Seams Like a Story

October 29, 2021January 21, 2023

Happy Halloween

From a (happily) Retired Teacher

It’s that time of year again. Pumpkin carving, trick-or-treaters, classroom parties. Being retired, I no longer have to plan and take part in classroom Halloween activities. But I’ve experienced my share of them during my 37 year career as a kindergarten, first-grade, and fourth-grade teacher. Here are my Ghosts of Halloween past:

One of my first Halloweens as a teacher…Jeans, straw hat, hubby’s flannel shirt…A Scarecrow? Spooky owls with egg carton eyes hang from the ceiling.

Kindergarten

I started my teaching career as a kindergarten teacher in 1975. During that time kindergarten was a half-day program in public schools, if they even offered it at all. In one sense, the half-day time frame was a great setup for Halloween. The students came to school dressed in costume and we played some games (Guess who’s under the mask, Halloween Bingo, maybe a simple art activity.) A school-wide parade would follow. Kindergarteners always led the way, and we picked up the other-grade classes as we wound our way around the school. By the end of the morning, we had a snack… brought in by parents, homemade, and extra sugary. If you were lucky enough to reserve one of the school’s projectors, you could end the session with the Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin. By then, it was time to send the little goblins home on a sugar high for the parents to deal with.

Half-day Kindergarten teachers had one disadvantage, however. After a quick lunch break, during which I had to clean up the classroom and reset my activities, I had to get ready to party all over again with the afternoon session, pretending that I was equally enthused the second time around.

First Grade

Sometime during my years as a first grade teacher, things began to change. The first wave of social consciousness and health awareness hit the school scene and altered our holiday celebrations. Some parents objected to Halloween on religious grounds and did not want their children to dress up in objectionable costumes such as witches or devils. In some years, we banned the word “Halloween” and called the celebration at the end of October “Harvest Festival”. Students could dress in costume if they came as a book character. (“But Mrs. VanDeventer…. Spiderman is in a book!”)

…who arrived to tame Miss Nelson’s unruly class in this James Marshall book

School officials wanted to focus on health. Sugary treats were banned in favor of “healthy snacks” and teachers scrambled to come up with ways to make carrot sticks and cheese look like fun. (I remember making spiders out of Ritz Cracker-and-peanutbutter bodies with pretzel-stick legs and raisin eyes. Yum..)

Fourth Grade

During my last three years of teaching as a fourth-grade teacher, Halloween was back and costumes were allowed. However, you had many, many state standards to cover and couldn’t afford to “take a day off” to party. Movies were not allowed unless there was a specific ‘tie-in” with the curriculum. Sorry Charlie (Brown.)My teaching team and I came up with what I thought was a great idea. Each of the 4 teachers created a standard-based, Halloween-themed activity in Language Arts, Math, Science, or Writing. The students rotated through the classrooms throughout the day, keeping everyone engaged until the end-of-the-day snack. Unhealthy treats were allowed in moderation… except now everyone has allergies. No peanuts, gluten, dairy, tree nuts…..

Retired

It’s fun to think about those days and sometimes, I really do miss the kids, the excitement, the fun. But now I’m happy to say that I celebrate Halloween with pictures of my grandchildren in their costumes and by sitting in my driveway on a warm Arizona night handing out candy to the neighborhood kids.

( I hold back a few of the snickers to eat while I’m watching The Great Pumpkin from the comfort of my own living room.)

Granddaughters Melanie (AKA Elsa) and Michaela (AKA Mayura Miraculous) have fun at the Trunk-or -Treat sponsored by Autism Community Connections https://autismcc-in.org/

Threads of Thought

Read more about my experiences in teaching and retirement in my newly released book: Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life

available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JDG55JN

October 22, 2021January 21, 2023

Autumn in Arizona

How Can You Tell?

