The Hunter/Gather of Surburbia

Are we where we live?

December 25, 2011

Christmas Day

My first attempt at divinity in oh about 40 years. This batch looks strikingly similar to the one 40 years ago. Kind of sad, but I will try again.
Emma and I took a walk at the dam today. Smelled a skunk, luckily it stayed away from us and we from it. Also saw swans.




The dang birds always fly away. Skittery they are, which makes it difficult to take their pictures. The swan were on the other side of the pond so didn't take to wing before I got a picture.
Also took some pictures of the power lines, they looked sort of like robot guardians and they hummed and buzzed like crazy.






Also, the sage brush and other vegetation just looked cool. It was 27 degrees I discovered on our way back to the apartment. The sky this morning was beautifully red, pink, and orange. Which means, "red sky in morning sailors take warning." So I am hoping no warnings to drivers, just sailors. Driving into Salem tomorrow and back in one day so weather needs to be driveable, pretty please. I am hoping gas stays low until after I have gotten back from bringing Andrew back home.
I hope one and all have a good day filled with what is needed most.

December 24, 2011

A very merry Christmas

Well, just hours away from Christmas. Each Christmas Eve, especially since my family trundles off to their other family's Christmas Eves, I long for the Forcier/Chretien Christmas Eves of my childhood. Those were the real thing, full of family, love, and just Christmasness. Ok, Christmasness isn't a word, but that is how I feel about those Christmas Eves.
I do not and will not begrudge my family spending time with their newly formed families. I do begrudge that since these families have come together I have never had a Christmas Eve or Christmas with my family, not one. I don't even get Thanksgiving. Now I am far away and I even have a hard time getting one grandchild for a week. The grandchild I raised for nearly two years. Yes I resent it, but what do I do about it?
Christmas has always a magical time for me, yes even now. There is something magic about it and for me there always will be, even if I spend it alone with my dog. This Christmas, Emma and I will go on our long walk, hopefully at the dam. I have no idea if the trails will be open or not, if not we'll walk somewhere else. Things always seem to work out on Christmas, don't they? There is always one thing or other that works out after not working out all year long. At least it seems that way for me. Maybe it is just me stressing out over something for a year and then finally working it out. I prefer the magic part.





I am not a Coke drinker, but man they find the best artists to create their Santas, this one is from 1951. I didn't put up my Santa ornaments this year, primarily because I didn't get a tree. If I would had family over, a tree I would have, but that didn't happen. It will always likely be my job to get to their homes on Christmas. I know I live a long ways away, but no one has come to visit me and that sort of hurts. But enough of the pity me party. Because I am very happy here being far away isn't as bad as it could be and for that I am grateful. Hermiston is a nice place to live, wish I lived in a house, but the apartment is ok for now.



Another Coke rendition of Santa. I love Santas, just realized that I didn't buy my annual Santa ornament, dang it! Even if I didn't have a tree, of course, no Hallmark here in Hermiston and I totally spaced it when I went to the mall in Tri Cities. Oh well, there's always next year.

December 23, 2011

Walkies

Went to the dam today, but I was feeling hinky so we only stayed long enough for Emma to do her business. Yesterday I saw pelicans and I even took a picture with my phone.




Not a great photo, I have to remember to bring my camera so I can get better quality pictures. Today, because my Ipod was being temperamental I could here the power lines above my head humming. I guess I never heard them before because I was usually listening to my Ipod. Earlier in the week we explored other areas of the park and when we came upon a grouping of three electrical towers, in the picture you can see the same arrangement on the Washington side of the Columbia, I had the creepiest, most eerie feelings. I wonder if it was the electric charge coming from the towers and wires?
Excited for Monday, going to go pick up my Andrew for a visit. Also bringing along Destiny, my black lab, to see if she can navigate my stairs without pain, I worry about her so much. Of course, the weather guy just said that it is going to rain! Of course it is, hasn't rained all month and when I am planning some short day trips to the cool parks around here it is going to rain. Ah, well, if it is rain like I've experienced here before I guess I shouldn't worry too much about our plans being washed out.
I have to share one more picture of the sisters, the story just catches me up.



Coyote is such a little devil. I love his stories. This one is about Coyote falling in love with three sisters who set their nets at the confluence of the Snake, Walla Walla, and Columbia rivers to catch salmon. Each day they set their nets and each night Coyote takes them down. He finally marries all three and all is happiness, but then Coyote gets jealous, as he often does, and he changes two of the sisters into pillars and the third into a cave just off shore. I wonder if the cave is actually still there?

December 22, 2011

Where not to eat

It has been a long time since I've written. Not sure why, just haven't taken the time I guess. I splurged on a hamburger the other day. There is a Fuddruckers here in Hermiston, I have never been to a Fuddruckers, so I thought why not?
I like the build your own burger part of the place, but the fries and bacon cheese burger were probably the worst I have ever had. No, really, quite nasty. I was still tasting it the next day, even after I brushed my teeth. I love a good juicy burger and this wasn't it. The meat was dry and the bacon tasted as if it was cooked a few hours before. I had to settle for pepper jack cheese because they were out of cheddar. Interesting, since it was only like 1 pm. As I said I liked the do it yourself bar thing where I could put on what I wanted, unfortunately, that was the only good thing about the place. I will give the place, well not the one in Hermiston, another chance if I ever am hungry and happen to pass by another store in another town.
This has been the only place where I have eaten here in Hermiston that I would tell my family to stay away from. I am going to take Andrew to Hales for lunch one day next week. It is a local place and I prefer local to chain. La Palma is a Mexican food place and they make a fine Chili Relleno. The other Mexican place I have gone to makes a nice Relleno too, just don't order ahead and then show up late. I've also eaten a few times at the Panda something buffet, it is good and I really like the buffet thing. The outside is sort of creepy, but the food is good. The Fortune something is also supposed to be good place to get Chinese, but I haven't tried it yet. Ye Olde Pizza  Shoppe is a good pizza place, nothing to write home about, but it is good and it isn't Pizza Hut. Oh, went to Shari's not so good and Denny's also not so good. I was surprised by both as they are chains and you'd think their quality control would be better. Even Pizza Hut and McDonalds were good examples of their type of food. I guess the cooks at Shari's and Denny's, I call them cooks because they certainly weren't chefs, don't give a rat's ass whether people come back. I certainly won't go back or take my family there if they ever visit me here.
I have high hopes for Hale's, not just because a former student works there, but because it truly is a local place. Though winter eating is always a dice throw because there is so little fresh veggies and fruits. Which brings up another point that I really haven't figured out, why the heck is the produce here of such an inferior quality to the produce I am used to in Salem? Even the local produce stand sucks as a place to go find that perfect veggie or piece of fruit, I just don't get it.

