Do you know. . .

Do you know the difference in these two words: Muscogee and Miccosukee?   HMMMM, do you??

Do you know what a chickee is?

Have you ever heard of the Ahfachkee School?

What about the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum? 

 

If you were with me this week, you would have heard these words  a LOT.  I am attending a workshop this week called “Tribal Traditions in the Modern World: The Seminole Tribe, Their Voices and Their Stories.”  Quite a mouthful isn’t it? I was lucky enough to be selected (with 37 other Florida teachers) by the Florida Humanities Council to get to be here, learning about the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  I also got to come with my friends Joan Turner and Ann Stemmerman, which makes it even more fun.  We are spending the week at the Clewiston Inn, a historic inn built in 1938, in the small town of Clewiston. I have an advantage over Turner and Stemmerman, as I was lucky enough (!!) to get to live here in “America’s Sweetest Town” for my last two years of high school.  We’ll save more of that story for another day!

After a day and a half of intensive learning, I’ll just say this:  most of what I thought I knew about the Seminole Tribe of Florida is a bunch of  hooey.  (Yes, hooey is a technical term!)  I must admit, I’ve already had some stereotypical ideas in my own head revised – and we’re not even done  yet. 

I’ll share more about what I’ve learned but I will say this: the word “resilient” keeps coming to mind, over and over again.  I’ll also say this which sounds a bit officious – I’m seeing  a remarkable juxtaposition of modern and traditional.   And just when I think I’ve just seen the most amazing thing – something else comes up.  I’m tired, very tired already, but I’m fascinated with what’s coming tomorrow!!!

What have you been doing this summer?

Today I spent most of the day with my niece. I absolutely ADORE being an aunt, and she is truly one of the delights of my life.  She and my sister lived with me for a time and then moved about two blocks away, so we were close for a long time. Now, they’ve moved farther away, my sister has remarried, and my niece is in middle school so I don’t see her as much – and I miss her.  So, today, we just had time together. 

We started at Sonic and Dunkin Donuts. The girl LOVES donuts.  Then we decided to explore Hobby Lobby, as she’s never been there. We wandered around the entire store – and spent $10.0o.   On the way to Lakeland she said “So, Aunt Sandi what have you been doing this summer?” I had to think about it.  The summer is mostly over, and what exactly have I done this summer? 

I have spent a lot of time reading books and resting.  That sounds very lazy and I don’t mean for it too. My friend reminded me of something and I think it’s true.  Last summer I was sick – I had a wonky gall bladder and it took all summer to get it diagnosed. Every time I ate anything, I felt sick for a certain amount of time afterwards. Every meal, all summer.  Actually, it started in April. I was fine, except for about 90 minutes after each meal – but that wears on a person.  I finally had my gall bladder out in September, but went back to work too early, which caused me to have to miss more time later. 

Last year teaching was one of the worst I’ve ever had.  For many reasons, which are too many to go into hear, I did NOT have a good year.  There were moments of goodness, but as a whole, the 2011-2012 school year does NOT go on my good list.   I k now every job has stress and it’s all different, but politics is making our job harder and harder to do all the time.  Additionally, everybody (and their brother) feels like our job is easy and has an opinion on how we need to do it.  Those same people have no filter when it comes to sharing those opinions with us, and everybody else in the entire world.  All that adds up. 

I take a “happy nappy” every Sunday and on Saturdays if I can get it.  When summer begins, I take naps daily (if I can!)  Usually, about the middle of July, I can’t take a nap any longer during the week.  I just don’t seem to be able to sleep any more. I think by that time, I’ve caught up and  finally feel rested. I’m not there yet – I’m still taking naps every chance I get. I think last school year had quite an emotional toll on me. 

Unless one is a teacher, it’s very difficult to imagine the stress of our job. The constant responsibility and the new things that are added daily and that all need to be done RIGHT NOW just drains a person.  It’s not even lie we can just go home and leave it. It’s always there. 

So, this summer, I’ve read lots of books, and taken lots of naps. I’ve also been lucky enough to spend time with my family and with my friends.  I’m thoroughly enjoying myself, even though there ‘s not much to show for what I’ve done. 

I hope that you have time to rest, relax and enjoy your family and friends. In the long run, isn’t that what is most important anyway?  And a good happy nappy  is always a good thing too!!

236 years later. . .

This is 2012.  1776 was 236 years ago. I’m not getting into the whole “signed versus approved, ratified” mess. I’m going with this  - the birthday of our country is celebrated as July 4, 1776. . . So that makes today our 236th birthday. 

I wonder if our Founding Fathers (and Mothers) would even recognize the country we have today, with what they invented.  I’m not sure they would have. They had their own set of issues – I get that.  I am just fascinated with how they created something that could stretch, change and adjust as times changed. They were brilliant – simply brilliant.

There are some things we think we all know.  We “know” that John Hancock wrote his name really big so that “King George could read it without his spectacles.”  We know that Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the text, there’s all sorts of stories. It was hot, they wrote it in secret. If I had a time machine, that’s one place I”d love to visit. 

Every time I read the Declaration of Independence I’m caught by these words:

“we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

I think they knew what was going to happen – when they signed it, they were really willing to  risk it all.  What happened to that? I think now, most people in our country are so concerned about ME that we don’t’ think about US anymore. 

I’m glad those 56 men were willing to sacrifice their lives, their fortunes and their  sacred honors. I hope if I’m ever faced with such a decision, I’ll be willing to do that.  I’m very proud and feel very blessed to be an American.  Someone once said “right or wrong, my country is still my country.”  I feel that way -  and hope I always do. 

