I AM SO TIRED, SO HAPPY AND SO CONTENT.
THE INTERNET AS A FRIEND OR FOE HAS MY LIFE BEEN FILLED WITH ILL FORTUNE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE THING... MY JOEY IS HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN.
Since I last posted here is my newsflash update...
February 9th my son emailed me (actually FB chat thank you very much!) that he was on his way from the base of the Himalayas, his stopover from exiting Afghanistan through Akrakistan (SP?) and would I be able to come to Camp Legune NC for his homecoming. Joey has always called me momma when he was excited, ever so loving or touched with issues he didn't quite know how to handle. Momma term for endearment.
I did what any momma would, I drove through the night to be there, making a 4 hour pit stop to sleep in DC, then on down to Camp Legune, NC. Got to the base about 1PM signed in and spent the day milling about 2 bases, got lost on a tar mac at the artillery/infantry base and then ended up on a golf course at another.
Finally about 6:30 PM we were allowed inot the receiving gym for the homecoming where F&F gathered, made posters, sang, danced, and shared stories of our sons coming home. A nice little hot dog indoor BBQ, plenty of snacks and hot cocoa or coffee were there to warm us up (it was 17 degrees without the chill factor and wind). About 7:30 PM it was reported that the first wave of flights had landed and FOX company was in the first wave! Yes! Another 3 hours passed and they cleared weapons checks and marched in. Looking for Joey in a crowd of over 1100 MARINES and with my new friends from Lancaster PA we found our sons, a Corporal and my son a Lance CPL. The next 1 1/2 hours were spent retrieveing their gear, dumped one atop the other all looking exactly the same with no more than the little miners headlight you wear on a band around your head to light the way.
A few beers, hugs and crys later we ended up at his home in Holly Ridge, now 1:30AM we talked a bit and shared memories more hugs and tears. Home safe for the time being with all of March off as leave I hope and pray Joey gets the well deserved R&R he is hoping for...
Back in the car and driving home late Sunday in time for Valentine's dinner with my own sweetheart. Very sweet Valentine's Day for BOB and I.
The next day I twisted my ankle as it just went out from under me and then on Thurssday it did it again, this time landing me in the hospital ER. Crutches and to the orthopedic on President Day Monday. Xrays, crutches, pain killers, and back to get a camo boot that goes up to the knee, removable but very restrictive and heavy! 6-8 weeks of this and I might yet end up in a hard cast to boot!
Finishing up 2 doctoral courses one on Saturday one yesterday, and today brain dead but have 5 more papers to finish by Wednesday and that will complete 2 more courses (the IP's I had from the holiday fiasco...) Earned a 99.55 % in one course, 99.81%, 98.02%, and 93.40%. Today I gave a staff presentation on CCSS (common core state standards) aligning NYS with the district I am a regular sub in for my doctoral internship. I put in over 120 hours of free labor and wowed them with the Powerpoint and handouts. The principal was deeply appreciative of all the work, thought, and details I put into the handouts. Now they have their work cut out for them.... It is nice to see the governemnt trying to do something poisitive with aligning the standards, now if they would just quit taking the funding away....
So sorry of late that I have been MIA, literally.
Will post pictures soon and more poetry. That is another story too, I cancelled the publishing contract due to their fraudulent tactics, ineptness, and constant insistence of calling me MR. in phone conversations or emails. If they could not proper English and grammar in their emails, get my gender right, and the priiicing correct I was nopt going to endear my life's treasures with them for destruction. Happy to say that after 3 months of arguing and I threatening a major lawsuit, class action one too, I finally received all but a $35 cancellation fee back. You just never know who to trust!
I will be back to regularly PS posting next week and hope to rejoin my tea society friends soon too.
Love you all!
Valrie
Thought it about time to post a different picture of me old bones! Can't wait to get my hair cut like this again. It grows so fast and short hair is high maintenance but I love it and it's time to cut the locks again!
Funky huh?
Got my refill, keyboard at my fingertips stopping by you to read what was on your lips!
THE INTERNET AS A FRIEND OR FOE HAS MY LIFE BEEN FILLED WITH ILL FORTUNE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE THING... MY JOEY IS HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN.
Since I last posted here is my newsflash update...
February 9th my son emailed me (actually FB chat thank you very much!) that he was on his way from the base of the Himalayas, his stopover from exiting Afghanistan through Akrakistan (SP?) and would I be able to come to Camp Legune NC for his homecoming. Joey has always called me momma when he was excited, ever so loving or touched with issues he didn't quite know how to handle. Momma term for endearment.
I did what any momma would, I drove through the night to be there, making a 4 hour pit stop to sleep in DC, then on down to Camp Legune, NC. Got to the base about 1PM signed in and spent the day milling about 2 bases, got lost on a tar mac at the artillery/infantry base and then ended up on a golf course at another.
