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In spite of the heat, today is one of those days when I remember just why I love living here. We went to the farmers’ market early, just past 7. Then I cooked peas, tomatoes, squash, and corn. Sweet tea and corn bread, of course. Pound cake and sliced peaches.Yum.

Again, I’ve done a poor job. But this past year–in all my nearly 30 years in this profession, NOTHING has come close to the nightmare of this past schoolyear. I’m just thankful that I survived it with some of my wits and most of my dignity intact.

I’ve done such a wonderful job, haven’t I? A whole year has gone by since I visited here. A year. Not such a long time. And every one is one more on the road to retirement. Or not. I can’t imagine not working.
I have to go cook supper. Actually, I have to go reheat supper. I have vegetables and leftover pulled pork from July 4th. We made real Carolina bbq sauce to go with the pork. I’m getting hungry for the taste of home.
I will try to be more faithful here.

This past weekend I said goodbye to another friend from the WWII generation. My neighbor Mr. Jim died Wednesday afternoon after 30-plus days in the hospital. He suffered a heart attack, a fall, and a broken hip in mid-May. When I got the call that he had fallen, I felt that familiar stomach-punch, that this-is-it feeling that I had been anticipating for some time. Although his spirit was strong, his body had been failing. When I reached him, along with a neighbor who’s a nurse, I thought he was already dead. Fifteen years in EMS taught me to recognize when someone is not going to get well. But as we began working on him, put his oxygen back on him, I started yelling, “Mr. Jim, stay with us. Squeeze my hand.” Finally, he did, weakly. By the time he was transported, he was able to talk a little.
His body weakened over the next weeks. His spirit never wavered. When I visited, he joked with me, teased his wife, told a story or two. The last time I saw him, a couple of days before he died, he slept most of the time. He stopped breathing twice while I was there. I could tell it wouldn’t be long.
My father died young–53. He would be 86 now. Last summer I watched his brother survive an illness and injury similar to Mr. Jim. Two years before that, I watched my mother’s brother die from the same–a broken hip and a second degree AV block.
All my life I’ve heard of the strength of these men. They are warriors to the very end. As they leave us, more of them each day, I’m thankful and honored to have known them.

We’re heading for North Carolina Wednesday afternoon. Washington is a small city, really a town, I guess. Downtown, which is just off the water, has neat little shops and restaurants. People boat into the marina and then walk to dinner.
The summer festival has crafts and too much food. I want a new t-shirt. This year they come in paprika, honey, and Carolina blue. Hard choice…
The other highlight of the trip is my sister-in-law’s chicken salad. Summer before last, Loretta made a huge dishpan full of the stuff. When we left a few days later, there was probably a tablespoon left. She’s got to tell me exactly what goes into it, instead of saying “Just this and that” and rolling her eyes at me. Mine is good, but hers is a work of art…

T

…and the livin’ is easy….
I’m still not quite sure what to do with all this free time. My house is clean. All the plants on the patio are weeded and healthy. I spent time this weekend just sitting there at the picnic table, watching the birds and squirrels. I haven’t seen the raccoon lately.
I’m reading Mississippi Sissy by Kevin Sessums. I didn’t know Eudora Welty liked to sing show tunes when she’d had a little too much bourbon.

T

I look forward to using my blog next school year. I used to do journals with my students. It’s very similar, just a lot more public. Once we iron out the security issues, I think I will have a lot of uses for this feature.
I gained a lot in the Web 2.0 course that I will use in the future; I’ve also made some online friends that I hope I can keep in touch with.

T

Maybe I’m wrong, but I feel technology has made the world a smaller and less mysterious place. I never expected when I read the assignments and clicked on the water buffalo video to be looking into the lives of a family in China and comparing them to my own family a generation or so back.

http://t2.com/waterbuffalo/

My students live in a time that they can connect with people all over the globe in minutes. They can travel anywhere in a few hours. Hopefully some of the things I can show them will help them to realize this.
I’m philosophical on a Sunday morning. John Donne’s Meditation 17 and The Lion King both–we are all part of something.

T

My seniors have one full week of class before they start exams. Will what I have taught them make a difference in their lives? Have I taught them enough? Have they learned to LEARN? It matters so much–these are lives, not round pegs in square holes.
I hope it’s been a good year.

I don’t like this week. I had to move today to the auditorium, along with 3 other teachers. The US History test was being given in my room. On Friday I have to test 10th graders on the new and unimproved English II test for several hours while my seniors, who need every minute of instruction I can give them, report to other teachers who hopefully will have them do the assignments I made for them. I’m tired. I think we should cancel regular attendance on testing days and have only the tested group report. Maybe it’s not so bad elsewhere, but here, testing is a logistical nightmare.