Tuesday, February 13, 2007

There Go Our Snow Days

I noticed on the scrolling on the bottom of the tv that some entire counties near here are CLOSED. Universities near and far are CLOSED. The county offices are closed as well. I checked our home page and my school corporation will be closed tomorrow for the second day in a row. I may as well kiss my 7th grade project goodbye....as well as those lovely built in snow days in the spring. I did venture out this morning on a couple of errands, nothing bad happened, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I got back home after my foolish trip. If it isn't necessary to life, it isn't necessary to go out. I breathed another sigh of relief when I learned that law school daughter and her family stayed home-- they have blowing and drifting snow. Big city daughter uses buses and trains so I imagine she is at work.

I am starting a Carol Shields novel and it is off to a good start I am hooked right in. I had trouble reading Stone Diaries, so I don't even know why I bought another one of her books. Oh, I know, I had her mixed up with Ursa Helgi-- SHE'S hard to read. I enjoyed Jody Picoult's Tenth Circle-- I am glad I already read "Why Gender Matters"
and already knew the distressing direction teenage sex has taken. Oh, and by the way, how about that "365 Penguins"? There I think I have touched enough genres for one day.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Ooga Chucka

Yesterday the two year-old trekked across the plains to Grandparents' house.. what a hoot. First things first, " 5 doughnuts." Oh dear, we don't have a Krispee Kreme here, so he settled for half a small bagel with cream cheese. Then there is the ooga chucka vibrating and slightly terrifying gorrilla that sings when you pinch his toe. Last week H mysteriously had the answer to what do gorillas say--"Ooga Chucka"It took his parental units a few seconds to figure that one out. The gorilla still gives him a little shiver of fear, but a ferocious hug of the vibrating singing thing puts it in its place. Heaving Elmo has given H a new bravery when facing creepy singing animals. He explored the crazy cozy house where the bathrooms have a huge shower room in between. This was the most fascinating place to play with Grandpa. One can run in a loop through the three rooms of our dream shower. Later in the day he went to visit Great Grandma in the nursing home then back for more chow. SIL hooked up the Christmas gift and we played with scanning 30 year old black and white negatives. very cool. I haven't heard yet, but I am sure the blue-eyed boy fell asleep pretty quickly on his two hour ride home. At least, I hope so for mommy and daddy's sake. H sacked up his new load of small cars to add to his train table at home and took off.

I usually am alone in the LR so I was extremely aware of how small the living room has become. We just left the drawing table in here and, though it was flipped down, it still takes up room when there are 4 adults and one toddler who wants to explore the accumulated stuff from over 30 years. I will soon be bad enough to make it to clean sweep! Well, maybe not, a garage sale around here raises $3 so double that and what have you got, another couple of magazines to stack on the couch-- oh no not even that. The girls are turning 30 this year, and, except for what law student made corporate girl cart out last year, all of their stuff resides upstairs. I could just sprinkle that around down here and call Clean Sweep! That gets the yard sale total up to $10 dollars, 12 year old prom dresses would be a sure hit! Let's get this straight, I hate garage sales. Not going to happen.

Friday, February 9, 2007

Long Week of Strange Days.

Today we had another different schedule-- the 6th graders went on a trip, the 8th graders were getting counseling from their high school for next fall, and the 7th graders.......well, they were just 7th graders. I have just realized that we have fewer than 10 teaching days left in this grading period and this week of 2 hour delays is really hurting those 7th graders' final project. It will be so cool IF they get it done. YIKES! I will be in a world of hurt if we have any cancellations or delays next week.
Oh, and once again, TGIF.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

School today?

8th graders are getting their hands in clay today--unless we are cancelled. I have to report to school at the regular time, so I will cut all the clay ahead as the morning class will only be 20 minutes long, hardly time to wedge. But, I promised. I am actually hoping that at 6a.m. a cancellation will be announced. As cold as it was, I don't see how the country roads can be safe for school buses and their passengers. The streets were in terrible conditions when I cam home between 3:30 and 4. Hope my law schooler doesn't have to leave home today for work.

