A Day Out on the Town

Since we had a free weekend Doug asked me if I would go with him to try a few of the breweries that  we had gone to for Valentine's Day.  I was glad to go with him as we will be busy every night next week and won't get much time together.  We waited until after the IU game to leave, but with the outcome, we probably should have left earlier.  The good part about the loss was all of the controversy on Twitter about IU making the tournament.  Archie called the bracketologists Sesame Street characters during his press conference after the game and Cam enjoyed reading all of the comments that followed his remarks.

Doug and I stopped at Lechyd Da's in Elkhart first.  Even though it was only 3:30 in the afternoon the place was packed.  We were glad to find a seat and enjoyed a drink and an appetizer.  Our next stop,  also in Elkhart, was Westwind Brewing Company.  It had just opened in November and was only available for customers on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.  We tried a drink and an appetizer there as well and enjoyed it just as much as the first restaurant.  Champion's new building was close to the breweries, so we drove by there next.  Doug was pleased with the progress and looked forward to moving in to the new space this summer.  On the way home we decided to stop at Constant Springs in Goshen once again trying a drink and an appetizer.  We had a wonderful time together and Doug was glad to have tried all of the different places.

Cam had had enjoyed his afternoon as well.  He and Grandpa played nine holes at Wawasee.  Grandma then made them a pot roast for dinner and they all played Buck Euchre until we got home.  We continued the card playing with a round of Oh Hell where Grandma was the big winner.  Doug and I finished the night watching East of Eden.  Neither of us had seen the movie since we were in our twenties.  It was as intense as we remembered and we both liked it just as well.  It was a nice way to end our day together.

East of Eden

Cal called me on Wednesday to let me know that he had finished reading East of Eden.  I had recommended the book to him this summer and he had started it, but he didn't really enjoy the Steinbeck novel at first.  Therefore he put it aside to read the Walt Disney biography instead.  Once Cal finished it, he picked up East of Eden again and couldn't put it down.  It was based on the story of Cain and Abel.  I had told him before he began reading it that we had actually named him after the main  character.  He wasn't too sure about that at the beginning as the Caleb in the story was not his favorite.  Cal Trask represented Cain in the biblical story and Cal wasn't too happy about being named after the "bad" guy.  As the story unfolded, however, he began to see that the story was more complex than good vs. evil and in the end he absolutely loved it.  I told him that if he liked the book then he would also love the movie.  James Dean's portrayal of Cal was fantastic and I knew that he would be able to identify with not only the character, but with the actor himself.

I heard from Cal this morning as well.  I was a little surprised when he called again as I don't usually hear from him twice in a week.  I thought that maybe he needed something, but instead he just wanted to let me know that he had broken up with Hannah-Marie.  He said that reading East of Eden had really made him think about the next two years and he just didn't think that it made sense to stay together through that period.  I was surprised by his message, but knew that it was my job to support him and his decision.  I was sure that he didn't come to it lightly.  We really like Hannah-Marie a lot, but both Doug and I would not be comfortable pushing our children to stay in a relationship if they felt that it was time to move on.  Instead we would strongly prefer that the Heinisch children chose mates based on their own feelings and experiences.  It worked well for us and we know that it will be the best for them as well.

End of Quarter 3

Today was the official end of quarter three for all of the students at Bethany Christian High School.  Cam still had a few projects to finish yesterday and a test today, but overall he had completed most of the quarter requirements last week.  Thus, he wasn't feeling too stressed about anything this past few days.  Instead he was thankful for the early dismissal today and the three day weekend ahead that included a lot of basketball, golf, 2K20 and downtime.

When I picked him up at 2:30, Cam proudly announced that he had an A in every class and that to celebrate he was ready to play some golf.  Fortunately, Wawasee Golf Course was open for business and he was able to get in nine holes before the rain started this afternoon.  He played a lot better than he did during his first round of the season with Doug several weeks ago scoring a 43 today.  It was fun listening to his hole by hole description.  One more quarter left and Cam will have finished his freshmen year.  With the NCAA tournament, golf season and all of the end of the year events, it will definitely be a busy one for him.

Signs of Spring

I pointed out to Cam that there was a finch on our feeder in the front yard when we arrived after school yesterday.  We hadn't seen one in several months.  I also told him that I heard a chipmunk scurry up the drainpipe on Monday.  Those two events combined with the warmth and sunshine of today sure made us hopeful that spring was arriving early.

Whether the season was officially upon us or not Cam took advantage of the warmup today by chipping and putting at Black Squirrel.  It was nice to see him back on the course even if it was just practicing his short game.  With two weeks left until high school practice started I knew that Cam would take advantage of each and every warm day to play before Bethany hit the links March 16th.  Definitely looking forward to a fun golf season this year where Cam's score will finally count toward his team total.

