A Broken Arm

So Dr. Cruse told me I've been dragging around a broken arm for 6 weeks. His words.

And he said it should definitely be hard to pick up my arm to turn on the air conditioner in the car or turn the volume up on the radio. Because I "broke it in the pick me up place".

He prescribed more Loratab (10's this time) and a super duper strength sling that holds me still in a (much too) big way.

The good news is it's not the rotator cuff like they thought originally. Four weeks in the super sling and I should be good to go. He said it's already been trying to heal despite my not taking care of it properly because I didn't know it was broken.

The bad news is I haven't slept for 6 weeks and I'm still not sleeping even with Loratab 10's. This from a girl who normally is knocked out cold with one swallow of Nyquil.

My Third Grade Classroom

All set? You BET! (At least I hope the kids say this tomorrow when school starts.)

Third Grade Classroom at Open House.

JUNK is still the theme for my class. The kids really get into creating things from other things.

The famous closet Mr. Johnson built for me.

I'm tickled to be teaching Saxon Math again this year. It's perfect for 3rd graders.

New Social Studies standards this year, so I'll be teaching all about Oklahoma to my third graders, starting tomorrow!

Bulletin board out in the hallway created from packaging.

Our theme for the building is Art Gallery. We framed laminated, lovely prints of paintings, drawings and sculptures with all kinds of duct tape. We plan to use the art for writing prompts or teaching moments.

Because we are using the Art Gallery theme, we thought the Italian Artists should show up. Heroes on the Half Shell! These guys are guarding the 5th and 6th grade classrooms.

More art framed in duct tape.

Raphael and Leonardo are hanging around above the 3rd and 4th grade doorways.

Coffee filters were stained and reused for a bunting/greeting outside my classroom. The frame will be filled with a collage of the students photographs.

Day 3: Amsterdam to Basel on the SS Antoinette

Another interesting thing about Amsterdam. It gets dark around 10:15 p.m. AFTER I hit the hay on Day 2 for sure. Thank goodness for heavy drapes to block the sunlight.

No sunlight on Day 3. It was raining and maybe 60 degrees. We decided it was a good thing we both had rain jackets and Sue had an umbrella. 

Sue and I got up early to enjoy the breakfast buffet the Movenpick Hotel is famous for. Food was so beautifully presented. All kinds of breads and pastries, eggs to your liking, a whole spread of fresh fruits and veggies (raw), a large area with cheeses and deli-type meats, dried fruits and nuts galore, yogurts of all kinds and flavors, granolas and cereals, juices, sausage and bacon, even fish, and I can't even remember what else. It was the best variety I had ever seen, maybe due to the variety of nationalities and diets that visit Amsterdam. I ate toast, fruit, yogurt and granola, then Sue and I shared an omelet made especially for us.

All of our friends we had met at the Uniworld meeting the night before gathered at 9:00 a.m. for our first tour of Amsterdam. We loaded a bus and took a rainy tour through the streets of Amsterdam. What a charming, bustling city we were in! Narrow brick roads and cobblestone walks, right beside modern buildings and freeways. Passenger trains buzzing. Bicycles everywhere.

From the bus and through the rain, an old windmill was enchanting.

Life in Amsterdam on a rainy Saturday morning.

The bus took us to the location where our first tour, a canal cruise, would begin. Luckily the boat was glassed in on the top and sides, so we were out of the weather. It was a little difficult to see everything with all the condensation everywhere, but we got a fairly good glimpse of life in Amsterdam from the canal's point of view, which was neat. Roland met us after our canal ride and continued our tour by bus. He was really beginning to grow on us, this Roland. He was so knowledgeable about his city and the history of the area. I began to challenge myself to be more like Roland and ask myself questions about my home town and my country from time to time that a tour guide might get asked (and should know).

John and Sameera

This trip was going to change my life, I knew that, but who knew I would come back wanting to know so much more about my own neck of the woods? 

It was so wet and cool, we decided to eat soup and sandwiches for lunch at the hotel restaurant. Sue went with John and Sameera to the Van Gogh museum and I went with a Uniworld group on a walking tour of the secret gardens and other interesting sites. It's hard to explain how it is to see such ancient architecture in one place and what that means to someone who is from Oklahoma, where we might have a few 100 year old buildings, not 500-600 years old like we saw all day in Amsterdam. Roland took us through Jewish neighborhoods, religious areas, the flower market, then we were treated to Dutch Apple Pie at a local place. Yum on a cold and wet day!

