90% sure

So the cardiologist says today he's 90% sure that Mom did not have a heart attack or stroke based upon the EKG results. They did another one in the appointment today. That's great news! It sure makes me feel a bunch better.

They still want to do a stress test before they let her go and have surgery. That will be done tomorrow with a clearance for her knee surgery coming on Tuesday if all still looks fine. If she wasn't trying to have surgery, they would have looked at the EKG and sent her home with a "come see us if you have chest pain."

It's good news, more tests and a little bit of time to enjoy the 4th of July holiday this weekend before the surgery.

I am very excited to celebrate the 4th, it's one of my favorite holidays as it's right before my anniversary. (That's my husband with my mom there on the left!) While my dogs don't really enjoy the booming and various loud noises that come with this holiday, we still really enjoy it. Saturday will be a joy as my friend Charlene and I head up to Detroit Lake for the fireworks over the lake. Pictures to come!

In other news, my two duffle bags for the flight were purchased today and I can start to pack things up tomorrow to send on their merry way to Alaska. It's going to be weird to send it off and not see my things for a month but I am ready for things to get started. Tomorrow will be another big day, it will be long and busy but I know that much will get done. Ready or not, here I come!

36 days.....

No news is good news

As you prepare to leave, so many things run through your head. What to pack, what will I buy, how long will it really take to get there, when will I hear about my new teaching license? Everything else takes a backseat to the preparations that are taking place until they thrust themselves into the foreground.

We knew something was coming, a knee surgery for my mom because she wasn't able to straighten her knee or bend it even to 90 degrees. A torn medial meniscus and a partial ACL tear was the prognosis. Simple outpatient procedure, she'll go home, need a week off and then recover. Just go have this EKG and we'll see you on the surgery day. No news is good news.

News came.

Instead of having the surgery done tomorrow we go and see the cardiologist. They found something with the EKG and they will be able to tell us more then. No big worries yet, they just think that at some point in time she's had a small heart attack or stroke. (not that we ever knew about it) Now, looking at the EKG's from the past couple of years (there's been a few for other reasons) there has been a change but a small one. We'll know more tomorrow after the appointment.

I love my mom, this isn't supposed to happen to her, she's already dealt with so much!

It's not something I wanted to worry about, it's no one's fault that I do worry and it's no one's fault that it's happening right before I leave. It's just one more thing I choose to put on my plate. It's pretty full right now but these things come up when we least expect them to and we do what we can. I guess I just have to be thankful that there is wonderful technology available to find these little changes, the ability to use it and the ability to communicate with the technology when I do leave oh so soon.

37 days.....

Which Apps do I use?

Remember that really cool new tech tool I talked about last night? It's 6:30am and I'm already immersed in the world again. (Have been for an hour) I woke up with a thought; "I wonder if there's an app for that?"

The search began, I didn't find exactly what I was looking for so I figured that using the computer was probably a better idea anyhow but I'll dive further into the idea of development when I have more time. (HA!) Then I found myself searching for more educational Apps. Google became my best friend and I found a fantastic blog for educators who are starting to use iPads, looking for new apps to try and there's even a list of 50 tips/tricks on how to use the iPad2 for the newbies to the technology. Uh, yes, that would be me.

http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/

For all you teachers (and interested parties) it was fun to see what was reviewed, gave me some more apps to go and try and I've added it to my technology bookmark list for future reference.

Now, to tackle the basement.

37 days.....

Accomplishing nothing

I thought I was supposed to be doing something. No, I know I was supposed to be doing a lot of things today. Going through my closet. (there's still hope for later tonight right?) Maybe hitting the upstairs in prep for the garage sale in 2 weeks. Laundry, cleaning the basement and sorting that too? Ya, all those things were on the list. They are still on the list.

So, what happened?

iPad.

It started off innocently enough. Rising early this morning to some dogs wanting to go outside, I figured I had some time to relax a bit in bed with the new educational tool, learn some of the Apps I put on there. I started off with the educational ones. Organizing them by subject; Science, Math, Flash card activities and I put all the games on the very last page. The problem is, I saw the games.

30 minutes turned into 3 hours. Breakfast, then some more games. Talking Tom, the stinking Tom rip-off Gina the Giraffe thing, some puzzle games, it just didn't end. Motivation for the closet was gone. Out the window never to return. Now I hope this doesn't become a trend, if it does, someone slap me.

This was purchased so that I could use it in the classroom, to help reach out to students with technology. There are some pretty cool Apps that I've got on there that suck me in on the educational side too. Star Walk (if you don't have it yet, get it) is awesome! The science 360, pretty cool and will be a great addition to the Science classroom as I'm going to teach students who haven't had much in the way of that subject yet! There's some other's on there too, but I'll leave that post for when I actually get to use them and tell you how it goes. *Let's hope they don't find the games right away!

Let's see if I can make a dent in the closet.

38 days.......

Goodbye Check Engine Light

For years my check engine light has been on. It's also known as the idiot light. Everyone has told me it's no big deal, probably just the O2 sensor or something minor that's no biggie. So, the jeep kept running and I kept looking at it, people would ask and I would say, it's no big deal. Well, today a friend of mine helped fix a little vent tube that I noticed was broken, he cleaned off the engine (it's more than one color?) and as I started up the engine, the light was off! I think after so many years of driving around with it on, it will be weird to look down at the dash and have it be gone.

