Friday, July 30, 2004

What if My Life Were a Soap Opera?

So - I'm laying out catching some rays today and have the little portable b&w TV outside with me. It's too bright to actually see the picture, but I can listen to Days & Passions just fine. Now, I don't watch soaps except for during the summer & school breaks. I don't bother taping it during the school year when I am working, but I find it mildly entertaining during the down time I may have.

So, after listening today what I really want is for the following people to take a long walk off a short pier (Jan, Phillip, Sami - when she gets into her funks like she did today, Kate, Bonnie, Patrick & Nicole) AND on Passions there are just too many idiots on there to mention.

So - I started thinking - what if my life were a soap opera. If it was this is how I think it might look:

Well, for starters, I am a twin (I actually had a dream once that I was) and it will turn out that Shane is my twin brother (we have the same birthday). Now, he thinks he is really a year older than me, but that's what they told him. And we have the same mom, but different dads ('cuz Shane & I don't look alike at all and it's a soap so they could make it happen that 2 eggs were fertilized by 2 different sperm). Now, when everyone finds this out that will be the end of Miranda marrying Shane 'cuz she'll be all grossed out that he is her half-brother. Now mom wasn't going around screwing a bunch of guys. See - she was under the power of someone and this dude had the sperm that created he implanted in her, but all the while she was with my dad and got pregnant with me.

So, there are my sisters. They had been fighting over Jason, but Steph won out on that one. But even though Miranda is in love with Shane, once she finds out they are related she is going to come back and try to get with Jason. What she'll do is drug him and then takes advantage of him and get pregnant with his child (that ought to make Brenda happy), but Steph is going to get wicked pissed. And because the guys in soaps are all schmucks - then Jason will end up thinking he has to do right by Miranda and will get with Miranda all the while he is still pinning away after Steph.

And then there is Al. What's going to happen with him is that he finds out that dad is not really his dad and that his dad is the creep who keeps taking over mom's mind. And then, even though Al swore he hated that guy, he will try to run his empire for him because he needs someone to takeover whenever he dies. And then when he comes back to life again, Al can be in training.

Now - the real twist comes when we find out that Andy is not even a real person. We all thought he was, but he was created by this sorceress as her robot. This is all part of her evil plan to ruin all the relationships in the Shallow family. Now, no one saw this coming because he seems human enough. He drinks beers, plays video games, eats pizza & tacos, and certainly his shit does stink. But remember this is a soap opera and they can have that kind of technology if they want to.

Ok - but later we will find out that at one time Andy was real in Jessica's life. But he was kidnapped by the creepy dude who is in cahoots with the sorceress. Andy is really trapped in Detroit and thinks he is a mechanic for Ford and doesn't remember any of his life.

So, just when Jessica finds out that Andy is a robot she also finds out that you can't be legally married to a robot. The sorceress flips her lid and makes Andy-bot freak out on the Shallow family. He is then destroyed. Now, Jessica doesn't know that her own true love Andy is really in Detroit. So, she moves on with her life, gets married to some other schmuck and they have a whole slew of kids together. After years of being together, Jessica's schmuck decides that they need a Ford. Jessica is just pissed because the fucker keeps breaking down. So, she calls the plant in Detroit and who answers but Andy. Holy shit! She's talking to her estranged husband.

(Ok - I gotta run - I'll have to finish the soap later - anyone got any good names for it?)

Thursday, July 29, 2004

Rumor Mill

Would someone just figure it out and  let us get on with our lives! What the hell am I talking about? My damn job!

I'm going - I'm not going - I'm going - I'm not going. Which is it? I can tell you what I want it to be, but that doesn't make it so. I'm thankful I have a job, but this tug-o-war shit is driving me batty. I think I need to start drinking more.

So, the latest scoop -- after I have told all my kids that I am leaving and they are trying really hard to look at the positive that they can work with me for 4 years in the high school rather than just one more year in the junior high -- I hear that the teacher at the high school I am supposed to work with has applied for a new job at different school district.

