Vernal Equinox

We just had a snow day leading into winter break as 8" fell Friday and today it was blustery with blizzard conditions and cold! We approach Christmas with an economy near failure and much anxiety as to the new years prospects. But this season in its best perspective can bring the peace and renewal humanity needs. There is a power beyond us that we must put our faith in and serve others without greed or personal desire. I read the Christmas newsletters from family that merely sound of bragging in a competition instead of just informing of the years blessings or trials. I'm glad Jane is back to work and it has been good so far. I am thankful to be able to teach and share with different students. I am proud all my sons are doing good and growing in their pursuits and pray continued success of opportunities. May our new president be guided in right paths to the many challenges to be faced. I did vote for Mr. Obama as a matter of belief he would best represent our country's interests. If it is the shortest day of the year then I've went on too long.

All Saints Day

All Hallows Eve has passed and it's November now. Day light savings time will end tonight, thankfully, as it is now dark in the morning when I leave for school. I don't mind the shorter day end because there is still plenty of time after school to get around. I was at Willow yesterday for their Halloween parade in the afternoon as the Gym teacher. The staff dressed for a slumber party and the students were Hanna Montanas, Dorthy from Oz, mermaids, monsters and MSU students had come dressed up to give out treats in the gym. This allowed me to take a supervisory role and enjoy an easy half day. Jane leaves for Florida tomorrow with her parents for 5 days. We had 6 trick or treaters last night including April's kids and Andy with Sandy Red Riding hood. Deep thoughts tend to evade one when they've been buried in dreams randomly pieced together in evaluated musings. Some reflection though needs to be solidified for future proof of one's sanity as time quickly leaves us another year passed. Last weekend we were in Remus for Jim and Betty's 50th anniversary mass and then to their house for Mancino's and visiting with family. Leaves are falling completing the cycle of life as we also rise and refresh our daily lives in the circle game. May we all be little saints following the Truth to honor God in a world that can seem lost in selfishness and blind wandering.

I've Transferred, Kiss AOL Goodbye

After trying 10 times I finally saved my journal to its new web site. The words of the unknown may now continue to drift aimlessly through the mind fields of my thoughts. I have been dealing with my new employer PESG without too much problem so far though their system is far from user friendly. I've been able to find subbing jobs but it requires a great deal of effort to check online or usually my calling and reentering my ID and password multiple times to get to each school system. Luke has found his classes more difficult this term and dropped his Math class for a grade. Phillip still has his bad attitude and is working hard for good grades his senior year. Jane is still on unemployment after Fabianos bankruptcy has been complicated by our economic crisis, preventing them from reopening. The world is entering one of those periods of turmoil and uncertainty created by the greed of the Israelites who have turned from God to pursue their selfish pleasures. The pride of man is written in the dust with true believers left to prop up and bring mercy to the sinners. Help us Oh Lord and thank you for keeping us free and on a righteous path. It looks my computer table is covered in that dust also! As our children will pay their future for our vanities today in unending taxes, a sad legacy.

But it's August now

  I proctored at Cooley 30 hours  last week and did laptops and the extended handwritten exams.  I read Catcher in the Rye, Trout Fishing in America, and Travels with Charley while proctoring.  I also am in 3 of the schools systems with PESG, still waiting for Waverly.  Jane was laid off from Fabianos, who also are now in chap 7 bankruptcy and will get her first unemployment check soon.  You now apply by phone or online and also have to create a resume at Michworks.  Phillip tried out for football, one day before quitting even though we doubted his commitment all along.  We hope to get new siding and must have the dormer redone and roof checked for leaking as the insurance wrote us a check for the hallway damage.Jane has went to 2 of the Blues on the Square concerts with me as well as 2 Wednesday night Lansing Parks concerts.  We currently have 10 kittens from 4 litters as the cats proliferate in the garage.  August is the end of summer and the return to school and as time goes on now a happy time for me,as opposed to youthful days.  Year round school now sounds like a great idea when teaching brings my enjoyment and income.  It seems like such a short time but 7 Augusts ago I retired from GM and the 32+ years I dedicated to them.  Without it being too hot this year I anticipate the Fall and the waning years of life and my final contributions to society.  But thank God for all He has graced me with and any chances I've had to make the world a better place for others.

