Keeping You Posted!

Hey, folks!  Just wanted to let everyone know that this is my last day in East Jordan.  I'll be leaving for Tecumseh tomorrow (Thursday) and Jess will take me to the airport in Detroit on Friday.  If anyone in Shishmaref is following this, warn John that more boxes are on their way!  I am sure that the custodians and the bush pilots want to know who the lady is sending in so much stuff!  What can I say?  It's hard to break old habits.  Here in East Jordan throughout my years of teaching, people would come to me for things they needed....and I would ask, "What size and color do you need?"  Besides, a lot of those boxes contain toilet paper...and kitchen garbage bags for the honey bucket!!  I was a Girl Scout, too....you know, "Be Prepared!"  So, I will be signing off here for awhile....still a lot to get done on my last day here.  I'm functioning on 3 hours of sleep.  I'm not sure when I'll be on again but it'll be from Alaska.  Wow!  Can you believe that?  Hold onto those dreams, folks....follow your heart.  Thanks to all my friends, family, and school folks for the warm wishes.  I'll miss you all.  Take care....and I'll "see" you from Alaska.

Floodgates Are Beginning to Open!

Gosh darn it!  This morning I took Dusty, my 19 year old cat, to the vet to have a final nail trim.  I say "final" because he's failing.  I'm certain he won't be here when I return.  As I was thanking Dr. Richter and his staff for all their kind and loving care of ALL my animals throughout the years, I started to break down.  I will miss my cat a lot.  That's all I'm going to write at this moment....because I'm starting to tear up again!

Ok...I take that back....I have one more comment.  People have been asking if they should contact me via my blog.  I can read your comments but the best way to keep in touch is to use my email addresses, preferrably the hotmail one just in case the sbcglobal address is canceled.  I am also on Facebook...can you believe that?  When that happened, I remember my daughter saying, "Are pigs flying?"

dmb52@hotmail.com
dmb52@sbcglobal.net

The Countdown Begins!

That's not the best title for this post.  I've had many "countdowns" throughout the years concerning this "dream" of mine.  Oh, well....the title refers to the fact that it is going on midnight on Sunday, July 24.  We've been cleaning up the aftermath of the yard sale and rearranging the basement.  I have to admit that I won't have time now to go through my...hmmm...I think 17 boxes of personal kids' books before leaving.  I wanted to take some books up with me to use with the program I'll be teaching.  The previous teacher, Amy, assures me there will be plenty of resources available.  I have to laugh....after selling off so much of my accumulated teacher resources in the yard sale....I can't help but wonder if I could have retired long before now if I hadn't bought so many things for my classrooms!  I really am happy that so many of my guide books were sold.  I hope lots of people continue to get good use out of them.  Probably the warmest feeling in my heart was when someone bought my box of well used tracing stencils.  She's taking them out to Grandvue for the elderly patients to now use.  Now tell me if that's not a full circle story being that I've had those stencils from kindergarten on.  The thought of Grandvue folks using them is special.  I might see those stencils again in my lifetime!  Did you know that I was born out at Grandvue?  No lie!  Back when I was born, there was a maternity section out there.  I've told people I was born there and will probably die there.  Anyway, tomorrow is Monday....then Tuesday....then Wednesday (It's Wednesday!  It's Wednesday!  The middle of the week....!).  That little ditty is for any of my students reading this blog!  They'll understand.  So...Wednesday is my last day in East Jordan for awhile as I go "fa, fa away" (Diane M. is snickering!).  Oh, hey!  Here's a funny one for you.  A couple of weeks ago, I received a mailing from the County Court....the infamous jury duty questionnaire.  I answered all the questions and added a couple of sticky notes for clarification as to why I wouldn't be able to serve if called.  I loved the question on what the round trip from my home to court would be and I wrote 6,368 miles.  Do you think I'll get called for jury duty?  I'm going to love writing this blog.  I love to share my stories....as my students will attest to.  For now...I'm off to finish up in the basement and if I have any energy left, I have an upstairs room to attack yet.  Tomorrow...LOTS of errands and more packing.  My apologies to my friends and family calling and asking to get together for one last dinner....I'm just plum out of time.  I trust you understand.  TTFN

Greetings!  I have created a blog and that, for me, is an accomplishment!  As most of you know, I am about to head out on a long-awaited adventure.  On Friday, July 29th, I will be flying out of Detroit, Michigan and arriving in Anchorage, Alaska later that evening.  I am excited about my stop in Seattle, Washington because I will get to see an old friend, Laurie C.  Laurie and I have not seen each other since we roomed together on our trip to China in 1993 with People to People Citizen Ambassadors.  It was during that trip that I decided someday I wanted to teach in a different cultural setting.  I began checking out teaching in Alaska and received my certification in 2002.  Alas, the move was not meant to be at that time and I had to renew my certification in 2007.  The move was always "there" for me....I never gave up on the dream.  Finally, in June of this year (2011), I retired from the East Jordan Public School after 31 years.  The experiences there could fill a different blog!  Thus, I am now headed to Alaska to begin my next 30 years of teaching!  My message here is to never give up on your dreams.  If it's meant to be, it'll happen.  I have so much more to add here...but it's very late and I have so very much to do yet.  I have four more days left in East Jordan...one in Tecumseh with my daughter, Jessica, and then off to Alaska.  Oh!  Gosh, I forgot to mention the most important point....I am teaching in Shishmaref...just below the Arctic Circle on the west side of Alaska...not far from Russia.  I have some awesome stories to tell you about Shishmaref and how that all came to be.  But for now....welcome to my blog.  I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and keeping in touch with family and friends...and meeting new friends along the way.  TTFN