The Haasienda on Shroyer…

“Back home again in Indiana,
And it seems that I can see…”

Today at 12:03pm, I will stop what I am doing and listen to one of my most favorite Memorial Day weekend traditions.  Although the singing of “Back Home Again In Indiana” has been a part of the Indianapolis 500 Mile pre-Race since 1946, immediately following “The National Anthem” and the playing of “Taps,” Jim Nabors, television’s own Gomer Pyle, has been treating Hoosiers and race fans to this tradition since 1972. 

“The gleaming candlelight, still shining bright,
Through the sycamores for me.”

I can remember, as a child, coming home from church, jumping into play clothes, and getting ready for the family cookout at my grandparents’ home just North of Lapel, Indiana. Grandpa’s work bench radio was always on so we could listen to the pre-race events.

“The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance
From the fields I used to roam.”

Now, for anyone who ever saw ANDY GRIFFITH or GOMER PYLE, USMC, it was always hard to imagine the kind-hearted, but ever goofy character, Gomer Pyle, opening his mouth to release golden tones.  However, Jim Nabor’s rich, warm baritone voice was pleasing, and even mind-boggling.  Until the Alabama Native became entrenched with this now 97 year old tradition knwon as The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, he was preceded by Dinah Shore, Mel Torme and countless other leading performers of the era.

“When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,
Then I long for my Indiana home.”

Each year, hearing Jim Nabors sing this beloved melody that is more well known than the state song, “On The Banks Of The Wabash,” becomes more precious. Mr. Nabors, who will turn 83 in a few weeks, is advancing in years.  Who knows when it will be his final time to offer this treasured moment, so dear to countless Hoosiers, and non-Hoosiers who love this tradition.

I’ve lived in Ohio since 1990, but I will always be a Hoosier in my heart.  And with the passing years, less frequent visits ‘home,’ and beloved moments like today at 12:03pm, I am always a tearfully bit more connected to my Hoosier roots.

Today turned out a little bit more busy than I expected.

At 8 AM I was out in the front driveway cleaning the van on the inside. I went ahead and sprayed the carpet so I could come out and clean it later.

10:00am-Noon I taught some lessons and that was followed by a little bit of lunch.

While. using the shampooer on the van’s carpet my neighbor lady came over and we spent about 30 minutes chatting. We looked over flowers and other things and got caught up life, the first time I’ve seen Kay since her return from her recent trip to Trinidad and Tabago.

I finished cleaning the inside of the van about 3 o’clock. I know I am definitely going to have to take the van to an auto detailer to do some of the finer things especially with the carpet. But I got some of the work completed today.

Make short while I will shower and head to The Greene to celebrate a friend’s birthday with other friends. I always look forward to sharing my time with the small group of friends.

I am just a little tired from yesterday’s trip and the events of today, so I think I’m going to enjoy a 30 minute nap.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

It’s been a long adventurous day. I experienced some questionable and very interesting amusements on the bus. I got to see my family, and have dinner with mother. I got to meet my brand-new nephew. And I got to spend some time in downtown Indianapolis. This is been a good day and I feel refreshed. Now home to my three little furry pals.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

The air is sizzling with excitement in downtown Indianapolis tonight. Although it is kind of quiet you can still feel the energy in the air. Along all the parade routes bleachers are set up and folding chairs are stacked everywhere. Many people are out on foot since there is no place to park downtown and they are enjoying all the views of the city. I hope when I get home I will discover my pictures of all turnout okay. I have never quite figured out how to do the evening shots or night time shots.

Sunday night I’ll get to try my hand at fireworks and see if my new camera can handle it.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

I am driving downtown through Indianapolis just as the sun has set and all the whites are illuminating the sky. The preparations for tomorrow’s parade and festivities are already underway. I love the excitement that is generated around Indianapolis just before the 500 mile race. One of my favorite moments is when actor and singer Jim Nabors sings “Back home again in Indiana.”

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

“Oh the moonlights fair tonight along the Wabash… And I long for my Indiana home.

I am just a few miles north of Indianapolis. It is Doss and there is a beautiful big bright full moon in the sky above. If I didn’t feel the need to hurry home to take care of the dogs I would go downtown Indianapolis to take pictures of some of my favorite sites to include the moon.

After the fun greyhound bus adventures, I made it to Fowler to purchase the van. I got to spend time with mother, Destin and his family, it was exciting to finally meet my newest nephew, Jude. Like his two older brothers, Parker and Freddie, Jude is a handsome little boy. And little Carolyne is just absolutely beautiful and precious in every conceivable way. Uncle Darren played a little soccer and some football with the boys, and had some fun time with Carolyne. Mother and I went to dinner up in Kentland Indiana and enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal there.

