Just 3 Things | #20

Somehow, somewhere along the way I clicked a box and now I get a daily email. I don't know where the offer came from. I don't know why I got it. I cannot figure it out. But, I'm glad I did it. 

I know.

Aren't you shocked at that? Most of the time all those first statements are followed by grumbling and grousing and asking for a way to make it go away. Most of the time there are complaints about the annoying spam email that clogs up the in-box. Most of the time something like that is a real pain in the you-know-where.

But not this time.

I'm actually really glad about it. If you are a Kindle user, I recommend that you simply do a web search for Kindle Daily Deals or Top Kindle Deals or something of that nature and see if you are led to a page where there are a list of discounted titles. These are not titles that you would never in a million years pick out even if you knew you were going to be stranded and terribly bored and desperate for something to read either. These are some really good reads.

There's fiction and non-fiction and science fiction and historical fiction and biographies and comics and cookbooks and children's titles and...well, I think you get the idea. There are usually multiple titles that are priced at $1.99. Y'all, that's less than two dollars. Those are thrift store book prices and yard sale hardback prices. Some of the titles are priced higher than that, of course, but are still a deal. I mean DEALS are to be had. 

When I was poking around and trying to figure out how I could recommend that you join this mailing list, but couldn't figure it out, I did notice that there is also an option to choose Print Books. So, if that is your preference, there is that option. At a glance, I didn't notice any listed at the low prices of eBooks but, then again, there is a cost for paper and covers and ink and publishing. So, there's that. I noticed percentages of discount ranging from 20% to 80% off and that means there are DEALS.

To me, a book lover of the craziest kind, I feel like I am part of that 'in-crowd' and getting sneak peaks and insider information when I get those emails. Of course, there are times when my virtual book shelf feels a little bit full and I could get overwhelmed with all the titles waiting for me to dig in. On those days, I give myself permission to just skim whatever is offered on the list and delete the email if nothing jumps out to bite me. See, I do have a measure of restraint!

- What I've Been Reading -

One of the books that was recently a part of this offering is what I am currently reading. The title is Florence Gordon and it is written by Brian Morten. I'm only about half-way done with this book but I'm truly enjoying it and I probably would not have noticed it if I were not a part of this mailing list.

I think the description is probably what sold me on this book. It just really grabbed me for some reason:

Meet Florence Gordon, a blunt, brilliant feminist. At seventy-five, Florence wants to be left alone to write her memoir and shape her legacy. But when her son and his family come to visit, they embroil Florence in their dramas, threatening her coveted solitude. Marked with searing wit, sophisticated intelligence, and a tender respect for humanity, Florence Gordon is cast with a constellation of unforgettable characters. Chief among them is Florence herself, who can humble fools with a single barbed line, but who eventually finds that there are some realities even she cannot outwit.

It might have grabbed me because I wondered if maybe I am a 'Florence Gordon.' Well, I'm learning that no, I am not - completely. But there are times when I really would like to be. Plus, while some of the described characteristics are not all that flattering, she really does have some glowing qualities to be admired.

I am enjoying this title and I've done some highlighting and note-making using my Kindle App. I'm even jotting down notes and ideas on sticky notes sometimes. I know - old school. One of the passages that really has stopped me in my tracks is an exchange between Florence and her granddaughter following a protest meeting at the local university. Florence had an exchange with her granddaughter. To summarize, there was a bit of a ruckus and police cars arrived. The granddaughter starts the exchange by asking a question:

"Starbucks now?" Emily said. 

"This is why we're here," Florence said. "To make sure the cops don't get out of hand."

"Are you sure that's possible?"

"Of course not. But sometimes it's amazing what a sobering effect an old lady can have. "particularly an old lady with a cane." 

What a powerful statement. It stopped me in my tracks and I've had to go back and read the entire chapter several more times. And...I have wished I knew of somebody else reading this book so I could have a conversation about that section and particularly that statement. It makes me wonder, is there ever a time when something I have said or done has had a sobering effect simply because I am an old lady? Will there ever be a time when I am that sobering effect? When have I witnessed such an example of a sobering effect? What was going on and how did it impact me?

