Merely Day By Day

Say it isn't so?!  This is the last day.  We made it.  Every day in March I have been writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day.  Thank you to EVERY ONE OF YOU that have taken the time to read and comment.   You know the saying, "Once in a blue moon....". It turns out that isn't quite as unlikely as it might seem. Whether it was in a tweet, whether it was on the news, whether it was in something I read, I cannot say but, at some point, I remember reading that Saturday morning was our last chance to see the blue moon. This morning as I sat on my couch and watched the sky turn from black to blue, I grabbed my cup of coffee and looked out the sliding glass door to see the full blue moon hanging from the sky.  It appeared to pause to rest on the branches in our backyard illuminating light a...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today I continue to gear up for 30 days of poetry in April...and it's getting hard to contain my excitement.  Today I gathered my favorite poetry books for young writers and began planning the month ahead.  Today I'm getting ready for the chasing of poetry by cross-posting with the Poetry Friday Community. Heidi Mordhorst is hoping today's link up at my juicy little universe .  Click on over and chase a little poetry.   Chasing Poetry Chasing poetry always proves unsuccessful. I've tried racing after it day after day, in darkness and dawn, in the cold of winter and the promise of spring. I've searched all the places it might b...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today is my mom's birthday.  I thought I'd start the celebration here.  Happy birthday, Mom.   Growing up, I always wanted to be like her. Fixer: listener, calmer, realist; able to narrow a problem to its essence. Learner: reader, problem-solver, contemplator, always moving toward a distant direction. Organizer: maintaining order, coordinating schedules, getting things done, wearing multiple hats with the greatest of ease. Cheerleader: supporter, joy finder, advocate, always helping others to be their best. Balance artist: motherhood, career, life specialist, knowing how to be where she needed to be. Eve...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today wasn’t a great day at the gym.  I suppose the problem started at the end of the day as someone asked a question that made me wonder a bit myself so I had to work to learn more.  It wasn't a part of my plan for the end of the day, but I couldn't let it go.  When I finally left school, I really didn't want to go to the gym.  I could've easily justified skipping out.  However, I give myself way too much freedom to cancel my workout.  The fact that I was late wasn't going to be enough. With a full evening still ahead, I tromped into the gym glad I made it but, wishing I was somewhere else.  The day had been lo...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Before I left, I placed the pork roast in the crockpot on low as planned.  We've been a bit bad lately about going out to eat so this week I was armed with a plan for cooking dinner every night.  It's the deciding I find frustrating.  Sunday I had taken the time to carefully plan each meal for the week, went to the grocery store to buy ingredients, and had everything ready to go.  All through the day, I smiled to myself knowing dinner was not going to be an obstacle tonight. Midday, I get a group text from my son who is on spring break, "I see there is a roast in the crockpot are we taking that out to dinner with us tonight." "I won't fa...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. It's almost April so I'm finding myself in the mood for poetry.  Honestly, I love poetry always, but it seems in April I don't have to search for poetry, it finds me.  Today in our coaches' meeting I thought I'd share a bit of poetry love with everyone.  We began the meeting by looking at Eileen Spinelli's Poem of the Month for December 2017 .  As we discussed poems as mentor texts, I challenged the group to use this mentor to consider a poem about spring.  It seemed fitting since we were just returning from a "spring" break that felt more like winter.  Here's to hoping spring - and poetry - surround us soon. Here's my attem...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. This morning, I put a blanket over my backseat and loaded our dog, Trudy, into the car.  She wagged her tail excitedly.  You'd think by now she'd know that if I am putting her in my car, she's off to the vet.  Either she loves the vet, or she still thinks we are headed off on some amazing adventure.  Today is no adventure, today it's time for a spring haircut and a shot update. Trudy is a Tibetan Terrier with wild hair.  This is how we know she has always been meant to be part of our family; it's the hair.  She fits right in around here as there isn't a person in this house that doesn't have some wild hair.  In the warmer ...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. When we started drills for active shooters, I really don't know. In my mind, it seems we've been doing them for quite some time. It was always hard to sit with six-year-olds, knowing the reason we were practicing, and trying to tell them something that would calm their fears. They worried about fire drills and tornado drills, but it always struck me how wrong it was they had to worry about this.  As a child, I remember how I worried about tornado drills, but these students sitting silently around me were dealing with so much more. The year of Sandy Hook had to be the hardest. We had a drill shortly after the shooting, and I still remember looking into...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the Slice of Life community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today I continue to gear up for 30 days of poetry in April. I'm cross-posting with the Poetry Friday Community. Laura Purdie Salas is hosting the gathering today at Writing the World for Kids . Robin perches on the branch singing her song. The ground below a mix: winter white, brown, emerging green. The air around still chilled. The sun fights to rise above. The sky bluest of blues, beginning to show promise. Robin knowingly watches from her branch. Looking for signs. Waiting for spring. © Cathy L. Mere, 2018