November 15, 2011

Marvels

Emma and I have had to conserve gas so we haven't had any treks to parks in the last week. But I have found I still marvel at the landscape here. Even from the same location. I can see The Butte, a nice place to hike and climb I understand if you don't get stopped by the RATTLE SNAKES! Vipers are sort of like scorpions in my book, oh and there are scorpions here as well. Spiders freak me out, especially the one I saw a month or so ago that I swear was over three inches in diameter. Its size could be due to the fact that it was dark and it sort of dropped out of a tree just in front of and above head and scared the shit out of me. It was oblivious to me and of course it did not concern Emma one bit.
Ok, gross I am listening to the Audiobook "Phantoms" by Dean Koontz, and the narrator just described a man who's brain, face, and tongue were sucked up by a huge moth. Heh, my mom hated moths, now I know why.

November 6, 2011

Nature Trails at McNary Dam

Emma and I went to McNary Dam today for a long walk. Lots of trails and lots of ways to get lost, I think I spent a lot of time trying to orient myself to where we were in relation to the car. The trails are nicely maintained, though people need to pick up after their dogs more than they seem to. I know some was wild creature poo, but really taking your dog to the park and letting them poop on the trail where people walk? Really?








One reason I didn't get lost was they had these cool images painted on rocks. Ok, I still would have got lost if I wasn't paying attention. They have trails through the wetland area, which if I lived in the bayous I would have worried about Emma and me becoming alligator lunches. There were ducks everywhere and they are very a jumpy bunch, hence I didn't get any pictures of them. Perhaps some people don't understand the wildlife refuge part of the equation. I guess people could also be scaring the poor things on purpose, but people wouldn't do that would they?

November 5, 2011

Films that may have shaped who I am

I have known for a very long time that the Disney film, The Flight White Stallions began the shaping of my views of who the Nazis were/are. It was, of course, the horses that drew me in to that insight. The Sound of Music also added to the molding of my views. It seems that center of many of my views are horses. What my parents saw as a whim that really didn't warrant nurturing, a love horses, shaped who I am. Horses shaped my movie viewing habits, if it was a Western I watched it. Tonka, another horse film by Disney, and Run Appaloosa Run began to shape my view American Indians. Whether by design or happenstance Disney showed me how the treatment of American Indians by Whites was, well, not good. I was curious about Indians, Salem was home to one of the last Indian Boarding Schools. Actually, Chemawa is still there remodeled and housing American Indian youth needing a little extra help. We never heard or really knew what went on at Chemawa, the brick buildings were an imposing series of brick buildings. They were cold and not at all inviting. Those buildings are now gone, my historian side wishes they hadn't been demolished, but I think I may understand why they had to go. The newly Confederated Tribes rebuilt the school and now it is a temporary home to American Indian youth from many bands and tribes. They host Powwows and sports events. I recently watched Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman. That film shaped my view of how Whites fucked up the West, not opened it. While watching with my 54 yr old eyes, I realized that again it was the horse that shaped my views, not just the actions of idiots like Custer. How Indians rode, how they tamed, how they valued horses has been revealed to me in other films I cannot remember the names of. And it is their connection to the horse that hooked me into wanting to know about their history and indirectly the history of horses in the Americas.
Other films have shaped me, but I find in slightly different ways, Tora Tora Tora didn't make hate the Japanese, it made me want to learn about their side of WWII. Scarface made me wonder why Cubans had such political control over south Florida. Films about Hitler did not make marvel at his prowess as a leader, but why a man that nuts took control of country after country killing millions in his name and the U.S. did nothing until the Japanese blew up Pearl Harbor. Vietnam I saw on TV, live TV at times I think. It wasn't until I was in high school in the early 70's that it hit me as to what horrors the U.S. were. Ok, Air America was later of course and had Mel Gibson, but made total sense to me.
I think I have always been a closet liberal. Well, not totally closeted, but not vocal in public. Not sure why that still is, but it is unlikely that piece will change much. Especially since hardly anyone reads my little bloggings. As I sit here I am watching the Showtime Series Homeland, interesting to say the least. Thank goodness for Charter OnDemand! So if anyone does actually read what I write, please share your musings about films that may have shaped who you are.

November 4, 2011

Traveling around the area

Finally took the time to travel a bit, had the gas and money for a tank more so I went on a little drive after spending a hefty amount on winter attire. Still need pants and some boots, oh and four snow tires. It has already snowed in the hills around here, so winter is a coming.



The first picture has actually become the beginning of my new life. I took this while on my way to my interview at Hermiston High School. The next pictures are from Hat Rock State Park. Emma and I journeyed there last Sunday. Hat Rock was mentioned in the journals of Lewis and Clark. I read a marker placed by local tribes, I think, that says while Lewis and Clark mentioned Hat Rock sitting there all solitary, they didn't mention the three sisters that they had to have passed on their way down the River. Legend has it that three sisters angered the Creator, again my memory has failed me, and he cast them into the three stone pillars. Only two are now visible, the third being covered by the River. Emma and I will have take the long trip, on the way to Walla Walla, in the future so I can photograph them as well.




Not sure what happened with two of the pictures, but stand up and tilt your head and you will see the locks at McNary Dam and a shot of the Columbia.

October 14, 2011

Emma

Emma did very well with being alone overnight. I didn't have to repaint or anything. We drove to Salem this weekend so I could go to a conference today about alternative schools. I learned that I need to learn more. Emma and Trixie are being let for alternate periods of time because they can't seem to get along with each.
Right now the beautiful Alexis is bothering me, I so don't care she is too cute. She was playing hide and seek with her daddy and telling him, "No," each time he tried to get her to look for him.
That is one of the things I miss so very much. Not the waking me up early in the morning, but the cuteness of the two them.
Lauren is loving school and Kelsey is doing a good job at her focused. Andrew is having a very hard time, said inappropriate things to some girls and got in a fight. Part of me says, Brandon sort of deserves this for his bad school behavior, but he wasn't in middle school. Oh well, it will all work out I am sure.

