#NaPoWriMo 2018 Day Seventeen

Mom in 1967 when my dad was in Vietnam. Six years before I was born.

Speed Demon

Drag race
first senior class
inaugurates ditch day
accept challenge up Butler hill
Winner

NaPoWriMo Prompt – Our prompt for the day (optional as always) follows Gowrishankar’s suggestion that we write a poem re-telling a family anecdote that has stuck with you over time. It could be the story of the time your Uncle Louis caught a home run ball, the time your Cousin May accidentally brought home a coyote and gave it a bath, thinking it was a stray dog, or something darker (or even sillier).

Once upon a time, spring 1960, my mother was a senior in high school and part of the first graduating class of her high school. On the first senior skip day, the story goes the kids with cars loaded up with students and left school. My mom was driving her boyfriend’s car, and one of her classmates raced the boyfriend but could not win. That afternoon he was next to her at the red light and indicated he wanted to race. My mom figured, What the hell. She’s never raced in a car which made her classmate figure he had the advantage and would be able to beat the car for once. But my mom was pretty smart and shifted every time her classmate did and she won the race. True story? I have no idea, but I always loved hearing it. Oh and the wonders of the Internet – look what I found.

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#FF High School Journalism

Here it is Gretchen’s first article. I’m sitting here trying to watch an encore presentation of The Talk, because the cast for Star Trek Beyond is on and my girl keeps texting me about editing.

High School Journalism
Phone dings nonstop with questions
Stressed out editor

High School Graduate

Rachael and her pre-k teacher

Three year old pre-k
original teacher meets
high school graduate

Yes, this is my daughter posing with one of her preschool teachers, Mrs. Kunch. We haven’t seen her in 15 years since Rachael finished her first year of preschool. No one knew one of her classmates was from her first pre-k class. One of Rachael’s first teachers saw her graduate from high school. When she came up to us afterwards, of course we had to take a picture. The #haikuchallenge word on twitter today is original.

Seven Day Count Down

Yes, I know I have been quiet this month. I’ve been pretty busy with real life and haven’t had much of a chance to write. Wednesday March 16, my husband came in the front door; walked into the kitchen; grabbed potholders and began to walk away. For a second I thought, does he think I kept dinner warm for him in the oven (I have never done this), but he walked past the oven into the hallway?!

What are you doing?

Oh nothing, the hot water tank’s on fire.

Old water tank after gas was shut off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the original and 16 years old, not a bad run. We started looking into water softeners. Actually been talking about getting one for quite a few years, but weren’t looking forward to the expense. Well since we were going to need a new hot water tank, we bit the bullet and got it done at the same time. The unfortunate part, my nephew drove over here Wednesday night for a visit. All day Thursday and most of Friday, we didn’t have hot water. But Friday afternoon this shiny, sleek system was good to go.

 

New tank and water softener

Then when my nephew drove back to Fort Bliss on Sunday, I started working on Rachael’s graduation announcement. Finally got it done and ordered. But it looks like I’ll be addressing envelopes and sending out invites in April. Just pile more onto poetry month. 😉

Yesterday, Gretchen asked me for poetry help. Her teacher is making them write Villanelles. Aww…poor girl had to rhyme. I showed her rhymezone.com and asked her if her teacher told them about the site. She said, No, everyone was asking Siri to come up with rhyming words.

 

 

 

 

Rhyme Tank

April will be here in a week
March poetic muse came up blank
In seven days I need a streak

Rhymes trickle out in a small leak
Frustration builds and I’m a crank
April will be here in a week

Playing with rhyme, my verse is weak
No fire consumes my water tank
In seven days I need a streak

My well is dry, nothing to speak
Of niceties as it’s quite rank
April will be here in a week

My outlook becoming more bleak
As each verse grows dreary and dank
In seven days I need a streak

Of luck to write shiny and sleek
Poems I can claim have no stank
April will be here in a week
In seven days I need a streak

Academic Letter

I feel cheated. My daughter got a letter last night for academic achievement. When I was in high school, letters were only for the athletes. I was one of the top 20 students in my high school class. Yes, top 20 out of over 300 students in the class. What did I get? Paper certificates and my picture taken and displayed at the Erie County Fair. I want a letter, now. Since I was born with cerebral palsy there was no way I was going to earn a varsity letter. And I thought playing sports was the only way to earn a letter. Back 25 years ago, I think it was. Does anyone my age have an academic letter?

At any rate, I used my daughter’s accomplishment to write a couple #haikuchallenge on twitter. The first when we got the invitation for the assembly.

Invitation

 

celebrate great grades
academic achievement
offers no trophy

 

It obviously showed what little I know about academic awards these days, because she came home with this last night.

Gold medal 4.0 GPA and Academic Letter

 

No athletic skill
Impossible to believe
Daughter earns letter

I have to say I’m also very proud of my oldest daughter who has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school without earning any letter. Gretchen did not understand the fuss because we never went to an academic award ceremony for Rachael. I told her it’s because of the school Rachael attends takes great grades as a given and does not celebrate them. She will be receiving a special diploma in May to honor her four years of hard work. I guess that’s something.

Beyond Nineteen Years

Frontier Central Senior Prom

High school sweethearts trust
they will be together long
after senior prom

Yes that is my husband and me in my senior prom photo. Today may be our 19th wedding anniversary, but we have dated and known each other for over 24 years. I posted my anniversary limerick yesterday. When I logged onto Facebook this morning, the prom picture popped up in the share your memories with Shawn Hosking because of our anniversary. And everyone knows by now I like to do the #haikuchallenge on twitter. Today’s word is trust.

Also I’m participating in the platform challenge #platchal at Writer’s Digest. We are suppose to comment on and share another blog today. I went over to Steph’s Writing and enjoyed reading the interview she posted with another blogger. Despite it being Columbus Day, both my girls are in school. Gretchen was off all last week for fall break. Rachael’s school follows the college schedule no fall break or Monday holiday for her. Although last week she had an oral presentation in her American Religions class and her professor said her group set the standard and the handout for the presentation was on graduate level. She is doing very well her senior year of high school.

Well Shawn did take the day off. Maybe I should spend some time with him. 😉