Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter Z

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Zero Hour- (a decisive or critical time.) 

As of today (preposted on April 21), I should be handing in my letter of retirement on April 25th. Any of you who have been reading this blog for the month should realize, my heart just leaped, as I typed those words, with anticipation and trepidation. Experts say that going through retirement is as stressful as a death, a birth, a major move. I certainly will agree with that. I want to thank you for hanging in here with me and helping me through the dark before the dawn.

Looking ahead: 
Zone, End- (One month and counting.)

Oh, wait, don't leave yet. We will be back to our normal broadcasting tomorrow, which sometimes involves long periods of time of no blogging from me. I apologize ahead of time.

And, as always, thank you for stopping by.

I did it, I finished the challenge 2 years in a row. Thanks to all of you who sponsored the challenge. It was fabulous again.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter Y

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Young-at-Heart- (having youthful thoughts, hopes, tendencies.) 

Although I am retirement age, I project a young, positive, glass is 1/2 full image. I don't want to look back on the good, old days. I want to make some good, new days.

Looking ahead: 
Yearning- (to have an earnest or strong desire.)

I am so yearning to be free, to sleep in, to stay in pjs all day, to get paint in my hair and nails, to go braless, to work on a project all week without worrying about time for other chores before I have to go back to work. To go visit sisters any day of the week, to shop when the stores aren't busy (I hate to shop), to stay up late, to hang around with my hubby and drive him nuts. Yippee!

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter X

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Xanthochroid- (belonging to or pertaining to the light-complexioned or light-haired peoples of the white race.) 

Yeah, I know this is a stretch. I looked it up in the Library dictionary so it counts for looking back. I am very fair in coloring and even had my first basal skin cancer spots removed this year. On my lower calf, just above my ankle?? What's with that? Shoulders or back or chest, I can see. Must be from wearing capri pants and then putting my legs up while I'm sitting; never thought to use sun screen there.

Looking ahead: 
X-hausted- (worn-out.)

Who'dda thunk 26 days of blogging could be so intense.

See more of my poems and articles at  http://www.monroelibrary.org/10950/nav/etc/newsletter.php in the By The Millpond newsletter.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter W

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.
Hey, I handed in my retirement letter yesterday. I am so happy and relieved; I can breathe.

LOOKING BACK: 
Waiting- (remain in a state of rest or inaction, as until something expected happens.) 

The waiting is the hardest part... I can't start to finalize anything until I hand in my letter of retirement and then I suppose all heck will break lose. My job will be divided up, new people appointed, new people trained in between the days that I'll be taking off in May. Time will fly by, I'm sure.

Looking ahead: 
Waiting- (remain in a state of rest or inaction, as until something expected happens.)

All my cats and craft stuff, my books, my garden and my suitcases are waiting for me. I pat them as I pass them and say "I'll be with you guys soon." And then there is Gary, he has been waiting for 2+ years for me to be home full time to boss him around and tell him where to go. Poor man, his days of serenity are fast approaching an end.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter V

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Vagary- (an unpredictable, capricious, or erratic action, occurrence, course or action.) 

This a good description of recent Board meetings. Few people stay on topic, Roberts' Rules fly out the window. Members shout at and use unprofessional language to each other. Few members check with administration or staff before meetings so when important items like annual reports and yearly budgets are presented, misinformed discussions lead to the items being put off to committees, etc., etc, ad nauseum. Oh, well!

Looking ahead: 
Violets, Daffodils and Forsythia- (spring blooms in shades of purple, cream and yellow.) 

Colored with Copic pens

Violet's Pleasure

Violet grows right near the stair
Green leaves wreath her head like hair.
She bobs and sways as Nature sings,
And spreads her seeds for future Springs.

                                                       Suz

Ddaffs right outside my craft room windows, Trouble cat saying hello.

We planted these as little slips of plants 16 or so years ago.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter U

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Understanding- (mental process of one who comprehends.) 

Working on this blog for a month has really given me a greater understanding of what I have to let go of and get over when I leave. Sorry you all had to plod along with me. It was just nice to write it all down and have one or two people listen to my thoughts.

Looking ahead: 
Undiscovered- (not seen, found, learned, gained sight of.)

One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost, one of my favorite poems is "The Road Not Taken." I just have this overwhelming feeling that my next road to be traveled is out there waiting to be discovered and if I don't take the time while I have the mental and physical energy I'll never get to where I am supposed to go.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge- Letter T

WELCOME, EVERYONE:

 to my second year in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.

Since I plan to retire shortly, I thought an alphabetical look back at my paying library career and a look ahead to my crafting and writing career would be a good use of my 26 days in this challenge, 26 wonderful words for retiring me. Hope you enjoy. I am looking forward to reading whatever you share this month on your blogs, too.

LOOKING BACK: 
Treasure- (wealth or riches stored or accumulated.) 

People, things and times I will treasure and take with me:

• Working with Charlotte, my first assistant.
• The first Girl Scouts who worked with me in the Summer Reading Program (SRP) and then became my first teen volunteers.
• All those SRP themes and the activities that went with them.
• Listening to a 10 year old boy explain the play he had just read, Hamlet. Certainly was a different telling.
• Holding all those new babies while the Moms got the older kids' coats on and off.
• One summer, the theme involved detectives. I was doing a craft with kids, I left the room, came back dressed in a disguise. I walked around the room several times. I left and came back without the disguise. Then I asked them to write down what I wore- they were so busy telling me that they knew it was me, hardly any of them could remember what I was wearing. It was lots of fun.
• Then, later as Assistant Director, I loved writing out all the checks for the monthly bills, mailing them all. Such a feeling of finishing a job well done.
• Working with the Board as an equal and sharing in two hard fought building campaigns. We lost both, not for lack of trying on our part, though. And my opinion and work was valued.
• New employees coming on, other employees leaving and all that was required to get everyone settled.
• Creating holiday cards for the staff; 20or so cards, each a little different. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Spring. Wish I had been able to do more of them.
• Creating 1/2 of a scrapbook for Becky, who had taken my place in the Children's Department. She moved away. I found many pictures of all the groups of kids she had worked with and the ideas just flowed onto the pages. Hopes she still looks at that book and remembers I gave her a piece of my heart.
• Creating a scrapbook for a Carol Ann when she turned 65. Had pictures of the staff and funny sayings. I know she has that on her coffee table.
• And then there are the books, every glorious one of them that I will miss.

Looking ahead: 

Robin eggs in a hollow tree in our yard.

Time Capsules- (a receptacle holding documents or objects put away to be discovered at a later date.)

Talking about scrapbooks, each one I make captures a time and place for me. I have one for each of my grandchildren's first year, one of my son and then my daughter's weddings, books of my hubby's and my vacations. Did a double album, before and after renovating our home. Did six identical mini albums for my sisters, daughter and daughter in law about my Mom, and a sad one about my husband's parents when they passed away.

Been awhile since I've done an album but I am looking forward to working on 3 albums of our various cruises and one about my favorite things which I started a long while ago (see photos).

Crab Apple tree in front yard.

I like finding stamped images, poems, bit and pieces to make my pages unique. Now that I am learning a lot about creating my own backgrounds with stencils, gesso and the like, I should be coming up with some great visuals.