My favorite card:

They sliced it up and gave it to people who aren’t fortunate enough to have a birthday today.

The card was from Jennifer who had to work in Southern California today and couldn’t come to dinner at Malabar. Sophia showed a very interested Uncle Justin her rock collection which she keeps in a small pink purse.



Always adorable and ready to pose.

My team of 5 worked at Garden Valley because none of the schools on my assigned list were ready for CELDT testing. CELDT = California English Language Development Test. Thanks to Val Sills for inviting us to join her team.

By Friday I had most of my schools scheduled. We’re off and running next week on our own.

It’s actually September 27. I was reminded by a faithful blog follower last Wednesday who said, “I check everyday and there’s been nothing since September 1.”

This is what happened: WORK! I started on September 2. Full-time, although teacher’s hours, but nevertheless. I can’t get nearly as much done. Oh yeah, this is what it was like before I retired.

So here I go, it’s Saturday morning and I’m sitting in a Starbuck’s.

Justin and I headed to the Garden Highway to line up about 2 hours before the start of the parade.

I was grateful when I was allowed to drive onto the Scheibers’ farm to use their big turn-around. Making a u-turn on the levee road would have been scary.

Riding with me today was Kelly-Jean, David, Katy-Lynn, and Trevor Rhoads. KJ was once a teacher I mentored when she first began her career (as a student teacher working full-time in a 6th grade classroom because there were no credentialed teachers available to hire), later we worked together at Westside Charter School. And KJ married one of my former 4th grade students at Rio Linda School, David. KJ went on to get her administrative credential and her doctorate. Just this year, she was assigned to be principal at Pioneer School.

Trevor dressed the part.

10 am – the parade began.



Thank you Jennifer, Sophia, Avery, Lenin, and Thais for coming out to cheer me on.

Also along the parade route, Val Sills with granddaughters Marilyn and Kat.

After I parked the truck, I was able to walk back to see the end of the parade as a spectator.


Thais, Avery, and Sophia rode in the fire truck back to Justin’s house. It must have been Avery’s first open-air ride. He told his mom, “Grandma’s driving too fast, my shoes are windy and my socks are windy.”

This was so much fun. I will now be looking for more parades to be in!