A close call with a fallen tree

I enjoyed a weekend camping with my son and his cub scout pack in Northeast Jersey (alright, I'll let it out; I'm a cub master). On Saturday at around 7:30 PM, it started to pour, and then the winds kicked up.

The rain sounded like exploding popcorn kernels pelting the tent. My fitful sleep in the tent was interrupted by a the terrifying sound of a big tree splitting, falling, then crashing. The ground shook. And then it hit me.. Judging by the sound and location of the impact, the tree HAD to have fallen close to the tent inhabited by a man and his two young sounds. I listened for the sound of people in pain, praying that I wouldn't have to lift a tree off gravely wounded or mangled people.

I shined my flashlight out towards the direction of the fallen tree. WHEW. Their orange tent was still standing!

In the morning I surveyed the scene and saw that the dead tree had missed my fellow campers by about 15 feet.

You never know... You never know...

The Avalanche of Rain

Today during seventh period the rain battered the fair town of Lindenwold with a ferocious intensity. This marks what feels like the 76th consecutive day of rain and we just can't get a break.
I noticed how just before the deluge, I seemed to slow down, and my bones felt as if they were filled with concrete; when moisture saturates air, it has that effect on people, and most of us feel like burrowing into bed.
We're all growing impatient with the rain.

TEACHING MYSELF A NEW SKILL

Instead of sitting at my computer and comfortably typing this entry, I decided to do it in front of my students using the somewhat clunky keyboard on the SMART board screen. I'm now thinking of my students who text so effortlessly. If I keep practicing, I'll eventually get better and who knows---- perhaps I'll get just as fast as if I were on a regular keyboard.