- What I've Been Working On -

This week I've tackled a couple of simple projects that involved my sewing machine. Boy! Do I need a new sewing machine! But that is a subject for another day. 

I had a few rips and tears that needed some repair, a hem that needed restitching, and a sort-of-simple project I'd agreed to do for my son. He had a chair that is hauled around to the ball parks that has seen a lot of miles and a lot of ball-park hours. The back had simply ripped away from the support pieces. They don't always need that chair because he is usually coaching the team and Harris is usually playing in the game and Linley is usually playing with her friends and Jessica has another chair. However, sometimes one of them needs a place to perch between games or something and it is good to have the second chair. He asked if I might be able to make a simple slip-on, director's chair type back for it and I agreed to give it a try. He picked up some fabric and brought it to me.

After I did some tidying and organizing of the sewing corner of my office/workroom, I sat to catch my breath and gave the fabric and chair some thought about how best to tackle this project. Soon, I had a plan and dove right in. The fabric has a canvas-type feel on one side and a rubbery-type backing. I didn't want the backing to show and didn't want to have a lot of pressing and seam finishing. So, I decided to do a self-lined strip that folds over on either end and slides onto the support pieces.

I had ordered some upholstery needles for my machine and I am so glad that I did. The new needle slid right through the thickness of the heavy-duty fabric and made the job so much easier than trying to use a regular needle and get through a couple or three thicknesses of the fabric. The project went smoothly and didn't take long at all to complete. So, that was a happy win as well!

I sent a couple of photos to my son of the completed project and told him that there is fabric left over. He asked if I could make another just like it because the other chair they have is sort of on its last gasp. So, I stitched up a second one in less than half the time. It feels so good to have a project that is simple, goes quickly and smoothly, and complete!

-What I've Been Loving -

These warm, sunny days that we've been having lately have been so very nice. It just brightens my soul - even as I am peering out at it and coughing. I've found that, as I age, I really look forward to spring more and more. One of the harbingers of spring has always been the blooming of the daffodils and forsythia. I was out for a while yesterday and really enjoyed seeing all the cascading forsythia in different yards. Each spring I tell myself that I wish we had a forsythia hedge somewhere. Then, I pause and remember that the beautiful season is short-lived and then it just looks like any other bush or bramble. Still...

Daffodils have always held a special place in my heart. I recall that as a little girl, both my grandmothers had rows of daffodils lining the walkway up toward their front door. Theirs were thick borders and were great for hiding those hard multi-colored candy-coated marshmallow eggs during egg hunts. Then, my mother unearthed a rock walkway in front of our house when I was a bit older and lined it with daffodils, too. So, my children got the egg hunt experience as well.

After I moved here, my beloved father-in-law and I were chatting on the porch one spring afternoon and I mentioned how much I enjoyed seeing the beautiful daffodils. There was a little clump in the field in front of their home and he told me to go dig me up a few bulbs and put them where I could see them each spring and enjoy them. So, I did.

I put a couple of bulbs at the foot of our front porch steps. They've come up every year and had a bloom or two but this year they really have upped their game and look like little rays of sunshine.

I chuckled at how one of the clumps on the side of the steps has been shifted a little and looks like it is peeking out from under the yew bush. It probably got dug up by a mulcher and then just tossed back into the mix.

I put a handful of bulbs in the bed across the driveway at the back of the house. They have proliferated and really look pretty. I see them from a little different angle than this as I am looking out the window while washing dishes in the kitchen. Again, a burst of sunshine! I also think of my father-in-law and miss our little chats and secret shares of sweet breads. The daffodils have sort of helped me to enjoy the sunny, warm days in two different ways and I've been loving it! I hope your days have had some sunshine and maybe a daffodil or forsythia smile or two as well!

Sick...Again.

We've been sick.

Again.

I probably brought it home after attending a grandchild's basketball game. My son said that I sat in a hotbed of germs. I sat on the bleachers of their local high school gym. Children of all ages were there in the gym. He told me that I sat right in amongst at least three school teachers who have germy little people touching them and breathing on them all day long. He reminded me that I am not out mingling with the masses anymore since I've retired and my immunity is not so good. So, I probably picked up lots of germs there. 

