Happy November!

Hey Y’all!

I hope everyone is doing well! I hopped on the blog to make a post this morning and I found myself doing some ol’ blog housekeeping. A little while ago I changed my twitter password, so that in turn caused the twitter widget to stop working. I have also been posting pictures to instagram on a daily basis and I wanted to link that to the blog too. Then I thought I wanted a color change, and on and on. So the blog got a wee facelift! I hope you like it!

The month of  November has turned out to be just as busy and stressful as October. But. I have had some fun! I had a birthday a few weekends ago and celebrated with friends, family and Mimosas. Of course! Here is me toasting to 41!

Earlier in the month, as a birthday gift to myself, my best friend met me in Charleston at the South Carolina Aquarium. Our treat was to tour the Sea Turtle Hospital. Y’all. We had a private tour! It was so wonderful to see these creatures being nurtured back to health. We had a great time seeing the turtles and hearing about their treatment.

Whenever I don’t feel like getting in my 3 mile walk everyday, I think of those turtles. My miles are helping me get in shape for my sea turtle beach walking with SCUTE next summer!

I am still trying to get in my steps everyday. This week has been a hard one. I haven't had the get up and go. It seems like this past time change was difficult on everyone. I still don’t feel like myself. But the walking has helped me lose 5 pounds, so I have to keep on with it!

Today I got up with the intention of getting my house decorated for Christmas. Mom will be here for Thanksgiving on Wednesday and then the weekend after that is Girls Weekend Christmas Palooza. Y’all know how I love the Christmas lights. But. I didn’t get the trees up today. I did get a great deal at Bath and Body Works on Soap ($2.50!) but that is as close as I came to adding Christmas to the house today. Maybe tomorrow!

As you can see from my instagram feed, I have a new batch of Amish Friendship Bread starter going! With my peanut and nut allergies, I can hardly eat anything that has been baked in a store now. So I thought with the starter I could get some yummy Christmas baked goods that I could keep and give away. I can bake with this starter on Wednesday. I am looking forward to some yummy bread and chocolate chip cookies.

Pitty Pat is doing well and , I think, he is looking forward to having me at home for a few days over Turkey Day! His hair was so long at the beginning of November, I had to take him to Pet Co for a shower and a shave! I hated not to take him to his regular groomer, but she only works during the week and doesn’t groom on the weekends any more. Our situation was dire… Pitty Pat had too much hair and was stinky. But the folks at Pet Co did a fabulous job and Pitty Pat did not act like a monkey. Win, Win!

Alrighty, it is time to get in the kitchen and heat up some left overs! I do have a wee bit of Christmas cheer going on in the kitchen. This is a snowman magnet that I bought the other day. He is life size! He is so cute! He came with a buddy.. Santa, but I prefer Mr. Snowman! He can stay up longer!

It is supposed to get really cold here over the next few days. I have a few knitting projects for others I need to knit up, but as soon as those are done, I need to knit myself a few hats. My ears get cold on my walks!

Tootles!

JKP

Turtle Love!

Hey Y’all!
Well, school is back in session… like you couldn’t tell from my absence on the blog! No matter how hard I try at the beginning of each year, the start of school always gets the best of me. This year has been very overwhelming and some of the pain that I was having last September has come back, which is a little scary. But. I recognized the signs and went into my arsenal and started taking care of myself a little bit better. I am drinking more water and getting lots of sleep. I am also taking my vitamins and trying to eat well. So let’s hope I don’t have a repeat of last year!
I am very blessed this year in that I have a VERY sweet class. I just love my students this year. They love to learn and BONUS.. the love hearing about Paddington, so that just makes my day. My furry baby has been alright with my return to school. During our first two weeks back, during inservice days, I tried to come home for lunch everyday. I think that helped him a bit. Paddington still throws a temper tantrum when I leave in the morning, but he is not licking any hotspots on himself which is an improvement from last year. He is just dropping his toys in the bathtub. But. I will take that!
Over the summer you may have seen on the Reads From the Beach Chair that I keep at the top of the blog that I have been reading several books by Mary Alice Monroe. Mary Alice Monroe is an author from SC and she is very involved in Sea Turtle rescue and Sea Turtle nest monitoring. After reading her books this summer, it helped me realize that this is a project that I would like to become involved in. And. I have!
Y’all know that I am very passionate about animals and I have followed S.C.U.T.E (South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts) for a while on Facebook. During Open House a few weeks ago, several of my former students came back to visit with me. One of those parents is very active in S.C.U.T.E. and invited me to a nest inventory that was happening later on that week. A nest inventory happens 72 hours after a sea turtle nest has “boiled” or hatched. During the inventory, they count how many eggs hatched, didn’t hatch and they look to see if there are any turtle hatchlings stragglers. If there are stragglers, then we help them get to the ocean. You form two long parallel lines and watch over the hatchlings. It is very important that the hatchlings walk to the ocean as this gives them time to “imprint” and stretch their muscles for the long swim to the Gulf Stream.
Let me tell you. Once you have seen a turtle hatchling lift their head and get a whiff of ocean air and then scurry to the water, you are not the same person. This has been happening for thousands of years and you are a part of it.  It is a wonderful thing to be a part of! Here are some pics from the nest inventories I have been to.

Next Summer I am going to volunteer with S.C.U.T.E. and walk the beaches a few mornings a week to look for turtle tracks and nests. I wanted to do it this past summer, but couldn’t due to class stuff. I am so excited about this!
Well, let me run!
Tomorrow we are back to school! Tootles!
JKP