Updates

The weather has been pretty nice lately - not too hot. No rain!
Steve has been working at the property in Rockwell. He siad the BIG dumpter is half full already from stuff in the shed. While he was working three people stopped by to ask him if the house was for sell. There isn't any affordable housing in Rockwell, unless you want to pay $200,000 or more. We plan to have it on the market by September. I'll probably go over tomorrow and work in the house.
Yesterday I got a call from Waldorf College. They want to hire me! I would start in mid-August and work to mid-May. I will be the evening reference librarian. It's not offical yet [I have some papers to sign] but they offered me the job. This will help to offset the days I lost at B-K.
Yesterday we finally made it to the Chinese place to eat for Lynne's birthday. Then we stopped for ice cream at the CL DQ and finished our evening with a riding tour around the lake.
I spent the afternoon today getting the ball rolling for West Hancock's new library automation system. We will be using Microsoft settlement money to buy the Destiny software program for the 3 library media centers. I'd like to be done before school starts.
Well, that's about it! Until next time....
Theresa

Happy Birthday to Lynne!

Today is Lynne's 20th b-day. As per family tradition, the b-day person gets to choose a place to dine at to celebrate. Lynne has chosen Chinese cuisine for supper.
Last night Steve and I traveled to Nora Springs to attend the Fireman's Ball. We joined John & Terri A. and Roger & Barb R. for a night of brats, beer, and music. It was hot, temp-wise, but the breeze came up. Then the wind and rain came. We all walked the 2 blocks to John and Terri's house and had just made it when the skies let loose. We sat out the rain and then headed home. Steve and I stopped at Perkins in MC for coffee. We finally got home about 2:30a!
The fan in my house isn't working right. That means the AC isn't working. Bummer! I called my landlord and hopefully things will get fixed. Yesterday it was 90 degrees in the house! My landlord came today to look at the problem and someone will come in tomorrow to fix it.
Steve got here around 4:00p yesterday. He said the travel up was long.
This morning we took Lynne out for breakfast at Denny's. That's where Lynne and I went on Thursday for my birthday. The b-day person gets a free Grand Slam with proof of ID of course! So when it's your birthday head for the nearest Denny's to eat free!
We never made it to the Chinese cafe. Lynne decides that she wanted to go out with her friends to celebrate her birthday. Instead I made supper for Steve and me.
Well, my contract won't be here until sometime this week. It's on hold until the school's lawyer can look it over. I guess it's because my new contract is modified for the 2010-2011 school year. And I'm not the only one. I just wish we would get the contract thing settled.
Kellie and the boys are on their way to Iowa from Texas. They're up here to celebrate July 4th in Obkoboji.
Trudy called today to wish me a belated birthday. She and Bob were on their way to Wisconsin from New York City by truck.
Bye for now...
Theresa

Happy Birthday to Me (& Doug)

I woke up today one year older. One of my FB friends said it was better than the alternative, which I guess he meant better than dead. Which is true. Thanks for the laughs, Mark. Also, happy b-day to my brother-in-law Doug R. I'll always be exactly 3 years older than he is! Steve called me this AM to wish me a happy b-day.
Yesterday I had a job interview with Waldorf College (in Forest City) for the position of library assistant. More precisely, PT evening & weekend reference librarian during the academic year. The college's Luise V. Hanson Library is beautiful, recently remodeled. I came away with a good feeling and I'll know in about a week. I'm hoping with the cuts the school has made, getting this position would help out.
Speaking of the schools, contracts should be out this week. Maybe even today!
I've had several calls from Geoff in Alaska. I'm sending him out a care pkg today. He also sent me a letter describing some of his wilderness adventure. "No phone, no Internet, no alcohol, no women." He's already seen 4 bears, but none up close. He said he sleeps with his gun nearby in case of night time intruders.
I bought me one of those up-side-down tomato bags to grow one of my tomato plants. Then I had to buy a shepherd's hook to hang it on because I'm too short to water it when hung from the deck roof. There better be some good tomatoes!
Lynne says she's taking me out for breakfast. I guess I better get her up!
Steve will be here 26-JUN to 5-JUL. His plans are to empty out the Rockwell house so we can put it on the market to sell.
Will close for now. Until next time,
Theresa

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you Dads!

Once again it is time to honor all those dads out there. Happy Father's Day to my dad, Stan Sherrill and to my husband, Steve Reiter.
Yesterday I spent the whole day sleeping and watching TV. Trying to catch up on lost sleep and brain use during computer boot camp I guess! I did look into my Twitter account and Face Book site. Added a few more tweets to follow and read over more recent news.
If I haven't said it enough, I'll say it again! I am so glad I was able to attend the Scott McLeod/AEA 267 'Shift Control' sessions during this past school year. I have learned so much and made some good contacts with the participants. Now to go back and put their ideas, suggestions, and tech tools to work in my school districts! I've been making a list of the teachers I want to target [ask] for collaboration. I want to introduce and use some of the tech tools I learned about with my classes.
Finally we will find out what out contracts are this coming week. B-K School has put off issuing contracts until all 3 of their new administrators were hired. Well, that's done! Let's find out what kind of job I have for 2010-2011! There are a few others wondering the same thing about their jobs, too!
Steve comes to Iowa for a 10-day visit starting next Saturday, 26-JUN. YEAH! He will be here until 5-JUL. YEAH! He says it's been very hot in KS. In Iowa all we get is rain or snow. This next week he heads to western KS to clean out a storage shed or something.
I have a interview with Waldorf College for the position of Library Assistant on Wednesday. This will be interesting!
Well, my friends, I've got to go.
Until next time...
Theresa

The night after the day...

