The word anticipation has more than one meaning. In the best sense of the word, anticipation means to be conscious of others. In a world that seems to have sprung from Narcissus’s lake at a rate of a # 5 hurricane, anticipating one another will definitely be the last thing on our list unless we come to realize that anticipating others makes life a lot easier for ourselves.

Christ spoke of it. “Anticipate one another.” I’ve spent a lifetime wondering what people think this really means.

Here are some little examples of what I think anticipation is:

I am driving down the highway and I notice in the distance that the “on ramp” has a string of traffic, so I get into the fast lane NOW to avoid a compromise thirty seconds later.

I am pouring a cup of coffee at 5:45 a.m. and glance at the counter where the crock pot has been sitting for a month. As I drink my coffee, I put a pound of frozen meat, a package of carrots, some tomato sauce, bouillon, and a cup of wine into it and plug it in, so that a delicious dinner can be ready and waiting for my family when I return from work.

I know my kids will need OTC meds this winter, so the next time I’m at the drug store, I collect all the things I think they will need next time they are ill including two big liters of ginger ale to be hidden until needed.

I am racing to the door of my building, and there is an older woman who is just reaching the top of the stairs. I know it will be a hardship for her to handle that flight and then a heavy door. I stop, wait, and open the door for her.

My best friend’s birthday is around the corner. I spend a few minutes next time I am on Amazon to look for that book she has been talking about. I buy the book so that it is in my possession when her birthday arrives.

I know that it’s a busy time of year for my daughter with kids, so I purposely set time aside to help out with the Christmas rush, so I volunteer to sit or run errands or clean or do whatever is needed.

Anticipation of others means thinking about someone else first. It means making the coffee first, changing the paper towel first, answering the phone…It means doing a little extra to make someone else’s life easier or better, and consequently, making things easier for ourselves.

But anticipation means thinking it through. It means thinking about what might or could be needed at any point in time and doing the work that’s needed. Nobody can cover it all, but even covering a little more every day will matter to the people around you.

One of the nice things that was anticipated for me recently was the removal of the Christmas Tree at school. I always do this the day after the big school Santa party, so that the general clean up can begin. My friend and teacher, Nita, offered to come help me. Usually, I do this alone, and it’s a big job, but this year, Nita anticipated my need and helped. It was a HUGE help and much appreciated.

Follow through is the activity most people struggle with. Making sure things are finished in a timely and happy way is the downfall of many of us. By anticipating the struggle, anyone can make following through easier. Let’s look at a child’s art project as an example.

It’s a two day project. It involves paint, glue, parts, thread, glitter and eyes! Before you head into this, the problems will arise from one thing – children’s lack of organizational skills. So to avoid that, anticipate what will happen. By putting a name on every part so that when something inevitably falls on the floor, we know who it belongs to, and the endless confusion is lessened. Making a place in advance for every child’s work to dry helps. Make sure every child has a pre-named bundle to begin with will eliminate confusion and create a manageable scheme of doing every step. Many teachers would simply begin, and then get angry when chaos breaks out. The point is to anticipate the chaos and stave it off with a before the fact organization…thinking it through.

One of my jobs is to feed, water and clean our zoo room every day. I need a lot of supplies to keep more than ten species of birds and animals fed and clean so that the zoo room will be a healthy and happy little place. I anticipate problems I might find in the zoo room, including buying the supplies I need before I absolutely need them, and I make sure I am at school way ahead of the children so that I can “fix” any possible problem. One morning I came in to six baby bunnies strewn across the floor. If I had walked in with the first child, he or she would have seen that.

In everything we do there are anticipations of other people’s needs. Thinking about others begins with thinking about ourselves. What would I want if I were in their place? What do they need that I can supply. It’s a life saver anyway you look at it.

Good Morning!

It’s another school day today. We open at the regular time: 7:00 a.m. and it will be a full day of school. This week we will be taking a look at geography and what geography is. We will look at the globe and some maps, and will concentrate on the Polar regions. We will watch Shackleton’s adventure to the South Pole. I could not find Whale Blubber anywhere, so we will not be sampling this treat during our Polar studies.

Today’s fare is Lasagna with fresh fruit and a big salad.

