"HAVE A BLESSED EASTER"

On this day, I wish you and yours a blessed Easter.

So many memories of Easters past still remain with me and that's a good

thing for it is those that make me happy. I well remember how much my

mom hated finding that plastic Easter grass everywhere! Personally, I loved it.

When my sons were old enough to have their own baskets, did they have

that shredded plastic grass? Yes, they did! And I'd find remnants of it a year

later hidden here and hidden there.

Looking back, I don't think I ever ate a dyed Easter egg nor did my sons.

Who would want to eat one that had been outside rolled around and cracked?

But the joy was in finding it--just a simple pleasure.

Easter was a day of dressing up and as a young girl, I had to wear a hat chosen by 

my mom and never liked any of them. Ever. My dresses weren't so bad but they had

to be made of cotton when I was a child and almost a teenager. Flimsy organza dresses

were considered taboo--isn't that a dumb thing? But they were. And all girls had to wear

socks with black or white shoes on Easter. I came to have a long hate affair with socks

for that reason.

As I got older, it was common for teenage girls to walk around the neighborhood all dressed 

up on Easter. Think "Easter Parade" left over for years and years but we did it. And lo and

behold, we got to choose our own hats and they were humdingers if ever! Big, flowery and

now considered "retro." I wish I had a picture to show you but those have been long gone.

My fondest Easter memories were of a huge family dinner and then going for a long drive 

to our capitol building here in town and into upper scale neighborhoods just to sight see.

And of course there was the proverbial Easter basket that seemed to never change much

for me: I didn't get toys. Candy. Lots of candy and jelly beans. And there was a feeling in

the air of a brand new day--perhaps that is truly what Easter is all about aside from the

real reason.

Today I wish you and yours a blessed Easter. And hope you have many memories to draw

up on as I do.

Sherry Hill

"TODAY IS THE IDES OF MARCH"

Today is The Ides of March and it's a date in history that was not a good one at all--especially for Julius Caesar. He didn't listen to the soothsayer who told him "Beware the Ides of March." And Caesar's best friend Brutus took his life. Caesar's last words were "Et tu Brute?" [You too Brutus?] Others in the senate also helped slay Caesar. Of course it was as it has been in history, a power play--a tragic one at that which has been repeated over and over down through the centuries.

As for me, I am always cautious on this date. Always.

Two years ago, I had a series of three bad things happen that eventually led me taking to my bed. The first thing that happened was a man in a truck by the side of my house shouting "Stay there pretty girl." I was visible and thought he was talking to me. After he said that several times, he drove off the hill. Curious me went over to the other side of my car to see who the man was talking to; I saw it all right. There stood a huge pit bull and I didn't think I'd make it back to my front door. But I did.

Two hours later, a one-eyed possum appeared in my yard and it was daylight. Whoever sees one-eyed possums? I can raise my hand in that I did that day.

Feeling sort of shaky, I took the two incidents in stride, did some things around the house and then decided to fix a steak for dinner. As I was frying it in a pan, some grease dripped onto the burner and fire jumped up! Had to put out the fire and remove the semi-cooked steak, clean up the mess and by then I was exhausted. Fearing that worse would descend upon me, I took to my bed. And I guess you could say it was a good thing considering what had happened that day--March 15, The Ides of March!

If you are out and about today, be on the safe side. Why risk trouble? After all, it is March 15.

Beware! I sure do.

Sherry Hill

"DON'T LIKE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ANYMORE"

When I was little, I loved daylight savings time--not in the winter but summer was fantastic. Loved playing outside and although it was late, it was still daylight. The older I become, the less I like it. In fact, guess you could say I loathe it. Who likes dark at 5 in the evenings in winter? Not me nor many of my friends. And this morning, we had to set our clocks ahead one hour. Sure does mess with our internal clocks that we have out of kilter now.

Maybe you don't have daylight savings time where you live and count yourself lucky.

It was started here in the US by the government during WWII to give farmers an extra hour of daylight so that they could get more work done. Well, the war has long been over. I read on twitter that the government is considering doing away with daylight savings time. I wish they would. My late mom used to say "I don't like people messing with my time." Now I understand what she meant for I don't either.

It takes weeks to get used to "springing ahead" one hour. Remember in my classroom that not only was I out of whack that first Monday after the clocks had to be set ahead but so were my students. All of us were in a semi-coma. Who likes to feel like that? And it takes weeks to get used to it.

Animals don't have to worry for they have their own internal clocks--animals in the wild that is. Domesticated animals on the other hand have problems for they are fed at specific times and that means that the owners have to be on schedule. My dog and cat are already chomping at the bit to be fed and I know that I will be late in feeding them. Not with it yet.

