Pauline S. Nute: 1929 - 2007

My heart goes out to my dear friend Brenda, who lost her mother to cancer on Tuesday morning. Brenda's mom, Pauli Nute, was a very special woman. Bren and I have been friends since fifth grade, which means that in many ways Pauli was like a second mom to me. I have so many great memories of times spent at the Nute's and most of them include Paulie. She was such a gracious host. As a painfully shy young girl, I always felt at home in the Nute's house. Mostly because Paulie and Don always went out of their way to make their guests feel comfortable.

If idle hands truly are the "devil's playground", then Paulie is already in heaven. She was always busy doing something, whether it be cooking (her Chicken and Dumplings could rival any chef's), crochet (I still cherish the afgan she made Katie), or beautiful needle work.

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Christmas at the Nute home was an amazing affair. The house was always decorated to the nines and looked like something out of a magazine. Everybody came to the Nute's open house. As a kid, I could not get over how many people could fit in the house at a Nute holiday gathering. It was a home teeming with merriment. I remember the first year I attended, I was shocked when Paulie and Don gathered everyone around the fireplace and presented us all with gifts. It was obvious that Pauli took great pleasure in the holiday giving of gifts. I was most surprised when she even presented a gift to me, a fifth-grade friend of their daughter's. Indeed, Paulie was a gracious host.

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One of my fondest memories is traveling in February of 1993, with Brenda, to visit her folks in Barefoot Bay, FL. I had a wonderfully relaxing visit with Don and Pauli. If memory serves, Brenda even bravely rescued a pelican from a certain, painful death. She must have gotten a good portion of her generous heart through her mom's well-set example.

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Rest in Paulie; you are loved.

John Thomas McDermott 4/9/34 - 11/1/99

Today marks the eight year anniversary of the passing of my dad. It is hard to believe that so much time has passed; it seems like he just left us. I’d like to think that I learned a great deal from this man. Much of who I am today is due to his influence. I know that I am still learning from him.

When in difficult situations, I often find myself asking “what would Dad have done?” Often I get a sense of clarity and the answer is there. I’d like to think he is still teaching me how to live well and be a better person.

Occasionally I will see a flicker in my daughter’s eyes and an expression on her face and recognize it as “pure Dad”. What a gift to have those momentary “visitations”!

Dad taught me:

• Life is too short not to laugh at your own mistakes.
• Any job worth doing, is worth doing well.
• Never quit a job, no matter how terrible it is, until you've found another one.
• Be careful with your money - but treat yourself when you can.
• Everybody deserves to be treated with respect - especially those who don't seem to deserve it.
• Dancing to your favorite songs is one of life's great joys.
• Dancing is best when it is silly.
• Silly dancing is even better when you get others to join in.
• Learning and using people's names when you address them is one of the most important aspects of communication.
• Red Sox rule, Yankees drool.
• Family time is very important.

I miss you, Dad.

***
The Trees

The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.

Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too,
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.

Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.

~Phillip Larkin

Happy Halloween

Katie and I spent Halloween with our friends Lydia and Gussie, and their parents Kyle and Julie. After some intense silliness, some wonderful homemade pizza (thanks Julie), the girls donned their costumes and went out trick or treating.

Katie and Lydia are patiently waiting for the rest of us.
What a motley crew!
Love the teeth! Can I be your patient?

Frosty-Foggy Morning II

Katie and I stopped to feed the ducks off the fishing bridge this morning and were greeted by the most beautiful frosty and foggy landscape.

Frosty view of the lakeside pagoda with fog drifting off the bluffs

Make Way for Ducklings!..... Mr. & Mrs. Mallard are off to find a safe place to nest with Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Oack, Pack, and Quack.

Foggy Morning On Lake Winona

After dropping Katie off at School this morning, I had to stop to snap a few pictures. The fog coming off the lake was simply surreal and beautiful. Enjoy~
West Lake looking South toward the bluffs. You can just see the heron flying in the right hand side of the photo.

The view to the East.

This one is like something out of a fairy tale. Gee, maybe if I cross that bridge, I will not have to go the land of 100 ungraded persuasive essays!

Apple Picking

We had a beautiful weekend and took Katie across the river to an apple orchard in Trempealeau, Wisconsin.
We just missed peak foliage time - it was peak last week (and rained the whole time) - but thankfully there was still some color in the trees. I always get homesick for New England in the Fall; no place beats the colors of a New England autumn.

The orchard was lovely and as we took our apples to the register to pay, I saw a sign indicating that they accept cash or checks only, no credit cards. As I had only my check card with me, I told Katie that we were going to have to put our apples back. The owner overheard me and asked if I had forgotten my check book. When I indicated that I had, he told me that he would ring my purchase up and give me a receipt. I could then mail him a check when I got home.

Wow! I'm pretty sure that would never happen in New England!

Katie loved the tractor, and wants one for our back yard.

Here's to the Boys ~ 2007 American League Penant Champs!

Coco Crisp is my hero after last night's final inning. I may even buy chocolate rice crispy bars for my students tomorrow!

God we love them when they do it right - and even when they don't - Now we just gotta nail those Rockies, and claim the Series!

Dorf, party of three...

While tucking Katie in last night, she asked me what a "dorf" was.

"A dwarf" I replied is "a little person - like the seven little guys that Snow White cleaned up after."

"Not a DWARF," said Katie, "a DORF"

To which I replied, as any good mother would, "well I have no idea what a DORF is, why do you ask?"

Katie then proceeded to tell me that Jamie (one of her best friends) started out the day AS her friend, then was NOT her friend, then WAS her friend again.

Apparently, when she was NOT her friend, she called Katie a "dorf".

It seems as though the two normally good friends had a disagreement over whether or not Katie's playing with a third girl diminished the strength of their friendship. I asked what would happen if the three played together (knowing full well that three first grade girls playing together could collapse the space-time continuum, and send civilization as we know it plummeting toward the Apocalypse).

Katie must have known it too. She replied: "I don't think that would work."

The mom in me knows that we are going to have to explore this further; something tells me this WILL come up again. Any advice or suggestions on how my daughter can play with each friend AND avoid "dorfdom" would be appreciated.

The Mighty Mississippi

I begin and end each work day with a 30 minute drive long the Mississippi River. Often, it is the best part of my day, I have the rare occasion to gear up for my day or to wind down at its end. It is quite easy to see how the "Big Muddy" has become the stuff of legend and lore. In some places the river seems like a simple channel of water, then I will become surprised when I drive a stretch of the road that is elevated and I can see just how vast the river is. Those channels only appear small due to the number of islands and sandbars on the river. I can understand why Mark Twain put 'Ol Jim and Huck out on the river. Even though they didn't "travel" on this section of the river, I can picture them setting up camp on any number of these sandbars.

I am often amazed by serenity of the river; my favorite time is when the temperature of the air drops below that of the water, and the river gets a misty fog on the surface. There is something so mysterious and peaceful about the look of it.

We still have steam-driven paddlewheel boats that cruise up and down the river, shuttling locals and tourists along the water. Its a slow moving boatride - not for those who prefer power boats or jet skis; rather, for those who want to take in the surrounding landscape, sight a heron or bald eagle, or simply slow down and breathe.

Perhaps you will come visit us and take a ride along the waters?

Happy Birthday Uncle Chris

Today is the birthday of my brother, and Katie's fabulous Uncle, Chris (what a handsome guy!). We don't get to see him much because he lives so far from us but we cherish the time we do have with him.

We hope your day is wonderful Chris! We will lift a Guinness in your honor.