In a few miles I will be able to see the skyline of downtown Indianapolis and it’s beautiful illumination. Even now, at age 48, I still get excited when I see the skyline of Indianapolis. It will always be one of my favorite cities.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

I don’t know if this will come trough but this is the recording of the lady on the bus before we departed Indy. Now, keep in mind: she is at the back and I am there seats back from the door!

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

I am sitting in the cavernous hall of the Greyhound station across from the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It has the feeling of an older, seedier version of a New York subway.  The people are scattered about, some sleeping, some texting, some… I honestly do not know what they are doing.  Just last week, there was an episode of ANDY GRIFFITH where Barney was heading on a trip.  There was decorum, and class, and from what I gather, pleasure.

A gentleman is sitting next to me.  He reminds me of Dick The Bruiser from the old wrestling programs in Indiana.  Now, this hall/lobby is huge.  There are MANY open seats, but this gentleman felt the need to saunter all the way to the back where I had staked out some hoped-for-privacy, and take a seat next to me. Why?

I am eating a snack of pudding and applesauce when he begins a conversation on his cell. He is sitting so close that I cannot help but hear his side of the conversation, and the faint voice of Beverly with whom he is speaking. The gentleman is very upset over an application being lost and wants his application reinstated. Beverly explains something to him that brings out the agitation. “I’ve been out of prison for six months and you’re telling me I cannot be considered for this position?”  

And he had to sit by me?

I get in line to board the Greyhound bus for Lafayette-Chicago.  There is a sparrow-like little lady who reminds me of the character on THE JEFFERSONS, however, her voice is penetrating with volume as she frantically tries to juggle the moving of about five large pieces of luggage while shouting animatedly into her cell phone.  The lady and I directly behind her are amused.  

This bus, unlike the previous one, is quiet (somewhat) with only six passengers. However, “Florence” is squawking away on her phone talking about how she got into this fight and was ready to “take my knife and slit her throat open.”  Now, in this day and age where traveling with others you don’t know is slightly uncomfortable, hearing a fellow-passenger speak of slitting throats is a bit much.  She went on to explain how those “mutha-effin” [she used the real thing] family members had treated her wrong because she slept with her sister’s husband. (Now it is really getting good!) “He didn’t come on to me. I came on to him. I saw it. I liked it. I wanted it. And I got it.”  

Even after the driver boarded, Florence was still shouting away into her phone. After a minute, the driver came over the speaker with, “Mam, we do not need to hear your conversation.”  She backed off, but within seconds was right back into the shouting into her phone. 

And this is brought to you from your friendly passenger on Greyhound.

I like the song, “I’m on a boat,” but today, I’m on a bus. Actually, I am sitting in the old, seedy Indianapolis Greyhound station waiting for my connection to Lafayette where I will pick up my new van.

The ride over almost did not begin. There was an overbooking issue in Dayton, and four of us were almost left behind.  Had it not been for a glaring incident to which I called attention, the four of us would have been searching for later buses.

I was in the back of the bus where it was a bit noisy: a very loud 18+ young lady with no manners, shorts that were barely covering her private parts, and language worse than a sail– mine.  Another lady felt we should all hear the music from her iPod. My seat-partner slept, offering no comments which was perfectly fine by me.

We arrived in Indy 30 minutes late; therefore, I did not have enough time to head to Shapiro’s Deli to get a bowl of soup.  Rats!

The departure time is in 15 minutes, and arrival in Lafayette is scheduled for 2:15pm.

How I love seeing the Indianapolis sky-line. One of my all-time favorites!

This week it seems like Friday took forever to get here. Generally I do not like to rush the week because I don’t like to push time too far ahead however this week I just wanted Friday to get here.

The pancreatitis is still bugging me quite a bit. Last night I enjoyed some stirfry and chicken rather than a liquid diet or salad. It was so nice to eat real food for a change.

This morning, Flyer seems a little bit better. At least she was looking over the arm of the chair and wagging her tail when I started stirring at 4:30. I do love to see that tail wag. It seems like it is her way of smiling.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

The long Thursday is over.

It began at 8:30am and went until 8:15pm with an hour’s break.  What great lessons today.  Smashing!  Two new voice students, and they are outstanding!  Exciting stuff.

I prepped supper – boiled some chicken breasts, and mixed it with my first attempt at stir fry in the crock pot.  With some spices, it was really making the house smell great.  And, it tastes fantastic with the brown rice. This may become a regular thing in the Haasienda.

I am tired.  But, I am tired from the efforts of hard working students who were absolute sponges all day long throughout lessons!

Thank you!

Flyer seems to be slipping a little more each day.  Her darling spirit has not abandoned her, but life does seem to be.

