NSTA, mornings, and Basketball

Ok, it has been awhile - but I simply think that is how its going to be until the summer and then September (Ironman). I came home from Diabetes Training Camp (see previous blog for address and "you gotta go" info) after missing a week of school just in time for spring break to start. It was a difficult transition but somehow I pulled through:) However it was only for a few days because I had to go to Boston to the National Science Teachers Association national conference to pick up a grant I had won from Vernier Technologies - this sounds very cool and all but on a worthiness scale, I'm not sure mine cut it. So I flew out of Greenville and dropped the family off at Ashley's mom's. I got to Boston and got to my hotel kind of late and just went out to get a bite and crashed. The next morning I was going to go for a run and it was raining and cold. So I pulled on my shorts and the rest of the clothes in my suitcase and headed out. It was very Boston - I went out across Copley Square and then to Boston Common for a lap and then out to the Charles River where there was this really cool trail that went along the river forever. It was hardly raining and was almost nice. So I run and just keep going and then when I decide to turn around it decides to blow and rain...the kind of rain with snowflakes in it. I was pretty much frozen by the time I got back. But I warmed up back at the hotel and went out to Harvard museum of Natural History to wander through time...I really wished Zoe was with me at that time. She is such a dinosaur fanatic... in fact I only went there for her - I had to bring back a good book and an iguanodon, of course. We are planning on doing a road trip to Colorado this summer so Zoe can see some real dinosaur stuff. Then I went over to the NSTA national conference and was blown away. It was in a conference center about the size of the known universe and it was filled. I wandered about and saw a bunch of really cool, new stuff - it was interesting. That night I got all dressed up and went back to the award ceremony...which was totally overblown but nice. The food was great, I was completely out of my element in terms of hanging around in a coat and tie and uncomfortable shoes with rich people - but like I said - it was very well done. (the people in the photo are David and Christine Vernier of Vernier Technologies - absolutely wonderful people - and the other guy is John Whitsett - president of NSTA....I know - oooohhhh) The next morning I did laps around Boston Common for a few hours and then went home. I was late to the airport and right when I got on the plane the worker switched my ticket and gave me first class. Ahhhh. That is the life. I almost wished I had on a coat and tie. Almost. Well, not really. It was so good to get home and be with the family again - I had fun, but it was a lonely, quiet time. Then this week I rode my bike some and started getting a run and swim in early and that has worked rather well. Thank you ASU. But the crowning event of the week was Friday - where I went to Valle Crucis (my old school and Dave's current school) and did some stream sampling stuff with the 4th grade (man, do I miss that energy and enthusiasm) - we got wet and dirty and then their teachers (thank you Steven and Debbie) cleaned them up. Oh, and while I was there the student-faculty basketball game happened and it was a blast again. I appear to have made myself fragile. All this running, swimming, and biking have made me fit but I've lost my contact sport edge. I am so sore this morning - not in the legs, but in places like my back, neck, shoulder, etc. But it was sooo fun - great to see my old students and friends (got to see many at the science fair this week, too - I was mucho proud of them) - Thank you Mary Jo. This weekend I am going to try to get the railing on the deck (as Adia fell off of it and landed on a rock - its a low deck) and work on the garden, and get my diabetic 24 hour runners group in order. In other news - Dave had a difficult marathon due to injury, Nate did well, I reconnected with an old friend, Neve is doing well, and I'm going for a grandfather mountain hike with my biology kids on monday. Oh, and holy cow - Adia took her FIRST STEPS this week! What fun!