Mid-June Faves

 

Here we are on the last Friday of Spring!  It's already mid-June and I have one more week of teaching before a nice long 10 day break for the start of Summer!

Let' s pause in our busy work day and share FIVE of our FAVE blessings from the week with Susanne who hosts this meme each week.  Learn more by clicking here.

Electric Violin and Violinist

• MINI CONCERT:  I came out of our grocery store earlier this week to the sound of absolutely gorgeous, melodic violin music.  I knew right away it was an electric violin so I searched all around for the source.  After loading the trunk with the food bags, I finally spied him about 5 rows away from my car.  He was rather young and had a beautiful violin plus a sound system.  He was playing along with pre-recorded synthesizer music and had a sign saying he was out of work due to the pandemic and was trying to raise money to help feed his 2 children with his wife.  I knew God wanted me to give so I dug into my wallet to give him what I had. I'm thankful for the chance to sit in the car and listen to this talented musician and also to be able to show compassion and extend some money. I told him I really loved his music and he gave me such a warm smile and I could tell he was thankful by the way he nodded and spoke to me. 

• DECK FLOWERS!  This past weekend, I did some major cleaning and sorting and decided after I swept the deck, that it was time to go get some potted flowers for the deck steps.  I ended up getting these 2 pots of wildflowers. (I had to re-pot them into these larger pots).  Usually I get just impatiens or petunias and geraniums but this year I decided to stick to wildflowers like what grows in the lawn. I'm thankful for beautiful blooms!

• RETIREMENT PARTY! Last evening after work, my teaching team plus all of the other colleauges at our site and several former teachers and therapists, joined together for the first time IN PERSON  at a local Italian restaurant with out masks!!, to honor the speech therapist who works on my team as she is retiring as of next Friday.  She has been a music therapist (and in fact was the music therapist at my very first Special Education preK teaching job way back in 1987-1995!  After a few years and 2 degrees later, she became a speech therapist while I was busy raising my 2 girls and working part time as a Special Ed Aide. Now I'm teaching again as a Special Ed Assistant and I can't tell you how blessed I am to be back with C. We were so surprised that in our "old age" we ended up teaching at a similar agency as my very first teaching job. I've learned alot from her.  She's just amazing and will be missed!  She has big shoes to fill.  I was the one who put together her "Cocktail hour" themed gift.  Originally it was just going to be from me and the immediate team, but the head teacher said "let's open it up to the whole Troy site" which then morphed into people from our other 2 sites chipping in.  Everything I bought was "Cocktail hour" related.  It was so much fun to see her open all of these gifts. I'm so thankful the party went well and that she was blessed. 

7:45 pm

9:30 pm

• FIREPIT NIGHT:  Last Friday evening was the perfect weather evening for a fire.  Dave built one around 7:30 and it felt great to be able to sit outside with my drink and book while it was still light out.  I just love June-August in the Northeast.  The weather has been just perfect this week:  temps in the low 50s at night and during the day the mid 70s.  I just love it.  We enjoyed the fire for a bit and then when my youngest got home from work around 9:15 we made s'mores with the vegan marshmallows (if you've never had them, get them!!  SO Much better for roasting than the regular ones and they're not as sicky sweet). I stayed out for about an hour later reading and chatting via text with a friend.  I'm so thankful for quiet evenings around the firepit.

me with my childhood pastor Dick and Nancy

• SPONTANEOUS VISIT: On Saturday morning I received word that my dear childhood friend Nancy was in the state(she lives in Georgia) up at the country homestead where her parents retired to (and where her mom died last summer and where her dad was raised as a child!).  She was helping her dad, a long time minister for the Free Methodist church which I was raised in, go throughout the house to prepare it for sale.  Sadly, none of his 5 daughters (they all live out of state in the south except 2) don't want to keep it in the family.  Dave and I would LOVE it for a summer home but there's no way we can afford it. Housing in the southern Adirondacks isn't expensive but the upkeep is as well as the property taxes.  We just cannot afford 20 acres with a pond near a huge Adirondack lake. When I found out she was in town, I hemmed and hawed about her invite to pop up (it's an hour drive) for lunch and a visit.  I had so much to do!  But Dave encouraged me because the Rev is 91 and you never know.......I went with some fresh cookies from a local bakery and I'm so thankful I took the time to do this.  Nancy is his 4th daughter and just 3 years older than me. She is some one I've always admired and looked up to. She knows a lot of my history as well!  His last girl, Jean, and I were roommates my last year of college at this school, where I received my Music Education degree (undergrad). He was on the board of directors for years. In fact, one of my work-study jobs was to wait tables for when the board would have their big meetings/banquets.  Our two families were the best of friends and my heart was warmed to be at the old Homestead for what might be the very last time. 

That wraps up my week!

I'm hoping to get in a hike tomorrow with my husband his friend Peter.  Other than that, it will be a weekend to plan some day trips for our anniversary and to do some much needed housework!

Whatever your plans are, I hope you have some time to relax and enjoy nature!

HAPPY WEEKEND!