumber women here--by a lot. The majority of those men are laborers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Phillipines. They occupy the lowest rung in the social ladder.

The lines at the bank machine and in the grocery store grow quite long when the laborers are off work for the day. I try to run my errands early in the day, but it doesn't always work out. Sometimes I find myself in line, surrounded by many men. Sometimes, no matter how much I protest, the men will step aside and motion for me to go ahead of them. At first, I thought this was chivalrous, but a couple of recent incidents have changed my mind.

Last week as I stood in line at the bank machine a man of status came along. He hollered at the laborers to get out of the way, and made the man using the machine stop his transaction. He motioned for me to move to the head of the line, all the while grumbling loudly about "these people." He used the machine before me, then left in a huff. After that, there was no way that the men would allow me to get back in line where I was. I apologized, completed my transaction, and left.

A couple of days ago I was in the grocery store at a busy time of day. As I stood in line a clerk came along and wordlessly took my basket from me. I followed him, thinking that he was going to open another checkout. Instead, he put my basket on the belt in front of someone else's things. The men in line stepped back to allow me in. They had been doing back-breaking labor all day. I had not.

So why don't I think this is chivalry? After all, I was allowed to move to the head of the line just because I am a woman. To be chivalrous is to be courteous and generous, especially towards women. For a couple of reasons. Both incidents left me feeling embarrassed, with a sick feeling in my stomach. I wasn't given a free pass to the head of the line because of my gender, but because of my social standing. If it was chivalry, then the man at the bank machine would have allowed me to use the machine first. He would have asked the men who had been waiting if they minded. If it was chivalry, then the men in the grocery store would have invited me to go ahead of them. Instead, they had no choice.

I have adjusted to many things here, and for the most part, I like it here. But I hope I don't lose the catch in my belly when people are treated badly. I hope I don't adjust to classism.

...camels

2011-11-23T06:22:00.000-08:00

Camels, camels, and more camels.

Feeding time--they were busy chewing their cud.

These are less than a mile from my home.

Mr. Yusef

This guy seemed offended by the silly things I was saying to him.

...what I miss

2011-11-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Last night I connected with both of my sisters on Skype, and had a good old gab-fest. Arlene was baking in her kitchen and I was ironing clothes--it felt so normal! Lani just got connected to Skype, so we were excited to hear each other's voice for the first time in months. It was so good to talk to both of them. Lani asked me if there was anything that I really missed, a certain food item that I couldn't get here. I couldn't think of anything in particular--there are foods here from around the world, and I am not devoted to any one type of cuisine nor am I picky about brand names. So what if the mayonnaise is a little different than at home?

However, Lani's question got me thinking about what it is that I do miss. In no particular order, here is my list:

I miss being able to get coffee at a drive-through coffee shop. This wasn't something that I did on a regular basis at home, but I could if I wanted to. There are no drive-through anythings here, as far as I can tell. (Possibly in the city, but here in the rural area...nope.)

I miss riding. I hopped on a cheap little bike today at a shop and took it for a spin around the parking lot. Ohhhh, I miss riding. I still don't know that I'll get a good bike while I'm here and invest in the clothing and accessories to go with it, but I might just get a little beater for an occasional jaunt around the neighborhood on the weekends.

I miss my friends. Yes, I am making new friends here, but building deep relationships takes time. I'm puzzled, and to be honest, hurt, that friends at home have let me go so easily. Out of sight, out of mind?

I miss interacting with men. Oh, there are plenty of men around. The ratio of men to women is almost 2:1. However, making eye contact or small talk can be interpreted differently than intended. (I thought the young man at the Exchange was being friendly because he's in customer service. I was being friendly because my money transfer issues were finally being resolved. His phone call that evening was totally unexpected!) The staff at my school is almost all female--Mr. Wahid and a couple of security guards are the only men around, and our conversations rarely go beyond, "Good morning! How are you?"

I miss my kids. I miss being able to text with them whenever I want to. Even if I were to spring for the fancy (and expensive) phone that would allow me to do so, we'd still have the issue of the time difference. I might just spring for the fancy phone anyway.

I miss impromptu BBQs on the patio with my old neighbors. I miss hearing Caleb's laugh through the walls and I miss Maria's baking.

I miss patio time, Noodles, and conversations with Jacque.

I miss the inventiveness and silliness of Jadyn and Liam.

I miss being able to make a day trip to visit my folks whenever I want.

I miss speaking the native language of my students. I still think in Spanish when trying to help one of my girls whose English is limited. Spanish isn't going to help, but my brain automatically goes there.

I miss my accumulated classroom "stuff." (Funny, I don't miss any of my household "stuff.")

I miss feeling confident as a teacher. I'm working hard, we're having fun, the girls are learning, but...whew. I haven't been a first-year teacher in many years.

I miss wearing a scarf around my neck because it compliments my outfit, not because it's required. I miss wearing necklaces and pendants. (I have them, but there's no point since the scarf covers them.)

I miss my 10 minute commute to work every morning. Audio books are going to be sanity savers on this 45 minute drive.

I miss my hairdresser. I'm overdue for a cut and color, but don't want to go to the local salon again. We didn't communicate very well the last time.

I miss knowing how, where and when to pay my bills.

I miss the rain.

(A camel picture, just for the heck of it. Look at the wad of cud in his cheek!)

...going with the flow

2011-11-16T00:20:00.000-08:00

There are no substitute teachers here. If someone is absent, other teachers make sure classes are covered. Right now I am proctoring an exam in the grade 12A classroom. I'm not sure what the subject is--something that requires calculators, but I don't think it's math class. The girls are the quietest I have ever seen them, and, since their test is written entirely in Arabic, they can't ask me for help. As the girls finish they go to the back of the room and sit on the rug with their laptops to work on other assignments. (We were delighted to learn that the internet connection is strong in this room!)

I've mentioned before that the schedule can change on a moment's notice. National Day is coming up, and there will be a school-wide celebration at a local community hall. I knew this, but what I didn't understand was just how much time would be devoted to practicing dances and presentations. There is a lot of negotiating and switching of classes going on. My stress level has risen a little--we just started on the big ECART project for this term, and need to have it finished by the end of next week. Now I know, for next year, not to start on it so late. On paper, it looked like there was plenty of time to get everything completed. Obviously, I'm still thinking with my Western brain.

...names

2011-11-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

I worried (unnecessarily) that I would have a hard time learning and pronouncing my students names. Although I'm probably not saying "Qummasha" quite right (there's a gutteral sound that I just can't seem to replicate) learning their names hasn't been an issue, and I'm even starting to learn their nicknames. (Qummasha's is "Gosha.") They don't seem to have middle names, and they use their father's first name as their last name.

I am "Miss Sue" to them. In fact, all of the adults are called Mr. or Miss first name. There was some confusion at the beginning of the school year because the paperwork that our principal received about me listed me as Suzanne Jennifer. But...there was already a "Susan" working at the school and a "Jennifer." (There was also a Jane, and her middle name was...Susan.)

Email is non-existent, and there is no intercom. So, if there is a message that needs to get out to all the teachers, the document (sometimes in English!) is brought around by a helper. We read the message (or get someone to tell us what it says) and sign next to our names. (Uh oh...but someone already signed for me. Was it Susan? Jennifer?)

Mr. Wahid and Miss Selma rule the copy machines. (One out of three is working right now.) To get copies made, we write our names and the quanitity on the back of the original, then place it on the counter in the copy room. Fortunately, Susan is a cycle 1 teacher (grades 2 and 3) and Jennifer is a KG teacher, and I am cycle 3 (grades 11 and 12), so our copies usually end up with the right person. However, if we ask to have a form (that doesn't have any visual clues) copied, there is room for confusion. Mr. Wahid tried to give me Susan's forms three different times in one day, but I kept telling him they weren't mine. He solved the problem by putting them on my desk while I was in class! (Mr. Wahid and Miss Selma are the nicest, hardest working folks in the school. They now recognize my writing, so there are rarely mix-ups anymore. The helpers who come around for signatures know me as well, so they no longer insist that I sign in Susan's or Jenn's spot.)

First names (or good names, as they are often called) are used in business as well. If I call the bank to inquire about something, I identify myself as "Miss Suzanne." At first I would say my whole name, with emphasis on the surname, as we do at home. I've learned that it only confuses people, and my first name is all they need.

The view from our office doorway.

...settling in

2011-11-12T00:29:00.000-08:00

I've been here for three months now and am finally starting to feel, not at home exactly, but more settled. It's a good feeling. The Eid al Adha holiday last week helped--we had five consecutive days off from school so I was able to visit Katherine and Jo in Abu Dhabi, do a bit of shopping, and talk, talk talk. It was good to catch up with them, as always.

On Monday I went to one of my student's homes for Eid. Several girls were there and it was fun to see them in their colorful holiday clothes. Maitha asked me if I'd like her to decorate my hands with henna. Of course I said yes! It was a wonderful day--lots of eating, talking, and laughing.

I spent the rest of the break in total slothdom--I needed the rest, both physically and mentally. I had brought all my schoolwork home and had great intentions of digging in...but didn't even look at it until Tuesday night. There were very few students at school on Wednesday, and even fewer on Thursday so we got to go home at 1:30 each day. It didn't matter that I wasn't as prepared as I had intended.
Yesterday morning I woke up, looked around, and realized that there was nothing pressing I needed to do. I was rested, so the idea of spending another day just sitting around didn't appeal to me. The sun was shining, and I knew I'd never sit at the desk and work. (I do need to take some time today to prepare for the week, but the task doesn't seem as daunting as it did a couple of weeks ago.) After putting my laundry out on the patio to dry, I jumped in the car and headed out to explore. The sand dunes on the way out to the famous Moreeb Dunes are beautiful.

I took way too many pictures that look much the same, but I couldn't help it--I'd come up over a hill and gasp at the scene below me. There was a little camel farm around one corner, so I stopped to take pictures. The caretaker saw me and invited me to come closer. He and his coworker were friendly and hospitable. They offered me camel milk, which I've been wanting to try. It was sweet and mild--similar to cows milk. They invited me to come back anytime, and I will take them up on it. (Nate and Katie, this is one of our destinations in December!)

Thanks to a banker friend back home my money transfer issues have now been resolved. He looked at my receipt and gave me some good information which I was able to share with the teller at the Exchange. It only took four days for the money to arrive--a huge improvement over 1-2 weeks! {Thanks, Dale!} Since that is now working, I'm going to give up the quest for online banking. It has taken too much time and energy, and isn't worth the battle. I'll just go into the bank from time to time to ask for a statement. Not perfect, but good enough.
I bought an inexpensive sewing machine last week in AD and made some pillow covers for my living room. It's starting to feel cozier in here. :-)

...a lot of

2011-10-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

...facial tissue. It takes the place of napkins in small diners, and paper towels in some restrooms. Everyone has a box of tissue on their desk, and it is community property. No need to ask permission to take one, as my students back home used to do.

...keys. Every door of my apartment has several keys dangling from the knob. (Why do I need to lock the bathroom from the outside?) I have a key to the main entrance, and three keys to my front door. (I gave one to my upstairs neighbor, just in case.) Even the refrigerator came with a key.

...plastic page protectors. Every document that I receive or produce at school goes into a page protector. Everything my students turn in is in a page protector.

...hair loss. My hair is falling out at an alarming rate here. Whether due to the desalinated water, or stress, or both, I am not sure. It's stressing me out.

...white cars. Oh, there's an occasional red or blue car on the road, but 90% of the cars here are white. I drove into AD last weekend and called my friend Jo to let her know I was in the parking lot. "I'm in a white car," I said. Oh, wait--so is everyone else!

