Slip-Sliding in the bomb-cyclone

What a Week!

What a Winter!
As I sat in my classroom, I had no idea just how bad it was getting out there.  We did not close early, so I thought it shouldn't be too bad driving home... Not!

It was actually one of the worst commutes I have ever had.  
I was slip-sliding on straight roads and was dreading all the windy hills.  On one of the hills, my car had no traction.  
It was so bad that I actually drove in reverse all the way back
down the hill and decided to take a much longer route home.  
The back roads are the last to be plowed, so I stayed on state highways as much as possible.
My 15 minute commute turned into an hour.
Knowing I had a long way to go, I pulled over to compose myself, said a prayer, and called my husband.  
I don't think I went faster than 20mph for most of the way home.
Pulling in the garage felt like a 
m i r a c l e.

Stay warm and cozy dear friends!

Thanks for visiting ... and here's the link to visit more wonderful skies around the world!

Please join us at

~  B l e s s i n g s    a l w a y s  ~

Maria

cheerful helpers

every little bit helps

keep a smile on my face

while washing dishes!


{like a fun pair of gloves and a bright pink sponge}

. . . the cheerful heart has a continual feast . . .
-Proverbs 15: 15

Isn't it the little things in life

that bring cheer and joy

to your heart?

I hope you are having a happy week,

love,

      Maria

Nooo... Not Jury Duty!

That was my reaction to the call for

After all,

I'm busy teaching,

my father's been with us and will return in a few days

{He's home for some check-ups and is coming back for Christmastime}

...oh yea...

and... It's CHRISTMAS!

I was at work until 6:40 on Friday preparing for my substitute.

{and making my room pretty for Christmas}

I didn't want to go downtown for jury duty;

what was it going to be like anyway!

This morning, the roads were greasy...traffic on the interstates was rush hour thick.

To find parking, I had to use the ginormous parking garage of a major hotel.

Security confiscated my camera until I left the building.

{I see this rule as very archaic since all of us still had our cellphones}.

There were 125 of us in one of the courtrooms.  We filled out all the paperwork

...and waited...

for our numbers to be selected for a jury.

...we waited some more...

{Was this a good sign?}

It was!

A jury was not needed since the people settled out of court.

We were all dismissed.

I had the afternoon off.

Another Christmas surprise.
Sometimes God's gifts come in unexpected packaging!

Heaven knew I needed a break.

~

Our group was dismissed.

But there was another jury there today, in a different part of the building,
determining someone's fate.

The news teams were all there.

~

Such a different day for me.

It was a real learning experience.
There's quite a process to justice.

 And,  it's so much better to be on "this side" of the law.

~

Jury duty in America is not optional.

If you are called, you must go.

What does your state or country demand of you?

Have you ever been called for jury duty?

~
I hope your week started out well.
It's very cold here ~ keeping warm under lots of wool!

Wishing you all

peace, joy and warm hearts

a penny for your thoughts

This little penny-size cutie, can hold 2 Gig of storage!

Recently,
one of my students produced a PowerPoint presentation for the class.
She had it saved to this little penguin flash-drive.

I just marveled at how much it could store in it's tiny little head,
so I quickly took a picture of it with my cellphone.
Then I looked it up on Amazon.com
Look what I found!
More cuties!

This was the computer room at the University at Albany back in the '70's.

My husband, Chris, used to go to computer lab in there.

I remember he used punch cards for his computer programs.

It could address a little more than 2 Gig of storage.

-the same storage as the penny-size flash drive-

~

This is my son, Jason's new cell phone.
His sunglasses are his background.
J's a funny guy.

It can store up to 32GB of optional memory!
Yesterday, when he chose his new phone, the salesperson at Verizon Wireless
was trying to talk him into the internet service.

She said, "Oh, it's so cheap, only $1 a day,

Everyone can afford an extra dollar a day."

To which Jason replied...
Well, since I must sign a two year contract,
at the end of the two years...that would be an extra.....

$730.

"Oh," she said.
{Sales pitch over.}
~

What times we are living in!

Technology is growing exponentially.

Have you seen the "Did You Know?" presentations?

{produced by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod}

They are amazing.

I saw the 2.0 version a few years ago, now there is a 4.0 version.

 

So much changes in just a couple of years!

So much talk everywhere, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs...

Do you Tweet yet?

I only tweet to my little birds in the backyard!

I do love blogging though :D

especially because of

Y O U !

 

 

I think I'll make myself a cup o' tea now

and remember

that God doesn't change!

His Love and Spirit are

Omnipresent

Omnipotent

Omniscient

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17

~

Giving Thanks and Wishing You Joy,

Walking a Mile in Comfort

If  I  Am

Walking

a

M I L E

~

I must

walk

in

C O M F O R T

. . . Although  Barbie's  shoes  are  gorgeous . . .

Could I ever spend a work day in them?

~

 My workday begins at 7:30am.

Classroom is on the second floor.

All the floors are hard tile.

Hallways are long.

Bells ring, 

rush-rush

rush.

and then,

to the grocery store.

Finally arriving home at 5:45pm.

Could I ever spend a work day in Barbie's shoes?

No Way!

My aching feet choose comfort over beauty.

Java Mary Jane's are so cozy.  They're almost like slippers.

I found them on sale at LL Bean.

and they were even less with my $10 off coupon!

* 

My black ones are from Sketchers.

I love sneakers that pretend to be Mary Janes :o)

Keep Comfy

*

Stay Cozy
*

Love your Feet!

Summer Memories to take to School

It seems like summer just flew by, but as I stroll through my pictures,
I begin strolling through the weeks once again...
~How sweet~


Tuesday, I go back to school.
It's 'teacher staff day.'
I have to do a presentation on Windows Vista to
...an audience of teachers...
Wish me luck ;o)

Then, Wednesday the kids come.

I know that I can pray every morning for
*a spirit that's always renewed*
*a heart that is loving*
*an attitude of respect*
*an energizer body*
*a classroom that is welcoming*

*all of the above...so there'll be a sweet ride home*

~relaxing in a quiet car after my traditional stop at Dunkin' Donuts :o)

Tonight, I pray for teachers and school children everywhere...
but most of all for
parents who partner with God
to be their first and most important teachers.

Photos: summer memories, windows vista screen, here comes the bus, one of my many travel mugs ;) and the green space in my neighborhood on a moonlit night.