I laughed when I saw these...

OK, I don't even know who these kids are, but these are pictures from Facebook posted by a guy I went to elementary school with. I just thought they were hilarious and thought I'd share them.

See? I'm already procrastinating. I need to go and pack for tomorrow's trip! OK, OK, I'm going...

Update...

9:45pm

Day is done. Valves are replaced. Water is shut off until tomorrow morning. Dogs are walked. Neighbor stopped by to get information on painters and brick guy. I told her, painters, thumbs up. Brick guy, thumbs down.

Bed is calling.

ZZZzzzz.....

A Little Venting...

Today has been one of those days where I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Taking care of 2 houses while my mom is away, planning for my own trip that is 2 days away, another day with the painters, the cleaning lady is here, and one of my sprinkler valves is leaking in the front yard.

That's a lot of commotion and responsibility for one person. I feel like a circus ringmaster today, with rings of activity all around me. Plus I am taking care of my mom's dog and cat, along with my dog and 3 cats.

And the sprinkler thing is turning into a big ol' mess and I feel I'm partly to blame.

The valves for the automatic sprinklers are in the front of the house and have been leaking for about three weeks. At first I thought it was because they got jarred when the brick workers were here, because it happened about the same time, but I think they are just really old.

Aye...the brick workers.

You know, one thing about having so much work done on the house by different people is that it really gives you a chance to compare people's work ethics. My painters are AWESOME. They get here every day at 7:20, work their fannies off with just a one hour break for lunch, and keep going until 4:30pm. They are non-stop, no nonsense, and trustworthy.

My cleaning lady, who comes every other Friday, she's here today too. She gets here at 9:30, works for 4 hours, is incredibly trustworthy, and then she's done.

Then, there is Andrew, the brick guy. Maybe it is because he's from Tonga and they do things differently there; a slower pace, time doesn't have the same meaning there as it does here--I don't know. But he is so unreliable. And he doesn't do the work himself, he buys the materials, negotiates the money, and then just hangs around (or sometimes leaves) while his workers do the actual labor. Lucky for him he has excellent workers.

The other day one of the sprinkler heads next to my brick walkway was not coming up properly. It was just shooting water straight into the air. I called him and told him about it and he said he would be here yesterday--Thursday-- "around lunchtime." Well, what the heck does that mean?

On Wednesday night I was able to loosen the sprinkler head myself and get it to work. I left a message on his voicemail to tell him that it was working OK.

I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THERE.

Last night I was walking my mom's dog and passed by another house on our street where Andrew's guys are working. (I don't say him, because he doesn't.) I asked him if he got the message I left and he said no, he hadn't checked his messages. That means that he was still, technically, committed to showing up at my house. He said he came around 1:30. I had left on an errand because I had called him. But still, if he thought he was still supposed to come and I wasn't there, wouldn't it be the right thing to call? Of course. Did he? No.

Then we got talking about the leaky valves, which really are leaking quite a bit these last few days. There is, literally, a puddle under them, and who knows how much water is getting wasted. Still, why, oh, why, did I do it? I took him up on his offer to replace the valves.

Shouldn't have done it. He keeps apologizing for not being there when he said he would, promises to get it done quickly and easily....yeah, I should've known better.

Nothing is every quick or easy with him.

He said he'd be here today at 11am.

Painters got here when they said they would, cleaning lady came at her normal time, I was up at 6:45 to feed the pets at my house and my mom's house and water her plants....

Then at 10:15 my phone rings and it is Andrew. He wasn't going to be there until 12:30. Grr...

At 11:30 I was hungry and needed an escape from everything going on here and ran to get some lunch, thinking that I'd be home by 12:30. A one hour break, I thought. How nice.

At 11:45 I get a phone call from Andrew saying he's at my house, where am I? When am I going to get home?

Unbelievable.

I had already ordered my lunch, so when it was ready I got it to go and I came home. Andrew's truck was parked in front, filled with kids. He explained that he would be back later tonight once the painters and the cleaning lady were done because he would have to shut off the water and it would have to remain off all night so that the pressure didn't build up around the valves and spring leaks around the glue.

That would've been nice to know last night when I hired him to do this.

I was livid and told him so, about the way he never comes at the time he says, how things are always more complicated than they appear to be at the beginning. So now he's coming back at 7:30pm tonight to put in the valves, as his workers finish up around the corner at the house where they are laying some brick.

