Happy Birthday, Dad, and Happy Halloween, everyone!

For many, Halloween means candy, costumes, parties, haunted houses, and the like. For me, it is/was something different. It has always meant a birthday--my dad's birthday. We always had cake with Halloween decorations and ice cream before heading out to trick-or-treat, and those little celebrations took place at home or in the Jackrabbit Stadium press box. I've carried on that little tradition the last 11 years, and I hope to be able to today, too.

Happy Halloween, everyone!
Happy 69th Birthday, Dad, as you celebrate with the angels.

I didn't find any gluten-free cake, so I had frozen yogurt to celebrate.

Some Serious Pain

On October 6th, I got up with some really bad pain in my left hip and leg.  If I was laying flat or standing up working it out so I could walk, I was fine, but if I was in the process of sitting down or standing up from a sitting position, I was in terrible, awful pain.  I managed to survive the week--going to the eye doctor on the first day of pain and going to work and attending meetings, checking on teachers and students, doing lunch duty, and more the rest of the week.

By Friday, I had my mom check with my doctor to see what he could do with a pinched Sciatic Nerve.  He recommended a chiropractor in the same office, so I visited the chiropractor on October 10th.

This was my first chiropractic visit.  I was so nervous and worried.  I shared all the symptoms and info, and he worked on me.  He said my left hip was out of location--kind of pointing out and back. He put that back in place.  He then worked on aligning my hips and checking other vertebrae.  He explained the Sciatic Nerve, where it runs, and the type of pain it causes, and he really didn't think that was my problem.  He thought it was more of a hip muscle or ligament issue.

I went home, still not able to get up and down, still feeling pain, and soon, feeling so much pain I couldn't move.  I stayed in bed all weekend.  I was so grateful I didn't have to go to work b/c there was no way I could.  The pain was unreal!  I really thought that if I could cut my leg off that I would be better off. I just can't explain how bad it was.  (How do people handle a broken hip?)

On October 13th, I went back to the chiropractor for a follow-up.  Some how, I really don't know how, I made it through a day of work.  I did everything that involved standing and moving around at one time and then everything that involved sitting at another time.  I didn't get up and down more than necessary. I rolled around in my chair when possible, but even the act of making myself move hurt. When I got to the chiropractor that afternoon, I explained how I wanted to cut my leg off.  He did more work, thought more, and said it could be arthritis or degenerative bone disease or something else I can't explain (but I do understand), but finally decided it was a pulled Periformis Muscle and Sacrospinous Ligament.  These run from your tailbone area across your buttocks area to your pelvis.  Your Sciatic Nerve could run above it or below it or through it.  He worked on me a little more and said come back in a week.

Thank goodness the pain began subsiding from what it was over the weekend.  While there was still pain, and I really had a hard time getting up and down, the pain was nothing like it was over the weekend.  The chiropractor gave me some exercises to do, which I did (fought through the pain), and will continue.

I made it through that week and a little of another before going back.  The pain continued to get better, and I had more mobility, but there are times, especially when I'm tired in the afternoons and evenings, that the pain pops back up.

I visited the chiropractor again on October 20th.  He checked my alignment and mobility and said he was pretty much done.  I just need to continue the exercises and letting it heal.  So . . . I am.

Through this, I have learned to appreciate the handicap bathroom stalls and the handrails.  Those are miraculous objects.  I appreciate a chair that can be raised and lowered to get to the height needed to help lessen the pain when sitting and standing. I greatly appreciate my mom, who took care of me the weekend I couldn't move and just wanted to cry.  I appreciate a very supportive and caring staff who checked on my daily and a principal who texted me on a Friday night. I also learned to appreciate anyone who has a job where they must stand hours on end.  (It was just easier to stand up all day.)

Reading Nightly

I have been trying to practice what I preach and have added reading to my nightly (or almost nightly) routine.  In the last 3 weeks, I have read:

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Beautiful Oblivion (#3 in the Maddox Brothers series) by Jamie McGuire
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
The Right Woman by Linda Warren
Where She Went (sequel to If I Stay) by Gayle Forman

All are so different and impacted me in different ways and on different levels.

Honestly, I didn't like Landline very much.  I had LOVED Eleanor and Park, so I was excited to read something else by Rainbow Rowell, but I did not like this book.

I enjoyed Beautiful Oblivion.  It had been such a long time since I had read Beautiful Disaster that it took me halfway through the book to see how the two overlapped.  I was kicking myself, but I got it, and despite that, I really enjoyed it.

It took me several chapters to get into The Light Between Oceans.  I read a couple of chapters one night, then a few more the next, and even a few more the next.  I was probably about halfway through when I got into it and could not put it down.  It is a good "What would you do?" book.

