Mom Update

A few of you have asked and I wanted to share the good news with everyone. Mom and Doug just returned from a fabulous visit with Mom's four siblings. They spent a week in sunny Key Largo! It was just what the doctor ordered for Mom. She put in a great deal of time in the pool and she's getting better every day! She's walking! Soon, she'll be walking without assistance! Keep up the good work Mom!

Four and a Half Books

I am guilty. Guilty of a secret pleasure! And I must confess. For the past week I have been consuming books as if they were popcorn. I cannot seem to stop. I have not read for pleasure (other than the books that Orion and I read aloud) since the end of last semester. It all started with Nora Roberts' book, High Noon. In the past week I have found myself gobbling up three books by author James Patterson (an old friend in Arkansas introduced me to his books several years back!): See How They Run, Black Friday, and Midnight Club. These were some of his earlier books and a few of them had been published under different titles the first time around. It was interesting to see how his style has changed over the years and what has stayed the same. I really enjoy reading Patterson’s books.

I also reread just over half of The New Encyclopedia of Modern Sewing edited by Frances Blondin, copyright date 1943. My grandmother, Josephine, gave this book to me when I was in high school and I have read bits and pieces over the years. There is some serious information on altering patterns to make them fit any type of body. There are also great ideas for curtains, slipcovers, bedspreads, and even a chapter on reupholstering. I have found a few shops that will clean and oil my grandmother’s old Singer (circa 1932) and I am ready to get busy. Orion’s getting new pajamas for Christmas!

Oh, and by the way, I started Tami Hoag’s The Alibi Man this morning.

Free Furniture

This weekend keeps getting better! Yesterday I received a call from a friend and colleague letting me know that a friend and former colleague was in town and had some Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals for me but did not have my phone number with her (She moved to TN about two months ago!). So I called up my TN friend and met her at her old house in Knob Noster where she gave me a giant garbage back filled with pristine stuffed animals from the Hundred Acre Wood. Sweet. While there and catching up (read: gossiping) she offered me a dresser, a computer desk, a book case, and an awesome entertainment center. How could I say no? But I was in the Kia. So Shan and I headed back to the 'Burg and grabbed John and the truck and loaded a HEAP of furniture in the bed. The afternoon and evening was spent putting together our new furniture, cleaning, feasting on tacos (Thank you Shannon!), moving furniture, and more cleaning. John finally has something more than a futon on the floor and a box with a lamp on it! His room looks pretty darn sweet. Orion's room has been slightly reorganized (I swapped the chest from Orion's room with the dresser from John's (same suite).). I've got a bit more work to do and I hope to get curtains hung before school resumes on Tuesday. I cannot wait to put the dresser in the basement spare room and switch out desks for Orion's computer in the basement! Sweet! Thank you Tracy and Brian for you generosity. You saved us a boat load!

Did I forget to mention that I started my morning with homemade chocolate cake doughnuts (Thank you John and Orion!) and that Shannon found some $3.24 curtains at Lowe's (I am not kidding!) for the "Dirty Romance Room"? What a day!

We're expecting some wicked weather tonight (Tornado Watch and Severe T-Storm Watch). Currently KC is getting hammered. I think I am going to call it a day!

Jewish Communion

Today has been another marvelous Saturday… day to rival Saturday from The Best Weekend Ever back in April. My friend Shannon has come up for a visit and after a good night’s rest and a marvelous breakfast (biscuits and gravy!) we headed off to flea markets, antique malls, and a quilt shop on the way. While out an about Shannon I and dug through china, linens, books, and more! I got very excited at the quilt shop. We snacked at Baskin-Robbins (Yum!).

When we returned the bagel fairy (my friend Sal) had visited and left me a couple of bagels and some smoked salmon. In minutes I had a sesame bagel stacked with cream cheese, slices of purple onion, and delicious lox. I savored every bite: a Jewish Communion. I’d have taken a picture, but I gobbled it up too quickly! Thank you Shannon and thank you Sal! I had a great day!

Drive-Thru

Wednesday morning I left the house early in search of medicine for my eyeballs. I didn't bother to take time for breakfast. I ended up at Wal-Greens where I found the meds I needed. The smell of McDonald's tempted me across the street where I found myself in line behind a beat up Monte Carlo. Both the driver and the car were belching smoke (ugh!). What was I thinking?

