Can't Beat the Heat!


As I sit here in my classroom, the AC gives me a bit of a chill. That won't be the case for long!! In another hour, we head outside for Field Day. It's supposed to be 86 today. Tomorrow we head off to Colonial Philadelphia on a trip, the predicted temp? 90!!! Of course, when I finally get a room with AC, I still end up outside in the heat!

Ahh well, only 16 more mornings I need to get up! Thank Goodness for that!

Flowers in Time

Summer has this tendency to go way too fast. Here we are at the end of May and the Irises are in bloom. They won't be for long, so I took some time today to capture them. I present to you this years Irises.

Lost in a Jam

It's been a while since I've found myself lost in a jam, but this morning, it was a morning for Phish for the drive. I tend to gravitate towards a few favorites, one of them being the Nassau Run of 98. There I was, in the middle of Roses Are Free, leading into the killer Nassau Jam, and I found myself enthralled. It felt as if every note was filling my soul just the right way. Memories were coming back in waves. I remember so very clearly the festivals in particular. I was thinking about how it really never mattered where you were, but somewhere, off in the distance, if Phish was playing, it was like an invite to head over yonder where they were. The sound filled the entire AF base and you couldn't escape it if you tried..but then again, who would want to?

God I miss Phish..this is going to be one particularly long summer...

19 More Days...

It seems that every year, school gets to a completely unbearable point where you just want it to be over any done with. There are precisely 19 days of school left, and it already feels like it's pulling teeth. That might not seem like a long time, but that's nearly 4 weeks..4 weeks from today, I'll be relaxing on my outdoor sofa making a list for Disney. 4 weeks can't come quick enough! Until then, at least we've got the long weekend!

It seems like months that we spend talking about it. That would be Elise and I. It's Memorial Day. Do you know what that means? It's the start of the beach season. It seems that it starts nearly in October when one of us will say to the other "I wish we could just go to the beach!" and even just last week, she wrote me a txt saying that she wished we were at the beach. Well it's here! The beach is waiting for us, our little spot, same as always! The sunshine waiting to give us a nice healthy glow. It will be my little piece of sanity between now and the next 19 days of school..but by that time, it will only be 18..oh how fast it really does go!

What Weekend?

Here I find myself..10:30 on a Monday morning..wondering what happened to my weekend. Where exactly did it go? I woke up on Saturday morning, ready to go. The street fair was abound, the weather was fantastic, and there was a knock on the door. A what? at 10 am on saturday? Oh, it MUST be the neighbor...

not exactly..

"Can I help you?"

"uhm..you are Joe Conroy's wife? no?"

My mind begins to race..all of a sudden, I remember Joe's writing marathon. He had mentioned it in passing, but said that it wasn't happening. Here they were, several individuals revved to write. Joe asleep on the couch inside, the house in somewhat shambles..what do you do?

Well..I left them on my porch, of course! I ran inside to get Joe. Then frantically ran through each room trying to clean before they made it to that room.

Yeah, the rest of the weekend followed in a similar suite..so much for relaxing ehh?

Mark a Waypoint!

Joe graduated from RU GSE today! Hooray! I'm so excited! We can finally move on with our lives! Congratulations Joe! I'm so proud of you! I love you so much!

A Change of Pace

I think sometimes that I cut my hair because I feel like I'm entering a new era in my life..I'm crossing a milestone of sorts..Two years ago, I let it grow out..Hell at the Catholic School amongst other factors led me to make huge lifestyle changes..When my mom passed away, I decided to give RED a try..until of course, a red headed bitch decided to stab us in the back and I wanted nothing to do with red ever again..

So here I am:


I'm 31, Joe is finally graduating from Rutgers, my public school job is working out fantastic, and summer is on it's way. Perhaps this is the doorway into the next phase of my life, which only summer will prove to tell..

Another haircut, another day:



It's only hair right? It grows back! What fun would it be otherwise?

Reinventing the blog

Well, after hours of an ambitious attempt to get blogger on my side, this is where I stand..At least for right now. More to come later..Enjoy the archives in the meantime!

Gardening as Therapy

My mom was always the type of woman to plant annual plants. She liked impatiens, those were definately her favorite..but she was never one to plant perennials. Being stuck smack dab in the middle of two outrageously amazing gardeners, I'm really growing a true appreciation for my garden. It's no longer about instant gratification. I'd rather watch my garden mature over the years than see one spectacular garden right now. It's happening though. According to the neighborly "expects", my space is adorable. I know, sounds like little teddy bears, doesn't it? But really, with a yard the size of mine, that's a great compliment. This year, I took over yet another bed on the side of the house..oh how meager the hydrangeas are right now, but I'm sure that by next year, they'll really be spectacular. In the back, I've planted a purple smoke bush. When it arrived, I swore it was dead. It was merely a twig with some roots, but alas I gave it a chance..it's starting to leaf! Such a big accomplishment! I can't wait to watch it grow!

I swear..there is nothing more therapeutic than gardening all day in the summer. You start the day with big ambitions..some weeding to do, some planting, some grass cutting, mulch..and by the end of the day you get to see the fruits of your labor. I spent today in my garden. Me and my garden simply connecting on another level. Perfect placement of the plants..wedding the entire alleyway between houses that I'm slowly taking over with Hostas, picking the hideous daisy weeds one by one until there are no more..and crocs, covered in dirt, so easily rinsed off with the hose and the cool water. I swear there is dirt on my face and in my hair, but who cares? Summer is here and my garden looks fabulous!

A Window into Another World

So from time to time, I find myself blog hopping. I'll start reading someone's blog and inevitably click on one of their links. I've recently landed on some good ones and I'm TRYING to add them to my template, but alas, blogger appears to be having issues with that particular part of my blog. I'll get there none the less!! Anyway, I found this fine girl's blog:

http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/

...and well, I find it truly inspiring! So much that I had to share before I even added it to my template. I know things are in need of an update around here and a new template is completely in the works (and HAS been since April!) but alas, I haven't gotten to it yet. I find my days at school and my afternoons in the garden, watching it bloom.

I planted a purple smoke bush this year. My neighbor has one and it's really fantastic! The blooms look like little bustles of smoke in the branches. Mine is yet practically a twig in the ground, but it'll come in time. Little leaves are already starting to pop out!

Did I mention there are only 28 days left of school?

Long time no update ehh?

Life kinda takes over..especially when all of a sudden, part of your world collapses and a new door to old friends opens!! Thank god for that, ehh? My garden is chugging along and I promise, I won't leave you all hanging without any more blogs for a month (or two)..I just renewed for two more years..hopefully that'll give me some time to revamp this place. The format just isn't working for me, it's time for change and I'm working on getting it done..however slow I may be. I'm also working on some other fun stuff to come sooner or later..

In the meantime, Joe and I are busy finishing the year before we head off to a week of Disney fun. I've never stayed in a Disney resort before but courtesy of his parents, we get to stay at the fabulous Wilderness Lodge and enjoy 6 days of park hopping (thank god for Christmas gifts) where I can ride all the rollercoasters I want! It's going to be spectacular!!! I can't wait to do waterslides and Expedition Everest! I've never even been to half the Disney parks..they didn't exist when I was a kid and the last time we went to Disney, it was a one day excursion on the way back from Big Cypress!