Quote from ZD

"I had no idea those things had such a short expiration date. That must be the reason you don't stock up on those things."

Spoken by ZD when he returned from the drugstore with feminine hygiene products and my prescriptions while I was out with the flu. I think it was the second time in 14 years that I had asked him to do such a thing. (the feminine hygiene products. He picks up prescriptions all the time.)
He's a snark but I do love him.

I'll never go back

In my life before children, I was a middle school science teacher. I've taught 7th grade life science, 8th grade general science, and 9th grade physical science.

I was good at it too. When I taught in a state with "end of grade" tests that counted on the students report cards and class averages were discussed in teacher meetings...my students outscored every other class in the school. even my hoodlum students.

I can teach any child. I know this. It might be a challenge, but I know I can teach science to any child.

But I will never, ever return to a classroom as a full time teacher.

Yes, students are unruly and there is a lot of violence in the classroom. But there was back then too. I broke up a fight once when I was hugely pregnant and a student reared back to punch me until I said, "You do that and my husband will hunt you down and hurt you." It disarmed him long enough for him to realize what he almost did. He was immediately ashamed.
I had two 8th graders that gave birth before I did and one other whose "Momma did the right thing for her" according to another teacher.
I lost one of my favorite students to gang violence. He was 13.
Another of my favorites was kicked out of school for smoking marijuana in the bathroom of a fast food place while on a school fiend trip.
I begged the county not to expel him. I knew that he would never return. He didn't and he had great potential.

Teaching was hard work. Well, the actual teaching wasn't hard. That part was fun. But the other stuff was exhausting. The paperwork. Coaching cheer leading. Detention hall. Bus duty. Teacher meetings. Maintaining accreditation. Chaperoning dances. Doing fundraisers. Being surrogate parents for kids who were apparently being raised by wolves.
All without any real support from the office.

I never sent kids to the office. Because I knew nothing would ever happen to them. Or....too much would happen to them. Which was worse actually and totally undermined the authority of the "office."

But why I'll never go back has nothing to do with kids. I loved the kids.

I won't go back due to the behavior of the grown-ups. The parents, the other teachers, and the administration.
No support. Too many regulations. Curriculum with no proven track record. Watered down information. Politically correct tip-toeing. Fundraisers and gimmicks. Parents who won't back up an educator. Parents who feel their children can do no wrong. Teachers who don't want to be there. Teachers who don't know their material or really care about imparting it. Administrations that are more concerned with the test scores than the students knowledge. And a union that doesn't really care about the kids at all.
I had an 8th grade boy who fasted for days before wrestling meets so he would stay in the best weight class. One day he fainted in my class. I told the coach, his parents, the Principal, and the school nurse about his fasting.
No one thought it was an issue. He was a good wrestler.
The other teachers thought I was "blowing this all out of proportion."

In the years that I taught, I met 3 teachers that I would want teaching my children. Just 3 people in 2 different school buildings. 3 people that I would trust with the education and care of my children during the 8 hour school day.
That's why I homeschool.

Have I ever told you the story of the straw that broke this camel's back?

Jacob was only 10 weeks old and was in a day care about 3 miles from my school. We had teacher die at school. He had a heart attack in the teachers' lounge. It was terrible for everybody. The next day, we had a lot of teachers out for some reason and my day care called to say that Jacob had a 103 degree fever and had to be picked up. ZooDad was in the field and could not be reached so I was the only option.

My principal would not let me leave work. He would not. He made me wait until my planning period to get my baby and then the secretary watched Jacob until the end of the school day. He wouldn't even let me keep my son with me for those last two hours of school.

After school I took him to the doctor and then to the hospital. Tiny little Jacob had pneumonia. When I called in the next morning, my principal did not want to let me have the day off because other teachers were out for the funeral. I told him I would resign immediately and he changed his mind.

When my contract renewal was offered a few weeks later, I did not sign it.
I often wonder if I should tell that administrator why he lost his "Teacher of the Year."

PTS Cat

Max is the laziest cat I have ever seen. He also has a penchant for sprawling out in middle of the high traffic areas of the house.