Now - if the teacher decides to leave, then the old therapist there can stay and I don't have to go there and I can keep my therapy position at the junior high. There is this whole personality conflict issue going on at the high school between the 3 staff working the DT program in the high school. So, their resolution to this was to keep the teacher and switch out the other 2, which is where I come in.

I have a perfectly good running DT program in the junior high and get along very well with my other 3 team members, and theythink one fucked up program is not enough and they need to fuck ours up to.

The therapist at the high school wanted to believe for a long time that this teacher would quit and she wouldn't have to move, but we hadn't heard anything like that. A lot of things go through that rumor mill in the school district, and some things are true, some things aren't true - but have some truth about them. So - which is it. Is he staying or going? I wish they would have just canned his ass rather that screwing with mine.

So - now that I have said my goodbyes to my kids and they have begun to make their peace with not doing therapy with me for the next year - what?!?! - I'm just gonna come back and be like "I'm just kidding. I'm not going anywhere."

What I want to tell them is that some people got their heads in their asses and don't really give a flying fuck about the emotional well-being of the kids or their employees.

You know - Bush has this whole No Child Left Behind crap - and people think it's all fine & dandy and helps these special education kids - but if people keep yanking our chains the kids are not going to get better and not going to want to come to school. Because kids are not going to learn from unhappy teachers and nobody is going to want to be a teacher when they grow up.

I meet with this teacher next week Wednesday and I am goingt o just come right and ask him - what the fuck chuck? So - are you coming or going, because I gotta know if I am coming or going.

Damn! I wish I had a fricken union to back me so that they couldn't jerk me around. The district is so afraid of the unions coming after them that those in a union are more protected. Fuckers!

Tomorrow I will probably hear something different, but this all just plain sucks.

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Only in a Soap Opera

Is it any surprise to anyone that Stafano Dimera is behind all of the deaths in Salem? How many times has this guy died and survived to try once again to bring down the Brady's, although this time he has really targeted everyone in Salem. Here are my thoughts about the show (by character):
Belle Black: ok - get rid of this new Belle (which I believe I read that another new Belle is starting soon). She shoud be with Shawn. And what the hell is she running around in the lingerie for in front of Phillip. She needs to drop the virginal act too. That isn't going to get her far in the future.
Brady Black: Duh! Wake up! Are you that blind that you can't see what a skank Nicole is. And forget about Chloe. Someone else will come along in Salem that you can hook up with.
John Black: You know -- this guy was trained by Stefano and has no real history of his own and now he thinks he's this ultimate hero and can fly his private jet off to save whatever person needs saving.
Marlena Black: Make up your mind woman! Which guy do you want? You can't have your cake & eat it too.
Bo Brady: Good for you Bo! You know Hope isn't dead. She never dies. I think she has died as many times as Stefano. But you ever hook up with Billy again and I'm going to kick your ass.
Caroline Brady: Gettin' it on with Victor. She is going to break poor Shawn's heart and give him another heart attack.
Hope Brady: Here I am to Save the day! She needs her own superhero uniform. She thinks she can do it all. Hasn't she realized by now that she will die or be kidnapped soon and will be separated from her family. I wonder if you look at the amount of time she is with her family compared to the time she is separated from them - you might find that she is away a lot more.
Roman Brady: Good for you for sticking by your feelings for Kate. It took him forever to move on from Marlena and now she is there trying to rekindle something. I don't think I like him with Kate. I just don't like Kate. She's not a nice person.
Sami Brady: You know - I like her villian character. And it's no wonder she's fucked up. She was the chunky one growing up and had this beautiful half-sister. She was bulimic. Her mother & father died how many times as she grew up. She's done some pretty rotten things, but she is really a product of her environment. Although, I wish she would give John a break. And she better get with Lucas, she will never find anyone else who will understand her.
Shawn Brady: Poor old man. That's really all I have to say on him.
Shawn-Dougls Brady: He needs to stop playing these games with Belle. I know he's locked up right now. But when he gets free, he needs to propose and get on with Belle. And when he finally gets with her, they better not make it look all magical & shit. But this is TV and I am sure her first time will be magical.
Abe Carver: You know. I liked his good-guy image. I hope he gets back to Lexie and they can be a family. The whole bury the hatchet thing that he & Brandon did was a little quick once they found out they were father/son. But he - the guy with the slow swimmers finally has a fmily with 2 kids.
Lexie Carver: I don't like that she is Stefano's daughter. And she is so hard up for a dad that she just embraced the fact that she is a Dimera. She needs to get a clue and realize that the Dimera's are bad people.