First off, computer boot camp is finished! And my mind is swirling! So much, so much. Add to that the terrible weather we received during the day = rain. Also, there was bad weather at home. Belmond received 3" of water and downed trees. I took pictures.
It will take me a few days to debrief and revisit all the tech tools we learned about.
My dog-children were glad to see me get home. Cricket and Nattie kept jumping and trying to 'kiss' me. Love my girls!
Contracts should be out sometime next week. That should be interesting. I have a job interview on Wednesday at Waldorf College for a pt library assistant job. I'm excited. Wish me luck!
Last night I ate had supper at Pepper's in CF with Jessie & John, and Laura and son Stratton. It was so nice to see and visit with them! I took pictures! Next month I'm taking a 2-day class in CF and Jessie has invited me to stay with her and Laura said she'll make supper for me. What nice neices!
Time to go.
Have a wonderful day.
Theresa

Yes, Sir!

Today I'm at computer boot camp! Already I know I will be brain drained at the end of the day. I'm really looking forward to seeing my nieces Jessie & Laura and maybe grandnephew Stratton later tonight!

At Bootcamp

The morning was great. We met the Iowa & National Teacher of the Year - Sarah Brown Wessling. Her keynote address was relevant to our workshop. During lunch, Dawn Bassett, teacher-librarian at Garner-Hayfield School spoke about her journey to be a full time teacher-librarian.
Now we are at computer bootcamp. Nick Sauer is our facilitator with Dr. Scott McLeod on the sidelines.
Well, back to class.
Theresa

On the road again....

As many of my FB friends know, I recently took a 5-day trip to Wichita, KS, to visit Steve. Well, I'm on the road again! This time to Cedar Falls, IA, for a 3-day class with Dr. Scott McLeod.
It's a computer boot camp and other info on technology. I'm down here with 2 other people from the Belmond-Klemme School. It should be an intense 3 days! We're staying in a hotel so we don't have to drive each day. I'll let you know more later.

Now for the trip to Wichita: Terri A, & I toured Old Cowtown Museum, Mid-America All-Indian Center with the Keeper of the Plains statue, and the Museum of World Treasures [all in Wichita]. Steve, Terri, and I toured the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, the Cosmosphere [both in Hutchinson], and the Great Plains Transportation Center in Wichita. And we didn't see everything the Wichita area had to offer! So after 1470 miles and 83.5 gallons of gas later, I was home! The photo is of the Keeper of the Plains, a gift from Native American artist Blackbear Boison to the city of Wichita in 1974. We ate at several popular eateries: Spangles, Texas Roadhouse, River City Brewery, and IHOP.

Please check my FB profile [Theresa LeeAnn Reiter] for more pictures of lots of things!

Until next time...
tlesr

We're not in Iowa anymore!

Terri and I arrived in Wichita, KS, about 10:30pm yesterday. We got a late start on Wednesday, leaving about 2pm from Clear Lake. We attended a Daughters of the American Revolution meeting at Central Park in CL, then ate a late lunch, and then headed south. BTW: Terri is a FAST driver!
We traveled around Kansas City about 6:30pm and reached the Kansas Turnpike about 2 hours later. After arriving in Wichita, Steve guided us by cell phone to his apartment on Clarence St. We then had a verry, verry late supper at IHOP.
Today our plans include touring by the Arkansas River. We will stop by the Keeper of the Plains, the Mid-America All-Indian Center, and Old Cow Town. Our cameras will be ready for all our photo-opps!
BYE FOR NOW!
Theresa

Summer is Here!

I'm feeling a little better now. Last weekend I was SICK. I had a terrible cold or something, but I coughed a lot, was sleepy, and generally felt rotten. Now I'm still coughing, but not as much. Everyone was here too! Marie and Steve have informed me that they have dry, scratchy throats - so I guess I'm to blame. One lady at work told me that her husband was like this for 2 1/2 weeks.
Please put Shirley Frakes Fredrickson in your prayers - she's in the hospital with pneumonia. "Get better soon, Shirley."
Well, the kids have all gone home, but the books haven't! I still have 5 State Library Reports to complete. It's just putting in data online, so it sounds worse than it is.
Geoff heads for work in Alaska soon. He flies out of Minneapolis on Sunday. He's working at Lake Marie Lodge near Anchorage.
We learned yesterday that Belmond-Klemme probably won't issue contracts until mid-July at the earliest. They're waiting until all 3 administrators are hired so they can work together on who they want where. CRAP! It's OK if you know you have a job, but what about those of us that were cut or reduced? I'm looking into several other options myself.
We're supposed to get rain and thunderstorms here today. And cooler temps.
Next week Terri and I are driving down to Wichita, KS! We leave on Wednesday and come back either Sunday or Monday. We are staying with Steve. We are going to visit the Museum of World Treasures, the Wichita Art Museum, tour downtown Wichita, tour KWCH-TV, go to the salt mines (somewhere nearby), and watch a movie where you sit on a balcony in an easy chair and can order food/drink and alcohol during the show. REAL TOURISTS!
Today and Monday I work at WH in Britt. I'll get back to B-K on the 15th. I have a class in Cedar Falls from 16-18th.
Did I say I was very glad our family could get together last weekend? We were only missing Jeff Allen. :( Maybe we'll head out to CO for Thanksgiving. I plan to go in July.
Well, I guess I'll close for now.
Love ya all...
tlesr