Well, that's when I heard the best drive-thru order in my life. The folks ahead of me leaned out of the car and ordered the following: "I'd like a steak and egg bagel. No egg. No onions. On an English muffin!"

Did I hear them right? The order actually went down hill from there and it took them roughly seven minutes to place a $10.98 order. Not to mention they were quite ugly to the attendant who took their order. I sat in the fumes while I watched three other cars zip through the other drive-thru lane.

It was the first time, I confess, that I actually hoped a food service employee would spit in a customer's order (theirs not mine!). Am I going to hell now?

Pink Eye :: Stink Eye

Tuesday afternoon I felt like I had a stick in my eye. Within hours I looked like I had a bad drug habit. By midnight my eyes were glued together! Oh no, not pink eye! I thought; dread creeping up on me.
I haven't been sick nor have I been hanging with pre-schoolers. It has to be allergies. Wednesday morning, after scraping my eyes open, I made my way to work via two pharmacies. Wal-Greens, my second choice, had the goods I was looking for. Within minutes I was feeling better. By the end of the day I could actually see again. So far so good. But I can tell if I wait too long in between doses, my eyelids start to stick together. My allergies haven't been this bad in over a decade.

Garage

Up early! Oatmeal to nourish the body and soul. This is war. Off to attack the garage. Friend or foe? The garage is a mixed blessing. The garage can be a nifty place to store a lawnmower, snow shovels, paint, assorted tools and even (gasp) a car or two. Or the garage can be a dark place. A place filled with dirty secrets- boxes and crap that you cannot bear to sort through. Worse, this crap seems to multiply and migrate until there is no garage. There is nothing but garbage... boxes... un-recycled recyclables: a somber miasma reminding you that you have no time, no life.

But no more! I tamed the garage and she is now a friend. It took roughly 8 hours and there are still a few piles. We took two truck loads of crap to the Johnson County Sheltered Workshop. The first load was nothing but flattened boxes that had lost their boxiness. They will be recycled into some nifty toilet paper or a steno pad. The Sheltered Workshop has a Thrift Store. Now we can recycle more than paper and plastic! So I loaded up the truck and took off with one of Orion's bicycles, the dog crate (Nola's too big!), and several boxes of stuff- mostly paperbacks and tchotchky. I am two truck loads lighter and happier for it! I've got camping goods in one corner. Used lumber from a huge desk we built years ago in another corner. Some nice boxes for a friend who is moving soon in the place somebody might park if there was a garage door opener for that door! Shovels and brooms along one side. And Grace (the Kia) all snug in her new bedroom.

My goal- to keep it clean. We'll see how long it lasts. I'm celebrating with grilled meat and veggies. Yum! What did you do today?

What a Week!

Is it Friday yet? Please tell me yes! This has been a whopper of a week. I considered titling this post "The Week from Hell" however, it hasn't been a bad week so much as a full week.

This week saw the end of one semester and the dawn of another semester! So I have been busy removing courses from BlackBoard, archiving grades, and putting the semester to rest, while at the same time starting up a new class in BlackBoard, meeting new students, grading, hooking students up with their field experiences and the like.

It's been a simply exhausting week. I am spent. Summer school is no easy feat! Our classes are longer (which I like - gives me more time discuss topics with students) and they meet four to five days a week (which is exhausting). Because of this, many summer classes are done in a matter of approximately six weeks. However, Foundations of Education is an 11 week course. We actually have MORE contact time during the Summer semester than we do during the Fall or Spring semesters.

The first Monday of June I will pick up another class. This will be a traditional six week, Monday through Thursday, course. And during the last three weeks of the Summer semester I'll pick up a third class. A three hour class, that will meet daily for three hours, three weeks straight. Come July 11th I will be dead. I am certain.

Of course, by August 11th I will be raring to return to school and signing up for training sessions, creating my BlackBoard courses, and the like... But until then, I dream of afternoon naps, romance novels, bubble baths, and thunder storms.

Gasolina, Si? Gasolina, No!

