Curing Olives…

Well this is one of the busiest semesters I have ever had since I was in school. If I am not teaching I am prepping for the next set of classes. Through all this turmoil I need to find a release; this time of year I love to cook and bake.

In recent weeks I have made cookies, pizzeles, spaghetti sauce, fettuccine and Homemade bread(just to name a few) but I needed something that would be rewarding but not time consuming so… I decided to pick the olives from our tree out front and cure them.

As I began I soon noticed that I have two wasp nests in my tree so I carefully picked the olives I could reach and started processing them. I had about a gallon or so of smaller olives, but still good enough to cure.

My neighbor noticed what I was doing and felt sorry for me. The next day I found a 5 gallon bucket of nice big fresh olives seating on my porch waiting to be cured. (I didn’t think they knew they were sick :o)
Note: My neighbor works for an olive rancher.

Anyway, I spent the week curing my olives. It is fun, rewarding and it reminds me of my daddy… He taught me the important things like olive curing; I felt close to him this week.

Well I never thought....

Well, I never thought this time would come, but it did .Yes, I did something yesterday… and today that I thought I would never do. I actually stuck my finger in my eye (several times)… why you ask???? Well so I could put a foreign object in my eye.

Yes you probably have guessed by now, I got my first set of contact lenses yesterday and well the experience was challenging but actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be. But I guess when you have the strong desire to do something or you are motivated by a great need well that gives you the courage to do things that you thought you would never do.

And well I really got tired of putting my glasses off and on and off and on again ALL DAY LONG. And I got tired of changing glasses for my computer work and different ones to read; and the bifocals well that was just another problem in itself. And I didn’t even mention the wearing sunglasses that was a whole other thing.

But the contacts… well kind of creepy and kind of weird, but kind of cool. They said that it would take time to adjust so I will give it time. But right now nothing is really clear, but at the same time I can see and read every thing.  Well I will keep you up dated on the progress.

Changing Seasons

Well we woke this morning to the smell of rain. And as much as I love the summer and the warm sun on my face, it was rather nice... the cloudy morning and the damping of the ground by the gentle rain. And the smell oh the smell of the first rain.

The seasons they are a changing...

As long as there is an END

Well we have just completed the 5th week of school and well things are not slowing down, but just seem to be on a steady incline.

There is a new project that I am working on for school, we have partnered with a local credit union and they have agreed to open a 3 person teller station on campus. The agreement was to have us (the school) train the students in proper business transactions and allow them to work as interns the following semester.

So I have been a one woman show this week (and last) getting signatures, putting up posters, holding meetings, sending out e-mails. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback, everyone thinks what I am trying to do is a good idea, but no offers to help. So I am going to teach two (short-term) classes starting next week for approx 11 week. That is OK I love to teach, but it is new curriculum. I am treading on new soil. That is of course fun and exciting, but at the same time a lot of prep work.

Well, that is ok because I figure that even though I am working like crazy, it will be worth it all for the college and for the image of the Business division. As I told my daughter (about her schooling). You can do anything if you know that it is for a limited time.

As long as I can see an end, well I can endure. So I have resigned that this semester will just be crazy. You see that has its good points and its bad points...

Bad point.... I have to endure for the next 12 weeks
Good point... It will go by fast and next semester will be better.

So we will endure :o]

US Open Final

Well, Agassi gave it a great effort, and even though he came up short in the final today he is with out a doubt they greatest player of all times. That is because he plays with heart and we saw that the past two weeks and for sure today.

I will be happy for the day when Federer is toppled and doesn't look or sound so arrogant. I was hoping that Agassi would be the one and today would be the day… but it was not to be.

It would have been fun to watch Agassi put him in his place… a thirty-five year old beating the world champ, and in the first three sets it looked like that may happen, but when Agassi lost the tie breaker that gave Federer the confidence to let it rip and the rest was history.

But Thank you Agassi for a great two weeks. We love you and are proud of you just the same.

Reflecting

I just spent a few moments reading all my blogs from the past few years. What a nice thing to be able to look back and remember the feels of the day and all that we have experienced.

I am glad that I have the opportunity to BLOG and will try to remember it only takes a minute or so to do, but the results last a lifetime.

Quarter finals at the US Open...

Well Agassi has done it again. He was up against a young strong James Blake who as been playing exceptional tennis. And at the beginning of the match James was all over Andre. So when Andre lost the first two sets... and down a break in the third... some thought it was over for him.
But never say die to Andre and those of us who know and love him know that he is a fighter and fight he did. He finally got into his groove and it was history from there. Andre ran James around the court and wore him down so the fifth set was all tied up, Andre hung tough and pull out an exciting victory in the tie breaker.

Semi Finals here we come... GO ANDRE!!!!!!

US Open

Well it is that time again... US Open. That is a major tennis event for those of you who don't know what I was talking about. I am amazed at all the new young talent there is out there these days. Seventeen and eighteen yr olds that are just terrific and playing exceptional tennis.

Thats what makes watching Andre Agassi so wonderful. At age 35, he is in the best shape of his life and playing tennis with all these young guns and most of the time he is able to beat them. Today he played a young guy that was one year old when Andre played his first US Open.

Well, Andre is on to the second week. And we are all excited. When I watch him I can't help but feel that he is carrying the burden for all of us older folks. He is just exceptional to watch, each year he refines his game even more. As you watch him... you see that experience is in his favor and if his health holds, he just may make it to the playoff again.

Go Andre.

A HOLIDAY!!!

Well our first holiday of the semester will be this Monday and it is not a moment too soon. I am exausted. So I will try and REST, REST, REST (in between the work I have to do).

I will be relaxing a little because I will be watching the US Open Tennis games. Happy Weekend!