I sort of think it all started with a sandwich that I got out of a refrigerated display when I stopped to fill up my truck with gas. Then, I may have picked up some sort of hot germ as well. At any rate, I woke up the first night barfing. There is nothing worse than getting sick at somebody else's house even if it is your own family's. 

When I got home I felt better and felt even better the next day and met a friend for lunch. So, I could have picked up a hot germ at the restaurant that day. Within twenty-four hours I was running a fever, coughing, sniffling, drippy nose, chills and shakes, aching and flu-like symptoms. It even sent my heart into afib a couple of times. I could feel it and used my watch to confirm but checked about a half hour later and it was alright. I did that for a couple or three days before I started to improve a wee bit. A couple of days ago, Mike started coughing, sniffling, aching... So, now he has it, too. 

Whatever all this is, it is not for the faint of heart. We are ready for spring and the end of being cooped up inside with folks and the germy season.

Happy Birthday, Corey!

 

Hope this year is the best ever!

Today I noticed...Good Things.

The amount of good things in your life 

depends on your ability to notice

them.

 

Notices and Decisions

I got a notice last week that I probably should have been expecting but really hadn't thought about it at all for over a year, at least - and probably for longer. It made me pause and think for a bit about what sort of action I should take. Do I need to click on the links provided and jump through the required hoops or just let it go and lie like an old dog on the porch?

The notice said:

Our records indicate that you have a Tennessee educator license expiring on August 31, 2026. To avoid licensure expiration you must complete a renewal or advancement application in TNCompass by August 31, 2026. To ensure that you submit an application for the appropriate transaction, please visit the Licensed Educators section of our website.

 

 Now, I know that I retired already. I have no plans to go back into a classroom. I have no plans to return as an instructional coach or reading specialist. I have no plans to serve as a substitute teacher. And, I probably won't be required to produce my educator license to provide our means of support. So, do I r-e-a-l-l-y need to renew it? No, not really. 

Yet, I worked hard to earn that certification. I worked hard all those years to maintain and uphold it. Plus, what if?

I talked it over with the Mister and he simply asked, "Why wouldn't you renew it?" So, I immediately began clicking links and reading to learn what I needed to do get my license renewed. Knowing that I had done absolutely no professional development during my last year of work, I figured I was going to have to take some courses or participate in some workshops or do something to update my antiquated self.

Despite the fact that on the State Department of Education's website there are several dead links that give the dreaded 404 error when clicked, I began gathering information. I finally began a Google search and dug in to find out what I could about PDPs (Professional Development Points), workshops, courses, and options. I went to several university's websites and read the information provided for graduate students there. After a while, I decided I was ready to go back to the link provided in my notice and begin a transaction.

As I worked through the steps as indicated in the notice, I found myself reading and reading. Then, I'd click the next button and read some more. Maybe I was skimming more than I realized. I thought I was really reading closely but I know that when there is a load of text, I'm like anybody else - I'm a skimmer. So, I'd click on the back button and look at the information again. Finally, I clicked on the button that said: Start a new transaction.

I began working through the different screens and steps and kept thinking, this seems so easy. I checked my earned PDPs and learned that I had accrued 230 and was only required to have 60. There was also a state requirement that I must have completed a course for the state's Literacy Success Act's requirement. I had done that for elementary as well as for the secondary level. So, those boxes were automatically checked. Then, when I got to the submit button, I had a warning that make a couple of confirmations and one of them - the experience box - was 'greyed out' and not available for me to confirm. So, I had to go back several screens to read and confirm that I did indeed have more than twenty years of experience logged. After confirming, I was able to submit.

Voila! My license was automatically renewed in the system and it is active and I am a certified, licensed educator for our state until 2036. 

God help the world if I am what it is depending upon as a teacher in 2036!

BTW: I did find four courses that I am interested in working through:

• Differentiated Instruction
• Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 1)
• Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 2)
• Universal Design for Learning: Designing Learning Experiences That Engage and Challenge All Students

I'm signed up for the first and have 90 days to complete it! I guess that yearn to learn is still in there.