Never Easy

It is never easy to leave a job, but sometimes it is the best thing to do.  Not all positions are made for all people.  Teachers are never really ever fired unless they commit an illegal or moral act.  Instead they are moved around or given alternate duties.  With the current teacher shortage the fear of being pink slipped has almost become non-existence.  Thus, most educators leave the profession by their own choice.  

Doug has had a different experience in the business world as he has had to let employees go due to downsizing, discipline issues and a vast host of other reasons.  Although not a favorite part of his responsibilities at work, he has gained quite a bit of experience at it.  He has not adopted the "Norm from Cheers approach" where he takes the termination more to heart than the employee, but he has learned to be tactful and respectful to those he has to inform of the bad news.

I thought a lot about our experiences in the working world today as Brett called to say that he had made a career move.  I felt bad that it didn't quite end the way he wanted, but could relate as I left my first full time teaching position after it was announced to parents that I was not returning even though I hadn't been informed of that decision.  I thought it was comical that the person they hired to replace me decided not to take the position, and I definitely didn't renew my contract when they couldn't find anyone else.  That situation left a bad taste in my mouth, but I was glad to be done with the school.  It wasn't a positive place to work.  That coupled with a deceptive administration helped make the decision to leave a good one.  It took me some time to realize that and I know it will for Brett as well, but with his position at Bell Trace now a full time one, he will have a place to go that appreciates his work.  As he has told me many times over the past year, "I am so happy that I took that position.  I love working with the residents and my boss has been awesome."  Couldn't ask for anything better than that.  

Coronavirus

It seems that every couple of years a new virus emerges that causes panic throughout the world.  Thus, this year when the Coronavirus was first announced to have impacted the lives of those in mainland China, I didn't give it much thought.  We had already survived Eubola, Sars, and the Swine Flu during my time as a parents.  One more strange named Asian flu didn't seem that scary to me.

My feelings on the subject have changed in the past few days, however, as the virus has infiltrated more than just California in the United States.  Over the weekend there were deaths reported  at a nursing home in Washington state.  Even though the patients were elderly with compromised immune systems, the thought that it was now spreading among those that had not traveled outside of the country greatly raised my concern.

Since there are now three cases diagnosed in the Sarasota/Tampa Bay area I let Meg know that I might want to cancel our Spring Break trip to Florida.  With all of the tourists in and out of the Orlando area I have become extremely worried about the virus.  The state of Florida has also announced that they will  quarantine all travelers that demonstrate signs of the Coronavirus including those with a fever or cough.  The idea of being stuck in isolation out of state for two weeks has made me even more nervous.

Meg was extremely upset after I talked to her today.  She had been looking forward to our trip since we first discussed it last fall.  Even more disappointing for her was the fact that Cal wasn't going to have to change his plans.   He was driving and wasn't traveling with a 51 year old woman, thus his risk was greatly reduced than those of us who were flying through an international airport.  He and Meg were both in the lowest risk group with only 1% of Coronavirus patients being in the 15-25 year old age group, but I wasn't.  Thankfully, Meg and I don't have to decided today.  After talking it over with Doug, the three of us have agreed to wait until next week to make the decision.  That would give the state of Florida time to gather more information.  Either way I decided to jump on the bandwagon and stock up on recommended travel supplies just in case.   Pretty sure that all of the Heinisch children thought that I was crazy before, but my current shopping trip only added to their assumptions.

So Many Wonderful Memories

I think about my Grandparents almost daily.  They meant the world to me.  They provided support and strength to me throughout my childhood especially after my brother died.  Their home was a safe haven to relax and put my worries away for awhile. They always had something to show me or a skill to teach me.  My Grandma's specialties revolved around baking, sewing and bargain shopping.  I loved sitting at the horseshoe bar in the kitchen that "CrapPa" had made.  I would watch her bake, help her grind cranberries or just listen to her talk.  Many of her stories were about my mother and her siblings, but most revolved around my favorite topic in the house - her love for my grandfather.  She'd tell me about how they had met at work and what they would do on their dates.  He was her knight in shining armor after her divorce.  Even as a preschooler I could remember being impressed that CrapPa had chosen a bride that made him an instant father of four and worked four jobs to support them.  Just watching them, I learned the true meaning of unconditional love.

I never asked my Grandma much about my mother's biological father.  He didn't mean anything to my mom and I knew that he could never be half the man that my grandfather was.  I spent the majority of my youth following CrapPa around learning how to fix anything and everything.  The stories he told while we were in his garage finishing a project were always fascinating to me.  His youth and adventures in World War II were a constant topic and I could never get enough of them.

My grandfather taught me much more about life than just how to fix items.  He taught me to be patient and kind.  From him I learned that doing a job meant doing it correctly.  He stressed that understanding was imperative in all situations and hard work was a must.  These lessons have served me well in life.  The values he taught me helped me choose a husband and to raise the Heinisch children.  My grandpa's blood may have never run through my veins, but his love was ever in my heart and as long as I am alive his memories will be shared for many years to come.