I am always a bit surprised when I wake up on the first day that school is out. I am so accustomed to seeing school buses and tons of tedious cars in the parking lot next door and hear the traffic and the chatter of students rushing into school each morning. This morning was no different. There were no school buses, but quite a few teachers cars. The traffic was greatly diminished out front and there was no chatter and sounds of kids rushing into the school.

During a break and lessons this morning, I ventured to the grocery store and noticed that there were quite a few school aged children in the store. Since I had already been at the one middle school, I kept wondering to myself why these children were out of school and moving through a store with their parents or with several other friends. Of course then I remembered that there was no school today for Kettering schools.

I do love the energy that accompanies the begins. There’s always the brand-new flowers and growth from nature. The school aged children have tons of energy and excitement about the beginning of summer. You see more children riding their bikes, heading to the swimming pools, playing all the seasonal sports, and outside playing more, you also see more parents out and about with their children which I love seeing.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

Wet. Grey. Cool. The morning began with all three but by 830 the sun is beginning to fight through the grayness of the morning.

As I was driving to the middle school teach this morning, I realized that one of my tires was flat in the rear.
Fortunately I was just a few blocks from the gas station so I could fill it up with air. The ironic thing is this is probably the last day to drive this car. And the other fortunate thing is that the middle school is not that far from the house,

Another long day of teaching awaits me. However, I have tomorrow off so that this kind of makes up for today’s longer day.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

All day long the sunshine and the storm-clouds have played tagging one another, each trying to conquer the other. Now it looks as though the impending storm has arrived.

Flyer seems a bit listless today and is having trouble keeping her eyes open. I am wondering if this might be an allergy or if it’s something to do with her renal failure. The pups have been sneezing a little bit and indicating that something is bothering their eyes as well so for the moment I’m chalking it up to an allergy from this season.

My five-minute break over and it is back to teaching. I will finish at 9:30 this evening, and then hopefully relax a little bit before accomplishing a few other items this evening.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

There is always something a bit exciting during the anticipation of an approaching storm. As long as I can remember I have always been terrified of storms. I can remember my mother’s calmness as she would look out windows during storms are tornado warnings and the fear that shredded my nerves.

Out on the deck cool breeze blows between the trees and all the bushes in the backyard. The wind chimes are dancing frantically above the deck. All three dogs are gathered around waiting for me to finish my cereal before my first student arrives this morning and I can sense that they are aware that the storm is approaching.

This will be a long day of teaching from 10 in the morning until 930 at night with only one hour break. However, this will relieve me to have some free time on Friday. I am sure that our break will contain a nap.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

Despite the threat of rain in the forecast the sun has decided to go ahead and come up today.

I’m going to be declaring major war on the damn squirrels are starting to dig up my flowers already. I run into this every year and I try different things and nothing seems to work. Even having chief and I’ll be out here doesn’t seem to be a deterrent for those pesky little rats.

Again, I will be teaching throughout the day since students are finishing up their finals at Fairmont next door. Tonight, the senior class graduates and I will have eight students graduating on the 30th anniversary of my own high school graduation. This is kind of neat for me.

Now, onto the busy day.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

My neighbor lady, Kay, has the most beautiful rosebush in her front yard I love just going in and looking out at every now and then.

Monday night, last night, I had fallen asleep by 7 o’clock and woke periodically throughout the night. I rose early this morning, fed the dogs, and mowed the yard both back and front. Even though Quentin had mowed the yard just a few days ago the grass in the backyard was terribly tall. It took me a good bit of time to complete that task. However, I needed to get it completed because of the impending rain storms coming this way.

In a few minutes I will begin teaching some morning lessons and then take a break to do something else for a while until it’s time to teach the evening lessons.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

Thanks to my younger brother who introduced me to a friend of his in Fowler, Indiana, I will travel to Indiana via Greyhound bus to pick up my new mini van. Looking forward to having something large enough to carry all three dogs comfortably.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

I am glad the night is over as sleep was most uncomfortable, and I could never find a comfortable position or spot.  I thought I’d feel better by the weekend, but I actually feel less better this morning: more aching around the abdominal region, and all around fatigue. At least, for now, the sinus headache has taken flight.

I had hoped to go out looking at cars this morning, but I simply do not feel up to it.

Miss Flyer seems to be her typical happy self this morning.  She finished her breakfast, and is now napping by my bed.

This evening we have a graduation dinner for a fine young man, Tyler Pollock, a former Beavercreek student, and now a current Butler University graduate.  Tyler has been noted as an incredibly gifted soccer player, and one day, I am certain the young Mr. Pollock will make an excellent math and Spanish teacher, and a very fine coach.

It’s been an uneventful, quiet Saturday. Due to the rain last night, the ground is soggy and muddy. I’d prefer not to engage in any major yard work at the moment. Plus, a very unfriendly sinus headache has bogged my brain and energy, and refuses to let up.