I guess I'm partly mad at myself too, because I had promised that I would not hire him again, and then I did. Why, why, why?? Never again. Never, never again. And as I point these very valid points out to him, he says, "Why you being so mean to me?"

Nothing should be this hard. And I'd better have water turned back on tomorrow morning or things are going to get ugly.

Enjoy your last job at my house, Andrew. This is it.

And thus endeth my venting.

The moral of this story? I don't like being jerked around. Who does?

For Pisces Like Me...

OK, I don't put any stock in this stuff, but I really like what my horoscope said today:

Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, you've taken some pretty tough circumstances and used them to grow. Now you're developing into something lovely and fantastic beyond your wildest imaginings. During times like these, it's good to remember how grateful you are -- not only for the easy things in your life, but for the tough circumstances as well. They've shaped you into someone amazing. Take a moment to honor yourself.

Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Today was "Harry Potter Day," and if you are a fan of the series like me, you know that the film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, based on the 6th book, opened today.

It feels like forever since I read this book, and I only remembered scattered details, but I do remember that it was one of my favorites. The film did not disappoint. Operating upon the premise that to know your enemies helps you to conquer them, Dumbledore takes Harry on a tour of Voldemort's childhood. I felt like this part was trimmed considerably to make way for other things in the story, but it does get the point across that Voldemort (originally Tom Riddle) was a boy unloved and forgotten by his parents. That certainly created the hatred and cynicism that led to his desire for domination and notoriety.

A new teacher is introduced, Horace Slughorn, played by Jim Broadbent, who is rehired by Dumbledore because of his past connections to Tom Riddle and the benefit a certain memory of his could play in the ultimate showdown between Harry and Voldemort. Slughorn teaches Potions (Snape now teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts) and in Slughorn's class Harry discovers an old Potions textbook with detailed notes in the margins. These notes help Harry excel in the class, much to the dismay of Hermione, who is used to getting top marks in everything. The book, according to an inscription inside the binding, was once the "Property of the Half-Blood Prince." Who that person is remains to be seen and, when revealed, is surprising.

Amidst all the doom and gloom of Dumbledore's lessons, there is a surprising amount of humor peppered throughout the film. The balance is appreciated and clever. Most significantly, you see the sparks between Harry and Ginny Weasley begin to flourish, as well as between Ron and Hermione. Rupert Grint, as Ron, really had some great scenes in this film.

Certainly, this film moves the story forward and has significant events that shape and affect all the characters (don't want to give anything away.) And all of our old favorites supporting characters are back, including one of my favorites, Remus Lupin, in a small scene. We also see Narcissa Malfoy--Draco's mother and sister of Bellatrix LeStrange--for the first time. She is concerned, with good reason, about Draco's future.

The film was 2 1/2 hours, but never boring, in my opinion. I am always glad to have read the books first, but if you have not, but have seen the other films, you should have no problem following the story. The young students are definitely more grown up in some ways (which leads to teenage angst in others,) and it is obvious by the end of the film that the story is soon going to take us on a journey away from Hogwarts in the next 2 films, which is the way the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be divided up.

All in all, a very satisfying addition to the Harry Potter movie collection and a faithful telling of the book. Whether reading the books or seeing the movies, J.K. Rowling's storytelling never fails to amaze me.

A short, somewhat vague, trailer:

Xander Visits Grandma...

Yesterday I had my nephew, Alexander, for the day. Amazingly, I think it is actually easier to have him for the whole day than just a couple of hours, like I usually do when school is in session.

I decided to take him out to San Dimas to visit my grandma. She hasn't seen him since Christmas and I know she has been wanting to.

My sister-in-law brought Xander at around 8:50am, I gave him breakfast, bathed him and we piled into the car for the 20 mile drive. My grandma was thrilled, of course, to be able to see her great-grandchild. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Xander, who did not want to go to her!
His personality and habits have changed a little bit lately--all part of the growing process. So my grandma and I just talked and watched him play with some of the toys at the house that my dad's wife has for her grandchild.


Despite Xander not wanting to go to my grandma, we had a nice time. She fixed us sandwiches and iced tea and we enjoyed being out of the heat of the day. I'm glad that she got to see him, which was the main goal of the visit. It is important for him to know her and to create those memories for when he is older. I know that I have very fond memories of my great-grandma in Mexico, who I visited many times and was the only great-grandparent I had. These things are very meaningful.

Weekend in San Diego & San Juan Capistrano...

