For Tuesday

Go Blog Yourself is a blog I ran across a month or so ago through SITS. This blog tells the story of Jessica, Charley, and their beautiful children: Spencer, Axel, and two-year-old twins Piper and Tuesday. Just a few short months ago, Tuesday was diagnosed with cancer. I went to the blog last night and saw that the doctors had sent her home to be with her family. This morning, I see that she has passed away.

I did not know this family, but my heart still breaks for them. I cannot imagine how heavy their hearts are. No one can unless they have experienced it themselves. I know that it is human nature to question these kinds of things. Why? Why did a precious 2 year old have to suffer with this horrible disease? Why did she have to hurt? Why did she have to go "home" so early? Those are questions we can't answer, but I know that GOD knows why. Will her family ever know? Maybe. Maybe not.

If you think you can, go over to Jessica and Charley's blog and read about sweet Tuesday. Smile at the darling pictures. Pray for them.

Hug the people you love and tell them you love them.

♥

Happy Friday!

Finally, Friday! This has been a pretty good week, except for the three days of feeling just really yucky. Still don't know what that was all about, but whatever it was seems to be over now.

I got to be the English nerd this week and talk about the feudal system--kings, lords, knights, serfs--and the Medieval Period monarchs. I didn't think I'd like teaching Brit. Lit. because I didn't think I'd really enjoy the history part of it, but I LOVE it. My dream is to some day spend a summer in England just taking in all of the history.

Going to England isn't a something I just decided I wanted to do after I transferred into the general ed. setting and started teaching Brit. Lit. When I was in about 4th grade, I sent off for a pen pal. I ended up with Graham, a boy from England. I was DEVASTATED! I had a BOY for a pen pal! Mom said that I had to at least give it a shot, and I'm really glad I did. We wrote each other for about 4 or 5 years before the letters began to taper off and then ended all together. His mom sent me a letter explaining that he had started rebelling and had moved in with his biological father. Over the years, I have wondered what happened to him. I think it would be so neat to someday reconnect. Anyway, that experience is what led to my dream of going to England.

Tomorrow, John and I are going to Auburn to have dinner at Mikata with some people from work. I am so looking forward to it! If you hear about a group of people being kicked out, it may very well be us. We all eat lunch together at work, and we've been known to be a little...well...loud and, on occasion, uncouth. LOL

We haven't been to Mikata in a LONG time, and it's such a fun place to go. I hope we have a good chef. The last time we went, the chef was good, but he wasn't the best we've had.

John just got in, so I'm gonna go spend time with him. Even though I LOVE you, my bloggy friends, it's important to me that I devote quality time to the love of my life and that we don't end up just sharing air.

Have a GREAT weekend!!
♥

About a minute and a half

In case you might be wondering how long it takes a 6 pound rat terrier to chew up a flash drive, I can tell you. It takes about a minute and a half, and maybe not even that long.

I've been needing to write a purchase order to Office Depot for some school stuff, but I just get so busy during my planning that I forget. One of the items on my Office Depot list is a couple of flash drives. Day before yesterday I had to go to Wal-Mart (I'd rather have a root canal with no drugs as to have to go to Wal-Mart.) While I was there, I decided to just break down and buy one myself so I could get my files saved to something other than my computers.

As I was looking at the flash drives, I noticed a ton of Kingston 2 GB drives for only $5. The one I currently have is a Kingston, and it's been great, so I decided I'd just get a couple of those instead of one 4 gig. That way, I could have one for English 12 and a second one for English 11. Woo hoo! (It does NOT take much to excite those of us in education. LOL)

Last night I sat down and organized all of my files into folders and then I did a main folder for each of my English courses and saved everything to one of the flash drives. I haven't been feeling too well the last couple of days, so I thought I'd just save everything to one and then I could take care of moving one of the folders later.

Fast forward to this morning. I had gotten ready and was about to leave. Just as I was walking to the den, I heard Ali in the kitchen eating. Or so I thought. When I walked into the den, I saw her sitting in the middle of the floor. The crunching sound I heard? Yep, my flash drive. I know she hadn't been chewing on it long because she was in the bedroom just a couple of minutes earlier. I was so frustrated at first, but then I realized that I was MY fault.

I apparently didn't put the flash back into the case when I finished, and she's just a dog who LOVES to chew on things--this was just a new chew toy to her. I did fuss at her a tiny bit, but all she did was look up at me with those big brown eyes and wag her tail. Silly girl...she doesn't have a clue when she's in trouble. Maybe that's because she really hasn't done MUCH in her life that has caused her to get into trouble. (Bama, though, was another story. All I have to do is say the word "spanking" and he comes running. Don't run call the ASPCA--I am NOT an abusive pet owner. The ONLY time he has ever been spanked was when he ran after a car.)

So, another trip to Wal-Mart today to replace the chewed up flash. All I have to say is THANK GOODNESS I didn't end up spending $40 or $50 on one. THAT would have really made me ill.

Six Random Things About Me

Leigh at Bloggeritaville posted a meme and instead of tagging people, she left it open for anyone who wanted to tell six random things about themselves. I wanted, so here it is. :)

The rules are quite simple.
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself and things that make you happy.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.I have decided to share little-known tidbits about me.

1. I do not like raw onions, but I love beer-battered onion rings.
2. Along the same lines, I won't eat a sliced tomato by itself, but I'll eat tomatoes on BLTs, hamburgers, etc.
3. One of my favorite things to do is to sip on an early morning cup of coffee while looking out over the lake.
4. Facials and massages. 'Nuff said.
5. Enjoying a long, leisurely lunch or dinner with friends can't be beat.
6. Jammie pants and T-shirts are my FAVORITE lounge-around-the-house attire.

Like Leigh, I don't think I'll tag anybody. Just jump in and play along. But leave me a comment so I'll make sure I pop in to read your list.

♥

Brought to you by...

I got the letter D for the alphabet game from Tammy. THANKS for not giving me the letter X. :) So, now I get to tell you ten things I love that begin with the letter D.

1. Dear hubby -- OK, so it's stretching to use D here, but he is my life, and I HAVE to include him! I ♥ him!!!!

2. Daughters -- while they aren't my biological daughters, I love them dearly, and I'm so thankful that God brought them into my life. (This is the only picture I have of them on my computer at work. This was taken the day Sam was born. Sorry, Katy and Jess, if you don't like it, but I LOVE this picture of the two of you.)

