Back to School

Today as I think of the last of the grandkids heading back to school, I am reminded of another family-member-of-sorts, who has a whole month yet left to enjoy summer activities and their traditional festivals! Lucky Amaia!

I have a few photos of our visit to her school back in June when we were in Hondarribia.

Somehow the green courtyard and the big trees reminded me of my school days.

One of Amaia's teachers gave us a tour. Some classes were still in session, but Amaia had already finished her courses.

I think they were watching in amusement  the attention our friend Laurie was receiving from all the children and young people.

Laurie wanted to know which desk was Amaia's.

One of the labs. Science is a must for someone contemplating a career in the medical field!

So, Amaia has a month before she heads back up the hill for her last year of bachiller (high school), and a year to decide and prepare for the next step. Will it be medical school, nurses training, midwifery??? A big decision and a very challenging year.

We are praying for you, Amaia!

Another 5 K

All of the above +

That would be my answer to the question posed in a previous post and reflected in the responses of those who know me.
a. I don't run to get a race T-shirt, but am happy when they give me one, especially when I sign up on the day of the race. That was my luck these last two times.
b. to place in my age category and earn a medal. I tend to look around for my competition before the race and try to keep my eye on them.  It is always a bonus to place whether first or second.
c. to get a door prize, hopefully worth more than the race fee. The last two entry fees were high, especially on race day. I felt a little guilty spending the money so frivolously, so YES, I was hoping. I lucked out: the first was a Kits for Kidz replete with school supplies for the grandkids; and the second was a box of popcorn for all the race participants.
d. to keep up with my husband's fitness feats. I will never be able to keep up with him, but it does motivate me.
e. to meet other runners. Both races I met some really neat people.
f. to prove that I can still do this, even with minimal or no training. I'm not necessarily out to prove anything, but I like to keep in the running as long as possible, even when I have not had the opportunity to train.
g. to lose weight. That would be nice.
h. to get out in the sun and absorb vitamin D. I enjoy the tan as well.
i. as a physical discipline. Of course.
j. as a spiritual discipline. Indeed.
k. to learn perserverance. Always challenged to hang in there to the end.
l. to follow the example of DILs and consuegra and friends who run. The mentioned ones are younger. However, this time I was so very inspired by someone older. Read further.
m. to inspire others. Though I am not a consistent or great runner, people do tell me that they are inspired.
n. to think, ponder and plan blog posts. It happens.
o. Other:  Crazy! Fun! (Your responses, both true!)

You chose as my greatest motivators: i, j, k, l, d, e, f, g, and you are probably right.
Eight years ago I was blown away by a 72 yr. old who flew past me.

I saw her once or twice more and knew better than to think I could beat her. She belongs to a runner's club, trains consistently, and carries no extra weight.

Saturday as I was trudging along, I recognized her small frame coming up beside me. That motivated me to stay ahead of her, so much so that I cut off nearly 2 minutes from my previous time. So intent on beating the famous Edna West this time, I could not waste even the breath to speak to her. I maintained an even pace, looked straight ahead and propelled myself forward with my arms. It was not easy. The day was very humid. For the first time I 'suffered' a bit, coming close to feeling nauseated.

After it was over I thanked her. She told me she had been cheering me on in her head, "Go, go!"

 Will I still be running when I am 80?

Of course, Edna won the award for the oldest female runner. (I won it a few years ago when she wasn't there.)

As it turns out, I have not beat her yet! Although I came in a few seconds before her, she had crossed the starting line after me! Here are the results, with one gross error (can you find it?):

Place   Bib #   Name               Age   Gender     Start      Finish   Elapsed

112	344	Edna West	360	Female	8:33:26	9:11:04	0:37:38
113	137	Rita Koch	66	Female	8:33:20	9:10:59	0:37:39

2010 Week 33

Sunday we celebrated Karen's BD with taco dinner and Tres Leches Cake.

I followed Pioneer Woman's recipe and in the process discovered the wonders of our Kitchen Aid which hubby got some time ago and I had never used.

Monday I re-learned how to create a photo book with MyPublisher. I was so focused all day on the project that I forgot everything else, until suddenly it was time to make the peach cobbler I promised to take to Monday Meal.

I followed the recipe in Home Cooking Sampler by Peggy Glass--delicious! I got this cookbook for each household one Christmas after SIL  recommended it so highly.

Tuesday was the annual visit to the state fair where we saw chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, pigs of all varieties and sizes. It is The Year of the Pig. For you Charlotte fans, can you see her and can you read her web?

My favorite experience was watching an enormous sow feed her fourteen piglets, a noisy and most fascinating process. Two 'siblets' fought the entire time!

My favorite photo was of Skye checking out the chicks ;)

Wednesday I got to see my gordito precioso. I speak to him in Spanish and his face lights up. Will he be the first grandchild to love Spanish?

Thursday my friend and I 'walked' a couple hours in the blazing heat of midday--she in her electric scooter/wheelchair and I keeping up behind! Crazy? May be. Destination--the ice cream shop!
Camera wasn't working. But later I got a picture of the window box. The flowers don't seem to mind the heat.