...Toyota trucks. It must be a rite of passage to buy boys a small truck on their 13th birthday. At some point they graduate to a larger truck, then to a huge Landcruiser when they have a family. Toyota is the make of choice, that's for sure. (And they drive them fast--really fast.)

...sand. I have a 45 minute commute to school so have lots of time to enjoy the scenery. There are some hills in Liwa that are beautiful in the early morning light. I haven't stopped to take pictures because I know that my little camera would never quite capture it.

...water. I was awakened the other night by the sound of water gushing in my bathroom. It was coming from the ceiling, so there was nothing I could do but close the door and go back to bed. Evidently the hose to my hot water heater (which is directly above my tub and directly below my neighbor's upstairs) jiggled loose. It is fixed now.

...chocolate. There is chocolate here from all over the world. I have no problem with that.

...school

2011-10-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

It's 7:30 on a Friday morning--my new Saturday. I had every intention of sleeping in today, but my eyes popped open at 6:30, and then my monkey-mind engaged. I've been running on empty lately and really need the rest. The to-do list for this weekend is long, but in-between "have tos" I'll sneak in some "want tos" (like blogging) and maybe even a nap or two. School is stressing me out. I still don't have a handle on the structure and paperwork, so am playing catch up, while also trying to plan for what's next. I would love to just be able to teach (and teach what is so obviously needed) but it isn't to be. I am working hard and doing the best I can--that's all I can do. I've said it before--my students are wonderful girls. I realized, however, that English class here is like a foreign language class back home--there is no urgent need to learn the language well. They're not leaving school and having to translate for mom at the bank or doctor's office.

My schedule here is very different than it was back home and at first glance it appears to be quite easy. It isn't. It's difficult to explain, but I shall try. Every day starts with assembly (flag salute, national anthem, presentation) at 8:00. At 8:20 classes begin. They last for 40 minutes. There is a morning break of 25 minutes at 10:30, and an afternoon break of 20 minutes at 1:50. There are nine periods in the day. For the most part, students stay in their assigned classrooms, and the teachers come to them.

There are a few fortunate teachers who have actual classrooms of their own, and they come to pick up the students when it's time for class. I teach Grade 11 Art and Grade 12 Art (my co-teacher has the 11 Science and 12 Science classes.) There are eight girls in each class, and I see them twice a day. For example, every Sunday I have 11A 2nd period and 8th period, and 12A 5th and 6th periods. Every Wednesday I have 12A 1st period and 7th period, and 11A 4th period and 9th period. I like the days when I have them two periods in a row--it's a longer chunk of time, and we can get a lot accomplished. Each day is different. When I am not teaching I am in the office that I share with five other teachers, although I often slip across to a room called "the resource room" to spread out and connect to the internet.

It would seem that there is plenty of time during the day to get everything done--teaching four periods out of nine? Easy! But, since our schedule is different from day to day, it seems I just get started on something, and it's time to go to class. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that the schedule can change and we won't find out about it until the girls knock on the office door. Recently, I had worked all morning on a great lesson--I was going to have 11A for two periods in a row--and I was ready for them. Just a few minutes before the bell rang, the girls came to tell me that they had to go to the nurse for vaccinations. So much for that lesson! Once a week I take the girls to the library for free reading. (More "free talking" going on than reading, but it's a nice change of pace.) We take turns using the resource room. (Not many resources in it, but it has big round tables that make group work easier.) My day is Thursday. I can set up before the girls get there, so it feels more like teaching as I know it.

Laundry is going, beans are soaking for soup, and I just had a nice Skype visit with my mom. It's time to get some breakfast and get on with the day. Sunday morning will be here before I know it!

...a language faux pas

2011-10-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

My friend and former ELL teaching partner back home just reminded me of a story I've been meaning to tell. Some background information:

I teach at an all-girls school.
The girls here are very sheltered.
They are very chatty.
Raising my voice only adds to the noise.

I was trying to come up with a signal to get the girls to settle down, so I printed off a sheet with several phrases:

Please be quiet.
Quiet, please!
Hush!
Keep it down!
Chill!
Zip it!

I slipped this into the back pocket on my notebook, and when I wanted their attention would quietly raise it and wait. For some reason it had the opposite effect than what I was hoping for. The girls got louder, and laughed and giggled even more. I got stern with them and told them that when the notebook was in the air, they were to be quiet. "Now ZIP IT!" I said. It took a few times for this to happen before I wised up and asked someone what could possibly be so funny about the phrases.

Um, well, yeah..."zip it" sounds like the slang word for a certain male body part in Arabic. Imagine yourself in a foreign language class and having the teacher repeatedly say a certain slang word to you in English. Needless to say, "zip it" is no longer on my list of phrases.

...birthday wishes

2011-10-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

A very sweet note from one of my new students...that also gives me several clues about what we need to work on this year! Maitha is always listening and eager to learn. I hope I can "learn" her a lot!

...speed bumps

2011-10-24T03:03:00.000-07:00

I’ve encountered many speed bumps, both literal and figurative, since moving to Madinat Zayed, being assigned an apartment, and starting school. While it was wonderful to finally have my own place, it meant that all at once I needed to start cooking for myself, acquire transportation, and buy furnishings. Meanwhile, I also had to learn a new way of “doing school.” Forget the pipe dream about less paperwork. To my dismay, there is more shuffling of papers here than what I dealt with before. (Be careful what you wish for, right?) Thankfully, I am at a wonderful school. The five ladies with whom I share a small office are all very kind and helpful, and I am grateful to have landed among them. (I have heard stories from other teachers who have not been as fortunate.)

Time is passing very quickly—I can’t believe that we’re already into week seven. My students are beautiful, intelligent, and kind, and keep me grounded. I wish I could do more ESL type activities with them, but the structure of the curriculum doesn’t allow it. Actually, “curriculum” is a very loose term for what has been provided. It’s actually more of a framework with criteria, and then we find our own materials that fit the theme. It was crazy-making to not have internet at home nor a printer at school. I would search for materials during free time at school (when I could find a quiet corner with a hot spot), try to save what I had found on my laptop, then go home in the evening and reformat and print things off. It was exhausting. Now I finally have internet at home and purchased another small printer for school—I almost feel like a real teacher again! I never expected to have to spend my own money on basic materials, but it is worth the peace of mind to be able to do the job.

The road system here is something else. There are miles and miles of four lane roads, divided by fenced medians down the middle. Every so often (or not so often!) there is a place to make a U-turn. To get to school in the mornings I pass it on my left, go for a few more miles, then make a U-turn to return to it. If you happen to miss the turn-off (as I did one horribly foggy day), you just keep driving several more miles until you reach another U-turn. The city is laid out the same way. There are not city blocks as we know them, but long stretches of two or three lanes on each side of the median. Every major light has a U-turn lane. Running simple errands after school becomes a chore—having to loop around and around is exhausting. I’m learning to lower my expectations about what I can accomplish in a given amount of time. I might make a list of four things that I need to do and checking one of them off is considered a success. I mentioned speed bumps (or “humps” as they’re called here). Every residential area has several humps, and they’re not all uniform in size. Too often, no matter how slowly I creep over them, the car scrapes on the bottom. (I wonder if the rental company checks for damage there??)

Living in a new country is very different from traveling as a tourist. It gives me a new appreciation for my former students who had the “deer in the headlights” look for the first few months upon arrival in the US. Figuring out the banking (online doesn’t work for me, no matter how many times I’ve tried to resolve it), wiring money home (nope, that’s not happening right now either), and making sure that the 6,000 dirham overcharge for the refrigerator is credited to my account all take time and energy.

In spite of it all, I am glad I came. This experience is going to make me grow and stretch in ways that I never even thought possible. If I can do this, then I can do anything. A few weeks ago I heard that a neighbor of mine packed up and went home already. It occurred to me that as difficult as this experience is, it has never once crossed my mind to give up and leave. In spite of the speed humps that often feel like brick walls, in spite of the homesickness and loneliness, I am glad to be here. I am meeting wonderful people and having fun with my students. I am learning new things at an incredible rate (insurance against Alzheimer’s, if the stress doesn’t kill me first!). I look forward to next year at this time when it will just seem like business as usual, and not be so overwhelming.

Sunset at the last roundabout, just as I'm getting home in the evening.

P.S. I forgot to mention...I live in a place where I can buy baklava any time I want, for very little money. Now that's hard to beat! :-)

10/25/11 update: The money that I transferred to my bank back home finally made it. Whew! It took much more than "3 days" but it's there. I was back on the phone last night with the online banking helpdesk, and thought maybe, maybe, this time the issue would be resolved. One last step was for the technician to transfer me to an automated system and have me follow the steps on the recorded message. Once he transferred me, that was it--his part was finished and I wouldn't be able to get him back. I thanked him and waited for the call. It came through all right...but it was all in Arabic. sigh.

...being connected

2011-10-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was beginning to think it would never happen, but it has. I finally have internet at home. There is no rushing things here--they happen when they happen, but that doesn't make the waiting any easier to bear. I am alive and well, and just a bit frazzled from all the newness. Being able to connect with my family and friends again will help immensely. Stay tuned for a real blog post soon. In the mean time, here is a camel picture to tide you over:

...what to wear

2011-09-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you that I was in a bit of a dither about what to pack before coming here. The question I was most often asked was "will you have to wear a burka?" My answer was always "no, just long skirts." Beyond that, I didn't really know. Information from Teach Away, the recruiting agency, was vague so I talked to my friends who were already here, did some research online and scoured the Teach Away site on Face Book for guidelines. I bought long skirts, dresses, and jumpers, then fretted about them being loose enough and long enough. I bought one abaya online through East Essence just in case I'd need it.

I got to visit my school yesterday and met some wonderful people with whom I'll be working. So many beautiful scarves and abayas! The good news is that our principal is liberal when it comes to how we dress. We can wear slacks as long as they are loose and the blouse is long enough to cover the bum. Our dresses and skirts don't have to trail on the floor--it's OK if they hit at the ankle. Our shirts and sweaters can have 3/4 length sleeves. She did tell us to wear a scarf around our necks, just in case men come into the building or someone official comes to visit. It's not her mandate, but comes from higher-ups.

It's a relief to not have to wonder anymore about what to wear. Now I can focus on preparing for the first day. Lesson planning? What's that?

...a slice of heaven

2011-09-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

...a range of emotions

2011-09-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Things that make me smile:

Yummy snacks with a funny name,

a fish tank imbedded in the wall,

the children it attracts,

and connecting with family and friends on Skype.

Things that make me laugh:

Sinatra, live, at the Yas Hotel,

friends who are also easily amused,

and a taxi driver who cranked up his rap music for three middle-aged women, and either had an itch, a twitch, or was gettin' down to the music (sorry, no photo available).

Things that, if I don't laugh, might make me cry:

We spent the entire day at the main office only to receive a single sheet of paper that had our names, the name of our school, and, if we were one of the lucky ones, a phone number. I already had that information and was hoping for something more. However, it does confirm that I will be going out to the western region as I was originally told. I wonder when that will be?

Maybe it's just as well there were no forms under this sign!

...the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

2011-09-02T02:52:00.000-07:00

My friends and I had been wanting to visit the Grand Mosque and decided to go before the end of Ramadan and the Eid celebration began. The exact date for Eid was still to be determined, but we decided to go on Monday the 29th of July, in case Eid began the next day (which it did). Jo and I were able to climb the steps to the mosque dressed in our capris, but Katherine's were just a bit short. We had to go up and get an abaya and shayla for her before she could go in.

