November 2021

 November just flew by.  We started the month with our very first official college tour.  It was a fun road trip with the Listers.  We went to the University of South Carolina.  Elinor pick us up at 9:00 with Chick-Fil-A and we drove to U of SC.  I had never been on a college tour before and it was so much information that CJ and I were both overwhelmed.  CJ loved the college and U of SC became her top in-state pick. San Diego is still her dream but with tuition being so high, I think that we need to stay in-state.  CJ started crying because she was so overwhelmed and concerned about how much it costs to go to college.  She also released that Millie and her may not end up at the same college.  I told her that it was ok and that they do not go to the same high school and are still best friends.  I think that it was just CJ's blood sugar going low and her becoming emotional.  By the end of our trip, CJ released that she needed to pick a college that was right for her, and then we would worry about how to pay for it.  She liked U of SC because it had a big Hillel and the medical building was and women's dorms were right next to the Hillel building.  We also liked that there was so much to do and it was only an hour and a half from home.  They had a great nursing/ medical program.

The next day we went to Western Carolina University.  This was one of CJ's top picks because it was a smaller college and the tuition was cheaper than U of SC.  The drive was about 2 1/2 hours.  It was such a beautiful drive to the mountains of North Carolina.  We got there and it was a beautiful campus but CJ was not feeling it.  They had a lot of good things to offer but CJ did not like the fact that the Nursing school was not even on Campus and she had to take a bus every day to the nursing school.  She also did not like that they did not have a Hillel and the nearby synagogue was an hour away.  She also did not like that everywhere we went the students were vaping which is something that CJ does not like.  By the time we left she decided that her top pick was at the bottom of the college list.  She also released that it was out of state so she could not get some of the scholarships that she would get for instate.  Which made it not the cheapest college.  I told her that is why we are touring colleges because you never know until you see them, how you are going to feel about the school.

I could not believe how fast fall break went but at least CJ and I got to see some good colleges and learn so much.  CJ volunteered at the museum the first weekend and had choir practice on Sunday. Before choir, we went to the book store.  CJ still had a gift card from her birthday that she had not spent so we went and she got John Greene's new book that was nonfiction.  She is so happy when she gets a new book but she is like me it takes her forever to read or she gets bored with it and puts it down.  

 During the week it seemed that CJ was having all kinds of trouble with her blood sugar.  We had so many lows and highs that she had to come home from school for or was not able to make it to work.  We even had one time that her blood sugar was so high that she had ketones in her urine.  Most of the time it has been lows.  I have been trying to take to her about not giving herself insulin for food so that she does not go low.  I think that her insulin ratio is too high and that every time she just walks to work she is going low.  It is so not good.  I am so glad we have a doctor's appointment next month because I am tired of CJ arguing with me about her lows.

I have been feeling out of sorts lately probably from all the medical stuff that has been going on.  I feel hurt all the time, with migraines, my hip sometimes, my blood pressure is high, and now I have thyroid problems and have to take medication for that too.  I want to be so healthy but it seems like no matter what I do my body is falling apart.  I just do not what to stop.  I have to keep pushing through the pain and keep going.  I have not really told anyone how much pain I am in because it really does not matter to anyone but myself.  CJ and Jay have their own medical issues and it is my just to be healthy and strong for them.  The less they know the better. Migraines are the only ones that I can not hide.  Jay must have known somehow on the inside that I was feeling sad because he came home with flowers for me.  He never does that and it meant so much to me.

CJ decided not to do the school play this semester, but some of her theater friends did so Friday night we went to see the play "Puffs" which was a play based on the Harry Potters books but told from the students in Hufflepuff house.  It was silly and some parts were a little inappropriate for a high school play.  I guess I have become a little prudish over time.  It was a fun night out with my daughter and the play was cute.

On Saturday because I was missing friends Lori, Beth, and I got together for dinner.  We tried to go ax throwing because Beth had never been and Lori and I just enjoy the laughs.  The place we go sent me an email saying that they closed and our reservations were canceled.  I tried to find out why and try to find new reservations somewhere but could not so we settled on just dinner out.  We had so much fun getting caught up and laughing.  I so needed that, just to hang out with friends. 

The next weekend Saturday CJ volunteered again at the museum American girl club and at the front desk.  It was an all-day thing.  On Sunday we helped with the Hannukkah fair at the temple.  It was good to help and see that everyone at the temple is feeling detached from the temple.   I can not believe how early Hannukkah is but I think that I have all of CJ's shopping done.  It is on to getting things for Jay.

The week before Thanksgiving was so short we only had a 2 day week.  Monday CJ had her induction in the National Honor Society and BETA club. It was funny how disorganized they were.  Some of the kids were upset because they got all dressed up because they thought that they were going to walk on the stage but they did not they just told up and received their induction speech. Only the students for NHS got to get on stage.  So CJ did get to walk the stage.  

Tuesday my 1st graders had a field trip so I did not get to see them.  Wednesday CJ and I run around getting lots of little things done because on Thursday we decided to go to Charleston for Thanksgiving. 

We got up on Thursday and drove to Charleston.  We got there much earlier than we expected and were not able to check into the hotel yet.  We also found that just about everything was closed.  So we went for a walk on the prior near the hotel. It was so nice we get out and walk the weather was so nice.  

After we checked into the hotel we decided to go look at Fort Moultrie and walk around Charleston a little bit. So much was closed so we decided that in the morning we would take the Fort Moultrie tour.  We had a lot of fun walking around and reading all the historical markers.  We also walked by the First Scot Church where our ancestors Captian James Kincaid and William Kincaid are buried.  But the Church gates were closed too so we could not go in.