Blessings - Beauty and Being Smart

I have come to believe that we are some of the most blessed people in this world. Oh, we are not all that wealthy. We will not be selected as winners of every contest. We don't have the fanciest cars, or houses, or clothes, or, really, anything. We do have loads of blessings, though. For example, we have four beautiful children and, of course, their spouses, and we have ten beautiful grandchildren. We often hear that we have a beautiful family and we do! 

I saw the statement below posted online somewhere recently and I realized just how profound it really is. 

I got pictures and a message from our daughter this week that her youngest was inducted into the BETA club this week. Boy, were we all proud of her! Luci has always been a smart little cookie. Of course, she has two older sisters who have always been there to teach her things - good and bad, I guess. But, she is one who seems to be a lucky girl and most things tend to come pretty easy for her and then, if she really is interested, she tries hard and becomes better.

Before writing this post, I looked up the eligibility requirements for becoming an BETA Club inductee. Their website states:

    The criterion for membership is decided by the individual club. Our national constitution states: The qualifications for membership on the part of the student shall be: (a) worthy, moral and ethical character; (b) exemplary achievement, and (c) commendable attitude. All students must be performing at or above grade level in order to be eligible for membership. Local clubs can require additional criteria.

BETA Club

When I got the message from Bridgette about Luci's accomplishment, I mentioned it to my son, Bryan, who I was visiting with at the time. We had a brief conversation about how he also felt blessed that academics and learning had always seemed to come pretty easy for his two children and that, so far, they tend to work hard to do better.

All three of the girls in Luci's family have been members of their school BETA Club and I know that their parents are proud. I know that it really means a great deal to their mother because she is Dyslexic and always struggled with academic achievement as a young girl. Maybe it was all that was so new to her that was coming at her or maybe it was just that she needed to learn how to learn in a different way but school was just hard for her at first. She made pretty good grades in school but, trust me, it was hard work and quite an accomplishment. So, she has said many times how blessed she feels that her girls do not have those same hurdles that she had as a young girl. 

I think she did well once she reached college and most academic things seemed to come pretty easy by that point and she would work to do her best but I recall many a night when we were working on academic assignments till the late hours and there were loads of tears at times as well. She would be working and I would be supporting her with questions and suggestions to help her complete assignments. Yet, the social aspects of school came easy and she really turned out to be a leader and was even elected president of her senior class. So, obviously, like the BETA Club eligibility requirements, grades are not all that is important and all that should be taken into consideration when thinking about a person as smart. 

I recently had lunch with a beautiful friend and we were reminiscing about our school days. At one point in her life, she and some of her siblings even lived "at the home" in Nashville which started as a orphanage and later became a place where struggling families' children could live on a temporary basis until they could get back on their feet. She told me that she came up in a poor household and when her family was all together, they lived in a less affluent section of Nashville at one time and went to school with other children who were less affluent as well. Most of the time, she and her siblings walked to the local school. Then, equity in education came to the forefront and she remembers riding a bus across town to school and how her clothes were different from many of the other children and that some of the other children picked at her and made fun of her. Yet, she worked hard and did the best that she could. Then, after completing school, she went to work. When her children came along, she said she felt like she didn't know as much as she should and she was determined that her children were going to have "more education" than she did. So, she worked hard to be able to support them and they worked hard in school and earned scholarships and both earned secondary degrees.

Of course, as I sat across the table from this beautiful blue-eyed, strikingly attractive woman who had retired after owning and selling a very successful business, my thoughts during the conversation ran back to that first statement in this post - You know what lasts longer than beauty? Being smart. Here I was with a woman who is truly beautiful in numerous ways. She literally turns heads when she walks into a room. Yet, she also is someone who is considerate of others and has strong religious faith and contributes in a positive way to the community and dedicates herself to being kind to others all while sharing her bright and beautiful smile. She started her own business and managed employees and supported the community by giving back to different organizations and worthy causes. She sold that business when she reached retirement age and realized a profit and continued to support the community even after selling the business. She is always a bright and sunny personality whenever I see her and lights up the room with her happiness. Yet, she basically sat there and told me that she didn't consider herself as smart. 

We talked about how as kids when we struggled with something in school we would look at the other children and wonder how it was that their brain worked so differently from ours. She talked about determination and tenacity and gratefulness as she worked her way through adulthood. Yet, even sitting there at that moment, she had a hard time admitting that she really is smart. She did finally admit, however, that she thought she had finally found her calling when she opened her own business and acknowledged that she was quite successful as a business woman. 