ok - I guess that is about half of the active characters. Some is here to do the repair on the siding. So, I better go check that out.

 

Monday, July 26, 2004

FREE!

I had typed this long list of cool freebies up and then posted it and bam! gone! Sometimes blogger just irritates me.

Anyways - I found some really cool freebies out there. Usually I see alot fo free samples of stuff, but these are some nice ones. I don't know how to hyperlink on this blog, so you will have to cut & paste.

Freebies on your birthday (mostly restaurants):
http://www.hitsavings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23

Freebies for kids on their birthdays:
 http://sheknows.com/about/look/3912.htm

Free 2 week pass to Bally's:
https://onyx.ballyfitness.com/join/index.asp?section_name=free_guestpass&page=join&source=DV2004&refpag

Free day pass to Gold's Gym:
 http://www.goldsgym.com/upload/library_images/1Day_BW.pdf

Free Watercolor painting:
 http://www.hullart.com/mail.asp

Free Louis Vuitton Visor (first 3,000 - it's a replica):
 http://www.onlinerodeodrive.com/replica-world/promotion.htm

Free Fire Alarm (order on August 1st):
 http://www.operationfiresafe.org/order.htm

Free Sleep CD:
http://www.ambien.com/sleepcd/

Free 20-page pocketbook w/ up to 80 photos (basically your own picture book):
http://www.mypublisher.com/associations/amgr0704/index.php?

Free Frozen Blend @ Krispy Kreme:
http://friends.krispykreme.com/krispykreme/FrozenBlendCouponSignup.aspx

Free “Up From Zero” DVD (9/11 documentary):
http://www.dol.gov/opa/dvd/

Free Wine Charms:
http://www.thelittlepenguin.com/newsletter/index.html

Free Hi-Lo Cereal:
http://www.nutritious-living.com/sample/

Ok – guess that is enough. I need to go pick up supper from Green Mill. Getting a pizza tonight. Used a coupon to save $5 too.


Saturday, July 24, 2004

Please Let Me Win the Lottery This Week!

I suppose it would help if I ever bought a lottery ticket. Maybe I should go get one for shits & giggles.

It doesn't even have to be a big lottery. Just enough to pay off my student loans, the mortgage, get some new vehicles, and get other bills paid off, and get a few things remodeled in the house.

But if I win a big lottery we could get that second home in Costa Rica, our own personal jet to travel there in (and of course we'd have to go through pilot training - or I suppose we could just hire someone) and never having to work again. The last couple of years I thought I would just keep my job (because I really like working at the junior high) if I won the lottery. But having to go to the senior high is a different story.

It's different because now I have to deal with the bullshit of the school taking the easy way out on their problems and hurting a working program. Plus, it's different because the principal at the high school is this chick who thinks that because she is a powerful woman in a traditionally male-dominated position that she can she be a total bitch. I am not looking forward to this change.

I don't think I would like to stay home all day if I win the lottery, but I don't know what I would want to do. What would you do if you won the lottery this week?

Monday, July 19, 2004

Addicted to Code

Yes, Code! Not coke! I started & finished reading the entire "Da Vinci Code" yesterday. I could not put it down. It was so interesting. The story plot was not true, but all the other facts are supposed to be. In our area there has been a lot of little meetings/speakers on the book, but they have all been Christian ministers & priests. I am interested to hear what they have to say, but what if everything they have to say is all a lie.
 
