3-16-17

AHHHHHHHHHH

WE ARE AT GULF SHORES......

RELAXXXXXXXX

Since seeing the neurologist in Birmingham yesterday, I decided to add on one more medication that the neuro in Montgomery prescribed. It's called Baclofen. So far it's working. 

3-13-17

It's Monday of spring break and it feels great. 

I planted these snapdragons last fall and they looked green but small all winter. Now they are really happy! 

These vinca (wait, it is it vinca)? were cuttings from last summer and I put them in water and they took root. I'm going to plant them outside soon.

Things are growing and blooming. 

3-12-17

This is Kirby Hudgins in 1920, my great grandmother's only brother. I've had this large framed photo of him for decades now and I'm determined to find his descendants so I can give it to them. Below is a photo of his blind daughter. He also had a son they called Pie.

I sure wish someone had photos of my ancestors and wanted to send them to me.

I had a lot of energy and focus today and think it's because of spring break.

3-11-17

Someone bought the house across the street and they are remodeling!

No more renters! 

Mom called me and said she found this little dog in her back yard. She bought it into her house, called me, and I went right over. Sweet girl. I checked all the lost and found websites and came up empty handed. Then I posted a photo of her on Facebook and made it public. By the time I got home, I got a message---- someone recognized her and notified her person, who was ecstatic! She was back with her Mommy within an hour.

Our orchid is blooming. It's ALIVE! 

Today was the first Saturday of spring break.

3-9-17

And we have a flower!

I had a conference at Sanford Middle School and tutored a student in lesson planning. I had a headache facepain thing going on. 

3-8-17

I went to choir practice to practice my songs with the choir. Andrew was wearing this funny scarf. I texted my Saudi student who said it said Sun and Moon. I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling at choir practice.

3-7-17

My orchid is fixin' to bloom.

This orchid is like an animal crawling out of its pot and daring to bloom when it gets little love from anyone. 

I love it. 

3-6-17

I gave a midterm exam today. Spent the time doing some knitting, some grading. It was a busy day.
1. I drove to Valley and observed a class (30 minute drive).
2. I drove to Phenix City (40 minutes more) and observed a class.
3. I drove back (45 minutes) and went straight to meetings at school.
4. I taught a class from 6-9 and gave this midterm.

3-5-17

Do you know what this means? That I did ART today?

It means I'm coming out from under the weight of depression and pain and starting to live again.

I'm starting to remember myself.

I doodled while watching some videos for work:

3-4-17

Saturday and I felt fine!

I worked and knitted and just BREATHED and relaxed.

Mom came over and brought us a big thing of fruit all cut up :)

Yay Mom!

3-3-17

I feel better but decide to stay home all day anyway and just recover from nearly two weeks of constant (near constant) pain. My grad students carry on without me because they say I "raised them up well."

Above are two getting ready for a project on Monday.

One sweet grad student brought me a present...

3-2-17

The doctor says to double my dose of K.
I do it.
The pain starts to decrease.

3-1-17

It hurts to wear these. I'm in bed with my pain enveloping my head so much. I managed to get through an afternoon of meetings then crawled home to bed. 

Oh dear. 

2-27-17

I drove out to Burns for our research but on the way back my face was hurting so the rest of the day was sunk. I got a friend to teach my class.

2-26-16

I went to church and then attended an entire afternoon of orientation on what it means to be Unitarian-Universalist. I was asked to play the piano at the 3/12 service.

2-25-17

Saturday, I tried to stay calm and catch up on the week. I made a to-do list and got things accomplished. Felt OK.

2-24-17

I managed to go to a school for an observation, but the pain set in while I was there. I ended up hobbling through the rest of the day and went home in terrible pain.

2-23-17

I just have been looking for photos of my homeland in Belarus.

Anyway, the week has been horrible. The day started out OK but by evening my head was wracked in pain.

2-20-17

I don't know why I screenshotted this today, but today started off OK but then turned ugly. I didn't have to go to Burns for my research, so I worked on getting ready for class. Face pain started setting in mid afernoon so that I was not able to teach. I put all the lessons online and went home. Hoped it would blow over.

2-19-17

Our cousin left this morning. I tried to work the rest of the day to catch up on things. But soon my life was to take a turn.

2-18-17

Today was busy. I went for breakfast at Mom's then took Cousin Boris around town.

We got to see the second new Toomer's Oak being planted. See it behind us?

2-17-17

I played with a thermochromatic pigment today. It's blue when cold and clear when warm. 

Full day of meetings.

Salad for dinner.

Headed to Mom's because our cousin Boris (his name is not really Boris) is coming into town tonight!

2-16-17

I saw this on my way home tonight after teaching.

I'm always shocked to see ignorance displayed here because my community seems so civil.

2-14-17

Dan took me out for Valentine's Day and I had this drink. It had lavender infused sugar around the rim. It was go good... but the headache I had going into dinner only got worse because of it.

But dinner was really special. We don't "dine fancy" that often, so it's really a treat when we do.

I ate the orchid. 

It was slimy and tasted like the tip of an asparagus stalk.

2-9-17

We went to Sundilla to see a concert given by a three piece bluegrass band--- and the musician on the left is my former student. I taught her from 5th - 8th grade and here she is, 31 years old all grown up. She became the musician we always knew she would. I can still remember how amazed I was listening to her play guitar when she was 12.

2-8-17

My grad student and her puppy...

We worked at Momma Mocha's this morning for two hours and the puppy was so sweet. 

2-4-17

Daffodil from the yard.

I tried making Zara a harness so I could take her for a walk. But she wouldn't let me put it on her.

2-2-17

This groundhog does not see her shadow.

Time for more winter.

But why are all the flowers in bloom???

2-1-17

This is where I was standing. Right after I took this picture, I saw an email from a teacher that started the downward spiral of things. A student of mine was in trouble and I had to consult with the higher-ups and then rush over to the school to deal with it. Not fun.

1-28-17

Dan and I decided to go for a walk in Opelika and then go out to eat. 

We saw signs of renewal and decay in this old mill town, county seat.

1-27-17

Holocaust Remembrance Day.

These are my grandfather's first cousins who were murdered by Nazis when they invaded Libau, Latvia in 1941.

You can see our tulip tree in bloom in the winter.