I'm back

After a year of enjoying the good life, not working, God in His infinfite wisdom dropped a job in my lap. I said I would not go back unless God dropped a job in my lap and He did. (Why doesn't HE make me a smaller size?)

So I am teaching 6th grade Science and Social Studies at new to me school. I know strange combination. I'm one of those teachers who has extremely broad certification!

The faculty has been great and I've been warmly welcomed. OH! I forgot to tell you that I started at the semester, as in mid-year, as in angry children who did not want to move from their overcrowded classes to the room of the unknown teacher. For the most part the kids and I have settled in and it is okay.

I did say for the most part. A few days ago, the teacher next door took away one of those paper game things that kids do from a student we share. She showed it to me and I briefly looked at it, and should have been alarmed, as it had Hit, Stab, Kill and a list of names. It just didn't register with me. So the thing was thrown away and I didn't think much about it. Later on the kid is in my class and is playing with a new version of that one. I just told the kid to put it away and get busy with the assignment. (I know I should have looked more closely)

Well another teacher found the thing and let the Assistant Principal know and the kid is now in an off campus placement. I found out my name was on the list more than the AP's! Now that I've had some time to think about it, I'm bothered. The kid will return to my class after the off campus placement time is up, becasue as I was told nothing actually happened. Or I can file a grievance to have the kid placed elsewhere. The Kid would really like to be back with the former teacher, and I would hate to think a hit list was a reward to return to a class.

I'm not afraid Kid. But I am unsettled. Has anybody else out there been on a "hit list"? I would love some experienced advice!

Other than that I'm enjoying being back and had forgotten how much I have missed teaching. It's never dull and never boring and never the same way twice!

Food

I love food and my friend over on Letters From Glome posted this and I thought it was fun and interesting, so here you go.

100 Things You Must Eat Before You Die

The directions:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Here are the hundred foods.


1. Venison--.
2. Nettle tea - what the heck is that??
3. Huevos rancheros--Yes
4. Steak tartare--why would I eat that? I've seen Mr. Bean eat it.
5. Crocodile Okay so it was alligator close enough
6. Black pudding--Would NEVER eat it.
7. Cheese fondue--
8. Carp--daddy liked to fish
9. Borscht--
10. Baba ghanoush--What is it?
11. Calamari--Yes
12. Pho--.
13. PB&J sandwich--Of course
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns--Yes!! Yum!!
20. Pistachio ice cream--Yes
21. Heirloom tomatoes--Yes
22. Fresh wild berries--Yes
23. Foie gras--no but it fun to say
24. Rice and beans--Yes
25. Brawn, or head cheese--Would NEVER eat it.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche--It's in my fridge right now.
28. Oysters--Yes, does the sauce count??
29. Baklava--Yes
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut--Yes
35. Root beer float-- Yes.
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat--
42. Whole insects- don't the parts count? probably I have swallowed a bug or two
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk--Yes
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala--Yes, so yummy...
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut--Yes
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal--Ummm, yes.
56. Spaetzle--Yes
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine--
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores--Yes
62. Sweetbreads--I would NEVER eat this.
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian--It is quite an experience
66. Frogs’ legs my mom likes those
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake--shouldn't those be separate as they are sooooooo goooood!
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain--
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette--in gumbo
71. Gazpacho--Yes
72. Caviar and blini--but not at the same time
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost--Yes, It's really sweet and caramel-y for a cheese.
75. Roadkill if I did I was unaware, maybe the high school cafeteria, or that guy I dated in collge
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie--Yes
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini--
81. Tom yum--
82. Eggs Benedict--Yes
83. Pocky--Yes, I have some in the pantry
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.--I wish.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare--I've eaten rabbit. Is that the same?
87. Goulash--Yes
88. Flowers--Yes, as in chrysanthemum tea
89. Horse--Yes, school cafeteria
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam--Yes
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa--
94. Catfish--Yes
95. Mole poblano--I've had mole & poblano
96. Bagel and lox--
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta--
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake does unagi in nsuchi count??

So there are my responses
How about you??

Dealing with change

I've been in my new home several months now, and have experienced a deep depression. Probably the worst episode to date. It is difficult to put to words to the despair that I have felt. And it is not a logical reaction to the situation. The house is lovely, the people here are friendly.

There are days I never get out of my pajamas, but spend the day on the couch watching countless reruns, or I sit reading. My favorite time of the day when I can fall asleep and I dislike awakening.

