It's Summer Time and the Living Ain't Easy

Yes! It is official. School is OUT! The little beasties came back on Tuesday for a 1/2 day due to having a SNOW DAY to make up. We finished up our final exams, fed them lunch, and set them free for the next 77 days. The aides met in my room and there was much rejoicing and dancing. It's a good thing they don't allow Margaritas in the school!!
Now, I am once again driving a transit bus more or less full time. I must be nuts, but I told our manager that I would work as many hours as he wanted to give me. Wednesday I worked 6 hours, Thursday, I worked 10 hours and 56 minutes actual driving time, and today I drove for 9 hours straight. Is it any wonder why my butt is sore? I know driving sounds easy, but when you get in and out of a 14 passenger bus to help clients in and out about 35 times a day, one could say "whew." It's fun to see all the people I don't usually see and to meet some new riders, or at least new to me.
Tomorrow is Saturday, and Tilly and I are planting flower boxes and I am cutting the grass and weeding the flowerbeds. Now this is summer activity that I really enjoy. It's good to feel the earth in my fingers and even mowing, a job I usually loath, is not so bad.
I am making a life changing decision next week. It has caused some sleepless nights, but I have finally decided to sign up for my Social Security. I intend to keep on teaching, but the transit job will go, or at least will be cut way back, so I don't go over my allowed earning amount. Since I am a teaching assistant, and paid by the hour when the kids are in the building, my salary won't be a problem. I will have more time to be home, and will be able to do some of the things that need doing, and things I want to do, like working in my wood shop and maybe doing a little painting again. I haven't touched a brush to canvas for years. I will keep up the singing, though, for that is my real outlet and I love it.
So, for the next 74 days I intend to relax, enjoy being with Tilly, pet the dog, and drive the bus. When the time to resign comes, I will do it with some trepidation, but I will hold firm and get on with my life.

Memorial Day

Well, race fans, get ready for the "greatest spectacle in racing!" I am not a huge race fan. Oh, I like the hubbub of the prerace fanfare, but after the first lap, it's pretty boring until the last lap. I hate watching it on TV. I was raised listening to it on the radio. Somethings should never change. We all will miss hearing Jim Nabors sing, "Back Home Again in Indiana." The fans will be singing it this year. Jim will be there via satelite from Hawaii.
Tilly has been preparing flower arrangements to take to family gravesites. She always has done the arranging, and has again outdone herself creating a beautiful arrangement for my parents grave. We also put flowers on our son's grave. He never got to come home with us, dying during the birth process. We do it as a form of respect and remembrance.
At this time of year, I remember the two good friends I lost in Vietnam. I wonder what their lives would have been if they had come home. I also remember my best friend Dave, who many years ago rode his snowmobile out onto the ice of a large Area 52 lake on New Years Eve, and went thru the ice and was never seen again.
I remember with love all of the grandparents who had a part in my younger life, and the memories that they left behind.
Of course, I recall all the good times and bad that I had growing up, and the two wonderful parents I was blessed with. My dad died at age 53, so I didn't really have enough time with him. Mom lived to be 76, and knew our children and her only great-grandchild. She was taken away from us too soon. Tilly's dad passed several years ago, leaving a hole in our lives that we wish we had been able to fill in a little more.
So, aside from all the commercial rapture of the "Indy 500" let us continue to remember and honor those who have gone on before us.

To The One I Love

I heard these song lyrics and just thought of you...

I remember clearly
How you looked the night we met
I recall your laughter and your smile
I remember how you made me
Feel so at ease
I remember all your grace and style
And now you're all I long to see
You've come to mean so much to me


...40 years later, I still remember and feel this way!

Love ya,

Herb

What is happening to our Youth??

Okay, I work in public schools. Our school is in a repressed socio-economical area. We have LOTS of students on free or reduced lunches, reduced school fees, and etc. Jobs in our area are scarce, and it's hard to make ends meet, even if both parents work. More than half of our our school population come from 1 parent homes. All in all, our school suffers from being low funded, and a great amount of apathy on the part of the parents and even from the town.
On to the problem I am seeing. It is call disrespect. When we have to waste class time combating students on a daily basis, there is something wrong. Dicipline must be non-existant at home, because students in some of my classes certainly don't know how to behave, and have respect. I am talking not only respect for me as a teacher, but for their peers as well. They are mean to each other, and say awful things. Degrading things. When I call them on it, they turn their venom on me. Many of theses students don't have respect for themselves, either.
I try to treat every student the same. I know who the ones are that are from the poor families. I have eyes and can see the difference in clothing, hair cuts, and overall appearance. But that doesn't matter to me. It's what is inside them that counts. Why can't they see that?
I have a chubby, cheerful boy that is repeating seventh grade for the second time. He's not even a special ed student. He just doesn't have enough respect for himself to try to pull himself up by the boot straps and do better. Today I made a tiny step forward with him by having him explain a math concept to me. I admitted to him that I hadn't done this kind of math for about 45 years and that I had forgotten. He did himself proud and I could tell it made him feel special. For about five minutes. Then it was back to being self-depreciating and disrespectful.
I don't have an answer. I have an opinion, of course. I think that respect for others and self needs to be taught at home. That should be taught just like parents teach their children to walk and talk. But I also think that schools have been forced to be more lenient and cannot discipline students like they should be disciplined. I don't believe in corporal punishment at school, but just sticking a student in "in school suspension" is not enough.
We recently had a student who distroyed some school property. For two weeks he had to be at school at 6:30 a m and work with the janitors until first bell, and "worked off" the cost of the property he had ruined. I think it made him a better person and also gave him a wake up call.
Another student was caught stealing supplies from our supply cabinet, and was "sentenced" to 3 days in ISS. That taught him nothing. He is still denying that he stole, even after a locker search turned up the stolen merchandise.
Is there an answer. I am sure it is. Is poverty the cause for this problem. I am sure that it adds to the problem, but I know that being poor is no excuse for apathy, disrespect, rudeness and being cruel to others.

