A Saturday Afternoon

I had a nice Saturday. First, I got up rather early...crazy for a Saturday.
Then, I decided to go visit my brand new grandniece. Yes, I am now a Great Aunt. That title makes me feel old. Being a grandma doesn't make me feel old, but being a Great Aunt does! haha
I visited for a while, and then came home. My friend had called me earlier in the day, and she wanted to take me out for my graduation. First, we went to "the big park", which is what our family has always called Forsyth Park, which is downtown. Savannah College of Art and Design had their yearly Sidewalk Chalk Art competition yesterday. Cathy is a graduate of "SCAD", and she had her work displayed one year. Cathy is a portrait artist, and she is really good, too. She said that she had drawn a picture of herself looking in the mirror at herself as she was creating the art. That sounds really interesting. She had a mirror on the sidewalk to look at herself as she drew. My brother has a sketch that she made of little Julia, and it is remarkable. The park was full of people, and the day was beautiful. Luckily, it didn't rain and wash away the art! Many times, the rain pours down on it. This year is the first time that I have seen the actual work before it faded, or washed, away, and I really enjoyed it. After seeing all of the art, we went to the Firefly Cafe for supper. I had never been there, but I have heard a lot about it. This cafe is downtown in a small basement type of setting. The food was terrific, and I had my first taste of cous cous! I had a delicious Southwestern Chicken and Cheese soup and a Pork Loin stuffed with goat cheese, walnuts, and basil, and some asparagus. Cathy had a delicious chicken dish, with cous cous and vegetables. YUM! Thanks, Cathy!! I had a terrific day, and I didn't even worry about all of my responsibilities at home. That, my dear friends, is an epic wonder!!
So, I am here today waiting for this afternoon when my roast will be finished and my gravy will be ready to put on the rice I will cook. I will also cook some of the fresh vegetables that Daddy bought yesterday. Let me tell you something. Daddy went out by himself yesterday in his truck on a trip to the base. He shouldn't have done that, but he did! At 91 years of age, he is determined to keep on keeping on! Although we discourage him from driving, he took off on his own yesterday without anyone knowing it. I was out visiting the grandniece, so I wasn't aware that he did that. Well, he came home safe and sound, so I guess it is okay...just this once! haha
I will go for now. I just wanted to write about my wonderful day that I had, thanks to my friend, Cathy!!

Have a great Sunday!

Rutabega Bug

I have gotten into the habit of cooking fresh vegetables lately. Daddy always buys them: squash, zucchini, onions, potatoes, and whatever is fresh. Anyway, my mamma always loved rutabegas. I ate some one time, and I kind of liked them. I never tried cooking one, though, until last week. Boy, those things are hard to cut!! They are so hard, almost like a rock...Anyway, I cooked my first one, and it was mighty tasty. I invited my cousin, Mina over for Sunday dinner, because she loves rutabegas, too! My son, Adam, decided that he likes them now. Daddy likes them, too, so I bought another one the other day. The sun was shining so nicely this afternoon, that I took my "bigger" rutabega outside, sat in a chair, and started peeling and cutting. It took me a while, because it is so 'hard' (like I already said), but it smells pretty good right now! Well, good isn't exactly the right term. Rutabegas do not smell 'good', or sweet, or anything like that, but they do have an enticing aroma. So, my chicken is baked, the fresh corn on the cob is almost done, and my fresh-right out of the garden-cabbage is just about ready. Rachel's mother in law gave me fresh lettuce and a fresh head of cabbage that a friend of hers had given her, fresh from the garden, so I've been eating lettuce for lunch, and I'm having cabbage for supper!
The days are getting to be very nice lately, and I just do not like to be stuck inside. My new school is all in one building, and I do not get outside any during the day. When I get home, I go straight to the kitchen to cook, so I don't get outside in the afternoon, either. I do not like that, Sam I Am!! So, I decided to sit ouside and "peel and cut" today.  I have been remembering that we all used to sit out on the front porch a lot. I see people on their front porches downtown and different places. I suppose we sat on the porch in order to be outside. I remember snapping beans on the porch and things like that. I still see older people or people who have no means of transportation sitting on their porches. Back in the day, if you pardon that much used expression, people didn't run the the mall every second or to the store or wherever, they stayed home and had family time. Much of family time was preparing dinner, 'snapping beans', or doing simple things like that around the house! I miss those simple days very much! 
So, my new way to be outside will be to go into my backyard and sit for a while. I wish I had a swing to sit in, like we used to have on our front porch. That would just make my day! Maybe I can get one and find a frame to put in on. I bought a swing once to put on my glassed in porch, but the swing was too big. I think that my next purchase will be a swing. There, I said it, so now I need to make sure that I get it done!  I love being outside. Now that I am not studying anymore, I am going to spend a lot more time just sitting outside and enjoying the simple time of just...sitting outside!!
Have a great day!!