I never liked that I felt brainwashed into the Catholic religion. But went you are sent to a Catholic school they aren't going to teach you any other religion. There are a lot of things in the Catholic religion that I don't agree with. (Andy & I say we are recovering Catholics -- which makes people laugh because they are either not Catholic and just think it's funny or they themselves are recovering as well and never heard it put that way.)
 
We have not found a church for us since moving down there 3 years ago. We really liked House of Mercy, but it's too far of a drive. Everything we found down here is way to conservative and traditional. But I still have this guilt thing hanging over me that thinks when we have children they have to be baptized. Is not baptizing a kid so bad -- I guess it depends who you ask. I just wonder how much that would upset the grandparents (not mine - which I guarantee would be upset, but the future grandparents of our kids -- my parents & Andy's parents).
 
I think I am addicted enough to code that I will go check out what the ministers have to say at their little conferences. I'd like to see how they dig themselves out of this one.
 
I might just re-read the book because I do want to investigate some of it -- the claims on Disney, the Da Vinci portatits, etc. And for those of you who are shocked by my "Black Iris" by O'Keefe in the formal room - well, here she is referenced for her work and images of the female body (and some think it is just a flower).
 
As for addicted to coke - I read that book, "Dirty",  the day before and it was pretty good. It was very interesting. I really like the irony in that book.

Saturday, July 17, 2004

Shut your piehole!

We are at Andy's grandma's cabin. Yesterday, we had some friends come visit us and stay for the night. Before they came they noticed that in town there was a place that had a Friday night fish fry and karokee. Now, Kate loves karokee and how could we say no. She is the one who got me hooked on it. I haven't gone to sing karokee with anyone but Kate, so it maybe that we just enjoy doing it together. I put in my usual songs "Wide Open Spaces", which I sing myself and "Goddbye Earl" which I sing with Kate. (Yes, I am a Dixie Chicks fan.) But there is this jackass sitting there that must weigh close to 400 pounds, is missing most of his teeth (including the front ones) and is limpig around on what he says is sprained ankle that will probably collapse at any minute under his weight and as I am singing the opening lines of "Wide Open Spaces", which are basically questions, he is answering them out loud.
 
SHUT THE FUCK UP! is what I want to say to the guy. He's gets up to sing and sounds like an ostrich in heat (not that I have heard an ostrich in heat, but I imagine it sounds pretty awful). And he's one of theose karokee singers that sings the same songs ALL THE TIME and never looks at the screen and holds the microphone up and away from himself like is a real performer.
 
PLEASE LET ME HECKLE HIM. But I don't. He even makes comments to Kate when she sings. ALl I can fugure is the jackass is jealous of us -- probably because we can sing, don't weigh 400 pounds, and probably most of all because we have all of our teeth.
 
Kate & I do sing a song by Terri Clark that we never sang together before -- we need some practice on that one. And I got up and sang "I Will Survive" with a bunch of other girls that walked by and asked if I wanted to sing with them. I couldn't take myself seriously with them up there so I had to do a little dance up there as well and act out the song. I'm funy.

Thursday, July 15, 2004

Blog Speak

Anyone else find themselves thinking in blog throughout the day? What I mean by that is having a thought about something, but it doesn't stop there. You continue to elaborate on it and explain it to yourself in your mind, as if you were typing your blog.

Right now I am readind the book "Why I'm Like This" by Cynthia Kaplan. It's a bunch of short stories about her life. It's almost like reading a blog the way it is written. She writes it as if she is there telling you the story. It's really kind of neat.

The other books I just got to read are: "Dirty" by Meredith Maran; "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb; & "15-minute Yoga" by Godfrey Devereux.

"Dirty" is about America's Teenage Drug Epidemic. They reviewed it in "Psychology Today" and I thought it sounded like something I should read especially since I will be working at the high school soon.