What an absolutely beautiful place! Visit this website to learn more. Their explanation is much more complete than mine would ever be, and I'm sure their vocabulary is more extensive than "Wow! Gorgeous! Awesome! Breathtaking!"

The flowers in these pillars (about 100 of them!) are all inlaid semi-precious stones. My head scarf wouldn't stay put, and our guide reminded us all to keep our heads covered. (Oops!)

We were split into three groups for the tour. The first few minutes were outside in the corridor area. It was cooler in the shade than out in the open, but not by much. There were tourists from all over the world visiting.

Our guide had us go out into the courtyard and feel the difference in temperature between the white marble and the green stone used for the leaves. It was amazing how much cooler the marble was!

What a welcome relief to step inside to the rush of AC! Here, our guide is pointing out details in the ceiling. There was so much to see that it was hard to take it all in. The carpet was made in one piece then cut into three (or was it four?) sections to enable them to bring it inside. Master carpet weavers then came and pieced it back together.

We were among the last ones to leave because we stayed and asked our guide questions. She was a delightful young woman who spoke English very well. She is from Yemen and is here going to University, studying urban planning. She works at the mosque part-time.

I took this picture to show perspective. It's difficult to tell how large the flowers on the walls are from a distance. My hand span is about 8".

Since we were among the last to leave I was able to snap this picture of one of the empty prayer halls. The flower above is on this wall.

I could easily visit again and look forward to having visitors--this will definitely be on our list of places to go and things to do! From a purely architectural/artistic point of view, it is phenomenal. And, much like in the cathedrals we visited in Italy years ago, there was a sense of reverence. Everyone spoke in hushed tones and there were no children running about. I would like to experience the mosque during prayer, but as I remember we were told that non-Muslims may not visit at that time.

...this and that

2011-08-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

I have a post about our visit to the Grand Mosque percolating, but in the meantime there are some random thoughts rolling around in my brain. Here they are, in no particular order:

--I used to wake up each morning and wonder what the weather would be like that day. Here, it's sunny. Every day. Oh, sure, some days are breezier than others so there might be a haze in the distance because of blowing sand, but everyday I open the curtains to SUN!

--The wind doesn't annoy me here like it did at home. I'm not itching to get out on my bike, so the wind doesn't matter. Blow on!

--The hotel has a gym that is open 24 hours and free. I've put it to good use. Who knew that at 52 I'd start to (almost) like running? (Thanks, Nate, for your encouragement!) Mind you, it's not a love affair like I have with cycling, but it feels pretty good to get some miles in on the treadmill. I hope there's a gym wherever I end up.

--Exercise is a good thing. Now if I could just do something about my sweet tooth and my desire to try every yummy thing I see here! (Baklava, anyone?)

--Yesterday was the last day of Ramadan. Today is the first day of Eid. The first difference I noticed was music. There was mellow sax music playing at breakfast and hip hop in the gym. (I was really ok with silence in the gym.) It will be a relief to be able to eat and drink in public again.

--Snail mail takes about two weeks to get from here to Oregon.

--I think I'm going to buy an air mattress. If I have to move out of here in a hurry, at least I'll have a bed. And, it will come in handy when visitors come to see me later in the year.

...an excellent day

2011-08-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

The bus from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain costs a whole 10 dirhams--less than $3 US. A pretty cheap excursion! The trip took about two hours. We didn't make it in time to wander through the museums (hours--or timings as they're called here--are different because of Ramadan), but the camel markets were open. The young men who showed off their camels brought out the most cantankerous fellow for us to pet. He sounded like something out of Star Wars! Katherine was the camel whisperer and called him "sweet face."

This was the closest that Jo would get to him. One of the guys was our photographer, and took several shots with each of our cameras. We all giggled when he put his scarf on Katherine's head. When he switched to my camera he switched the scarf as well. We laughed and laughed and had a great time.

After visiting the camels it was time for Iftar. We hadn't had anything to eat or drink since breakfast so we were hungry and dehydrated. We walked to the mall and found a wonderful place to eat: Coriander, an Indian restaurant.

This mint and cucumber drink was delicious and refreshing.

The food was heavenly. Jo and I both ordered white rice to go with our curries, but we could have shared. We ate and ate and ate. So good!

After our meal we sat and enjoyed the open air patio. I ordered a pot of coffee and wanted to take the china home with me. As we were leaving the restaurant I thanked the waiter and told him that it was the best coffee I'd had since I'd arrived. He grinned at me and said, "It was instant, madam!" Too funny!

We wandered through the mall for a few minutes, but realized that we'd better make our way to the bus station and head for home. Our taxi driver warned us that as soon as we opened the door to the cab we would be surrounded by men wanting to drive us to Abu Dhabi--at a much higher rate than 10 dirhams. He was right, and we were glad for the warning.

A friendly young woman from Sri Lanka sat next to me, and we visited all the way back. She is here working as a secretary and plans on going back home soon. She's getting older (under 30 I'd guess!) and it's time for her to get married. Her mother has made the arrangements. Maryam gave me her mobile number and told me to call any time if I need help with anything.

We didn't get back to the hotel until after 1:00. We said goodnight, agreed we probably wouldn't see each other at breakfast, and headed off to our rooms. I swiped my card, swiped it again, turned it over and tried again, to no avail. It seems we were all locked out--maybe this was how they were finding out who had moved to their apartments--so we had to go back down to the desk and get out cards unlocked. I don't know about the other two, but I sure didn't make it down for breakfast. I spent the day dozing and reading and dozing some more.

Tomorrow we're off to the see the Grand Mosque--we still haven't been. Another excellent day in store for us.

...being a hermit

2011-08-27T01:31:00.000-07:00

What a difference a day makes. I did not leave my room at all yesterday, and the only people I had contact with were the two pleasant young men who come to tidy my room and bring me bottled water. I've tried having a conversation with them from time to time, but their English is minimal and context specific. They know how to ask if I want fresh towels or the sheets changed, but beyond that...we just smile at each other a lot. At first I had the urge to speak in Spanish to them--at home if I could tell that someone didn't understand me I automatically switched to Spanish. I don't think that will help much here.

I spent the day yesterday answering emails, skyping with Arlene, made a phone call to Katie (I hadn't heard her voice since being here--we've chatted but it's not the same), and snacked on flat bread, tabboulah, tuna, hummus, and garlic paste. That combo makes a great sandwich! I put in one of my napping movies (movies I have seen so many times that I can easily fall asleep to them) and rested.

This morning I felt like myself again and went down to breakfast. Jo, Katherine and I are going on an adventure in a few minutes. We're going to get on a bus and head to Al Ain with hopes of going to a couple of museums and seeing the camel market. (Maybe they'll get to meet Rochelle's second husband! ha!)

I know that I will have dips in my energy and attitude like everyone else, and know what I need to do to take care of myself. I do have a job, and eventually I will find out where. Banking issues will be resolved, and I won't be living in this hotel forever. I have family and friends who keep in touch, and new friends here to get lost with. Stay tuned to see where we end up!

...learning new things

2011-08-26T01:30:00.000-07:00

When I got up this morning and saw that I had no internet access I was bummed. That's not so unusual--the connection comes and goes. So while I waited around for the little yellow triangle to disappear I made some coffee and fixed breakfast. (I felt too lazy and antisocial today to go down to the dining room.) Still, no internet. Rats. I puttered around, made a call to Katie (Hi Katie!), then checked again. This time I clicked on the icon, and up popped a message from the hotel asking me to sign in once more. Oh yeah, the internet is only good for a week at a time and today is the first day of my fourth week here. Who knew one could get tired of living in a five star hotel? But, I'll have to continue to make the best of it, because this is going to be my home until September 4th, and possibly longer. All government offices are now closed for the last week of Ramadan, and people are preparing for Eid, a very festive time. The malls are decorated in a manner very similar to how we decorate for Christmas. The stores are busy in the evenings with people shopping for gifts and new clothing. I was in Carrefour last night, admiring some beautiful gift baskets filled with chocolates and dates, when an Emirate woman spoke to me. I was delighted--this was the first time that someone had initiated a conversation with me. Her name was Amal, and she works for the official Tourism office. She was so friendly, and graciously answered my questions about Ramadan and Eid. She even gave me the phone number for her office and her personal mobile number.

Because the offices are all closed, I still don't know where I will be living and teaching. I can't even be sure that I'll be somewhere in Al Gharbia. Jo was also told via email that she would be in the western region, but when she asked for more specific information she was given the name of a school here in Abu Dhabi. She is disappointed because she would have preferred a more rural setting. Katherine knows that she will be clear out in Sila, close to Qatar, so I am the only one of our trio who has no idea. I sent an email late Wednesday evening, hoping that I would get a reply before the end of the work day yesterday, but no such luck. I knew ahead of time that patience and flexibility were the two most important attributes needed for living and working here. I'm finding that I'm learning patience at a whole new level! We have lots of free time coming up, but can't rent a car just yet. I think Jo, Katherine and I are going to hop on a bus and do some exploring this week. I need to do some research online to find out if the places we want to visit will be open. Let's hope so!

I've been here long enough now to have learned a few things. Exact change is not always given, nor expected. The coins, fils, are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50. If the change is 15 fils or less, it usually isn't given. Before I realized this, I asked the clerk for my change and got an exasperated look in return. Then I did the math and understood that the smaller fils are almost worthless. It did makes me wonder though, if they have to balance their tills at the end of the day. Maybe "close" is good enough.

I learned the hard way that produce must be weighed and labeled before one leaves the produce area. There are no scales at the cash register. Luckily, I made this mistake on my first night here, and the small grocery store was not busy. A bagger ran back to the produce department to do it for me.

I've figured out that lining up and taking turns is not done quite the same way it is back home. Once I understood about having my produce weighed I would politely stand in line and wait my turn--only to have people come from all sides and go in front of me. I've learned to ease my way toward the front and place my bags on the counter. They will eventually be weighed and tagged and handed back to me. I do try to time it so the counter isn't too busy.

The grocery stores are so fascinating to me. It's like walking through a giant Trader Joe's on each visit. I want to look at everything and try new things. One of my former students expressed concern about what I would find to eat here. I need to write to her and let her know that I am in no danger of going hungry! (The opposite is true. Good thing there's a gym in the hotel!)

I get overwhelmed at times by how difficult it is to do even the most basic things. Getting a mobile phone, signing up for online banking (error--please contact the bank), and getting my US bank's swift number for transferring funds...the list goes on. I look forward to the time when it all seems familiar and "life as usual."

My friends back home have been in their classrooms for the past couple of weeks, getting everything ready for students on Monday. I am used to the feeling of urgency at this time of year--so much to do and so little time to do it in. Did I say I'm learning patience? I wandered through the school supply section at Carrefour last night and was glad to see such a wide variety of supplies. If my school doesn't have something I need, then I know where to go.

Here's something that made me laugh:

"...a composition very similar to that of human body fluid..."

...a birthday wish

2011-08-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy

birthday dear Leslie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to

youuuuuu!

(And many more!)

(Blogger is still giving me fits and I can't seem to comment on your blog. Atticus is a cutie--so glad you have a new friend! Oh--and your heat wave? Psshh. ha!)

...a desert romance

2011-08-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning my friends Clark and Rochelle and their three boys picked me up and took me back to their home in Al Ain, about 1 1/2 hours away. We talked non-stop all day long while I did my laundry. I now know what kind of drying rack I will buy when I am finally out of the hotel and in my own place. It took only 15 to 20 minutes for each load of my clothes to dry.

In the late afternoon we decided to drive around Al Ain so they could show me where they lived last year. I got to see the border with Oman (but couldn't cross it because I don't have my passport and visa back yet) and saw "mountains" in the distance.