F

Friday I became acquainted with yet another kitchen gadget Mike has purchased over the years--an ice cream maker. It was not so difficult to use and the results were wonderful! I am enjoying taking ownership of my own kitchen.

Mike worked all week at the Red Barn. The project is not quite finished. The kids will be going back to school this next Tuesday and the after-school program will be in full swing.

Saturday morning we went our separate ways again: he to ride with the cycling club, and I ran another 5K.

In the evening we took two grandsons to the Popcorn Festival. We enjoyed watching the bed races, a drum corps, and walking around eating fair food and trying out different games.

Flashback Friday: Back to School

I have a strong aversion to BTS ads! It never fails--summer vacation ends too soon!
Two grandsons have already started school, and the other school-age grands begin next week.
Why not keep the old tradition--all schools begin on the same day, right after Labor Day?

Anyway, Mocha with Linda picks up the BTS theme with the following prompt:

Did your family have any back-to-school traditions when you were growing up? Were you generally eager or reluctant to start school? Was buying school supplies a big deal or did you order them through the school? Were there any school supplies you particularly loved? Did you take your lunch or buy it at school? Brown bag or lunch box/thermos? Does the first day of school from any grade stand out? Did you ride the bus, walk, or go by car to school? Do you remember how early or late school began/dismissed each day? Did you go to kindergarten? Half-day or whole day?

 I found two old photographs that I hope will help jog my memory because, to be honest, I do not remember much.

This wrinkled photo is the only remaining reminder of my first public school experience--second grade in Winona Lake, IN. Mrs. Little was my teacher and she did not live up to her name.
I wonder if I combed my own hair? Was that one of my mother's perms?
I do remember that for Valentine's Day, Mother made the best decorated heart cookies for everyone in my class.

Here, back in Argentina, I am wearing the typical uniform--guardapolvo--the white-starched-pleated mothers' nightmare. And I am carrying the brown leather portafolio. 
The date on the back says August '53, which is strange considering classes began in March. Maybe that's when the roll of film was developed. In any case, that was my first public school experience in Argentina. I started in the third grade. Sooooo much was new, especially considering that when we returned from a year in the USA, I could not remember Spanish. It must have come back to me quickly because I do not have any traumatic memories, and I may have had some time to recall the language before entering school. I do know my teachers were very kind and my report cards reflect very favorable outcomes.
Delia, the girl around the corner, walked to school with me every day. She is still a dear friend to this day and we are in regular contact via e-mail.

To answer the questions posed by Linda:
--no memorable traditions
--I was usually an eager student
--we had to purchase our own school supplies: cuadernos (notebooks), carpetas (binders and paper), útiles (pens, pencils, erasers, geometry tools, etc.), libros (books), as required for each grade level. And, of course, the uniform and brief case mentioned above.
--No need for lunch. We either attended primer turno in the morning, or segundo turno o turno de tarde in the afternoon.
--Elementary or primary school was in our town and we walked the seven or eight blocks.
Secondary school was in another town and we had to take the public transport bus and then walk some ten blocks.
--No kindergarten back then. I did not do first grade either, so my parents must have taught me to read.

This exercise in dredging up childhood memories is very helpful, especially for someone who hopes to complete a memoir of those years. Thank you, Linda!
I encourage readers to go to Linda's blog for many more reminiscences.

2010 Week 32

The photos I managed to collect make this week seem very ordinary. I know it was far from that.

Elijah spent two nights at Grandma's house while big brother Malachi was away at camp. He was entertained  mostly by cousin Kayla. The puzzle was only one of many activities.

The first morning he said, "Grandma, can you teach me some piano skills?" ;-)

Twice again this week Mike went to help his friend pick peaches. So, the seconds have covered our counter all week, and I worked on them most days. Monday I made two peach pies, actually Peach Kuchen recipe, to take to Monday Meal for DIL's birthday this week. Didn't remember to take a picture until the last piece.

Another day I made a wonderful peach salsa, even if I say so myself!

Almost all of it disappeared today when the family came over.

Kayla had to go to the orthodontist twice and also had to get two shots before registering for school.

Did you notice the predominance of the number two (2) so far? It's time to change that.

I accomplished three (3) house cleaing projects: kitchen/dining room floor; the stairs; the oven!

Mike worked at the Red Barn four (4) days and they accomplished their goal of closing it up.

This eighth-grader attends the after-school program and was there to help.

Saturday I ran a 5K. That's nothing, Mike rode 60 miles with the Delaware Cycling Club.

Why do I run 5Ks?

This morning I ran another 5K race and pondered the question ( in the title, NOT the one on the T-shirt!).
Help me understand myself better by casting your vote for all the options you think apply to me.
I have listed some in no particular order.

a. to get a race T-shirt.
b. to place in my age category and earn a medal
c. to get a door prize, hopefully worth more than the race fee
d. to keep up with my husband's fitness feats.
e. to meet other runners.
f. to prove that I can still do this, even with minimal or no training.
g. to lose weight.
h. to get out in the sun and absorb vitamin D
i. as a physical discipline
j. as a spiritual discipline
k. to learn perserverance
l. to follow the example of DILs and consuegra and friends who run
m. to inspire others
n. to think, ponder and plan blog posts
o. Other:............................................................................................