It was a little odd this year not being at the family reunion in Guerrero, Mexico, but I was still able to see one of my cousins on the same weekend as the reunion. My cousin, Susana, whose grandfather was brother to my great-grandmother, invited me to spend the night with her family at their house in Chula Vista, which is right outside San Diego.

After a few setbacks in the morning (waking up not feeling well, paying the painters, feeding my mom's dog while she's still in Mexico, and a few others,) I was able to get on the road to San Diego at about 7:45am.

At Susana's house I met her husband, Gaston, and her sons, Santiago (4) and Elias (2.) Two cute and active boys! We packed up a picnic lunch, got into their Honda Odyssey, and toured around San Diego for about 5-6 hours, stopping at a beach in Del Mar to eat, and driving through La Jolla and Point Loma. It was a comfortable drive and eventually the boys fell asleep. We stopped in Point Loma and had some yummy shrimp cocktails and bought some ahi tuna for dinner. The dinner they made was wonderful!

The next morning (yesterday) I woke up around 7:30am after sleeping like a log, showered and packed, ate breakfast with the family, said my goodbyes and headed home.

It was my plan to come straight home, but after about 80 miles I was getting closer to San Juan Capistrano and thinking that I wanted to stop by the Old Barn Antique store, right across from the San Juan Capistrano Mission. That store is fascinating, and I'm lucky if I get to go once a year. So I decided to stop.

The place is enormous, about 1/2 block long, so you really have to scan everything carefully for things to stand out. The first thing I saw was a pretty glass pitcher on one of the front counters. As I rounded a corner, I found an interesting Lenox piece that I thought would go great on my dining room table. The store is sectioned in different areas supervised by different vendors. I went to an area in the back that always has pretty linens, and found a cute white tablecloth with blue embroidery that I thought would go well on my kitchen table. And, nearby there was a vintage red basket with a lining that I thought I could use for extra water bottles next to my fridge. Much cuter than the box I've been keeping them in. Grand total for these for things was $110. Not bad. The two breakables were 20% off and I had saved money on hotel and food by staying with my cousin the night before.

After the Old Barn I went across the street and visited the old mission. After being demolished by an earthquake it stands in ruins now, but it is still pretty and the grounds are full of flowers. I love taking pictures of flowers and it is always fun to visit historical places like this. Good practice since I'll be teaching 4th grade next year--CA history for Social Studies, and mission projects.

I really love my new camera, which I did buy on kind of a whim last Friday even though I have thought about getting a new camera for quite a while. It is an updated version of the one I already had, a Sony CyberShot, so it is very easy to use. My old one had a smaller screen, was a little bulkier, and only 5.1 mega pixels. The new one is very thin and sleek, and a screen about 2x3 inches, and is 12.1 mega pixels. The lithium battery charges up pretty fast too, and it takes great pictures! I love the way the colors turn out!

Here are the flower pictures I took around the mission yesterday:

Everything turns out so clear and bright! I can't wait to take the new camera to the Arboretum, and I'm thrilled to have it on my UT trip. I can't believe I leave in 6 days! The trip to San Diego was good practice driving a long way with the new CR-V. I love it. Very comfortable and smooth.

All in all a good weekend. I'm very glad I decided to stop in San Juan Capistrano too. I arrived home around 4pm yesterday, and set to work getting my house back in order and taking care of my mom's plants. It isn't easy taking care of 2 houses!

Today has been very sluggish. The painters had to go to another job today, which actually worked out really well, because it gives me a chance to be home and not having the stress of the workers around at the windows. I can't wait for this project to be done, although it probably won't be finished until I've already left for my UT trip.

So, that's what this weekend looked like for me. And it is really nice to have a quiet, relaxing day at home today.

Wow, this has been QUITE a week...

Anyone who said that "vacation" and "relax" are basically synonymous has not followed me around the last few days.

It's been a week of highs and lows and some unexpected adjustments.

I had to do something that I have, never, ever, in my life, done before, which was sever a friendship. I won't go into details, and that person may even stop by here, but it has been very hard. And trust me, this was not an easy decision. It has required a lot of strength and brought a lot of thought and tears, and yet I know it was the right thing to do. Still, that knowledge feels harsh, which lapses into guilt, but I still know it was right. What does Dumbledore say in Harry Potter? "The time will come when you must choose between what is right and what is easy." That is the choice I was faced with, and it definitely wasn't the easy one.