Rochelle wondered if the camel market would be open, so we decided to go see. There wasn't much going on--it was close to sundown and time for iftar (breaking of the fast). We finally spotted some camels and Clark pulled over so we could take a look. We would have been happy with taking a few photos through the fence. All of a sudden a little pickup roared up next to us. I rolled down the window and the driver said, "Baby! Baby! Come! Come!"

So we got out of the car and followed the man into the enclosure. He insisted that I take the rope and touch the camel. The two youngest boys were not at all happy about being so close to the big animals, but Rochelle, Gabe and I got pet them.

We had all thanked the man for letting us see his camels and were ready to go back to the car. All of a sudden, he grabbed Rochelle's arm and took off across the yard, hollering back at us, "Come! Come!" He only let go of her arm when she said, "Hey! I'm a married woman!" (Clark was looking on, trying to calm the little ones and wondering, "What is that man doing with my wife?!"

The handler took us into another pen with an old camel that was lying down. "Sit! Sit!" he ordered, so we sat. Gabe wasn't so sure, but the man made him sit for the picture.

Then he had Rochelle get in the picture. I was so surprised to see him caress her cheek. Rochelle was speechless.

Then, to top it all off, he put his head scarf on her head. Rochelle was about to lose it by this time.

We again thanked the man for the experience (!) and headed back to the car. The man followed me, saying "Money, eat! Eat!" I was willing to pay him because I had wanted to see the camels so gave him a 5 dirham bill. He saw that I had more cash in my wallet so kept asking for more. I gave him 10 more, but he still kept asking. The price kept going up until Rochelle told him that 25 was enough and we wouldn't pay any more. I didn't think that $8 was much at all. But, I doubt that Rochelle will take me again any time soon!

...being like Gumby

2011-08-20T05:21:00.000-07:00

I want to be like Gumby. He could get all in a twist and still keep a smile on his face. We've been in the hotel for over two weeks now, and still no word on where, exactly, I'll be living and teaching. I sent off an email yesterday to (politely) inquire. By the process of elimination I had deduced that, since my name wasn't on the list for Abu Dhabi city or Al Ain, I would be in Al Gharbia. However, Al Gharbia (pronounced al garBEEa) is a huge region and I was curious to know in which city I would be placed. The answer just came back: "You will be placed in Al Gharbia." Alrighty then. I guess I'll just be patient and wait to hear more.

We had three days of training this past week, which was very helpful. On Wednesday they separated us by grade level so we could take a look at the curriculum. I was glad to see that the standards are very similar to Oregon's.

While I was glad to have the training that was provided, it also heightened my anxiety about the task at hand. I woke up Friday morning feeling a bit homesick and unsettled. It didn't last long--conversation at breakfast with my new friends, a run on the treadmill, and Skype with Arlene took care of it.

My friends Clark and Rochelle are back in Al Ain. They just flew in from Utah yesterday and are coming to get me on Monday. It will be so good to catch up with them and pick their brains about...everything. I also look forward to using their washing machine! I have a cell phone (mobile, it's called here) again and have been texting with Clark. Funny how something so small can make life feel more normal again.

Tonight Jo, Katherine and I are taking the shuttle to IKEA for dinner. (We laugh at ourselves for being delighted in such a small, silly thing. We've been in this hotel toooo long!) We also learned of an Australian place called "Jones the Grocer" that is open during the day (even during Ramadan!). We're taking a field trip on Tuesday with the intent of finding a thrift store, getting our drivers licenses translated, visiting the Grand Mosque, and stopping for a bite to eat at Jones'.

...standing out in a crowd

2011-08-14T01:04:00.000-07:00

Last night Katherine, Joanne and I took a taxi to downtown Abu Dhabi. We wanted to find the souks (markets) that we had heard about, and hopefully snag a bargain or two on some clothing. Our driver dropped us off and we began walking. (I have never seen so many jewelry stores in my life!) We must have seemed quite the odd trio to the local people--a tall redhead, a petite brunette, and me. We finally found a souk--a series of small shops that sell anything from Levi's to tacky souvenirs (a shiekh and his lady salt and pepper shakers, anyone?!)--but our most pressing concern was our rumbling tummies. We asked shopkeepers along the way to point us in the direction of a restaurant. "Oh Ma'am, too far. You need taxi." I guess we looked too delicate to walk any distance! We kept wandering and looking and finally stumbled upon a delightful little cafe that sold sandwiches and fresh fruit drinks. After taking care of our hunger pangs, we were back out on the street again (in a good way) and made our way back to the souk. As we walked I heard catcalls and comments. It reminded me of being in rural Mexico a few years ago. I had asked my hostess, Candy, if the boys hooting and hollering realized how old I was--I could be their mom! She said it didn't matter--they had never seen a blonde person before, so I was an oddity to them. I was also reminded of our trip to Italy in 2000. Katie was a gangly 13 year old, badly in need of a hair cut. But to Japanese tourists in the Sistene Chapel she was "So pretty! So pretty!" After the previous day's taxi fiasco, we hit the jackpot on the way home. We got into a cab driven by the most delightful man from Nepal. He was college educated, and had worked as an accountant in his home country for 26 years. His job ended, but since he is still under 50 he needed to continue working. For 26 years he sat at a desk, so he decided he wanted to do something totally different. He loves driving a taxi, and is very proud of the fact that he speaks English so well. He had a wonderful sense of humor and kept us laughing the entire ride.

Today we're going to go to Carrefour, a large store (like Walmart on steroids) to get some more groceries and hopefully find an abaya or two. Katherine is so tall that she's having trouble finding floor-length anything.

An email came yesterday letting us know that official business is going to start this week--three days of training. Some folks are getting all worked up about the down time that we've had--they want to know where, what, and when, and they want to know NOW. (We're not in Kansas anymore...)

...being taken for a ride

2011-08-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

We've been here just over a week now, and are starting to feel confident in getting to where we want to go. There's a free shuttle that will take us to IKEA, where we can catch another free shuttle to Marina Mall. We found a grocery store just minutes away, and we know how to get to another small mall close by. We know that it costs about 20 dirhams (about $5 US) for a one-way trip.

Yesterday, Kristina and I headed out to Al Raha Mall. I didn't think much would be open except the Lu Lu's department/grocery store, but getting out for a bit sounded like a good idea. We got there just fine, wandered around and made our purchases (I found a lovely blue top for $49 Dirhams), bought some groceries (I really didn't need much, but it all looks so interesting), then headed outside to catch a cab back.

We got into the first taxi in line, and told him our destination. "Yas Hotel?" he asked. "Hmmm..." He fiddled with his GPS, then took off. I was sitting behind him and hadn't seen Yas anything come up on the screen, so asked him if he knew where it was. He said he had only had the GPS for six days, so wasn't used to it, but "No problem, I'll find your hotel." We traveled for a bit, then I told Kristina that it wasn't looking right. We should have been heading in the opposite direction, on a main highway. I kept looking for signs that said "Yas Island," but all I saw was "Abu Dhabi" and "Dubai." I finally spoke up and told him that we were going the wrong way, and offered the number of the hotel so he could call and get directions. He said he could find it. He took an exit and got us turned around--going in the right direction--but we were on a side road in a bunch of construction. The meter was ticking along, and we weren't anywhere near the hotel. Quiet, reserved Kristina showed me a side of her I hadn't seen yet. She spoke sternly to the driver and told him that she would be reporting him. She told him we would pay him 20 dirhams, and no more.

We finally made it back, and paid him the 20, even though the meter said the fare was well over 40. It was uncomfortable--I wanted to believe that it truly was an error, and he wasn't just taking us for a ride.

...entitlement

2011-08-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

I had briefly considered entitling this post "The Ugly American," but unfortunately, we Americans are not the only ones with a sense of entitlement. I have been amazed, apalled, and bemused by some of the things I've seen my fellow teachers (from all over the globe) say and do here in AD. We are the guests, and we were hired to do a job. We were flown here at no expense to ourselves (well, maybe a little out of pocket for overweight luggage, but hey, there were just some things I didn't think I could live without!). Tickets for spouses and children were paid for as well. We are living in a five star hotel, provided a sumptuous breakfast each day, have access to a full gym, two swimming pools, and spa treatments for 50% off the usual rate. The staff treats us like royalty, catering to our every whim.

Every bit of literature that I read about coming here to teach said to be flexible, go with the flow, and understand that things work differently here. Friends who are already here told me the same thing. We were also told, repeatedly, that we would be arriving during Ramadan, the Muslim month of prayer and fasting, and that it was especially important to be respectful of the customs during this time.

I guess the woman who sauntered across the lobby eating a bag of chips and drinking a soda didn't read the same info I did. Nor did the young woman who got on the bus last night (on our way to the police station for fingerprinting) whose neckline plunged (and plunged some more). The woman who stood at the front desk complaining about the lack of an optimal view from her room must have forgotten who was footing the bill. The group of girls in Ikea who had to be told four times by security that taking pictures inside the store wasn't allowed should be grateful they aren't in jail. The man who pretended to lose his number at the bank so he could cut in line made us all look bad. I'm afraid the local people are looking at us and thinking, "Hmmm...and we hired YOU to educate our children??"

But, for all the dolts in the group, there are many more who are kind, respectful, and patient. I have met people from all across the States and from around the world. Conversation has been effortless, and friendships are blooming. I'm eager to know where I'll be teaching and to get my apartment. Living in luxury has been wonderful, but I'm ready to do some laundry, cook my own meals, and settle in.

...yogurt

2011-08-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Or should that be spelled "yoghurt?" Either way, a LOT of it is eaten in this country. There is always a big bowl of it at breakfast, next to the fruit salad, and another bowl with a bit of olive oil drizzled in it next to the cucumbers and tomatoes. Breakfast is the only meal provided, so many of us have stocked our mini bar fridges with food for the rest of the day. At the grocery store the other day we went in search of the yogurt section. I was so surprised by what I saw that I had to pull out my camera. The entire aisle was devoted to yogurt, in small containers and large. (The picture doesn't capture it all.) And, only a very, very few of them were flavored. I've tried different brands and like them all. The yogurt is smooth, thick, and creamy. Its flavor is fresh and not very tart at all. I had been making my own yogurt at home for the past several months, but I don't know that I will here. Milk is a bit expensive, but yogurt is not. Oh, and I haven't had any tummy trouble that often accompanies overseas travel. I think it might be due to the good microbes that I've been ingesting every day. I also tried something called "laban" that was right next to the yogurt. I thought it was a yogurt smoothie--the container looked just like what a smoothie comes in at home. It turned out to be a buttermilk-like drink--much milder than buttermilk, but thick like a smoothie. I liked it, but my friends did not.

...a conversation with a cabbie

2011-08-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

This morning two new friends and I took a cab from the hotel to the largest mall in Abu Dhabi--about a 20 minute drive. The porter shook his finger at the driver and admonished him not to take us on a roundabout trip--to go straight there and not to add miles. The driver muttered, "Yes, yes, I am not from Pakistan." He was from Bangladesh, and an "honest driver."

It always interests me to learn how people have learned English, so I asked the driver my standard question--"How did you learn English?" He thought for a second, then waved his hand in the air and said, "Here and there." He went on to explain that when he was young, only the priviledged in his country learned to speak English, and that was at the university level. Now, however, his children are learning English at school, and they start at the primary level. He apologized, saying that his English was "not so elegant." I assured him that his English was just fine--we were communicating, and that is what is important.