Cheers

JE

It's a Gas

What is up with the gas prices? I about hit the roof today when gas went to $3.19 a gallon! I haven't been out of town much lately to see what is happening in nearby towns, but this is just too much. And it isn't even vacation taking time yet. Tilly and I don't vacation anymore, but even going for a "Sunday drive" is going to be nigh on to impossible. I told her tonight that we will have to limit ourselves to just doing the necessary things until prices come back down. No more shopping trips to the big outdoor mall for us. Maybe it's a good thing both of our cars are not in running order. I don't think we could afford to gas up both of them. I am seriously thinking of looking for a good used bike to get around town on. The only thing wrong with that plan is that our town is so darn hilly. Wherever you go, it's uphill one way or another!
I am basically not a political person. I don't know my candidates, but I do know that anyone who can get this mess settled in Iran/Iraq and also get the gas prices back down to a reasonable amount will get my vote. Personally, I think it's too bad that Oprah refused to run!!
I still think that this whole "gas" thing is just another ploy to make a few rich people richer at the expense of the poorer masses. Of course that's just an opinion. But soon the American people will have had enough and will take a stand. Let's just hope it isn't too long.

Cheers

JE

It's Been a While

It's been a while since my last post. Not much has happened. We had a week off from school for Spring Break. The first two days were absolutely beautiful here in Area 52. It was sure nice to go without a coat and enjoy the sunshine. On Wednesday, the weather turned to crap and we ended the week wearing our winter togs once more. Wife Tilly didn't even wear her new shirt and slack set that she bought for Easter to church. She wore a sweater. It was a different Easter for us. It was the first one without either of our children present. Professor, of course, couldn't come home just for the Easter weekend, and Little Bro had to work that Sunday. His lovely wife, Kiddo, our grandson, and Tilly's parents joined us at a local restaurant for a nice dinner at noon. Then we all went our respective ways, and I took a nap. At church that Sunday, my choir had sung a lovely cantata, so I had had my "music fix."
School began again. The students weren't ready to come back, and neither were most of the staff. But we are all persevering and have only 6 more Mondays to go.
We had our taxes figured last week, and are getting a refund from both the Feds and the State. What a pleasant surprise that was.
I stood in line last Saturday to get the plates for our two vehicles, one of which doesn't run right now. I had forgotten that plates in our state expire on the 15th and the last day. Ours was the 15th, so I had to do a rush job.
Saturday afternoon, it started raining, and suddenly the temp dropped and we ended up with over an inch of snow on the ground by nightfall. What the he--?? Sunday the temp went up to about 55 degrees, so the snow left in a hurry. All of our flowering trees are stunted, and I am sure my tulips and lilacs won't bloom at all. Damn!
We' re reviewing for county testing at school, and the kids are not at all receptive. I don't think they realize just how important these tests are towards our funding and etc.
I ticked off a couple of teachers today because they are always bashing our special ed system at our school and speaking unkindly about some of "my kids" and I had had enough. I told them that they needed more training on how to deal with learning disabled students, and that the teachers and aides in our department were not superhuman! Suddenly the teacher's lounge was very quiet. But I didn't back down. But I did shut up!!!
My men's quartet sang at a neighboring town's Church of the Brethren revival service. It was my first experience at a revival. It was an eye-opening experience. We had a very receptive audience for our music, but the message was very LONG and repetitive. I don't intend to attend another one any time soon. I was definitely out of my comfort zone. Too intense for me!
It sounds like Professor's school production of "Grease" will be a smashing success. She promised to have it video-taped so Tilly and I can see it. I am also homesick. Did I mention that? Montana is a long way away. Can't wait until school is out and she comes home for a visit.
That's about it for my end.
Cheers!
JE

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS

This is a different kind of list. It was sent to me by one of my very close friends. He truly exemplifies this list. I strive to, but am sure I fall short. I think #35 is the hardest one for me to abide by. JE


An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the kid in you everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most.)
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