Walk Paths of Dark and Llight

I have subbed 3 times for Lansing's summer school.   We spent a week at Grand Haven again, this time with only Phillip until Thursday.  Then Simon, April, Luke, and her kids joined us.  We had a big storm the day before and the rain was as thick as snow blotting out sight of the beach.  Friday was the 4th of July and we all spent time on the beach and then enjoyed the fireworks from the hilltop.   I've discovered Pandora Radio on Comcast and have been introduced to bands and music I never had heard before on my Moby Grape and Electric Prune stations.  Phillip has also installed a wireless router so now the internet is working faster than ever at home.  It is getting hotter but overall it has been a pleasant summer.  Trip down the slanted by-ways of imagination to The Deep End with Nick Michaels.   The sunrise come she will, gives light to the daily tramp of adventure or wasting bringing the sunset and the mastery or mystery of darkness.  Pandora's box opens the world of music and journeys of days to come and past.  What little originality that exists washes away with the tides of time and reality.   Close out the paths of indecision and open doors of perception locked with stolen words that pass unnoticed in the night.  Awake from docile thought and proceed to the new Jerusalem all who are lost , lonely, and weary of the new age now passed.  Travel the paths of dark and light and live until time itself passes.

Moores Park

It is almost the end of the school year.  I'm here at Moores Park School and the students have 3 specials this afternoon, so since I can't get on my e-mail account, I decided to blog.  We do have high speed Comcast Internet at home now which has helped, but it's not as fast as here.  Phillip's baseball banquet is tonight.  He made about 5 relief appearances this year and 2 starts but got no decisions or any hits batting.  Waverly's record was 8-27-1 so you can guess the team overall didn't hit or field that well.  The class I'm in is a 1st/K split and 4 students are absent so that helps.  Jane turned 55 yesterday and Luke has completed 1 year at LCC doing quite well so far with his classes.  Jon is interning at Legal Aid  10 miles from the university this summer while working at the library on his off days.   Gasoline went over $4 last week and the price of a barrel of oil over $133, this will definitely hurt an economy on the brink of recession.  The weather has still not warmed up which I really don't mind while teaching.  There have also been a record amount of tornadoes in the central and southern states this year as we have been free of serious storms.  I drive by the old Oldsmobile plants either torn down or in the process of being so and see the voids that will never be filled job wise here in Lansing again.  Time waits for no one and my words only fill time.

Gier Park

I'm sitting here while the students are outside at Gym so I decided to blog.   It has finally warmed up and spring brings baseball for Phillip, who has pitched in relief 3 times now.  His team has tied 2 games but have not yet won.  The grass is growing and turning green as the tulips are budding today.  I've been busy subbing and try to get online when I can at different schools as they run much faster than at home.    I'm in Ms. Fawcett's first grade in the very back of the school.  I subbed this class earlier this year and today is pretty good with 2 specials in the afternoon.  I did a poetry lesson the other day in Ms. Byrd's class at Elmwood and we had a really good day.  May is almost here and teaching days will become few.  I better get my act together for the summer doing something.   Tonight I went to Pattengill to watch Brandon and Mandy perform some skits with their drama club.  We had lasagna provided by the school in the cafeteria.

Alexander Pratt happy 100th birthday!

  Today would have been my father's 100th birthday.  I called my nephews and nieces to remind them so they could remember him and unite family.  Friday was the 40th year since Martin Luther King's assassination in Memphis.   I was collecting for the Lansing State Journal with my friend Tom Phillips on Hume Street when we went to the Waverly Laundromat to get dollars for all the change.  As we got inside the TV was talking about Dr. King's death.  I also just finished a 13 day assignment at Waverly East Int. for Mrs. May 5th grade.  It was a real challenge with a class that has had many subs and in need of reorganization.  I did the lesson planning for the last 2 weeks and though there were students that either were suspended during my stay or pains in the butt, there were some really nice students like Corbin that helped me see the light.  Jorden Wigton, who I had at Windemere Park was in Mr. Wood's class that I had for Science as we team taught.  Phillip is in Orlando, at Disney for spring baseball with the Waverly team.  Jane and Grandma were in Florida for Easter week as she was Holly's confirmation sponsor.  The last 2 days have finally given us our reintroduction to spring as it has hit the 60s.  Happy birthday dad, my hope is someone remembers me when 100 hits me.  