One of my companions asked him what he likes most about this country. Without hesitation he said, "It is safe. There is no crime." He then said that he liked having a job, and none are available in his home country. He goes to see his family every six months or so. He goes so often because his mother is 80 and has "the sugar sickness--diabetes," but his wife takes good care of her.

Once at the mall he wanted to know how long we would be--should he wait? We told him that we weren't sure--maybe a couple of hours, so not to bother waiting for us. He said he would be there when we returned--and he was.

A passing glimpse of the second-largest mosque in the world. I hope to get to see it up close!

...learning new things

2011-08-05T00:26:00.000-07:00

I can open a hotel door, turn on the lights, run water for a bath, put a stopper in the sink and pull it out again. I can operate a TV and open a sliding door. Or can I?

The Education Council has put us up in a lovely hotel until our teaching assignments and housing have been determined. We arrived here around 10:00 last night, exhausted from the day of traveling. I looked forward to getting to my room, kicking my shoes off, soaking in the tub, and falling into bed. Instead, every little thing along the way had me flummoxed! I finally did figure out how to turn on the water, and I think I've got the lighting system down. The TV needed help from someone at the desk, so that wasn't my error. I won't be opening the balcony window again, though. It is big and heavy and almost impossible to close. It's not the usual slide-along-a-track type door. It's too hot to be out on the balcony anyway, but I had to take a look. A young man from housekeeping gave me a puzzled look when I asked how to let the water out of the sink, but he graciously showed me. I had to laugh--it was so simple.

To add to my consternation, the combo lock that I put on one of my bags wouldn't open. Thankfully, I had appropriate clothing in my other bag, so was able to go down for breakfast. Someone from engineering came up with a big pair of snips and cut the lock off for me.

I'm sure there will be more things to learn and other little bumps in the road, but I am delighted to be here.

The view from my window last night.

...missing her

2011-08-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day, and although my suitcases aren't quite organized and packed just yet, they will be soon. I've spent the past almost-two weeks here at Katie's. We haven't spent so much time together since her freshman year of college when she came home for three weeks at Christmas. Katie has continued to work while I've been here, and I've made play dates with friends and relatives who live in the area, so we've both been busy, but she and I have settled into a rhythm of living together. It has been a good way to end my time here before flying off into the unknown. Katie has to work tonight, so last night was our last hurrah. We went to a fancy place downtown, known for it's view of the city. We talked and laughed and took lots of pictures. We walked along the riverfront, even though our shoes weren't exactly walking shoes, and enjoyed the lovely weather and interesting people. The memory of sitting side by side on a park bench, slurping our ice cream cones and just being together will be one of my go-to memories to get me through the rough spots ahead. I will miss you, Katie!

...reservations

2011-07-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

The electronic tickets finally made it to my inbox. I fly out of Portland on the morning of August 3rd. After a short layover in Chicago, I'll be on my way to Abu Dhabi! It's interesting for me to notice that I'm really not too anxious--just excited. It's been a wonderful month of traveling around, visiting family and friends, and now...I'm ready to go. (Although saying goodbye to Katie will be hard.) Stay tuned for photos and ponderings from the other side of the world!

Blogger is still being a booger and won't allow me to comment on anything--my own blog and others. Just so you know I'm not being unsociable!

...sisters

2011-07-09T14:57:00.001-07:00

Spending time with my sisters was on my happy list for the summer.

Check

In Burns with Lani on the 4th of July.

In Boise with Arlene on the 9th of July.

Thanks for the good wishes for my dad--he is doing very well. :-)

...a change in plans

2011-07-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

I left my parents on Sunday and traveled four hours to visit my youngest sister Lani and her family. We were enjoying time on her patio when the text message came from mom: At ER, will fill you in later. Wha??? I thought it was mom being treated--she has upper respiratory issues. Finally, more info trickled in--Dad had had a minor stroke and was being admitted. So...instead of going on to see Arlene in Boise, Lani and I came home. Two of my brothers are here, and one more is on his way. Arlene will be here after work today. (She doesn't know it, but we're turning the kitchen over to her.)

Dad is home and doing well--a bit unsteady on his feet and confused, but otherwise....ok. His room is upstairs at the top of a very steep and narrow staircase. So...our task is to shift things around and make a room for him downstairs. We made good progress yesterday, and it's good to have so many hands to help. If you read this, please send prayers, positive thoughts and/or well-wishes to my dad and our family. Thanks!

...life on the road

2011-06-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

I'm officially without a permanent address...but I'm not homeless. Friends and family have seen to that. Living out of suitcases will probably be old by the end of the month, but for now...it just feels like summer.

...my life at the present moment

2011-06-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

The contents of these are neatly stowed in the garage,

waiting for this, which has been reserved. This has been scheduled, (Thanks for the info, Les!)

utilities have been notified,

and rent has been paid. After Wednesday, I will be living out of these.

EEK!

Blogger is being strange today--it won't let me fix the spacing between pictures...and I've already frittered away too much time creating the post. Fine. Be that way.

another "last time"

2011-06-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, class of 2011!

I am proud of you!

...my last day of school in Podunk

2011-06-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

...blogger being bratty

2011-05-31T16:53:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure what's up with Blogger lately. Sure, it lets me create new posts. It even allows me to comment on other blogs--sometimes. The weird thing is, when I try to post a reply to my own blog, it takes me to the sign-in page...again and again and again. After about the 3rd attempt I give up (after saying a few choice words). And since Blogger is free, I really can't rant to anyone about the lousy service. But I'm spoiled. I'm conditioned to be able to comment at will. So it is. Anyway...this post is to let anyone who has recently commented on my blog know that I did indeed read what you wrote, and I appreciate that you took the time to stop by. A lack of a response on my part is not for a lack of trying!

...this and that

2011-05-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

The to-do list is growing smaller.

Bit by bit, my life is getting packed up and stacked in the garage.

It's getting easy to toss things into the trash or put them into the give-away pile.

I fooled myself into thinking I could leave dry-eyed. Not going to happen.

The storage unit has been reserved--sort of. (What do you mean, my online reservation only guarantees the price, not that you'll actually have a unit for me??)

BBQ and a game of "Apples to Apples" with neighbors was a welcome respite from the to-do list.

Why did I decide that the garden bench should be repainted before being stored?

I'm glad to have an online friend who knows about carpet cleaning--now I know the right questions to ask.

We had a 5 day weekend due to furlough days, and I haven't ridden once because the @#$% wind continues to blow. Grrr...

I've learned that yes, there are cyclists in Abu Dhabi, women as well, and yes, spandex in public is ok. I'm going to wait to see for myself before I decide to either have my bike shipped or buy one there.

Katie graduates from PSU in two weeks and I have no clue what to do for a gift for her. (Hmmm...funny how putting that thought to print caused some ideas to flit through the brain.)

I wonder if anyone on Freecycle will want my old TV? (Yes, it's a big screen...but no, it's not flat.) I hate to have to haul it to the dump.

Out of all of my "stuff" that is going into storage, the only item I would truly miss if something catastrophic happened is my grandpa's old Victrola. (But I'd still have my memories of him winding it up and playing "Mean Mama Blues.")

Due to budget cuts, I'm not being replaced. Next year my classroom will be a storage unit for ESL materials. I feel for my coworkers who will have to absorb my duties into their already full schedules and I worry about my newcomers who will be tossed into regular classes before they're ready.

It looks like I'm going to have to get snarky with the bookkeeper at the chiropractor's office about the refund I've been owed since January. A phone call and a note have had no effect.

The oven is clean.

I'm scared, I'm nervous, and I'm still a little incredulous that I'm actually doing this--but the smile on my face tells me that it's a good decision.

It's probably a good thing that I forgot that Arlene also had an extra long weekend--I wouldn't have gotten quite so much accomplished.

Four more school days left in this year...

...a budding photographer

2011-05-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

My friends Chris and Janie and their (almost) 4 year old son Liam came to my party on Saturday. To keep Liam entertained Katie gave him her camera to use. I love giving cameras to kids--especially now in the digital age. Deleting out of focus or repetive shots takes seconds. And, sometimes they get a great shot from an angle that adults would never have considered. (We call this The Kitchen Angel. ha!) Liam loved my mom and took a gazillion pictures of her. Most were deleted, but a couple were very cute. But it's the picture that he took of my dad that is our all-time favorite. Don't you love it?

...a celebration

2011-05-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

My children threw a going away party for me on Saturday. On Friday, the when they got to town, the weather was gorgeous. We were sure that the next day would also be perfect for hanging out in the park. It was not to be. On Saturday we woke up to rain and wind, but we were still confident that it would clear up by 2:00. No such luck. At 1:30, instead of driving to the park to set up, the kids went to tack up a sign letting everyone know of the venue change--we'd gather in my apartment instead. Luckily, I've been steadily working at packing things up, so it didn't take long to stash odds and ends upstairs and push the couch to the side. We were nervous though. Would people see the sign? Katie updated Facebook, and I sent out text messages. We'd have an awful lot of food to eat if people didn't come! (Arlene prepared all the food--her ginger cookies are to die for!)I was worried, but not for long...they saw the sign and got the word--party at Sue's place! Over 30 people came through my door. A friend I hadn't seen in at least ten years had said she couldn't make it--but she did! Such a fun surprise. Current and former coworkers, a few former students, neighbors, family, and friends all crowded in. Midway through the afternoon the sun came out, so we opened the patio door and spilled out into the backyard. Good memories were shared and more were made.

...music

2011-05-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

I married a man who could tell you the name of every song, artist, and group from our generation and most from the one before. He loved (loves?) music and spent (spends?) hours in front of his stereo system with earphones on, creating mixed tapes of his favorites. My son inherited his dad's musical memory (although I don't think he spends quite as much time absorbed in it). I, on the other hand, enjoy music but it's not my passion. It's a rare occasion when I can name anything associated with a particular song. Oh, I can sing along when I hear one I know, but don't ask me who the artist is. While the man I married had (has?) all the latest electronics for listening pleasure, I have always been content with the radio or a small CD player. Nothing high-tech at all. It was a great day when I discovered Pandora. I just had to know ONE artist that I liked and they would do the rest! And, with the advent of Blogger, my one-stop, lazy musicologist mind has discovered that I can open fellow bloggers blogs and listen to (and enjoy) all kinds of music--some familiar, and some that I would never have found on my own. Thanks, Rochelle and Jeff! Oh, and Leslie is usually good for a song or two. Thanks, Les!

...the good ol' days

2011-05-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've been busy sorting, tossing, scanning and packing in preparation for my new life. One cupboard of my classroom was full of photo albums. Twenty two years of memories. I decided to scan some of the photos and toss the rest. It has been a delightful walk down memory lane. I usually scoff when someone refers to the past as "the good old days," but I have to admit to some nostalgia for "back then," when I first started teaching at the high school. Back then I had a high-ceilinged, drafty old room with tile floors. We could have a bubble-fest and not worry about the mess. I wonder if I'll have a tile floor in my new classroom?

...being a goose

2011-05-07T11:47:00.001-07:00

Jesus dropped the F bomb just as he stepped inside my classroom door. I responded with "the look." He said, "Oops, my bad!" I said, "How about you apologize in a way that is meaningful to an old fogey like me?" He looked puzzled for a second, then his face lit up. "You're a GOOSE!" Whaaat? How is that an apology? After a bit of back and forth we communicated. He had meant to say that I was a "geezer." Goose/geezer--both start with G and have the s sound in the middle. What's one to do but laugh? (Oh, and I did get a real apology.)

