in the box #SOL

 I did not know if I had a Slice of Life in me tonight.  I have felt that way for a while.  I love when a simple prompt takes you somewhere inside the heart and mind.  That happened tonight when I sat down with my writing friends at TeachWrite.  

I was reminded of our monthly challenge and daily prompts when we were sharing our writing goals for the night.  I did not have a plan, but I did wander into our Mighty Network site and read the prompt for today - in the box.  My mind immediately traveled to a box that belonged to my great grandfather that was passed on to me.  As always, I think in poetry.  It is rough, but it might be worth a revisit in the future.

In the Box

There is a box
in my basement
tucked in the corner 
of a closet, and 
it holds a treasure
that is quite misunderstood.

Inside the box

are old metal kitchen gadgets

left untouched for decades now.

Some might say

they are unnecessary

and attempt to throw them away.

But in the box

are items last touched

by a man who died too early.

He used those utensils 

to cook for those

he loved the most - his family.

And so to me

that box, created by Pa,

is a treasure trove 

of distant memories.

Worried #SOL

I read Kwame Alexander's The Crossover this summer for my school's summer reading program.  I loved his definition poems, which is where I got my inspiration from today.

As I walked into my acupuncturist's office, I noticed the beginning of a tension headache.  At first, I wondered why I would be getting one at the end of a school day, and then the word WORRY filled my head.

wor•ry

[wər-e] - can't figure out how to get the line above the e in this application

mental distress or agitation
resulting from concern usually
for something impending or anticipated

As in:  A storm is hurtling

toward my parent's home

along the coast of Florida, 

and I am fraught with worry.

As in:  My friend is undergoing

treatment for throat cancer

after supporting his young son

through treatment for lymphoma, 

and I can't stop the worry.

As in:  Loss of life and

loss of function plague

those I hold dear,

and I can do nothing

but worry and support

their weary hearts.

Hide and Seek #SOL

 I have been working hard to stay organized and reduce clutter in my classroom, but I like to keep a few things around me that make me smile and remind me of a prior student or event.  I have a hedgehog that was crocheted for me by a student and a lionmouse for The Mouse that Roared, one of the first plays I directed over a decade ago, crocheted for me by the costumer.  They sit next to my computer keeping watch over the students.  

Today, I was cleaning up a station and turned around to find a lone hedgehog.  The lionmouse was missing!  My heart sank.  I looked under the papers on my table, in the drawers, on my desk, and on the floor.  It was gone.  

A few periods passed, and I continued to look around the classroom as the kids came and went.  I could not believe that someone would take something so sentimental.  

My friends came in for lunch, and I immediately shared my loss.  

Next thing I knew, my friend busted up laughing and said, "I wondered when you would notice.  I have moved him around a few times."  She pointed to the top of my television screen and declared, "There he is!"  

And there he was camouflaged on top of the television.  I don't think I ever would have found him on my own.  

Now, I have a new goal.  Revenge!  Any suggestions?

Rain Decides to Visit #SOL

As with many areas of the country, it has been hot and humid but also very dry.  There has been little rain in my area, so the grass is brown, plants are wilting, and pools are low.  

Many days, the forecast says rain, but the rain has other plans.  It simply disappears from the radar.  

The other day, though, the rain came unannounced, and I pulled up a chair to watch its show.  I wish I could have seen my own face because I felt the smile of relief for the half hour it performed.  

I did take pictures of the rain because I did not know when it will decide to visit again, and I wrote a series of haiku.

A whole in the clouds

sheds light on the miracle

rain relief in drought

Tapping in delight

rain dances on the pavement

quenching earth's craving

A rushing river

unexpectedly appears,

happiness flowing

It's Been Too Many Weeks #SOL

Farewell to Plantar Fasciitis, I Hope

It's been over 6 weeks 

of walking with pain, 

hobbling around 

with only weight to gain.

Missing walking therapy

on the trails with a friend,

I took to the pool and

started a water aerobics trend.

I have tried everything 

from acupuncture to ice,

searching for an answer 

and taking all advice.

A sage person encouraged 

a new pair of sneakers,

so off I went in search

of the brand she prefers.

This glorious morning

for the third day in a row

I was able to walk a mile

almost painless yet slow.  

Oh, What a Relief It Is #SOL

 Today, there is relief from the hot, humid days of summer.  Topping off at 77 degrees, a good 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the last several days, the day allowed me to do some things I avoid when the heat is oppressive, and I found myself sighing in relief.  

I took advantage of every minute of the day even though there were times I wanted to crawl back into bed, and I did not feel guilty about not being outside on such a pleasant day.  It was a perfect day to get things done inside the house.  

Done list:

• Skinny Taste chicken and broccoli casserole
• Laundry
• Cleaning and organizing my writing space 
• Grocery shopping
• Facebook Live class on back-to-school ideas
• Book Love author Zoom
• Grad class work

Tomorrow, it will be warmer, and I will spend the day in the shade by the pool.  The school dreams are back, and school is just around the corner.  This is when I usually feel the need to take advantage of those carefree days outside using the pool to stay cool, but today, I relished the relief of lower temps, a light breeze, and dry air.  

Harmony in Water

I have never been a lover of exercise.  I can usually find a good excuse to not do it.  It’s too hot.  I need to cook dinner.  I’m too tired.  All reasonable reasons to avoid the sweating and pain of exerting my body.

Well, now I find that I crave it.  There is nothing more exhilarating than jumping into the pool for a 42-minute circuit of water aerobics.  Surprisingly, I now would rather do exercises in the pool than cook, nap, or watch television.  

As long as I am in the pool, I can do any of the exercises for two minutes, even jump squats.

I don’t sweat.  Instead, the water keeps me cool and refreshed.  The hotter the weather the better.  My core body temperature stays cool.

Working out in the water saves my joints from pounding and pain.  Instead, I feel wonderful exhaustion overtake my limbs and joints and maybe a bit of cramping, but I can work that out.

Since I am continuously moving to stay afloat or to the next station, I am working all parts of my body without even knowing it.  

I do love the water, and putting a need (exercise) and a want (time in the pool) together makes for an exercise experience that flies by.  42 minutes fly by as I move my body through the glistening water of the pool.