Please remember to have children wear long sleeves during these cold days.

And a kindly reminder that children requiring over the counter medication in the morning should be evaluated for illness. Please keep illness at home. Children who are kept home from school on their first day of illness will recover much more quickly.

Children will need coats, hats, and mittens every day.

Children’s social theme this week is on “anticipating the needs of others.” Article to follow this week here on the blog.

Have a great week!

Last minute Christmas gift?

What is the main ingredient of WD-40?
Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is? Don’t lie and don’t cheat.

Who knew; I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do…. Probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I’m impressed!

WD-40 who knew? ‘Water Displacement #40’. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a ‘water displacement’ compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The convert Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you… When you read the ‘shower door’ part, try it. It’s the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It’s a miracle! Then try it on your stove top … Viola! It’s now shinier than it’s ever been. You’ll be amazed.

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floors that ‘just-waxed’ sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps flies off cows. (I love this one!)
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn’t seem to harm the finish and you won’t have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children’s playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers…
22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open..
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida’s favorite use is: ‘cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.’
38. The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it’s a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you’ve discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

P.S. The basic ingredient is
FISH OIL.

Every now and then, someone says to me, “You really need to slow down.” It always makes me laugh and remember that high energy people are really fundamentally different from regular people.

This year, my wonderful and delightful grandson, William, has been despised by his second grade teacher because he is high energy. Now let me give you an insight into William. Yesterday, I bought his mother a couple of sets of new dishes. The dishes came in two boxes with many little boxes within. William took all the boxes and made a town from them. From one of the big boxes, he made a hotel complete with front desk and a bench for the Lego people he made to play in the hotels, and then a working elevator. He played with those boxes for three hours while his brothers lasted about one hour and two hours. And then, William dutifully put his creation away. William is seven. In school, this child deplores waiting for the next worksheet to arrive on his desk. He was once in trouble for taking his teacher’s paperclips and making a necklace out of them. He was called a thief. This child is the first to bounce down the stairs and grip you with a hug and with his beautiful smile, thank you for coming and thank you for all that you do for him. Remember, this child is hated.

William is hated for the same reason I’ve been hated often in my life. It’s the energy level that just never quits. It’s a bank of energy that is rarely depleted, and that is a gig most people just can’t keep up with.

Several times in my teaching career, a psychologist has graced my school to watch one of our children. Before this show even gets started, the shrink will invariably ask, “Do you think this child is a candidate for medication?” RED LIGHTS and SIRENS always go off in my mind like a tornado warning. “Why?” I coyly respond. They always look me like I am nuts. “If you want to medicate someone, why don’t you medicate the complaining parent?” Pause. “Why would you take this child’s energy level away?” The only response I have ever gotten is, “Well not everyone has this kind of energy, and it’s not always desirable.” Good God in heaven. Are people NUTS?

When people can’t keep up, there are two responses: hate and emulation. I always say, if you like the business you see, emulate, but don’t hate me because I have energy, and please don’t hate my grandson because he was lucky enough to get a fuller dosage of life than most.

William Sheldon, a splendid scientist, spent his life working on something called Somatotypes. This work takes different body types and draws personality types to bodies. Most of us are three way splits between the Ectomorph, the Endomorph, and the Mezomorph. And each body type will engage different levels of energy and needs. The Ectomorph is least body driven type, quiet, restful, slow to move and slow to enter the game with a low intake of food; someone who is passive and pensive. The Endomorph is the happy type, often fleshy, round, soft and sweet, gregarious, outgoing and filled with a love of eating and experiencing the whole world through the senses. The last type is the Mezomorph who eats anything and great amounts to keep going – food as fuel – who simply goes for ever, who is strong, has a pain threshold to die for, and whose senses are limitedly appreciated by the desire for what’s next.

When you combine the body types to energy levels, you get characters good enough to put into a novel.

As a classic hyperactive Mezomorph, I can’t sit. Went to the opera ONCE. Felt as if I was being eaten by fire ants. Music is fine if it doesn’t get in my way. Art is fine if it does something or can be used for something like teaching or a lesson in life. Reading during the day? Fire ants again. But when I do read, I can read anything in record time, about 2000 words a minute. Writing? I can turn out a five hundred page novel by getting up at 4:00 a.m. and writing 1.5 hours a day for a year. Did it eight times. So what, big deal.