...the last time

2011-04-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

I can't remember when I first starting helping out at the track meets at Podunk High, but it was many years ago. Nor can I remember when it was that someone asked me if I would mind announcing--the regular wasn't available, and no one else was willing. I knew close to nothing about scores, heats, flights, final calls, and open pits, but it didn't matter. I wasn't afraid of speaking into the microphone, and that's what counted.

Before long, I was the regular announcer, the Voice of the Vikings. I learned to watch the field and judge when to call the next event, keep an eye on the head coach (someone always wants to talk to the head coach), listen to requests from the hand-held radio, all while sharing stories and laughs with the scorers in the booth. There was the time that I forgot to turn my mic off and broadcast something far and wide that should have been kept between the ladies and me. There was another time that I asked everyone to help place the hurdles on the orange marks. A cantankerous coach from a neighboring school bellowed up at me, "They're FLESH colored!" I wanted to ask him to look around and tell me just whose flesh was the color of those orange marks--but I refrained myself. For several years after, "They're FLESH colored!" was all it took to set the booth crew giggling. My children both participated in track, and I had a birds-eye view of all their events. It was perfectly ok to lean out the window to cheer them on--sans microphone, of course! (I wonder if anyone noticed the change of inflection in my voice while announcing the winners when one of them scored in the ribbons? It couldn't be helped.)

I announced my last track meet today. The season isn't quite over for the kids, but this was the last home meet. Next year, someone else gets to be "The Voice of the Vikings." I hope they enjoy the job as much as I did.

..spring? Maybe?

2011-04-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Installing Spring...
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44% done
Install delayed...Please wait.
Installation failed. 404 error: season not found. Season "Spring" cannot be located.
The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again.

(I have no idea who gets credit for this, but it fits NE Oregon to a T!)

..evening rides

2011-04-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining. The wind's not blowing (much). Sunset isn't until 7:38. Guess where I'll be at 5:30?

...taking a leap

2011-03-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

My students have been told. The letter has been turned in. It's official. I'm super excited and scared silly all at the same time. Next year...drumroll...I will be teaching English at an all-girl school in Abu Dhabi! Whew!

There's a lot of history accumulated in 22 years in a district, especially such a small one. We have three schools--one each of elementary, middle, and high. I've worked in two of the buildings, and worked with folks from the third. As I said last fall, it's been time for me to move on for a long time, but my rut was getting pretty dang comfortable. The closer I got to retirement age...the more I was afraid I would turn into "one of those teachers" that others wonder about: "Isn't she about ready to retire?" "I don't know, but I sure wish she would!" So, to save myself from that fate (and others from having to work with a curmudgeonette) I decided to take a huge leap...and go somewhere totally different. Here, I teach students to speak English. (But I also speak Spanish.) There, I will teach students to speak English. (And I don't know a word of Arabic--yet.)

I broke the news to my students today, and their reactions were endearing. No doubt about it, I love these kids and will miss them. But I fall in love with kids year after year--and then they graduate and move on...and we all survive the transition. We will weather this change as well. I asked them to give me advice. One wrote "Keep a gun at your side at all times!" (Ummm...no.) Another expressed concern that my skin would get too brown. (Not a chance--I'd burn and peel repeatedly.) A girl worried that the food would be strange--what would I eat?? Most of them advised me to have fun, enjoy the adventure, and to never forget them. Good advice.

...spring break

2011-03-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. The kids are squirrely.

There's not much creativity nor patience left in me. It's time for a change of pace, to rest, relax, and do something different for a few days. Ahhhh, spring break! (Starting right after I finish announcing the first home track meet tomorrow afternoon...)

...photography

2011-03-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

I have long known that I am a "picture taker" and not a "photographer." I admire people who have a talent for capturing just the right composition, but don't seem to have the knack myself. Every now and then, though, I get lucky and one of my pictures turns out kind of cool. Like this one on our ride this morning:

Pure accident--I was trying to turn my camera off but instead snapped a picture of myself. The sunburst makes me smile. The rest of my pictures this morning were just that--pictures. Still...they chronicle an excellent spring ride with friends.

...Mr. I

2011-03-01T23:52:00.000-08:00

Just when I think I've seen the last of him for awhile, Mr. Insomnia drops in for a late night rendezvous. He's overstayed his welcome. Again. My sister says that when he visits her, she knows she'll sleep well the next night. I wish.

"Fatigue is the best pillow." ~Benjamin Franklin (Not always, Ben, not always.)

"Many things--such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly--are worse when we try hardest to do them." ~ C.S. Lewis (You got it, C.S.!)

"Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds." ~JoJo Jensen (JoJo, how do you know me so well?)

...a ride in February

2011-02-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

We've had a bit of a cold snap, accompanied by a brisk wind. I wasn't sure if anyone would want to ride today, so was glad to get a text from Greg. He said it was pretty warm out, considering what the temperature has been lately, and the wind wasn't too bad. We decided to take our chances.

It was lovely to be able to wear these:

instead of these:

but my feet would have been happier in these:

instead of these:

There was a delightful tailwind heading out of town, and a killer of a headwind coming back in. As we slogged along we played the "at least" game: At least it's not raining. At least it's not snowing. At least it's not blowing dirt in our eyes. At least the wind isn't shifting like last time when we never got a tailwind. At least we're riding and not spinning. A good ride.

...scanning my life away

2011-02-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

Factoids:

This is my 22nd year of teaching.

I have accumulated a huge number of files in that period of time.

Cleaning out said files is a enormous job.

Personal scanners are relatively inexpensive.

Thumb drives hold many, many, many files in an itty-bitty space.

Questions to ask myself:

Have I used this material in the past 1, 2, 5, 10, or 2o years?

Even if I have, is it worth the time it will take to scan it?

How easily can I acquire the same or similar material online?

(I was sure that a scanner was the answer to my dilemma about what to do with my files. Now I'm not so sure. Oh dear.)

...Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

This is what is spreading like a virus on Face Book right now: "For Valentines Day post a picture of you and your valentine as your profile pic and write the date you guys got together at the end of this post and copy and paste to celebrate the day of LOVE......"

So....here's the picture I posted:

9/9/07

(Our 30+ mile ride in the sunshine today was a fabulous way to say I {heart} you!)

...taking an elbow to the nose

2011-02-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I was asked if I would participate in a pep assembly activity. "What's the activity?" I asked. "Co-ed basketball with a male and female teacher on each team." There are only three female teachers in our building. I could have said no, but one of the other gals had already exercised that option. "Sign me up, " I said.

Today was the assembly. Cheerleaders cheered, the band blatted out a tune or two, and the chosen few played basketball for the crowd's entertainment. Some were serious, while others of us ran up and down the court waving our arms at seemingly appropriate times trying to look like we knew what we were doing. And then it happened. I was in the right place at the right time (or so I thought) to rebound the ball. Just as I was reaching for it...crack! Someone's connected with my

It didn't sound pretty. It felt even worse. I was sure that my hand would be full of blood when I pulled it away. (It wasn't.) With wobbly knees I got myself to the bench and tossed the pinny to one of the girls. My career as a basketball great had just been cut short.

Tonight my nose is tender, and a lovely bruise is beginning to bloom. I think I'll be a spectator at the next pep assembly.

...a grand adventure

2011-02-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I posted about making a big change in my life. I'm not quite ready to go totally public with all the details just yet, but...on the way to that GRAND ADVENTURE I had a grand adventure that warmed my heart and reaffirmed that people everywhere are GOOD. Get a cup of your favorite wintertime beverage, and settle in for the story:

This past Tuesday I got up at 3:00 a.m. to make sure that I was at the {somewhat} local airport for my 6:15 flight. By 6:00 my fellow travellers and I knew something was up. Then the announcement came: due to mechanical difficulties, the flight had been cancelled. Oh dear. Next flight out was at 9:15. Since I live in Podunk, there are no direct flights to LA--we must go to Seattle first, change planes, then to LA. (It was a beautiful day to be up in the air!)My plan had been to arrive in plenty of time to change my clothes, fix my hair, and...breathe. Instead, I changed clothes in the restroom in Seattle, landed in LA at 2:15, grabbed a taxi and pulled up to the hotel just in time for my 3:10 appointment. Whew. (My hair looked fine, but I sure could have used that time to breathe!) The interview was over and done with before I knew it, and I staggered out to the street, feeling like I had really blown it. (I didn't, but that's a later post.) The kind doorman put me into another taxi and I headed to my budget motel.

It has been many years since I have seen the beaches of California, and I really wanted to experience the boardwalk at Venice Beach. After changing into jeans and walking shoes I asked the motel clerk the best way to get there. He said I could take another taxi, or...walk down the street, take a right at Burger King, and catch the Big Blue Bus at the bus terminal. It would take me right there. So off I went. I walked, and walked, and walked...and saw nothing that looked like a bus terminal. A woman was waiting to cross the street and I asked her if she knew where it was. She gave me a look that made me think, "Oh no, she doesn't speak English!" But then she pointed down the street--we were almost there. I stood in front of the information board, trying to get my bearings when the woman hurried over to me. "There's your bus--run!" So I ran, and got onto the Big Blue Bus that was seconds from pulling away, only to discover that I needed a one dollar bill or change. I had a $5 bill, a $10, and a $20 and some change--but not a single $1 bill. I dug in my purse and dropped coins in while asking the driver if I was on the right bus. "No, but for 50 cents more, I can give you a transfer." I looked in my coin purse with dismay--all that was left was a bunch of pennies. "I don't HAVE 50 cents," I wailed. So the kind driver gave me a free pass for the next bus, and told me when to get off. He pointed out the bus I needed and said to run!

I sprinted across the street and made it to the next bus. "What an adventure!" I said to the driver. She glanced at me and dryly said, "Uh huh." (She later said she thought I was a stewardess when I got on! ha!)

Then a delightful elderly man and his dog got on and sat down across from me. He had a wonderful Italian accent and told me how the dog had saved his life--he had been all alone and contemplating suicide when he was given the dog. Everyone on the bus was listening and joining in on the conversation. He asked me where I was going, so I told him--Venice Beach. Then the bus really came alive. People were telling the bus driver not to let me off--it was too dangerous on Venice Beach at night. A young woman came up from the back of the bus to tell me where it was safe to go. A man behind me got a map for me to use. Everyone was offering suggestions when the bus driver told them to be quiet--she knew where she was going to drop me off. Finally, she pulled up to a stop and had me come up and stand by her. She was letting me off at the Santa Monica pier--it was lighted and safe there. She pointed out landmarks and made sure I knew my way back, and where to stand to wait for the return bus. I thanked them all profusely and got off.

I didn't see the sunset over the ocean, and I didn't get to walk on the boardwalk at Venice Beach, but I did get to walk on the Santa Monica pier. I did have the incredible experience of having a bus load of strangers take care of me in LA.

It was cold on the pier, so I bought something warm to drink and ducked into this mall to get out of the wind. A man saw my reaction to the floor-to-ceiling display of old sewing machines on this store front and offered to take my picture. Another friendly stranger!
Oh, and I made it back to my motel just fine, and went to eat in a fabulous Greek restaurant--Aliki's Greek Taverna.

Spicy feta cheese appetizer

Comfort food after a long day: Pastitsio

...Seaside

2011-01-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

With the exception of a very discouraging message from the Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction (You're going to continue to have to do more with less. Suck it up and deal with it.), the conference at Seaside was just what I needed. It gave me a chance to catch up with my friend Kathryn, enjoy an adorable 3 year old, eat yummy sea food, hear more about the latest buzz in education (proficiency based learning), and walk on the beach.

The 3 secondary ELL amigos...

The main street in Seaside is decked out with these clever lights.

Janie, Chris, Liam, Kathryn and I enjoyed good food and conversation on Friday night.