Photo from an Autumn hike in the nearby Catalina Mountains

Ed and I moved to Arizona three years ago. We were drawn to the turquoise blue skies, the mild winters, beautiful sunsets, and the way you can see a million stars in the clear night sky. But, I’ll have to admit, I miss fall. Don’t get me wrong, we have seasons here in the desert southwest, winters differ greatly from summers, but the changes are subtle. You have to be on the lookout or they will pass you by. Here’s how I do Autumn in Arizona:

Forget about Daylight Savings Time

It doesn’t exist in Arizona. We are one of the two states that don’t observe it. (The other being Hawaii, where they don’t worry about time anyway.) I’s rather nice. There’s no adjustment period when the clock suddenly “falls back” or “springs forward.” The only slight adjustment I make is keeping track of what time my friends and family in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia are on when it comes time to make a phone call.

It is rather nice. Right now, we have almost exactly 12 hours of sunlight each day. Dawn breaks at 6:00 am and dusk arrives at 6:20. Being retired, I have the luxury of waking with the sun each morning, meaning I sleep in longer in the winter. My biological clock is in sync with the seasons. (That’s not to say that I go to bed at 6:30 in the evening, mind you. The artificial daylight created by household lights and electronic devices plays a part… and a good Netflix binge can wreck havoc with your sleep patterns.)

A gateway wreath with silk sunflowers and fake leaves welcomes guests.

Add Some Fall Decor

There are no deciduous trees here unless you go up the mountain, so forget about leaves (nothing to rake, however.) Here in Arizona, you have to make your own autumn ambience. It’s a feeble attempt, I know, but it helps.

Close Out the Pool

Just last week I enjoyed my last swim in our small, unheated backyard pool. Though the daytime temps are running in the mid 80s right now, it’s not unusual for it to drop 30 to 40 degrees overnight, making the water too chilly even with the solar cover.

Bathing suit, shorts, sweatshirt? Who knows what to wear?

Wardrobe Chages

It took me years to figure out how to dress for the seasons in Arizona. A friend of mine who’s been here longer than I have says “It’s all about layering.” I still don’t have it right. The other day I met some friends for coffee. It was 50 degrees when I left home. I put on a long- sleeved tee and a skirt. We sat outside, and by the time our lattes arrived, I was too hot. Back home, I changed into shorts and a short-sleeved tee shirt. That afternoon I had my bathing suit on (for my last-swim-of-the-year.) When I got out of the pool I was freezing; I put on yoga pants and a sweat shirt for the evening. We do a lot of laundry at our house.

Pomegranate Harvest

In the midwest, we had access apple trees and I would often take my kindergarten class to the local orchard. Now we have a pomeganate tree. It’s a beautiful tree and the crimson fruit is harvested in the fall yelding an abundance of juicy, red seeds. But you can’t make a pomegranate pie…

Seasonal Food

Cool, crisp salads are making way for soups, Ed’s homemade bread, and yes, I’ll admit it: Pumpkin Spice Latte. My new favorite comes from Trader Joe and I mix it in with my chai tea. Perfect for sipping by the fire pit in the evening while making s’mores.

Yeah, I know, it’s not the same. Those of you who live in other parts of the country will have your beautiful leaves, the first snowfall, White Christmas. I miss it, and in fact, am planning a trip to the Midwest soon for my “fall fix.” But come January, February, and March, you’ll be calling me for reservations. http://seamslikeastory.com/good-company/

Threads of Thought:

Fall is a great time to curl up with a good book. Hmmm, I think I have one around here somewhere…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JDG55JN

October 14, 2021January 21, 2023

Out of the Crayon Box

Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life

I’m happy to announce that I have just published Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life. It was an interesting process, and I’ll admit, it amazed me to see three years of writing and editing, and rewriting.. and editing… and rewriting… finally come together in tangible form.http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer

Why Did I Write This Book?

