Plans

We're enjoying a relaxing Christmas break here. We've cooked, read, watched Christmas DVDs and engaged in Scrabble tournaments. I read a book in which a couple kept track of their Scrabble scores all year and then totaled them on New Year's Day. The winner for the year got to choose the spot for their next vacation. We've decided to try that out. So far Doug is winning. I also got him a travel book called "Make the Most of Your Time on Earth" so that whoever the winner is will be able to choose an exciting destination.

Speaking of travel... we debated about coming up north this weekend. Doug has the weekend off for our anniversary, but realized that a combination of weather and short notice may not make that the best idea. Instead we'll stick close to home and spend our anniversary partaking of a movie marathon of the latest flicks we've been wanting to see. However, I'm committing to come north for MLK Jr. weekend (January 19-21). Mark your calendars! Hopefully this will give us some time to make real plans instead of just showing up and announcing "I'm here!" Though the latter is certainly reminiscent of the way my family would always show up. :-)

I hope that everyone is having a very Merry Christmas. Though I'm far away, I think of all of you as I cook green bean casserole, admire Christmas decorations I've been given by all of you, watch Christmas Vacation etc. You're never very far from my thoughts or my heart. Love you!

Lost and Found

Monday -- I had a bizarre 30th birthday. It was spent in Colorado, crying and waiting by the phone after hearing that Henry and Leo (the dogs) were missing. We flew home early. It was our first time actually buying airline tickets and there we were flying stand-by again! By the time we got home the dogs had been missing for 36 hours and the entire area was covered in ice and snow. For two dogs used to living inside it seemed pretty hopeless. After several hours of searching and going door to door we called it a night and headed home for another sleepless night.

This morning I called in sick to work (all my teacher friends took over and wrote my sub plans, took care of my kids etc) and while I was in the process of copying flyers, received a phone call saying that the dogs had been spotted. Soon there was another call from someone who corraled them in their garage.

They're home now and haven't moved since they arrived. They're so sound asleep I have to keep checking to see if they're still breathing. I don't know where they slept for two nights or what they ate, but aside from a couple of scrapes they seem like they're fine.

I'm planning on redoing my birthday sometime this week.

Woo Hoo!

I was at a public hearing tonight to find out if the Indianapolis version of the charter school I've been working to create would be granted approval. By a unanimous vote it was! While this doesn't directly effect the outcome for the school here, it is definitely a vote of confidence that will help. It was amazing to hear the mayor's board discuss our school and all of the things that impressed them and that they were excited about and to know I was part of the founding group that created the school.

At this time of year, when energy for being at school is waning, this was just the burts of enthusiasm I needed.

Finding the Christmas Spirit

I had the Christmas spirit at the tree lighting ceremony the day after Thanksgiving, I had it again when I watched Christmas Vacation at a friend's house in front of a fire eating popcorn and reciting lines, but now I seem to have lost it. I blame it on the lack of a Christmas tree. We intended to go on the search for that most important of holiday symbols: The Rock Family Christmas Tree, but it's been pouring rain all weekend. Thirty-eight degrees and pouring rain. It's sapped all my Christmas spirit.

Maybe I'll find it in the snow-covered mountains in Colorado. We're heading west this weekend to celebrate my milestone birthday with Amy and Kristin. I just need to survive four more days at school, write sub plans, pack our bags, wrap our presents and then we can head out of this gloomy weather.

We're intending to head north during the week between Christmas and New Year's. I'm sure we'll find Christmas spirit there. I'm wondering where you all have found yours. I've always loved hearing Claudia tell me about the places she's found the Christmas spirit, like the little cafe near Algoma.

Comments please!

Updates

The good news: we bought a new house. The bad news: it's a new-to-us-but-actually-really-OLD-house. It's a 1925 bungalow with lots of original flooring, woodwork, bookcases etc. It also has original wiring, plumbing etc. Before we can move in we've got a LOT of work to do, including putting on an addition so that we have a human size bathroom downstairs, a laundry room and a bit more living space. We'll also be adding a garage. We just closed on the house last Tuesday. We're still trying to finalize plans so that we can get building permits, but we've already been hard at work cleaning up the yard, taking down wallpaper, ripping out old cabinets and cleaning. I'm actually looking forward to having a project to take my mind off school. It's been an extremely stressful year so far and I need a distraction.

The in-laws are joining us for Thanksgiving (the first time I'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for company!) and will be lending a hand to the project. Hopefully I'll survive the weekend.

I'm nostalgically remembering the pre-Christmas party we had a few years ago on Thanksgiving weekend. Any plans for this year?

P.S. The pic is the original ad for our house. It's a Sears Kit Home.

Here Goes!

So, here's the deal: I need to write to my aunt Claudia, I want to write to my aunt Claudia, but I rarely write to my aunt Claudia. I frequently compose letters in my head, note things I really want to tell her and remind myself, "I really need to write to Claudia." But it rarely happens. Just ask her. She'll be sure to confirm this fact. So... here's the plan. All those ideas, snippets, musings will go here in hopes that those who are close to Claudia (you know who you are) will print this and pass it on.

Is it really just for Claudia? Of course not! There are many people that I am in the habit of losing touch with for weeks, even months at a time who may also be looking for a way to check in, communicate, keep in touch. I know, I know, this is rather lame. But maybe, just maybe it will remain doable and I will not feel quite so far away from all those who are (not) near and dear to me. So, if you're in that category, bookmark this site, check back often and pass it on just as I know Claudia passes around my letters on those rare occasions that I actually send one.