I Hate Cell Phones

Yes, I have a cell phone. Only out of necessity. Tilly and I have tried several different plans, and for our budget, a "pay-as-you-go" plan works the best. We don't use the thing much. I take it with me while driving the transit bus, because our dispatcher goes home at 4 and I drive until 6:30 (not a good plan, but I don't run the show there) so I have the phone incase I have a problem and need to call someone.
Yesterday, I decided to buy more minutes for the phone. The company I am with has this web site where you can buy minutes on line. And, if you buy on line, you get a better deal than if you call their toll free number. So, I (or rather, Tilly) goes thru the whole buying process, and alas...the darn thing sends me confirmation, and a reciept that I can print out. But...I never got my minutes added on the phone. I tried calling the customer service number and got a series of recordings, asking me to press 1 for this or press 2 for that. Oh crap! I just got frustrated and hung up, never getting to customer service, or getting my minutes.
So, today, the mighty Tilly tackles the problem. She got on the phone and persevered until she got a "real" person. Would you believe that that "real" person is actually in Venzuela? They did speak English and were helpful, but I marvel that we have to deal with people in ANOTHER COUNTRY!! (Are those types of jobs so menial that an American won't do them?) But I digress...Tilly got her point across and I got my minutes, but I wonder if it is really worth the hassle. Do I really need this phone?
Nothing makes me madder while driving either transit, or my personal auto than to see someone talking on their phone. Or to be sitting next to someone in a restaurant and have them spend the whole time on their phone. The other day someone's phone rang in CHURCH! Now, I ask you, is anything that important?
I have caught students text messaging in class, too. I confisgate the phones, turn them in at the office, and the student has to deal with the assistant principal to get it back, which usually involves a call home to Mom, tears, and needless to say, lost minutes on ones plan. We tried outlawing cells at school, but parents had a fit. Yes parents! What if my child needs me? What if they need a ride home? And so it goes. Whatever did we do without cell phones? I know, we called from a pay phone, or walked to a friends and called Mom. Or, horrors of horrors, just waited until we got home to call our friends.
I suppose CP's do have a place. They are convenient, but I wonder just how people who are on the welfare rolls, and free lunch program at school can really justify owning them.
I am seriously considering giving my CP up when my new minutes are gone, but then again, when Tilly and I are out on the road taking a run to our fav mall or just bumming around on a nice afternoon, it does offer a way to call AAA if we have a car problem. Maybe it's worth having just to be safe at our age. Maybe I will keep it a while longer. Did I just talk myself into something here?

Spring Fever

Spring fever is striking the school where I toil. I can see it descending like a cloud. This is not a bad thing, but it sure takes it's toll on the teachers. We are an inner city school, bereft with poverty and apathy. Spring fever doesn't bode well for us.
Today, first period, my most challenged student came into my room and announced, "I didn't do my homework last night." I challenged him as to why, and he informed me that he "didn't feel like it."
Second period, one of my sixth graders said he was tired when he got home from school, so his parent didn't think he needed to do his homework. That remark got Mom a call from the lead teacher. Both were steamed!
Third period, I subbed in a study hall and all went rather smoothly. Our study hall system is a walk in, finish up your homework, then procede on to class. Today, I only had one student.
Fourth period was okay, only Steven got on my one nerve, so I had to eat a slab of chocolate.
By the end of the day, the other aide that shares my room with me, and I were hitting the chocolate covered, nutty bars. One of my kids came in and offered me a life saver, and I said, "No thanks, we're hitting the hard stuff."
I love spring, and all it brings. But it does make the job harder.

Pugs

Tilly and I have a Pug. We did a lot of inquiring ( we thought) before we purchased her 3 years ago. We paid out the wang-wang for her. She is a lovely little companion to Tilly while I am gone. She like me, but is crazy about Tilly. She seems pretty smart, but is undoubtedly the most stubborn canine we have ever owned. We diligently house broke this dog as a pup, but she still doesn't get it.
She will go out doors, wander the yard, bark at the neighbor's beagle, and anyone who walks within a half-mile of our yard. When she finally decides to do her "business" she turns in a full circle in the same spot not once, but many times, (I have actually counted up to 16 circles) then finally does her thing.
The only thing is, she will come back in the house and 15 minutes later, poop on the floor. She has completely ruined out living room carpeting, and has a favorite spot in the dining room. I think she does this out of spite. Is that possible or is she just too stupid to catch on that she is supposed to take care of all bodily functions OUTSIDE?
She is also a notorious shedder. We had Kees before and they shed a lot. But I honestly think that she tops them. She doesn't have a hair on her body longer than an inch to an inch-and-a-half, and she sheds like a cat. We have tried switching food, grooming (actually overgrooming) and still she sheds. I hate the hair. It's brittle and gets in the weave of a sweater or even my slacks and shirts, and is hell to get out.
All in all, I would give her to the first band of gypsies that would go by,(I threatened my kids with the same treatment when they were still home) but Tilly says NO! Tilly did concede to running an ad to see if someone was interested in buying this dog, but when someone expressed interest, she changed her mind. "She wanted to cage her all day while she is at work. Pansy has never be caged, she would be traumatized." So, here we are, still cleaning up after a 3 year old dog, brushing the hair from everything, and still having her lay close and snore in the way only a loving, content Pug can do. Anyone got any suggestions?
JE

I Hate Computers!