3. Dogs -- specifically rat terriers and shih tzus. My puppies are my babies. There isn't a day that goes by that they don't make me laugh. They usually aren't so snuggly with each other, but this was taken on the way home from the lake, and they were too tired to care. lol
4. Decorating -- I'm not a professional at this by any stretch, but I enjoy making my house pretty. I'm probably in the minority on this, but I LOVE to paint! I've already started thinking about my summer painting project--our bedroom.

5. Denney Chimes -- This is one of the landmarks of the University of Alabama. I love hearing them play on football Saturdays!6. Daffodils -- Daffodils are my favorite flower! When they begin blooming, I know spring can't be far away.7. Diamonds -- Hey, while I'm not a girly-girl, I am a girl, and diamonds ARE a girl's best friend. :)
8. Desserts -- YES, I need to lose a pound or twenty, but desserts are something I love, and they start with D. Don't judge me!! :-)

9. David Letterman -- He cracks me up. I love his Top 10 lists.

10. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" by Darius Rucker -- I think this should could as two things. I could listen to this over and over.
You have my 10 things I love. Want to play along? Leave me a comment, and I'll give you a letter!

Now I need to get ready for my next class. Have a GREAT day!
♥

Bunco Night!

Yea for Bunco Night! This is one night that John knows not to plan anything for us to do. I will miss Bunco for a limited number of things, but it has to be something really, really important or beyond my control. I missed playing in June because I was in Tuscaloosa for a week-long institute (beyond my control), and then I missed playing in October because John and I took Jess out for her birthday dinner (really, really important.)

All of the regular players in our group are current or retired teachers. You'd think that when you get a bunch of teachers together, all we'd talk about is school, but it isn't. That does occasionally come up, but we have many other interests in common. The really neat thing is that there are a couple of ladies who are old enough that they could almost be my mother, and then there are a couple of the subs who are young enough that they could almost be my daughters! I love having friends from all age ranges. There is so much to be learned from the older ladies, and I'm at an age where I can share my experiences with the younger ones.

It's almost time for me to leave, so I guess I should go. Maybe I'll have the most BIG BUNCOs and come home with some cash!!! Have a GREAT evening!

I ALMOST forgot!

The Tide Pride donations are due by Sunday, and I had almost forgotten to make ours! For my new readers, I am an AVID Alabama fan (even been referred to as obnoxious because I frequently hope that the other major college football team in the state loses.) For me, I live, eat, and breathe college football from August until January. I would rather go to a football game than to go shopping. I'm NOT a girly-girl by any stretch of the imagination, and I like it that way. I've always been more of a tomboy.

I know this isn't an earth-shattering piece of information to many (or all) of you, but if I had let this slip by, there would have been much wailing from me.

Now, I just have to hope for another number 1 signing class next week!

Just because I haven't said it lately...

ROLL TIDE!!!

Since I have nothing to really blog about...

I really don't have anything much to blog about, so I pulled this out of my email.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yep. Mom wanted to name me after my great-grandmother, but my grandmother wanted to name me Trina Marie. Her best friend's niece was named Trina Marie, and Granny loved it.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? When John and I went to the lake New Year's. It had gotten dark, and we passed a house that had Christmas lights on it. For some reason, that particular house reminded me of Granny's when she would put lights up on the porch. It made me incredibly sad, and I started missing her like I haven't in a long, long time.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? When I take my time and write neatly, I do. I usually don't take my time though.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Honey-baked ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Biological -- no. Step -- two. And two extremely spoiled rotten rat terriers

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Heck yeah! I'd be the best friend ever!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Never. Not in a million years! Oh, wait, uh...yeah, I use sarcasm. And I love it.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Sure do.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Nope. Not for all the money in the world.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Honey Nut Cheerios.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Most of the time

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? REAL homemade vanilla

13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes

14. RED OR PINK? Red

15. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My hips

16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Granny

17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?? If you read my blog, then yes, you better! And leave me a comment saying you did.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Jeans and brown house shoes.

19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Some movie John has on TV

20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Red

21. FAVORITE SMELLS? Rain, vanilla, the ocean

22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? I think it was John.

23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS NOTE? Changed this question because I grabbed this from an old email, but in answer to whether or not I like the person who sent the email...I absolutely love her!

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football, and in particular, Alabama football. Can't wait for the Super Bowl, though!

25. HAIR COLOR? Dark brown, and NO GRAY!!! (at least for another week or so)

26. EYE COLOR? Blue

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope--perfect 20/20 vision. It's kind of odd, though, because a few years ago, I was actually near sighted.

28. FAVORITE FOOD? Anything Mexican or Italian

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? We watched The Other Boleyn Girl the other day

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Brown

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? SUMMER!!! Bring me some WARM weather!!!!!

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Both!

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Right now, fudge brownies

35. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Uh...it BETTER be everyone who is reading this! hahaha

36. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Only those people who haven't been lucky enough to find Random Thoughts from Trina hahahaha

37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Does Elements of Literature count? I'm not reading anything right now, and it is KILLING me!!!

38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Since I'm on the laptop, it would be my finger.

39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Since John is a flipper, I cannot tell you. He doesn't stay on one channel long enough to watch anything. LOL

40. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? John's laugh, a baby who has his/her giggle box turned on, rain on a tin roof, the bell ringing at the end of the school day, ocean waves

41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Stones

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Europe

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Not that I can think of

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Huntsville, AL

45. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? All of 'em!

46. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? I was working at the hospital in the radiology dept., and he was kinda my boss. He was my bosses boss. Yep, we fraternized!

ONLY 77%???

I truly thought my number would be higher. Go figure!

77%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I need a day

I need a day to do nothing but blog, mostly to read all the posts I'm so far behind on. After John basically challenged me, I've tried to stay off the computer as much at night. It's been hard, but I've survived. LOL

I also need a day at the spa. All I really want is a facial. I'd love a full-body massage, but I love a facial just as much. I think it would probably do as much, or more, for my neck as a massage. Connie, Linda, Amy, and I have been talking about doing a girls' weekend to Ross Bridge.