Last night was my first official bad night of sleep since I had to stop taking the doxepin. I was extremely dizzy 4 mornings in a row so I googled it and found out that dizziness is a side effect. After 4 months of sleeping all night 5 or 6 nights a week, I am bummed. Maybe some Advil p.m. will do the trick. Any side effects?

Monday, February 5, 2007

Did I say today was going to be normal?

HA! Kids were as wound up today as they were Friday about the game and its outcome. I think it is just like politics, you hear what the parents thought about the game out of the mouths of children. Tomorrow is another 2 hour delay for the intense cold and I am grateful. We(teachers) are to report at our normal time, but school starts at ten.

We had our hard workout after school today with our trainer, great class. We do half cardio and half weights. I was determined this year to not get into the winter doldrums that I have sunk in to each year since my Mom died. This is the third winter, but I am sticking to my exercise regime right through this depressing dark time of the year. It is helping to keep this activity going and keeping me in a more positive state of mind. Two winters in a row I felt like a slug who just laid down and slept when I wasn't working. It is much better now. I just have to add swimming back into my routine now and all will be set.

BLUE Monday

I'll try it again Blue Monday-- hey new trick....the home team won and I found myself strangely drawn into the game. I also cheered for the Bears first TD--what a play. Might be the first game I ever actually watched, though I did knit a couple of feet on a scarf and surf to knitty gritty a few times. And I also saw almost all of the commercials. School is on a 2-hour delay, and it is too cold to have to go outside. I think I will wait for the daylight to arrive before I venture out to the car. I am hoping the kids will be exhausted because they will certainly be excited if they are not worn out from the game.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

Super Bowl Sunday

Normalcy returns tomorrow. DH invited someone over to watch the game--YIKES! stash the knitting in the clever cubes disguised as coffee tables, and a hammer and the nail clippers, too. run the vacuum. But, hey, company means I get to watch HGTV in bed and HE has to watch football on the sofa--upright...and I will do all my own channel changing and watch as many home decorating and organizational shows as I can stand. Those shows don't work any better for me than having every diet book published has helped with weight loss! In fact, more stuff is piled up as I watch those amazing people turn solid waste into magazine worthy rooms. Maybe House or Grey's Anatomy will have marathons tonight. Did I tell you I had no intention of getting out of jammies this weekend and into the cold. Wrong on both counts. Early trip to big box store in -20 windchill, didn't have to fight the crowds. Left the diet coke on the back porch to prepare for going into the fridge.

By the way if any other teachers find me, I highly recommend the book "Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire" for both inspiration and for practical help. If you have a new young teacher friend or your child has entered the field, give them this book as a gift. I know my blogger children know how to make this automatically link to a place you can buy the book, but I have only been at this for a week and have a lot to learn.

Friday, February 2, 2007

TGIF

The kids were pretty jazzed up again today, I will be glad when this game is over. We have already announced (at the end of today) a two hour delay on Monday. It is supposed to be sub-zero, and true fans are already taking off to recover from the super bowl celebrations. The Indy Catholic schools announced recently that they were simply cancelling school on Monday for this historic event. Temperatures are dropping and I intend to stay in and warm all weekend. TGIF to you all.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

just a day in funky town

I live in an area of rabid fans for both teams. The students are all wound up this week with the rivalry. I will be glad when it is over and the full moon wanes. My fantasy forests have an unusual number of horseshoes and bears in them this year!

I felt just a little silly this morning listening to NPR 's piece on Molly Ivins and shedding tears for a woman I never met.

One of our former students who will be the name in basketball for the next 15 years played in a game last night after being a pallbearer for his best friend. What a great human being this boy is....well, not a boy anymore. I think he will be a credit to his sport and will definitely be a role model youngsters can look up to.