Witty is as witty does....

I have no excuses and I have no great witticisms or interesting observations for my title that explain my absence from blogging for a month. Whenever I have thought about it, it has felt like a chore and has simply gone undone, unwritten, un-everything. So, here I am today, thinking once again of the past month (not a lot, because one can overthink things) and remembering my all-too-brief visit home to see the kids and grandkids. An update and a summary are in order, I think, so here goes:

I was able to go home, thanks to QNB, who allowed me a temporary increase on my credit card to cover the expense. I guess I'll be sticking with them for awhile! It was a whirlwind trip. I hate traveling without Nelson, but the draw of seeing my grandbabies was too big. I had a bit o'fun with the kids, telling them each that I was coming, but that they had to keep it a secret from the others. I tested their mettle by posting enough clues on Facebook that they could have all known from the get-go if they had bothered to look! I keep telling them that the greatest clues to my day and my life are right there on Facebook, but I guess they don't believe me. I know it's sad, but when I look at my status updates and what people post on my wall, it really is a slice of my life for all to see what is happening, how we are feeling, how we are doing, etc. It's mostly good stuff....I don't usually post when I'm deeply depressed, but fortunately, that passes quickly when I am feeling that way! Anyway, I arrived home to a deep freeze in Michigan and I didn't care a bit. My grandchildren are enough to keep me warm, no matter how cold it is! The wood stoves at Carrie's and Jenny's homes was a bit much to contend with though (not used to that!). Anyway, I was there a total of 9 days and it wasn't enough, of course. But, it will tide me over until July. Mykayla and I are counting the days....as of today, it's 134. We discussed it on Skype last night and she informed me that is too many, but I reminded her that soon it will be under 100 and the time will go fast. I start teaching again on Sunday, so my time will be busy. When it's not, I will make it so. Reading also helps the time pass.....as does Skype and our Magic Jack phone.

I had so many lovely times when I was home: breakfast/coffee with my friend, Jan, at the corner restaurant. Ham and bacon, of course! Trip to the U.P. to see my sister, Mary, and to Gaylord to see my brother, Orv. I gave a presentation on my research at CMU (Mt. Pleasant) to the ESLA (the student group I formed with another friend several years ago, like over 5, I think!). Made one trimming trip with Joey to visit client/friend, Jeanette, who owns one of Malik's colts and a Corgi we raised years ago....both are looking/doing fantastic and I hope she knows how much that means....it's hard giving up animals and what I wouldn't give for a horse or dog right now! Anyway! That's all the traveling I could manage in the time I had, I'm afraid. I spent as much as I could snuggling and reading books and napping with the grandkids.

I took home a fairly large book, a children's encyclopedia about the Arabian Peninsula. Justin took an immediate liking to it and the first time we sat down with it, we spent an hour looking at the drawings and photos and discussing its contents. How many 18 month old children do you know with an attention span that long? I was quite surprised. He is talking up a storm, repeating nearly everything he hears (Mommy and Daddy have to be ubercareful now!). Jenny tells me the book is part of his everyday pre-nap routine now. I don't think I ever got a chance to share it with Mykayla and Mykenzie, so I will have to buy another one to take home this summer or send in the mail! We Skype with him almost every day now. He "asks" to talk with Papa/Nana by pointing to the laptop. He likes talking to us, but I think he mostly enjoys commanding me to turn the touch lamp by my bed on and off...."light on," he says. Then, "light off." Too cute.

Poor Mykenzie was so sick while I was home. She actually had an eardrum burst. I felt so bad for her. She finally perked up toward the end of my stay and we had a fun couple of days, especially the last day, playing and hanging out. I got a motel room and we got to go swimming, though she mostly splashed a lot. She is much sweeter than I remember her, and not as "stuck" on Mommy. When I first saw her this time, she screamed, and then when I picked her up and held her, she just hugged me and cried. Made me want to weep. We talk on Skype often and her huge smile and her big long-distance kisses blown from 8,000 miles away are a staple of my life!

