Let Me Out!

Help! My calendar has trapped me in a vicious vortex of end-of-school events! I'm a prisoner of my schedule! I've missed you all terribly. This morning has been filled with a very little housework and as much blog-reading as I could manage. I decided that I'd better get a post done, or someone will be sending out a search party. While reading, I had some big fat computer issues. I couldn't see the text part of Simone's blog (so I'm missing out on that giveaway), and then another blog I was visiting started that crazy open-as-many-windows-to-this-blog-as-possible thing. What's that about? Is it Blogger? Is it Explorer? Is it operator error?

My morning school, Lewis Ames Elementary in Littleton, Colorado, is closing this year. We are all so sad to leave each other and go to different schools that we've been denying the future. I was rudely roused from my own denial this week when I learned that I've been sentenced to the darkness of hell next year. The administrators of the program I work for are sending me to the only school I've ever truly abhorred (it's the adults, not the students). The deciders (love that Bush-ism) at that school (and don't forget the administrators at the top) make decisions based upon a lack of literacy experience and a belief that a program (rather than excellent teaching) can save their school. Or maybe it's the Magic 8 Ball in the principal's desk! Anyway, I'm in for a summer-long attitude adjustment. I'll have to stitch even more to work out my demons therapeutically and visualize myself doing my best job ever. I think I can, I think I can ...

Ames is having an open house this week, and I'm on the committee planning it. We've been making, baking and painting dough ornaments to give away (pictures to come later), so I've been a busy girl. Our school was treated to a wonderful field trip to Coors Field (home of the Colorado Rockies) this week for a wild event. If you're interested in seeing part of the excitement that exhausted teachers and students (some kindergarteners passed out on the bus ride home), you can look here.

How about a stitchy pic? If you recall from who-knows-how-long-ago, this was what Eden looked like ...
Today, Eden looks like this ...

Hey, there's a little progress. I like seeing both pictures together like that. I started filling in the pond area with some "ripples" from the fishing line. We'll see how that goes. Of course, the swans are gonna need their own "ripples", so making them all work together oughta keep my mind working. I'm not sure where these creative moments (read: wild ideas) come from, but what the hell! Can it hurt to give it a try? Only the unstitching hurts, right?

On another And They Sinned note, my sister finished her journey through Eden (enormous gasp)!! I know! Isn't that exciting? Sharri is now wondering which bank to rob in order to frame it. Hopefully, I'll get a picture for you tomorrow when we go visit Mom.

I'm off to ... 1) enjoy the fabulous sun on the deck, 2) make and bake some more ornaments, 3) remove the hideous debris of the week in my house, 4) savor a Diet Coke with lemon. Two weeks left until I'm set free to roam the golf course and stitch until my elbow hurts.

Happy Mother's Day, all of you moms out there. Make some fun.