Good luck tomorrow at your job. I'm sure that a lot of people will be late or miss an appointment; may even miss getting to work on time. As for me, I loathe daylight savings time. Time should be left alone and not manipulated by man--it already is manipulated enough as it is. Can you or I do anything about it? Doubtful. Meanwhile, you will probably feel like the woman in the picture. Don't forget to "spring forward" if you live in the US. And give yourself a couple of weeks to get used to it. It takes that long.

Sherry Hill

*Photo from someecards.com

"A MONTH AGO, RUFUS CAME INTO MY LIFE"

Forever it seems, I've always had a dog--not as a child but when my sons were little, my then-husband and I got a collie for them. What a life changer it was for me. That dog became a joy and a trusty companion to my sons and lived a long life. Over the years there have been numerous dogs in this household until this past May when I lost my dog Shiloh. I found her at the school where I taught and to make a long story short, she wound up at my house where she lived for twelve years. Losing her was heartbreaking: Seemed that everything went all at once with her. And once again, I made the fateful trip to the vet's office to have her put to sleep. And the pain and the tears didn't stop for a long time.

Months passed and although I have a cat, I was "dogless." Never had been before and certainly didn't want to rush out and just pick any dog. I knew I would know the right dog when I saw it. My county has a shelter and a facebook site: I looked and looked. Went twice and the second time brought home a female dog that was more of a puppy; I had her here on trial. Well, of course on the second day it would snow ten inches and the dog bit through her leash leaving me with only a belt to take her outside. The snow covered her up. When she came back in, she started jumping from the floor to the kitchen sink, from the floor to the bathroom counter and on and on. Aside from being snowbound, I was hysterical with a jumper dog. Never had one. And so she was returned to the shelter and I was sad for a while at not keeping her but relieved in a way at the same time. She took more time and attention than my two sons did when they were young. No, I wasn't coping with that dog at all.

Kept going back to the shelter's facebook site and then one day a little over a month ago, there he was: I saw his picture and his eyes got me from the get go. He didn't look like he does in this picture for he was dark tan. Made a bee line to the shelter and when I saw him, he was pure white! Found out that he had coal dust all over him when his picture was taken. Someone there named him Louie. He was definitely not a Louise. I took him out back of the shelter on his leash and two men were out there that worked there."What's his name?" asked one man. "Louie" I replied. "That dog is not a Louie" said the man. Boy I was sure of that too. "I wanted to call him Rufus" I said and all of a sudden the dog's ears shot up. "I like that name:" said the man. Apparently Rufus did too for he seemed to know that name.

Back inside with Rufus and signed the papers and my dear friend arrived to pay for him. It was her gift to me for the loss of my dog Shiloh. What a wonderful thing for her to do. Had to wait till the next day to get him for he had to be neutered. On his papers, it was written that he was part Samoyed.  I'm sure the other part is golden retriever for he has those features as well. Doesn't matter to me but oh is he beautiful. And even better, whomever had him had trained him: He was housebroken and knew words like "wait" and "stay."

My cat, Maysie, was not thrilled to have him in the house as she had been here first. The usual hissing and spitting still goes on but they are attempting to get along--at least Rufus is. Maysie lurks and comes out to eat and play--high up that is.

A month ago Rufus came into my life and I am beyond happy. Yes, a dog is a lot of responsibility and much more than a cat but I actually enjoy taking him outside even if he is getting frisky when he smells the ground. He makes me feel complete. I am so glad that I didn't give up on searching for another dog and even more glad that I rescued him or maybe I should say that he rescued me for he did. The circle is now complete again. If you lose a dog to death, you are well aware of the hurt and pain but it shouldn't be a deterrent in getting another one ever. It takes time to heal and time to find the right one. Rufus' eyes got me in his picture and I am so glad that they did: He is everything I thought he would be and more.

Sherry Hill

"NOW I HATE WINTER!"

This morning it was a balmy 13 degrees with a wind chill of 3 degrees. Fine if you are inside but I had to take my dog out in that freezing biting stinging cold. Yes, I had on a heavy coat but no gloves or hat. Reason? I didn't look at the weather forecast on tv. After about six or seven minutes outside, my dog and I were ready to run back into the house.

And now the temperature has risen because snow is on the way. And more snow in the latter part of the week.  Used to love winter and the things that are associated with it like sleigh riding, making snowmen but that was then and this is now.  My body cannot take the extreme cold.

When you have a dog, you have no choice but to make a mad dash outside when it's freezing cold, sleeting or snowing. None.