So, that has been a cloud that hung over me the last few days.

And with that, there has been so much else going on. I got my 1999 Honda CR-V back from the body shop today and now it is ready to be sold, although I won't get really assertive with that until I return from my trip to Utah in 3 weeks. $6000 if anyone is interested. There, that's my sales pitch for the day.

Yesterday I babysat my nephew from 9am until 7:45pm. I love that little guy, even though he is getting to the age where the refusal of things is the new fad. Didn't want to bathe (I got him to,) didn't want to get dressed or have his diaper changed (he did,) didn't want to eat (eh...he ate a little,) and didn't want to nap (I TRIED, and the best I could get was maybe 1/2 hour in the car.) Yep, he's a willful little boy, but still sweet and a lot of fun. His new thing (besides not wanting to do those basic things) is to JUMP. Everywhere he goes, he wants to either run there or jump there. It's pretty cute. I don't know where he finds the energy!!

There is also the constant hubbub of having painters in and out of the house from 7:20am until almost 5pm every day. And now I'm house-sitting for my mom, which means another dog and cat to look after, flowers to water, and mail to collect.

Today I went to my mom's house and ended up falling asleep in her room. I had gone to water, which I did, and keep her dog company a little, which I did, and I think knowing that I could completely relax there--with no painters--my body just gave in and I ended up sleeping for 2 solid hours.

Tomorrow will be another full day of painters, house-sitting, going to the car wash, and then driving out to Burbank to the Walt Disney Studios. I had some concert tickets for this Saturday which I cannot use, as I will be visiting a cousin in San Diego, and after days of trying, I finally found someone to take them at a reduced price (who works for Disney and I offered to drop them off.) Well, at least I'll only be losing $40 (ouch, that still feels like a lot) instead of $120--which IS a lot.

I'm glad that there are things to keep me busy, but not too busy. And little by little the cloud from the other day will lift and life will fall into a new pattern of normalcy. Live and learn, I guess.

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!

It's here, that day when we think about our country and try to focus on the many great things that it means to be American. Yes, America is not perfect, and may not even be the shining example that it once was to the rest of the world, but I still think we're pretty darn lucky to live here.

No matter how you slice it, we have a lot, and enjoy freedoms that many people in other countries will never know. Happy July 4th everyone, and a special shout-out to the people in my family who serve in the military: Monica, Robby, and Luis. Thank you!

Painting Progress...

The painters have been working diligently at my house for about a week now. One of the reasons why they do such a good job (they painted my mom's house 3 years ago) if because of the amount of prep work that they do. And that is all they have been doing this week: sanding, sanding, and more sanding.

Outside the little bay window in my bedroom you can see the layers and layers of paint that have been put on this house over the years, including a turquoise color several generations ago. After all, this house was built in the 1940's.

The hard part about having people working at your house is that it is difficult to be completely at ease. I'm not used to that, because my house is such a sanctuary to me. Still, it needs to be done and they do a great job of cleaning up at the end of each day. And each day begins at about 7:20am.

Today I took my 1999 Honda into the body shop so it will be fixed up for sale. $750 out of my own pocket--ugh. Two insurance claims running simultaneously--ugh. Although, I have to say, my insurance company has been really great. I'm just anxious to get the car sold. Not so anxious that I won't hold out for a fair price, mind you, but still anxious!

Other than that, it has been a quiet day. Quiet days are good. We like those.

AND, I ALMOST FORGOT: Today is the 4th anniversary of when I moved into my house in 2005. Wow. And I love it as much, if not, more, than the day I moved in. Hurray for being a homeowner! And hurray for having my job stay secure so that I could continue to be one...

New Car Debut

This morning I took my new CR-V to the car wash for the first time since I bought it last Wednesday. I really love it! The input jack for the MP3 player is great, and there are volume and mode controls for the stereo right in the steering wheel. This is also my first time to have a sun roof, roof rack, and spoiler. Hey, why not?

My outing to the Arboretum this morning...

This morning I woke up with no plans for the day, but in the mood to do something. What to do? I decided to shower nice and early and drive 15 minutes away to one of my favorite places, the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia. I have a membership, so that means a "free" entry. It was the perfect morning for it!

Just me and my camera taking in the sights, sounds and smells. What a lovely little trip. I walked around for about 90 minutes until the heat began to take over. It smelled so wonderful there this morning and I could go at my own pace. It was also relatively empty, so it was easier to take pictures of some of the more popular spots there, like Queen Anne's Cottage and the waterfall.