John and I spent SUCH an exciting day cleaning house today. Woo Hoo! I know I'm so lucky because he does help out so much around the house (and I don't even have to promise him anything.) So many of my friends complain because their husbands do very little as far as housework is concerned. John isn't ALWAYS "Mr. Housekeeper" but he does more than what I'd guess the average man does. One thing that surprised me when we dated was that his house was always neat and tidy. I was used to dating guys who lived in true bachelor pads, and it usually wasn't pretty. hahaha

We went to Lowe's this evening so he could get the stuff to make a table to go in the hallway. He wants to have a place to display all of the pictures of Sam. John LOVES working with his hands, and he especially loves woodworking. We have a pie safe and a dry sink that he made years ago, and we used to have an entertainment center that he'd made. It was made specifically for the TV he had at the time, and when we got the TV we have now, the entertainment center was just a wee bit too small. We had looked around at several places to find a table, but we never could find what we really wanted. He decided he could make exactly what we wanted for less than what we were finding. I'll need to find a pretty lamp to put on it.

I went yesterday to get my gray covered. Boy, did it need it! After I realize it's almost time to get my roots touched up, it usually takes me a week to get around to making an appointment. Then because Lynn stays so busy, it usually takes another week to get an appointment. I got lucky this week. I called Wednesday, and she was able to get me in yesterday.

We're watching one of my all-time favorite movies--Remember the Titans--and Bama has rooted himself into my lap, and Ali is pawing at me. That's their way of telling me they need/want my undivided attention. I better go give it to them since they haven't gotten much attention from me at all today.

Have a GREAT Sunday!

Happy Friday!

Ah, Friday! Don't you love the weekends? I do. Back years ago before I began teaching, I worked in the radiology department of a hospital. (That's where I met John.) Because I was "low man" (or woman) I had the crappy second shift. The funny thing is that when I first started, I loved working that shift. I could sleep later, and when I got home at night, I did the cleaning that wouldn't bother my neighbors--dusting, changing sheets, sweeping/mopping. On weekends, it wasn't so bad, either, because a lot of times I didn't go out until later anyway. After John and I started dating, it became crappy. I worked 2:30 - 11:00; he got off at 3:30--kinda interfered with our relationship. :-) If I can help it, I will never work at a job again that doesn't allow me to have evenings and weekends off. LOL

I am in real need of a weekend. Last night, the pups and I settled on the couch. They snoozed while I read the paper and John flipped through the TV channels. (I told him THAT was why I spent so much time on the computer. hahaha) The next thing I know, John was waking me up and telling me to go to bed. I repositioned myself (and the dogs, but Bama didn't like the new position, so he went to sit with John) and said I would later. About the time I got back to sleep, he started making some noise. Unfortunately for my family and REALLY close friends, I am NOT a pleasant person when my sleep is disturbed. (The person who shows up then is the same evil twin who shows up when I've been off my "happy pills" for too long...) Anyway, I yelled at him and asked WHAT in the heck he was doing. He said he was playing with the dog, and if it was bothering me, I should go to bed. At that point, I did. It was all of 7:43 PM. After getting my 7 1/2 hours of sleep (well, close enough), I was awake at 2:30. Surprisingly, I did dose off around 3:30, only to have one of odd dreams.

As far as my "stalker" goes, she (or someone at her house) has visited my blog only three times since I made that post, and all three of those times were the same day that I posted between 10:06 PM and 11:36 PM. I guess I've lost one of my "loyal" readers, but I really don't care.

I used to read this person's blog because I was truly concerned about someone in her family. She began this blog to keep friends and family updated about some things; however, it got to the point that very little that was posted dealt with the someone the blog was supposed to be about, and for a while, a LOT was being posted about me (without ever actually mentioning me by name. Actually, she did that a couple of times, too.) I would get angry and make some dig on my own blog, so our blogs really became a battle ground. I finally decided that there was nothing I needed to read, so I did stop reading for quite a while. My curiosity got the best of me though, and I began reading again, only to see the same kinds of things going on. (She really should have set up a separate blog titled "Trina is a REAL BI-OTCH" or something like that.)

I have again stopped reading, and the one thing that has made it easy for me NOT to pop in is because I see how desperate she has seemed in wanting to know every little detail of my life. And I'll be the first to admit that my life is NOT so incredibly exciting that someone needs to visit 121 times in 16 days!!!! Besides, if I, a computer idiot, can figure out how to track someone, I'm sure she could, and I refuse to give her the pleasure of seeing my IP address.

Someone questioned if it could have been my own IP address, but I know it isn't because I am able to see the ISP, and we don't use Knology. :) Another comment that was made was about "tricking" feedjit. Easy to do! Go to the bottom and click on Options. You can then tell it to ignore your browser. If you click on Watch in Real Time, you can tell it to remove your IP. I love being sneaky.

I got some good news from former students this week. One was accepted to Ole Miss for this fall. Yea! And another who was in my advisement class (same as homeroom) for four years is pregnant! I'm gonna be a "grandma" to one of my advisement babies!! After spending four years with these kids, I grew very close to many of them.

I guess that's about it for today--nothing exciting at all, but like I just said, my life isn't all that incredibly exciting, but it is my life and I love it. :)

Have a GREAT Friday, and a GREAT weekend!!

I have a true blog "stalker"

Yep, I do. I have had 121 visits from the same IP address since January 5th. I know it isn't a friend or family member because the three people I know who live in this city don't really fit into those categories. And this person has set the feedjit so that it ignores her browser, so the visits don't show up there.

Interesting, don't you think?

Blog withdrawals!

Night before last, John made a request. Well, maybe it was more of a challenge. He said he didn't think that I'd be able to stay off the computer for an entire evening. I didn't get on the computer at ALL last night, but let me tell you, I was tempted more than once to log on. It was really hard when John logged on to check his email. I don't think I'll promise to stay off tonight. I have too many blogs to catch up on!

My seniors are working on their personal narratives this week, so while they are being busy little bees, I thought I'd at least get started on a new post.

Dad got home from the hospital, and he's doing fine. Mom commented to that post and said that he's getting lots of help from their pups. I don't know whose dogs are more spoiled--theirs or ours. The surprising thing is that we never had an inside dog when I was growing up. Dogs belonged "in the yard." Once Gizzy came to live with my parents, that went out the window.