"She's Come Undone" is an Oprah Book Club recommended book. I don't normally read from her book club and I don't normally read fiction. But every once in a while I need a good non-fiction book to read to break things up a bit. I tend to read a lot on the same subjects - psychology, health, diet, & fitness or autobiographical or biographical(hence "Why I'm Like This", "Dirty" & "15-minute Yoga"). This book sounds like it's about this fat kid who becomes a fat adult and then tries to get her life on track. Sounds interesting enough. Sounds like a good book to be in the Oprah Book Club. I've read one other book recommended by the book club and it was pretty good too (although right now I can't remember what it was).

"15-minute Yoga" looks pretty decent. I think it will reiterate things for me and give me a new series of poses to do. I like that half of the book is explaining a lot about theory, method & practice. It also seems like it explains it in a way that I understand and doesn't use a lot of Sanscrit words that I don't know.

Ok - almost time to head up north to Andy's grandma's cabin. I am sure to get a lot of reading in. I am sure that as I read things I will continue to think about them further in blog speak.

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Funny Boys.

I typed this yesterday, but blogger was done when I went to load it.

Well, today & yesterday was summer program with my boys. I do have a girl in the program, but she didn't start until the last month, so I still think of the group as the boys.

On Monday, we had a small group and decided to take them to the nature center. There is something about this group of boys -- THEY LOVE PLAYING IN WATER. These are the kind of boys that if they haven't returned to class in a while and are out on a pass to the bathroom, are actually in there playing in the water.

Now, they only love playing in the water when they are not supposed to. Ask them to shower and bathe before coming to school and you swear you were speaking a different language. Ask them to wash their hands before a cooking class and you are sure that they thought you told them they had one more day to live. But give them a river, a pond, or a lake and they think it is the best. The dirtier the water the better, but it better be warm. The slightest bit of chill and they turn into the biggest pussies.

So, we are at the nature center and they are begging to go in the turtle pond (which is pretty deep, mucky, and covered in green stuff). We manage to leave without one of them hurling themselves in there just to piss us off. But they only leave because of the promise to be able to walk in the water at the river at Alexander Park.

I guess I learned that day that I need to specify that they should stop walking in when they reach their clothing, because they just started walking in right up to their necks and then started swimming around. And it's not like they weren't going to get to go swimming because we were taking them to the Aquatic Center right after that. Of course, there the water is clean and clorinated and they spent half the time hanging around us.

Then there is today - we went to Lake Francis today. What a nice beach they have there. So, this was a lake and they went running on in as soon as they were changed. And they were scavengeing around for ANYTHING. One kid found a pair of sandals that were left there and they fit him -- good thing too, because he came without any shoes today. What kid goes anywhere without shoes? Well, apparently our boy and the one who left these there.

And then they found another pair of sandals, but this time they were probably left there from a 6 year old girl. But of course they had to fight over who got them and wear them around. And then there was the ratty towel, the frisbee, and broken goggles. There was a dirty old sock there too, but they didn't want to touch that. Sure - they can run around in tiny sandals with a ratty towel as a cape and broken goggles in a dirty lake that they probably peed in, but they draw the line at someone's old sock.

After that, we went mini-golfing. Last year I was the champion, so I fueled a little competetion in the boys by challenging them to see if they could beat me. One actually had gone mini-golfing this summer to practice. I don't know how good he was to begin with, but it didn't hurt, because he tied me for first place. I think that made him feel pretty good and he asked if I would post that scorecard up all year like I did with the one from last year. I told him I would. Kids like it when they can beat you, or at least be equal to you.

I sure hope something changes with the situation at the high school so that I don't have to change positions. I really like working with these kids. They are funny boys.

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

The Master!

Andy has now become the "Master Plumber"! Not to be confused with "Master Bater", which is not to say that he doesn't have that title as well. And that is not to be confused with "Master Baiter" (he doesn't fish!).