Finally about 6:30 PM we were allowed inot the receiving gym for the homecoming where F&F gathered, made posters, sang, danced, and shared stories of our sons coming home. A nice little hot dog indoor BBQ, plenty of snacks and hot cocoa or coffee were there to warm us up (it was 17 degrees without the chill factor and wind). About 7:30 PM it was reported that the first wave of flights had landed and FOX company was in the first wave! Yes! Another 3 hours passed and they cleared weapons checks and marched in. Looking for Joey in a crowd of over 1100 MARINES and with my new friends from Lancaster PA we found our sons, a Corporal and my son a Lance CPL. The next 1 1/2 hours were spent retrieveing their gear, dumped one atop the other all looking exactly the same with no more than the little miners headlight you wear on a band around your head to light the way.
A few beers, hugs and crys later we ended up at his home in Holly Ridge, now 1:30AM we talked a bit and shared memories more hugs and tears. Home safe for the time being with all of March off as leave I hope and pray Joey gets the well deserved R&R he is hoping for...
Back in the car and driving home late Sunday in time for Valentine's dinner with my own sweetheart. Very sweet Valentine's Day for BOB and I.
The next day I twisted my ankle as it just went out from under me and then on Thurssday it did it again, this time landing me in the hospital ER. Crutches and to the orthopedic on President Day Monday. Xrays, crutches, pain killers, and back to get a camo boot that goes up to the knee, removable but very restrictive and heavy! 6-8 weeks of this and I might yet end up in a hard cast to boot!
Finishing up 2 doctoral courses one on Saturday one yesterday, and today brain dead but have 5 more papers to finish by Wednesday and that will complete 2 more courses (the IP's I had from the holiday fiasco...) Earned a 99.55 % in one course, 99.81%, 98.02%, and 93.40%. Today I gave a staff presentation on CCSS (common core state standards) aligning NYS with the district I am a regular sub in for my doctoral internship. I put in over 120 hours of free labor and wowed them with the Powerpoint and handouts. The principal was deeply appreciative of all the work, thought, and details I put into the handouts. Now they have their work cut out for them.... It is nice to see the governemnt trying to do something poisitive with aligning the standards, now if they would just quit taking the funding away....
So sorry of late that I have been MIA, literally.
Will post pictures soon and more poetry. That is another story too, I cancelled the publishing contract due to their fraudulent tactics, ineptness, and constant insistence of calling me MR. in phone conversations or emails. If they could not proper English and grammar in their emails, get my gender right, and the priiicing correct I was nopt going to endear my life's treasures with them for destruction. Happy to say that after 3 months of arguing and I threatening a major lawsuit, class action one too, I finally received all but a $35 cancellation fee back. You just never know who to trust!
I will be back to regularly PS posting next week and hope to rejoin my tea society friends soon too.
Love you all!
Valrie
Thought it about time to post a different picture of me old bones! Can't wait to get my hair cut like this again. It grows so fast and short hair is high maintenance but I love it and it's time to cut the locks again!
And since I am wearing HOT PINK... that's one PINK for today!
This is Lilly, my newest great niece! She was born late February to my nephew Ken (Sgt. Army, in Germany) and Ursula (German born) and her big brother Jonathan. She is the perfect picture of pink.
Okay botanists.. is this pink lotus bud just perfect?
Or how 'bout stepping out in these hotties?!
I have a pale pink oversized ruffle trimmed purse that matches the.Too bad I broke my ankle it will be awhile before wearing these lovelies again.!
Get Pinked!
Pink shoes, pink dress, Pink saturday night...
Pink surrounds me and brings me delight!
Pink in the sky on every new dawn
Glistening pink sunbeams while I simply yawn.
Pink hues of rainbows and prisms of glass
Pink pearls and lace, and pretty pink glass.
Pink in the hair, pink on my toes
Pink in Paris for Pink fashion shows.
Pink in the gardens where pink tulips grow!
Pink fruit on trees waiting to be plucked
Pink on the highways, cars, buses and trucks!
Pink in my jewelry, pink fine dining wine
Pink pearled candles with pink flames that shine.
Pink grapes cling to the vines all around
Pink baubles and beads on artworks are found.
Pink feathered birds flying high in the sky
Pink here, there, PINK PINK PINK oh my!
Poems My Way - Valrie 03/18/2011
Is this just too cute? That's my Joey, a Marine, LC CPL in Afghanistan with a hedgehog he found and made a pet of for a few hours...
He has been just nearly a month now, went on leave March 1st and has to report back April 1st, no joke. He told me it is Hell over there and 24/7 times 7 months they fought to stay alive. His unit is up for the Presidential Medal of Honor...
Well, back in the grind with my research and papers to write. Projects and interviews, doing a case study today on how adults learn. Please answer these questions.???????????????????????????????????????
How do you learn best?
Are you a self-directed learner, informal learner, incidental learner, accidental learner, lifelong learner?
Do you prefer formal instruction, online, or just wingibng it? Do you enjoy group work or prefer to be a loner?
Got my refill, keyboard at my fingertips stopping by you to read what was on your lips!