A Parade, Spring Break, and Stuff

I went to the St. Patrick's Day parade last month, which is something that I haven't done in a couple of years. I only went this time, because my little granddaughter was going to be there. I had to park one mile away and walk to our 'spot'. Yes, one mile. I found out that the parking lot at my school was empty, so I parked there. Now mind you...this location is not the safest in town, but I am there every day and do not even realize that it is a not so safe place. Anyway, I was by myself and walked down the main streets to the parade. Many people were walking miles to get there, so I was just one of the crowd, really.  After waiting for the parade to get to us and seeing only a few entries, Rachel and Don decided to leave early. So, I hitched a ride with them back to my car and came on home. March 17th was the day that I was supposed to be in Long Beach, California graduating with my Ph.D., but I was in Savannah! There is another graduation in Minneapolis on August 10th, so maybe I will be able to attend that one. I received my official transcript in the mail, opened it, and read: Degree Confirmed - Doctor of Philosophy: Area of Concentration: Curriculum and Instruction: Grade Point Average: 4.0~~!! Whoopie!! That average honors me with graduating with Distinction! I am very proud of myself. The road to this degree was long, but I enjoyed it. There were many obstacles along the way in my personal life, but the work and study kept my mind busy and diverted from the various crises that were going on in my life.
My diploma has come, also, since I started writing this entry. Yippee!!
Now, I await my my 'cap' and gown. I will really receive a little 'tam' like hat, rather than a cap. I am happy to finally get a robe with the stripes on the sleeves!! I am not bragging. I am just very excited and very, very happy to have finally achieved this goal that I had set for myself my entire life. This year will be my 40th year being out of high school, so it took me quite a while to finish my education!! HAHA!! 1973 - 2013, Whew!!

I planted flowers this year!! I love to plant flowers, but I have not had the time to do it in recent years. I have lots of pansies and violets, and they are very pretty. I LOVE THEM!! I got all sorts of colors, too. I went to the dollar store one day and found some cute little pinwheels, so I put them in the garden and on the walkway to the house. They blow furiously in the wind!
I started writing this entry on March 18th. Today is April 6th!! Am I behind a little bit, do you think?

 

Easter Sunday with Dora!!

 I had to add this one of Dora playing with the pots!  All childrens' favorite playground!

Spring Break has come and gone. We go back to work tomorrow.
We took Dora to the Jacksonville Zoo Wednesday. She enjoyed it pretty much. This picture was taken on the train ride, and she enjoyed looking out of the 'window'.

 

On the way out of the zoo, she started walking. She was laughing the whole way!!



Spring break 2013 was one of a kind. We go back to school/work tomorrow. Have a great day!

Dora Is ONE!!

Dora Morel Watford turned one year old on February 27th!! There has been so much going on around here, that I haven't had time to post anything. Rachel and Don had a party planned for the 23rd, but they postponed it. They are going to reschedule it, I hope, and all of their friends will be there.
So, they had an impromptu spaghetti supper/party on her birthday!

Ballons on the light

 I gave Dora a set of Mega Blocks, and she loved them! She is saying, "Here, take this. Uh, oh, I tricked you!" She hands you one, and then she pulls her hand back really quick. She is a stinker!

 I know if I reach my hand in there just far enough, I can grab a bunch of blocks!

 Isn't she a cutie pie!~

 Uh, oh, I got CAUGHT!!  haha

 Rachel had little pinwheels and tissue paper in the glass vases.

 Dora finally got the hang of grabbing the icing and eating it! Notice that the dress is now on the chair. We didn't want spaghetti sauce all over her birthday dress!!

 She LOVES spaghetti!

 I made the cake for Dora. Rachel saw one on pinterest with white icing and colorful sprinkles up the side. I attempted to make one. It is heart shaped. The writing says, "Dora is 1!"
I will make a bigger cake for the 'big' party.

 Look at little Miss Priss posing for the camera!

 Dora's cake with her candles!

We had a terrific time with Dora on her first birthday. She is the greatest little girl in the whole, wide world!! Of course, I am not partial at all!!

 

Whew...exhale...