But what does this mean? It means that energy belongs to some and not to others. It belongs to the hyperactive as a natural God given gift. It graces some people and is illusive in others, and for the hyperactive person, like me, and my grandson, and all my children, it is often an obstacle to others. That kind of energy is deplored in a world of what seems to us like it’s going in slow motion.

When William sits in a classroom with the outdoors calling, with the world peppered with possibilities, with interesting people, with sights to see, with people to watch, with the sky bright with a heaven filled, he has to sit for what seems to be forever waiting for another really stupid piece of paper that needs his full attention. And because his interests lie outside that classroom, they, who seem to be lacking, want him “evaluated and tested” and ultimately put on drugs so that they, who seem to be lacking the energy to keep up with him, can relax and not have to put up with a child who’s physically demanding and ultimately way ahead of them.

Often in my career, I have heard children who are poorly behaved called hyperactive. Ignorance of the hyperactive is just that – ignorance. Hyperactives are not generally poorly behaved, they are driven to do, to accomplish, to explore, to experience. When the care taking parent is not also possessing a high energy level, there is usually a conflict of bodies. One body wants to sit and be still, while another simply can’t and will do absolutely anything not to sit still.

Hyperactivity is a gift. In its directed form you get characters like Davy Crockett, Theodore Roosevelt, Columbus, St. Paul, and many many more people too filled with energy to just passively sit by and watch the world do it. The world is not a hyperactive’s entertainment unless they are playing full force. Not every hyperactive will do great things, and not every hyperactive will direct their energy toward great goals, and that’s their own fault. But at the least, hyperactivity should not be hated for what it is, especially in a child.

20^th Annual Indiana Heritage Quilt Show

Workshop and quilt entries now being accepted.

BLOOMINGTON, IN – On March 3-5, 2011, the 20^th annual Indiana Heritage Quilt Show will present quilting workshops led by well-known teachers, show over 200 quilts submitted from all over the world, and showcase special exhibits. One such exhibit is the Magical World of Mary Buvia, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit showcasing the tremendous quilts of award-wining quilter Mary Buvia, many of which have never been publicly viewed before.

Other exhibits will also be on display, including the competition quilts which are eligible for over $15,000 in prize money. Quilts are judged in 10 categories by well known and respected judges. A new, non-prize winning category has been added this year for young quiltmakers (aged 16 or younger). All quilt entries must be submitted by February 7, 2011.

The Indiana Heritage Quilt Show is proud to host eight world renowned instructors who will present three full days of workshops and lectures. Displays of their work will also be available for viewing. Workshops are also available for quilters of all experience levels and cover a wide range of techniques. Each workshop is limited in size and fills up quickly with registration ending on February 11, 2011.

Other features of the 2011 Indiana Heritage Quilt Show include the Merchant’s Mall, book signings and additional quilt-related exhibits at area museums. For more information regarding workshops, entries and exhibits, visit the IHQS website at www.IHQS.org or call 812-391-0009.

2011 Show Dates/Hours Quilt Show Admission Fees

Thur/Fri, March 3-4 9am- 6pm Adult $7 per day or $15 for three days

Sat, March 5 9am- 5pm Youth (7-12) $2

6 and younger Free

As I sit here writing this, I pause to look out onto my frozen street. The trucker who lives next door told me at 5:30 this morning that the roads were “the worst scenario.” He works in Louisville and drives back and forth. My cat slid across the frozen walkway this morning about 4:30 and made the news! As the schools began to call in this morning about 5:00, I debated whether I could get from my house to school safely. Probably not, so I made the decision about 5:30 to close school. I know it’s a hardship for some parents, but is an accident worth it? And if someone was hurt because of a poor judgment, I think we would all be devastated. As age graces the human condition, people like me with a few years don’t think invincible anymore, they think hospitals, ambulances, blood and wheelchairs…

Meanwhile, in the back of my mind I was mentally checking off what has been done, what still needs to be done, and what is not going to be done in my absence.