Fun! I'm glad I went!

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

I know, I'm a few days late...

But Michael Jackson's death was a shocker. I was on Facebook and some of my peeps were already posting that it had happened while others were saying that it was a hoax. Fair enough, I mean he did lead a very unconventional life.

Whatever anyone's feeling about Michael Jackson, the world still lost an amazing entertainer. I put him in the category of celebrities like Elvis Presley and Judy Garland, who gave everything when they performed until the performer simply took over and the person got lost. The King of Pop is dead, folks. Let's focus on everything he contributed to the music world.

Aside from Thriller, which will always be a classic, this is my favorite Michael Jackson video:


And this is my favorite MJ song. This is a powerful video that I found on YouTube. Hit the full-screen option and the quality is still pretty good:

Summer Has Begun...

I am now a week into my "vacation." Whew! What a week!

After checking out of my classroom last Friday I went to Claim Jumper with a few of my school peeps. After only being there a short while I got a phone call that the brickwork I was having done to my house was finished.

One thing down!

Next, I focused on getting a new car. My 1999 white Honda CR-V has given me 10 good years and I really love that car, but it was time. I still need to get the body damage repaired from April's blow out and then I'll sell it private party. Meanwhile, it was time to start shopping around. What did I want? Another white Honda CR-V! Hey, if it ain'y broke...

This past Wednesday I gave my mom a perm, helped babysit my nephew for about 2 hours, and then we went car shopping. My mom had heard that Costco, of all places, had a program to help people buy new cars, so we went there first to find out more. We were given a pamphlet of dealerships in the area that they worked with, and, supposedly, gave extra discounts to Costco members.

Honda of Pasadena was the closest dealership that works with Costco, so we made an appointment to go there in the afternoon. We also stopped at a dealership closer to Costco to do some comparing. The salesman at this one (Goudy Honda in Alhambra, CA) was very nice, low-pressure, let me take a test drive, and showed us all the features. Honestly, he deserved the sale if he could give me the best price. It was also at Goudy that I saw a CR-V with a roof rack and spoiler....it sure was pretty!

Next we went to Honda of Pasadena, which is where I ended up buying my car. The girl that helped us there was much less impressive. Maybe she thought that since we were doing the shopping through the Costco program it was a done deal? I don't know. But she was apathetic from the get-go. It was only until we started comparing again with Goudy Honda that she got more eager and tried harder to get the sale. Ultimately, I saved $600 with the special pricing for Costco members.

So, I have a new 2009 white Honda CR-V EX! I love it. It is so comfortable. It also has a keyless entry and a sunroof, which I've never had before. It also came with a 6-CD changer and an input jack for the MP3 player. That and a plug to charge that or a cell phone are on the center console, with another plug at the bottom of the dash.

I'm still getting used to the dashboard and having so much computerized information, but, after 3 days it is feeling more and more like my car. This morning I had to take it back to the dealer to have the roof rack and spoiler installed, which took about 3 hours. Now it looks beautiful AND cool. Here are some pictures off the Honda site. I'll post pictures of mine after I can wash it, but I have to wait 2 days until I can because of the things that were added this morning.

Another Year in Room 30!

Finally, finally!

Today I found out that I will be teaching 4th grade next year. Fine with me, I've done it twice before. The really great thing, though, is that I get to stay in my classroom--which I love--for a 4th year. Amazingly, despite the fact that I'm finishing up my 12th year of teaching, I have never been able to stay in a classroom for more than three years. And it is more than the classroom, it is almost like I'm finally starting to edge my way up the seniority ladder a bit.

Ten more days left of school now, and knowing what I'm going to teach next year is one more thing to check off the end-of-year To Do List. Now I can start thinking ahead to packing up my room soon and knowing what needs to go into closets and what needs to be stacked by the door, mainly all the 5th grade things that will go to another teacher. I'll be inheriting the 4th grade materials from someone else.

I'm tired, but nothing compared to last year, which was one of my toughest years ever because of some severe discipline problems I had. It just feels good to know that this year has been relatively smooth and that it is winding down.

And, I was musical again on the KSolo site through MySpace. Singing is such a great release for me. Click on the name titles to get whisked to the site for a listen. :-)

THE SUMMER WIND (Michael Buble's version)

DOWN ON THE CORNER

Down to the Wire!