October 4, 2011

Walking

I am enjoying my walks more and more even though I basically walk the same route every time. I am thinking a venture into town, yes with Emma, might be the next walk. Probably on a Saturday or Sunday. Less vehicle traffic and stress for Emma. I won't be able to stop in the shops, but I can get a look at them and come at another time without Emma.
Emma is going to be very annoyed with me on Thursday she will in the bathroom for about 24 hours alone. I hate to do that, but I can't afford to kennel her. I'll have to get her shots at the end of the month and then the expense won't be so onerous. Man shots went up since the last time I had her in. If I had the money on the 15th I would take her into Silvercreek when we are in town, but even if it is less there than at Hermiston Vet Clinic. Money is tight.... I am so hoping that stress will even out once the regular paychecks come.
Emma has made a right mess of one of her pillows, only insides are left.
Picture to follow as it is on my phone, not the computer.

October 2, 2011

Field trips and walking

On Friday walked with Joseph's classes to the CSEPP offices. Not sure I spelled the acronym right, but it is the organization originally created to educate the public in case of an accident with chemicals at the Umatilla Depot. I guess I knew there was Serin at the Depot, but since I lived so far away never really paid much attention to that or the discussions about the VX Gas that was there too. It was very interesting to listen to the speaker talk so nonchalantly about the Serin that was destroyed. One drop of Serin in a subway in Japan killed a lot of people. But I kept my mouth shut, also kept it shut during the VX discussion. Mustard Gas is the only chemical weapon left and they expect to be rid of it by the end of October.
I think it was more the nonchalant attitude that disturbed me, than the fact that the agents were housed there. They are supposed to clean it all up and leave it as they found it 1941. Personally I think they should utilize those igloos for something productive. A military museum would be nice, I like museums. Also maybe a museum/natural history site. Like those too. I know I hear a lot about The Gorge and the Columbia, but not a whole lot about the upper Columbia. I don't think museums are huge tourist draws, but maybe this one would be.
Emma and I took a shorter walk today, but we did walk so that is a good thing. The walking combined with eating my biggest meal in the morning is turning out to be a good thing, I'm losing a bit of weight. Not a whole lot, because I don't exercise other than the walking, but any little helps.

September 27, 2011

Mondays are busy

Finally current on some bills, rent due on Saturday and that means a trip to Kennewick. Only 60 miles or so round trip so not too bad. Get up early take Emma out and then off to Kennewick in the morning, then back and take Emma out again and then to work. So Wednesday will be busy too.
It will be so nice to have bills paid, though it will be rough until the 25th of Oct. it will all work out.
Getting Meggin into a groove, I hope, by having her make calls home on a daily basis when students are absent. Next up, start constructing some lessons for direct instruction. Students are bored with being on the computer all night, well two hours, so I'm thinking mini lessons for History and English that can be taken off Odysseyware lessons. Did it before shouldn't be too hard to do now, just time consuming going through the courses again to get familiar with how to modify it. Thank goodness for the projects in Odysseyware.
I hope to be able to explore the area more after my next paycheck. That sounds so whinny, always talking about the lack of money. But until the 25th it pretty much rules my plans.
I love to drive, actually did go a very short trip yesterday to Irrigon, don't laugh. Small quiet town with a really nice kiddy park. Also drove through Umatilla on my way to Irrigon, also small. All so close and all so small. Next trip, tomorrow, to unfamiliar territory and another state!

September 24, 2011

Saturdays are restful

At least they are supposed to be right? And actually I am really doing nothing that I don't want to do today, so it is restful in that sense. Emma and I had our morning walk today, there are way more cars on the road at 8 am on a Saturday, than during the week. So I guess many people are not having a restful day.
I drove our walk the other day and it is about 2 miles. Not too bad, we walk about 6 out of the 7 days. Fridays are an early day, regular day for the other teachers, so we don't do our long walk. Only long enough for her morning pee and poop and then back to the apartment to get ready for work. Emma is still having anxiety over cars driving, but I am holding out hope that she will relax with time.
There is a young Weimeriner, I am sure that isn't spelled right, that really really wants to approach Emma, but she doesn't. She is a beautiful dog, she opts to stalk us for awhile and then trots back to her territory. She is a good dog in that respect. Doesn't bark insanely like the huge and beautiful German Shepard on First Street and hopefully if she ever does approach close enough for a sniff Emma doesn't growl at her like she did the neighbor's dog. Emma is quite the fuss budget, but man I wish the growling would stop since Nika only wants to play. I am afraid to let her off leash in case she reacts like she does with Trixie. Depending on bills, I hate that, I may buy an electronic training collar, the one Matt broke really cowed her.
Today is supposed to be hot, 90 according to the Kennewick news. Just like Salem, Hermiston doesn't have a local, ok Kennewick is way closer to Hermiston than Portland is to Salem. I haven't really sat down and watched the nightly news, I miss the 5pm because I am at work, by 11 pm I am ready for bed.
Thinking about what to cook for dinner tonight and tomorrow, game hen and something else. Need some veggies to. Can't go grazing at the local fresh market this weekend so I will limited to what Safeway has.

September 23, 2011

Friday is not payday

So, Hermiston is the first school district I have worked for that is paying me the day after payday because payday falls on a Sunday. Unbelievable! Luckily, no bills are due until later next week. Very very disrespectful in my opinion and my first experience with the people of Hermiston being not all helpful.
Other than that, the week has ended well. I will eventually figure out PowerSchool and my attendance will be accurate every time.
Watching Kitchen Nightmares and I think one of the first things I will try to cook will be homemade mac and cheese. After I buy some chicken and steaks and well now I'm making myself hungry. The first cooking utensil I will be buying, probably not until October's check though, is a small BBQ that will fit on my small deck, I really miss cooking with a BBQ.
I have got to hook my students into coming, think think think, as Pooh would say. My "depression" at not teaching last year has made me very uncreative. I hope I can regain my former passion, though now that I think about it that was beaten out of me my last year at Willamina. I hope the environment change will bolster me as the year progresses. I really want to do a better than good job. Hooking them will take a lot of work, but I think with Meggin's help we can get things rolling.
I miss my boys and my girls very much, they kept me sane last year and I miss them dearly. Emma is really helping, though she is just a dog so not a good conversationalist. Oliver isn't really either, but he does talk.
So, the weekend will be restful and hopefully inspiring as well. I was hoping to go exploring my environs this weekend, but I'll have to wait until next weekend. That works.