I really don't have much to say. I think I just needed to post. hahaha I'm addicted, I tell ya!

Ahhh...it's planning, and I have about four parents to call. Yep, four guys in my 2nd block class are just being little turds. Remember that this is the class with only four girls. Maybe these phone calls will take care of the matter, and we can continue to have a good semester. Otherwise, the next 16 weeks could be long.

Have a GREAT day!

Back in the hospital again...

In my entire life, I could probably count on one hand the number of times that Dad has been sick to the point of crawling in bed, and I honestly don't recall him ever having to be IN the hospital. Boy, over the last 12 months, he has certainly made up for it!

He had an arteriogram today, and they put in a stent. He is fine, but they are keeping him overnight. He'd been having some problems with shortness of breath, which is one of the reasons he went to the doctor and ended up in the hospital a couple of weeks ago.

I know he hopes this is the last time he's in the hospital for a long, LONG time!

The ABC game

I'm going to get around to the ABC game in just a bit, but first I want to say THANKS for everyone who left super nice comments telling me to feel better. After two solid days of doing pretty much nothing except lying around, I do feel better. My head still feels like it's stuffed full of cotton, but at least the sneezing and fever are gone.

Yesterday, my awesome, fabulous, fantastic, wonderful hubby went to the store to get the makings for a pot of homemade chicken soup. I told him that I thought it would be good, and the next thing I know, he's tossing it together. He is the best. husband. ever. And I'm sooooo glad he's mine. :) He made enough extra so we have four bags in the freezer. That will be really good on those evenings when I just can't think about cooking dinner.

So, now on to the ABC game. Feel free to play along yourself on your own blog.

A. Attached or single? Very happily attached. See above about the hubby.

B. Best friend? Mom, Susan, Connie, and then several others who are right up there!

C. Cake or pie? It depends on the mood and what is offered.

D. Dog or cat? Dogs -- two rat terriers who are without a doubt the most spoiled animals on the face of the earth! I do love a cat though.

E. Essential item? My BlackBerry

F. Favorite color? Red

G. Gummy bears or worms? Yeech. Neither. I hate anything gummy. I don't even like jelly beans!

H. Hometown? Oakman, AL. A small town where everyone knows everything about everybody, but it is a great place to raise a family. Partly because everyone knows everything about everybody and is there to help in a heartbeat.

I. Favorite indulgence? Pedicures. And I need one badly.

J. January or July? Oh, no question...July. Remember my earlier post when I said I've self-diagnosed myself with seasonal affective disorder?

K. Kids? Two (step)daughters. No biological children BY CHOICE, which evidently makes me selfish and unable to be an effective teacher because I can't "relate" to the kids since I haven't raised any of my own.

L. Life isn’t complete without? My family and friends.

M. Marriage date? December 20, 1992

N. Number of brothers and sisters? One brother that I grew up with, a half-sister that I didn't meet until I was 17, and a step-brother who visited from Texas occasionally

O. Oranges or apples? Apples if they are CRISP and JUICY

P. Phobias? Big, huge, long bridges--like the one over Lake Pontchartrain

Q. Quote? "It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not." — André Gide I really don't like people who pretend to be something they aren't.

R. Reasons to smile? My life.

S. Season of choice? Summer.

T. Travel dreams? I would love to spend an entire summer in England.

U. Unknown fact about me? When I was about 3 and we lived on base in Virginia, I was pushed into a cinder-block storage building with no windows. From that point on until I started to school, I wouldn't talk to anyone except Mom and Dad. Well, I would talk to people on the phone. Fortunately (I guess) I don't remember it.

V. Vegetable? Green beans that have been seasoned just right and cooked to death. No nutrients in 'em for me. LOL

W. Worst habit? Procrastination!

X. X-ray or ultrasound? X-rays every year for the girls. I did have to have an ultrasound a couple of years ago on the left girl because of an "unclassified area of concern" but it was just a cyst.

Y. Your favorite restaurants? Provino's, Superior Grill, Dreamland Barbecue (the original)

Z. Zodiac sign? Sagittarius

It's time for me to stop procrastinating now and take a shower. I'm taking Jessi's car to Auburn Mazda for them to check the fuse on the headlight. Once we get that taken care of, there shouldn't be anything left to go wrong on her car. hahahaha

Have a GREAT Monday!

An awesome give away from Happy Daisy

Happy Daisy at http://happydaisyaz.blogspot.com/ has a beautiful necklace she is giving away. Pop by for a visit, and enter for your chance to win!

I got an award!

My friend Tracy over at A Simple Country Life gave me an Honest Scrap award. Thanks, Tracy!! I really needed a pick-me-up since I've felt like poo for the last 36 hours or so. (After looking in the mirror, I kinda look like poo right now, too.)

The rules are really quite simple. I have to:

1) list 10 honest things about myself, even if I have to dig deep, and

2) pass the award to 7 other bloggers who embody the spirit of Honest Scrap.

So, here goes...

1. Like Tracy, I am ADDICTED to blogging. John says that I'm going to turn into a computer one day because I spend so much time on it.

2. I can have a potty mouth when I'm angry or frustrated. I try hard to control it, but I'm not always successful.

3. I spent more time in bars during my freshman year of college than I did studying. My 1.something GPA from that year is an embarrassment to me to this day.

4. I was kinda envious of all the awards that other bloggers had gotten. I guess I could have made up a "friend" who gave me all sorts of awards, but I'm not that desperate.

5. I love my brother because he is my brother, but I despise him for the things he has done to my parents.

6. I try hard to not be judgmental, but sometimes I am.

7. I procrastinate, and that causes me TONS of stress!

8. I am in love with Dr. Greg House. Yes, John knows this. LOL

9. I've diagnosed myself with SAD. hahaha I hate the gloomy days of winter. Even the sunny days aren't my favorite. I can't imagine wintertime without Lexapro.

10. I hate sharing my French fries with anyone unless I have finished with them.


OK--so these are the people I'm giving the Honest Scrap award to:

1. Karen -- http://stillmagnolias.blogspot.com/

2. Tammy -- http://tammystimeflies.blogspot.com/

3. Mary -- http://marymoores.blogspot.com/

4. Georgie -- http://georgienba.blogspot.com/

5. Mariah -- http://maniacmariah.blogspot.com/

6. Amy -- http://amylowrey.blogspot.com/

7. Julie -- http://47andstartingover.blogspot.com/

**And for those of you who "stalk" me, feel free to consider yourself awarded as well. You know who you are...

Have a GREAT Sunday! I'm about to go shower so I can stop looking like poo.