I am beginning to hate computers. For over a week now, I have pissed and moaned about my blogging site; that it wouldn't work, was "google's" fault, and that I was frustrated.
Well, a while ago, "wife-type-person" decided to go into the nether regions of our old (literally) PC, and deleted all cookies(I'm thinking Oreos) and cleaned up the hard drive with some magic formula that only she seems to know where to click to find, and PRESTO, suddenly my site is up and running.
So, now I have two blogs and two blog sites. I think I will stick here for a while longer, so keep in touch.
JE

Zounds

I am at my wits end. I can post to this blog from another computer, but when I try to post from my home PC, I get an" error on page" message and it won't let me post. What is wrong? Every since we had to change over to google, I have had nothing but problems. I have started a new blog called Chasing Time. Join me there.
Maybe this problem will resolve itself, but if any one has any ideas, let me know via comments here.
JE

15 Things It Took Me 61+ Years to Learn

I know, it's another list. But it's worth it! This one came from my sister-in-law in TX.

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings".

3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. You should not confuse your career with your life.

6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

7. Never lick a steak knife.

8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

14. Your friends love you anyway.

15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: a lone amateur built the Ark; A large group of professionals built the Titanic

When I Was A Kid

I have many memories of my childhood. Some of them are very fond. I shall attempt to share a few. This was a tag from Professor.

For my fifth birthday I received a maroon and cream two wheeled bike. Now, I had never ridden a bike before, so I needed training wheels. Dad installed them a little close to the ground, which made braking pointless. It didn’t brake. I rode out of our driveway, into the gravel road, which went past our house. There was a little hill and then a bridge going across a channel where rowboats were moored for rent. I kept veering left towards the channel, trying to stop. I was hollering, “stop,” but I just kept rolling and rode out into the channel. It was only 3 feet deep, so there was no danger to me, but my bike was totally submersed. Our neighbor got a rake, waded into the channel and rescued my bike. Mom laughed!

We had woods behind where we lived; we played there all the time. We would leave in the morning and traipse back to the woods where we played cowboys and Indians all day. We thought Mom never knew where we were, but found out as adults that she and the neighbor lady would periodically walk into the woods to where she could see us, check on us, and then walk back home.

Going to Grandma F.’s was fun. She lived in town. She bought Pepsi Cola. She let my brother and I stay up and watch the “late show.” She had T.V.; we didn’t.

I wanted to smoke. My dad smoked, so Mom let my brother and I light up. I was about 7. She didn’t let us quit! I think I turned green!

Christmas was always exciting. One year we got real leather boxing gloves. However, our parental unit didn’t think what the smell of leather might do to our dog. Christmas morning we got our “prechewed” boxing gloves.

Parents were gone for a long weekend. Brother and I invited 50 of our friends to our lake house for a “beer party.” The sheriff showed up, but we had a phone call warning us. So Brother and I and another friend, tossed all the beer into our canoe, paddled into the middle of the lake, and started tossing beer bottles and cans into the water. Then we paddled into the shadows (it was after midnight) and bulrushes and waited. Sure enough, the sheriff arrived, knocked on the door, walked around the house, then left. What a waste of good beer!

A bunch of neighborhood kids decided to go “halloweening” aka prank playing. We threw corn at the old man next door’s windows, we lit a burlap bag of cow poop outside another guys door on his cement porch, and hid and watched him come out and stomp it out! We smashed a pumpkin and stuffed it into a mailbox, causing the owner to shoot a shotgun over our heads. We climbed a farm fence topped with barbed wire, getting ripped pants, ran through a field and across an old cemetery where Brother fell into a sunken grave. What a night.

We always ate our evening meal together, at the dining room table, with a tablecloth and real china. Supper was on the table promptly at 6 p.m. We even prayed before we ate.

We prayed at school every day before going to lunch. Lunch was real food, cooked at school by some farm ladies who ran the lunchroom. The best chicken and noodles I ever ate came from there.

Going to church was not optional. When the old Chevy was pointed towards town and church, we were expected to be in the back seat. We never questioned going or complained about it, either.

Natural Highs

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry ).
12. A cold beer on a hot day.
13. Belly laughing.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you.
19. Phone calls from friends.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're still handsome.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS.
24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
26. Your first kiss (the very first).
27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
28. Playing with a new puppy.
29. Finding a really good book and having time to read.
30. Sweet dreams.
31. Hot chocolate.
32. Road trips with friends.
33. Swinging on swings.
34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
35. Making chocolate chip cookies.
36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
37. Holding hands with someone you care about.
38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
39. Watching the __expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
40. Watching the sunrise.
41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
42. Knowing that somebody missed you today.
43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

SNOW! (Random thoughts thereof)

• If snow is a gift from God, he can keep it!
• 12" of some things is good. Snow is not one of them!
• I hate shoveling!
• People in my neighborhood are insane when it comes to moving snow!
• White reflects too much light!
• Snow removal is a racket!
• The human body is not designed to remove snow!
• I have sore muscles where I didn't even know I had muscles.
• Snow blowers don't work forever! Mine died!
• Snow shovels must be designed by midgets. (At least the handles are.)
• 15 year old boys can shovel three times as much snow as an over-60 grandpa.
• Snow does cover up a lot of dirt and stuff.
• Snow is beautiful when sitting inside looking out.
• Snow makes people drive stupidly.
• Have you ever noticed how quiet it is after a snowfall?
• When it melts, snow makes a real mess.
• Kids love snow!
• I have had enough snow for this winter. By next year, maybe I will have forgotten!