Today's nap took place while I put together the tree. (Deep South...not many tree farms...hubby who hates buying a tree every year.)

After lugging the box in I realized that I didn't get the remote control plug. Stepped over the near comatose cat to get the plug and then back over him. Then I discovered that the fuse was blown, two more trips over the cat to get a new fuse.

I couldn't remove the old fuse so once again I'm walking over the cat to get a small screwdriver and once again he sleeps right through it. When all the lights are on and the bottom two sections are fluffed, I discover for the 37th year in a row that I am too short to reach the top section of the tree. So...it's out to the garage for the step ladder and over the cat two more times. He never even open his eyes.

At least not until I dropped the Christmas tree box on him. Then he just lifted his head.

I think the daily noise and busyness of a house with four boys and one clumsy mom have traumatized him. Oddly enough, he disappears as soon as the Santa hats come out.

And BTW, the tree fit in it's new 'spot.' I rearranged the whole room a few months back and didn't think ahead to tree placement. I did have to move the old fish tank base and a side table, but the tree has a window spot and a cat (not Max) eyeing it as I type. I believe Mango is planning a tree siege.

A new resolution

I know it's not January 1. But I've making my own blogging resolution.

Nope, not to blog more often. I can't without leaving me any time to actually live my life. (No life...no life to blog.)
But I'm going to vow that I will start leaving comments on all the wonderful blogs that I visit and that provide me with such entertainment and encouragement.

Not that I'm fishing for comments, not that at all.
But if you'd like me to visit and (therefor say howdy do) just leave me your blog address (No comment needed) and I'll add you to my daily routine.

BTW, I'm cross posting this on my knitting blog so I can find some new knitting blogs too.
See it's a win/win situation for me.

Hey, a regular kid

Have you ever watched Blue's Clues or Dora? Have you played those PC games or watched the shows for little kids that ask the kids to yell out the answers or jump up and dance?

I've never had one of those kids. My kids never jumped up and yelled out "A clue" or counted along with Grover or danced along with Dora.

They watched and internalized. They thought those characters on TV and PC were crazy and stupid.

Well, all but Sam.

Sam plays along. Currently, Sam is upstairs playing Reader Rabbit Pre-K on the upstairs computer. (This is a Lazarus computer. ZD, the computer Messiah, brought it back after 6 months of being dead. But not until he ordered a new computer which just arrived this morning.)

Anyway, Sam is having a grand time. He and that little bunny are counting together and yelling out their letters. He's winning tickets for the fair rides and just having a good old time.

I know because I can hear him from his brothers' room, down the stairs, down the hall and into the kitchen.

I believe he's doing the marching band patterns at this point. I hear those little horn wielding ants speaking and Sam occasionally saying "Aw man! Blue! Yeah! I'm fantastic! love that song!"

There he is....the common kid.

What a hoot.

Just because

These always make me laugh. I mean seriously cackle. ZD just shakes his head at me when I scroll through these.
I'm dying laughing here just typing and looking down at those little ground owls.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
(still giggling)

Did you have to do a double take?

Me too.
I decided to drop my Army colors and I'm unsure what "message" I want to convey these days.
It matches my general mood. (bland and unsure. LOL)

I can share the "secret" news soon. Most people IRL know already. Some know and do not realise the impact of what we're doing. Some know and aren't happy about it. And some know and are just as thrilled as we are. But all the pertinent people know, I just have to get the idea squared away in my own head. Maybe later today.

As part of my own internalization, I found a piece of house decoration that I thought I was long done with. In fact, when it was packed up, it was done with great bitterness. I was so bitter when I put it away. I'm kind of ashamed of that now.

oh well, at least I'm growing.

Hey, go look at my knitting. I've been busy.

Not in the Neiman-Marcus catalog

"Do you want anything from the store?" I yelled up to ZooDad.
"Nope," he replied curtly. I could tell he was still stinging from my little meltdown over the condition of the family room/study/site of storage for mass amounts of Army gear. I can't even begin to explain the mess but it rivaled the rooms on that show "Clean Sweep."

"Too bad I can't buy you a non-nagging wife."

"Oh please," he begged, coming to the stairwell with a smile on his face. "Please buy one of those. I would really like one."