Sniff...Sneeze...uggghhhhh

I have it. My annual cold. I knew the minute I woke up this morning that I was sick. A lot of times, I'll start out with an allergy attack that turns into a head cold/sinus infection, but not this time. This time, it went straight to head cold with the sneezing, sniffling, stuffy head, fever. Of course, my fever is "only" 99.7 or so, but like I said in my post about John being sick, we both have normal temperatures that are closer to 97 - 97.5 degrees than the average 98.6. It really doesn't matter if your temperature is up to 99.7 or 101.3, those extra two or so degrees make you feel cruddy. I'm trying to look at the positive, though. Since I don't have to go to work Monday, maybe I'll have time to really rest and get over the worst of it by Tuesday. I tend to be a glass-half-full person. LOL

I had planned on being super-productive today, but it ain't happenin'. I am getting some things done (like the never-ending laundry) but certainly not as much as I had hoped. I had also hoped I could talk John in to going to a movie later this afternoon, but I don't even want to do that now. All I want to do is snuggle up on the couch with a mug of spiced tea (which I do have right now) and watch TV. I have The Other Boleyn Girl that I haven't watched yet. I may put it in after while.

John is outside washing Jessi's car, freezing his butt off I know. Maybe he won't get sick, too. He took her car to the shop that does all the work on his car, and they flushed the transmission (or whatever it is called) and replaced all of the brake pads. John replaced the blown headlight, but for whatever reason, the fuse keeps blowing. He can't figure that out, so he's going to take it to Auburn Mazda and have them check it out.

We also took the Miata to the body shop yesterday so they can fix the dent from his run-in with the deer. He was so ill when he came in Thursday night after he hit the deer that I didn't question too much. John is always so easy-going and laid back, and he rarely EVER gets angry, so I just knew the car was messed up horribly bad. When he got home yesterday, I walked out to look at it. My first response was, "That isn't as bad as I thought it would be." There was one relatively small dent, but it is going to take 800 bucks to fix it. GULP! Thank goodness for that extra money that goes into savings every month and for the check he gets for carrying film between the hospitals. I told Jess that we were having this run of "bad luck" because we didn't have our black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. :)

I guess that's about it for now. I'm going to go make another mug of tea and start typing up my syllabus for next week. Have a GREAT Saturday!

What kind of coffee am I?

For those readers out there who know me, tell me what you think. Does this define me or what?

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated
You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys
Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites.
And you're dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.



What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You? - http://tinyurl.com/5vmxr2 - You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe #blogthings

I love... I hate...

I love waking up, looking at the clock and realizing I have six more hours to sleep.
I hate waking up in the middle of the night because I'm having a hot flash.

I love that last 30 minutes of snuggling with my pups before I have to get up.
I hate hearing John put his razor away because that means those 30 minutes are gone.

I love wearing sweatshirts to school on Fridays when it's a brisk fall/winter day.
I hate wearing sweatshirts to school on Fridays because the wind chill is 9 degrees.

I love seeing deer on the sides of the road.
I hate seeing damage done to the car when that deer decides to run into the road.

I love reading all of the funny stuff on blogs.
I hate reading the sad stuff on blogs.

I love chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven.
I hate not having a cold glass of milk to go with them.

I love wishing all of you a GREAT weekend!

I'm almost afraid to say anything

I posted on Friday about the end of the first week of this semester, and I said that my concerns were the size of my classes and the fact that one of my classes is 86% male. After almost two full weeks, I want to say that I had no need to be concerned. I have fantastic classes! I'm afraid that now I've said something, they will all become the classes from hell. :-)

They are still large--I have no control over that--but the students have been wonderful. Their participation is excellent, and that makes the time seem to fly. Usually, there are just a handful of students who participate in discussions, but I'm having a majority of the students participating this semester. I have NEVER experienced that, and it is WONDERFUL!! There are those few who, due to shyness or insecurity or apathy, don't say much. I am even loving my class of guys. They are a touch more...energetic, but they have been a fun group. THANK GOODNESS for the calmness of the girls, though. Check back with me in a couple of weeks to see if I still feel the same. I really think I will. I can usually tell within a few days how a class is going to go.

Tomorrow is the first major test for all of my classes. This will probably be the only time that my English 11 class will test on the same day as my English 12 classes. I like test days because I don't have to be "on" but at the same time, they can seem interminably long because I'm just sitting there watching them. That is 4.8 hours of silence. Sounds nice, but after about 2 hours of silence and doing nothing but staring at them, I have to find something to do. Unfortunately, because some will cheat (imagine that) I have to be observant and can't get too involved in anything.

On to other subjects...

I am having the WORST neck pain lately. Instead of it being on the right side, which has bothered me for a couple of years now, it is on the left side. (Mom, I KNOW I need to go to the doctor and have it checked...) Certain movements make me feel like I'm going to die. Well, not really die, but it hurts. Now, because I've been so tense from the pain in my shoulder/neck, I'm hurting down my spine. I tried to call my chiropractor today, but I didn't get an answer--it was during lunch, and this is a small office and I didn't have a chance to call later. I don't have a regular doctor--only my gyno, and he's in Birmingham. RMC has a satellite office in Dadeville, and I have gone there before when I've had sinus crud. The last time I went actually was for back spasms. I had dealt with the pain for two weeks before I gave in and went. The doctor I saw made me feel as if the ONLY reason I was there was for drugs. Ummm...had that been the reason, I wouldn't have hurt for two weeks! Because of that, I am very hesitant to go back. ARGH!

Is this the coldest weather ever? (Don't answer that...I know it isn't.) For Alabama, though, this is exceptionally cold. And I'm not a fan. I don't mind cold weather. I love wearing sweaters and boots, but I DO NOT enjoy temperatures in the teens. Lows in the upper 40s is about as cold as I want it to be. Sam has laughed at us as we complain about being cold. Our weather is nothing compared to the weather in Michigan. This morning, I told one of our custodians that he needed to do something to the water pipes so they'd freeze and we wouldn't have to go to school tomorrow. Yeah, we'd have to make it up, but I'd gladly have to do a make-up day to avoid having to get outside when it's, oh, 12 degrees in the morning!