Robbie, Chelsea, and Sue

One of the patrons of my transit route, Sue, is an unmarried woman, middle aged, works hard and no doubt, has lived hard. But anyway, she has these two Rotweilers. Robbie is 10, and Chelsea is only a year. Sunday last, Robbie went missing. Sue hunted her farm over, drove the country roads and the state highway looking and yelling for Robbie. To no avail. Needless to say that on Monday night when I picked her up to take her home, she was beside herself. She tearfully told me that Robbie was the only living thing in this world that loved her unconditionally. She had finally decided that Robbie had been stolen.
After I dropped her off, I offered a prayer for Sue, and Robbie, too. I just wanted God to watch over Robbie, and be with Sue, for she was grieving.
Tonight, when I picked Sue up, I made up my mind that I wouldn't mention Robbie, but as soon as she got on the bus, she said, "I found Robbie." It seems that Sue had baled hay delivered for her horses. The bales were stacked 6 high and several bales thick in her barn. The dogs liked to play on them and they would run and jump on the top of the stack and cavort around while Sue tended her horses. Well, last night when Sue went to the barn, Chelsea went wild around the hay bales and was barking and whining. Sue went to see what was upsetting her, and when she looked in a small space betweenthe bales where Chelsea had her nose stuck, there was Robbie. He had fallen down a hole in the bale stack. Sue said he had a space about 20 inches wide and 30 inches long where either the bales had not been stacked together, or they had shifted. The hole was about 6 feet deep, so Robbie couldn't jump out. He was trapped. Sue is a tiny thing, probably 90 pounds dripping wet, but she said she moved a "hell of a lot" of hay. Robbie was fine. He was hungry and thirsty, but fine.
Doesn't God move in mysterious ways?

SNOW,WINTER, and OTHER STUFF

Well, we finally have had a skiff of snow. It is beautiful. Last night on my usual transit route, I couldn't help marveling at the beautiful vistas I encountered driving in the country. We had about 1/2 inch of snow, which is just enough to cover up the dirt and stuff. I was heading south out of town and the sun was beginning to set. The sun's rays formed that crystal effect on the snow that looks like millions of diamonds on a soft blue and white velvet background. I was in awe. I forget from year to year, just how beautiful the snow can be.
We have had a very mild winter here in Area 52, with warmer than normal temps, and lots of rain. I haven't missed the bitter cold, but I am tired as hell of rain, damp and mud. So for a while I would welcome some cold, pristine weather, which helps clear up the everpresent sinus malady.
As for school, we ended the semester, and have started another one. The kids are restless, but overall aren't too bad. I think they crave some decent weather, too. We are beginning a new unit in English. We are studying linking verbs, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, action verbs, indirect objects, and direct objects. This is stuff that I try to convince the kids that will make them better writers and speakers. It is also in our state educational standards that we have to teach this stuff. I don't think the kids are convinced, but are trying. Time will tell if we are getting there or not, but it sure beats trying to ply them with another outdated novel. (We could sure use some new novels for class, but funding prohibits that. However, the school system spent 185 thousand on a patented "reading" program that is supposed to be so great. I personally think is was a waste of good tax dollars, as it has no strengths for the above average readers. Enough said about that.
Wife Tilly is having trouble getting around today because of the effects of the damp weather on her poor arthritic knees. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Her mom had to go into a nursing home facility this week. That was a sad moment for all of us, but better for her. She is recovering from still another heart "episode" where the emergency room personnel again had to restart her heart. Hopefully being in a skilled care facility, she will regain her strength and be able to once again return home. It will give my 79 year old father-in-law a chance to rest.
We are joyful to know that Professor is back safe and sound in MOFN, MT, and not minding it too badly. She feels more at ease, she says, and of course the fact that she has met "Cowboy" is certainly a plus. Having someone to share your feelings, fun and etc with is always good.
Little Bro has begun his new job as a guard in a prison about 25 miles from here. I wonder why, but maybe he is being led there by a higher power. He seems to like it and is doing well in the training phase.
I continue to sing. I love making music and praising the Lord, but mostly , I love singing with the people I make music with. They are a great group and singing with those 3 guys fills my heart and soul with something that is really not describable in words. It is just a joy.
This hodgepodge of rambling just got too long. It also served not only to update my 1 or 2 readers, but also gave me time to just put some feelings and stuff into words.
-"thought for the day...In making decisions which involved using your head or your heart, go with your heart. You will be happier in the long run, and you will meet a lot more interesting people along the way."

Things To Ponder for 2007

I ganked this from my friend Bob. But Thought all who read my ramblings might enjoy it!



#10 Life is sexually transmitted.
#9 Good health is merely the slowest rate at which one can die
#8 Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an
erection, make him a sandwich.
#7 Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to
use
the internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
#6 Some people are like a slinky... not really good for anything, but
you
still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
#5 Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in the hospital
dying
of nothing
#4 All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention
to
criticism.
#3 Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars, and a
substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents???
#2 In the 60's, people took LSD to make the world weird. Now the world
is
weird and people take Prozac to make it normal. AND THE NUMBER ONE
THOUGHT
FOR 2007... We know exactly where one cow with mad-cow-disease is
located
among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't a
clue as
to where thousands of Illegal immigrants and Terrorists are located.
Maybe
we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration.

