Teri Parris Ford's Blog

Just Balt and I again.

It was a nice Sunday, enjoying the morning, doing laundry,working out, cleaning up and making a nice lunch for Jim and I. I made a big fire and we watched a documentary together. It was nice to have time together knowing the rest of the week I would  be all alone. Jim left early giving me time to settle in and finish some clearing up before going to bed early. It's been a long time since it's been just Balt and I-- years now. It's hard to remember when I lived alone, but I know I started to really enjoy it since there was no one to clean up after except Balt. The first time I was living alone, was a time when I thought I would be alone forever. Now, I know that I have no idea how long it will be... a few years at the most.

Saying So Long

We've been living with 5 cats since Jessi came home for Christmas. Although Jessi left several weeks ago, she left her cats so Monika could bring them once she was settled in her new house. She's been very eager for Monika to hurry up and move in. Today was the move out day. It's been nice having Monika home but between the added cats and the added mess, I'm excited to have condo to myself again. Jim is here this weekend, so I'm not alone yet. I spent some time cleaning Erika's room-- washing bedding and vacuuming. Tomorrow I'll finish Monika's room. Today I made sure to get to a hot yoga class and go grocery shopping. I made soup and salad for Jim and my lunch. We watched a movie and enjoyed a big fire. We both have lots of school prep as well to work on. We enjoyed a fresh snow fall and lots of shoveling.

Grading Day

For the first time, the district gave us a whole day off just for grading. We've had time to grade in the past but usually there is time for make up finals or meetings. It was nice to have the whole day to prep for the next semester work on projects. I mostly worked on yearbook stuff. I sent in pages that were due on Monday but I didn't want to have to worry about getting them together since it was the first day of the new semester and worked on the staff pages which I use to create a staff info board in front of the principals office. I helped Josh with some labels and chatted with Joe a bit. I tried to connect with the principal but he was busy. I had a headache most of the day and am still coughing so I decided not to go to yoga. I really don't want to be spread my sickness at the studio or cough during a class since I hate it when others are sick when I'm there. I am hoping to be well enough to go tomorrow. I came home early and made a fire, watched the news. Jim and Monika got home around the same time. Monika leaves tomorrow for Virginia, so she spent time packing. 

Semester 1 is done!

This time of year is tough... weather-wise, the cold is depressing. Post holiday busy-ness of the end of the semester, grading, art shows, meetings and finals keeps me running around, but add into the mix that I have been sick for nearly two weeks and I haven't had time or energy for much exercise or yoga and that just makes it all worse. Anyway, this morning I woke up feeling almost clear. I got in 1/2 a workout and made it to work for my last finals. I had a long day with newspaper kids staying late after finals. Tomorrow we have the day off for grading but I got most of my grading done today, so I could have the day for prepping for next semester. I got home late, watched Picard with Monika and am ready for bed.

 

Finals Day #2

I'm still waking up to feeling cold symptoms, but not as severe. Still the constant head cold meds keeps me feeling stuffy. After 2 final exams this morning which was just extended work time for students who needed it, I escaped to get lunch for Monika, who had to work all day. I went home for lunch and ended up just staying home in order to stay warm and comfortable. My head hurt too much to go back to school and I knew no one would miss me. I made a big fire and just rested up for a full day tomorrow. I'm looking forward to being able to get back to hot yoga!

Finals and more

There were 3 finals today, but I only had the last one after lunch with my freshmen. That gave me lots of time this morning to prep and grade. Although I'm still feeling sneezy and coughing, I worked out this morning tried to get back to normal. I had to stay after this evening for an 8th grade electives presentation. I did myself a favor and went home after my final for an early dinner and short nap so that I would make it through the whole evening. Luckily Joe did all the talking, so I just passed out handouts and directed families to their seats. The best part of the whole day was coming home and going to bed!

Ease Back

I spent the morning sipping hot coffee, watching the news and keeping my feet up surrounded by pets. But as soon as the news was over, I got downstairs and put in an hour workout, then showered for a work day. I ran some errands which included picking up artwork and then met Joe in the Gallery to hang my wall of student artwork. Luckily, I have the smallest wall of work, so it didn't take long. I printed labels and then went grocery shopping for a few items for my week. I am really eager to be fully healthy again. I'e been living on cough drops and cold and flu meds, doing as little as possible for over a week. I;m still a bit hung over with a cough and sniffles but I feel like I need to move on and start living life again. Today was a good way to ease back into it. I'm in bed early tonight, ready for a week of finals, 1/2 days and prepping for second semester.

Rest Up

I'm still sick-- on the mend but the cough still persists. I spent my Sunday resting up, watching more episodes of Star Trek NG, trying to do some cleaning and a bit of prep for my week without over exerting myself. 

More Snow, More Sickness

I was really hoping that today I'd start feeling better and for a bit I did, but as soon my meds start wearing off, I started coughing and feeling sick. Today was day 7 of this sickness... it's worse than a cold-- a flu virus with lots of body aches, severe coughing and congestion. My lungs hurt from all the hacking and I feel like Iv'e been doing ab workouts, I'm that sore. I wish I could say I've lost weight but I've been living on cough drops and cough syrup with heavily sweetened. And while I haven't eaten much, I've done no exercise outside of coughing. Today I tried to get back to "normal" with some cleaning up and a bit of workout in the basement while doing laundry. It was a great intro to wellness but I'm not quite ready yet.