John hasn't heard anything from the monitoring he had to do last week, unless he heard something today. He had to go to a class (on insulin pumps, I think) and he hasn't gotten home yet.

I guess that's about it. I need to get busy typing up notes on Ernest Hemingway. I love talking about him; he was such a colorful person. When we went to Key West for our 10th anniversary, we toured his home. Our tour guide was SO good! I wish I could have videoed the tour and the guide's talk. Of course, at that time I wasn't teaching English 11, so even if I could have, I wouldn't have thought that I'd ever need it. I still want a polydactyl cat. :)

OK--That is IT! Have a GREAT Friday, and STAY WARM!!

Secrets and my dear friend Karen

Don't you just love secrets? I do. I especially love it when I know something that someone else doesn't think I know. :-) And that's all I'm going to say about that!

My dear friend Karen received some very difficult news today. Her dad was told that he has a cancerous tumor on his right lung, and that chemo will be part of his treatment. Karen's parents haven't been in the very best of health for a while now, and for several years they have lived with her and Frank. It has been extremely trying for her at times, and there have been many mornings that she's had to vent over something that had happened the evening before. There have been times when we've laughed over something that had happened; other times we've come close to tears; and then other times we've laughed because the only other option was to cry.

Karen is one of the most talented, funny, loving people I know. She has been through so much, but she always comes out with the most positive attitude. She has been a rock for me on MANY occasions, especially recently. I love her to death, and my heart aches for her and her family.

I have her listed in my blog list--Karen's Korner. Pop by and read what she has to say. I'm quite sure that you will find something that will touch you in some way.

KK--I love you and I am here for you ANYTIME! {{{HUGS}}}

So long, dear boots

Today my dearly loved brown boots came to the end of their usefulness. This was a pair of boots that was a classic style, so I've worn them for what seems like forever! I loved them so much that I bought a black pair just like them. For the last couple of years, I have searched for more just like them, but I've had no luck.

I finally broke down back in the fall and bought a new pair of black boots--a pair of Borns--but I just haven't found a brown pair that I really like. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not as crazy about my new black ones and I am about the old black ones. I think I will be once I've worn them more.

One of the guys I teach with (lovingly) calls his wife a "name-brand whore." The first time he said it, we all just cracked up, but when I really stop and think about it, the same could be said about me and my shoes. I won't buy shoes that aren't a quality name brand. Shoes are the one things that I will spend money on without a second thought. I haven't always been this way, but after I started teaching and standing on hard floors all day, I decided that spending money on shoes was worth it.

Now I just have to go on a search for that perfect pair of new brown boots.

Lazy afternoon

I love lazy afternoons--those days when you can just veg out on the couch with either a good book or an old movie. If you fall asleep, it's no big deal. And today is one of those perfect kind of days. It's all gloomy and COLD outside, so I have no desire to be anywhere other than in my cozy, warm house.

I have a pot of soup on simmering, and it smells delicious. I know that in about an hour it will taste delicious, too. John is snoozing in his recliner with Bama snuggled up next to him, and I'm sitting here on the love seat doing one of my favorite things--blogging--with Ali snuggled up behind me. I had my nap a little while ago.

Sure, I have things that I could be doing, but those things will be here tomorrow or the next day or the next day. There is nothing that HAS to be done right now, except put clothes in the dryer.

One thing that would be perfect right now would be a nice hot mug of spiced tea. I think I'll go fix one and settle down with my book.

Have a GREAT Sunday afternoon and Monday.

Double date

I think this is "catch up on blog posts" day since this is my third post of the day. :)

Jess and Lance came over this evening and the four of us went to Provino's for dinner. Yum! Provino's is my favorite restaurant of all time, so when Jess suggested it, I was excited. We had met Lance only the one time at the Alabama-Auburn game, but it seems like we've known him forever. He is a super nice guy, he is easy to talk to, and best of all, he treats Jessi really well. They seem very comfortable with each other. He seems to love her pups, too. I'm thinking we may be seeing quite a bit more of him.

Jessi took my car back with her, too. Her car needs to have the transmission flushed and all that good stuff. John is going to take it to the place that does work on his car. This means I get to drive his truck until she gets her car back. Woo Hoo!! In case you missed it in my other post, I love driving trucks! I told her I offered to let her drive my car JUST so I could drive the truck. hahahaha

It's almost 10:30, so I'm going to call it a night. I promise NOT to post again today. LOL

Have a GREAT night!

My Man

· 1. Who is my man? John
· 2. How long have we been together? 17 years (dated one, married 16)
· 3. How long did we date? Our first date was Jan. 9, 1992 and we married Dec. 20, 1992.
· 4. How old is he? 53
· 5. Who eats more? He does
· 6. Who said "I love you" first? He did.
· 7. Who is taller? He is.
· 8. Who sings better? I'd say he does.
· 9. Who is smarter? I'd say we are probably pretty much the same.
· 10. Who has more of a temper? I think I probably do
· 11. Who does the laundry? I wash and dry. He folds. We both put away.
· 12. Who takes out the trash? Usually John
· 13. Who has sharper computer skills? I do.
· 14. Who sleeps on the right side? I do.
· 15. Who pays bills? I do. After several months, though, I refuse and make him take over for a few months. It just gets too darn depressing to see all of our hard-earned money disappear so quickly!
· 16. Who mows the lawn? Definitely John
· 17. Who cooks? That depends.
· 18. Who drives when we are together? Usually John
· 19. Who pays when we are out together? I usually do.
· 20. Who is more stubborn? It completely depends on the issue.
· 21. Who is first to admit it when they are wrong? Hmmm…neither of us are ever wrong. LOL Seriously, I can't tell you.
· 22. Who asked out who? He asked me out.
· 23. Who kissed who first? That would be me on Dec. 31, 1991 but not at midnight.
· 24. Who is more sensitive? Definitely me!
· 25. Who has more friends? I'd say we're equal. I have more friends that I DO stuff with.
· 26. Who has more siblings? John does.
· 27. Who wears the pants? We both do. We discuss things in depth before making any decisions.

