One more thing...

Oh, turns out I was inaccurate about the state of the AC in my elementary school in a previous post. They do air condition the building during the summer. Turns out that the chiller on top of the building died. And I had the, umm, luck (?) to move my classroom while there was no air conditioning in the school.

It's fixed now. I will complain no more (about AC, anyway).

Oh, how I love me some snark...

For those of you who think that there are people in this world with too much time on their hands, I believe that the executive producer of CNN's Science, Technology, and Weather division agrees with you. You could cut the snark with a knife, and I love it. Enjoy.

http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/ (Look at the August 18th, 2008 entry.)

Now my neighbors know I can cuss like a sailor...

It's been a busy time for me this week. Mark started back at his daycare center on Monday. Yes, I skipped out of the center, thinking, "WOOHOO!" in my head. Lovely, lovely daycare. I really do not feel guilty, either. He loves it there. The employees at the center stop me and tell me how much they missed him over the summer. My son loves them. All good.

It's been a busy week at work. I'm not sure when I'll have my classroom prepared. I've been making progress, but that wouldn't necessarily be obvious if you walked into the room. Comments have been made, but it technically doesn't have to be ready until next week. I'm really trying to avoid the stuff-it-in-a-box-and-forget-about-it thing. I want to go through this stuff and actually clean. Which means that my garbage cans are getting filled up each day, but that's not so bad either.

Today was a heckuva day, though. Up to school, worked on my room, out to lunch with new teachers, back to school to show new teachers around, back into my room to clean, and then back to pick up Mark. Came home, and that's where it all fell apart. When I decided to water my garden, there was a 3-foot black snake that crawled right out at me. I don't do snakes. And this explains the title, folks. I let every word I know fly, as I screamed at the top of my lungs and jumped up on the edge of my garden bed. I then spun around to tell (uh, yell at) Mark to stay on our deck. And just then my friend arrived and her two- and three-year-old sons began to run towards me. It was fine, but I literally had to smooth the hairs on my arms so they laid flat again.

Then, I fed my son fresh mozzerella (warm dairy) in the kitchen as he went back for orange juice chasers in the living room. Which resulted in vomited sludge on our living room rug. Bless my friend for cleaning up toddler urp while I cleaned him up in the bathroom.

All of this was followed by a wasp in our upstairs hallway. As my half-naked son refused to stay in his room. The wasp (or is it a hornet if it has an all-black body? I'm never sure...) was sucked up by the vacuum. Which is now sitting on the porch, to the chagrin of my DH. I say he can come down from travel, take apart the vacuum to see if the wasp is dead, and then bring it inside if having a vacuum on the porch is such an emergency.

Time for wine and making of math games. Yay!

Out of curiosity...

I am interested in environmentalism. I use Seventh Generation and Method laundry products so I am reducing dependence on oil-- they use plant based oils. I recycle, can foods grown locally, and donate clothes and household items to a local thrift shop.

Why can't I buy a hybrid minivan? I love my Honda Odyssey, and it gets decent gas mileage. But think of what it could do with a hybrid engine!

The kicker is that the hybrid minivan exists. It's been sold in Japan since 2001.

What's the deal?

I'll stay awake for Smith Island cake...

I'm so tired. Woke up tired. Drove to school tired, worked on moving tired, and sat through a meeting tired.

Finished moving everything out of my old classroom. All of my stuff is fully in my new room.

I am going to Norfolk. Tired, but happy.

The road trip begins tomorrow afternoon. I'm ready.

Oh, yeah. We ate local for DH's birthday. There was some good barbecue. (I've had better, but it worked for the night. But oh, that potato salad...)

And tonight, it was time for cake. Smith Island Cake, that is. Yum. But so rich that you have to have a glass of milk handy. (I needed two refills, but who's counting?)

Sweaty, umm... fun?

I stopped at two schools and the school administrative offices today, toddler in tow, before going to my school. My cutie pie son threw a rip-roaring temper tantrum as we left the first school-- made me crazy, because I don't want to be the teacher with the obnoxious child.

Got into the school and hit the ground running. I was, quite literally, jogging down the hallway with the carts laden with my stuff. (Nothing like the idea of missing out on a mini-vacation to motivate oneself. Here's the deal. If I get everything done, then I get to go to Norfolk-- and outlet goodness at Williamsburg-- with DH as he goes down for his job. If I don't finish, no trip.) Why so sweaty, you ask?