A secret garden behind a private home/turned museum.

Bicycles have the right-of-way, no matter what.

Lovely, lush hydrangeas.

Flower Market

Some buildings lean due to foundation troubles.

Here's that pie I was talking about.

Pam and our tour guide, Roland. We had a sunshiny moment once or twice that day.

It was time for our tour to end, but we decided to visit the Anne Frank museum while downtown. Roland explained to us how to get back to the hotel and went home for the day.

What an experience at the Anne Frank museum. Stepping up and over a wall, through a swinging bookcase, up a skinny, dark stairway to the place where Anne's family was hiding for such a long time, the diary seemed to come to life. It was a self-driven, quiet tour. I really appreciated the respect all the visitors had for the story of Anne's life. I loved seeing what I thought was the real diary, but later was told the one in the special case was an exact replica and the original is in another location for safekeeping.

No cameras were allowed in the museum, but I found this photo online.

Read more about the museum at http://www.annefrank.org/.

About five of us ended the museum tour at the same time, so we decided to walk back toward the hotel and possibly get something to eat, maybe buzz through the Red Light District on the way. No sooner had Pam mentioned how she'd like to try Dutch Pancakes, did we see a sign and an inviting, local restaurant that was full. We took it as a sign that full meant good, and we weren't wrong. Dutch Pancakes are like thin pizzas or crepes. We ordered two for the group of us and split them. One was bacon and apple, the other was more like an omelet but I can't think of the exact ingredients. They were so delicious. Good company too. We had already met Jaap and Minnie, from South Africa, at the meeting the night before, but to sit and enjoy a meal with them was a real treat. Come to find out, Jaap retired from the military, but now has a cabinet shop. Minnie loves to JUNK. Hmm. Soul mates! We ended our meal with poffergies, tiny donut-like pancakes, with strawberries and chocolate. Wo.

Our new friends, Jaap and Minnie Steyn

We made our way back with the help of Jaap and a map, but first we snuck through the Red Light District of Amsterdam. I'll just say, you have to see it to believe it. That's all.

The clean version of the Red Light District.

We had left the hotel around 1:00 p.m. and didn't make it back until after dark, so you know how late that is in Amsterdam. (Well, the Red Light District isn't the same in the daytime, probably.) Sue said she was giving me till 11:00 to get back, then she was calling 911. She was already worrying about how mad Vaughn was going to be because she lost me.

Day 2: Amsterdam to Basel on the SS Antoinette

I forgot to mention I accidentally ate duck on the airplane from Detroit to Amsterdam. What I thought was the steward's mistake (a swap for my ordered pasta to the other option, pork tenderloin) ended up being the roast duck appetizer. I never intended to eat duck in my whole life. So there we were, Sue and I, munching on what we thought was pork tenderloin, when we were served the next course, her tenderloin and my pasta. Oops. Poor little duckie. I only ate a few bites.

We met up with Sue's lifelong friend, Sameera, and her husband and some other friends in customs at the airport in Amsterdam. Very unlikely in such a massive airport, but such a nice surprise for Sue and me because we were thinking we might be lost. But in fact, we were found by friends. Their flight from Dallas was on time, but our flight was a little early. And we were in the right line and everything.

Long story short, but Sue and I got a ride to the hotel by a driver sent by Uniworld, our river cruise line, but the others did not. We arrived at the hotel around 1:30 p.m., I think. Some sort of a mix-up caused our friends to be delayed by several hours. While we waited at the Movenpick for our hotel room to be prepared, we were welcomed to Amsterdam by Roland, who I am now convinced is the world's best travel guide. He invited us to a meeting that evening to discuss the featured and optional tours we would be taking in the next two days.

The very chic Movenpick Hotel, Amsterdam.

