Okay, here goes my third or fourth post. At this rate I might do 10 before I'm fifty.
This has at least been a really busy couple of months. Now we are at the end of June and I don't know where the year went. I had student teachers in April and I think May, then it has been all fast from there.
A friend's wife passed away, and I wasn't even aware of it until the time came to try to call him up for something. I knew he called, but the phone message was so unclear that I had no idea what he was saying. Lesson learned, get closer to your friends and keep in touch. I felt awful knowing he called me when it happened and I didn't get back to him to even ask what the message he left was.
Next, Mom was sick. No big deal, but even when you are on the far south end of the baby boom, you know that your parents can't last forever. I understood and felt the point when my Grandfather died. The mantle was passed, and in it's own way, it felt right. I can't see myself feeling that again when my parents pass. It will be tough. They are supposed to always be there, First to raise you and then for good counsel. And, I need a will. Bloody hell - a will. I won't live forever either. Except perhaps in the memories of my students ( hopefully remembered fondly).
I also have learned to hate it when the pieces of tech you rely so much on break down. I never thought that I would be so connected. You wouldn't know it from the frequency of these posts.
What is witchcraft? Black magic? Dark arts? Is it bad to attend the Charismatic Renovation Conference and believe in healing by laying on of hands, and in the same week put crystals out in the light of the full moon because there might be chance of there being something to the "power of the universe"? Is it possible to actually believe fervently in the appearance of the Virgin Mary at Guadalupe while at the same time hearing a priest say this is not something to pay attention to?
I have hit up a couple of thrift stores lately. Very little for me. A tiny blue glass and filigree stainless steel salt and pepper set from the 20's, with a bunch of junk in a bag for $2.00. Probably a $40 set in an antique store. Nice to put in the china cabinet. A set of 4 crystal tumblers to use daily. Hey, for $1.00 each, they will beat the glasses that Ikea candles come in, at least for daily use. The last crystal glasses for the kitchen got chipped and now live on the buffet with votives in them.
The last great find I had was a pair of "Hudson's Bay" pebble calf oxblood brogues. Good solid double soled shoes in the most fabulous shade of cherry brown. $3.00. Unworn, just old and stiff and really dusty. A little leather cream and a good polish and they are an awesome match for anything from dark jeans to khakis to grey flannels. I am pretty sure they are actually a second level pair of Florsheim Imperials. Made in England stamped inside, right time period when Florsheim made lines for retailers, exact cut of imperials except seamed where the vamp meets the sides, and the leather is little thinner than imperials. Florsheim details in the cut of the heel and wings. There was a plant or two that did good pebble leather in the midlands up until the 70's. Nowadays, I think the only real quality manufacturer of pebble leather in quantity is Horween in Chicago. They do all the leather for the NBA, NFL balls and good golf shoes.
The weather has been great. I tossed out the seeds and guts from a pumpkin that was in the house since October. It made good soup. I threw the seeds and guts (what else do you call the stringy, slippery stuff inside a squash) out on the compost pile. Magically, now there are a whole lot of baby pumpkin plants sprouting and growing like wild. Since this was sincerely done, maybe the great pumpkin will rise out that pumpkin patch. Yes, I almost believe in the great pumpkin as well.
Whatever, it is year end now and report cards need to go out. Why is it that every year the school system and "administrators" come up with some kind of new and improved version of what the end of the year report card comment needs to have or not have. We can't even say "Have a good summer." any more. Now, it has to be scaled and staged and differentiated and give goals to work on. Your son, daughter, charming offspring passed/almost passed/ slipped through/ failed this grade. Have a good summer. Isn't that good enough? We never did get to write out, "Thank you, you were one of the kids that made my year really worth it and I wish that I could have had a dozen who were great people like you." "Have good summer." did seem kind of fake, like it could have hidden a "good riddance" in it.
And "Good Bye"/ "Good Luck" to the other teachers who are moving on to whatever else in their lives. Sometimes you will miss that colleague, sometimes you won't, and sometimes you wonder who the hell will be in the room next door. It doesn't matter in the end, just like it is for the kids in our classes, you do well with some one year, make friends with some, and sort of put up with others.
Speaking of that, another former colleague of mine has invited me to his place for "Garage Day". This a mad Porsche fest, Usually his back alley looks like a museum of Stuttgart's best. I asked if he needed help setting up. Somehow I feel like a jerk not to have kept more contact with him this year either.
June 22, 2015