No air conditioning in the building during the summer, folks. Yes, that's right-- your tax dollars are conserved at our school and we only air condition the areas where people are. I mean, where they are supposed to be. It is hot and humid here in the summer, and the building was sweltering.

Then I discovered, two hours into my schlepping, that there is an air conditioner in my new classroom-- that I can control! In the portion of the building that I am leaving, there is only a unit on a master switch controlled by administration. I now! control! my! own! air! conditioner! Ahh, the luxuries of life...

Seriously, though-- as I was working on this day of vacation, since I was finishing up the previous school year less than two months ago-- it was hot, sweaty work today.

What did DH decide to do today on his birthday? To take off early and help his wife in the humid heat. Which he did, fabulously.

The spatial sense on this man of mine is amazing! I was going to go with the furniture arrangement left by the previous teacher. Mais non, DH comes in and reminds me that I'm driving students behind my desk (that ain't good, folks, even at my grade level). He twists the desk, and voila! I have a desk with 10-foot bookcases behind it. No student traffic flows behind my desk.

It's not done, but it's looking like I'll be able to go down to Virginia.

Happy birthday, DH!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go...

I go back tomorrow.

Found out at 3 pm on Friday that I am moving to another classroom. Ha, ha, ha...

What makes that so funny, you ask?

Well, if you know me (and if you're reading this, you probably do), you realize that I'm a 'stuff' person. A pack rat. Clutterbug.

I have tried to reform! I tried FlyLady. (DH cancelled the emails, saying, "This obviously isn't working.") I tried a cleaning lady. (DH cancelled her, too-- doggone gas and grocery prices.) I have tried keeping up with it-- and a toddler is in the mix, too.

Unfortunately, that's just at home. I have a whole lotta stuff in my classroom. (Boxes and boxes and boxes...) Therefore, it's off to a babysitter for my dear, sweet child and I'll be schlepping things like a madwoman. It will be me and a cart tomorrow.

M.L.K., if you were nearby (even on this seaboard), I'd hire you for a temp. job. But you probably would laugh at me as you wheeled Wikki Stix and Beverly Cleary books down the hallway!

The kicker is that tomorrow is DH's birthday. And I haven't plan one.

God help me through these next few weeks!

Okay, okay, I'm posting...

I'm still here.

I've been enjoying my vacation, once it began on June 27.

Yes, I said June 27. I was stupid and volunteered for extra duties once school ended. (Why, you ask? Umm... can you say gas money? Milk that costs $4.05 per gallon?)

Anyway, on June 27, it was out to the West.

When one lives two hours away from the airport, it is not wise to leave for your flight 2 hours and 10 minutes before it is to depart. My husband drove up to the airport like a madman. (It took us less than two hours to get there-- it was more like 1:15...) When we were approaching the airport, I called Southwest. I explained that we had three seats and that I didn't think we'd get to the airport in time. The nice lady said that there were seats available on the next flight-- until I explained that two of the tickets were Rapid Rewards award seats. (Not so good when her voice drops and she says, "Oh... Try your best to make your current flight. There are no award seats available on the next flight.") Got to the airport, parked in hourly, ran to curbside check-in, and actually made the flight because the incoming plane was late. (Whew!)

We had a good time in the Black Hills. Mark's grandparents (aka my folks) took him to Storybook Island. We truly, seriously, had more fun at Storybook Island than we did at Walt Disney World at Easter. (Mary, we LOVED seeing the two of you. We did not love our mouse-related experience.) It makes me sad that vandals stole two of the storybook characters since we returned.

It was off to the Big Horn Mountains for the July 4th weekend. On July 4th, we played in the snow. (Seriously, I smacked DH some good ones with snowballs. ) There were no chin quivers from Mark, but it was a great time. We also went for a hike to the Medicine Wheel and to Bucking Mule Falls. It was on the way to the falls that I thought about how mountain lions have been more and more active out west. Got a little freaked. Decided to sing the ABC song to my child and came upon three irritated-looking fishermen who weren't able to get away from it all. Oh, well-- public land, ya know!

When DH and I were dating, my dad took the two of us and my sister down to Rocky Mountain National Park. (Just occurred to me, how weird it must have been for him to sleep in a bed with my dad when we were dating. Poor guy.) DH wanted to go back, so that was our next stop. We took a spectacular drive, and it went from bright sunlight to sleet within 20 minutes once we got to the top. We then drove toward Granby out of the park, and we were shocked by the number of beetle trees. I really hope that there are no fires in this area, because it won't be pretty.