 By now it was around 3:00 p.m., and all we could think about was SLEEP, but we resisted the urge since Sue's son, Brad, had told us NOT to or we'd never get adjusted to their time. Instead, we stretched out on our beds and took in the beautiful surroundings. We had a lovely room and a gorgeous view of contemporary and historic buildings, a large canal that would later connect us to the Rhine, and a mega cruise ship that was docked right by our hotel. We got to watch it set sail for Belgium with some teachers on it (who we had met downstairs in the lobby). Teachers sometimes travel together, apparently. Ha.

This is the view from our hotel room in the Movenpick Hotel, Amsterdam.

I drank my first European Coca-Cola Light while NOT sleeping and wasn't impressed, but now I know that particular can was old or something. (I ended up enjoying quite a few more during the trip. Although not the same as American Diet Coke (think TAB), I so needed the caffeine and could once in awhile taste a little hint of a familiar flavor. Oh, and most of the time a very slender, glass bottle of soda was around 2 euros, 50, but once we paid 3 euros, 80 when a lack-of-caffeine headache made itself known. Wow! That's like $5. I'd have to kick the habit if I lived there.)

Tastes like Tab. I know, because I used to drink Tab. It definitely has a wang to it.

We freshened up and went to the meeting downstairs, where we met up with Sameera and our friends, but where we also were introduced to some very nice people from all over who would be staying in Amsterdam and then going on the river cruise with us. I loved listening to Dutch-speaking Roland speak English. (This ended up being one of my favorite things about the trip, enjoying people who speak several languages and how interesting English sounds when words are pronounced with the accent on a different syllable or two. I especially loved hearing the word asparagus pronounced uh-spar-a-goose by a French tour guide later in the week.) We made plans for Saturday, which would be a full day in Amsterdam. Roland also explained the procedure for the transfer from our hotel to the SS Antoinette on Sunday.

A group of us decided to go eat at a restaurant Roland suggested, which was near the hotel. What a lovely meal Sue and I enjoyed along with John and Sameera, Janelle and Pam. There we were, four jet-lagged Texans and two Oklahomans eating in Amsterdam, giddy for the days ahead.

This was taken in front of our hotel in Amsterdam. Note the green jacket. You'll see it in lots of photos.

 That night I had halibut. Not my first time to eat halibut, but the way it was prepared was extra delicious. It was served with an oyster, which I decided not to consume (I mean, I'd already eaten DUCK.), but I managed to share a portion of Lemon Panna Cotta, which was new to me. It's an Italian dessert made by simmering cream, milk and sugar, then mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. The Panna Cotta was served with pomegranate seeds on top. That was my favorite. But then I managed to try a portion of some smooth and luscious chocolate mousse too. We walked back to the hotel in the cool air and I missed my half-a-world-away lovies, but sure felt blessed to be seeing such a lovely city with so much to show me before Sunday.

Day 1: Amsterdam to Basel on the SS Antoinette

It was the trip of this girl's lifetime.

Up until the day my bosom buddy, Sue, and I left, it had been only a dream, but beginning on July 12th, it became very real (although I kept pinching myself throughout).

My son Parker took us to the airport in Oklahoma City. He knows a lot about airports, especially Will Rogers World Airport, so when he decided to pull in the parking garage and find a spot, Sue mentioned to him that there was an easier way. She suggested he could have parked up at the top (where we usually park, actually). I was confused by his parking in the garage too, but later we both realized what he was trying to do, or not do.

You see, BrieAnn and the little grandgirls were trying desperately to get to the airport to surprise us as we left and Parker was concerned the surprise would be spoiled if he parked on top and BrieAnn did too.

Two darling little granddaughters came up with their ever-so-thoughtful mama, carrying a glittered over-the-top cute banner that read "Bon Voyage Gram & Sue!" We snapped a couple of pictures and did some kissing and hugging, then went on our way. What a blessed way to begin our trip.

Is this not the cutest thing? Magnolia was still sleepy from her afternoon nap, but Cora was pumped about the surprise.

Looking back at my waving family, I couldn't help but think I was the luckiest girl in the world. Such love.

Our flight from OKC took off a little late, so we narrowly made our connection in Detroit (1 minute to board). That was too close! No restroom break even! We were served a big meal (10:00 p.m. by now) and attempted to sleep while flying. So many people around us were totally zonked. We decided they must have been medicated.