This has been a short Christmas Season because of the way Thanksgiving fell. Sometimes we have three weeks, and sometimes we have four. This is one of the three week seasons between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That means it all has to be accomplished between our return to school after Thanksgiving break and the last day of school before Christmas, which happens to be tomorrow!

So, knowing this, I made sure all the Thanksgiving stuff was put away quickly and Christmas started right on time. The list I have for Christmas includes a lot of extras. I always begin planning the days beginning in the morning. Of course our (Miss Amy and I) mornings begin before 6:00. By six, the coffee is made and the menus are discussed, and then it’s time to clean the animals and get the paperwork changed etc. Miss Amy and I fill every second of that hour before the kids come in.

This year, Miss Amy and I decided to make a new cookie every day for the kids for snack. With Amy’s good cheer and baking expertise, I added to her project by making post cards with the current recipe for parents to take as a Christmas gift this year. Since most of the cards have been taken, we think it was a good plan.

Decorations are important for the look of the school. This adds a lot of extra work, but it’s fun for the kids. Decorations should mostly be children’s things, so planning the art projects is a big part of the Christmas planning. But when? How much school time is spent on this, and what will the growth of the children be? If we incorporate art lessons, fine art, and listening skills, will this add to our academic program? It does.

I love the traditional stuff like the hand print reindeer antlers on the reindeer, but I also like non conventional things like the puzzle wreaths and the new Santa I designed with the doily beard. We made gingerbread men out of a new clay, poinsettias out of coffee filters, stars out of Popsicle sticks, and angels out of doilies, and painted Christmas cards. We made some outstanding stockings that Miss Nita and Miss Lisa designed with my addition of the lace pieces nobody could decide what to do with. The children sewed St. Nicholas shoes as well as these stockings and learned a craft along with making some really darling stockings. We made Christmas stars, bears, drawings and in fact, two things every day. I think the children did a remarkable job.

The tree, because of its size, is always a pain to put up. It takes a lot of our brown carpet space, so kids have to squeeze, but the tree is absolutely beautiful, so it’s a go. But when? If it goes up too early, will we tire of it? If it goes up too late, will the excitement be lessened? So we pick the halfway point – end of the week ;-}

The race for the Santa Prize begins promptly the day we come back for Thanksgiving. This is an excellent way to squash the “crazies” during the three week wait to Christmas. This paper present on the string encourages children to be helpful, kind, attentive and considerate instead of raucous, mean, pushy and disobedient. It works. As the children gather their kind deeds, teachers must be observant, and rush to put up a paper present on the strings of children who do great things. Every day fifty copies must be made and cut to fill those strings.

Then there are the Advent Boxes for the best student every day. This box is filled with toys and candy and awarded to the child whose behavior was most beautiful and loving the day before. It was a joy to give out these boxes. Miss Nita filled them with lots of trinkets — all needing to be bought and planned for.

The music is another important part of the Christmas Season. Every day we practice some of the old carols, and some of the new songs children love. This means teaching teaching teaching.

Reading and telling Christmas stories is another part of our Christmas Schedule. All of our teachers have been diligent in reading to our children.

When you’re knee deep in messy projects, lunch is still an important part of the day. I go to 7:30 Mass on Sunday, and by 8:30, I’m drinking coffee and making out menus and grocery lists. By 12:30, I’m home from the store, groceries are delivered to school, animals fed and cleaned, and the usual jobs at school done. Every Sunday is a half work day, and it’s worth it. We have enjoyed some outstanding meals the kids have really eaten well. Food is an investment in a child’s life. We are missing a ginormous pork roast today with all the trimmings.

In addition to the Christmas planning, the weather has turned cold and there is still the coat, mitten and hat problem, the summer clothes issue, and the shoe issues that need to be addressed. We go out every day the wind chill is above 32 degrees. That means children need to wear coats and bring hats and mittens to school every day. They need to wear shoes that don’t pop off every thirty seconds. When children walk into school on a 25 degree day wearing a sweatshirt and short sleeves, how do we send that child out to play? Children need hats in addition to coat hoods, and they need gloves that fit. And EVERY child needs to wear long sleeves EVERY day – it’s winter.