It was a great day for the jeep, sunny with some patchy clouds. The problem, I didn't get to drive it all that much. A trip to Salem to see Bad Teacher with the hubby was nice but we took the car. It gets much better gas milage and Eric doesn't have to worry about his allergies. The movie was ok, many of the good parts were already in the previews but the movie as a whole was a little slow. Plot line, eh. Funny though because secretly in many teachers minds, just once, you have thought one of those comments to a response on a test. She's just taken it to the front. Never would that really happen, but you knew who the teachers in the theater were, they were the ones laughing.

This morning I went garage sale shopping with one of my best friends, Charlene. I found a few things to bring with me to Alaska. Some Tupperware measuring cups that are like the ones my mom has hanging in her house, an old fashion potato peeler, a sandwich container and a flashlight that didn't work. Ya, so much for the new batteries idea! Lunch was great, Panezanellie's breadsticks were great and it was a good day.

A short stop this evening was at Ugo's. Yes, that is two pizza places in one day. Though I didn't get anything to eat, I did purchase a nice T-shirt and get a picture from a nice local man. I'm sure you have seen him on TV. He's on the Deadliest Catch. It was great to get to meet him, provide support from the hometown and I got a little gift for my students too. I got him to pick his favorite picture and he made it out to the kids of Egegik! I can't wait to hang it in my classroom!

Tonight will be a welcome rest as tomorrow will bring another day closer to the day I leave for a wonderful adventure. We'll watch another new movie, Cars 2! I'll practice again with the gun and work some more on getting myself ready for shipping my things off to the Last Frontier or ready for the garage sale that's planned in a few weeks.

42 days.....

Let the paperwork end!

Oh paperwork, how I love (loathe) thee. It's a necessary evil to getting a job. First there is the application, resume, cover letter and the such. Once hired there's the essential packet of paperwork to ensure that you are who you say you are and to tell them where to send your share of the money.

When teaching in Alaska, you also get to take a physical so they know you aren't going to have major medical issues that you won't have access to a doctor's office for and that you aren't a carrier of communicable diseases. To give you an example of something they look for, TB is something they test for to make sure you don't have it. Because I just got done working for a mental facility for the state, I had already been tested. Thank goodness, I didn't want that test again, it wasn't very fun! So the packet for the school district has been sent off. Check.

Now I am waiting for the last piece of the puzzle, the license packet. It's sitting here all filled out and ready to go. I got the word today that my degree was posted early for me (as requested) and the transcripts are on their way. Since I live so close, I'm hoping they will be here tomorrow or on Friday so I can get that license packet on it's way. Waiting for the test scores from the other place took their time getting here, I just am glad that AK doesn't take as long getting through their applications as another state I know does.

It's time to head for a nice long nap. My puppy is on my lap eyeing me. Since I only have a few weeks left to "baby" him I think I better go.

44 days......

A trunk, a container, or a bedside table?

The time crunch is on! As each day clicks by when I check my calendar it seems as if I am just not getting enough done. I know that everything will come together in the end but as I think about things that must be done at certain times, it feels like so much must be done here in the next couple of weeks and then almost nothing until the very end.

We hit up a few Goodwill's and the like type stores the other day. Well, let's not say a few. Every one in the area honestly. I had to find dishes to eat off of, various tools to use in the kitchen and a stop at a store for a bath mat and shower curtain. I just don't want those second hand. After a hard day of shopping, we came home with a few good finds and a cool looking treasure trunk. It's red with gold trim, a working lock and in good shape. If I ship it full to 70 pounds, it will cost $60 all the way to Alaska. Seems like a pretty good deal in all honesty. I wonder how close I can get it to 70lbs. and how much stuff I can pack in it. That same trunk should also be able to house extra blankets and maybe become a bedside table when it gets there. Let's hope it makes it there in good condition!

Now that I have a few good containers to ship in, I'm excited to start making the list of what I'm going to put in them and get them out of my hair. I will be happy knowing that I will not be empty handed when I get there. Some comforts of home will be nice to have when I arrive in a new world, a new home and a new life that awaits me in the last frontier.

Today started with a quick mow of the front yard and continued with the moving of many items here at home. The old garden area got mowed down and the truck canopy was moved so it can sit on the sawhorses back there and not be in the way. The boat was moved from sitting in the driveway to the side of the garage that was previously occupied by the canopy and the yard/driveway is now ready for the upcoming garage sale. Oh, am I doing too much? My jeep loves her spot in the driveway tonight!!

So that's what is on the docket next. I continue to get ready for this garage sale that is the weekend after the 4th of July. Going through rooms of the house, deciding to keep, toss, sell, or ship. I've made it through....oh a closet or two. I've got a long way to go. I'm waiting for the next rainy day to make it through the upstairs area because it is sooo hot up there. I've got a lot to do between cleaning that upstairs and then getting the downstairs all cleaned up and sorted will probably take a few hours on it's own. I guess procrastination isn't going to be an option soon. Doing it now will only make my last few weeks here more pleasurable right?

The night comes to a close, the first day of summer has been a productive and warm one. As I head to bed, the 45 days left will turn into 44 days and counting.......