Another Bobo has died

One of the first toys I got Bama when he was a puppy was a Bobo--the same kind of toy that the dachshund had in the PetsMart commercial from a few years back. Well, Bama LOVES his Bobos, and he would probably still have that very first one except for the fact that it had kind of gotten pretty nasty. Even after washing it, it was still better off being thrown away. I always get him and Ali new Bobos a couple of times a year--birthdays and Christmas usually.

Bama has never been much of a stuffed-animal killer. He has killed one or two but NEVER his Bobo, with the exception of a twill-like one I got them last summer. I think he saw it as an impostor since it wasn't the fuzzy kind. As a matter of fact, when Bama is ready to snuggle up with John or me, he usually goes and gets the little Bobo and brings it with him. He will lay with his head resting on. Ali, however, has killed four Bobos (or at least four is all I can think of right now.) We'll come in to find stuffing all over the den floor, and we know to look for a hole in one of them.

The latest Bobo to come to this untimely demise was the pink hula girl Bobo I had gotten her for her birthday. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. What I've discovered is that the bigger they are, the less life they can expect. They have a little basketball Bobo at the lake that has lasted for close to two years. They also have a little Santa Bobo here that Bama got for his first Christmas two years ago. NOTE TO SELF: ONLY BUY LITTLE BOBOS FROM NOW ON...

These are two of the Bobos which met their untimely death at the mouth of Ali. They are now in the trash instead of the toy box. (Yes, my dogs have their own toy box!)

The end of week one

It is 3:24 on Friday, and I have made it to the end of the first week of a new semester. Other than being butt-dragging tired, it has been a really good week. I have to say that I was a little concerned about my classes earlier in the week. They are HUGE--31 seniors in first block, 30 in second block. I am currently at 25 in my junior class, but that number has changed two and three times a day, so I'm not going to be surprised if I end up with 30 in there. Hopefully, all of the schedules have been changed and that number will stay at 25.

My big concern with my classes was my second block class. Of the 30 students, ONLY 4 ARE GIRLS!! I do have a large number of special needs students in the class as well, but that doesn't bother me at all since I taught special education for 13 years before transferring. I apologized to every administrator and counselor for whatever it was that I did to deserve having 26 guys in a class, but I must say that they have been a great group. They are active in discussions, they ask questions, and they have been fun...so far. I'm thinking that it won't be as bad as I once feared. LOL At least I shouldn't have lots of drama...

John has been wearing the monitor for his diabetes this week. He had it put on Tuesday afternoon and they took it off this morning. I'm anxious to talk to him to see what he found out, if anything yet. Dr. Casals feels that he is a Type 1 diabetic instead of a Type 2 because it hasn't mattered what kind or how much medicine he has taken. He just hasn't been able to keep it controlled.

I am so looking forward to going home and getting into my comfy jammies and vegging out on the couch tonight. I thinking La Posada might be good for dinner before I get comfy though. We haven't been there this week. :)

I hope you have a GREAT weekend! John and I have a double-date tomorrow night, so I'm sure we'll have a good one.

I am so behind on blogging!

I'm not only behind on posting, but I'm behind on reading as well. As usual, getting back into the swing of a new term has kicked my tail. I had a hard time going to sleep Monday night because I was wondering if I had everything ready for Tuesday (I did) but last night I think I died when I went to sleep. I sat down on the couch after dinner to read the paper. The next thing I knew, it was 8:30 and I was waking up. I dragged myself to bed and crashed. When I woke up this morning, I was in the same position I was in when I crawled in bed. At least I felt rested this morning. :)

During my planning, I called the Mazda dealership to see when I could take my car in to have the catalytic converter replaced. Scott said I could bring it today, and they'd have a rental for me. As soon as school was out and I did the couple of quick things I needed to do, I headed to Pelham, thinking it would be a quick trip. HA! I got there a little before 5. Scott said he'd call Enterprise and they'd be right over. About 20 minutes later, he came to the waiting area and said that Enterprise didn't have a vehicle on the lot, and he didn't have a rental but he was trying to get in touch with the manager to see if he had one. I'm thinking "SOMEBODY is going to have one!" I sat there for the next ten minutes wondering if I needed to call John. Just about the time I was going to call, Scott came back out and said that Enterprise did, in fact, have a vehicle. Obviously, wires were crossed somewhere. Anyway, when Enterprise came to pick me up, it was in a big ole black Ford F-150. The last time, I had a red F-150. I luv drivin' me a pick-em-up truck! (How redneck is that? I really don't care, though. I am 100% proud of who I am and where I came from!!!)

So, it was 8:00 before I got home, and I'm pooped. I had to check on the delivery status of a package from Talbot's; otherwise, I would NOT have blogged anything tonight. I've checked that (should be here tomorrow...YEA!) and now I'm gonna crash. Have a great one! (Please overlook any grammatical errors. I'm too tired to proofread tonight.)

I think I’m ready…

I always question myself a million times the day before the first day of a new term. Not a new semester—a new term. This means I question myself a million times four times a school year. Did I make all of the copies that I need? Do I have enough textbooks? Have I forgotten ANYTHING that I MUST have tomorrow? I rarely have forgotten anything that was a necessity, but I still have that fear. I do have a new Parent Information Form that I need to type for my English 11 class, but fortunately I have planning before I have that class. I can type it tonight after dinner and then print and copy it tomorrow. IF for some reason I can't get it copied (like all three copiers decide to go on the fritz at the same time…) it really isn't a huge deal if I don't send it home tomorrow. Wednesday would be just fine, but I'd much rather get all that done on the first day of class.

The first day of every new semester is always so tiring. I (and every other teacher I know) spend so much time going over all of the "housekeeping" stuff—class expectations, policies, stressing attendance, etc. that by the end of the day I feel like I've been run over. I do have my students do a grammar diagnostic test on the first day, too. That gives me a chance to assign textbooks. Once they finish their diagnostic test, they can then begin reading and/or doing their homework assignment.