Less than a month ago I blogged about the rising gasoline prices here in the 'Burg. I asked readers to write in and let me know how much gas was running in their neck of the woods. I only heard from one of you! Well, after my post in April, gasoline prices leveled out at $3.38 a gallon. I was hesitant to mention it as I was sure as soon as I did the prices would shoot up the next day (as if my blog were all powerful!). Well, Friday things started moving in that upward direction. Over the weekend gasoline reached $3.47. And Monday (between my trip in to work and my trip home) it went to $3.56.

A friend of mine told me in April, "Honey gas prices are going to $4.00 so get over it!" I shared this with John who just laughed. Seems his sources say that gasoline will be $6.00 by Christmas.

Just today I received an email asking me not to go to the pump on May 15. Sort of a mini gas strike. While I understand the sentiment and spirit, I also know that not purchasing gas for one day is NOT going to get my message across. I am going to have to change how I live (and how I drive).

For those of you that may or may not have received a similar email regarding a gasoline strike on May 15th, it has a long Internet history as a bit of a hoax. You can check it out at Snopes. However, instead of boycotting the pumps for a day, I urge you to consider how each of us can consume less? While going out and purchasing a hybrid or a Smart Car is not a possibility for most of us, I believe that there are some small things we can do that will add up.

I remember my dad's suggestions for increasing fuel efficiency on Dominic, my 1980 Ford Pinto not my nephew! I'll share them here. If you have suggestions, please make them in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Dad's Suggestions

1) Tune Up

2) Check Tire Pressure

3) Avoid the A/C. (That's a hard one!)

4) Don't drive 85 mph. Seriously.

My Suggestions

1) Take the bus. (I wish we had serious public transit here!)

2) Car pool.

3) Think about your errands; that is plot your course carefully and try to do it in one trip instead of several smaller ones.

4) Ride a bike. (I admit, I am scared to death to do this! Most of the time folks on Hwy. 13 drive like maniacs. They scare me in my Kia. What would it be like on a bike? But I am giving this serious consideration.)

So what are your suggestions? What were your parents' or grandparents' suggestions? Please share.

Sal & Kat Rock!

Here's a picture from The Best Weekend Ever! Previously I blogged about my trip with a Geology Class to several outcrops around Jefferson City, Missouri and to Earthquake Hollow. This picture was taken at the end of the day, about half way down the mountainside, at Earthquake Hollow. One of my guides on the day's adventures and good friends, a.k.a. Dr. Z. is pictured with me! What fun! I'd like to point out that I look pretty darn good at the end of a long day! And yes, I am a bit sun burned. I started using my hat to carry rocks, of course!

Happy Dance

As of 5:48 p.m. this evening I not only completed grading for the semester, but I finished posting my grades via the Banner System. Just in the nick of time! Summer school starts Monday! I think I am in over my head.

My favorite part of grading this week was evaluating my students' philosophy of education artifacts. I had roughly 33 sophomores in Foundations of Education and 9 seniors in Classroom Management submit their philosophy metaphors. I had poems, trips to the zoo, an under-wire bra, sculpture, paintings, essays, gardens, sports activities, cookies, and all sorts of goodies. It always impresses me to see what my students are thinking. This is also a very personal assignment and allows me a little glimpse into their souls, I think.

Bowling Booty

This evening was spent rubbing elbows (literally and figuratively) at the Dinner Bell with my fellow bowlers on the Faculty & Staff League. It was our annual awards banquet. We had a good time laughing at each other. Of course, I must admit that a great deal of that laughter was directed at me! I received a couple of honors this evening. I am tickled pink and just had to share. I received a couple of patches: 140 Game and 70 Pins Above My Average. I was duly heckled by fellow players for having THE lowest game, a whopping 55 pins. Spare Time, the team I bowl with, was in 10th place out of 10 teams! Instead of receiving toilet seats (thank goodness!) we earned a nifty bowling themed dry erase pad for the fridge. But the best part of the night (besides the fried chicken livers) was receiving the "Most Improved New Woman Bowler." I raised my average five points, from 97 to 102. A got a nifty little plaque and another patch! Woot!

I have to be honest. I had given up on Most Improved. Last year I missed Most Improved New Player by one pin. ONE PIN! So when I started in the fall I had high hopes. But when Terry sat me down and explained how averages are figured, I had pretty much given up hope (as noted by my not mentioning it for the past several bowling entries). As the season progresses, one has to bowl dozens and dozens of pins above their average to raise their average by a point! It's nearly as convoluted as Bistro Math.