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Bzzzzz.  Bzzzzz.  Bzzzzz. My husband's phone vibrates waking me from sleep.  Reaching up toward my watch that is charging, I touch the side to display the time.  It's 5:22 in the morning and his phone is ringing.  That can only mean one thing:  snow day. Bzzzzz.   Bzzzzz. Closed. For today. Snow.  Hazardous Road conditions. Nothing about that is unusual, snow days are pretty common in our rural area, except that it is March and it is my spring break.  Oh, the irony. First day of spring, Covered in white. Temperatures dive. Flakes fall.   Ground covered. White winter wonderland Surrounds. ...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Gathered around the table, Grandma starts to laugh.  She has one of those laughs that makes everyone start to chuckle even if they have no idea what's so funny.  It isn't long until her laugh turns to a snort as she finishes shuffling her cards around in her hand and reachers them toward my cousin.  My cousin looks quizically at the cards, trying to find the best one to choose.  She starts to reach toward one side and weighs my grandma's reaction, reaches toward the other side and weighs Grandma's reaction, and then chooses a card toward the middle.  Grandma rolls her eyes and continues to snicker. This was Old Maid with Grandma. ...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. It's early morning and I creep around the house trying not to wake anyone.  Trudy, our dog, is up moving around and notices my entrance into the foyer.  Excitedly she begins to jump like she's a puppy again.  She's a Tibetan Terrier mix and rather average sized, but as she jumps her hind legs nearly reach my knees.  I have to laugh.  Some days it's all she can do to get up to go outside, but this morning she's raring to go.  As I open to the garage, Trudy races around me nearly knocking me off my feet.  She's moving faster than she can handle and slides on the smooth concrete as she descends the steps into the garage. Tru...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. No alarm. No rushing. No schedule. A cup of coffee. A book. A computer. Refrigerator rumbles, Fish tank trickles, Silence surrounds. Sky shifts, Morning dawns, Birds awaken. A little reading. A bit of writing. A lot of slowing. No racing. No hurrying. No leaving. The gift of Slow mornings. © Cathy L. Mere, 2018

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. It's spring break!!!  I had big plans to go to Arizona, but those didn't work out as I had hoped so I'll be sitting at home all week in the gray cold of March in Ohio.  I'd like to say I will get my closet cleaned or finally empty that junk drawer in the kitchen or maybe match that bag of socks (or throw them out), but I'll do none of those things.  I'm looking forward to slow mornings, a little writing, and catching up on books I haven't read.  I'm not just talking about books in the world I haven't read; I'm talking about books I OWN and haven't read. We're all friends here.  It's time to gather round and share t...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. The group returned from lunch to complete our work together.  Teachers, some with half-eaten lunch in hand, found a seat at their tables and arranged their spaces for the afternoon.  I walked around the room chatting with the group as they settled.  Walking over to a table I overheard, "My energy is fading.  My stomach knows it is lunchtime." "You didn't eat?" I inquired as we were just returning from an hour lunch break, a rare gift in the teaching profession. "I had to run over to school for a bit," the teacher confessed, "and didn't have time to grab some lunch." We still had over three good hours of work left, and...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today I am also joining the #PoetryFriday celebration at TeacherDance .  I'm looking forward to filling this blog with poetry in April.   Darkness creeps, leaves fold, flowers droop, the plant sleeps. Sunlight dawns, leaves rise, flowers dance, the plant awakens. © Cathy L. Mere, 2018

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Sitting beside this stranger reading my words, I couldn't help but be uncomfortable.  A high school student at the time, I wasn't very comfortable with myself let alone someone else reading my every word.  He read the poem resting in his hands and looked at me questioningly.  Shifting in my cold folding chair, self-conscious of my work, I tried to straighten my body to appear attentive and calm.  Here was a man I did not even know, evaluating my words as if he somehow held some magical wisdom. I wish I could remember the few questions he asked that day, but I cannot.  That year I had decided to take two projects for 4-H.  Th...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Monday I wrote this as a narrative , it felt like it should be a poem so I tried that today.  I still don't have it where I want it, but it's always fun to write about the same thing in a new way.   For years I've looked for it in jewelry boxes, drawers, compartments, long forgotten. For years I've tried to remember the last place I saw the pin with its golden bow shining. For years I've thought about the mustard seed, safely enclosed in glass, hanging. For years I've remembered my grandma's words of faith, strength, and promise. For years I've tried to find the mustard seed pin, but it's not the pin I ...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Celebrating Dad with six word stories. Sunday celebrations with friends and family. His hair still is not gray! Cake, music, and laughter for all. Turning seventy-five is something to celebrate. Years of great memories to share. Mexican on my birthday?  Oh, yes! This guy makes the best grandpa! I'm thankful for him every day. Happy birthday to the best dad!