I had The Right Woman tucked away on a shelf from when my aunt gave me several books years ago.  Since I was in between books, I grabbed it.  It wasn't as hard core as some Harlequin books out there, thank goodness.  A good mystery that kept me in the story.  Of course, I love a love story too.

I read If I Stay over the summer, and I didn't realize there was a sequel, Where She Went, until I finished it and saw a chapter for it included at the end.  I enjoyed If I Stay.  Good book.  I really liked Where She Went.  Many stories I have read deal with loss, meaning death.  This one did that to help Mia cope and to show us how she coped.  But . . . it also dealt with loss, meaning someone leaving and you having no choice in the matter.  That is what I have been dealing with, and it was great seeing someone else (even though he is a fictitious character) deal with this loss and to know everyone does it differently, and it is OK.  It is OK to handle it the way you do and that you do grieve.  Loss of any kind really calls for and should allow grieving even if those around you do not understand the pain and loss. I enjoyed this book.

I have several professional books I need to read or reread, but I just can't get into them like all these fiction books.  Well, I guess I better!

Happy reading!

1st Girl Scout Meeting of 2014-2015

Tonight, 6 of our 10 girls were able to meet.

 We began with a get-to-know you activity (to just catch-up b/c it has been a while since we've been together).  They chose a Skittle, and each color was assigned a memory--something more precious than gold, something that makes you feel warm, something that makes you cry, something that makes you laugh, etc.  The girls had a great time with this.

We then had them look through ceremonies for Bridging and Investiture and plan their Awards and Bridging Ceremonies, which we will do at the beginning of October.

Finally, they began planning their Bronze/Silver project.  With two levels, we are trying to kill two birds with one stone.  We will have them do one project to accomplish both Awards.

We filled our time together, they had great conversations, and we can't wait to see what this year holds.

What have you done to kick-off the new Girl Scout year?

Moving Boxes Again & Shopping for Supplies

This morning, I began sorting, labeling, organizing, and moving 56 boxes of Science equipment and supplies.  These boxes ranged in size and shape, and they all but filled up our workroom.  It was very difficult to get to the copy machines, paper cutters, di-cut materials, and bathroom.  After about 1.5 hours, everything was done and delivered to their Prep Labs (thanks to some help from students), and I had walked at least 2.2 miles in the process.  That is a good chunk of burnt calories first thing in the morning, and of course, let's not forget the energy burned actually picking up and moving the boxes.

I ended my day by going shopping after dinner to get supplies for our 8th grade Science teachers--Oreos or sandwich cookies and lollipops for Moon Phases and Graham Crackers and icing for Plate Tectonics.  Next week is going to be a fun week in Science.  Of course, that is working around going to the Planetarium too.

Over 5.5 miles total today.  That is a lot of walking at work.

Run for God Pinky 5K (Virtual 5K)

Tonight, after 11.5 hours of Professional Development and hard work unpacking, moving, etc., I joined my BFFs, and we did a Virtual 5K.  All we had to do was register, choose our own course, and then walk or run between August 15th and 17th.  So easy and fun!  Since we live in 2 different places, we started off at the same time and walked, messaging each other, and enjoying our experience.

 My BFF and walking buddy before and after (sunny to dark).

On top is a pic of my other BFF and her daughter at the start.

More Unpacking

Yesterday and today have been spent doing even more unpacking.  I spent all morning yesterday working with the new teachers.  When I returned to my office, both professional looking desks and all their parts had been removed, all the books sitting on top of the desk were put back in boxes, and all the filing cabinets were gone.  Do you know how much work I had done????  Any way . . . 2 new/different desks were placed in there.  More teacher like than professional, but they will be fine.

By the end of today, I had unpacked a total of 85 boxes of books.  There are still at least 10-20 more to go.  I am out of space to even work.  I have boxes of stuff that are not novels, but I have nowhere to put those items, and I can't unpack them until I finish with the books.  Boxes just keep getting moved around trying to make space.  I would love to move some finished boxes (sorted, labeled, and ready for classroom libraries) to the hallway, but they haven't waxed it yet, so I am trying to stay out of the custodians' way.

I got 2 tables that match the desks to help add work space for me and if someone is ever hired for the other position.  I almost lost the tables b/c they weren't supposed to be in my office, but after some talking and working with others, it all worked out, and I get to keep my furniture.  I still have no storage, so I have gotten 3 small cabinets with doors and shelves.  They will work fine.  I almost lost those too due to miscommunication and lack of labeling, but I have them back now.  Yea!  I will give them away if I don't need them when the shelves are put in.

Furniture is really a small thing, so I am not stressing.  I do have the largest office in the entire building, and for that, I am grateful.  Now . . . to get these books out so I can work on my stuff and decorate! That will take several more days and many more hours.