I have little doubt that my friend, Frances, will be quite a beauty until the day she dies and will always be thought of by others as beautiful because she truly is - inside and out. I'd be willing to bet that almost anybody who has known her will also always think of her as smart. 

I know that I've rambled here a bit but in today's world, I often get frustrated with folks who talk about our failing educational system and focus on what is wrong and what somebody else needs to do to fix things. I think too many of these naysayers don't realize that every single person is blessed in some way and as a society, we just need to work together to figure out those blessings and help them recognize them and encourage them and support them till they "find their calling" and meet success and realize just how smart they are.

Just 3 Things | #19

I was busy with household stuff. Then, I was out of pocket at the end of last week when we went to watch some of our grands exhibit their livestock. Then, I went to watch our granddaughter who is self-described as, "basically a basketball player," while she was playing her sport. So, this week there was a catch up Just 3 Things and a regular end-of-the-week one as well. I'll try to get on track and do better with my consistent posting but I cannot make a hard and fast promise because...well I'm me and life happens!

- What I've Been Watching -

I started rewatching the first season of the series Cross on Prime Video. Mike and I watched it a while back and I was not paying close attention. Season 2 has just begun. So, I started back at the beginning to better appreciate the new season. I admit that I haven't read the Alex Cross material by Patterson but now I sort of want to. 

Cross Trailer

We've also been watching a lot of SEC basketball. We've been frustrated a lot by our chosen team. Mike has even threatened to begin following and supporting another team. Of course, that would probably mean a blood transfusion for him because his is pure orange.

- What I've Been Loving -

The last several folks who have come into our home for a visit have mentioned that it smells good.  Now, when some of the Mister's friends are the visitors, it is generally because he has just mixed a batch of sausage and performed a taste test before sacking it. So, they are sniffing that cooked sausage scent. Usually, the Mister also will light a candle so that that sausage scent doesn't linger and lodge into the upholstery and walls and such and eventually have an unpleasant odor, thank goodness. So, that also might be what his visitor friends might be smelling. So, I keep some sort of fragrant candle or cleaning spray or such within easy reach down there. 

One day, back before Christmas last year, when I was ordering groceries, I noticed a sale on candles. I generally give the daughters a candle or some sort of household smell-good item at Christmas. So, I browsed through the different scents and picked some out to be delivered with the groceries. I am fortunate that my Bonus Daughter-In-Law will frequently give me a good-smelling candle and we also inherited several from Mike's mother. I guess folks had gifted them to her or she had stocked up or something, but she had many. It was nice to have them downstairs because, at first, it smelled a bit musty down there. I guess there wasn't much coming and going and the air got a bit stale. At any rate, those candles provided a nice way to inject a bit of freshness and a nice scent. 

Now, I'm not one of these folks who believes in having those expensive candles for when guests come and am, frankly. just too much of a cheapskate to spend more than $20 on a candle. Yet, I don't want our home to smell stale and stuffy, nor do I want it to smell like somebody just finished frying sausage or some other pig part that might be a bit strong. (Yes, I'm looking at your chitterlings or souse or cracklin's Mister!) So, these grocery store candles have really fit my style. My taste sort of runs to having a citrusy sort of smell during warm weather and a cinnamon-based scent for winter. I also want something to be subtle and not overpowering. Just a wee bit of freshness or scent that is hardly noticed. One of the scents I sampled this winter was a Tuscany Candle in the cinnamon scent and another was Fall Festival. I found that I love having that subtle hint of a scent - especially after cooking something smelly like sausage or seafood.