They have SUCH a hard homework assignment the first night. LOL. I ask them to write a "letter" to me telling me something about themselves. I want to find out those interesting tidbits about them that aren't obvious or that I can't look up in the computer. I want to know what some of their quirks are, what is something that brings them absolute joy (or fear), what are their hopes and dreams. I do this to get to know something about them that I might not otherwise have the chance to learn. One of my students from last year told me about the time she helped a horse give birth and what an awesome experience it was. She plans on becoming at large animal vet, so it was something that was very relevant to her. In a normal class day, would I have ever had the opportunity to learn that she had experienced the birth of a foal? Probably not. I do tell them that I do not want them to share anything with me that would make them uncomfortable, and I stress that as a school-system employee, I am bound by law to report anything that could be considered abuse and/or neglect. IF they chose to tell me something of that nature, then I would see that as a plea for help.

The one thing that always amazes me is those students who, for some reason, don't think that we will be doing anything educational on the first day of the semester. There is usually at least one who comes in and says, "You mean we're doing work today?" I'm always so tempted to say, "Nah. I think we'll just sit around and play cards today." Silly kids! Hahaha

Well, I have a Parent Information Form to type, so I better get busy. I hope your Tuesday is just GREAT! J

 

Happy Monday!

I'm sitting here waiting on the professional development session on Using Wikis and Blogs in the Classroom to start, so I thought I'd say good morning to everyone! It also occurred to me that the post from yesterday made it sound like I was doing the "fun" professional development sessions because I just wanted to have fun. That IS partly true, but the two sessions I chose are ones that will be beneficial to me this coming semester. I will have Selene, a Hispanic student, in my English 11 class, so the Conversational Spanish class was very helpful. I chose the Wikis and Blogs because I will be able to put my course syllabi, notes, etc. on my wiki. Hopefully, this will help my students. Anytime a student is absent, he or she will be able to pull up notes. Parents will be able to see notes and the weekly syllabus as well. So, IT SHOULD be helpful. Plus, I have over 80 PD hours already, and we only need 24 each calendar year. I think I have plenty...

Laura is about to get started, so let me go. Have a great one!

Back home and back to blogging and EXCITING NEWS...to me anyway :)

The one thing I do NOT like about being at the lake is not having internet access. Since we're only there part time, we see no sense in paying for internet service (dial up, at that) when we wouldn't be using it all the time. I really miss being able to read all my bloggy friends' blogs. I have tons of catching up to do!

John actually got home early on New Year's Eve, so we left for the lake much earlier than I thought we would. We had such a nice, relaxing time Thursday and Friday. Danny and Linda and Ron and Cindy came out for a bit Thursday, and then on Friday we rode over to Ron and Cindy's. It takes maybe five minutes by water to get there, but it takes a good 30 minutes by land. I'll be glad when it warms up and we have the boat back up there. :)

We got up yesterday and decided to tackle to boat house. When we bought the property, we spent DAYS cleaning out and throwing away junk from the inside of the trailer. It is amazing the kinds of stuff people (myself included) accumulate. (I have gotten MUCH better about tossing things on a regular basis.) We never did do anything with the boat house, though. There was so much old junk in it that we thought it would take a week to get it all out. Surprisingly, it took only a day. Most of it was just big, bulky stuff--old life jackets, broken aluminum chairs, etc. I can honestly say that I do not think I have EVER been so dirty in my life!!! And today...my calves are so sore I can barely walk, especially after sitting. We still have a pile of stuff that we have to haul to the dump (or somewhere) and there is quite a bit of scrap iron we need to get someone to take away. The last "big" project we have to do is to re-plumb. John decided that he is going to completely redo all of the plumbing. After that, we should be able to spend more time enjoying ourselves instead of working our a**** off. Of course, there will always be the normal upkeep that has to be done.

We left today around noon (after much whining from me about not wanting to leave) and made a stop in Jasper. Dad has been in the hospital so we went to see him. The doctor decided to start him on coumadin, and they won't let him come home until they've regulated his dosage. He had an episode Thursday night/Friday morning, so they had to lower the dosage. He probably would have already been home, but his regular doctor was out of town for the weekend. He's hoping to go home tomorrow. My dad cannot just sit still, so staring at the walls of a hospital room is driving him crazy. At 71, he stays as busy as he did at 41. And I'm glad!!! Both of my parents are extremely active. I've seen too many older people retire and quit doing anything.

Tomorrow is back to work. We have a professional development day, so the first part of my day is getting professionally developed. LOL We have a list of sessions that we had to choose from. Since I'm having to do this, I chose to attend sessions that I'll enjoy. I'm going to Conversational Spanish from 7:30 until 9:30. Karen will make this both informative and entertaining. The second session I'm going to is Using Wikis and Blogs in the Classroom from 10 until 12. I've been saying I was going to get Laura to help me get a wiki set up for classroom use, so this will be perfect. She will be informative and entertaining as well. I got a lot of my copies made for Tuesday before we left for Christmas break, but I still have a few things to do, so I'm sure I'll be in the copy room for a while. And then Tuesday I get my new classes--two English 12 and one English 11.

I guess that's about it. Oh wait! I said I had some EXCITING NEWS! As of Jan. 2, 2009, our house is PAID FOR!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!! When we signed all of those 48,000 papers in Dec. 1993, it seemed like this day was SO long away, but the time has really flown by. Now we can start taking care of a few other things.

Now, THAT'S about it for now. I hope that everyone had a great start to the new year. I look forward to reading fantastic things from you in 2009. Have a GREAT week!

Happy New Year!

(I love, love, love the scheduled posting option!)

I am making New Year's resolutions this year, and I'm posting them here so I can refer to them throughout the year and monitor my progress. Here they are.

1. Live a healthier life -- John and I both need to eat better. I can't be responsible for what John eats when he isn't home, but I can be responsible for the meals we have here. So, my first resolution is to do a better job of preparing healthy meals. That doesn't mean we won't have the occasional pizza...

2. In addition to eating better, we need to exercise. I'm going to begin walking again, and as an incentive, I will reward myself with a nice massage if I walk at least 3 days a week between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31. I'll have to find out what John wants as an incentive...

3. Procrastinate less. That is one of the major causes of stress I have in my job. As an English teacher, I have lots of papers to read and grade. I always start out with good intentions of getting them done in a timely manner, but before I know it, the term is about to come to an end and I end up with 90 papers to grade in a week. argh!

4. Life, laugh, love. I do this every day anyway, but I wanted to include one resolution that I KNOW I won't break. lol

Here's to a wonderful 2009!