I did go to the dr and was once again put on medication.

Where Did the Time Go?

Let's see, it has been months since my last posting. So let me catch you up. No, that will take too long, so I will just restart.

I am no longer teaching. We have relocated. Hubs has a new job, and I am taking at least a semester off! Maybe forever off!

But here is a brief recap of the last few months and I am sure you will understand my lack of posting.

School ended, we flew out for Mom-in-law's birthday party she turned 90! Sadly 2 weeks later she passed away, while I was on my retreat with my gal pals. She was cremated so the memorial service was later.

I left from gal pal retreat and drove cross country to see son #3 and take him the cradle his grandpa made, all 3 of my boys slept in.

Drove back cross country and visited many historical sights. Fort Bridger, Keirney Arch, Winter Quarters, Iowa, Cabelas and more Cabelas!

Flew out to attend the memorial for Mom-in-law.

Drove out to Charleston to visit son #2, met up with my Internet buds in Savannah.

Flew my mom out and visited with son #1, took Mom to visit her cousin, and to Vicksburg. Mom left early because of a possible hurricane.

Son #2 moved back for a short time, (just long enough to go through a hurricane & not the one that Mom fled from)

School started, flew out for high school reunion, and grandson #3 was born (he's the 4th grandkid, but the 3rd boy). Son #2 moved out, son #1 takes a new job.

Finish first marking period, fly out to help with new grandson, Hubs accepts a new position with a new company.

Son #1 and family move closer and have Thanksgiving with us, house hunting, resigning from school, get the flu.

Find a house, buy a house,son #3 moves to a new place and he got a new job, Christmas, Mom's cousin passed away, New Years, pack up the classroom, movers pack up the house, movers unload at new house, more flu, find a doc, and a chiropractor, unpack, get a library card. Yes I have a lovely library in my new town, read, unpack, read, unpack.

Sit down and write this. Or should I say rewrite this, because I can't seem to make the other one publish.

Good Night all!

What the heck?

I just wrote a long post, it got saved,as a draft, I wanted to edit and now I can't figure out how to make it post! The help stuff was not useful either, the links did not wwork, so I feel very frustrated!

Learning to have car claustrophobia

Tomorrow I leave on the second of my summer get the heck out of the swamp trips. A friend and I are meeting some other people in Hot Springs for our first ever girl gathering! I am so excited! Sonic Sue, my pal, was a librarian, is a red head and cannot pass a Sonic Drive In without getting a Route 44 Diet Coke. I drink vanilla Dr. Pepper.

We plan on visiting the Southern Living house while in Hot Springs and enjoying non swamp weather. I only know 3 of the other 10 women who are coming, Sonic Sue only knows 2 of us and Margarita Prairie Rose almost everybody. It should be interesting.

After that Sonic Sue and I will drive to Utah to deliver the family baby cradle to my baby, whose wife is having a baby! Sonic Sue has never been to Utah so this should be fun. We'll do the touristy stuff, then drive back.

After that I have two days of workshops, and a day of defensive driving class. Then off to the lake for the 4th, then back home for a couple of days. Then off to South Carolina to visit Middle Man, my #2 son, and his son. Margarita Prairie Rose wants to come along. It would be fun.I have to go to the beach. I don't care what beach, just a beach! I need ocean, I need waves and sand, and a book. It soothes my overworked, underpaid, self.

Then my mother has the bright idea of me flying, we load up a rental truck of furniture and drive across country delivering to my kids. I had a better counter proposal, of drive the truck here to my place, via #3's house and then take some stuff up to #1's house and we'll see how Middle Man's life is and get him his stuff when he settles down.

Okay so why don't I just fly to all these places? Because I don't usually go to cities with major airports, and then I'd have to rent a car. So I travel by car. Even with fuel prices the way they are, it is still cheaper!

So by the time school starts I'll be fearful of any trip in a car longer than 10 minutes.

I'm changing departments when school starts and that will be interesting. Now if only the powers that be would tell me exactly what I'll be teaching. But that would be cheating!

A Mix of Good & Bad

Let's see there was jury duty and I was not selected, I have VERY STRONG opinions about people who drink and drive. I would not have been a good juror, so I'm glad I wasn't selected.

Tuesday I drove to the town with a mall, and got in a fender bender. Everyone was okay, I just felt stupid, and I got the ticket, I was in the wrong. My husband was out of town, so it was disconcerting. Today I took the car to the shop to have it repaired. It'll take over a week!