Anyways - after many grueling hours and trials, he has fixed the leak in one of the drain pipes and also in one of the cold water feeds. He tried compression joints (didn't work so well), pvc products, copper products, and expensive products. I think the conclusion he came to is - "IT SUCKS!"

Now, my family can come to visit in August and they can use the bathroom that is in the room they are staying in.

So, now it's time to fix the lawn mower.

I think Curt just sold us all his broken stuff -- broken house, broken lawn mower, etc. You get the picture don't you. I could go on, but that would depress me.

ANDY - YOU ARE AWESOME & I LOVE YOU!

Sunday, July 11, 2004

The Mosquito - Our State Bird

No – really. It is. People not from here think it is the Loon because they don’t know any better. But live here for a while and you will learn that the mosquito is most definitely the state bird. Ok – so it is an insect – but same difference.

Today, I went to Kate’s house and picked some raspberries and blackberries & have a little get together with some other people. We started picking berries and even though it was full sun, the mosquitoes were abundant and not very nice. Then came walking through the woods to find some blackberries.

Ok – so the woods was not so much fun since we had a HUGE rain storm early this morning and everything was still damp and the mosquitoes are continuing to inhabit the puddles. I think they have become immune to the mosquito sprays out there, or maybe they are all so desperate for blood that they will tough through the deet.

Although today, I decided to try this tropical scented spray in a pump. It did smell good, but has about 1/7 the amount of deet that there is in the citronella scented aerosol spray.

So, instead of sitting outside, we were in a 3-season porch away from the mosquitoes. It was nice, the company was good and the food was good.

Saturday, July 10, 2004

An Hour & A Half of My Life that I Will Never Get Back!

We saw "Anchorman" this evening. AWFUL! Do not waste your money. I was almost tempted to ask for my money back -- I really should have -- but would they have given it to me or would it have just been a bunch of teenage punks standing there looking stunned and muttering something about needing a manager to do that.

I was expecting more because of the actual actors in it. If you see the movie you will notice that they try to fill up the lack of quality humor with a bunch of cameo spots of a number of popular actors.

I want my money back so that I can see "Dodgeball" again.

Friday, July 09, 2004

Nice Little Town

Tonight Andy & I went to the neighboring town which was doing a Movie in the Park as a part of their 150th Year Celebration & a chance to show off their new bandshell in Central Park. They are doing 15 weeks of events this summer to celebrate. So, this whole event was free. It started out with an hour of Spontaneous Improv (a comedy troupe that was only funny half the time) and then some awards and then watching the movie "Angus". Now - I know this is an old movie that is almost a decade old, but it was filmed partly in this town. They even gave out free popcorn and pop.

It was nice to see that kids could run around (although after awhile all the little brats running around started to get on the nerves of us childless folks - because it seemed like everyone there had about 3 kids except us - but it was fine - we survived just fine). Here is a community that at least for the time being is still trying to relish in "old fashioned" fun and kids can still be kids. It neat. That's all I am saying.

Cram It In Your Cramhole!

That's Right! Your cramhole! So now - "Let's play Dodgeball!"

Last night was movie night. Andy & I went & saw "Dodgeball" and it was fan-freaking-tastic. It's just the type of movie that my brother-in-law Jason would go watch and say all the quotes from. Actually, Andy wants to go watch it again just to hear all the great quotes. So, Steph & Jason - if you have not seen it yet, Go see it this weekend.

Here's the movie website: http://www.dodgeballmovie.com/

So - if we have the time - I think I would like to see it again. I found it side-splitting. I don't know if it's because I'm relaxed and just having fun this summer or if after working with junior high boys all year (& living with one that acts like a junior high kid sometimes) that I started to pick up their humor - because watching someone get hit in the head or the balls was Hilarious!

I also went and saw "Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban" last night as well. I went to that one by myself because it was late. The theater only had one showing late at night and with the new releases coming out today, I thought I better see it or I'll have to wait for it on video.