When I first retired from 37 years of teaching, I had a difficult time adjusting to “life on the outside.” I looked for resources, books, or articles written by someone who had experienced the same feelings. My search came up short. Surely, I wasn’t the only retired teacher who was going through this. I journaled. I wrote about feelings and happenings during my three-year transition from teaching to… well, non-teaching. Before I knew it, I discovered I had written a book!

It Takes a Village

I’ve always had a passion for writing, but my teaching profession left very little time or energy to pursue it. Once retired, I wrote in earnest. I found a local writers forum and worked with a critique group. It was a learning curve, to put it mildly, but bit by bit, with a lot of help from my friends, my manuscript took shape.

Could a self-professed Star-Bellied Sneetch make it on the outside?

What is the Book About?

Out of the Crayon Box is a memoir of the first three years of my retired life. It’s an often humorous, sometimes poignant journey to discover a life after teaching. Through these pages I explore:

How to know when it’s time to retire
What to do with unstructured time in retirement
Can I really go to Starbucks in the middle of the day?
Ways to honor my past as a teacher
Self-discovery through travel
Adjusting to life with a retired spouse
Finding renewed purpose and passion for life

1976 Stinesville Elementary. The journey begins.

2018 Manzanita Elementary, blowing bubbles on retirement day.

Where to Find It

Out of the Crayon Box is available in paperback and e-book on my author’s page at:http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer

Check it out, and if you enjoy the book, be sure to leave a review on Amazon and help me spread the word! For updates on my retired-life journey subscribe to my blog http://seamslikeastory.com

October 1, 2021October 1, 2021

Booked

Book Shopping Experiences Now and Then

This summer I made a trip back to my hometown in the Midwest. It’s also the home of a major university. The historic limestone courthouse centers the town and at first glance, it still has a small town vibe. But walking around the square, it’s evident that the sprawling university is changing the cityscape. Mom and pop shops of the past have morphed into wine bars and coffee shops. A tattoo parlor now inhabits the ladies’ shop, where local moms once took their daughters to be fitted for their first bra. Woolworth’s Five and Dime is now a Mexican restaurant.

Yet some things remain. Catching an article in the local newspaper, I discovered The Caveat Emptor Bookstore recently celebrated its 50th year. Though struggling through the pandemic, it is still in business. I made a visit.

An Afternoon’s Entertainment

The space is small and cozy. Rows of bookshelves line the walls, floor to ceiling, the sliding ladders invite the daring to peruse the topmost shelves. A lone employee sits behind an ancient wooden desk as soft music plays. He glances up from his textbook and bids me to take my time. A sign on the desk quotes John Maynard Keynes:

“A bookshop is not like a railway booking office, which one approaches knowing what one wants. One should enter it vaguely, almost in a dream, and allow what is there to attract and influence the eye. To walk the rounds of the bookshop, dipping in as curiosity dictates, should be an afternoon’s entertainment.”

Little Free Library

In a different sort of “merchandising,” my talented, wood-worker brother-in-law has built a “free lending library” in his front yard. Committed to recycling and an avid reader, he hates to see anything go to waste. Neighbors who stroll by his library are free to take a book and/or leave a book.https://littlefreelibrary.org

Today’s Bookstore

How different this is from our current-day book shopping experience. It’s hard to find a brick-and-mortar bookshop these days. Most folks, myself included, shop on-line and have books delivered to their door. Or, faster yet, download convenient e-books to electronic devices.

As a new author, I’m delving into this arena myself. It’s an interesting process to see your stack of words converted to a book. I’m in the final stages of publishing now and am anxiously awaiting my advanced author’s proof copy to arrive. Miraculously, with a click of a button, words can travel much faster and farther than the local bookshop or my brother-in-law’s neighborhood spot. It’s a sign of our fast-paced times.

Yet there was something magical about strolling through that old bookstore. Who knows? Maybe 50 years from now someone will find my book on one of the shelves….hopefully sooner than that on Amazon….

Threads of Thought

Three years in the making and I’m almost “Booked!”