That night we were trying to find a place to eat but everything was closed.  The only places that were opened were so pricey.  So we decided to go to the grocery store and just get something from the deli.  The problem was that we got to the grocery store and it had closed.  We then tried driving around a little to try and find something opened and there was nothing.  We decide that the only thing that was open was Walgreens.  We went in and get something to cook for dinner in the microwave.  It was so funny and we got to Walgreens just as they were about to close as well.  It was funny and reminded us of the Christmas we were at Uncle Tom's in Mississippi where nothing was opened so we had to get dinner out of the gas station convenient store. This will be a Thanksgiving dinner that we will never forget.

The next day everything was opened, so we got up had breakfast, and went to the Charleston Museum.  It was smaller than I thought it would be with Charleston being such an old town with so much history, but it was nice and we very much enjoyed the museum.

We then went back to Fort Moultrie for the tour.  With CJ's National Park pass we got in for free and the tour was interesting.  A lot of military history not just the Civil war but the fort was running from the time of the Revolutionary War to WWII.  It had been rebuilt several times.  We decided not to go see Fort Sumter because we thought that it was the same information but the bout ride was $30 a person out to the fort. Jay does not like bout rides especially on windy days.

This is Fort Sumter

We then caught a quick bite to eat and went to the docks to see the Shrimp boats come in.  They had a little bridge on the dock that lovers placed locks on.  Some of the locks were so different. Most of them had the dates and names of the people that placed the locks.  It was fun watching the boats come in. The birds went crazy when they came in hoping to be fed by the fish they throw out.

We then went to Angle tree which is the oldest Oaktree.  It was big and beautiful. 

We then found another park to walk around.  It was near the campus of the Citadel.  That is where CJ's best friend Milly wants to go to school at.  Here we watched the sun go down and then off to Rodney Scotts BBQ restaurant for a tour of his cookers and to try his BBQ.  I was very disappointed.  The BBQ was not very good for someone being so famous for his BBQ.  The brisket did not have a lot of flavors.  But at least we checked another famous BBQ joint off our list. While we were there we bought Jay Rodney Scotts book for him for Christmas.  We were not sure how to get the book without him knowing so Jay and I sent outside and I told CJ to get the book, pretend that she has to use the bathroom, and then put her leftover dinner in the bag so he thinks that the bag is for your leftovers. So she we left the restruarnt with a bag but CJ forgot to put her leftovers in the bag and had left them on the table. She did not release that she had done that so when we got back to the hotel she went looking for her leftovers and kept saying over and over where are my leftovers, so Jay know that we got the book because something was in the bag and if it was not CJ's left overs then it was something.  I kept trying to get CJ to be quiet about it so Jay would not release but she thought that I was mad that she left the food when I was not mad I was just trying to keep her quiet and not making a big deal.

The next day we got up, had breakfast, packed up, and hit one more park before we left town.  Again watching the big boats come into the water ways so so breath taking.

Our last stop was on the way home and a little out of our way.  It was to the Battlefield site of Eutaw Springs.  This was the last battle that my 6th great grandfather fought in during the revolutionary war.  He was injured there and was sent home after the battle.   I just loved going and seeing the battlefield it was just much just a small park with a couple of signs.  It did not even look like it was well taken care of by the town.

On the way to Eutaw Springs, we saw another one of the famous South Carolina BBQ joints it was closed so we did not get to try the BBQ but we stopped to see if we could see the cooker and the building. 

Hannukah started very early this year so we came home from our trip on Saturday so that we would be home on the first night of Hannukkah.  They had the celebration downtown and CJ and I went.  Milly had invited CJ to the Military Ball so we had to find her a dress quick.  So before we went downtown we sent all over Greenville Mall trying to find her a dress. Most were so pricey and so any she did not feel comfortable in. But finally, we decided to try David's Bridal and we were able to find a dress that she loved.

We got downtown early and were able to get really good seats.  We eat latkes and donuts.  Listen to the speeches but did not want to stay too long because we were both very tired and knew we had school the next morning.  I am not sure if they had the fire show this year because we left early. 

On the way back from Greenville, we stopped at Dunkin Donuts to get donut holes for my students.  The kids that we taking my order were not in a good mood and I was feeling silly so as I got my donuts and was going to pull away I yelled Happy Hannukkah to the kid.  Come to find out that the other girl that was working in the store went to school with CJ. Part of her family was Jewish and the boy that was not happy waiting on us was Jewish and he was not happy because he did not want to be working on the first day of Hannukkah.  So went I yelled Happy Hanukkah unknowing these facts I had made their night.  The girl told CJ that they laughed all night about my comment and it made their night go better.

I had fun introducing Hanukkah to my students.  Belton is such a small town that my students have never heard of Hanukkah.  My principal even told me that I could not introduce Hannukkah to my students unless I sent home a letter stating the diversity standards and then I had to introduce all different traditions.  I did think that was weird that we were doing all of these Christmas things but I had to do so much extra if I wanted to celebrate Hannukah in my classroom. They do so much Christmas stuff I amost felt sorry for any student that come to Belton and did not do Christmas they would be so left out. My students loved getting to learn to play driedle, eating donuts, and reading about Hanukkah.  It was fun to introduce it to the my students.

On the second night of Hanukkah CJ's friend came over and brought her a gift.  It was a Hanukkah blanket.  CJ loved it so much she has wrapped herself in it and carries it everywhere.

On the third night of Hanukkah we decided after saying praying, eating dinner, and opening gifts to go downtown to see the Park Christmas nights and trees in town hall.  CJ likes that they have a diabities tree there.  I can not believe how spoiled I feel this year.  I never get gifts every night of Hanukkah but this year both Jay and CJ have been giving me a gift.  It has been so fun but so differnet.  CJ went out and used her money from work to get gifts for me.