Wednesday, the car would not start, so I got a ride to work and back. I asked the neighbor if he would jump the car for me. 1 1/2 hours later with 3 grown men and a couple of friends it started! I drove it around to recharge the battery, dropped off the friend who decided to keep me company, and became ill on the way home. I decided to take a sick day on . . .

Thursday, I get a call to have the car appraised, it is only blocks from where I live, so I do that, no problem starting the car. I start the car to go back home and the battery light is red! I call onstar who advises me to get to the nearest dealer, which I do, they check the battery it is a bad battery. (BAD BATTERY, BAD BATTERY) Luckily for me I have the receipt, the battery is only 4 months old! They check everything out and I am on my way!

Thursday cont. . . Hubby and I decided to pay the extra $ to fly out of the smaller, but much closer airport. We arrive and our flight is delayed until after our connecting flight takes off, so be drive like crazy to the BIG CITY, pay to park the car and dash into the airport to find our connecting flight had been delayed almost 3 hours! (When it rains, it pours) Eventually the plane comes in, and we fly off to land in the middle of the night at our son's town.

Friday was graduation day, our d-in-l graduated with honors, had earned two bachelor's degrees! We are so proud of her! We went out to dinner and as we approached the restaurant, Son gets in a fender bender! OY! We went shopping for a combined graduation/birthday/Mother's Day present. So we bought a computer for the kids and spent the evening getting everything hooked up.

Saturday, a phone call telling us that Hubby's mum has taken a turn for the worse. So I make a bunch of hurried travel arrangements so Hubby can fly out the next day. We had some girl time and guy time, and had fetal photographs taken of the baby, a boy, due in early September. Fascinating. I also checked online and found I had passed a certification test so that I can teach an additional subject!

Sunday was spent flying, me home, Hubby up to his sister's to see his mum. I arrived home exhausted!

Monday, back to school, state scores were returned, I was pleasantly surprised! My kids did well. Hubby called and his mum is doing better, car is in the shop (I already said that). Went out to dinner and now I am home and resuming my life. OH! I have a dentist appointment and Friday I go to court to beg for defensive driving.

Like I said it's a mix of good and bad. I'm counting the days down until school is out! Aren't you?

Collapsing on the Sofa

How do I begin to describe this week? On Sunday my sister called to tell me her hubby has bone cancer. That was a total shocker! He'll have 6 months of chemo, so far he is exhausted and depressed. I really feel he will pull through, but that this is gonna take time.

Monday I get a call from my mother's "partner in crime" Mom is now on an anti-depressant, and they have found the source of her pain and now she's doing the rounds of Docs.

Strange I don't really remember Tuesday. It must have been a good day.

Wednesday, Backpack Boy blew it. Please understand that I work very hard to convince kids to open a book and read it, but with Backpack Boy, I must take the books away so that he might participate in class. So I gently took the book away. He said then he would leave my room, I said no problem, that was a mistake on my part. He wanted the book back. He wanted to lose himself someplace on campus and continue reading. I held firm and continued to say no calmly. He loomed over me and in a threatening tone demanded the book be returned, again I replied in the negative. I turned my back to get the walkie-talkie to call for assistance, and Backpack Boy headed out the door, shouting BITCH at the top of his lungs and other phrases of profanity, he also slammed the door shut. several of the kids reassured me that I was not the B word. a couple of boys had been ready to jump to my defense if need. This took place in my "active" class. But the class was great, they were quiet and let me get the report written very quickly.

I went home and found that the father of a dear friend had passed away.

Thursday morning he appears at my locked classroom door to demand that I return the book I stole from him. I had enough foresight to give the book to the principal. When he found that I no longer had the book, he turned and cursed the length of the hallway. An administrator and his teacher herded him into the office.

During 4th period I had a student who was talking back to me say "It's not my fault if you didn't take your medications on time", Well he left my classroom too and will be returning on Monday (I have jury duty). And later that same day the Mouth of the South would not stop talking so I escorted her to the councillor's office.

Friday was a sad day I had a male student go into meltdown mode. We walked all over campus to find the Admin Asst, so that he could talk with a guy. And finally with out sharing much a student trusted me enough that I found I needed to make a report to CPS. That one broke my heart.

Today I have been emotionally numb. But we did finally find the wall paper border for our guest bedroom, and I ate homemade ice cream!

I'm sleepy, but can't seem to fall asleep. I hope yours was better than mine.