September 22, 2011

New beginnings

Emma is finally here with me and so is Oliver the bird. It is so nice to have them here. I never felt lonely, maybe that has something to do with being an only child, but I surely realized how much I missed them once I had them here. Poor Emma is still adjusting to the environment change and I'm not talking the weather. She can't go outside to bound about or poop. We take a long walk in the mornings about 45 min to an hour depending on how many times Emma has to stop anxiously while a car passes. Since our walk is solely on two country roads and one major highway she will have to adjust.
School is also going well as we all adjust to each other. It has been a very long time since I have the opportunity to work with a young assistant. Meggin is a learner and I know she will evolve as an assistant and hopefully as a teacher. She has so much knowledge I will put it to good use when and if we start the accelerated credit recovery courses. They already formulating in my brain, now I just need some training.
Going to two trainings/workshops in October, for one I have to find a kennel or sitter for Emma since I will be gone over night. Waiting anxiously for a recommendation from her old vet as to what vet to take her to. I really hate to kennel at the vet because that costs too much. But I may be stuck with it.
Payday is Friday and I am hoping I can pay my rent, cable bill, electric, and catch up on one or two bills. Car payment for sure. The others may have to wait until I don't have to pay two months rent with one month of paycheck. I hate financial stress and I hope as I catch up on bills that I can help Kelsey and the girls out. I am somewhat reluctant to do that since that will mean more cash for Matt to use for beer, something he needs to cut back on. Saturday he came close to me interferring, but I held back since the girls and Andrew were there and my Andrew was still awake. It may be something Brandon and I will have to do alone with Kelsey. My birthday weekend may the time to do just that. Have to think about it. Well off to take Emma out to pee and then stop at Safeway for something for lunch and dinner.

September 11, 2011

The end of week 2 at school and....

I finally have a permanent assistant! Meggin is a certified teacher, but still looking for a permanent teaching job so I will get her for the year, I hope. I know what it is like having certification and taking an assistant position. I hope I am a good mentor for her. As a new teacher she doesn't have that bag of tricks yet, I hope I can help her to begin to fill it. Assisting in alternative school is a great job reference, shows you can work with the toughest students.
Students, I had an overfull crew on Thursday had to put three on staff computers. I also had the principal and the vp as my assistants. Highest paid assistants ever!
I will get my pay draw on the 15th, so I get to bring Emma home on Sunday! Yeah! She will force me to take walks in the mornings before I go to work and be company when I'm home. I really miss that dog. I miss Destiny too, but she is too large and I'm not sure her hips can take the trips up the stairs every day. I would definitely take her too, but each pet is $300 and that is something I can't afford. Maybe once I get caught up on bills. That is a distinct possibility. I worry about her so much. I know she would be happy here.
I miss the grandkids the most I think. Even though Lauren and Lexi drove me insane from time to time, I miss them both so much. My heart aches for Andrew, I miss the Jessie-man too, but he has so much loving flowing at him that I don't have to worry about him. Andrew has a lot loving at him too, but some of it I fear flows in other directions.
Last night I felt more at home than I have since moving here. It is sort of sad that the feeling comes on the same day I finally get full cable and Internet. Oh well, the little blessings stack up on one another.
Today is 9/11. Ten years ago today I was awakened by the radio saying that one of the two towers had been struck by an airplane. By the time I walked out to the living and turned on the TV the second plane was veering into the second tower. I sat on the ottoman, like I did when the Challenger went down, and couldn't believe what I was seeing. My 35 mile drive to work, my unofficial first day of work in Willamina, was speedier than normal. I saw one plane flying over Baskett Slough just as the radio was saying that all planes in the US were being grounded. I had the radio playing as I arranged my new classroom. Willamina really didn't do all that much collectively, some individual teachers kept the television on, but generally not much at all.
Contrast to Friday of this year, at a Pep Assembly a message was read from the Superintendent to all of the students and a brief moment of silence. I wonder what Willamina did? The Superintendent asked that teachers read a brief message to their students elaborating or editing as needed depending on the grade level.
Lots of programs on TV today commemorating the day ten years ago when the entire world changed. I ache for the survivors and the families. I can't imagine the loss. I've lost friends and family, but nothing due to an overt act by anyone.
So much tragedy has happened this summer due to the weather. Fires, floods, hurricanes things we can't control. 9/11 while a planned act, was not under our control. No matter how much some want to say we could have stopped it, hatred is hatred and therefore unpredictable.

September 7, 2011

And so week 4 begins

While I am still feeling overwhelmed with just about everything, I am settling in somewhat and finding my adventure to be enlightening. I still do not have a permanent assistant, though the administration is working hard to remedy that situation. Something I am not used to. I even had one of the assistant principals assisting me last night for the last hour of school. One only one sadly, but he did give me insight into Hermiston. More than 35% of the resident are under the age of 18, 50% of the residents rent, Hermiston is the "hub" of a wheel for seasonal workers that turns through Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Pendleton. I may have got the percentages wrong, but you get the idea. Hermiston is fairly diverse place, something totally unexpected.
The AP feels that the community as a whole is fairly tolerant. I know they are friendly, but then I am white and white-haired and female.
I feel in my bones that I will retire here, well I am may retire from here and move back to Salem, but I don't plan on a move if I don't have to. Maybe out of the one bedroom apartment eventually, but I am thinking this tiny home of mine is an excellent way to catch up on my bills and maybe two or three years down the road have the funds to move into a house or duplex. I don't like the physical moving part of moving to a new home. Not one bit at all. Where is Scotty when you need him to beam things around?