Humanities 101

I love Magnetic Poetry. I have several kits. They're currently in boxes and I have considered getting them out and plastering them all over my fridge. Or better yet, getting a nifty piece of sheet metal on my office door and letting my students play. Visit Magnetic Poetry online and choose a kit (cat lover, pick up lines, Shakespeare); I chose the college kit. My poem is called Humanities 101. I think my confusion over the duality of my roles at the university (graduate student and professor) are obvious.

Are you feeling creative? Visit Magnetic Poetry and write your own. Post it in the comments!

"Mix Bread Puppy's"

Yesterday I was about a block from home and trying to make a left on to Hwy. 13 South. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon and I knew that it would take all the patience I had to wait for a break in traffic. I sat for a bit, with the windows rolled down, and watched the traffic buzz by. That was when I saw it. A sign stapled to the telephone pole between the Casey's Gas Station and the house with the 30 lawn mowers in the front yard (and other assorted treasures!). The sign read "Mix Bread Puppy's." It took me a minute. Really, it did. I cocked my head to one side and thought to myself, 'What am I missing?' And then it hit me. Bread sounds like bred, not breed. And then it hit me again, 'Just what belonged to this puppy or were there more than one?' I finally made a left and found my way home. I called my friend Shannon to see if she wanted a "Bread Mix" puppy. I am fairly certain that not everyone can brag about owning a "Bread Mix" puppy. However, when I stopped by today (to take a picture of the sign) and to discover what kind of bread these puppy's [sic] were (I really like a good rye, but I also find a whole grain to be satisfying!) the sign and puppy's [sic] were gone. Sorry Shannon, no "Bread Mix" puppy for you! But I'll keep looking!

V is for Van

Van Morrison that is! Where would I be without the music of Van Morrison? Nobody makes me cry like Van. Yet when I am crying, he's the only one who can make it all better. Some say he's grumpy. Others say he cannot sing. I don't care. For me, his music is a religious experience.

The man has released scores of albums. In fact, just this month he released Keep it Simple. He writes love songs; he sings the blues; he's recorded some of the most wonderful hymns; he rocks. He has music for all of my moods!

Several years ago Van came to Nashville. It was my friend Shannon who told me he was coming to Dallas, but tickets had sold out. I waited for weeks for the Nashville tickets to go on sale. They were $85 each. But I'd always wanted to see Van. The tickets went on sale at 10:00 a.m. I picked up the phone and called. The gal who answered explained that it was only 9:58 and that I would need to call back. I reached her at 10:04 and they had sold out. I was miserable. Folks were selling his tickets on e-Bay for hundreds of dollars. No, I didn't go. But I will. Some day.

Picking a favorite Van song would be just about as hard as picking my favorite children's book. But I would have to say that of my many favorites, the following are definitely at the top: Have I Told You Lately, Tupelo Honey, I'm Tired Joey Boy, Enlightenment, When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God, Melancholia, and Brown Eyed Girl.

Van, your music makes my soul sigh and my heart sing! Thank you!

Three Little Kittens

Truffles, it seems gave birth to one more wee monster yesterday afternoon for when I came home, there were THREE little kittens in my garage. They are amazingly tiny, incredibly adorable, and simply marvelous. One is solid grey. Another is grey and white. The last is white and grey. They are hungry. Truffles is hungry and trying to be a good Mama Cat. And I hover uselessly.

The Three Little Kittens

Three little kittens they lost their mittens, and they began to cry,

"Oh mother dear, we sadly fear that we have lost our mittens."

"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie."

"Meeow, meeow, meeow, now we shall have no pie."

The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry,

"Oh mother dear, see here, see here

For we have found our mittens."

"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens

And you shall have some pie"

"Meeow, meeow, meeow,Now let us have some pie."

The three little kittens put on their mittens

And soon ate up the pie,

"Oh mother dear, we greatly fear

That we have soiled our mittens."

"What! soiled you mittens, you naughty kittens!"

Then they began to cry, "Meeow, meeow, meeow"

Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens

And hung them out to dry,

"Oh mother dear, do you not hear

That we have washed our mittens."

"What! washed your mittens, you are good kittens."