"No," I replied. "They don't sell those at the store. You can only get them free with really expensive jewelry or new cars. You can't purchase them separately."

I heard laughter from upstairs, "But I've bought you expensive jewelry and new cars."
"Well, you just got screwed over didn't you," as I walked out the door.

Poor guy, all that money invested and he didn't get the free non-nagging wife.
When I got back home, considerable progress had been made on the family room/study/Army depot

News from the zoo

Yep, that's my Andrew finally learning to ride a bike on his own. His occupational therapist will be so proud. This was another one of those things that he wasn't supposed to do until much later on. (He wasn't supposed to toilet train until he was 5. Bike riding was expected around 8.)
He ran into the house and demanded that ZooDad take off the training wheels. 10 minutes later....this is the picture I took. 10 minutes after that, he was pedaling down the road with ZooDad running to keep up.
He hasn't mastered the trivial details like steering and stopping...but that's what grass is for.

Of course, now we have to get a new bike for Christmas and keep Sam back just long enough for Andrew to back in his own success.

Here's the new mom of the house.

Don't let that sweet face fool you. She'll chew your fingers off to protect her wee little bundles.
Here's their first picture taken at 4 days old. There are four of them. They are currently 11 days old. They are fully furred, their eyes are open, and they are just started to walk around the cage. In another week, they'll be fully weaned and can be separated from Mom.

Hmm...while I would feel a little sad about raising my kids in 18 days. I would love a 18-20 gestation period. I think the hamsters totally lucked out.

Conversation in the driveway

Me to ZooDad: "You know, it's going to take me the better part of two days to get these two bookshelves painted. You'll be responsible for the boys while I'm painting."

Matthew: "Mom, which part of the day is the better part?"

We've still laughing over that one. Is it cruel to be that entrained by the things they say?

Infested

Hi y'all!

I'm back. I'm back and I have news but I can't go sharing the news just as yet. So, technically...I'm back and I have a secret. But it's not really a "Secret" secret. It's really just news that we can't tell everyone yet. But some people already know and just have to act surprised when we start telling everybody. (So y'all keep your lips tight.)
Whew!
And no....it's not that I'm pregnant. Though someone in the house was.

We are currently infested...with hamsters.

Andrew wanted a hamster. And after the death of our two giant Oscars (yes, the giant scary fish died.), we...strike that...I decided to get him one.

I got him a cute little Robo Dwarf hamster and a Jetson style hamster pod house. her name is Speedy because she is a wickedly fast little rodent. Mango the cat was pleased by this event. She takes great joy in watching the little rat though she is frustrated that she cannot actually obtain her.

This hamster purchase led to a series of events as follows:

Matthew, envious of the hamster that Andrew owned, asked for his own hamster.
He wanted a panda bear hamster. (Very cut teddy bear hamster with panda-like markings.) The boy loves pandas.

Of course, there were no panda bear hamsters in town anymore. Not at any of the three stores that we visited. Though one store promised that would have them next week.

We went back next week and they didn't have them. By this time, Matthew had spent about 10 days planning for his new hamster. The boy was not leaving without a fuzzy rodent of his own. He had already cleaned and set up his old cage, all ready for it's new inhabitant. He had food, bedding, and little chew snacks all set to go. Just no hamster.

Now, if you've ever met an Apserger child or any child on the Autism spectrum, you'll know that they do not respond the change very well. Especially, for something they've been looking forward to.

But crisis was averted when we found a lovely long haired hamster that was dark brown and white. She kind of looked panda-like. All was good.

Matthew waited to name her until he "found one that suits her." You don't want to rush into something as important as a name. He took wonderful care of his little friend and played with her every day. He never woke her from her naps and fed her fresh veggies. Changed her water everyday.

He did comment that she slept....a lot.

Then one day, he casually mentioned that she had been sleeping for a whole day........................................................................................................................

yes.

Just what you think.
Dead hamster.

Oh, the tears. He wanted to see her. He wanted to help bury her. he even placed his stepping stone over her burial spot. He cried that he had not taken good care of her and that he didn't ever want another pet.