I will post the findings next week.

La ermita

Church-theme continued...

I started the week on this theme so I wanted to add a couple more posts highlighting another two of the many churches we saw in Spain.
My favorite was a smaller chapel on the mountain above Hondarribia, perhaps because of the view of the town and sea from there. The picture calendar I brought back from Onyarbi features this photo, except that I could not scan the entire landscape. The view I included in a previous post is the view from up there.

Here are some photos we took.

FORBIDDEN

ALL TYPES OF GAMES, FOOD, AND WEARING A BATHING SUIT ANYWHERE IN THE SANCTUARY

Every sizable town has a chapel on the hill. These are called ermitas, and are not used regularly, only on special occasions.

Zorionak, Edurne!

¡Feliz cumpleaños!

Our lovely hostess in Basque Country completes another year of life today (the literal meaning of cumpleaños). So, I would like to wish her a very happy day and at the same time introduce her to all you bloggy friends.

We were privileged to visit her at the clinic where she works as a general practitioner.

"Wednesdays at noon I visit home-bound patients, but today I did not have any home visits scheduled, 

so there was a one-hour open slot."

All other days and times she sees patients in the clinic for a ten-minute consultation with the help of her nurse.

Laurie attempts the two-kiss-customary-introductory greeting.

Dane pretends to be a patient.

"That's such a cute pen," says Laurie.

So Edurne gave it to her.

Lindo recuerdo.

Edurne's role at meal time is to serve the food.

The men cook, the women serve and clean up.

There is much more I could say about this delightful lady, and probably many more photos, but for now this will suffice as I am already late with this greeting due to the six-hour time difference.

Happy Birthday, Edurne!

Memory Monday: Church and Faith

Sometimes life is too full for any extras; one only has time for the basics; blogging becomes a luxury item.
However, I do so appreciate Mocha with Linda's Flashback Friday prompts. I look forward to them on Thursdays, and begin to ponder the subject. Digging through the rubble of long-ago memories is a very good exercise and my findings will contribute to the memoir I hope to continue writing. Therefore, I have decided to respond anyway and give it a different title, one I have used in the past--Memory Monday. I may even attempt to link up with the others, but first I must compose this post.

Did your family attend church when you were growing up? What are your earliest memories of church? Did you attend VBS (Vacation Bible School) when you were young? Sunday School? Other church activities? Was faith a Sunday-only thing or did it impact your life and the things you did? If faith and church were not a part of your growing-up years, when and how did you begin and what drew you to God?

My parents were missionaries so I grew up in the church, almost literally. At first the services were held in our living room until the congregation grew and was able to build.

My father was not only a 'church planter', he was also a church builder, literally. And my mother always worked right along side him along with the men and boys that joined in the digging, brick laying, plastering, painting and all the aspects of construction.

Over the many years, Dad must have been involved in building four churches and three houses as well as making many pieces of furniture. This Templo Evangélico is the one I hold dearest because this is where I grew up, in Don Bosco, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I have memories of listening to many a sermon. As children, even as babies, we sat in the service, there was no nursery.
Dad was not only good with his hands, he was a great Bible teacher and preacher. He could sing beautifully and play several instruments. I took piano lessons and eventually became the 'organist'. Well, not really, the instrument was a harmonium, a small pump organ that looked something like this:

I was very young, maybe three and a half, when I heard and understood that the Lord Jesus wanted to have a relationship with me personally and with each one who would simply invite Him into their lives. The famous image of Jesus knocking on the door and the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:20 (Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him...) are what stand out in my childlike experience. What has been true my whole life is the ongoing relationship that follows ...and dine with him, and he with Me--a wonderful friendship and fellowship.


I don't think I ever confused 'church building' with the Church, meaning the body of believers worldwide. In our travels we have seen a wide variety of church buildings. Some huge and ornate, built over centuries, still standing and in use hundreds of years later. (See Saturday's post.) Others smaller, simpler. Our tradition tended to put less emphasis on the physical structure and more on the spiritual teaching, just different.
God is worthy of great honor and glory, even pomp and ceremony. Yet He looks on the heart of each person no matter where or how they worship.
Jesus said,  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24 
He also said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  
John 14:6

2010 Week 31

Last Sunday we said goodbye to our Basque teens. The flag was on our friends' mailbox--a symbolic farewell.

Monday and Tuesday I started the day working in the flower garden. Can you believe it, these impatiens came up on their own this year.

Mike and Skye worked at the Red Barn this week.

Wednesday all of us spent the morning walking under heavy laden branches, helping a friend pick peaches.

What do you think of this big-nosed peach?

And Wednesday was the last day to adjust Kayla's expander.

July 29th we have two family birthdays--Mother's 89th and Skye's 13th.
So Thursday I traveled up to Warsaw for a small celebration at Grace Village and Friday we had a cookout here for the new teenager.

An unplanned funny thing happened--the last candle was a trick one!

The cousin pals enjoying the birthday family time.

Today we sent two of them off to camp. Before leaving they gave us an idea of their theme-night outfits.

Willy Wonka and his Oompa Loompa