It was pretty good. Some people said it's scarier, and I could see how it would be if you had little kids that you were bringing to see it. But if you are an adult - Buck up!

The hardest part about watching the movie was that I read the book so long ago and I remembered what it was about in general, but the little details (like Harry blowing up his uncle's sister like a balloon) were forgotten until I saw the movie. I guess I wasn't that wowed by the special effects - seems that we've come to expect that amount of special effects. Now, "I, Robot" seems like it will have some cool special effects on it - but I am not sure if I can stomach another movie watching Will Smith save the world from something trying to detroy it or take it over. I wonder if you played a couple of his movies at the same time if you could sync them up some how so that the same dialogue is said at the same time. Will Smith is hot and all and if he were saving the world with his shirt off, well, then I would be there. But I have a feeling that he saves the world from robots and we all live another day until he finds some other disaster to save us from.

How about he could save us from the terrorists -- let's show a movie of him in the desert looking for Osama (I almost typed O'sama - likes he's Irish or something). Or how about he saves us form global warming -- I'd like to show him going door to door convincing people to recylce and reuse. Or better yet, how about him saving us from this current administration in our country - Will Smith for President!

Thursday, July 08, 2004

Radish Seeds

So, this may seem silly, but as I was weeding the garden today I was thinking about the plants I have growing in there and how to harvest the seeds. A lot of things have the seed right there in the fruit/vegetable. Take tomatoes for example, or pumpkin -- both have easy access to seed inside the produce. But when you slice open a radish, there are no seeds.

Ok - I'm not garden illiterate and I know that if you let the radishes go long enough they will flower ("go to seed"). But I wasn't thinking that right away. But is it easy to harvest the seed. So, I had to go online and check it out. Here's what I found:
http://www.beeculture.com/beeculture/book/chap6/radish.html

So - maybe I'll let a couple plants go to seed just so I can check out the pods. But do I really need to harvest the seeds when it only cost 10 cents for a pack of seeds at Wal-Mart or Big Lots.

I have even bought some of the more expensive packets and they don't produce any better and you just waste your money faster when the seeds are drowned out. I guess I could see buying the more expensive brands if you want a particular variety or some lesser know veggie.

So - now what about lettuce. Does that get flowers and go to seed? I read a post online about varities of lettuce that self-seed. Wouldn't that be nice if every veggie did that. I wouldn't have to till up the whole thing anymore.

Tuesday, July 06, 2004

Figurin' This Shit Out

So, I'm surfing around on blogger.com and checking out the other blogs out there. And there is a lot of stuff you can do with this thing. Supposedly, I can email myself @ blogger and it will post it. So, that is what I am going to try out now.

Monday, July 05, 2004

My fat cat.

Ok. So, Larry is fat. I hear it from a number of you who come to visit. "Oh my god. He's a fat cat!"

Well, last year we went to the vet to get the animals' shots and they told us that Larry had to lose about 2.5 pounds (which is a lot for cat), Lucy was the perfect size, and Molly had to lose 2 pounds too (although 2 pounds in a medium sized dog is not as much as in a large tom cat).

So, after being told last year that animals that get fat are the fault of their owners (Whose fault is it that we get fat? Can we blame that on someone too? How about our mothers? It's always the mother's fault isn't it?) Anyways - they told me I need to do some portion control and have set eating times for the animals and only feed them at that time (no other times & no other food). Did I do that? Nope.

If there isn't food for them when they are hungry then we get yelled at. And I am not talking about a few barks and meows. I'm talking about constant barking and meows, and even getting attacked while I sleep because their is no cat food in the dish & they want it NOW. I don't think I want to have kids because getting yelled at by my animals is enough.

I have to mention that the vet told us that for Molly (the dog) all we really had to do was get her more exercise and wouldn't have to change her diet too much. So, that I can try to do.