So that day, I took him to buy a new hamster just to help shake his self-doubt. And as luck would have it, the store (different store...I learned my lesson) had a mother and child pair up for free adoption.

Well, free hamster at least. Then I went on and bought a second hamster pod house and more tubes, and more little treats. Not-so-free hamsters.
Matthew loved them though. He set to taking dilligent care of his new little family. He even filled their water bottle with filtered water.

Matthew named the mom, "Gold." He waited until we could tell the sex of the baby since he didn't want to give a boy hamster a girl name. You don't want to offend a hamster, after all.

A few days later, I noted that "Gold" was kind of chubby. (You know what that means.) In fact Gold was chubby and the "chubby" was kind of hard. I noted this to ZooDad to warn him but he poo-poo-ed the idea.

Yesterday, the boys and ZooDad went down to the farm to visit MIL and I was left in the quiet house to enjoy the peace.

I heard a faint "squee, squee" that wasn't coming from our "baby" hamster. Upon further investigation, rather slender "Gold" came out of the little hidey hole.

Oh no...she didn't.

She did!

I shifted her bedding slightly and I caught a glimpse of at least 5 little pink bodies before mom returned to slap at me.

Holey Moley.
Want a hamster?

I'm not posting

but I am knitting. So if you want to see what my needles have been up to, head over the the zoo full of knitting over in the side bar.

We've been busy hanging out with ZD. He'll be home from all work for the rest of the month! You wouldn't believe all the stuff he's finished. (And the messes he's made.)
He even cleaned out my fridge and freezer. Unprompted.

And he's been doing laundry.

My darling has been replaced by a pod person.

Just letting you know

I have a husband again.
We picked him up from the airport at 1:30 today.

He is currently upstairs playing with the boys. From the sounds of it, they’ll come through the ceiling onto my head, any minute now.

By the way….he was gone one year, one month, and 29 days.

And I keep thinking that I’ve imagined that he's home and he’ll disappear on me.

Someone tell me what's up with this problem.

I know what I think is wrong with it.
But I want to know what you think.
This is from chapter 2 of an 8th grade Holt Mathematics book.

During the qualifying for first NASCAR event and Texas Motor Speedway in 2005, the fastest speed was 192.582 mi/h. The next four fastest speeds, relative to the fastest speed, were approximately
-17/25 mi/h,
-0.15 mi/h,
-1.15 mi/h,
and -1 1/40mi/h.
List these relative speeds in order from least to greatest.

Hmmmmm......

Time to oneself

It gets kind of busy here at the zoo. The house has enough rooms so that everyone can find a quiet spot, but sometimes that quiet spot is just not the space of choice.

My last little one is very much like his oldest brother. He can retreat into his own fantasy and entertain himself for hours. Unlike his brother, (but very much like his mother) he needs this time to himself to play and relax without a pile of people.

Usually, Sam's quiet place to play is with me in the living room, while I'm knitting or online. It's hard to explain, but I'm flattered that he doesn't see my presence and a intrusion.
Over the past few days, he's been starved for that quiet time. We've had sickness abound. And then I moved all the furniture to the middle of the room so I could finally finish off the painting in the living room.
As I pushed the furniture into place and started vacuuming, Sam appeared. He waited patiently for me to finish then praised my efforts.

As I fell into the couch to rest and surf "teh internets," Sam collapsed to the floor with a toy scorpion and his "finger man."

For the past half hour, he's rolled around, playing out some imaginary scene...almost oblivious to my presence.


I'm nursing a monster sized bruise that I got when I fell off a chair today. Yes, I am clumsy enough to fall off a chair...but I happened to be standing on this particular chair. You see I was just way too lazy to go get a stepladder. So I used a kitchen chair to finish painting trim and do all the touch up work. At one point, I shifted just a bit too much and off I went. To add insult to injury, the chair whacked the inside of my knee on the way down. Unfortunately, the other half of me was still on the chair at the time.
So I have a nice egg-sized bruise. And it hurts like the dickens.
Now I just have to hang the pictures and the room will finally be finished.

Zoodad is one step closer to home. He's at his out processing station. This will probably be out least productive homeschool week ever. It's going to be awful hard to concentrate with cabin fever and the prospect of playing with Daddy.

