Heat Exhaustion

It's official.  I have become a wimp.  After days and days of temperatures in triple digits combined with high humidity, I have reached my breaking point.  I'm tired of showering multiple times a day just to go outside and work up a sweat walking to the car.  I'm tired of breaking a sweat while watering plants and flowers in the early morning hours.  I'm tired of listening to the roar of the air conditioner as it tries in vain to keep the house at a reaonable temperature.

I wasn't always like this.  Growing up, I lived in a house without an air conditioner and thought nothing of it.  My parents very wisely got a family membership to the pool just two blocks away from our house.  While they were at work, I spent my days riding my bike back and forth to the pool where all the stay at home moms and babysitters looked out for all the kids in the neighborhood.  If I was at home and I got too hot, I would go outside and put my head under the hose.

But now, things are different.   These days of high heat have zapped my energy.  All I need is a couple of  "sweat free" days to turn my mood around.  Unforunately, those days do not look like they will be here any time soon. 

So, now I'm off to take the second shower of the day.  I will then head to the theatre to perform two shows under the hot lights.  I predict another two showers before I go to bed tonight.

Product vs. Process

Generally speaking, I consider myself to be a creative person.  Unfortunately, my skills don't necessarily live up to my creative potential.  The ideas are there, but something seems to go wrong in the process in of bringing that idea to reality.  As a kindergarten teacher, my lack of ability means nothing to the little people in my life.  They see the beauty in every creation.

So imagine the anxiety I felt when I arrived at theatre camp for 44 first thru sixth graders and was told I was in charge of helping them to create their costumes.  No sewing machine.  No patterns.  No suggestions.  No help from other adults.  Just a tub of fabric scraps, a few pre-made items, scissors, and a bunch of needles and thread.  Oh, and I only had 90 minutes with each group during the week to make it happen.  (Where was my aunt Jolene when I needed her???)

These poor kids!  They looked to me help.  I looked back at them with panic in my eyes.  I wasn't sure what I had gotten myself into, but I knew I couldn't let the kids down.  I turned the tables back on them.  What do you want your costume to look like?  Dig into that fabric box and see what inspires you.

They came to me with their ideas.  They wanted vests, shirts, skirts, dresses, belts, headbands, capes, and hats.  I took the scissors and started cutting.  They gave me instructions as to where to cut.  I gave them needles and thread and showed them how to embellish their creations.  They came to me with ideas on how to make it bigger and better.  I helped them when they wanted help and stood aside when the didn't.  They blew me away with their creations.

In the end, we ended up with 44 very happy kids with very creative costumes.  They may have been a little rough around the edges, but the kids were ready to walk the runway with pride in their creations.  It was a reminder to me that it's not the finished product--it's finding enjoyment in the process that matters.

On With the Show!

After working behind the scenes for two years, I finally put my fears aside and auditioned for a play.  Shock of all shocks, I was actually cast.  It's a small musical based on a children's book.  It's been a lot of work.  I'm completely exhausted between my summer jobs and rehearsals.  But it's also been an excuse to let my silly side see the light of day again.  I mean, how seriously can you take yourself when you are playing a dog pirate!

Last weekend, the curtain went up on our show after a month of rehearsals.  Oh my, it's an addictive feeling!  Being able not only to perform, but also to interact with kids in the audience who are experiencing their first live theatre.  Hearing the laughter and applause of people of all ages in apprecation of our work.  And most precious of all, having small children approach me asking for "Scurvy Dog's" autograph.

I have four more performances this weekend.  I will sing and dance and act and enjoy every moment of it.  And on Monday, I'll wish it all hadn't ended so soon.

As Seen on TV

I haven't exactly lived up to my hopes of posting on a more regular basis this summer.  I like to think I've been out finding new stories to share with you. 

Earlier this summer, my niece and I took an unplanned shopping trip.  She was having a particularly difficult day and just needed to get away.  Neither one of us were particularly interested in purchasing anything.  We were more interested in finding things to make us giggle.  The titles in the book aisle were a good source.  So was the board game aisle.  But our shopping trip became serious when we found this:

That's right ladies and gentlemen!  It's the infamous item advertised on television to keep your snacks from spilling.  We grabbed it off the shelf and knew it had to become ours.  Before we had made it to the checkout, we had already come up with at least a dozen uses for this item. 

We spent the next 45 minutes testing the product, finding new uses, creating our own commercial, and laughing ourselves silly.  (It was also reported that she was the hit of the softball team the next day.)

I guess the advertisers forgot to mention the product's power to produce giggles!

At Last!

It's been two weeks since I've been out of school.  While things have been a little slower, today was the first day I truly felt relaxed.  Despite it heat and humidity, I sat out on my deck and actually read an entire magazine from cover to cover.  It was dated October 2010 so I'm a bit behind on my reading, but it was enjoyable none the less.

And look who stopped by....

Just another piece of photographic evidence for those who don't believe in my albino bunny friend.

Family Mysteries

I've been absent for a bit.  The end of kindergarten took a bit bigger toll on me due to the attachment I formed with this particular group.  But summer is here.  While it seems to be filling up quickly, I'm looking forward to a little time to reconnect with all those things I love besides my job.

Last weekend, I was able to spend time with my mother and two of her sisters.  It's always great to spend time with them.  We went to the cemetary where my grandfather is buried.  It was the first time I had been back since my grandfather's funeral.  Right next to my grandfather's gravemarker were the gravemarkers of my great-grandparents.  Looking at the date, I realized my great-grandfather had been alive for the first three years of my life.  I couldn't help but wonder, what did he think?  Did he know me?  Was I someone he thought of or talked about?  It seems so strange to be a small part of this man's life when  have no recollection of him.

And then, I thought of my 6 year old niece.  She was a baby when my grandfather (her great-grandfather) past away.  We took her to see him in the nursing home.  We introduced her to her great-grandfather.  Although he was no longer speaking when this little blonde haired, brown eyed beauty entered his world, I like to think he knew.  He spoke so few words in his life, but he was oh so proud of his family.  I would like to think the birth of another little girl added more joy to his big, silent heart.

Some things will always be a mystery, but that doesn't mean I can't add my "happily ever after" twist to them.

Albino Bunny

This is my friend, Albino Bunny.  He is a little camera shy, so it may be difficult to truly appreciate his coloring.  Trust me, he is not like the little brown bunnies in my neighborhood.

Last spring, I discovered I had moved into a bunny friendly environment.  The rabbits were everywhere all the time. I even had to step in and save baby bunnies from the neighbor's cat once in awhile. 

And then I met Albino Bunny.  At first, I couldn't believe my eyes.  Here was this one bunny with more white to his coloring than brown.  He was rarely with other bunnies.  He seemed to choose to show up alone.  He never bothered the garden areas.  I stuck to the patch of clover instead.  He became a fixture for me.

Well, my friend is back.  Most mornings, he is out feeding in the yard when I leave for work.  The sound of the garage door and the car pulling down the driveway doesn't seem to startle him.  He simply continues feeding.  He returns most evenings to say goodnight as he feasts on his bedtime snack. 

I just hope he continues to keep me company for many years to come.