Bluff Spring Journal
August 1st
It's been a full week of training teachers. I must say we've got a great group of educators who are willing to give up their summer vacation time to sit in class and learn how to be better teachers. I really enjoy learning with them even though I'm usually very tired at the end of such a week. But, if you work hard you get to play hard and that's what we plan to do this weekend.
August 2nd
If you've never had breakfast at Gailey's Breakfast Cafe you're really missing out on some great food. All the way from their Freedom Waffle (blue berries, strawberries and whipped cream) to the Michelle (omelet with feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes) to the stuffed Oatmeal (oatmeal, bananas and about a cup of english walnuts!) the food is delicious. Gaileys is in down town Springfield on Walnut street. Just follow your nose towards the sweet browns (hash browns made from sweet potatoes-hold off on the brown sugar and cinnamon-they're great 'as is'). A good start to a good day. We were off next to buy bikes so that we can exercise together. The doctor has told my lovely bride that if she continues to run 6 miles a day, 3 to 5 times a week she will continue to have pain in her feet. To which my bride rationalized that she would cut down on the running to fewer times a week. The doctor responded that yes, she could do this but she might not be walking too well when she was in her 70's. After a short thinking process my bride chose being able to walk and decided that biking would be just the thing to replace her beloved runs. We had done our research and decided on Treks for both quality and durability. I would have bought a Motobecane but they have lost their quality over the years. I've got a Motobecane road bike I've had since 1973 and it is still a great bike to ride.
Yeah! The Springfield Cardinals beat the Tulsa Drillers. We had tickets that a friend of ours was not using and thoroughly enjoyed a night at Hammonds Field. I had my customary health food meal consisting of a bratwurst with mustard and relish, popcorn and water. Hey, it’s a custom and I don’t mess with customs. Although I have been known to substitute a jumbo hotdog at times.
August 14th
Tonight my lovely bride and I attend the WOLF Parents meeting. What a great program for 5th graders. Wonders of the Ozarks Learning Facility is two classes made of 50 fifth graders, willing parents and two great teachers about to have the learning experience of their lives. This next year these bright eyed students will be taught their 5th grade curriculum through the eyes of nature and science. For example their first week will include a field trip to learn about canoeing, photography and backpacking. They'll then do a creative writing about their experience, learn about conservation and begin studying the effects of human impact on the area water sources. Makes me want to go back to school. Of course this has not happened without the cooperation of a lot of folks. Bass Pro/Wonders of Wildlife is providing the space for the classrooms along with the assistance of Misty Mitchell. Misty is a great addition to the team. She is full of ideas and is not afraid of rolling up her sleeves and doing the dirty work that often goes unnoticed. Kelvin Pamperein has provided administrative oversight and attention to the details. He is greatly assisted by Kathy Follis who keeps track of all the budgets, ordering, delivering and paying for everything from pencils to projectors. Annie Wallenmeyer has provided excellent curriculum guidance among many other points of assistance. Parents have sacrificed by getting their kids to and from the site and paying for all those extra items not usually associated with school. Ever see bug spray on a school supply list? And then there are the teachers. Sue Dial and Becky Ziegler. What brave souls! They've put in countless hours of planning and preparation to give these lucky kids the 5th grade year of their lives. And of course this couldn't have happened with out the students. The process for getting into the program included an application that focused on grades, behavior and interests. You didn't have to have the greatest grades in the world but you did have to commit leaving your school making new friends and being open to learning about the 3 R's in a different kind of way.
A final kudo to Chuck Stockton. Chuck was the mid wife (he'll love that term) to getting this baby delivered. To bad he has not gotten to see the 1st day WOLF. Chuck has become the Superintendent of a Kansas school district this past summer. Their gain is our loss. Don't worry Chuck. We're taking care of your baby.
August 15th
Happy Anniversary to the most lucky guy in the world-Me! Some 21 years ago, in a weak moment, my lovely bride stood up in the Chapel at the School of the Ozarks and said yes to a life full of putting up with me.
Today I have a few plans for celebrating this special day. I have gotten a copy of her work schedule and have given 21 roses to different people attending the many meetings she has today. Each person has been instructed to give her the rose and tell her that 'her husband loves her very much'. I've also told her to pack a bag and that I will surprise her with a weekend trip to an undisclosed location. She hates this kind of thing-not knowing where we're going. I love it though getting to surprise her with something to remember the event by.
So after a day of being given a rose at every meeting we headed south to eat at the Keating Center. This center is located on the campus of the School of the Ozarks not too far from the chapel where we were married. The meal was delicious and during the meal I had a print delivered to the table to be displayed on an easel set by our table. The print of the Chapel on campus was commissioned by the school to be a tribute to the anchor this special place has provided for so many people. After dinner we went over to the chapel at sunset to bask in the glow of a warm sun and warm memories. It was fitting that a little young couple was there practicing their vows. I can only hope that they get to make half of the magnificent memories we woven out of our lives together over the past 21 years.
August 26
Today I got to follow fifty fifth graders to a local conservation pond where they learned about canoeing, photography and did some hiking. It was great to get these excited minds thinking about photography. They were very good students and we had an ample supply of subjects to photograph. Not only did we have the pond and all the nature aspects of the surrounding flora we also had the entertaining event of the kids in canoes. Some of them for the first time. Later they took their photographs and completed a writing exercise to communicate their field trip experience.