I'll be surprised if anyone sleeps this week...including myself.

Giddy!

My dear hubby is on his way to the states. He'll be back home with us as soon as Wednesday. (By Sunday at the latest.) Holey Moley!!!!

It feels like he's been gone forever. September 2006 seems a lifetime ago.

I sure hope all the kiddies get over this stomach bug that has lingered (and lingered and lingered) with us this week. Ugh! It hasn't been too bad but it has been dragging on far longer than anyone would want. We've been housebound all week and the boys and I are all stir crazy.

Plus we're waiting for ZooDad to get home and nothing to distract us except a long to-do list.
The biggest two items on the list are to finish the living room and make ZooDad's welcome home banner!

We are bouncing off the walls here at the zoo.

Short Timer Blues

We are down to days folks.
Days.

In days the big man will be leaving his sandy and hot habitat and going to a hot humid spot just one step up from Beelzebub's hangout.
After serving penitence there, he'll be back home in the zoo.

Days. Almost enough to count on my fingers.

Sigh

And of course every thing's going to hell in a hand basket while we're waiting on him. I swear....I can get through over 14 months with nary an issue and then I just go to pot during the last few weeks.

Speaking of going to the pot...we're having trouble with ours. Me and the main sewage line are duking it out. Actually, me, the main sewage line, and some Ligustrum bushes are all fighting it out. It seems that the Ligustrum bushes would like sole access to my sewage line for their roots.
I, however, contend that since the Ligustrums aren't paying the mortgage...they can just bite me.
The sewage line is playing both sides of this whole fight but it seems to be cozying up with the bushes at this point.

But I have plans and Mr. Rooter will back me up on them tomorrow when he shows up.
I am very possessive of my waste water removal pipes.
As soon as ZooDad gets home we will settle this once and for all. It would be settled sooner but I can't work the chainsaw. (Nor should I be trusted with one since I cut the TV cable with the hedge trimmers once.)

The upstairs bathtub is trying to get in on the whole "Let's back up the house" plan but I have some heavy duty clog eater in mind for that mischievous piece of fiberglass and pipe. This stuff came in a bottle and double bagged for my protection. The upstairs commode is also mouthing off....but it's days are numbered too.
Quite wisely, the other sinks and toilets are toeing the line and not daring to really step off my path of conformity.
So it could be worse.

The same can not be said for the kitchen sink faucet. After numerous failed attempts to make it an upstanding chrome citizen, it will be evicted by mid-September. I've already informed it of the decision and it hasn't been scared straight yet.

The working/not working sprinkler head has received the same news but it decided that my threat was viable and is now spic-spic-spicing along like it should be. I did have to go out there and taunt it with a replacement head but you know....desperate times, desperate measures.

The mountain laundry continues to grow. Soon I'll be able to host climbs on it. You'll have to bring your own oxygen and guide. And then you'll have to fold a load of two before you can go home.

I'm still painting.
Still. Painting.
Painting.
Still.
I think the fumes are getting to me. Or the heat.
I found myself sucked into a Wagner Power Sprayer commercial. I was actually lusting for a few seconds until I realized that in my hands, it would be like a bad episode of Mythbusters.
(Can these things explode, Hyneman? And would they completely cover the walls with paint if they did. No, Adam. That myth is busted.)
I do have one room completely done...ceiling, trim, walls. And two with trim and ceiling to go. Oh well, it gets done when it gets done.

School is.... going. I guess we're doing well. Matthew didn't cry once today. (New personal record) Jacob is engrossed in Black Horses for the King, which is history reading.
I'm totally working the kids like dogs. (wink)
Jacob re-started Latin again and this time...the time is right. In fact the time is so right that I'm not starting any other children on Latin until they hit sixth grade. Him and the chick on the LC DVD's are enjoying their time together. Plus the boy knows how to find his pronunciation CD, find his CD player, and then find the track he wants to listen too. All without my assistance.
It's a good thing.

Now, I'm off to bed. We have to be at school tomorrow for speech. At 8:30. In the morning. All dressed and everything. And trying not to look like a disgrace to homeschoolers. And hopefully Sam will be in a good mood.
Y'all wish me luck.