September 4, 2011

Week Three and the students

Thanks to Denise, Joseph, Matt T., Brandon, Matt C., Ryan, and Juan I am nearly settled into my apartment. I have my big-screen TV, couches, bed, and other furniture and I am feeling a bit more human. I do not miss those beanbags one iota.
Finished the first week of school this past week, much in the same way Willamina runs its schedule, Hermiston begins the week before Labor Day. Couldn't have students the first day as there were no computers up and running. But on Tuesday the first trickle began. While the cultural makeup of my new students is far different than at Willamina, the core of who they are is very similar. I had maybe two Hispanic students in Willamina, here in Hermiston the majority are Hispanic. I am going to have to expand my student  library to Hispanic literature, not a huge issue, an enlightening one.
My first negative issue with a student I traced back to me. Yes, me! A student looks and somewhat acts like an adult I knew outside of school while living in Salem. Now that I have pierced that I am better able to see this new student as himself and not with the weird feeling I had initially. Thank goodness. Though there is another student, once he starts and I get to know him I am hoping his vibe, one I am all too familiar with, will slip away.
Getting a weird vibe from a student isn't all that uncommon, but I really hate to start out our relationship in the classroom with an issue. I have always prided, yes one of the seven deadlies, on my ability to rise above what the students' actions are and who the student is as a person. Separating the out of school personality with the in school personality is not as easy at it sounds and can sometimes be a dangerous thing for me and my other students. But the knowing makes the classroom climate easier to read on many levels.
Hermiston High staff continue to amaze me. They are a generous group and that is what is keeping me bright and bushy as I wait anxiously for that first paycheck and my ability to begin to catch up on bills that have been falling the wayside as the months drolled on on unemployment. I am luckier than many on unemployment I found a wonderful position only about one year after being laid off.
The scariest part is now I have rent, something I haven't had to worry for many many many years. Not being able to just repair, kill off bees, or feed the wild birds is a hard proposition for me. Pigeons are birds, but they are everywhere and I have yet to hear more than one or two song birds. Maybe that's the life here in Northern Eastern Oregon, I certainly hope not. Oh, and seagulls, do to Hermiston's close proximity to The Columbia. That is a new river to explore. I understand there are river walks to walk with Emma, once I get her here, a dam to explore, and a huge number of parks for the size of the city.
Having to drive 35 miles or so and into another state to shop at places like Target, Best Buy, etc is an annoyance. I prefer to spend my money in my home state, sigh.
Well I have droned on. Must go down and check on my laundry, another new experience for me.

August 24, 2011

First week in Hermiston

So, here I am sitting on my beanbags beginning week two. Hermiston is a nice place to live. The people are very nice and what is even better they are supportive of their schools. Which means their kids and really makes the transition to this much smaller town a tiny bit easier to cope with.
Moving from a house to a one bedroom is quite an adjustment, but I am working it. I have to say of all the schools, ok I've only been to two longer than a few months, Hermiston's staff is the warmest and most supportive I have encountered. My daytime counter part, I am the teacher in the newly christened Innovative Learning Center night school, has fanagled a delivery truck to help me move the rest of my furniture and most importantly my school supplies from Salem to Hermiston this weekend.
Joseph Thornton and his wife Denise will make the drive to Salem help me load up, spend the night with his family in Vancouver, and then drive back to Hermiston on Saturday. I can't express my gratitude to Joseph and Denise more. They are two of the best examples of the people I have met here. Not that anyone I have met wouldn't be good examples. Joseph's two assistants, I still am waiting for mine to be hired, Becky and Jacky are on my list of the best assistants to work with, even though I only met them today. I have been blessed with some of the best assistants a teacher could have in my nearly 20 years of teachers. I wish one of them wanted to make the transition to the night school, but that ain't gonna happen.
Right now I am looking out my sliding glass doors to see sunshine glinting off of thick gray clouds. First rain, if it happens, that I will see since my move. I will take some pictures of my new surroundings once I am fully moved and settled in. It has been 27 years since my last move. This is hard really really hard and I have even questioned the choice I made to accept this position on more than one occassion this past week. I know that once my stuff is here I will begin to heal and recover and when I pay for Emma to come too my healing will be complete.

July 24, 2011

Susan Witting Albert

So along with The Coffeehouse Mysteries and The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries I have also discovered another series written by a favorite memoirist, The China Bayles Mysteries. I was obsessed with herbs back in the 80's and 90's but I could never keep the darn things alive. Now I have one of my favorite genres to read about them too!

New book series

Just found a new series to get addicted to. As well as her series under her pen name
I haven't found a copy of the first in the Haunted Bookstore Mysteries series yet, but I will.
I am fascinated that this author has found two things I find most satisfying: a coffeehouse and a bookstore. I am looking forward to reading both series.

July 20, 2011

It's been awhile

It has been a very long time since I waxed on and on here. A lot has happened. On the 10th I went with Kelsey and her family and Andrew to the Marion County Fair. It is far more noisy and populated than when I used to show my sheep and horse back in the 70's. Ok, that was like 40 years ago, wow. There are rides and food and booths and the public there. We were lucky to have our own parents show up to watch us show our animals. Got my cotton candy fix by buying to huge bags and I also ended up with heat stroke or exhaustion, still trying to figure out which. I'm still having dizzy spells and that scares me, but I have no medical insurance so I will just have to endure.
Two weeks I had a phone interview with a person from Lincoln ESD about a position for an Outreach Worker. A job I am way over qualified for, but one that would fit nicely with how I want my career path to evolve. Haven't heard back yet, so I guess my saying I wouldn't move to Toledo until I felt secure in the job was the wrong thing to say. I think that is one of my problems in interviews, being too honest. We'll see, I have an interview in Hermiston next Friday. What really scares me is them offering me the job, but not being able to find a place to rent. With my crappy credit and at least one dog I'm probably not a good risk for someone that has a place to rent.
Went to EZ today and bought cherries, boysenberries, blueberries, and veggies. Went yesterday but I made an error with my credit card so couldn't pick up anything yummy.
Oh, almost forgot I did make Molly's shortcake and it was wonderful. Still have six frozen in the freezer, maybe boysenberry shortcake. It's actually more of a sweet biscuit, but it is wonderful and very easy to make. Ease is what I look for.
Watching Masterchef and there are only a few true home cooks left. Anyone who knows how to cook truffles is more than a home cook in my mind, but luckily I am not in charge. As I watch them cook in the initial episodes I think about my "signature" dishes and whether I could pull them off in public without my family as the judges. They want main dishes, not sides or desserts. What would I cook? What would you cook? Have to think about it.

