Still Thinking About Sandy . . .

Sitting in my kitchen very early Sunday morning wishing I would have taken advantage of the extra hour of sleep . . . but alas, it wasn’t meant be so I sit enjoying the quiet of a new day.  The quiet in my head doesn’t last long as I again begin to think about the people who’s lives have been devastated by Sandy, the Perfect Storm . . .
People .  . that are literally cut off from the rest of us because they are still without power. 
People . . . that are unable to get medicines, food, water and gas. 
People . . . so scared . . . because they have no idea how long this desolation will last.
People . . . that never cease to amaze me for their courage and their fight to restore their lives.
I turn on the television to see if one of our early morning news shows has any more information, any good news for the people who’s lives have been rocked by Sandy . . .
Not surprising there’s a whole segment on New York because the Marathon was to be today . . . the race that would have run through burrows that up until last week were alive and bustling . . . 
Today. . . these burrows look like the aftermath of an atomic bomb . . .
As I watch, I’m so thankful that most people were in agreement that canceling the marathon was the right thing to do . . . disappointed yes, but in agreement. 
Thankful,that ever so slowly help and relief seem to be getting to the people in need.
And so, so thankful that my niece who lives in New York, is safe and had fared the storm.
Tragedies of all kinds makes me think how in one split second . . . lives can change for ever.
In one split second. . . what we take for granted can be taken away.
In one slit second . . . things we complain about are so not important as compared to what someone else may be going through. 
It makes me realize how fortunate I am . . .
It makes me realize how grateful I am . . .
It makes me realize to always . . . always appreciate and not take anything for granted.

FLash of Time

Wasn’t it just yesterday I was gearing up for a new school year

Missing summer, missing free time, missing life in low gear?! 

Wondering how I would ever be able to get back in the groove

Now here it’s November . . . with the holidays quickly making their move!

But then time stops . . . deep freeze . . .  snow . . . all the weather I hate

Because all I want to do is stay home and hibernate!

Then ever so slowly, changes can be seen

The grass . . . the trees . . . are suddenly green!

I can feel it . . . I can smell it . . . I know it’s near

Soon I’ll be changing my glass of wine for an ice cold beer!

I begin gearing up for my favorite season of all

But in a flash . . . I’ll again be writing about the changes coming with fall!

50 Shades Of Gray

Thick bands of 50 shades of gray

Layering the sky as far as I can see

Tightly fused together . . .  no blue . . . no light

Hovering . . . so low . . . I can feel the moisture

Threatening . . . I wait . . . knowing it’s coming . . .

the deluge . . . 

the explosion

And then it happens . . . the bands snap! 

Releasing pelting rain so dense 

It’s as if the drops are falling as one . . . 

Pounding . . . hammering . . . all that is below 

Again I wait . . . for the end . . . 

For the blue . . . for the light . . . 

Is It Bribing?

Most Tuesday nights of the school year, my school’s library is open from 4:30-7:30 for students and families to come in to read books and take Accelerated Reader tests.  This Tuesday night program is and has been a huge success as most Tuesdays we average about 200 people.  Since I am the LRC director, I’m here every Tuesday watching families spend quality time together away from the television and video games.  Over the years I’ve watched our youngest students grow from being dependent readers to independent readers!  A part of the Accelerated Reader or AR program is that students earn points after taking a test on the computer for a book they have read.  Students get very excited when they reach their points because it means they get a certificate, have their name announced on our daily broadcast, see their name hung on the walls around our library as well as having their name printed in our school newsletter.  Sometimes I hear criticism that the Accelerated Reader program “bribes” students because they are not reading for enjoyment only for the points.  Bribing . . . I say maybe we are “hooking” them and giving them small rewards for his or her efforts!  In fact, what is the difference between reading for points, reading for pizza certificates or reading for Six Flags Great America tickets? And by the way . . . don’t we all like to receive rewards? :-)  Think about those points we earn for airline tickets, restaurants, hotels, groceries . . . need I go on?   My feeling is . . . at least students are reading for goodness sakes!  I have students on a daily basis telling me how great this book is or can I order more books by a certain author . . .  Is the AR program perfect, maybe not, but heck is anything perfect? And . . . I like to think that just maybe . . . in time children will not be looking for the fish at the end of the hook . . . but rather a new author or new series to feed their imagination and love of books!

Getting Ready . . .

I look . . . amazed at what I see

Changes quickly happening right in front of me

Lush greens turning to hues of red, brown, and gold

As the next season autumn . . . begins to unfold

Small animals scurrying here and there

Preparing and storing for when the land is bare

Pumpkins, and scarecrows popping up everywhere

Ware wolves and  ghosts just waiting to scare!

Temperatures dipping, roof tops all glossed

Get ready . . . it’s coming . . . soon all will be covered in frost!