I tried not to let the turbulence over the ocean and the fact that it was Friday the 13th by now get to me. We landed around 11:30 a.m. (their time...7 hours ahead of Oklahoma time) and headed through customs. The guy at the desk asked us why we were in Amsterdam...we told him a river cruise...he said to have a good time. That was all of the interrogation Amsterdam could muster, I guess. I had heard Amsterdam was a pretty do-whatever-you-like place and so far it was proving to be just that.

Anticipating School

I have already had one of those back-to-school dreams. The I'm feeling unprepared nightmare. 

Sometimes in my back-to-school dreams,  I'm trying and trying to get to school on time, but wind up there without my clothes on. Other times I can't find my things in my classroom. I've had lots of these kinds of dreams throughout my teaching career, but the week before school is usually when they flair up big time.

Last week I had a dream I was teaching kindergarten (which I never have), and I had 34 students. No matter what trick I pulled out of my teacher skill bag, nothing worked to settle them down. I'd think of a fun way to get their attention and try it, just to have them roll their eyes at me (imagine) and continue on with their unruly selves. I woke up feeling worn out and totally freaked out.

So the dreams have begun, even in early July.

Next year our social studies standards are changing, so I brought home some curriculum to review. I'm pretty excited about teaching Oklahoma history to 3rd graders. Not a whole lot of time, but some, has been given to thinking and studying new things to teach. 

Many people think summer is one giant vacation for teachers, but let me tell ya, no matter how hard I try to stop thinking about school, ideas float in and out of my mind the whole time I'm off. Pinterest is totally contributing to this, Friends. I'll just be minding my own business, looking at recipes and home decorating ideas and wham, someone has pinned a great idea for getting kids to put their names on their papers. (Anything to manage kids, I'm a sucker for!) Before I know it, I click on it, search out the original posting (and maybe 4-5 other posts from that blogger), and there I go again, consumed in school and better ways to do this thing I do.

I'm looking forward to another school year, but this tired teacher needs her sleep. Sweet dreams, please. No more back-to-school nightmares.

The Day Before Vacation

It's funny how much a person CAN get done in one day. Not just any day, though...the day before vacation. I wake up earlier, start marking things off my list from the very beginning. Laundry, started. Bed, made. Must get going. There's a sense of urgency. The wheel is turning and it cannot be stopped. All day I'm scratching away at my mental list of chores, the ones that will get me closer to heading out, away. Besides those chores I'm working ahead, accomplishing the things I'm obligated to for the whole time I'll be on vacation. Bills, paid. Emails, sent. Jobs, delegated.

I'm usually pretty organized, but on this day, I'm just plain effective. I use my time much wiser when my energy is all focused on one thing...vacation.

Thursday I leave for a much-anticipated 10 day trip to Europe with my friend, Sue Anderson. We'll travel to Detroit, then Amsterdam, tour for 2 days, then get on the SS Antoinette for a Rhine River cruise. Each day we'll stop at castles and tour vineyards and villages in Germany, then France, and 7 days later, wind up in Switzerland.

Of course I'm effective with a trip of a lifetime to motivate me.

People

When I was young I learned a song about people. It went something like this:

"Up, up with people, ya meet 'em wherever you go...up, up with people, the best kind of folks to know...If more people were FOR people, more people everywhere, There'd be a lot less people to worry about and a lot more people who care."

Once and awhile it becomes painfully clear to me that not all people are FOR me or my success in life.

And the world is full of people who don't want the best for:
a. me or you (their fellow men)
b. the town
c. our school system
d. the country
e. the earth

The list could go on and on, Folks.

This painful realization comes when I least expect it. And it's always a big bummer.

We should all support, encourage, care for the people we meet along life's way. And all of us PEOPLE should work together for the BEST world possible, expecting the extraordinary, making small changes when necessary and big ones when essential.

In the Coming Days

In the coming days, I will...
finish a book I haven't picked up in a month.
Eat my 47th birthday cake.
Celebrate 28 married years.

I'll close a long chapter.
And open another one,
saying lots of goodbyes and a few hellos.
I'll be New Tracey.

In the coming days, I will...
give some time to things I've neglected.
Like the house.
And me.

I'll enlist courage.
And unload some junk.
I'll build.
And tear down.
Water.
And weed.