Then it was down to Vail. And sticker shock. We went to a little grocery in the Lionshead area and spent $30 on what would have cost about $18 at home. DH threw a tantrum that lasted a full day. It was pretty crazy. Here we were in Vail, in a suite at a wonderful hotel, overlooking the slopes. And my DH was throwing a hissy regarding overpriced groceries. He warmed up once we went to the hot springs, took a drive through Aspen, and a drive over the mountains.

Umm... I've been tele-netting, and I'm watching the Tour de France. (LOVE the l'Alpe d'Huez segment!) I have watched the Tour de France for years now. The scenery is absolutely spectacular, but I forget every year the number of guys that moon the camera as the peloton goes by. And I must admit that I haven't seen an ugly tush. Am I horrible for actually enjoying the backsides of those young males who dare to moon an international audience?

Late night temper tantrum-ing has commenced, and I must go.

I will complete this novel at a later time.

Goodbye, Tim

It was with absolute shock that I realized that the man that I invite into my home every Sunday morning has passed. I can be in my jammies, with a hair horn from sleeping, eating our traditional weekend breakfast scramble, and sitting down with a political wonk makes the morning feel complete.

Being from a struggling town, with a dad who passed on a blue collar work ethic, I highly respected Tim Russert. He had a gift for taking something complicated and boiling it down to its essence. In addition, he didn't argue with those he was interviewing-- he put their words up on the screen and let them respond.

I really want to focus on those last three words-- he let them respond. What bothers me most about modern journalism is that journalists will throw out a question, wait three seconds when the guest is five words in, and then they will jump in with another question or will cut them off.

Not Tim Russert. He asked a question and wanted an answer. And if you didn't answer his question, he'd tell you just that and demand the answer.

Goodbye, Tim. We will miss you on Sunday mornings.

Back to politics...

Why is it that I must be subjected to Alpaca commercials while I'm trying to get my CNN fix? I just want to know how the Democratic primary went in my fantastically wonderful home state, and then I have to listen to drivel about Alpaca farming. Bleh.

In deference to one of my favorite bloggers (who has more readers than 0), I have refrained from commenting on the Democratic race. Since it is now over, I must disagree with my West coast counterpart, and declare my giddiness over Barack Obama's status as the Democratic presidential candidate. I have really desired a presidential candidate that inspires, and then moves this country to greatness.

Watching the Democratic primary has been trying this spring. Going back to my polysci background, seeing the drama has been fascinating. However, it has made me very nervous that the Democratic contest was this heated. Democrats are mobilized by the cluster-bleeping of George Bush. I didn't want an overly heated primary to divide the Dems.

Yes, I am a feminist. I am. Hillary wasn't what I wanted in my first female presidential candidate.

Is Barack perfect? Nope. I'll rant about that another night, though.

Unite, Democrats, unite.

Let's get the red out of the White House, please.

Downtime

We chose to stay home this past weekend.

Staycation, you ask?

Umm... not really. Little too heavy on work, little too light on fun for that.

Yes, work. We worked on cleaning the house (you can't tell now, though). We worked on stocking up the freezer and getting meat divided up into packs that are appropriate for our family. We got a replacement patio table (to replace the one that smashed last year-- we must remember to put down the umbrella from now on) and set it up.

We were able to relax a little bit. There was a trip to the neighborhood pool. There was a dousing of the two-year-old with the sprinkler. There was a trip for frozen custard.

This three-day weekend thing is pretty cool.

Umm... Can I blame it on my busy-ness?

Okay, I've been away for a while.

Why, do you ask?

Well, I'm not sure that anyone is reading this, and it was becoming a bit of a rant blog.

And my husband traveled for a month straight.

I'm out here, trying to keep my head above water.

Barely Keeping Myself Together...

Well, schoolwide state testing is over. Thank goodness.

My child was sick, then was well, and then was kind of sick, but then was okay. It's crazy. Good weather needs to be here. Now.

Report cards are done. And most of the papers are graded.

My husband needs to stop going on travel and my child needs to stop throwing temper tantrums.

A Power Outage... That Works Out in the End

The power went out... for our friends tonight. The group get-together that was supposed to happen at the home of friends (soon to be married! Yay!) was moved here. While it was one of those-- ooh, don't show up for a little while as I run around like a madwoman to clean, please-- it all worked out.

The pizza was good, the dessert buffet was lovely, and seeing everyone was great.

The kids are growing quickly. I wish we did this more often.

