Olympic hurdles in time management

Besides marveling at the world records set by Usain "Lightning" Bolt, and the winning streak of the USA womens' volleyball pair of May-Treanor/Walsh, I've been trying to overcome my own Olympic-like hurdles in time management. With that said, it's time to think about family, even though another year of teaching has just begun.

Isabel turned 8 months old two weeks ago. However, she has been suffering from her third ear infection since mid-June. Last week, on the final faculty day before students were to begin the school year, I was called away to Isabel's daycare. She had a 102 temperature. Once at the pediatricians' office, we found that her right ear drum had ruptured. Poor thing. Another doctors' visit to an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist this past Monday has us scheduled to get tubes in Isabels' ears on September 2nd. Our pediatrician had mention that she always recommends this when an infant develops 4 ear infections within a 6-month period. With winter being more promising for such infections, we were nudged to take care of this as soon as possible. The tubes would have been placed during the visit on Monday, except that Isabel still has a build-up of fluid on the right side.

Not that I'm been healthy lately myself. Luckily, the extreme heat expected the week before school started was halted by a stalled front, resulting in temperatures in the upper 80's. I was able to use my final four days of summer (before my 3 mandatory faculty meeting days) to paint the exterior trim around doorways and the garage. (Thanks for doing the painting, Sherriann.) Actually, I just did the taping the keep the paint from getting on the exterior siding. It's always amazing to see the before and after on a paint job. Although I didn't get a picture of the white trim, I did remember to take a snapshot of the deck midway through the staining.

Back to Isabel, she had so much fun in the tire swing during a visit to the farm last month that Sherriann has bought her an indoor swing. Isabel has used it twice.






Sherriann, Isabel and I were able to squeeze in a brief Sunday afternoon visit back to the farm this past weekend...






...where Isabel showed her mom how much see likes the "big" swing!

Though I wasn't aware we would be seeing our extended family, we were lucky enough to join Mom's siblings, who had come together for lunch and a family visit to the local cemetery. Their mother, Lillian, passed away 41 years ago last week. Isabel, who entered the room as the personification of youthful exuberance, lifted everyone's spirit as she smiled and cooed at all who held her, as seem in this picture held by Uncle Frank, with dad and Uncle Lee in the background.



I thought it appropriate to capture an image of mom's remaining siblings as the afternoon faded. Pictured from left to right are Uncle Frank, Aunt Joan, mom, and Uncle Charles Lee.I also took a picture of the "better halves". Pictured below, from left to right, are Frank and Betty, Joan, dad and mom, and Lee and Mary.

Of course, mom enjoyed plenty of quality time holding her latest grand-daughter. Isabel didn't disappoint her, as she laughed and squealed with her ever-increasing baby-babble.

Later, as the elders shared stories under the shade of a maple tree, I walked across the pasture to take pictures of the old homestead where mom and dad first lived after they married in the early fifties.

I understand that my aunt is planning to paint a picture of the old home. I hope these images will help her reference the scene she intends to portray.