Stay tuned!!

September 24, 2021September 25, 2021

And Sew On

The Life and Times of my Vintage Sears-Kenmore Sewing Machine

This post is going to show my age, but it’s time to tell the story of an old friend.

It was 1975. I’d just graduated from college when my in-laws gifted me the latest in sewing machines. A Sears Kenmore, Model 1320, ZIG ZAG Machine. I was ecstatic! It’s been with me through all the stages of my adult life.

Young Teacher

I brought my new Kenmore into my first classroom in 1975 to make curtains for the classroom windows and the windows of the “housekeeping corner” my grandpa helped me to build. A few years later, when teachers were no longer required to wear skirts or dresses, I made 1970s style tunics and tops to go with my slacks. (dress codes prohibited jeans)

1977…I’m a second year teacher, ready to face the world! My hand-sewn clothing helped to stretch my tiny salary.

When schools shut down for weeks after the blizzard of 1976, I occupied my time by piecing together a quilt. Interestingly enough, we were not required to make up the days we’d missed. To my knowledge, no one was permanently damaged from missing a few weeks of school. (The quilt is still unfinished. I’m waiting for another blizzard. Now that I live in Arizona, that’s not likely to happen.)

First Home

With more creativity than money, our first home brought lots of opportunities for sewing. I was glad my mom had taught me how to make curtains. Nothing fancy, just café-style, hem the sides and bottom edge, create a casing at the top for the rod to go through. I even attempted to make slipcovers and pillows for our hand-me-down furniture.

New Mom

During my stay-at-home-Mom years, I enjoyed making a few dresses for Kelli and curtains and a window shade for Matt’s room when he came along. My specialty was Halloween costumes. I discovered I could make almost anything using a “onesie” sleeper or a sweat suit. From lions, to raccoons, to a western vest for Pioneer Days, the Kenmore never let me down.

School Days

I returned to teaching when Kelli started kindergarten and Matt was two. Being a mom and teacher left little time for sewing. Though I’d made a little sewing area in the corner of our basement. It was dark and damp and the Kenmore sat idle for long periods of time. It made a spectacular appearance years later. When Kelli was in college, I sewed the dress she wore as she pledged to a sorority.

Retirement

When I retired, I became interested in sewing again. I now had space in our new home in Arizona to make a proper sewing “studio.” Far from its basement days, the Kenmore now sits on a stylish Ikea drop-leaf table, and when in use, moves to a small desk that overlooks our desert garden and the Catalina Mountains. I became obsessed with Christmas pillowcases that first year of retirement, then moved on to aprons, and ventured out into making clothing for myself.

I was obsessed with sewing Christmas pillowcases for awhile…

https://seamslikeastory.com/mens-shirt-upcycle/

Sew Sad

The Kenmore was happy to be back in regular use, but I could tell it was struggling to keep up. The bobbin winder quit working, and the machine became sluggish. One day, while working on a thick piece of fabric, I heard a clunk. My machine was in trouble. We had worked together for 45 years. I couldn’t give up on it now, yet it was old. In today’s world of computerized super-star machines, would they even have parts for my 1975 Kenmore?

Rehab

I phoned a local sewing and vacuum cleaner shop and found out they could repair it. During its six-week stay at the sewing machine spa, they cleaned and oiled the Kenmore, fixed the bobbin winder, and replaced the belts.

I’m happy to have my old machine back. Over the years, we’ve learned each other’s quirks, and know each other’s limits. Kenmore and I will never do more than the basic straight stitch, zig-zag, or the occasional button hole, but that’s enough. Besides, we’ve been through a lifetime together.

I’m thinking about giving the old, yellowed plastic cover a makeover. What do you think?

Threads of Thought

Should I…..

Make a fabric cover to fit over the plastic one.

Paint the plastic cover.

Clean the original cover and rusty hinges as best as I can and keep it as is.