A Little Spontaneity

Monday night, we got a phone call from Mark's Oma (that's grandma, in Deutsch-- aka DH's mom). She was in the large city that closest to us and wanted us to head up on Wednesday night. We decided that it would be too much to drive up on a weeknight and comprimised on Saturday. So on Saturday, we went up to meet her at the airport.

Little did we know that we would have to drive through a parade to get there. And then we had to wait for 45 minutes for her to arrive (God bless the DVD player in the van).

We ended up up eating at a restaurant in the airport. Mark flirted with the wait staff (who responded with lots of grapes and attention). I had multiple glasses of wine.

Actually, it was the best visit that I've had with her for a long time. (Was it the wine?)

Yak

I've been looking forward to this weekend for a very long time. President's Day weekend is awesome, because it's during skiing season and my DH and I both get Monday off.

Before we had a child. It all started last week when we had a day off of school. One would think that I'd be happy. Except that my son was a grumpy mess. So it was an awful day.

He came in and snuggled between us that night. We woke up the next morning and handed him his sippy cup. He took a big swig of water-- and yakked it all up after a coughing fit. (Sheets and duvet cover in the wash.) He was okay that day-- but clearly not himself.

Saturday was the day of yak here. Once first thing in the morning, once in the afternoon, and then twice in a half hour that night. Lots of coughing, still. Low-grade fever.

Yesterday, he was miserable but was easily calmed by movies. Until his fever rose to 104.

Today it was off to the pediatrician. Diagnosis was strep (greaaaat-- he's been sleeping between us, I mean breathing in our faces, for the past four nights) and perhaps pneumonia. He goes back tomorrow to see if the antibiotic will smack down the lung crackling or not.

So much for an idyllic weekend on the slopes.

Hello parenthood.

New Blog!

I realize that this blog has become messy. I'm posting about politics, parenting, family gripes, and car purchases. In the interest of being a bit more organized and focused, I've started a new blog. It's called A Snail's Garden. Check it out!

Notes on the Super Bowl

Our family ran out for a few items tonight... about an hour before the Super Bowl kickoff. Man, that is the time to hit the stores. It was remarkably easy to find what we needed, because we were virtually alone.

Tivo kept the game ready for us. The first quarter was fun, the second and third quarters were blah, and the fourth quarter was great. I'd been thinking that the Pats would win, but hoped the Giants would win (I do love myself an underdog). I cannot believe that I am saying this, but yay Giants!

My moment of disbelief came when Bill Belichick walked onto the field BEFORE THE GAME WAS OVER. What is up with that, Bill? Mike Carey (my favorite, favorite head referee) came up to Belichick and obviously told him to get off of the field and back to the sideline. Belichick's response? To IGNORE Carey and walk around him to talk to Coughlin. I so hope that the NFL fines his arrogant behind.

Anyway, my boy is now two. Which is hard to believe. Just seems like yesterday that I was dealing with the belly bump that kept kicking me.

A Cycle of Events...

I'm seeing a pattern develop over my time as an educator, and I'm not sure how long I'll last. I've seen several teachers from my Master's cohort leave the profession, and I'm not sure how much longer I'll hold out. It's a cycle, year after year-- and I'm at a 'good' school. I just don't know.

I know that there are those that appreciate me. If I was left alone to teach, I'd be happy as a clam. There are so many outside pressures that are just pure nastiness, though. Not going to get into them here-- no way. The pressures are mounting and I am just not sure where to go.

Do I stay and continue to take the pressures that directly influence me and my family life? Do I leave and find another job? Do I take the plunge and enter a doctoral program (I keep coming back to this, again and again). If I go for my doctorate, will it really be worth the investment?

I am not sure which direction I'm going in. I can't imagine another 22 to 23 years of this, though.

Gifts

It is always interesting to see what gifts arrive at Christmastime. Among the more interesting include the golf ball wine bottle stoppers and a Project Linus blanket for my son. (The wine bottle stoppers were a very obvious regift, especially because my cousin's husband is a golf freak and we don't golf. The blanket? I can't even fathom why, beyond rummage sale crap coming our way.)

However, I got some things I wanted. My folks gave me mad money for Best Buy, which I was excited to drop on Photoshop. Once I was at Best Buy, though, I decided to go for the Photoshop/Premiere combo. To clear my mind today, I decided to take it for a test drive. I can only liken it to a being teenager behind the wheel-- I was excited by the possibilities and I dove right in. I put together a slide show put to music. I haven't added the transitions yet, but I have gained a whole new appreciation for those who edit movies. There was a whole lot of effort that went in to 3 minutes and 34 minutes. Wow.