July 1, 2011

Recent events

Well the last time I tried to post I got an error message. I hope today is going to work out better for me. Tonight I am fixing a grilled chicken salad. Grilling a chicken breast, boiling some eggs to chop and add to the salad, Roma tomatoes, an avocado, sunflower seeds, and the salad mix from EZ Orchards. Oh and green onions. Should be tasty.
Matt and the girls are outside filling up water balloons, well Matt is filling and Lauren is breaking them as fast as he is filling. I do believe by his tone of voice that he will stop filling up balloons very soon if Lauren doesn't stop breaking them all.
Still job hunting, nothing much this week, last week was way more fruitful. Must have three every week and so far I am meeting that goal. Though I have to apply for some jobs I am marginally qualified for. Though those jobs hurt far less than when I get rejected than the ones I am over qualified for.
Back to the salad, Kelsey bought some nasty frozen chicken breasts and I am hoping that they will taste a bit better grilled, I am hopeful. The veggies I just bought at the EZ stand and they are all fresh, so that part will be very good and tasty. Then some fresh strawberries for dessert. If I am motivated maybe I will make some shortcake. I'll use Molly Wizenberg's chosen recipe from her blog this week.
I can smell the roses I picked yesterday, mmmmm, they are wafting aromatically over here because of the breeze. Smell like raspberries.

June 17, 2011

Dinner

I did defrost a chicken breast, but I decided that I would make the Mo's Chowder Kelsey bought and have a side salad to go with it. The chowder, of course, was wonderful always use the half and half it makes the chowder so much more rich and tasty. I bought salad greens yesterday at EZ Orchards, not sure what all was in the mix, just that it is 6.95 a pound and I bought 1.23 worth, and while a bit wilty it was good with the Romas, croutons, sunflower seeds, almond slices and the Mediterranean vinegarette I also bought at EZ. Still too afraid to make my own vineagarette. Also I can't spell it so that sort of means I should refrain from making it for the time being. But dinner was good, appetizer was peanut butter on soda crackers, you must love my sophistication.
Going to start The Walking Dead on DVD tonight I didn't discover it until the end of the season so my anal OCD requires me to watch the entire season hopefully before the new season starts. I like weird shows like that and it makes me want BBC America even more. Of course my lame cable company which was bought by Wave Cable still hasn't added anything new, like BBC America, yet and that is tre` annoying.

A beautiful day

And as near perfect as we get here in the summer. Ok, it really isn't summer yet, Tuesday is when summer starts. I am currently three books and I am discovering what used to frustrate me in college, voice. Slipping from one book to another it takes about three pages for me to feel the voice of the writer, so then I have to reread what I just read and well it is taking me a long time to get through these three books. One of them, A Homemade Life, I've been reading since the beginning of May. It is taking me so long because I stop and try some of the recipes as I am reading. Wizenberg's voice is so different from Mary Gordon's and both far far different than Anne McCaffery's. AM is of course writing fiction and the other two memoir, so I guess it makes some kind of sense. I have only gotten two pages into Seeing Through Places by Mary Gordon, and I am reading all the comments by my fellow reading circle friends, and I am thinking Catholic, Place not so sure this will be a good time for me. I am so ambivalent about my Catholic history that I'm not sure I can parse out the actual me from the me I remember. I spent six years in Catholic School and about every school day was partially spent in church. I somehow convinced my parents to let me go to the public junior high school and I think that was a good thing for me.
Place is one of those things that has been near and dear to me for a time. I hope Gordon enlightens me to a sense of Place.
With the nice weather comes the need to pick up the dog poo in the yard. In the winter you can ignore it, but in the summer you have to pick the damn stuff up or the kids run through it, or worse you step in it. It also sticks to the lawnmower tires and that is gross and smelly. So why am waxing on about it? Because the scooper I have had for five years has given up the ghost and I have to buy a new one. Worse I just plunked down 200 dollars for a lamp for my TV. So money is super tight. This is lamp number five for my six year old TV, the service place says they only last 4 to 5 thousand hours! I just bought one last June, so one a year seems to be the norm. Truly a racket of Toshiba's if you ask me, I mean really? Ok, I watch too much TV, but anyway, and they only give a three month warranty, this one will probably go at three months and one day.
I must figure out something for dinner. Molly's recipes make my stomach growl, but some of the ingredients are bit on the spendy side and I don't know what creme frasche is or how to spell it. And what the heck is Kirsh anyway? The glazed oranges over pound cake, ok I bought the pound cake, was yummy. Andrew is not a fan, but I am going to try the same recipe with lemons and again purchase the pound cake. Off to thaw a couple of chicken breasts to BBQ and then slice for salad. Again, store bought vingarette first and then Molly's. Need avocado though.

June 9, 2011

Another beautiful day

Ok, it isn't a perfect day because it is a bit on the muggy side. But the fact that I don't have to wear coat or make sure I have a coat with me when I left my house is as close as you can get to perfect in my book. Also, with the crazy weather here, beggars can't be choosers so I will revel each time the rain stays away. Hopefully, I won't have to be wishing for rain later in the summer. Getting water from a well, I have to worry some when the rain stays away for long periods.
I am at the library today and I think they turned the heat up, or it could be that I am on the top floor and all the heat is rising. I chose a noisy place to plug in the laptop, near the children's section, but hopefully the noisy children that were here the other day aren't here today.
I've been thinking about dinner, the only meal I actually try to cook for. Usually just for myself, which is boring, but I get used to it. Kelsey is going to cook Tacos for dinner and feel more like BBQ. So for meat game hen cooked beer can style or rib eye, sweet onion, and I am thinking asparagus. May even try to grill the asparagus since Kelsey will be at the stove.
I have been doing some very minor research for the book that is always floating around in my head. I like research, wish I could find a job that would pay me to research.
So, I have discovered why no one tells parents to shut up their kids, the freaking staff are extremely noisy and they even have a door to close, but they don't close it. There is also a group of ladies who are cackling with one another at a table around the corner. Why am I doing this running commentary of what aggrieves me when I am at the library? Because I came here to get away from the noise. So now there is a little kid being semi-loud and the parent isn't saying a thing even with me sitting here. Oh the cackling ladies are leaving and they are hugging and cackling as they go...
The noise level here is one of those things that amazes me. I mean when I was little the librarian would have kicked us the hell out of the library for being so noisy. I love Bill Mahr, the whole we have fallen over the edge about being PC about everything really is resounding with me today. I wish I could think up a good "New Rule" to send in about libraries, though the one here in Salem is the only one I have any experience with.
Well, eventually I will think of something amazing to say and people will actually read my blog. One mom is really trying to get her child to be quiet. That's nice.