Mykayla had school, so we didn't get to spend as much time together as I would have liked. Walked her out to the bus in the dark and numbing cold 2 or 3 times while I was there. She's getting so grown up! She can READ now. So, we read. We played Uno and Fish. We went shopping. We had lots of time to talk and plan our summer activities: mostly, RIDING, then swimming, fishing, hiking, playing, etc. We can't wait. July can't come fast enough. I'm hoping we will be able to do at least one 25 miler on the Shore to Shore ride this year. She needs to work on more trotting and I need to get her some half-chaps (PURPLE) to protect her little calves. :) Malik did not ignore me this time, but came right out to see me. I took him an apple every day I was there. I did not get to ride unfortunately, but that's ok. I'll ride and ride this summer! :)

I had the pleasure of going out to dinner and the movies with the girls, Carrie, Jenny and Mykayla. We saw Avatar. The next day, Jenny and I took Justin and Mykayla to see Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakel. It was a wonderful time, a busy weekend, and I wound up sick on the LAST night before I left...Kenzie's bug maybe? But, it was still worth it. I was so sick, I slept most of the time on the flights home. Missed the connection in London, but fortunately only had to wait a couple of hours for the next one. I am going to Boston next month to present at the TESOL conference and will probably have the same problem coming home.....I arrive in London at 6:50 and my connection leaves at 7:55. Yeah, right, like THAT is gonna work out for me! Oh, well....maybe if I only have a carryon, I can get through customs and security faster. We'll see....

So, I have been home now for just over a week. I was soo sick the first few days, but have recuperated quickly. Started back to work. My first order of duty was taking the guest speakers for our professional development forum out to lunch and to the museum and to dinner on Monday. The guest speakers, Bill Grabe and Fredericka Stoller, are researchers/educators important to my research and I'm sort of a groupie as their area is READING. They were delightful and entertaining people and Nelson and I had a great time. It was such a privilege to have that time with them! I can't wait to see them at TESOL in Boston!

And so, another semester will commence on Sunday. At this point, I have only 3 students in my Reading/Writing class. That is not going to help my research much! It may be cancelled. I don't know yet. There are 13 in my Listening/Speaking class. So....who knows? I wanted to do a community service project this semester, similar to the one I did at Tendercare in Mt. Pleasant, where my students went in and read to the nursing home residents. No nursing home here, but lots and lots of schools. And there is a huge push right now to promote literacy in Qatar, so maybe it's good timing. If I get some release time, perhaps I can use it to work on this project. I hope so. I believe that the self-confidence and self-esteem that students get from reading as a community service transfers to how they feel about and how much they are motivated in reading. At least I'd like a chance to prove it.

Because some of you may be wondering, the business is still perking away for Nelson, steady but slow. Joey still does not have his passport, so that may have to wait until fall as race season will be over in another couple of months here. Nelson still gets frustrated. Our partner is a nice guy, but wants us to drop prices while at the same time wanting more profit. Doesn't work that way. Nelson is not going to work himself to death for peanuts for people who don't appreciate it. On the other hand, he is continuing to see much satisfaction in his work here and a few people who DO appreciate his skills. The other day, when one of our clients, who has learned what is and isn't proper, took a horse back to the farrier section because he didn't like the shoeing job, was told to "Take it the American Medic and let him fix it!" So, that is the current joke. Time will tell if this will grow into something worthwhile, or if it will fizzle and die. I don't care either way as long as Nelson keeps busy enough to make it worth his while and be happy with what he is doing...if it goes, we stay a little longer but make a little more money. If it doesn't, we don't stay and come home when my contract is finished. Both are doable for me. Hopefully, whenever we DO come home, we will come home to a better economy and be able to LIVE....not just with a job to cover the bills, but the ability to see a doctor and pay for the prescriptions that keep us alive, literally! :)

Take care all, keep in touch, and see you in July!!!