On Saturday morning I got up early and walked on the beach for an hour. Not much to see when it's so dark, but the sound of the surf and salty air were wonderful!

After breakfast I had to go back for one more look in the daylight.

Liam entertained us after lunch. What a cutie!

The whole ELL crew--plus one! The sun came out and we didn't want to leave.

...a crazy-making day

2011-01-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

End of the semester--grades must be in, notice to change one class from letters to P/NP--but how?, final exams to translate and explain (Miss, can you help me?), detailed sub plans or else the kids will run wild (and if they still run wild then at least I did my part), copies to make, emails to send, senior project presentation to attend, meeting notes to type, program paperwork to print...a very long day.

But tomorrow...some collegues and I (and one adorable small boy and his mama) are headed to the coast for a conference. And I won't feel the least bit guilty if the beach beckons me for a walk while the conference is...conferencing.

It's good for the soul to get out of Dodge once in a while. (Even if it means having a crazy day to make it happen.)

...saying goodbye to an old friend

2011-01-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

I bought the old dear in 1977. She had already given someone else a few years of hard work, but I didn't care. We became great friends. I wonder how many hours we have spent together over the years, creating one-of-a-kind gifts and salvaging favorite jeans? Last night, I sat down to finish up a very small project that required a few straight stitches and two small button holes. She didn't complain at first, but balked when I asked to her start the first button hole. I pulled and twisted the knob and muttered under my breath, but no go. So I took her apart as much as I could and peered inside. I cleaned and oiled and said sweet things, then put her back together. Still, the answer was no. So, practicing on a scrap, I figured out how to make a button hole using the zig zag stitch. Not pretty, but functional. Then all that was left was the finishing seam. Less than a foot of straight stitching. But, the needle would only go up and down in one spot--no forward motion at all. That final seam was created by pulling the fabric from the back--again, not pretty, but it worked.

So now what? I haven't been without a machine since I learned to sew. Generous friends and family members have offered me loaners, but I need my own machine.

Until I find a replacement, I am a sometimes insomniac teacher who cycles, reads, and...misses her old friend.

...a news flash

2011-01-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

Eight spandex junkies

gather at local bike shop

to pedal nowhere.

...a new year

2011-01-01T11:50:00.001-08:00

We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Happy New Year, everyone! May 2011 be a year of opportunities claimed with open arms.

...reasons not to ride

2010-11-21T13:15:00.000-08:00

1. It's really cold out.
2. White stuff is falling from the sky.
3. Sewing projects are begging to be finished before Thanksgiving.
4. It's really cold out. (Did I mention that?)

All good reasons not to ride.

I'm very glad I rode anyway. Even though my toes were ice cubes by the time we returned. Even though I had to stop and put my headband on over the balaklava. Even though my eyes were streaming at times. Even though Kathie decided not to go. Even though my water was icy cold going down.

Glad I didn't listen to reason.

...blogging

2010-11-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

...my first set of wheels

2010-11-12T16:22:00.001-08:00

First day of school for my older siblings, but sadly, I was left behind. This was 1962 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Those are beautiful bicycles they got to ride! I joined the ranks the next year, pedaling the two miles to school. My brothers hated mom's rule that they had to stay behind me. I was a slow poke...

...sewing

2010-11-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's gray and cold outside.

My best friend is out of town.

Fabric is waiting.

Christmas is coming.

Guess what I'll be doing today?

*** Afternoon update...the gray burned off, the sun came out, Kathie called to ask, "Want to ride?" You bet I do! (There's still 48 days 'til Christmas...plenty of time to get the sewing finished!)

...a cross-cultural solution

2010-10-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

Jack o' Luminaria

(I never got around to buying a pumpkin this year, but wanted my entrance to be trick-or-treater friendly.)

...22 stitches

2010-10-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I made an appointment with a dermatologist for a full-body check. My friend Kathryn had recently had surgery for skin cancer, and she wanted everyone in her circle to get checked out. (Kat is fine--surgery took care of it, and she has just a small scar on the back of her arm.) My doctor found nothing, but agreed that given my age, coloring, and the amount of time I have always spent outdoors, having a base-line was a good idea.

A little over a month ago I felt something on the back of my left arm. I took a picture of it so I could get a good look. Hmmm...it looked odd. A couple weeks later I took another picture and promptly made an appointment. The "thing" was changing, growing, and itchy.

The doctor looked at it, said he wasn't sure, but decided to do a biopsy anyway. A few days later his office called back and said it was a non-life-threatening form of skin cancer...squamous cell carcinoma. Surgery was scheduled, I arranged for a sub, and tried not to worry too much. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to pain.

On Wednesday morning I got up early, drove to Walla Walla, and had the "thing" removed. There is a reason I am an educator and not in the health care profession. To say I get queasy very easily is an understatement. I couldn't see what was going on with my arm since I was curled in an awkward position, but I could hear and smell and feel more than enough. When it was all over I drove myself home and crashed on the couch before the local anesthetic wore off.

Thursday was actually worse. I was to change the bandage, but the one they put on was stuck like super glue to my skin. I confess I was close to tears when it finally came loose. I took another picture of the site--and was totally unprepared for what I saw. What had originally been a spot not any bigger than the tip of my finger was now a 2 inch wound! Yikes. (I won't be posting the picture--I wouldn't be able to stand looking at it and don't want to subject anyone else to it either.) The doctor had told me there were 22 stitches in all, inside and out, but what that would look like didn't really sink in until I saw the picture.

Today I was back at school and hyper aware of my arm. A coworker (who didn't know why I had been out) reached out to give me a playful swat on the arm. I quickly dodged his hand, and kept plenty of space between myself and students in the crowded halls.

Thanks, Kat, for encouraging me to find a dermatologist last year. Really, in the grand scheme of things, this was very minor. I'm grateful for my good health and know my arm will heal quickly.

...an addition to my "stable"

2010-10-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

I say "stable" and laugh at myself, as though I'm a serious cyclist like some people who really DO have a stable of bicycles. For years I had one bike at a time--usually a fat-tired hybrid that I rode around town and took along on camping trips. Three years ago I bought a road bike, but kept my fat-tired bike. See? The beginnings of a stable. This past weekend I aquired a third bike, and it has me grinning from ear to ear. In 1940 or 1942 when my Dad was either 8 or 10 (Mom is looking for the picture taken at the time that will verify the date) his grandfather rode the train out to Oregon from Minneapolis. He brought with him a gift for my Dad--a brand new Elgin bicycle, complete with shiny chrome fenders. The bike was so big and heavy that Dad couldn't even ride it at first, but he soon got the hang of it. Dad said he put a lot of miles on that bike, and when he left home at 17 to join the Navy, his baby brother put it to use. When we moved back to Dad's hometown in the 70s, Grandma was riding that bike out to the Grange and back almost every day. It was looking pretty rough by then, but still a good, solid machine.

Every now and then I'd remember the old bike and wonder what had become of it. Grandma sold, gave away, and tossed a lot of things before she had to go into a nursing home because of Altzheimers, so I figured the Elgin was long gone. I asked Dad about it this past summer and he said it was still out in the chicken house at Grandma's (now my youngest brother's) place. When I asked Dave about it he grinned and said yup, it was still there, but he had plans for it. So I shrugged, said I was glad to hear it, and left it at that. That was in July.

This past weekend Dave called and asked if I would be stopping in Cove on my way home from Boise. I hadn't planned on it, but he said he had something to give me. What else could it be? Of course I would stop by!
So now I have a "stable" of three bikes. I can't wait to get the newest addition fixed up and take it out for a spin. What a treasure!

...the last evening ride of the year

2010-10-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Only four of us showed up. Scott lagged behind. Normally, I would stay with him, but this time Mike did. Nate asked, "What do you think, Sue?" I grinned and said, "I'll let you know if I need you to slow down." We made good time, but it was still dark by the time we got in.

Bliss = Drafting off of a fast guy, holding on with everything I have.

...shoes

2010-10-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've been doing a lot of shoe shopping lately, and even some shoe buying. Unfortunately, I've also been doing some shoe returning as well.

I'm in search of the "perfect" shoe. One that is comfortable all day, every day, but especially Thursdays. Why Thursdays? We're on a modified block this year which means that I have a 45 minute prep on Mondays and Tuesdays, a 90 minute prep on Wednesdays, and NO prep on Thursdays. I am on my feet, going at warp speed, from 7:30-2:45, with only about 20 minutes in the middle to sit at my desk and eat lunch. Whew!

So my feet and my legs need and want a decent pair of shoes or two.

I've tried on shoes, thought they were "it," brought them home and tried them on again...hey, why didn't I notice in the store that the left one hurts the top of my foot? I've ordered shoes online, and waited excitedly for them to arrive. This time the left foot feels great...but the right one feels like there's a lump in the toe.

Oh, and since I'm not yet 70? I want my shoes to have a bit of style to them. The young male clerk (who called me ma'am) in the higher-end shoe store I visited today, shrugged his shoulders when I said I was on a quest for the most comfortable, yet stylish shoes on earth. "Let me know if you want to try something on." (Maybe from his perspective there's not much difference between 50-something and geriatric.)

So the quest continues. MY shoe is out there, waiting for me to find it, I just know it. Let's hope we're united soon!

...being a bicycle lady

2010-09-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

About 5:00 this afternoon I was busy at my desk, making sure I had everything set for tomorrow's lessons. The building was quiet and I was totally focused on the task at hand. All of a sudden two young boys, about middle school age, burst through my door, making me jump. "Do you have a bike pump?!?" one loudly asked. After I peeled myself off the ceiling I thought for a second, then said, "No, I sure don't...but normally I would. I just forgot to put it back in the truck the last time I used it." "Oh," he said, disappointed, "My friend has a flat tire. Someone told us you were a bicycle lady and might have one."
Guess I'd better get the pump back in the truck. I'd hate to lose my reputation as "a bicycle lady."

...making a change

2010-09-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

...a REALLY big change.

The resume is updated.

The cover letter is written.

All that's left is to hit "send."

Gulp.

I've lived and taught in Podunk for 21 years. The kids are grown and gone. The house is sold. The ol' dog is chasing cats in doggie heaven.

It's been time for a long time but it's hard to see over the edge of my rut.

Stay tuned...

...riding with Kathryn

2010-09-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Kathryn is the one who convinced me, three years ago, to test ride a road bike. I am so glad she did! We had planned to sign up for the Tour de Frog in Milton Freewater this past Saturday, but we had both had such an exhausting week that we decided a local (and free) ride on Sunday would give us a much-needed day to rest. We left my place at 6:15 a.m. The sun was just coming up over the rise, and arm warmers felt good. We rode up Holdman Hill and took the back way to Pendleton, stopped to rest our buns and have a cup of something warm, then rode back home along the river. It was a beautiful day to be out on our bikes--barely any traffic, no wind until the last 5 miles, and sunshine, lots of sunshine! We caught up on each other's lives, commiserated about how busy the first of the year is (she's a teacher, too), and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Thanks, Kat!

...the 14th annual

2010-09-07T06:15:00.000-07:00

...Tumbleweed Music Festival

This was the first year that Arlene wasn't able to come for our annual weekend of being hippies in the grass, listening to folk music at Howard Amon Park in Richland. She was just too busy with her new house. But Katie was home for a friend's wedding, so on Sunday we headed over to the park, ate tacos and sopes from our favorite taco lady, and listened to some music. Not quite the same as having Arlene here, but still a good time!