Another scent source that I've used is Buff City. I was introduced to this company several years back via a gift from my son and daughter-in-law. There are makeries scattered around; so, there might be one close to you where folks can have a bath bomb creating party and shop in the store. My experience has strictly been with online shopping, though. They have a variety of products such as bar soap, foaming hand soap, candles, laundry soap, etc. We love their bar bath soaps that include shea butter and slip it into a soap sleeve for extra sudsiness. Then, just hang the bar in the shower and it dries without wasting and being slimy for the next use. Various members of our family have favorite scents and products. They recently added candles to their line and we've tried a couple that have a nice fragrance and last a long while. A while back I tried the Sunshine scent in our guest bath and it was nice. My favorite is Good Morning Sunshine but that might be because it was the first scent I tried. I've also used their wool dryer balls and like them, too. There is just a bit of fragrance but it is not overpowering like some dryer softeners can be. I see where they have added a multi-surface cleaner. So, I might have to give that a whirl at some point. Buff City puts together a really nice gift package. I have sent that to some of my friends who I thought might need a pick-me-up from time to time and it was well received and nicely packaged they reported.

The primary scent in our house - other than whatever blows in when we trek in from different areas of the farm seems to be created by my cleaning supplies. Many years ago I read a post by Marian Parsons of Miss Mustard Seed fame where she shared her tips for a nice smelling house and a follow up post where she shared specific products. What she had to say struck a chord with me, admitting that she wasn't "intentionally doing anything." She mentioned that staying on top of things and using a consistent scent also makes a difference. I can certainly vouch for that philosophy making a huge difference. This place could get stinky pretty quickly if I let laundry lie around or dishes pile up or the trackings that fall off dirty boots coming in from the barn set around for long. I also took what Parsons said and began to apply it. I gave one of the products she mentioned, Mrs. Meyers cleaners a try. There happened to be a special at our local Ace Hardware on the Honeysuckle scent and I dove in and bought liquid laundry detergent, hand soap, dish soap, and multi-surface cleaner. I was hooked. Those products are sort of the backbone of my cleaning regime. I will admit that I mix the dish soap with the famous blue de-greaser dish soap because I like that product and it looks pretty on the counter in a glass bottle. The multi-surface cleaner and laundry detergent stay in their original packaging and are just tucked out of sight. I have given a couple of other fragrances a whirl during different seasons but I just really like sticking to one scent and using it throughout the house; so, honeysuckle is my go-to. My source for these products is sometimes the local Ace Hardware store and sometimes it is via Amazon. 

Now, lest you think the place smells like a brothel or a funeral home truck full of flowers, let me assure you that it does not. Just like any good cleaner, mostly what is left behind is just a good fresh smell of cleanliness. And the candles that we often burn, the fragrance is just a gentle hint in the background that is noticed right when a person enters if the candle is lit. With the open spaces of a home, rarely is such a scent strong and overpowering. Plus, remember that we are in and out on a steady basis of several times per day because we live on a farm and are outdoorsy folks. Therefore, fresh air wafts in regularly. Yet, I have been loving the opportunity to try out some different fragrances and scents since I've retired and am home almost every day. It sort of adds to the atmosphere of having a home as a haven.

- What I've Been Working On -

I've been sorting receipts and entering data into spreadsheets. So, I have little stacks of paper here, there, and everywhere downstairs. It is my least favorite chore of all those that I ever have to do and that is work on getting the tax return ready to file. 

Please don't think I am ungrateful that we are so blessed to have income and a home and a farm and all the trappings that go along with filing a tax return as a small business operator that the Mister truly does. Because I truly am grateful and appreciative and feel blessed. I just have never really been a numbers person and getting everything on a line and in a column and sorted accurately is not my forte. 

I'm also grateful to my Daddy for helping me out a couple of years when I first starting filing my own and now filing the Mister and my tax returns. He and Mama had waded through the process as a farmer and small business owner for years and gave me good instruction. 

I like to have spreadsheets and lists and to be able to sort and search those sheets. I just don't like all of the thinking it requires and decision-making involved. Does this go in that category or another one that comes later? Should I have put this with office expenses or is it truly a supply expense? Those kinds of decisions are the ones I don't like. One would think that after several years I would have this mastered but I still don't and it is a headache for me every single time. So, if you encounter me and I'm grumpy, now you know why!

We had a rainy, drizzly, grey day yesterday and even though the temperature was above the previous day's, it was still a miserable old cold grey, wet day. Warmer temperatures are here at least on a fluctuating and temporary basis and I'm all for that. I hope things are warming up and spring is on the horizon for you where you are as well. Have a nice weekend!