I’m not sure we feel that same sort of attachment and willingness to devote ourselves to anything. There are a group of people who pledge their lives – we do have the largest volunteer military in the world.   They are willing to sacrifice their lives – and they are MUCH underappreciated and underpaid. They  are underpaid, mistreated and have to fight for the benefits that we OWE them. . but that’s another story. 

My NOT Favorite things about our vacation

So last night I wrote about my favorite things about our vacation. Tonight, these are my NOT SO FAVORITE things.

5) Tropical storms that stir up the water. . .

4) Forgetting I was standing on a wall about 2 feet wide and stepping backwards to avoid a wave, and almost falling on my behind.  Instead I just blew out my flip flop and and banged up my foot.

3) Chaffing from a wet bathing suit. Enough said.

2) Packing up and driving home. Why do we take home more stuff than we came with???

1) My momma not being with us! Or my nephews. That would have made it PERFECT. 

The Keys

Most of my family just got back from a week in the Florida Keys.  My sister Patti and I haven’t been back since our mom passed away at Fisherman’s Hospital on Marathon in 2001. My sister Robyn and my dad have been back a couple of times, but we’ve not been all together. Robyn turned 50 this year and she really, really wanted us to go all together. We had a WONDERFUL time! I’ll probably have another blog later, but here’s a little taste. Here’s a list of my  seven most favorite things about our week.

7.  Stopping today on the way home to see my Granny and my Aunt Cecelia. My granny will be 92 in September – I’m not sure she knew who we were, but she got out of bed and walked to her chair to sit with us!! My aunt  has 4 broken ribs – but still is taking care of my granny, and she gave us boiled peanuts!

6.  Watching the sun set over the Gulf. I love how the sun just melts into the water. . .

5.  Showing my niece Key Deer –f or the first time. I remember one time when we went to the Keys before, my Uncle Wayne and my Aunt Cecelia showed us Key Deer. It was quite an experience doing that with my niece.

4.  Attending Calvary Baptist Church.  This is the church my family visited on Sunday before my mom had her heart attack on Monday. Several people from that church visited us and asked us could they do anything for us. I’ll never forget that – EVER.

3.  Hearing my daddy sing in the shower.  He always sings – and it makes us laugh.  It always has. 

2.  Hearing my niece sing in the shower – and everywhere else.

And my most favorite thing of this whole week: 

1.  My daddy saying “It’s been a good day” and “It’s been a great week.”

Ridiculous Things

Okay, I just had to comment on two absolutely ridiculous things that have appeared in my life lately.  Just absolutely silly things.

1. I had to buy a  new curling iron a few weeks ago. I use two – a skinny one for the short hair underneath, and one with a fatter barrel for the outside layers of my hair. My fat one died and I had to buy a new one. I go to Wal-Mart, yes, Wal-Mart, thinking I’ll get the best price. They didn’t have one the same size as my old one, which just irritated me beyond belief. And call me crazy, but I am not spending $29.99 on a CURLING IRON.  So I found the closest one. It looks something like this:

 

 

Here’s the ridiculous part. It has 25 heat settings. Is that not crazy?? I need HOT and OFF. That’s all. Does anybody really need 25 heat settings??  And it has a TURBO setting – it gets hot in 30 seconds.  Do I really need it hot in 30 seconds?? NO.  I just wanted an off/off switch - not 25 settings.

 

2. Here’s the second new ridiculous thing. I buy toilet paper in big packages. I don’t want to run out – I’ve blogged about that before. My last package of toilet paper came with a free. . . wait for it. . .  Toilet Paper Cover, designed by some artist.  Really?? Don’t we all know or at least HOPE that a bathroom with have toilet paper in it? We have to hide it? Really, if I’m ever at your house and I have to use the restroom, and I use the last of the toilet paper, I don’t want to have to hunt for a new roll. I WANT to be able to find it. I don’t want to leave an empty roll on the toilet paper holder and I don’t want to have to dig around for a new one. I want it to be obvious.

Is it just me or are both of those just crazy??

Memorial Day, 2001

I know – it’s not Christmas. But for my family, Memorial Day and this song both mean something different.

My mom loved music. I think she was tone deaf, but she loved music. She  tried so hard to make us all musical – Robyn plays piano, Patti sings. I play the radio. I love music, but have no talent for it.   It was important for us to have lots of music at her funeral.  We all needed something different. Coach Stacy who sang at my parents wedding, sang at my Mom’s funeral. Daddy needed that. Our dear friend Mrs. Rita sang – Momma wanted that.  Our friends Kerry and Laquita sang – we needed that.   Our Mom loved the Hallelujah Chorus. She told us for YEARS that she wanted it played at her funeral.   I almost wonder sometimes if she knew she would be leaving us early. . . she gave us very clear instructions on what she wanted!  So at the very end, we played the Hallelujah Chorus – actually, my CD is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, just as this video is! I’m not sure why she loved it so much, although it is moving and wonderful. I love all the different parts, where each group is singing something completely different. I love that big pause at the end.  But now, every time I hear it, it hurts a little.  Not as much as it used to, but there is still a twinge! 

This summer, my family and I are going back to the Keys. For some of us, it’s the first time we’ve been back. I have mixed feelings – I’m very excited, but I’m nervous too. . . It will be bittersweet – going to a place she absolutely loved, but without her.