SueC World

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The beach!

This is beach week with my sisters. We've been doing this in different locations (first Ocean City and now Sea Isle) since 1993, the year after our mother passed away. She loved the ocean and came to the Jersey shore later in her life, staying in Stone Harbor for a week in June.

I spent the week before getting ready -- this was Thursday's car load.

I met Judy on Saturday morning at Patti's Party World http://www.pattispartyworld.net/ in Cape May Courthouse to get some party items to celebrate Connie's 60th birthday. Afterwards, we met Steve and Connie for breakfast at Clary's Country Corner http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46342-d857410-Reviews-Clary_s_Country_Corner_Restaurant-Cape_May_Court_House_New_Jersey.html -- a great find!

We were able to get into our place before 1pm! Saturday was a bit cold, but we were okay with that!

Dinner consisted of hamburgers and hotdogs -- standard first night fare.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

In between trips.

We got back home a week ago, and Bob is now on his way to Edmonton, Alberta, a much better destination than anywhere in the South during the summer. We continued following the World Cup, watching the Brazil-Germany debacle at the Pizza Pub. Frank joined us for the end of the game, so we watched some of the World Cup with our "German" sons and two of the matches (USA and Brazil versus Germany) with Frank -- fun!!

Bob also had time to make his brand of kimchee -- Assi, the best Asian market ever, re-opened after a fire, so Bob could buy his supplies.

We also had time to have dinner at Cantina Feliz before Bob left.

I had a day and a half to get ready for the AP conference in Philadelphia Friday and Saturday. More packing, this time for only one night. I feel like George Clooney in Up in the Air -- I can pack that bag in 10 minutes.

The conference was, for the most part, quite worthwhile. I attended six sessions, some on pre-AP topics and some on English AP topics. One of my colleagues presented, and her presentation was really awesome. I contributed as well, reading a kick-ass version of Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Oh, yeah, I could BE that woman in a play somewhere.

On Friday evening, I treated myself to a night a Loew's Hotel and had dinner with niece Nicole and Charlie along with my sisters Fran and Judy. We went to El Vez, a Stephen Starr gem, and had good food and lots of fun.

Saturday after the conference I met up with Nancy and her brother's family for dinner at Sabrina's in Fairmount. Mark brought some yummy beer, and we all had delicious sandwiches (note to self - need to come up with more adjectives for good food!!). Back at the MacQueen house, we had ice cream for dessert, and then Nancy drove me to the train station to pick up my car.

So now I'm getting ready for a birthday breakfast with my niece Alicia, who turns 22 today.

We hit Fred's for a birthday breakfast - yum.

Now I'm finalizing packing for tomorrow's sisters week at the beach.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Another month flies by -- Part III: Another retirement and the end of the school year

Retirement party: check. Graduation: check. The end of the school year was next. One of the things I'd participated in was the teacher section of the Senior Class Video. The girls who were in charge were both dancers, so they decided to have the teachers dance to Pharrell's "Happy." I had a lot of fun during the filming as I'm sure the other teachers did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFhe9vWM1Dk

The morning after graduation, a number of teachers congregated to celebrate the retirement of another English teacher. She had decided to end her career on her own terms: running a celebratory mile around the school's track with whoever wanted to join her. What a great idea! The first video is getting ready to run.

The second is part of the victory run.

We then celebrated with sticky buns, fruit tart, and Rita's water ice!

Patti made some bricks for Pat representing Fried Green Tomatoes, a book she unsuccesfully tried to add to our curriculum..

Normally, Thursday is Purple Thursday, but today Rich and I both wore green, so we called it "Green Day"!

The next morning we had a faculty meeting followed by the second annual Hotdogs and Homers, a way to get the faculty together for lunch and some fun at-bats. I was talked into participating in the "game" -- silliness.

Here are random pictures of our team and the department.

There was a rainbow around the sun!!

Andrea's grandson with Sakita

And some more department shots.

Our team!

Two-thirds of our department!

Ending the year this way is absolutely fabulous!

Another month flies by -- Part II: Graduation

So, now on to the next part of the month. Monday was the retirement party; Wednesday of that week was graduation. Burt was concerned that we wouldn't get it in, but the weather cooperated, and about 1000 students graduated in under 1 1/2 hours. It's amazing.

Colleen and I walked with our ninth period classes. We all gather in the auxiliary gym until it's time to walk out onto the field.

Here I am with Kausthubha, a student in my tenth grade class as well as the mentorship this year.

Modeling my master's hood -- first time wearing it!

With Geoffrey - a French Canadian and charismatic student/diver/

Geoffrey and Jules - students in second semester Brit. Lit.

With Sally, one of my ninth period students

Out on the field

Sam giving the valedictory speech

Here's one of the school's pictures of graduation.

Afterwards, I met up with some of the graduation chaperones at the Smokehouse. I had such a great evening that I may just do this again next year!

Aerial view of commencement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjyIAbguh2o

Another month flies by -- Part I.

It's really true -- as I get older, the time goes so much faster. My last entry was May 26, and it's now June 25. Many things occurred during the month of June: belated sister birthday lunch, retirement party, graduation, victory lap for another retiring teacher, and the end of the school year.

Connie had been in Mexico for her birthday, so in the beginning of the month, we got together for lunch.

The next big event was the retirement party for Pam Fullerton and Ken Kratz. I was involved in the planning of the event, especially the entertainment segment. Pam is the consummate party-giver, so we knew we couldn't out-Pam Pam! However, providing entertainment was a perfect choice since she's a big Broadway fan. We got two of our stars from the high school along with a former student of mine as accompanist. They were fabulous -- such a good idea, if I do say so myself. Here are the singers!