Wow...summer is so close I can almost taste it!

This is going to be something of a working weekend. Report cards, which we do online, are going to be my priority today and tomorrow. I also have some essays to look over that will go into my students' cumulative folders. Ugh...those folders...I always put them off because they are the hardest and most tedious part of the end-of-year things that need to be done.

At home things are rolling along. I'm trying to not let the housework go by the wayside while so busy with schoolwork. Ramius the kitten is getting very, very active! Sometimes too active, but I tell myself it is the kitten phase that he will eventually outgrow. *fingers crossed!*

My mom is redoing her backyard and building a gazebo. It is SO pretty! I might have to start saving my pennies. It is expensive, but not impossible. And I already have the brick patio where it would go, so there would be no need to lay a floor for it.

And, although it has been a while, I've gotten back into a singing mood this week. Here are 2 songs I did on MySpace's KSolo site last night and one from SingSnap. Two of them are "summer themed..." Could that have some hidden meaning? LOL

SUMMERTIME

THE SUMMER WIND

(click the titles to hear them)

OK! Time to play "catch up!"

Yowza, I've never gone this long without adding a new blog. Sorry about that. I even received an email from a friend asking if everything is OK. It is. I'm OK, just busy, tired and ....you'll see!

CARMEL

After planting a yard full of spring flowers and hosting Easter at my house, my mom and I drove up with my dog, Bailey, for 4 days in Carmel. This is the 4th time we've been there. We always stay at the Cypress Inn, owned by Doris Day. It is my favorite vacation spot for many reasons. The people who travel there are all so nice, you're by the ocean and in a forest at the same time, you can take the dog and they're allowed almost everywhere, and it is so beautiful.

THE BLOWOUT

Despite the long drive to Carmel, we've never had in incident. So, I guess we were due. On the last day, I was about to load the luggage into the car and it had a flat tire. Grrr....so I called AAA and they came and fixed it. Problem solved, right? Wrong.

We drove 130 miles and steering wheel began to shudder. I thought we were just on a textured surface. Then we heard the sound, the grinding sound that tells you something is seriously wrong. We had a blowout on the tire that was fixed. Maybe it was brittle from being the spare and sitting in the sun, I don't know.

Luckily, I never lost control of the car. We were on the left lane at the time, but there was a shoulder there. AAA came again and rescued us. The tow truck driver had to lift Bailey into the cab of the truck because I couldn't do it. My mom was a wreck, Bailey was nervous but trusting, and I was a little numb.

Even though we had that major setback, it could've been so much worse. There were no injuries and we were back on the road for home in 3 hours. It was a Sunday and the tow truck driver knew where to take us, and the tire shop even stay open 45 minutes late to take care of us. This was in Atascadero, CA.

Getting home felt SOOO good that night! The insurance will pay for the damage to my car. It is no one's fault. Now I just have to get the time to take my car in for repair. I'm going to have to wait until school's out, which means another 4 weeks of driving it around like this.

I'm getting a new car this summer. It's time. Mine is 10 years old and has 94,000 miles on it. I love CR-V's and will probably just get another one.

OPEN HOUSE
The week after Spring Vacation ended, we had Open House at my school. I know, nice timing, huh? My kids worked their fannies off doing research papers for Open House, which I still need to grade. A lot of preparation went into that night. I wish we had a better turn out from parents and administration.

MOM'S NEW DOG

My mom, who has been working with a Golden Retriver rescue organization, finally found a dog that fits her busy lifestyle as a retired person who babysits her grandson. Brinkley is a great dog. He's about 8 years old, and was surrendered by his previous owners because they couldn't take care of him anymore. He and Bailey get along just great and he's wonderful with my little nephew. My mom is thrilled with her new canine companion and he gets a lot of attention everywhere he goes!

TESTING
Yep, there's more!

State testing at school has been going on for the last 2 weeks. It has been very tiring, especially because I test my kids in 2 groups per day. They recommend that for the upper grades because we have so many kids.

And, speaking of lots of kids, I got 2 new students during testing. Fortunately they will not be tested. I do have 2 make-up sessions with a child who went home ill the other day. I hope to start those tomorrow if he's there.

RAMIUS
And there was another furry addition at my house...