Is it possible? Can I finally exhale? Did you ever see the movie called "Waiting to Exhale"? Well, that movie does not represent my life, but the phrase relates to me pretty well.
After almost six years of studying, writing, fretting, studying, writing, worrying, etc., etc., I finally finished what I started - my Ph.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction. That name means Education, basically! haha
I started this journey during a crisis in my life. My mamma had cancer and was not expected to live very long. She urged me to sign up for the program and to keep on going. She always told me to study, because she was going to be okay. So, I did. She knew how important achieving this milestone in my life meant to me. I studied while taking care of her. I studied, and studied, and studied. Mamma passed away during my last quarter of classes. The next quarter, I took my comprehensive exams and passed with flying colors. Then, the dissertation process began. The first part went fairly smoothly, learning about all sorts of research and preparing to begin the dissertation journey. Then, the writing began...or did it...That is when things kind of fell apart. I was now taking care of my dad, and the time and mind that I needed just weren't there. I started, and I faltered, and I started, and I faltered...Finally after a couple of years of paying tuition and not writing, I took an entire year - 3 quarters - of inactivity. That did help, because I wasn't feeling guilty all the time about not studying. This summer, I began the journey again. Wham! Beginning around the end of July, I actually got a brain in my head that allowed me to concentrate, write, and study. I got three chapters done - which was called my proposal. I kept working on it during fall quarter, and the entire three chapters were approved. Then, I began my data collection. I did that in December. I wrote my last two chapters this quarter, got them approved, got approved by the School of Education, and had the final defense of my dissertation. Along the way, my daddy got sick a few times. It was hard, but I finally did it. Daddy got sick this past weekend and spent the whole week in the hospital. I was to have my defense at 530 pm Friday, and he had an emergency heart procedure scheduled Friday morning to begin at 5 pm! What a hectic day. On top of that, I had been sick all week and felt horrible. I was ready to do my defense from the hospital room or my car, whatever it was going to take, I was going to get it done. Finally, after texting and rescheduling the time three times, I set it for six. Then, the doctor was late. Luckily, the procedure was not very long. The doctor came out and told us it was a success. I spoke to him. I went in and spoke to Daddy. Then, I went home and was there with ten minutes to spare before my defense! It went smoothly, and they congratulated me and called me Dr. Hooper! I went to the hospital to tell Daddy, and he said, "It is about time we had a Dr. Hooper!" haha
He has been very supportive of me all the way, and he is always very interested in all of us pursuing and furthering our education.
Whew! I started the journey in a crisis, and I ended it in a crisis. Why would I have expected anything less??  I did it! I am a Ph. D., and my name is Dr. Dewilla Hooper!! Yippee!!!!!!

Now, maybe I can blog more often and actually do some fun things for a change!!

Later gators!~!

I Did It

I did it~I finished my degree, and I am now a Ph.D.!! Hey, that ryhmes!!

 

I had my final defense of my dissertation Friday night, and my committee members all said, "Congratulations, Dr. Hooper", at the end of the conference!  So, I am now Dr. Dewilla Hooper!!

Yippee!!

 

 

 

thoughts

The weather here has been really nice. I do not get outside in the sunshine much, but it looks nice coming through my big, living room windows. It would be nice to take a walk in the sunshine today. Maybe I will get out in it a bit. I promised my cousin that I would help her do some things in her house today, so I know that I will be inside for a lot of the afternoon. That is okay. She needs me, and she is a very special person to me.
 A lot of people are anxiously waiting for the football game that will be on tonight, but I am not into football. So, my television will not be on that channel. I have so many things to catch up on, but I'm not sure when I will get to do any of them. A year or two ago, I purchased some nice scrapbooks, and I planned on putting my children's pictures in them. I got as far as gathering lot of pictures and putting them into tote boxes, but that is as far as that project ever got. I bought a lot of cross stitch patterns to make for my granddaughter, but they are all still in my pattern boxes. Now that my dissertation is hopefully finished, I must begin to do some of these projects. Perhaps the bright sunshine and nice weather will give me the much needed boost, push, urge, or whatever I need in order to begin the work!
Milestone 11 is where I am in the dissertation process. That step is when the School of Education reads and hopefully approves my full dissertation. Milestone 12 is formatting and editing, when the whole 'book' goes to the editors to check all things format wise. After that, I have milestone 13, which is the final defense of my dissertation. Then, milestone 14 is final mauscript approval. Milestone 15 is final publishing/copywrighting, and milestone 16 is final Dean Approval. So as you can see, the process is quite long. Each step can take up to two weeks. I really hope that the steps do not all take two weeks, because that will take me into April!  The first time my work went to the School of Education for approval of my first three chapters, they approved them without any edits required.  I am hoping for good luck with the last two chapters, too. I really hope that the two week per milestone timeframe is merely a guideline and not a reality!  Hopefully, I will hear something really soon from the school about all five chapters of my dissertation. They have had it for five working days, so i should hear something from them later this week. I can only wait and keep my fingers crossed! In the meantime, I need to learn how to loosen up and be free again. That is a hard thing to do, though:)
Have a great day!!