June 3, 2011

Finally Sunshine

It is a beautiful day and it is supposed to be nice for at least two days. This weather is really strange lately. Yesterday the clouds were absolutely amazing! Huge thunder clouds with dark gray clouds behind them. It was amazing.
Andrew and I went to two of the three National Wildlife Refuges in the Valley on Monday and we had a great time, well other than my old knees. Ankeny and William Finley. We had already spent the day at the third one Baskett Slough, two weeks before.


May 25, 2011

Restored, somewhat

I knew coming to the library would restore a bit of myself. Started Crystal Singer by Anne Mccaffrey and found a quote that sort of applies "Then she realized her despondency was merely self-pity...." Self-pity is one of those things that you find yourself in and then have to struggle back out of. Yes, I think a part of my depression is self-pity and poor poor me attitude, there is also just the general anger with family that I really can't do anything about.
I purposely don't pick up after the girls or Kelsey or Matt for that matter. Though I have to do the dishes, which usually requires doing theirs as well. I also from time to time have to do their laundry because Kelsey always starts it, but rarely ever finishes it. I don't like doing laundry either, which is why I do it each time I have a full load. Kelsey, of course, has a full load nearly daily and that's a bummer, but if she did one load each day that's all she would be doing and not up to ten loads in one day. When that happens she, of course, over fills the washer and is probably wearing it out twice as fast as she would if she would do one nearly full load a day. When I suggest it, she gets angry with me.
I would have to say that being the library actually does restore me. Whether it is because I am just getting out of the house or because the relaxed atmosphere actually does restore me. Well the time is about run out on my parking meter so I have to go. Back at it later, I hope.

May 24, 2011

What if...

What if I had all the money I ever wanted? That is such a crazy thing to say, don't you think? I want a good job that pays me a good salary and I want more than anything to pay off all off all of my bills. To be debt free that is what I want.
At this point in my life, I'm not so sure I want to be a teacher anymore. I so love working with students, but I am not sure that teaching is the best way for me to advocate for students. But nonprofits aren't hiring and I don't have any experience doing anything other than teaching, so I'm not sure what I can do to make money. I can't stand being on unemployment, I did the whole on the public dole thing back when I was first divorced and I don't like it.
Speaking of being divorced, my ex will be in town tomorrow for his mother's memorial. It is so weird neither of them have lived in Salem for over 10 years so the whole memorial here in Salem is sorta weird on one level. I don't think they even have family here, oh almost forgot she's a crum, female member of the Masons, I have no idea what the female organization is called. Anyway, my son said he told his dad they could go to a bar and have a beer, but that he didn't want him at his house. Well, he didn't tell him that last part, that's what he told me after I said I was so over his dad. To keep a grudge that long, wait his sister still has one, she has it bad. But then she was only 1 when we divorced so no love lost there.
Home alone for a bit as Kelsey, Matt and the girls are going to spend time with his parents for a little bit. Which is annoying since I need help with the electric and phone bills and she didn't leave any money with me to help me out. It is starting to get really really annoying, more than that I am angry and what can I do? I won't kick them out, but shit my electric bill is twice what it would be if I was here alone, actually probably three times as much. They do tons of laundry, which brings up the other point that she used the last of it and didn't buy any more so now I have to do it.
She does help out with the food and that is one thing I don't have to worry about.
Didn't go to Andrew's second to last music program tonight. I feel really bad, but it is so hard just to get out of the house when I feel so angry about Kelsey and so depressed about not having money. Oh and top it all off Matt comes in says he's taking Sabby, their dog, and promptly takes the only dog shampoo in the house, that I bought, then gets some dogfood, which I also bought, I am really not doing well today. I shall stop writing now before I decide to go shoot myself in the fucking head.

May 22, 2011

Family and ...

In the background Kelsey, Matt, and the girls are eating spaghetti. I am still feeling funky from my steak and egg lunch. I am trying to eat a big lunch and a lighter dinner in an attempt to work off calories. Not that I exercise or anything, but maybe it will help a bit. Every bit helps. I would very much like to go to the park and walk every day, but right now I can't afford the gas. Two bills are behind by a month and I'm not sure when I will be able to catch them up if Kelsey and Matt don't start helping me with the household bills. I hate to ask them, maybe that is one of the things that is depressing me.
Anyway, unemployment does not allow you any kind of wiggle room what so ever. If I could get Kelsey to go shopping, that is one they help me out as they get food stamps so adding the things I need doesn't hurt them, anyway again, Kelsey hates to grocery shop, as do I, but I do like browsing when I get there and Kelsey hates that. I always have list via a blackberry app called OurGroceries so I know what I want. I try to have one new recipe to try. I just read Molly Wizenberg's blog Orangette and I may have more than one recipe this week if I can get Kelsey to the darn store. You should check out her blog which is on the left side of my blog.
I am so pumped to watch Jesse Stone tonight. I love Tom Selleck. Sighing deeply, what a hunk.

What is it like to be depressed?

I've always wondered what it is like to be depressed. I see the ads on TV for this or that product or this or that  "clinical study." But I think I am depressed. I am tired all of the time and I can't blame it all on starting on Zyrtec this week. What the generic Wal Zyr did was to take away the nearly debilitation headaches I had been experiencing for about a month. Two days after starting the Wal Zyr my headaches were gone and I felt better. Unfortunately the warning for drowsiness was fairly accurate. But I am hoping that my body will adjust and the drowsiness will diminish. Or, I guess it will back to Allegra, well the generic Allegra. Man not having health really does suck.
Walgreens has a nifty prescription card that helps pay for medications and that's cool. My high blood pressure meds are not all that expensive, but the prescription generic Allegra is crazy high, like over $40 for 30 pills. So it is to over the counter I go back to. I guess what scares me, and maybe that is what is depressing, is that I am not feeling well, but I can't afford to go to the doctor to figure out what it is. Like so many others in my situation, I have to just bull through it and hope it goes away on its own.

May 8, 2011

Inspired by another writer in my writing circle

Thanks to Pat I may be inspired to write more, write to my grandkids from time to time.