Eight days ago I was coming back from a sushi dinner when I heard this desperate meowing coming from the front of my house. I thought one of my cats was stuck somewhere, but when I approached the front, I looked down and saw a little white kitten. He was screaming his head off, not because he was stuck, but because he was in dire straights. Filthy dirty--almost brown, bony, red-eyed, scared, hungry, and flea ridden.

I brought him in and fed him and that is when I saw the fleas. There were HUNDREDS of them. I took him into the bathroom and scrubbed him down in the sink with Ivory soap. He was too worn out to put up much of a fight. That got rid of most of them. I also put some topical solution behind his neck to kill the rest.

Over the last few days, Ramius the kitten has become healthier, cleaner, and I'm keeping him. He's very sweet, uses the kitty box and the cat scratcher, and cute as can be. The other animals are adjusting to having him here and, although it was completely unplanned, he's been a great little addition. We went to the vet on Thursday for his vaccinations, de-worming, flea pill, and some tests to make sure he's healthy inside and out, since we don't know his history.

Look at the difference in 8 days!
And in case you're wondering about the name, Ramius...I let a good friend name him. The name is from Sean Connery's white-bearded character in The Hunt for Red October. I like it. The name seems to fit him.

SO, ANYWAY....
That is what has been happening around here. And things promise to get even busier because school is heading for the home stretch. Report cards, more testing, organizing the kids into their classes for next year, picking a grade, packing up the room, and updating all of the kids' files--my LEAST favorite end-of-year activity...these are the things that I have to look forward to in the next 4 weeks. So, if you don't see another blog for a while, you'll know why!

Easter with My Family

This year, Easter was at my house. It was a lot of work, but all worth it. I put in all new flowers and got the house all spruced up inside and out. My mom was the "food committee" and she also worked her little patootie off.

We had a wonderful time, the food was GREAT. We all ended up gathering in my backyard and enjoyed the PERFECT weather for around 4 hours.

Here are some photos of my kooky family. We laugh, we love, we eat! We're not perfect, but we sure do have a lot of fun!

Some things to look forward to.....and the "day after" the happy news...

As wonderful as yesterday's news was about my job security, it was also a bit surreal. I was thinking about it later. I'd carried around the burden of possibly losing my job for so many weeks that I almost didn't know what it was like to live without it. I'll tell you what it is like: WONDERFUL...

Last night I slept better and more soundly than I have in ages. I hadn't even realized the way the job stress had affected my sleep. This morning while I was getting ready for work I thought to myself how at that time yesterday I was gearing up for a day of preparing for today's sub, and how I had planned to leave so early to attend the RIF (Reduction in Force) hearing; it hardly seemed possible that I would be able to miss it.

At school our morning schedule was a little bit different, simply because teachers that do not have their own classrooms were needed as subs to fill in for those who DID have to attend the RIF hearing. I feel awful for my colleagues who had to go and whose jobs may still be in jeopardy. And, there is still the slim possibility that I could be bumped to another school (slim,) and to another grade level in another classroom. I'm just going to take one thing at a time and just be grateful for the fact that I HAVE A JOB. I have a job, I have an income--that's all anyone can ask for these days.

Next week my mom and I will drive to Carmel and spend 5 days/4 nights days at the LOVELY Cypress Inn. I can't wait. You can visit their website HERE. It is, literally, my favorite place to visit. I knew that it would be great to go there knowing that the RIF hearing was over, but now there is the added extra of going and knowing that my job is secure. That is certainly more than I could've ever hoped for. We'll have a great time, we'll take my dog, the hotel is stunning and the people so nice. It will be a wonderful break from everything as I head into the homestretch of the school year.

Life is good. I'm still amazed at yesterday's incredible news. What a miracle that was!

HAPPY, HAPPY NEWS!!!

After 3 long months, I learned today that I will not be losing my job at the end of this school year!!

Learning about this happy news was completely unexpected today. I expected to be preparing for my sub tomorrow, as I got ready for the school district's RIF (Reduction in Force) Hearing that would be taking place.

Instead, the vice principal and secretary came to my classroom shortly after recess and hand-delivered a letter from the superintendent telling me that my notice of possible layoff had been revoked, that I will be offered a certificated teaching position for next year, and that I do not need to attend tomorrow's hearing.

The relief I feel is indescribable! I've lived under this cloud of stress and uncertainty since the third week of January, and it has affected me greatly. And, despite the outpouring of support from family and friends, being in that state of limbo for so many weeks is exhausting.

And now it is over. I still can't believe it! I am SOOO thrilled and grateful to have a job!