Winter and I used to have an agreement of sorts: I dealt with it and apparently it dealt with me in a not so bad way. Now not only do I now like it, I hate it. Where I live we have the four seasons for which I am grateful--spring, summer, fall and the one I am not grateful for now, winter. Fear of falling and breaking every bone in my body is not on my top ten list of things I want to do and neither is shoveling snow.  Also the frigid temperatures leave me chilling right down to the bare bone and that's with layers and layers of clothes on as well as a hat, gloves and a coat. Being stuck in the house when the streets are snow laden is not a favorite of mine either--cabin fever sets in really quick.

And it's still January with months to go with winter deciding what it wants to do--be calm or be wild.   I need a magic wand but winter wouldn't care one bit. All I can do is deal with it and hate it at this point in my life. I don't think I'm alone in my thoughts.

Sherry Hill

"THE FLU GOT ME!"

Before Christmas, I had every intention of writing a post--that is until I came down with the flu.

On December 8, 2012, I had gone to my regular doctor and had the flu shot. "Oh I'll escape it" I thought to myself because the year before when I got that shot, I wound up with pneumonia. Yep, I'm one of those lucky ones who gets adverse reactions. Two days before Christmas,  a headache started and would not go away. Lasted two days despite taking medicine for it. Then came the nausea and congestion. Chills upon chills made me take to my bed when I didn't want to but had no choice.

Christmas seemed a blur to me. Yes, family was here and I didn't have a temperature at that time so they were spared. There would be no way I'd expose them to the flu.

The next week was not fun at all. Aside from the chills, I was so congested that trying to sleep on two pillows didn't help one bit and what sleep? Called my doctor and spoke to a nurse. Described my symptoms and told her I had the flu shot. I was advised not to come to the office for it was full of people with the flu--who'd want to sit there with them anyway? A prescription was phoned in and picked up by my son who barely opened my front door and sort of threw it in. Can't say I blame him for he didn't want to get sick.

Ten morose days did not whiz by: They dragged. I dragged. Watched television some, tried to sleep some and not one thing productive was done and I didn't care.

I've now been over the ghastly flu. Apparently the flu shot I received and no doubt you might have, does not cover all the strains that are out there floating around waiting to jump on someone.

I'm sorry that I let you, the readers, down; it is not like me to not write. Perhaps I'll be writing so much that it will seem like an avalanche of stories for during that time I did a lot of thinking.

Take care of you and I hope and pray that you don't become a flu victim. Stay away from anyone that appears sick. Who wants it? I sure didn't.

Sherry Hill

REELING FROM THE CT. SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

From the minute I heard the news about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, CT, I could not stop thinking about it. Numb and in disbelief and then reality set in for I was an elementary school teacher—a fact which made this evil seem even closer to me. It could have happened at my school. It could have been my class or other students. But thank God, it wasn’t. But for those little babies to have died in such a way is unthinkable to anyone. The principal, counselor and other teachers that lost their lives were heroes. And none of them had a chance for there is no chance when someone is wielding an assault gun. None.

I have had prior students that were documented over and over due to their violent behavior and some who were sullen were also documented by me. Yes, the principal knew about them and meetings were held to discuss this abnormal behavior and plans were laid out for courses of action. Were the parents notified? Yes but did most show up for the meetings? No or if they did, they were nonchalant about their children’s behavior. I followed these students as they progressed through my school and into middle school. Some changed but for the most part, their behavior only intensified into the danger zone. Again, teachers and administrators documented this behavior on permanent record cards and other mandated school documents.

Lost track of some of these students who by the way were all males—odd but true. Six of them turned out to be imprisoned. Did I know that would happen? Yes as did the teachers before and after me who had them predicted their fate which came true, sadly. And sadly, why weren't these students' permanent record cards checked yearly for intensifying violent behavior or that which was out of the norm? Principals and teachers checked them but any criminal sector of society cannot for these students are considered minors and it's illegal to look at these record cards. It is time for the privacy act towards these documents be changed for lives could be saved. That is out of my control: The law needs changed toward this and now. Perhaps you are not aware of this privacy act but I urge you to think about the consequences of it and having it changed. Only those in the federal government can act on changing the privacy act re students' permanent record cards.

I want to say that if you have a child that is misbehaving out of the norm, please see it as a big red flag. Getting help for him or her is nothing to be ashamed of but rather an act of helping them survive and cope in today’s world. My own sons went to the school where I taught and I told every teacher that they had to please let me know if anything irregular came up: I wanted to know. Yes, many kids change for the better with help and vigil. But others fall through the cracks and become more violent. The students I had that became imprisoned had major documented accounts on their permanent record cards.

There is no undo button on what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary last Friday. It was the most heinous and evil act ever and I grieve over those that lost their lives as do you. A normal mind does not premeditate such horror or act it out. I weep for the little lives lost as well as the adult ones.

May God have mercy on the souls that perished that day. I will never forget it nor will you. Keep your children to your heart, tell them that you love them and hope that this horror is never repeated. 

Sherry Hill