Back Home Again in Area 52

It's great to have Professy home! Of course it would have been greater if Tilly was over bronchitis, and then the real pits is, I got the flu. For 24 hours I honestly thought I would die. And, I didn't care. In the middle of last night, I knew I was going to recover...I woke up craving a tangarine. The first inclination that the worst was over. Today, I have showered and ate that tangarine and now am exhausted. But there is promise in the air.
Prof and I have had some good visits, but the only thing wrong with them is that they all lead back to our jobs...teaching! Can we never get away from it? LOL!
While she is home, I still want to take that long walk, go for a dad and daughter coffee break, and play some "out for blood" games. We still have another week! Boy a lot to cram in to 7 days. But we will doit. Pray that we all stay well!
JF

A Great Day

Today has been a great day. It started off great with a wonderful Advent Church service, lots of music, lots of praise, and reception of several new members. One of the quartets I sing in closed the service with a rousing contemporary Christian Christmas number, and we rocked the rafters. People actually clapped along, and applauded when we finished. A real WOW! moment.
We came home and hung out for a while, and then we went Christmas shopping. This was not a very successful venture, but I came home one sweater richer! Even though we didn't buy much, and it is getting closed to Christmas, we still had a good time. Then we went to Dairy Queen and had a Moolate . Tilly had French Vanilla, and I had Peppermint Mocha! Then we went for a drive and just enjoyed the day. We watched people out decorating with lights and decided that we would have to go back at night and see what they look like. All in all it was a just a fun day.
There is one catch, though. I have to go back to work tomorrow! Ugh! I think I need to take a "mental health" day and call in sick. Ah! There's an idea. Maybe on Wednesday, 'cause I don't have to drive the transit bus that night. Wow! A whole day to do absolutely nothing. That's almost unheard of for me. Talk about burning the proverbial candle at both ends. Mine should be a stub by now! I have friends that are retired and are enjoying it. I could see how that would be great. I will look into it next when the big 62 rolls around. Don't know if it would be feasible financially, but it might be worth looking into. Who knows? Let's see, what is on the agenda next???
Everyone have a good week!
JE

28 Unalderated Truths About Me

I'm a thief! Ganked it from Professor

1. Explain what ended your last relationship. It’s been so long, but I think she threw me over for another older guy. The BITCH!
2. When was the last time you shaved?Last night!
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.? Trying to teach a dumb 7th grade girl about the 8 parts of speech in a 1 on 1 session.
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?Crying over something wonderful that just happened.
5. Are you any good at math? No! Terrible, horrible, and basically suck at it!
6. Your prom night? Boy! That’s been aeons ago. I think I stayed sober, and the girl I took was a dog! My college formal dance was better. I married that gal!
7. Do you have any famous ancestors? nope.
8. Have you had to take a loan out for school?yes, one!
9. Do you know the words to the song on your Myspace profile?What the hell is a “myspace profile?
10. Last thing received in the mail?bills, catalog (King Size) and Christmas Cards.
11. How many different beverages have you had today?Coffee, Coffee, Frozen Coke, and a Frostie from Wendy’s
12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machine?I HATE answering machines. Leave messages only when necessary.
13. Whom did you lose your CONCERT virginity to? Billy Joel! That sounds weird, doesn’t it?
14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? No…peeing in public is against the law!
15. What was the most painful dental procedure you have had? Oral surgery and having a stainless steel post imbedded in the jaw bone for a special crown.
16. What is out your back door? Back yard, dog shit, garage, trashcans.
17. Any plans for Friday night? It’s payday, so we’ll probably go to Dairy Queen.
18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair? I love the ocean. I don’t have hair, so who cares!!!
19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns? Yes, but the cheese stuff is pure SHIT!
20. Have you ever been to a planetarium? yes
21. Do you re-use towels after you shower?Not if we have any clean ones in either bathroom!
22. Some things you are excited about? Have the kids all here for Christmas!
23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO? I detest Jello! I only eat it when I am sick!
24. Describe your keychain(s).A long, black lanyard, lots of keys and school I D.
25. Where do you keep your change? I carry a little coin holder thingy.
26. What kind of winter coat do you own? I own a leather bomber jacket, a long black wool trench coat, a black wool parka, a red and black nylon down filled coat. (I love coats, can you tell?)
27. What was the weather like on your graduation day?Hot and sultry at high school, and colder than hell and snowing at college. I graduated mid year on the 14th of Dec.
28. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed? Open, ‘cause I am nearly deaf without my HA and need to know if the house falls in or something.

All I Want For Christmas

This year, I dont need gifts. I just want the following things:

Snow: not a lot, just enough to get in the spirit of the season.