Thursday and Friday

Still sick... everything hurts. I can't wait to be done with this!

Still Sick

Whatever this virus thing is going around-- it's terrible. I've got body aches, a hacking cough, a terrible sore throat. I haven't felt this sick, in a very long time. I should not be going to work, but there's too much to do at the end of the semester to stay home. I haven't been doing anything but getting up to go to work and coming home after work and going to bed. 

Monday & Tuesday

I'm sick!! I hate being sick. I try so hard to take care not to get sick but this virus going around is awful- painful throat, hacking cough, head pressure, etc. I got home early yesterday, went to bed at 4pm. I woke up at 4am this morning and plan to go bed again tonight at 4pm.

Winter Pie

I woke up with a sore throat and spent a lot time sipping tea with a fire. I did some grading and spent most of the day watching Star Trek NG episodes in preparations for the new Picard ST show. The most productive thing I did today was make pie.

Pie Crust>

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 tablespoons ice water

Pie Filling

• 2 1/2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin, acorn squash and sweet potato
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  Bake at 350 for one hour.

Winter Storms!

 The dance at school tonight was cancelled due to two storms that were supposed to dump up to a foot of snow. Last night the ice started coming down right after I got home from work and we woke to a couple of inches of snow-- nothing terrible. I got up early and worked on my 2019 scrapbook, then went to yoga. I made soup for lunch and popped in to the grocery store just in case the snow fall for this evening kept me home tomorrow but so far, nothing more. I finished my scrapbook, so now I just have grading to do.

Thursday & Friday

I've been working late all this week and coming home wiped out. As my yearbook deadlines come up, I am concerned that my kids aren't spending any extra time to get pages done so I'm spending a lot of my free time helping them out. I'm not sure they are the least bit grateful. I had a student win a gold key for the scholastic art contest, so yesterday after school I ran downtown to pick up a special print of it and then today after school I spent time matting the work to deliver over the weekend. I'm not quite done with all the things on my list of things to do but there's time this weekend. Everything at school was cancelled due to a weather event. I'm hoping to spend the whole weekend relaxing by the fire and catching up on grading.

Mid Week

I had a full day. Joe's daughter was sick so I covered for his class which makes my day busier, but I get paid to sub for him. I had a staff meeting after school and stayed late working on the yearbook, organizing senior tributes. I came home, warmed up some soup, watched the news and worked with Jim on paperwork for refinancing the condo. 

There's a long list of things to do:

I've been waking up early in order to get a good work out in every morning but boy, am I exhausted by the end of the day. I've had to stay after school until nearly 6pm each day so far, as I've got a long list of things to do in the next couple of weeks. I got caught up in a long conversation with Josh and missed a meeting but had another meeting after lunch that I did go to. My yearbook kids have a ton of work to do and I'll be honest, I'm concerned about whether it all get done in time. I may have spend some time making yearbook pages if they don't get their act together. I had cabbage soup for lunch and dinner today. Monika worked so I didn't really see her.

Here's my list of things todo:
Proofs ready by 1/13 (finish Frosh section)
48 pages ready to send by 1/18
Contact UWCU re: refinance at 3%
Print and matt artwork for Scholastic Show (FRI)
Make Dr. apt, blood work
Frame 18X24 painting
Flow Sophomores, Jrs and Staff sections
Print senior section for display in cafeteria
Catch up on grading for final week
Pay bills from past printing
Send student work to print for student show

Oh Monday!

I got up early (4:30am) and had plenty of time to prep for my day. I went to work ready to ease the kids back into the work. It was a short schedule so the day flew by. I had to stay after school to finish up work on the sale. Erika made record sales on her glass pendants and Monika got a bit for all of her postcards. I did not sell as many pretzels but had lots left over for family. Jim is gone and Monika was working, so when I got home, I warmed up soup and watched some news before passing out. I was in bed by 7pm. 

The Last Day

I got up at 4am again and got to work on prep for my work week. Jessi got up early and finished packing up and left for Virginia. It was nice to have her home for so long and I was glad she was able to take care of Balt while I was in Berlin with Jim. Monika got up early and left to work. I spent time with a fire, drinking coffee, watching the news and started working on my annual photo album for 29019. I made a very nice lunch in the afternoon for Jim and Monika with an artichoke cheese dip and alfredo pasta. I got about half way through the album which will need to wait until next weekend to finish, as I think I will have a busy week ahead. Of course waking up so early means I'm wiped out at the end of the day!

Packing and Prepping

It's almost back to "normal" and I got up at 4am feeling pretty refreshed-- no jet lag. I starting took down the Christmas tree, packed up ornaments, burnt a lot of branches, did laundry and general clean up after the holiday. The goal is to make sure there are no remnants of Christmas out and about! 

Jessi is almost all packed and eager to get to Virginia and start her new career. Monika had to work early, so it was a full day. I took Jessi to a mid morning hot yoga class which absolutely perfect. After a shower, I had an appointment at the bank about refinancing the condo and then once Monika got off work, we did a Costco run. I purchased Jessi's christmas gift-- a washing machine and dryer set so she was very happy. She gets it delivered on the 10th. We all went out to dinner and then enjoyed a family movie at the end of the day. Jessi is gone tomorrow, and then things will feel a bit more back to normal.