Passwords

Years ago when I first started selling Mary Kay, a very positive director helped me by setting up my password for an email account. She suggested I use a word like SUCCESS or FLOURISH or even WELL2DO.

One of my passwords at school used to be WAGON. Why did I pick such a dumb word for my password? Is there some kind of underlying meaning to why I chose that word? I mean, did I have some kind of traumatic experience with a wagon once? Probably not. More than likely I just chose a random word for nothing more than randomness sake.

This week I'm finishing reading The Happiness Project. Gretchen Rubin also suggests creating passwords that are resolutions, dreams, loves.

Instead of typing in abc123 every time you open your email, or something about that boring or codes that are difficult to memorize, why not change your password and type in BEAUTIFUL if you're struggling with self-image, or STRONG if you're feeling weak?

HEALTHY...AMBITIOUS...EDUCATED...positive words for positive feelings.

We need more of those in our lives.

Ear Bobs

Somewhere along the line I started calling them EAR BOBS.

It was probably Ola Mae. Or Granny Goldie. Or Amanda. Could have been Grandmother. I think one (or all) of them probably talked about their earrings as ear bobs. Love those wise older ladies of my life.

I always look funny taking photos of myself.

I never really know where to look.

I got some new ones last week at Old Navy. $2.80, with a 20% discount.

Loving my amazing ear bobs.

Be Tracey.

I've been reading again.

In Gretchen Ruben's book...you know, the one I've blogged about a few times before...

She tries to live by a rule. The rule is: Be Gretchen.

That's hard sometimes. To be (insert your name here).

To be authentic and real.

We start out pretty REAL. I mean, look at Magnolia. She's pretty much herself at 8 months.

When does it happen that we begin to think we're not enough, just like we are?

A friend of mine was telling me her 4 year old son came home from preschool saying his shoes were stupid. A classmate had shared that knowledge with him. That's too young to be questioning your shoes, your style. Your YOU.

I've been known to twist into something unknown to me (before I hopefully realize it and pull myself back together again). I change ME in order to do what I think will please someone else.

I like my style, but sometimes I think I should go with the flow. Not rock the boat. Comply. Wear what they wear. Do what she does. Live their life, not mine.

Does this ever happen to you?

This Gretchen. She's smart. I'm going to try to live by her rule.  And Be Tracey.

What I Liked To Do When I Was Ten

This book is making me think.

Gretchen Ruben suggests if I want to know what will bring happiness to my 46 year old days, I should think back to my 10 year old days. She says I should think about what I liked to do when I was 10.

It's called "self-knowledge". To know myself. What do I find fun? What is my passion?

Let's see.

At ten. Hmmmm. I remember liking kickball, but maybe that was because certain 5th grade boys thought I as good at it.  I definitely don't think kickball would be fun for me at this point. No hidden desires here for kickball.

Moving on. I remember enjoying compliments about my handwriting and taking great pride in that. Oh, and I made lists. List after list after list. What I'd wear to camp each day...things to do for the week, what homework I needed for school each day. I enjoyed drawing and doodling too. But above all, I liked writing in a diary, keeping track of my days.

So now I've found it. The thing I have a passion for is what I did with me at 10 and continue to do with me at 46. Instead of keeping a diary with a little lock and key, these days I blog at Whimsical Cottage (http://ourlifeofwhimsy.blogspot.com/). I enjoy writing about my journey through life, sharing my ordinary days and my extraordinary days.

I like the idea that I've kept a record of what happened, what was important to me, how I chose to handle a situation, what we felt like, how we looked. There are things to be learned from the recording of history, of thoughts, of happenings. And since it's FUN, why not?

Two Thousand Eleven

This year, I want to...

*eat more spaghetti squash. Just 40 calories for one cup. Delicious with spaghetti sauce.

*read books (besides Junie B. Jones). Like this one I just became interested in.

*listen to more J. J. Heller songs. (I especially like "Small".)

*keep in touch with my people. More than I have before.

*be the best teacher I can be. Every single minute.

It was crazy day at school. Give me a break.

*do more junkin'. If for no other reason than to get away from it all.

 *take it easier. Just be sometimes.

*give, give, give. I will start with 1-2% more, then continue as I become more faithful.

*gain by losing. This will be a good way to do it.