...going back to school

2010-08-31T19:35:00.001-07:00

As I greeted new students yesterday morning at 7:00 a.m. I felt like this:

That feeling pretty much carried me through the rest of the day, and most of today. But by 6:00 this evening, as I gathered my things to come home.....I felt like this:

I resisted the urge to do the drive-through food-that's-not-really-food fix, and instead reminded myself that I had homemade bread and soup in the freezer, just waiting to be heated up. Now it's time to go get some

so I have enough of what this guy has to get up and get going again in the morning.

P.S. I have the sweetest new students! (But then I always do...) :-)

...the last ride of August

2010-08-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

I wasn't going to ride this morning. I really wasn't. School starts tomorrow, and I didn't feel like my classroom was quite ready. (I can be a bit of a worrier.) But...when I woke up and looked outside...I couldn't NOT ride.

Kathie and Bob

My shadow and I

Scott and Darrell

(And guess what? Everything that absolutely HAD to be ready for tomorrow got done this afternoon. Happy back-to-school, everyone!)

...the end of summer

2010-08-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Oh it's still shorts and T shirt weather, but the truth is...summer is over. We're not officially back on the clock until Wednesday, but like most teachers, I've already put in several hours at school and will put in many more before kids show up a week from tomorrow. It has been a good summer. I spent time with family, took an interesting class, got Arlene moved into her new home (Yay!), sewed like a maniac, read several good books, and put many miles on the bike. I'm rested and ready. It's going to be a good year.

...a recipe for a ride

2010-07-25T11:52:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

one bike
one rider
early morning
temperatures in the mid-70s
slight breeze
blue skies
beautiful valley

Directions:

Get on the bike and pedal. Repeat for 40 miles. Ride around the entire valley. Soak up the scenery. Smile broadly at dour-faced folks on their way to church. Laugh maniacally as you fly down hills. Grin at the deer standing at the side of the road, watching you approach. Stop to take a picture of a sunflower field. Send the picture to your riding buddies at home with the message, "Wish you were here!" Be grateful for such a perfect day. Enjoy!

(Yes, I'm on my way to Boise to help Arlene move, but she's not ready for me yet.)

...becoming a bag lady

2010-07-24T08:58:00.001-07:00

This is the bag that started it all.

I made it over 20 years ago when I was going to college and Katie was a baby. When she went off to college, she took it with her, and wore the poor old thing out. She asked if I could make a new one. I no longer had the pattern, so took the first one apart and copied it. That was in February.

Since then, I've made all of these, six of them in the past week. Throw in some aprons, tissue box covers, a couple of shifts for Arlene, a valance and a doo rag....whew! My machine has been smokin'!

I'm off to Boise tomorrow to help Arlene move into her new house. My ancient sewing machine will be quite grateful to be covered up and left in peace for a while.

...winning the lottery

2010-07-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be lovely if I won the lottery? Then I could just cycle, read, and sew ALL the time! (Minor detail--might have to buy a lottery ticket.)

...riding with the fast guys

2010-07-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

I was the only {not so fast} person to show up for the group ride tonight. That meant I'd be riding alone. Harrumph. But, it was a beautiful, calm evening--no reason to be grumpy. I would ride alone--there are worse things to endure--like not riding at all on such a fine evening. The route was decided upon, and I took off early while the guys still hung around fiddling with tires and what-not. I thought if I could make it up the hill before they passed me, I might have a chance of hanging on for a while. My strategy worked, but then it was inevitable--they dropped me. But wait--there were only four in that group. Where were the others? I kept looking back, but never did see the rest of the guys. I'm not sure what happened to them--they should have caught up to me. The first group waited in Echo and were surprised to see me ride in alone. After refilling my water, I took off again--the days aren't as long as they were just a few short weeks ago, and it would take me a bit to get back to the shop. But--what's this?? The fast guys passed me again, and hollered, "Grab on!" They slowed their pace just a tad, and I was able to hang on all the way back to town. I'm still grinning.

...a baiku

2010-07-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

Perfume of hay and mint

fill the air as we fly by.

Ah, summer riding!

...80 years young

2010-07-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

My mom's sister, Lorraine, better known as "Aunt Nanie," turned 80 in June. She asked her children for a picnic at Champoeg State Park, but "Please wait until July, when the weather is nicer!" The picnic was yesterday, and I had no intention of going. You see, I have this class to finish. Papers to write. Mom asked on the phone, "Are you going?" Sorry, no. Saturday morning I got up, intending to walk to the farmer's market to buy blueberries, then chain myself to the computer for the rest of the day. I am motivated to get this work done--as soon as Arlene closes on her house I want to be free to GO. But.... I kept thinking about Aunt Nanie's party. And waffled. Should I go? No. Maybe I should. Nope. Too much to do. But...if it were her funeral I would be there and not second guess my decision. A quick conversation with Arlene clinched it. I was going. I quickly packed an overnight bag, texted Katie to let her know I needed a bed for the night, and was out the door by 10:00 a.m. It's almost a four hour drive to the park, but my little ol' truck made it in record time. Luckily, Katie didn't have to work until 5:00, so she met me at the park. It was bigger than I realized, and we didn't know where to find them. No one knew we were coming, and mom's cell phone was turned off. We strolled past several family gatherings, peering carefully at the faces. Do they look like my cousins? (Nope, nope, and nope, but the food smelled good!) Finally, Katie spotted them, and we joined the party. What fun to surprise them all! Lots of hugs all around. A good decision. (And I'll chain myself to the computer tomorrow.)

...Whew! I'm home again.

2010-07-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

(Note to readers: I started writing this post earlier in the week, then got busy working on assignments for the class I'm taking. I've decided to post it as is, then pick up the story later when I have the time.)

The past two weeks were busy and fun...and exhausting. It's good to be home again, sleeping in my very own bed. I've done enough yard work (some at the folks', some at Arlene's, and some at Lani's) to satisfy that urge and realize that I really don't miss having a yard that needs constant attention.

Henry the hippie kept us company when we were outside working in the yard. He's a funny little dog--so excited to see me at first, then he gets cranky if I try to love on him. He's too young to be a grumpy old man, so we're not sure what the deal is. (Nothing I lose sleep over, believe me!)

When I got to Boise Arlene greeted me with the news, "I'm moving!" WHERE?? WHEN?? "I don't know. Let's go house hunting!" she said. So long story short--Arlene's offer on this wonderful little house was accepted, and I'll be going back over in a few weeks to help paint and move. I am sooooo happy for her!

Her new house is close to the Greenbelt, a great walking/biking trail, and a cute little park is in the neighborhood--just right for Jadyn.

On Monday I left Boise and headed for Prairie City. I set up my camp in the local RV park (note to self--don't camp in space #1 unless you want to field a lot of questions!). I wasn't so sure if I'd be staying--not a single bike or cyclist was in sight--not exactly what I had imagined. But soon Storie came roaring in on his bike and introduced me to Bill and Lois from California. Small world, they are from Arcata, which is where Nate's ex-girlfriend Genavieve is from. Her mom, Kate, is a midwife there. Bill and Lois' two grandchildren were delivered by a midwife named Kate! I went for a short ride up the canyon that evening (and took a slow-mo spill--ouch!), then met up with my new friends in the morning for a mountain bike ride up to Dixie Summit. So much fun! I hadn't intended to do that ride--my fat-tired bike is not really a mountain bike, but they assured me it would do just fine--and it did.

The view from the hill behind Prairie City was spectacular!

Coming down this logging road was a total blast. Bill took a tumble just before the bottom, but wasn't hurt.

Later on that evening this injured duck flapped its way through my camp. He was not at all happy with me for following him with my camera

To be continued...

...a road trip

2010-06-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

It's time to get out of Podunk for a couple of weeks. First stop, a visit with my folks in Cove--do a bit of yard work, ride the valley, sit in the shade and do nothing...

Next up, Boise and a few days with Arlene. We talked on the phone the other night and she had Jadyn with her. I asked Jadyn if she wanted to go for a bike ride with me like last year. In typical three year old fashion she said, "No. I want to walk and take the wagon." (I hope we can convince her to go for a ride, too!)

After leaving Boise I'll be heading for Prairie City and their Bicycle Invitational. I'm not sure how many days I'll ride--I emailed for more information but their organization seems kind of loosey-goosey.

After riding and sleeping on the ground I'll be ready to head to Burns for a comfy bed at Lani's. She knows I may show up on their doorstep any day that week. It's always busy with so many kiddos, but Lani and I will find time to visit.

Then....home again, home again, to work on a summer class, ride with my buddies, sew, sew, sew, and hopefully see some friends I rarely see during the busy school year.

Time to go!

...summer

2010-06-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially here.

Yesterday was the last day with students, and today I slowly and methodically packed up my classroom. When I was younger and had kids at home I couldn't wait to get away from school. Things would be crammed into cupboards in a slap-dash fashion, and I'd be at the district office, ready to check out, as early as allowed. The car would have been packed the night before, and the kids would be eagerly waiting for our summer adventures to begin. But now...while I do have adventures planned, there's no sense of urgency. Now I prefer to sort and toss because in just a few short weeks I'll be back in that clean, freshly painted classroom, pulling everything out again. I'll be glad I took the time to organize, but I do miss the excitement of the.first.day.of.summer! Time to start planning my adventures....

...a fun, full weekend

2010-06-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

The fun started on Friday morning when my students put on their Little Red Riding Hood skit and ate the cookies we had made earlier in the week. Not a single one of them had ever made cookies before. What a delight to hear shy little Sandra read her lines out clear and loud.

Friday evening I drove to Pendleton for Ayanel's graduation. Such a proud family! (And rightly so!) It was a fun surprise to get to see another former student graduate as well, and I managed to find her in the crowd to give her a hug.

After graduation was over I hurried back home--my youngest sister Lani had called and said they would be driving through on their way to Montana. Could they stop by for a visit? Of course! They were going to keep driving and get a motel in Washington, but I offered beds and camping mats instead. Lani and I were up before anyone else and got a rare chance to sit on the patio with our coffee and visit. I made pancakes, then sent them on their way. I needed to get to Portland!

The weather was absolutely beautiful that morning, and the drive through the gorge was, well, gorgeous. Nate had looked online to see what was happening in Portland that day, and had discovered a bike festival and parade. After we parked and were walking towards the main street we saw all kinds of bikes and trailers. I thought that what we were seeing was the tail-end of the parade.

We wandered down the street, enjoying the people and their bikes, then found a spot at Amnesia Brewing for a bite to eat. It turns out we hadn't missed the parade at all. I must admit I've never seen/heard a goth drum corps before--they were quite good!

Next up were all kinds of people on all kinds of bikes. The families we had seen earlier were part of the parade, along with some not-so traditional participants.

After a bit it appeared that the parade had come to an end, but then there was an excited buzz in the crowd. What's this? Nude cyclists? Can that be legal? It turns out it is. (It's a protest, protected under Oregon's constitution.)

After that bit of excitement, Nate and I were ready to move on. He took me to one of his favorite longboarding sites--Mt. Tabor. I strolled around, soaking in some much-needed sunshine while he did his thing. The view of Mt. Hood was spectacular!

By evening, we were tired and hungry, so we collected Andrea and headed out to the pub where Katie works. She loves the new aprons I made for her, and got lots of compliments.

On Sunday we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, then just hung out all day. The wide front porch on Nate's house was the perfect hangout for me and my book. That evening we headed downtown for Carlos' graduation bash. It was a lot of fun, and many people came out to celebrate his accomplishment. I got to meet his mom--what a sweet person!

Katie and I spent some time together on Monday doing (serious, non-fun personal business because I had taken a personal day and they are not to be used for fun) then it was time for me to come home.

A good weekend.