Tag: writing

A new school year begins…

August 4, 2025

The 2025-26 school year kicked off in a number of metro Atlanta school districts today. I enjoyed scrolling through the first day of school pictures on FB while drinking my morning tea. For the first time in two decades, I no longer have a niece in school. The youngest graduated in May and she’s moving into the dorms at Georgia Tech next Sunday.

Personally, the month of August will be spent learning more about Adobe Illustrator and EQ8, experimenting with some sewing techniques and renting time on the longarm machine at Tiny Stitches. Yes, you can say I’m big supporter of lifetime learning!

Using bits from my scrap bin to try a braid block pattern and binding with my new left bi-level foot.
One quarter of my Giant Dahlia quilt is complete – 7/26 ECQG class with Michelle Yeo from Australia

September brings a return to teaching classes and private lessons. Two fall classes are scheduled with the SQTM and I may teach a Saturday morning members-only machine maintenance workshop with my guild. I’ll also be partnering with a couple of local shops to host free Block Party workshops during school breaks so kids can come work on blocks to enter into next year’s quilt show. Preparations for the June 2026 show begin to ramp up with required monthly meetings of the entire Show Committee.

A return to school also means an uptick in therapy dog visit invites. Sadie is definitely ready to get back to work. We took six weeks off this summer from therapy dog activities. It was much needed. The public library READ visits are already scheduled, as are the usual visits with Georgia Tech. I’m waiting on the local elementary school where we did a weekly READ last year. It’s still in limbo. I’ll be bummed if it doesn’t continue; however, that’s outside my control. My friends to the north have plenty of visit opportunities available within my 30 minute drive window. That’s a good things.

Fair warning to those not familiar with ATL and back-to-school traffic. School is in session and traffic definitely heavier, but the real scary show comes after Labor Day. If you commute long distances to work, use the restroom before you leave. Bring a snack, a drink and some patience. You’ll need all three if you get stuck in bad traffic. Oh, you might also look into a Peach Pass, if applicable to your commute.

Almost back-to-school time!

July 29, 2025

Do you have a friend or family member who is a teacher? This is the time of year when some are reporting for preplanning week or are getting a head start on prepping their classrooms for the upcoming year. If you have some extra time, ask if you can help move furniture, decorate or set-up learning activities/stations. Show them some love by picking up extra school supplies, tissues and disinfecting wipes on your next shopping trip. Unscented hand lotion, baby wipes, cotton swabs, individually wrapped peppermints and a big tub of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) would also be greatly appreciated for the classroom. Gift cards to the teacher’s favorite coffee shop, bookstore, Amazon, Wal-Mart or Target will be also be put to good use.

If you sew, offer to make classroom curtains, the black roll-up curtain (if required) to cover windows by the door, floor pillows for the reading nook, bookmarks, pocket tissue holders, fabric bins, tote bags, seat sacks or even a jelly roll rug. If your teacher friend teaches primary grades (PK-2), how about a set or two of alphabet letters? A pack and a half of charm squares, some batting and a set of 4″ bulletin board letters, plus your sewing machine, will make a fun, tactile learning tool for primary grade learners. Pinking shears, optional!

Personal items for the teacher to sew would be zipper pouches, padded tablet/ipad storage pouch, notebook/journal cover, personalized tote bag, coffee cup sleeves, covers for their “teacher” chair, etc.

Teachers in my local school district reported for teacher preplanning this morning. Traffic was heavier than usual this morning and it took me a minute to remember why. Can you believe school starts next Monday? Hard to believe my last official pre-planning week was in 2021. That seems like another lifetime ago.

I still buy school supplies every year – for use in quilting/sewing activities and for prizes to give out as part of the R.E.A.D. program. It’s the perfect time to stock up on glue sticks, school glue, Sharpie markers, composition notebooks, plus all the small items like stickers, bookmarks, erasers, fancy pencils and cute sharpeners the kids love. For three semesters, I taught storybook arts & crafts at a local homeschool consortium. (I definitely spent some money on school supplies!) Last spring, I stepped away from it to pursue more therapy dog opportunities with Sadie and to teach sewing classes at the SQTM. It was definitely the right move for us.

I spent about $25.00 on school supplies this weekend. Nowhere near the several hundred dollars I used to spend at the beginning of the school year when I was still working full-time! It’s enough to supply prizes for my public library and school based READ programs through fall break.

Has it really been three years since I left teaching?

May 22, 2025

A picture of me from the 2022 EOY school faculty celebration popped up in my FB feed yesterday. Has it really been three years since I walked out the schoolhouse doors into early retirement?

I remember being equally scared and excited that day. Past ready to leave the day job, but wondering what the future would hold. We stuck to our financial plan and things worked out – despite everything that came our way. It was certainly an adventure as my husband and I tried all sorts of activities to see which ones we liked best. Volunteering and travel are still at the top of the list.

Three years later, I am now officially retired with the state teacher retirement system (I wasn’t old enough to collect retirement benefits when I left my job). Sadie and I have our weekly school based read-to-a-dog program and a number of really cool opportunities for therapy dog visits each month. I am an instructor at the Southeast Quilt & Textile Museum. I am also actively involved with the East Cobb Quilt Guild and sew with friends regularly. I found my tribe. My mind is engaged, I’m learning new things, plus giving back to the community. Life is good.

Teaching seems like another lifetime ago.

My laptop, keys and badge ready to be turned in on my last day as a public school teacher.