Wonderful music at church

Spending time with my family

Safe travel as the Professor comes home to Area 52 for Christmas

Plenty of sugar cookies

Singing around the piano

Talking to my Texas relatives

Lots of Christmas cards

Hanging out with friends

Getting recharged for a second semester of school

Singing "Silent Night" at church on Christmas Eve

Touching base with our good buddies in Ohio

Having a chance to sleep in

Taking that walk with Prof

Just being warm and well and content

The Ghosts of Christmas Past

As Christmas time approaches, I get rather nostalgic when I think about Christmases in the past. I love Christmas. Always have, always will. I think sometimes we lose sight of the real meaning of the holiday, but I still recall what it is all about and enjoy all aspects of the season to the fullest.
When I was a kid, we NEVER had an artificial tree. Dad always went shopping for our huge tree. He would bring it home, trim it to fit the stand, and then lug the monster into the living room. Sometimes, it was so crooked that he had to wire it to the curtain rod, but by the time he got it anchored, it was as straight as an arrow. Then he began to put on the lights. This was when my bro and I usually slinked away and hid until Mom gave us the "all clear" signal. Dad and lights were not patient with each other. Then we all decorated the tree. Mom would let Bro and I toss the icicles on from afar, then when we left the room, Mom would patiently straighten them out so they hung just right.
I remember when I was about 9 or 10, I got the neatest set of cap guns. I had admired them in our local "general" store for at least two months. There on Christmas morning, under the tree, were the gold plated, holsters and two "six" shooters. I was the toughest cowboy in the neighborhood. (By the way, I still have them.)
I remember going to Grandpa's on Christmas. Seems like I always got a flashlight every year. And pajamas! Thank God for grandparents who remember it is polite and proper to wear pajamas!
I remember how Tilly broke out in some sort of rash the first Christmas we were married. I didn't know she was alergic to pine sap, so from that time on, we have always had to have an artificial tree.
I remember the Christmas when Professor was about 2, she went to the midnight service with us. I was in the choir and looked out and there she stood, holding her candle, singing "Silent Night." I still choke trying to sing that carol.
I remember when Little Bro's teacher called us just to tell about him telling a little girl in the 2nd grade the whole story of the meaning of Christmas: "it's was Jesus' birthday." The little girl had never heard the Christmas Story before!
I remember when Prof was old enough to read the Christmas Story, from the King James version of the Bible, Luke: 2. I was both amazed and touched! I still am!
I remember the Christmas Day that the temperature plummeted to -25F and we had to drive the old Pinto to Grandma's because the "good" car wouldn't start. We piled in, 4 people, a turkey and all the trimmings, and gifts for everyone, and headed out. The driver's side door latch was broke, so we held the door closed with a "bungie" tarp strap.
I remember the first Christmas after my mom passed away. We laughed, we cried and we had a ball raising a toast to all Christmases past.
Everyone! Have a great Christmas. Yes, Christmas. Not "holiday." After all, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

My Mysterious 6 Things

I ganked this from Professor, but I thought it was an interesting direction to take a blog, and might surprise a few readers:

1. I want to play baseball. I know, you all think, "what?" but it my desire to play slow pitch softball on a community league. At my age, I don't think I could see a fast-pitched ball coming soon enough to swing at it. And I can't run too well anymore, so an old timer's league would be perfect.

2. I want to sing at Carnegie Hall once before I die. I think it would be a thrill to sing a solo in front of thousands of people. I am getting ready for a major solo in front of two or three hundred, and I am already excited and I have another 3 weeks to go.

3. I want to spend at least one winter in a warm climate. I am hoping that Tilly and I can go either to Florida or Arizona (would prefer the latter) sometime and be one of those older couples that just hang out where it is warm.

4. I have this desire to own a red, two seater sports car. Maybe a Miata. Why not? Other than $$.

5. I am basically a person that hates to go to bed at night. I don't mind getting up at the butt-crack of dawn to greet the day, but going to bed is a drag. I guess I have always been this way, cause my Mom always said she thought it was because I was afraid I might miss something. I don't know what I would miss at this stage of my life, but I still have to cave in and force myself to go beddy bye.

6. I love the English language. I love being in 4 English classes this year. I am learning so much right along with my students. I love the way verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs and all the other parts of speech fit together to make a cohesive sentence. Am I wierd or what? It's fun!

This was silly but also true. It made me stop and think.

The Test From Hell

Today I gave my 7th graders the "test from hell." Oh, I didn't have a choice, it was the next step in a long month of a literature unit. We assigned the novella, "A Summer to Die" a month ago. Now, the lead teacher in this class is a classic Language Arts teacher. She not only assigns the novella, she actually "assigns" the novella. She passes out a copy to each student, only after affixing a label with their name on it inside the front cover. Students are expected to read this novel over a period of two weeks, they are given several days of silent, sustained reading time in class, (this is where I take my students who are learning disabled, to my room and read out loud to them. During this time, we also discuss parts of the novella, do exegisis exercises, plot lines, small group discussions, discuss the five elements of fiction, motifs, themes, character analysis, and a whole bunch of other crap which bores the kids out of their gourds. Then the test comes. It is a friggin' 8 pages long. My kids get the adapted or differentiated version, which is still 8 pages long, and harder than heck. It starts out with multiple choice, which gives them at least a 25% chance of getting the right answer. Next there are matching questions like what is a "protagonist?" "What is "irony" and the students are supposed to match up with the answers. Well, even the fact that discussed all of this yesterday and the day before that and the day before that, I was met with a lot of "DUH" looks and scratching of heads. Then came the direct quotes from the book and who said them, without a word list to go by. Wow! If I hadn't read this book every year for the last 6, I couldn't pass that part. The essay was skipped. I guess that was the differentiation the teacher made. But the hardest part was giving the kids 12 strips of paper with events from the book, and having them put them in order from the first event to the last. That about blew the kids away. I have to admit, I helped them some on that one. Not enough to call it cheating, but at least enough to get them started.
I had a few students who had actually read the book from cover to cover, had paid attention in class, had taken good notes and had actually studied for the test. Other students just plain didn't care enough to even try. What do I do with them. One group of 5 students have 5 different learning levels. This makes my job so difficult some days.
Anyway, the novel was boring, it was depressing about two teenage sisters, where the older sister is beautiful and popular, but contracts leukemia and ends up dying. It was written in 1979, and no doubt is good lit, but it's time for a change.
The next novel we will read is the same novel my son, now 31, read when he was in 7th grade. Not for the same teacher, however! Like I said, it's time for a change.