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. Today's slice comes from a piece of writing written during our coaches' meeting today.  The idea was from an activity Brenda Power shared at Lead Literacy, What We Lost , from a mentor text by Amy Krouse Rosenthal:   Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal .   When I was a kid, I spent two weeks each year at my grandparents' house.  For one week each summer, and one week over Christmas, I would pack my suitcase and head to their house.  My time there is among my favorite memories.  While I visited, one of my favorite things to do was to admire the jewelry in my grandma’s jewelry box. Every time I stayed, I’d put on her long beaded neckla...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. I shouldn't have stopped, to begin with, that afternoon.  There's really no need to have a burrito and taco supreme at this point in my life.  The excessive calories just don't disappear like they once did. I shouldn't have stopped, but I did. After placing my order, I sat down to wait for my food to be ready.  There were several people standing and waiting as well.  The drive-through was also busy so it seemed to be taking forever.  That's when I noticed it: a man to my left with a gun on his hip.  Surely I was mistaken I told myself trying not to stare.  I took a second look.  Nope, for sure, a gun on his hip...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. A special thank you to Clare for today's post.  Clare, I appreciate your comments --- and especially those that ask a question that leads to new writing.   If you know me, you know I'm pretty digital:  most all of my notes are kept in Evernote, I'm an eBook enthusiast, and I might be a bit addicted to Twitter.  It makes sense that for years and years, I put everything in my digital calendar.  When calendars started to send notifications to your screen, my life became even better. If you know me, you know I'm so digital that the next sentence is going to throw you for a loop.  I'm in love with my paper calendar.  No, it's t...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. "Caw.  Caw.  Caw," the bird squawks from the pine tree, obviously wishing he had arrived after the snow. The flurries fall from the sky in big beautiful flakes.  It's March, but I still love the beauty of a snow.  There's something about the bright white that covers the earth I can't help but appreciate. I snap a picture and send a text to my husband, "You have to admit it is pretty." His reply quickly appears on my screen, "So is a Harley tearing down a twisting, isolated country road on a 70 degree, sunny day." This is our banter these days.  Nearing a place to consider retirement, this has become a constant badinage...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the Slice of Life community. Disclaimer: I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days. Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day. The fourth graders enter the room with joy and purpose.  They're returning from recess and getting ready to begin their afternoon.  They hang up their coats, talk quietly to one another, stop by their spaces to pick up tools, and begin to gather on the carpet.  Everyone seems happy to be in this place at this time.  The teacher enters the room with an equal amount of joy.  I suppose the sunshine outside and the fact that the students were able to get some fresh air after weeks of cold helps everyone to feel better. The teacher grabs the book as students settle in on couches, chairs, and floor spaces around the meeting area.  Some students have the...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community.  Disclaimer:  I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days.  Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day.   Looking at my calendar for the next two weeks, I try to take a few deep breaths and gather some perspective.  How did it get so packed?  There are upcoming professional development meetings, deadlines for communications, and building team meetings among a myriad of to-dos.  I'm excited about all of it, but I know there's a lot of work to do be done to get it all right.  It's times like these that it seems like there is never enough time in the day. Time to return to my contribution list.   I first learned about a contribution list when reading Option B:  Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community.  Disclaimer:  I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days.  Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day.   As I write, the morning silence takes a turn,the sound of spring fills the air, Suddenly I note the rambunctious chorus, which continues to grow, its notes off key, its song persistent. Looking out the sliding glass doors, the cloudless morning sky, recently bright blue, a contrast to the black of this flock invasion. I continue to watch, minute upon minute as the blackbirds fly overhead, some stopping in the trees, some resting in the prairie. Happily I note another sign the cold days of winter will soon be behind us; spring beckons. © Cathy L. Mere, 2018

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community.  Disclaimer:  I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days.  Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day.   My brother needed some new jeans so our family piled into our 1977 Pontiac and headed to our local mall.  Recently covered to make shopping in the winter a bit more bearable, a trip to Sears was usually our first stop for items needed.  My parents, both working for Sears at the time, had a discount that made purchasing items there much more affordable. The mall was about fifteen minutes from our house.  A quick turn into town, down the national road, through six traffic lights, and we were there.  Piling out of the car and into the store, my mom masterfully found the pair of pants, purchased them, and our errand...

For the month of March, I'll be writing with the  Slice of Life  community.  Disclaimer:  I'll be writing every day so the writing will be a bit unpolished most days.  Thanks to  Two Writing Teachers  for bringing this community together and for inspiring me to try to find the stories that surround me each day.   Quietly I turn the handle on the door to our bedroom trying not to wake up my husband.  It's 4:36 in the morning and I know there is not a chance I'm going back to sleep right now.  As I walk through the doorway, I look down hoping the dog isn't asleep right by our door.  It's hard to sneak out without arousing her, and her paws on the foyer floor will surely awaken my husband.  Luckily, this morning as I creep into the foyer, I note Trudy still sleeping in her bed near the stairs.  Even the dog knows it's too early to get up. Walking into the living room, light illuminates from the sliding glass doors. ...