I’ve had a terribly lazy day watching episodes of a newly discovered program, AMERICA UNEARTHED, which is much like HISTORY DETECTIVES. A perfect show for a history need such as myself.

Flyer woke me at 7:00am with tons of wiggling, wagging and smiles, eager to start her day. What a wonderful way to start my lazy day!

It is now approaching 2:30pm and I have no plans to physically engage in major activity. I’ve several options for entertainment this evening but lack the motivation to decide at this hour. The deck is nice, albeit a tad warm.  Flyer has joined the pups and I out here for some air, and seems happy.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

The day started off with fog, and many school delays.  My first school was delayed, and this opened up some free time to go ahead and begin my Friday morning grocery shopping.  The remainder of the morning consisted of carrying the remainder of the flat rocks across the yard to the raised flower bed.  Now, all is needed is the filler sand/concrete mixture to complete that component of the process.  The next will be to install a wood trellis and plant some clematis in the of the flower bed, and add a few more rocks to hide the cinder blocks fortifications.  Eventually, the central area of the raised flower bed will be the resting place for Flyer.

Inside, I shampooed the kitchen carpet, swept the remainder of the main floor, tidied up the kitchen, and prepared for teaching.  Due to various events, my last three students were gone, and I relaxed for a few minutes before returning to the back yard to plant some ivy, and rearrange a few other plants to other areas of the yard.

Flyer joined me on the deck before the rain storm arrived.  We ventured out to the front yard so she could have some sniff-fest.  Each day seems to bring ups and downs.  There are times when she seems healthy, and back to her former self, and the other times I fear she is taking the final slide down hill.

The air is a bit cooler, and night is beginning to conquer this day.  Quintin is already asleep, and I am a tad bit bored – something that is very rare.

It is a beautiful Friday morning here in the Miami Valley of Ohio despite the fact that the fog continues to cling to the neighborhood. Several schools in the area have been on a two hour delay due to the fog which set me back with several schools. So I am getting a running jump on my grocery shopping this morning. I am hoping to continue the work of stone laying back by the raised flower bed near the fire pit; however, I still need to be careful with my back.

As I drive to Walmart the white flowers cleaning to the trees are in full bloom and look absolutely beautiful. This would be a fantastic day to scour the parks with my camera, however, I really can’t afford the time today. Perhaps I can do that tomorrow providing the weather holds up. We are scheduled to receive a fair amount of rain this weekend.

There is not much on the agenda for this weekend other than a number of projects mostly in the backyard. I am hoping most of those can be completed this weekend despite the rain in the mud. My friend, Jeffrey Carter, who lives in St. Louis Missouri, has been posting photographs of his yard which looks absolutely beautiful with all the new work that’s been accomplished. I am hoping to enjoy the backyard more this summer rather than work than it. I feel as though I have earned it now.

From DLJH’s iPhone
“Make it a great day!”

I’ve been dealing with my own onset of pancreatitis, and have been a little miserable.  This morning, the sunshine and steady breezes were too much for me to ignore, and I found myself out on the deck planting my flowers.  The pots are all filled, and at least two dozen more flowers will hopefully be planted around the yard by week’s end.

Flyer’s days are up and down.  Tonight, she seems more feeble, and even more aged.  Twice, her breathing has halted, and my shouting her name has re-started the breathing process.

A little while ago, Flyer, and the ever energetic kids, joined me on the deck to enjoy the comfortable wind that seems to be ushering in a storm.  Far off lightning in the northwest glowed occasionally, and the stars overhead seemed to struggle for recognition as clouds passed between me and them.

Back inside, Flyer seemed restless, and moved from chair to floor several times. I laid down on the floor with her, and her breathing stopped.  Several shouts of her name seemed to startle her breathing to resume.  A moment ago, her body seemed to gently spasm, and calmed as I called her name.  I don’t know if we are at the end, or if it is another episode on this journey of farewell.

The wet and muddy earth delayed some of our planned yard work; however, an unexpected offering from Nate Wynn – a former Fairmont HS percussion student – changed things around as well. Nate offered a ton of flat landscaping stones like the ones we used for our walks! My saxophone student, Nick Rogers, and Quintin Jolliffe-Haas are busy transporting the stone. Perfect timing!

I’ve mowed the front yard, and am anticipating what should be accomplished next.  Nick and Quintin are returning with a second load of landscaping stone, and I want to be ready for the next project with Quintin.  The mud seems to have an impact on most items.  I am debating what to do with my flats of flowers from the Fairmont Industries Plant Sale.  We have a frost Monday morning, and I do not wish to have all my plants destroyed; however, this is the best day to get them planted in pots.  The weather throughout the rest of the week is to be in the mid-50’s with a drastic change of 84-degrees.

Sigh… if only Mother Nature would work with me here!