So, today we took them in for their annual shots and what were the results. LARRY IS TOO FAT! There was a new vet assistant there, so I didn't get the lecture like last year. Even though I probably should have because he gained another 2.5 pounds. Now, he has 5 pounds to lose -- that's about 1/3 of his weight. I guess I am going to have to do something now about portion control with him. I am going to just have to be tough and not give in to the cries.

The other animals on the other hand are doing good. Molly lost a pound, so just one more pound to go. She could lose a few more, but at least one more pound needs to be lost. We didn't change her diet at all, just tried to let her out more and run her around with the neighbors dogs.

And Lucy - well, she lost a pound too. I mainly think it's because Larry eats all the food. But she's pretty finnicky. If she doesn't like it (& she grows tired of food quickly) then she just doesn't eat. Her weight is still fine, but if she loses another pound (even another 1/2 pound) then we are going to have to fatten her up.

Saturday, July 03, 2004

The Week's Adventures

This week has been pretty event filled.

Monday started out with 3 days of summer program for my junior high kids. Our program is activity based to give them a chance to work on their social skills in the community. Monday was quite adventersome. I went to pick up the van and it didn't start and had to wait a bit to get a different one. Finally, I get to the school and we only have 2 kids -- I do some calling and find out the rest went to the wrong school. We finally get the kids to us and we are on our way. We get to the place we planned on going and it's closed. So, we thought we would try to switch it up and go to a place we were going to go later in the week -- and they are closed too. So, we decide to try the State Park nearby, and what do you know -- the sign on the office says CLOSED. We do find someone and they let us pay for our permit and rent some canoes.

Now - let's put a bunch of ADHD boys in canoes and see how that goes. Actually, it went better than anticipated. They really had to work together to get through this rooty cattail part. But once they got out to the lake it was a lot of smack talk and then what do you know - one canoe goes over - of course it was the one that was talking the most smack. I was laughing so hard that I almost peed my pants. There they are, out there blowing their whistles attached to their life vests (I got them to wear them thankfully even though they thought they would be fine w/o them.) and trying to get back in their waterfilled canoe. A group of our boys in a different canoe decided to play hero and go get them and they came back with the boys & the oars.....NO CANOE!

Ok - back out there after you have your lunch. One group of boys ("the heroes") takes off in their canoe without the other boys, who decide to swim out there. After almost an hour, they finally figure out how to work together and start listening to one another and get the canoes dumped (yes, they tipped the other one too) and get back in.

We heard about the canoe adventure all day Tuesday & Wednesday and I am sure we will never hear the end of it. Their little canoe adventure will probably be the highlight of their summer.

Tuesday we went to the zoo. It was fun, but we could have used more time to see more things.

Wednesday we went to a park and were playing games and they convinced us that we should check out another park. So, we took them there and they are playing on this big rock on the river and what do you know -- they start splashing each other and next thing you know someone falls in and gets all wet. Now, we had planned to go mini-golfing, but these boys just want to be wet. So, I take a few dry boys to their homes to get swim trunks & some pastic bags for the wet boys to sit on. Then we take all the wet boys to their homes to get swimtrunks & dry clothes and we head out to the Aquatic Center. They had a pretty good time and I got some color that day. I think the funniest thing was watching 14 year old boys try to "cruise for chicks".

Thursday was spent cleaning the house, doing laundry, & weeding the garden. I had a friend & her son over for lunch and then took a nice nap for the afternoon and then drinks with the neighbor at the end of the driveway.

Friday (yesterday), I did a secret shop at a movie theater. It's actually a shop that I reveal myself at right away because I need admittance and a signature from a manager, so it's not so secret. Then to do some errands @ Wal-Mart & the bank. And I spent some time paying bills....not really so much fun. And then we decided to stay home and watch some bad movie on HBO.....so bad I can't even remember the name of it.

And today -- so far -- gone to the post office, planted a few flowers, washed my car, ran to Autozone to buy some coolant, chatted with the neighbor behind us (found out they bought a bunch of fireworks and want to have a little gathering tomorrow night). I love little gatherings with our neighbors. Now, it's lunchtime.