In the Middle of Another Hodgepodge…

Boy, does it ever feel like the middle of summer here in our neck of the woods!  It’s in the 90’s, too hot to do much, so I’m cooling off with another Hodgepodge.  Thanks for the welcomed distraction, Joyce. 

Let me begin by making an update to last week’s post: Our area schools were supposed to open this week, but our officials got “cold feet” and decided to postpone opening until September 8.  That was probably a wise decision.

1. August 12th is National Middle Child Day…are you a middle child? If not, where in your family do you fall in terms of birth order? Do you hold true to the typical characteristics of oldest-middle-youngest-only child? (a quick list can be found here) Elaborate.

I’m the youngest of two, born almost nine years apart.  I don’t think I really hold true to the typical characteristics of the youngest child, with the exception of being a little self-centered.  Perhaps it’s because my brother and I only lived in the house together for a little over eight years, I don’t know.

2. Tell us about a time you felt like (or you actually were) in the middle of nowhere.

It was probably the last time my husband, Ed, tried to take a “short cut”.  He’s famous for taking unknown roads in an effort to find a shorter route.  Sometimes it doesn’t work out, and we have to turn around and back track.

3. What’s something you’re smack in the middle of currently?

I’m smack in the middle of reading the book, Splintered, which was written by a former co-worker of mine, who recently died from covid 19. (see random)

4. What’s a food you love to eat that has something delicious in the middle?

I love to eat “tarts”.  Apple or pear are my favorites, and I like eating them while they’re hot.  Just thinking about them is making me hungry!  I need to make some–or maybe not!

5. Share a memory from your middle school days, or junior high if that’s what your school dubbed kids somewhere between grades 6-8.

Back in my day, we graduated from elementary school after completing sixth grade, which meant we attended the high school in the seventh grade.   I don’t remember it being called “junior high”.  I do remember how different and overwhelming it felt, however.  I definitely felt like a small fish in a very big pond!  It wasn’t long before I began to discover [and admire] the older boys on campus–including the one who would later end up being my future husband!  That’s right, I had a seventh grade crush on Ed while he was a senior in high school!

Random:

Covid 19 has really been making the rounds in our little rural area, as well as all of the counties surrounding us.  Every week, new names are being added to our prayer list, and the numbers of cases continue to rise.  Most suffer through the illness at home, but some need to go to the hospital.

Small, rural hospitals have become over-whelmed, struggling to find bigger hospitals to take their sickest covid patients.  Recently, our local hospital called thirty-three different hospitals before finding one willing and able to take a very sick covid patient!  I know of at least one patient that had to wait too long.

The reality of this pandemic [and all of its problems] really hit close to home, last Tuesday, when a former co-worker succumbed to covid 19, while in the process of being transferred.  David, a retired school teacher was just sixty-two years old. He leaves behind a loving wife (who contracted the virus, as well), two grown children and their spouses (one of which also contracted the virus), and three precious grandchildren.  His daughter and her family are members of our church.  David was a very active member of another area church. Our community is sure going to miss him!

 

The Getting To Know You Game…

When I was a paraprofessional, working in the first grade, I made up a game for the first days of school called “The Getting To Know You Game”.  I began by asking the students some questions about themselves, each other,  or I would just let them tell me whatever was on their minds.  While the students talked, I would take notes.  Once my notes were organized, we would play the game.  I would describe a student or an adult in the class using a few of the words that I’d written.  The students had to guess which person I was describing.  By the time we played this game a few times, we all knew each other a lot better,  and the children loved it.

The other day I found some of my old school notes from years ago.  I had a good laugh when I read the students’ description of each other and of me.  Permit me to share just a few with you…

About our class…

Bridget–likes horses, has long blonde hair with “natural highlights”, likes puppies, and is Summer’s cousin.

Jeremiah–likes Star Wars, sings country songs(to certain people), is a “wild child”, always says “I don’t know”, and can bat both ways.

Lily–is always cute, likes sandals, wears tattoos, likes Bratz, and has 31 pets and a brother.

Amber–makes funny faces, always says what she thinks, is funny, is picky, nice, ponytail, dog-lover, and doesn’t like yellow offices(colored folders that we taped together and used to prevent students from copying each other’s work).

Kaleb–nice, “fast worker”, says he’s smart, can wiggle his ears, has blue eyes, has 2 cats, and 2 dogs.

Mrs. “B”–(that’s me) loves animals, always making stuff(I was the arts/crafts person), smart, brown hair, wears dresses a lot, likes to play games(learning games), has brown eyes, always says “sitting on the floor is not optional”(for group time on the floor), always losing her glasses(and I was), nice.

Mrs. “T”–(the teacher)  very short, nice, very smart, always teaching, never tells her age, her desk is messy, wears glasses, has allergies, just graduated from college(again).

Jeremiah, Jeffery, and Amber leaving the gym

After reading through these descriptions again, it’s amazing how accurate they really were.  I can still see cute Lily sporting a new removable tattoo each week, and Jeremiah really could be a “wild child”– but in a good way.  Amber was a real cutie, swishing her ponytail, and complaining every time she got the yellow “office”.  The teacher, Mrs. T, was always sniffling, refused to tell her age to the students, and had one of the messiest desks I’ve ever seen!

Oh, those were the days…thanks for walking down memory lane with me today.  There are times when I miss school, but not so much anymore.  I rather enjoy being my own boss, doing what I want, whenever I feel like it.  It’s a lot more fun than working for someone else!  Now, if I could just figure out how to get paid for doing nothing!

***The picture above was taken by me, after one of the members of the Harlem Globetrotters gave a motivational speech at our school.  The children were shaking his hand as we left the gym.