Ramirez and Anderson Family: August 2011

This summer has been pretty wonderful. I am all too aware of the fact that it is winding down. A teacher I work with told me that June is like Friday, July is like Saturday, and August is like Sunday. She is so very right. In June you make all these plans and have tons of goals. In July you try to enjoy every minute and make it more fun than work. In August you realize that it will end and you better get all those goals completed. I'm in the phase now that I want to get a million things done before I go back to work. Most of it is not going to happen but I need to remember that I don't turn into a pumpkin in September.

Another thing I want all of you to know is that teachers need summer to recharge their batteries so they don't harm your children during the school year. I'm kidding about the harming thing but we do need time to gather all our energy and invest it into your children. It takes a ton of energy to be a good teacher. I love my job and my mind is starting to wander to new lesson plans. I have been gathering information all summer. A teacher is a teacher 24/7. I realized how much this was true when I went to New England and met with my 7th and 8th grade teacher, Ron DelTredici, and his wonderful wife, Sandra. He was still teaching us new things all through dinner. I loved it.

Cheri and I literally got up one day and decided to take a trip to New England. We went for 5 days and stayed with my dear friend, Anne, whom I have been friends with for 38 years (since we were 12 if you were wondering). She has a little place in Connecticut and made us so very welcome. There were baskets of water and snacks in our room, pretty little packages of bath towels, and she had her boyfriend put an air conditioner in our window at 11 o'clock at night. They were wonderful hosts. It was so good to see her. We did meet up a couple of years ago when she was in Pennsylvania but it was brief. This was so much better because I had time with my friend.

Saturday was a drive day (it takes 12 hours) and Sunday we went to a pool party at my cousin's in Massachusetts. Jennifer's whole family was there and it was so nice to see them all. We swam and talked all afternoon. My cousin, Corinne, is their mom and Jen, Denny, Kia, and Lorin are her kids and all their kids were there. It was a nice family reunion. Cheri had never met any of them. I had not seen them since I was 19 years old. I used to go with Nana and Pupa every summer as a teen. I lived in Newport RI when I was 12, 13, and 14. That is how I met Anne and Ron. He was our teacher in 7th grade and then he moved up to 8th with us. They were both wonderful friends through one of the toughest times of my life and I wouldn't be the person I am today without them.

Monday was Martha's Vineyard. I had never been there and all of Anne's kids work there. Tyler puts up party tents, Gavin is a chef, and Adria is the Cream Cheese Manager. Apparently that is an upgrade at the deli she works at and involved a raise so she said she would be the Cream Cheese Queen as long as they paid her. She went to school for fashion and is using the big name contacts on the island to get her career moving. Tyler is done with the island and plans on moving on to a better job after this summer season is over. Gavin actually wants to go to school for cooking. I can't wait to see him and his purple Mohawk settle into a career. Anne's kids are the funniest people I have ever met and my stomach hurt by the end of this day. We did not get the "normal" Martha's Vineyard experience I am sure. We got off the boat and went to visit Anne's stepdaughter at the grocery store (Anne has 4 stepkids from her deceased husband and all 7 call her Mom), then Adria picked us up and took us to the house that seven 20-somethings live in, four of Anne's kids and 3 others. There was a puppy, music, dancing, cooking, random people in and out, and I felt like I wanted to live there. What a bunch of great kids! They were all unique and friendly and funny. We took Adria to work and took the boys out for lunch. Cheri and I were very entertained by all their stories. We walked around and met some of their friends and looked at the cottage campground. It was amazing and while we were in the gift shop Tyler informed us we missed Dan Aykroyd. He was chatting with him while we shopped. Oh well. Then Cheri and I shopped while Anne got Adria from work and the four girls went to the lighthouse on the beach. It was amazing being in a car with Anne with her daughter and me with my daughter. I asked Anne if she ever thought this would happen and she said, "Yes, I did." All her kids are almost the same age as mine...kinda weird. We got Tyler and a pizza then headed back to the boat. It was one interesting day and I was so sad it was over. I want to go back next year and rent one of the cabins with Anne and our families.

Tuesday brought new adventures, or maybe I should say old adventures. Anne took me to where we used to live and by my old house, where her old house used to be, our old pizza hang out, the school, the Newport beaches and mansions, and it brought back so many memories. Then Anne, Cheri, and I met with our junior high teacher, Ron, and his wife. I had not seen him since I was 19 but we have kept in contact all these years. When I graduated from college he bought me a brass cup with my name and date on it and when he retired I wrote him a poem and framed it. He is near and dear to my heart and was a lifeline when I needed it many years ago. Anne's family was too and I will be forever grateful for having them in my life. It was a wonderful trip.

Cheri and I headed home Wednesday and then in the middle of the night Thursday/Friday I get the call no parent wants. My Charlie was in a motorcycle accident. Charlie called me so that was a good thing and then the cop talked to me and said I should come get him because he was confused. Paul and I ran (drove) to the site and Paul, slowly, got the bike home while I followed with Charlie in the car. I cleaned him up and took him to the hospital. They put him in a neck brace and backboard (even though he walked in) and put him through a battery of tests but he is fine except for scrapes and bruises. I swear, with everything that kid has done he has never broken a bone. He is lucky and I will shut up now. Somebody stopped quickly in front of him and he went up a curb to avoid the car and the curb bent up the wheel and handlebars. It looks like he flew off and landed on his face. He was wearing a helmet even though Ohio has no helmet law. He promised his mom he would wear one and he did.

I have started a Zumba studio in my basement since it is empty now because it flooded. It is going really well. I am still going to teach it at a charter school this fall. It is nice to go downstairs to go to work though. I'm decorating it all crazy Zumba colors too. I will take a picture when it is done. I'm making it fun and homey. I'm excited to be back to my Zumba. It is a ton of fun and my Zumba girls are amazing. We do have fun and we can even have a pool party after class if we want. If we get the movie theater in down there we can do Zumba and a movie! Now that we graded the backyard we shouldn't have to worry about flooding again.

Paul has my backyard ready for seed in September and has 1/3 of my fence up. I will finally have a backyard!!! Can you tell I'm excited? There will be a pool party out there next summer for sure. I have really loved my pool this year. I found out my cat can swim too. He likes to watch us swim from the ladder so I let him take a dip. He can swim but he does not like it. Hahaha...Now he watches from a lower step and if I get close he is gone. I did get 2 new barn kitties and they are precious. I gave Murphy to Holly (my boarder) because he did not adjust to the barn. He is a happy kitty over there. He missed Anna and wanted in the house. The kittens are in the barn from the start and are very happy. They were already fixed so Paul was happy.

Clint and Amanda celebrated their second anniversary Sunday. Do you believe it has been that long? I can't. Cheri is getting ready to go back to school and I'm bummed about that. She moves back on the 15th. I like having her home. I liked when we all went to the Wyandotte Street Fair together and last weekend Mom had us over for dinner. I have pictures of that, I just haven't loaded them yet. I will.

Mike got in a car accident today. He is fine but the car isn't. Mom was shook up but she is better now that she knows he is okay. This family needs to be more careful. I can't take anymore accidents!

I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying this summer. Enjoy every minute because before you know it we will be shoveling snow again...ugh! I start working registration week (last week of August) because I sell yearbooks. We have 3 inservice days and then school is back in session after Labor Day. I'm so not ready for fall.

Love ya,
Cindy