But I smell a rat close by,

"Meeow, meeow, meeow" we smell a rat close by...

April 27, Nineteen Hundred and Something

Happy Belated Birthday to Grandpa Doug, aka Grandpa in the Palm Trees! Doug celebrated his "umteenth" birthday this past weekend! We wish we could have celebrated with you!

Kitty Watch 2008

Within days of moving in to our new digs a black and white kitty adopted us. We've been feeding it from the back porch. I assumed it was male because of its friendly personality. Last week she started "showing". Thursday we put her in the garage as it is still quite cold at night (low 30s!). This morning Truffles had kittens. Two of the four kittens survived birth and seem to be doing well.

John predicted on Thursday that she would have kittens that evening. Orion predicted three to five days. He was right on the mark!

The Best Weekend Ever

While it might not be the best weekend ever, it surely has been the best weekend that I have had in an exceptionally long time. It began Friday morning, early, when the boys awoke and left for Conway. The first thing I did was clean their bathroom (Pee Eww!). From there I changed sheets, worked on the laundry, swept, and worked on the house as a whole. I made it to work by 10:00 a.m. Just in time to sign my summer school contract, check my mail and voice messages, and attend our last department meeting for the year. We had fried chicken and sweet tea at our department meeting. It was good. That afternoon I had a few meetings with students, graded papers, and worked on reference letters. I left work at 4:30 to get ready for my "date."

Jennifer was my date for the evening. The Biology and Earth Science Department was having their annual award banquet for students. Jennifer's husband was unable to attend so I filled in. What an evening. It was wonderful to watch the slides of our UCM students out in the field. And when the awards were announced the professors were ready to burst with pride. It was great. But my most favorite part of the evening was when three of my best friends were honored with awards: Outstanding Biology Professor went to Jennifer, my date! Outstanding Geology Professor went to Sally, my exercise partner! And the Spirit of Science Award went to Vicki. I couldn't help but do a little dance (in my chair) for each of them!

Saturday morning I awoke early and dressed in sturdy jeans and sturdier shoes. I layered my tops and dug out my camp hat. I met a group of Geology students and two professors (Drs. Z and L). We drove to Jefferson City and spent the morning and afternoon investigating outcrops along Highway 63. We ended the afternoon at Earthquake Hollow. I learned more in 12 hours than I did in an entire semester 20 years ago. And I have the rocks to prove it! I can't wait till the next trip.

That night we had a late dinner of homemade pizza at Sal's house. We discussed research, science, misconceptions, math games, and pizza toppings. It was fabulous.

I slept. And I slept hard.

This morning I awoke and finished working on the house. I had some dusting and serious vacuuming to do. I have yet to dust and vacuum my bedroom, but the rest of the house looks nearly presentable. I am still working on the funky smell in the dining room and the wicked carpet stains throughout.

I spent my afternoon with students, always a pleasure, and ate a marvelous hamburger and a tasty dog.

My little boy is home and in the shower. Soon we'll both head to bed so we'll be well rested for the coming week. This week will be my last week of classes for the Spring 2008 semester. Next week we'll have finals. Summer school begins on May 12! Holy smokes. I better start running now!

My regret, I didn't take my camera to any of these awesome events!

It's No Secret

The first of my two secrets became official this evening at 5:00 p.m. at Blind Boone Park in the 'Burg. During the Kappa Delta Pi induction program (KDP is an honor society for pre-service teachers with at least a 3.25 GPA) and picnic I was honored with the Kappa Delta Pi Teacher of the Year Award for the 2007-2008 school year. The students made me cry. The professors made me cry. I got them back and made them cry. The most surprising part of the evening (besides the obvious - receiving the award) was something that Dr. F read. It was a note from a fellow professor. She wrote about listening to me read to my class. She made me sound wonderful. The best part of the evening (besides the hamburgers and hot dogs cooked up by one of my students) was receiving two children's books and an awesome book on integrating literacy in the content areas (math, science, and social studies).

As mentioned in my post from Wednesday, my secret, described above, doubled. On Thursday, May 1 the University's Sigma Alpha Pi National Society of Student Leadership and Success will be honoring me with their Excellence in Teaching Award for the 2007 - 2008 school year.

I am stunned. Honored and stunned.