Its Summer,But...

...I still have work to do. Besides getting ready for next fall, I still have negotiations to look forward to, and several meetings coming up. Today I head to the capital to participate in the first meeting of a stakeholder group to develop methodologies and recommendations relating to
increasing publicly supported secondary school graduation rates, as well as policies related to
school expulsion, suspension, zero-tolerance practices and truancy. The committee was established by LD 1658: An Act to Increase Maine’s High School Graduation Rates. We have to present recommendations to the Education Committee by the first of November.
On Wednesday I leave for New Orleans and the National Education Association Representative Assembly.

This week of meetings is grueling, but I REALLY enjoy it. Lots of networking, talking with lobbyists, voting on resolutions and new business items, and sneaking in some fun. Look for posts from the RA later this week. I'll be busy this summer, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

~MET

Monthly Meal ~ Omaha Tapas

We've been doing these meals for a few years for my parents - and this one will go down as one of my favorites. I was wondering about a theme for June when I got a flyer from Omaha Steaks. The deal was for a pretty big sampling of a bunch of different stuff, and I love to grill, so this was a no brainer. It all comes frozen in single serving sizes:

Because there was so much we decided to do a tapas-style meal. The anchor was a hot dog and a cheeseburger. Both were amazing. I haven't had a hot dog in a long time, and this one was great.

The smaller portions were these:

Starting on the right is a stuffed baked potato, moving left you see tastes of sole with crab and scallop stuffing, chicken, pork, and of course, steak. (look at that steak!) All of it was very high quality and simply delicious. We did need something green:

Beet greens picked yesterday from M-S's parents' garden. I know we will order from Omaha again. It makes a lot of sense for a couple like us, its outstanding, and its all in single servings. I KNOW it was Burt's favorite monthly meal to date:We still have lots left in the freezer to enjoy. As usual we had a very nice visit, I'm stuffed, and looking forward to next month.

~MET

The Mayo Plantation

My wife's parents live in Weeks Mills in a beautiful old farm house with lots of manicured lawns, fields, and woods. They also have a wonderfully productive garden every year. M-S and her dad are picking beet greens here:

Our pantry is still stocked with jars of green beans, carrots, jellies, and tomatoes from last year. And from this time of the year into the fall there will be a wide assortment of fresh vegetables coming our way.

They don't use any chemicals and I always look forward to sampling whatever is ready to be plucked from the garden. We'll be having the beet greens as part of our monthly meal tomorrow.

~MET

After a Bit of a Break...

...Random Digressions is back. I haven't been writing here as I've been playing around with FaceBook as an alternative method of tracking my life. I have decided that this blog is a better format for my thoughts, opinions, and adventures. Plus - I like looking back at what I've written. I'm going to try to be more consistent here and FaceBook will grab the posts (minutes or days later) and throw them on my wall as a note.
~MET

Cloudy Bald-Hope

A climb up one of my favorite local mountains this morning. The only problem was that the peak was in the middle of a very thick fluffy cloud. This was the view:

On a good day what you would be seeing is miles of the ocean. Not today. I did enjoy my time in the woods and it was a good warm-up to a big climb coming up on Tuesday.

~MET

25 Down...

...many more to come. I taught my last class of the year today, finishing year number 25. I have a morning workshop on Monday - but summer has really started. I had a great year teaching and still love my job very much. I will be very busy during the break. Highlights include:

• Continuing to negotiate two contracts
• Lots of hiking, including a favorite small mountain on Sunday and three HUGE peaks in NH on Tuesday - then at least two peaks a week
• Camping - I need to be in the woods this summer
• Screening the gubernatorial candidates for governor for the MEA endorsement June 18 & 19
• The NEA Representative Assembly in New Orleans June 30-July 7!
• Screening legislative candidates for MEA endorsements in July
• Watching the Nationals win the NL-East crown
• Visiting with my siblings when they come up
• Renting a cabin with M-S on Snow Pond for a week
• Four great shows at the Maine State Music Theatre beginning on June 20
• Eating out with M-S and my parents before those shows
• More monthly meals with Ma & Dad
• Spending time with the best wife in the universe
• Grilling many times a week - Bobby Flay's got nothing on me
• Getting ready for year 26

~MET

Busy, Busy Week

The last week of school always seems too full...and it is. Grades are closing, finals need to be made up and graded, budgets turned in, and the planning for next fall is in full swing. Add to that these other interesting happenings:

Its election time again. M-S and I both voted a day early in the Democratic primary and for the bond issues. Both parties' are going to have fun and close races. I really don't care who wins on the 'D' side, as long as its not Rosa Scarcelli. I wanted to vote today because tomorrow I have a meeting at 4 and (of course) tomorrow night is the major league debut of:

...Stephen Strasburg. The MLB Network is broadcasting the game - and for the first time in a few weeks Nats fans have something to get excited about.

On Wednesday we have the WHS graduation ceremony. Its always a classy event, and I'm looking forward to it. The rest of the week is full of meetings and end of the year stuff to get done. It will be a hectic but fun week.

~MET

Soggy Mt. Madison

"That man is rich whose pleasures are the cheapest."
~HDT

I hiked Mt. Madison this morning - VERY tough hike in the pouring rain. Not much in the way of views, but I wanted to do a big mountain to continue to get into shape. Madison is over 5300 feet, so it is actually bigger than Katahdin. The climb is not as difficult, though it may have been on this cold rainy day. The fact that James Madison is the father of the Constitution also provided some incentive. I love this sign that greets all hikers going up any of the Presidentials:

Then when you get to the tree line this one warns you again:

I did listen for thunder, and hearing none I pushed on. The views were not good, but interesting in a "smokey mountain" kind of way:

I'm glad I did it, even though it kind of sucked.

I didn't see any wildlife, even though there was lots of moose droppings on the trail. One week of school left, and then I can do some serious hiking.

~MET

New Camera - AMAZING Dinner

I needed a new camera, and I found a great Kodak at Best Buy. The first picture is above. Ma & Dad came out tonight for dinner, and M-S made DELICIOUS lasagna.

Add some basil, tomato, mozzarella, and pesto salad - and you've got a great dinner. Big hike coming up tomorrow - and then just one week of school left!!

~MET

Its June 1st...

...and the Nationals still don't suck. I can't really begin to explain my excitement. Lets put it in perspective. A year ago on June 1st the Nats were 14-36, had just lost 6 in a row, and were 15 games out of first place. Today the team from the district is 26-26, just beat up on the Astros 14-4, and are ONLY 3.5 games behind in the NL-East. And most importantly - they are REALLY playing good baseball. I have fun watching them. Add to all of this good news: one week from today in front of a packed house at Nationals Park this young man will make his major league debut:

Stephen Strasburg makes his much anticipated first start against the Pirates at 7:05pm. Put yourself in my shoes...its primary election day and the DC phenom begins his big league career on the same day...its party time in North Whitefield!!! LETS GO NATS!

~MET
P.S. The Nats play the Astros tonight in Houston at 8:05...in case you are interested...I'll be tuned in for sure.