Planning a Santa party means making sure parents buy a little wooden or unmarked gift for their own child and bring it to school in the distributed brown paper bags given out three weeks ago. Yesterday, we were sixteen gifts delinquent, so after school Miss Amy and I went out and bought some things just in case. It took us two minutes at Target to find wooden $1.00 toys. Children without gifts will be given flutes ;-}

And finally, tomorrow we will be taking the whole school to the Nutcracker Suite at the Victory Theatre. This is a priceless adventure and well worth the effort. Unfortunately, it comes on the Santa Day, but the effort is still worth it. Offering children a 1.5 hour ballet with all the trimmings makes a wonderful final tribute to our Christmas adventure.

The party will begin with the Children singing about 2:30. Parents are invited to sing. Santa will be at school at 3:00 and will distribute parent gifts to every child. The party is our last moment before school break. We will be out of school the week of December 20 – December 24.

As I look at my undecorated home, I ask myself is it all worth the effort, and I can truly say in a loud and enthusiastic voice, YES! Bringing to any child the joys of Christmas through my own experience and the experience of a loving staff makes this job wonderful and something well worth doing. These are experiences the children are not allowed to have in public schools.

I can say with a great deal of pride that we do a marvelous job at the GS filling in for loving parents during the day. Each one of our efforts toward the education of young children is something for parents to feel good about.

So what’s next? Winter. There’s a film festival, and a new look at science, and Miss Judy will be doing a big geography thing, and we’ll be eating out as a group, and then there’s the International Feast, and I still want to build the new corn box! This is our R&R time…sheesh.

This is just a little behind the scenes information for parents. We are all glad to do the best job we can for the children in our care.

O x y m o r o n s

1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?

2. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?

3. If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?

5. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

6. Why does “slow down” and “slow up” mean the same thing?

7. Why does “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing?

8. Why do “tug” boats push their barges?

9. Why do we sing “Take me out to the ball game” when we are already there?

10. Why are they called “stands” when they are made for sitting?

11. Why is it called “after dark” when it really is “after light”?

12. Doesn’t “expecting the unexpected” make the unexpected expected?

13. Why are a “wise man” and a “wise guy” opposites?

14. Why do “overlook” and “oversee” mean opposite things?

15. Why is “phonics” not spelled the way it sounds?

16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?

17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?

20. Why is bra singular and panties plural?

21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead?

22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?

23. How come abbreviated is such a long word?

24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren’t we clean when we use them?

25. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

26. Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one?

27. Christmas – What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?

28. Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
I dunno, why do we?

We will have a two hour delay on Tuesday, December 14th. We will open at 9:00 A.M.

Hoping everyone read the note sent home last week about tuning into WFIE for school closings.

Not sure how you are all faring, but my road has suddenly appeared in the past thirty minutes.

I am sure the children are enjoying the snow. It’s a great activity for kids and not one they get all winter.

I was sure to buy the great sale they had at Target on sleds a couple of weeks ago to be sure that my grandboys did not have to “wish” for something to sled on when it did snow. It’s so important to be timely about such matters.

If you “oopsed” about this, and still want your child to play, try a garbage can lid or even a roasting pan.

This week in school, we will be finishing up the traditional ornaments, sending things home, and getting ready for our visit from Santa on Friday. Please make sure you have your gift in for your children and all children who will attend the visit from Santa. Children w/o gifts will be given flutes. Do you know what it is like for a four year old to get a flute?

If you haven’t and plan to, the family the school has adopted for Christmas still needs clothing for Dad. He wears a 3 XL shirt, a 44X34 pant and a size 13 shoe. Toys for their year old child are more than welcome. Please consider giving.

We will be out the week of 20-24. Tuition is still required. It is OK if you pay half this week and half when you return.

Please remember to dress your child in long sleeves. The children are chilly in the building when they wear summer clothes.

Please remember that children who are ill in the morning can not come to school. It is a State mandate that if your child requires OTC meds in the a.m., your child is probably incubating something. With Christmas only a few days off, please be considerate and keep your child home.

Our Christmas Party begins at 3:00 and will end at 4:00. We will sing Santa in, and then every child will receive a gift and we will visit and depart for our Christmas break. If you have any questions, please ask Miss Judy or Miss Amy.

Have a great rest of the week.