The good news is.....tomorrow is just one day closer.
(sigh)
Very soon.

Mango says, "Seriously, Don't mess with me. I mean it. I will gnaw you finger off if you touch me again. And you are not going out this door because I am not moving."

I am still living.

Things are going great here at the zoo. I just haven't had the motivation to blog.
We've had lots going on. I even have pictures.
I'll get back into the swing of things once I get back into the swing of things. (Do you feel like the Alfak duck in the Yogi Berra commercial?)

A funny from today: I tutor 2 different 8th graders from our local PS. One for 2 hours and one for 1 hour. The 1 hour kid brought his math problems and two worksheets from his teacher. (The worksheets were requested by his mom for me to use to work with him. The teacher is great to provide these.)

Anyway...

1 hour kid and I do his homework and he's got negative integers down pat. Then we move on to worksheet #1 which has material that he botched totally earlier in the week. We work on it until the light bulb clicks on. He's got it!
then we move on to the worksheet for tomorrow's work to get him a head start. In no time, he's got it and we fly through the sheet.

We he finished, he looked at the clock and saw that him mom wouldn't be by to pick him up for another 15 minutes. So we go on to the next section to pre-teach that material.
By the time his mom gets to my house, we're done with that material also.

As he packed up his work he remarked, "I just did a whole weeks worth of math in a HOUR! And I understand it. And I did my homework."

I couldn't help but laugh at him.

Total Random Thoughts

For some reason the soundtrack in my head is playing "Dancing Queen."

I am equally as shocked by this as you are. This particular version has an extended play time and is getting on my nerves.
I tried singing "Free Bird" but so far.....no effect. Next thing I know, I'm humming, "Friday night and the lights are low..."
(sigh)

Sam has announced that he no longer wants to be four. Nope. He's "tired of being four." He wants to be six instead.
I guess six is a much more exciting age. You get to sleep on the top bunk. You get to start 1st grade. And you might even get your first loose tooth.
There is some envy here at the Zoo. Can you tell?

I have burned out yet another fish aquarium filter. I have to buy a new one before my Zombie Fish (more on this story later) die....for real.
I'm torn on the idea that dead fish are a bad thing. My fish scare people, including myself. My sister won't even fee the things when she house sits.
So once again, I'm spending fifty bucks on terrifying fish that I don't even like. And they aren't edible. If they, were....I still wouldn't touch them.
Very scary fish.

I'm rereading all my twaddle. Yep. I'm talking about books so simple in thought and premise that I can read them in a single day. This of them as Adult Magic Tree House books. It's quite satisfying in a junk food kind of way.

The Braves are resting tonight. This means I can't fuss at my inappropriate crush boy. I have this thing for Brian McCann, the team catcher.
My friend says that it's fine since I'm not old enough to be his mother.
I'm not. So at least it's not scandalous. It still is inappropriate however since the boy is 23.
The fact that I've thought about this is even more evidence of my questionable character.

I wonder why I can't even type my own name. Seriously.
Most times I have to correct it. I type "Sheola" or my favorite "Sheula" and rarely I get a "Sehila." While all of these seem to be very exotic and exciting names....they are not mine.

My oldest is apparently a finger and toe crossing virtuoso. He's demonstrating this to me as I type this. Oh....he can also form his feet into some very odd fist shape. the boy has some freakish toes.
He didn't inherit them from me. I come from the barely-toed ilk. None of my ancestors can pick up Hot wheel cars and Beanie Babies with our stubby toes.

Oh great....I succeeded at expunging Dancing Queen. I'm now dealing with, "If I leave here tomoroooooooowwww..."
Wonderful.

What's old is new

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIGbhPLZmjY

This link might not be musically clean for kids but the grown ups need to watch the Bob Fosse dancers getting *down* to Walk it Out. The lady with the serious groove is his wife Gwen Fosse.

Who knew that Bob and Gwen would be the influence of Rap/Hip Hop "video girl" dances!

What a riot!

Here's the link for the orignal music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFhXyns6vzE&NR=1
It's not nearly as entertaining for some reason.