happy day 18

 8/18:  Dinner with friends--one of whom I haven't seen in thirty-odd years!

happy day 12 & 13

8/12:  A very dear friend that I've reconnected with invited me to her house for a family game night.  It was just like old times, although it was not our old friend group.  Still--it's great to reconnect.  And I love playing games.

8/13:  I went to school today. I know, I'm kind of shaking my head in shock, too.  But I spent about fifteen minutes sorting things that had gotten piled on my desk over the summer.  I then attended the Curriculum Leaders meeting, which was quite productive.  I am holding firm to my no school outside of contract hours stance.  In previous years, I would have spent hours setting up my classroom and getting materials ready for the first day of school on my own time.  But not anymore.  To summarize:  the meeting was productive, and I held firmly to my boundaries!

happy day 9

8/9:  A spontaneous trip with my bestie for lunch at Brookside in Smyrna.  The meatloaf was divine!

happy day 1

 8/1: Kicking off the 2026 August Happiness Challenge is an incredible day filled with laughter, friends, and creativity.  The retreat was amazing and inspiring.  I hope to carry this seed of creativity with me into the school year.

gratitude challenge

 I saw this at The Gal's and am joining in.

three on thursday

Thing one:  staycation is flying by!  I've had little puttery projects every day, so I'm accomplishing tasks and don't feel like I've wasted the time off, but I haven't done much.

Thing two: this has been a rather social break, too, which is how I know my seasonal funk has been very mild this year:  I'm making plans, going out, and socializing!

Thing three: this morning, I caught up with a very dear friend in Southern Maine via FaceTime--we had coffee together and talked for over an hour and a half!

spreading (late) birthday cheer

 My favorite blogger, The Gal Herself, is celebrating her birthday week.  Although I am a bit late for the actual day, my sentiment is genuine.  I had a little assist from Gemini.

🎂 Cubs, Cats, and McCartney! 🎂

A cheer for the friend whom all admire so much,

With a mind full of wisdom and a writer's fine touch.

May your birthday be grand, a spectacular view,

Filled with all the great things that matter to you.

Like a game-winning hit for the Cubs under the sun,

Or a classic old tune by the legendary one.

May a good book or movie delight every hour,

With a purring cat friend demonstrating its power.

Happy Birthday, dear friend! Sending wishes your way,

May joy and great reading fill up your days!

dona nobis pacem

 

The world is uncertain.  I am putting peace into the universe.  Peace begins with me.

Find other peace bloggers here.

happy day 24

        

8/24: Some dear friends were in town this weekend for their 40th class reunion (mine was last year), and we got together for breakfast before they hit the road to head to Southern Maine.  There is nothing sweeter than those life-long friendships.  

happy day 18

          

8/18: Today was a very long but productive day. And my little happy victory is that my facial expressions behaved.  I didn't roll my eyes, or scowl, or grimace at my teacher bestie once!

happy day 12

    

8/12: I got together with my Breakfast Club girlfriends at my favorite little bistro.  I love offering them support and the support I get from them.

happy day 10

    

8/10: I got to help my bestie by doing a major favor.  It was easy-peasy, and I was so happy to return the favor; she has done so much for me!

happy day 9

    

8/9: Today, I attended a celebration of life for a dear friend's mom.  I am so glad I went--it meant a lot to her and her siblings to see me and my dad.  And it truly was a celebration of life.

happy day 5

8/5: I had a delightful lunch and visit with my dear friend Denise.  We talked life, her upcoming move, and books.

Edited to add: I forgot to hit publish. 

happy birthday, dear gal

Happy Birthday to The Gal Herself!

Wishing a very happy birthday to the incredible woman behind One Gal's Musings. I've always admired your thoughtful insights, unwavering convictions, and your honest journey of self-discovery. You're an inspiration to so many, including me.

Here's to another year of amazingness! May it be filled with joy, love, and lots of laughter.
Cheers to you, dear friend!

dona nobis pacem

 

The world is uncertain.  I am putting peace into the universe.  Peace begins with me.

Find other peace bloggers here.

happy day 18

Today I got up early-ish to take my bestie for breakfast at Northern Maine Kolache Co.  It's about a 45-minute drive to get there so we had plenty of time to gab.  

August Happy Challenge 2024

 

happy day 10

Today's happy comes from spending time with my bestie.  We went to the movies (It Ends With Us) and then had pizza.  We laughed and talked.  We're both gearing up for school on Monday--she as principal at a small school and me for my 27th year as a high school social studies teacher.

August Happy Challenge 2024

 

happy day 9

Today my school book group got together.  We've been meeting monthly since 2000.  Only two of us are still teaching, almost everyone else retired.  It's not just about books.  But it's mostly about books.

August Happy Challenge 2024

 

happy day 6

 

August Happy Challenge 2024

 

My Breakfast Club friends.  Our regular gatherings mean the world to me.