Dear Andrew, Jesse, Lauren, and Alexis

On this Mother's Day I must write a short note to the four of you. You all mean so much to me, I am blessed that I get to see you all nearly every day. The boys not so much as my girls, but I so enjoy every moment with all of you. Remember to have fun every day and hug something, even if it one of your many animals. They count too, and sometimes may need that hug more than humans do from time to time.

Love Grammy

Googling yourself

So, I bet you really haven't tried to Google Earth yourself. No I mean really, looking back into your life and seeing yourself. I just submitted my first attempt at Google Earth of myself to the Story Circle Network. I am thinking of doing an ongoing Google of myself and my life as a way to put down my life into words.
The following is what I first wrote, I had to edit for Story Circle, but my original writing is here for you to look at.

If I were to Google Earth myself what would I see?
Would I see myself sitting here at my computer?
Would I see my house surrounded by fields and a small patch of forest?
Would I see Salem, Oregon bisected by I5 sitting along the Willamette River?
Would I see Washington state to the north, Idaho to the East, California to the South and the Pacific to the West?
What would I see?
If I were to Google Earth my family what would I see?
Would I see the birth of my parents one born in Bottineau, North Dakota the other in Leland, Oregon?
Would I see them meet and then marry in Seattle, Washington?
Would I see them move west from Missouri to Oregon by car just after the end of WW II?
Would I see their first home on Dearborn Ave in Keizer?
Would I see them journey to Portland, Oregon to St Vincent's Hospital to adopt me?
What would I see?
If I were to Google Earth my family what would I see?
Would I see my children grow up and drift away and then drift back?
What would I see?
If I were to Google Earth my family what would I see?
Would I see my first grandson being born with a cleft palate, before I knew he was my grandson?
Would I see my second grandson being born looking so much like his mother and nothing like his father, my son?
Would I see my two grandsons walking down the lane with my father between them, finally accepting them?
Would I see my daughter on the phone to me saying, "Mom I have something to tell you," and me knowing right away she was pregnant with grandchild number three, the first girl?
Would I see my second granddaughter being born, like her older sister, by c-section, like her mother and her uncle?
What would I see?
If I were to Google Earth myself, what would I see?
By Lisa Chretien, April 2011

May 4, 2011

Queen of Tarts

I almost forgot! After my last blogging session I went down to Queen of Tarts for some yummy soup and I had the most divine soup, Italian Wedding Soup, it was great even though I got the dregs which for soup I think is the best part. I missed the meatballs that are part of the soup, but the pearl pasta stuff was great and the broth tasty and bit spicy, just the way I like it.
So if you live in Salem and are near the City Center, that would be where City Hall and the Library are not the actual center, anyway stop by Queen of Tarts, not only do they have yummy yummy soup, but pastries too. I could do without the canned pop, but make do because the soups are so darn yum yum yummy.

A Homemade Life

I am still enjoying the memoir and it is taking me longer than normal because I keep stopping to cook some of the recipes. I am also discovering that my forthcoming interviews are squilching my brain. I'm making dumb mistakes about things I have read and actually publicizing my dumbness by talking about them in my reading circle. Sigh... Today there was talk of roasting beets and I said Molly had written on her blog about beets, but it was radishes. Sigh... I guess getting two of my not fond of veggies isn't a sin, but it really drives me nuts when I'm not accurate.
I want to go out and buy veggies, but I have to save what little money I have to travel to Gold Beach which is five hours from Salem. Gas is getting crazy. Gold Beach interview on Thursday and then Newport on Friday. I wish gas was cheaper then I could commute to Newport, well if I got the job there. I'd still have to move close to Gold Beach. Which, I am finding out is going to be a problem as it is a tourist destination so there aren't many, if any, affordable rentals in the area. Ah well, I guess I have to get the job offer first now don't I? Not sure about being a Child Protective Services Worker. You'd like to think the job is saving kids and is in their best interests, but my personal experience is much the opposite.
The day is beautiful and I have things to do. Hopefully, I will back later as I have some things niggling at my stressed out brain to come out.

April 27, 2011

My stomach's grumbling or growling take your pick

So, I found the blog and I really like Molly's writing style. Oh and there is a recipe for braising radishes, I loathe radishes. But on the bottom of the library is Queen of Tarts a bistro and the lunch smells are wafting up here. Grumble goes my stomach because the last time I was there I had a wonderful vegetable chicken soup, my first soup there was cheesey potato or something and it was wonderful too.
Must go check out my book, feed the meter, then see what soup is on the menu today. Oh and unload the 'puter in the FJ.
Remember how I said the library is noisy? Well I'm sitting here and there are two young men arguing about something. Interesting to hear the snippets. But it's the librarian in her open-doored office who I can also hear and that seems a bit odd to me. Don't care if it is lunch time or not.
Be sure to visit Molly's blog @www.orangette.blogspot.com she has yummy recipes on there, other than the radish one of course ;-)

At the Library

On my laptop at the Library and I am ... I guess livid is the word. I haven't been on my laptop for a few weeks and maybe the last time I was I didn't notice, but Kelsey and Matt have loaded stuff on it that I do not want, like Safari, though I think that is Kelsey because she is always in a hurry and just clicks shit to get it out of her way. The games take a lot of space, but not a huge deal, but making MSN the homepage on Firefox is a big deal. Again because she clicks to get things out of her way, much like Lauren does. Lauren who is four and shouldn't be fucking with my computers in the first place without someone sitting with her and watching her. You have to sit with her, because she just clicks merrily away and has up to ten windows open for the same game at the same time.
Ahhh, that felt better.
I totally forgot to check the time when I plopped money in the meter, I think I got here at 11 so I have about an hour and a half until I have either feed the meter, which would be a total pain because I have to pack up everything and walk out to the parking lot.
The library is a noisy place/space. Interesting since I thought it was supposed to be quiet space. But oh well. I got the next book for my reading circle, A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. Probably will buy it on my Kindle as it has recipes and I think she may be close to my heart. Funny how many of the books we have read so far, well when I started, have really touched my heart. I've talked about them before so I won't do it here. I have just read the book jacket and already I know I will get it for my Kindle.

So I'm recommending it before I even get into the meat of it! Molly also has a blog www.orangette.blogspot.com
I'll be adding the blog to my list shortly. Not that it really matters as no one reads my blog, but just in case.