January 26, 1978 Blizzard

   Today's newspaper headline goes back 30 years to the 18 inches of snow and 60 mph winds Lansing experienced.   It started snowing Wednesday the 25th and by 10pm there was 9 inches on the ground with some blowing and a prediction of a few more.   I worked midnights on the North Natco line as a relief man and the roads didn't seem that bad so I went in to work, my mistake.   As the night progressed the snow kept falling and blowing around and when our shift ended at 8:30am we walked out to streets and parking lots full of snow.   I had a hope of making it out to the street and get as close to home as possible, but ended up stranded in the lot.   I noticed a motor home at the end of the lot with some people in it so I headed up there and was accepted into the group.  They made a few attempts at shoveling out and moving but after a few hours it was decided to go to Ray Martin's house near Ingham Medical Hospital until the storm let up and the streets were better for traffic.  The group was from the block floor and we walked the mile to Ray's and his wife gave me some dry jeans and food.   We reached there about 11:00 am. and I called home to Jane to tell her where I was.   After a nap and some TV, the weather had let up enough that the group thought we could go back to the motor home and get it out on the road after shoveling out a path.   Between 2 and 4:00pm we had walked back and finally had the vehicle on Main Street and headed to our first stop the home of Vale who lived by Gier Park.  We were there from 4to 6pm, they talked and drank beer.   It was getting dark and Ray finally got us on the road and Willow Street was the next destination.   I got dropped off at the corner of Waverly and home at 7:00.    Mark and Andy had walked over and spent the night so they could shovel and play on Friday as there would be no school for a couple more days.  Saturday we were able to get to Olds but the Buick wouldn't start, so we returned Sunday and finally got the car out and home in time for work on the midnight shift Monday.   The article in the State Journal was pretty mediocre except for finding out that Craig Harris,Turkeyman lost his leg because of a snowmobile accident in front of the Pleasant Grove fire station.   Today the ceiling in the hallway is leaking from the snow on the roof that is starting to melt as the temperature is getting above the freezing level it has been all week with a daily lake effect covering.  That's about the best I can do to reflect on the blizzard of 78 that taught me to never venture out again to work if there was a winter storm warning.    In June of 78 we put out first addition on the west side of the house, to be followed by the family room and bathroom of 86.    It was February 22,  1975 when I moved into this house and I never would have believed I'd still be living here!

What about 2007

The mortgage crisis has sent the government back into bailout mode.   They said they were helping all the people facing foreclosures but they're really there for the banks and investment firms that carelessly gave loans questionably doomed to fail.   The price of oil finally hit over a $100 as it speculatively rose to new levels all year as China and India demand more fossil fuel to grow in the new economic world.   As our trade deficit is at record levels and job security has returned to compare with the Great Depression in the sense of possibility losing your employment!   There is talk of recession and a lowering of prosperity in our country's future.   Hard work still must go on even in the face of no appreciated return to loyal workers.   Immigration, terrorism, nuclear proliferation all pose challenges to be faced as we enter a year of political campaigning for a new president.   God help us and lead our decisions to complete Your will! 

New Snow/New Year 2008

I awoke to a new year with fresh snow covering the trees,driveways with 6 inches.  There was a New Years when we had an ice storm and our power was off for hours and tree branches hung low and many broke.   The world continues on regardless of the weather or global warming some just suffer more.   It was a quieter Christmas celebrated on the Eve at Ybarras with food and small exchanges.   Everyone appears to be doing well in school and relationships.   I've been working a lot at Waverly East and subbing steadily.    Maybe constant change of schools and grades is better for me than to be in the same classroom.   I seem to be getting more distant in my older age and dealing with people too often is uncomfortable.   Looking for hope and peace is still a great ideal for the new year but age brings doubt of attainability.  I am becoming the skeptic I once disdained as bitterness dims optimism.  Hope can live on with the new generation who I teach with as much gentle encouragement as I dare express.  Time goes on and waits for no one.