Some days are very gentle - nothing much happens and other, well others are busy busy busy. Really busy.
But mostly good busy. I have had some lovely moments today which remind me very vividly about what a privilege it is to work with children and engage with lively little minds who love learning. It really is a blessing.
And ... I can't quite believe it .... but it is Friday again. Already. How cool is that.
I have another page to share today made with Dawn Inskip's fab new kit called weather report.
Now I did promise myself this was N OT going to be another post about the weather. But it has to be a little bit - so sorry in advance.
The page records a momentous weather experience we had.
We had gone to stay with my brother-in-law over Easter. He lives in Concord Mass and had arranged to take us to Vermont for the weekend. I had never been anywhere really snowy and he said Vermont would still have lots of snow. I kept joking with him on the phone, 'You promise I will get snow?'
Vermont was fab with lots of snow. We returned to Concord and spent Easter Sunday in t shirts looking at spring flowers. Monday 31st March 1998 Jim knocked on our bedroom door before he went to work and told us if the man came to clear the drive of snow that afternoon we were to ask him to come back a little later. We laughed and told him to stop winding us up. I went to the local school (how sad am I ... but I am always keen to visit other schools and the Alcott School is lovely ... named after Louise May Alcott who lived int he town) It started to rain and then they started sending kids home. I asked why and they said it was a snow day! There was NO SNOW! These Americans seemed crazy. At lunchtime it started to snow and wise old Karen, weather expert extrordinaire, sat by the window saying 'Well it's not going to lay is it ... it's far to warm and wet'. It was about that time the temperature started to plummet and the snow began to settle.
What started being called the Spring No'oreaster quickly became the Blizzard of 98. It closed the easter seabord of the US, paralysing all travel. By April 1st it was NO April Fool's joke. We had been due to fly home that afternoon but all airports were closed. 28" fell in under 24 hours. It was a record breaker. I guess Jim promised me snow and delivered ont hat promise.
But Oh my it was so pretty and I am so glad I saw it. I wouldn't want to live with that happening all the time but as a one of ... well fabulous.
and this is my photo of the day. After not having it for over 4 weeks because when they went to fix the problem they broke a bit off inside the engine and couldn't find it so had to strip the car to pieces (hey ho!) Nigel got his beloved car back today. A month without it and he really really appreciates it.
Today I am thankful for
- being part of a fabulous team
- sorry - I have to say it - Friday
and finally my page from my calendar today
Dr. Erfle flipped on the light box and affixed the X-ray of my horse Dancer’s hind leg. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news.”
I gritted my teeth.
Dr. Erfle pointed to the kneelike stifle joint. “It was broken right here. And now her body is stabilizing the joint by fusing into one solid bone. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can be done. She’ll never be sound enough to be ridden.”
Tears streamed down my face as I loaded Dancer into the horse trailer and drove home. I had purchased her a year ago as a saddle horse. As soon as I’d brought her home, my 20-plus-year-old gelding Czar had fallen in love with her. I’d ridden Czar over 20,000 miles in the mountains; he’d saved my life more than once. He’d never cared for any other horse until she showed up.
The following day, one thought plagued me. What value is a broken horse? I can’t even ride her at a walk. But as soon as I thought of selling her, I knew I couldn’t.
That evening, as I pulled open the file drawer to put away the veterinarian’s bill, I thumbed through the Ds. Right behind the file labeled “Dancer” was “Divorce.”
Again tears streamed down my face. I’d been broken by my divorce. It was almost as if God’s still small voice was saying, “It doesn’t matter to me if you’re broken. I still cherish you.”
Dancer had enriched my life by being a companion to Czar. She might be broken, but she was valuable to me—just as I was valuable to God.


































