JUNEteenth 2006

   Another school year has passed as I kept busy at Elmwood, Schavey Road and Lansing.   The desire to teach is still in me as I look at students I've had in the past and find many remember me.   I put in applications with Waverly and Dewitt.   Juneteenth celebrates the time at the end of the civil war when many slaves finally got the news of the end of slavery.  On 6/19/1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Texas  freeing the country's last slaves, in Michigan last year, Gov. Granholm declared the 3rd Saturday of June to be Juneteenth National Freedom Day, to become the 20th state to make it a holiday.    The Pistons basketball team lost as the Red Wings did without a championship for Detroit.   Phillip played freshman baseball for Waverly and is playing for Uncle Mark's Panther team this summer.   He pitched and played 3rd base for a 9-9 team coached by Mr. Bird  and Mr. Dimick.    Santana gave birth to 5 kittens in May so the menagerie grows.   Jon bought a Pontiac G6 as he graduated from MSU with a Political Science degree.   Jane has been suffering with pain in her jaw that doctors have not diagnosed and have put her on anti-seizure drugs they give epileptics.   Her MRI came back normal so we don't know if this will be long term or some kind of nerve problem or blockage, that will clear up in time.   Growing old is not easy and challenges wait each new dawn.