Big Bee Hunter Goes Wild

We have had a mouse. I have tried the conventional "slammer" mouse traps, baited with such delicacies as peanut butter, cheeses, and even a pre chewed juji-bead. with absolutely no results. The little "el raton" steals my bait and runs. Tilly bought a new type of trap that looks like a giant binder clip. You open it and it locks, you place bait on a little tab, and when the little bugger grabs for the bait, WHAM! Well, the other night about 1:30 the dog went wild, and Tilly woke me up and said that she was sure that I had finally caught the nasty little bait stealer. I got up and went to check. Sure enough, there the little f--ker was. Yeah Me! It was raining cats and dogs out, and I was in my tighty-whities, so I didn't relish dumping the mouse out in the trash bin. I didn't want it in the house all night worrying the pooch, so I decided to give it "burial at sea." So with a great flourish and much fan fare, I flipped the flush handle on the commode, and dropped the mouse into the bowl. WTF!!! the little gray blankety-blank started swimming. Those things can really "mouse paddle!" I let him swim and tried flushing again, same results. He wouldn't go down the drain. So, being the great white hunter that I am, I grabbed the toilet plunger from its nearby container, and plunged down on my little friend. I held it under until it drowned. Then, I decided that "what if he really isn't dead and I flush him and he crawls back up the sewer pipe and bites me on the ass!!! So I grabbed him by the tail, jammed him down in a garbage bag, emptied all the waste baskets in on top of him and set the bag out on the back porch. Next day, the city refuse company carried my little friend away and stashed him in our local land fill.
After relating this tragedy to my father-in-law, he said that usually where there is one mouse, there is supposedly 11 more. Oh holy shit!

Saga of the "Bus Bitch"

As you all know by now, I drive a transit bus for our county here in area 52. Our system is a "call and make an appointment" system, rather than having regular routes and bus stops.
I have one client who has a standing pickup time of 5:45 pm, Monday thru Thursday. We have a 5 minute wait time after the time the client schedules. The "Bus Bitch" (whom I will refer to as BB) is always late. Most nights I wait anywhere from 9 to 20 minutes on her. Which is against the rules of the transit company. Besides it always makes me late for my next scheduled pickup. But being a nice guy, and knowing that BB doesn't have any other way to get the 7 miles home, I have been breaking the rules and waiting. Well, last week, after a 20 minute wait, I decided to put a stop to her perpetual lateness. (Other drivers have complained that every morning it is the same thing: wait, wait, wait.) I told her when she came out of her place of business and was boarding my vehicle that I would not wait that long on her any more. I tried to explain that we had our rules to follow and that she was making me late for my other clients. Wow! This woman flew into a rage! She grabbed her stuff and "trounced" off the bus, all the while screaming at me about unfair I was, how screwed up our system was, how I didn't understand how hard it was to manage alone, and on and on. She threw things, and in a word, threw a real "tizzy fit." Any moment I expected her to lay down on the ground and kick her feet! This woman is 50 years old!
I, then, in my infinite wisdom, ask her if she was done cussing and raving. She looked at me with such hatred that I was wondering if she had an uzi stashed in that king-size sachel she always carries. I said that I might as well take her home, she had wasted so much time that I was already very late for my next and final client. She got into the bus, clear in the back seat, where she would have a clear shot at the back of my head if she had the uzi, and the proceeded to bawl all the way home. One the way home, I picked up my last rider of the day who wondered if I had forgotten him. I apologized to him about being late. He rode along while I took BB the rest of the way home. Upon arriving at her house, she wouldn't let me help her with her stuff, and when I asked her for her bus fare she told me it was "back on the friggin' seat," and stormed off the bus. The gentleman rider with me said after she was out of earshot, "I don't think she was too happy with you for some reason!"
Now, childlike behavior is expected from a child, but from a woman of 50? Who needs this shit! I filed a formal complaint with the company, called my manager, and then went home. As of today, our 5 minute wait time policy was reinforced at a general drivers meeting. As of today, I will wait 5 minutes, and if BB isn't on my bus at 5:50pm, I am to pull away, and not worry about how she gets home. I could gloat, and say "I won," but did I win anything. Secretly, I am pleased that now she has to follow all the rules if she wants to ride, but I also wonder just how she will get home if I don't take her. After all, I do have a heart!

The "Four" List

Another one of those lists of things you might or might not know about Jimmie Earl:


A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Salesperson in a Wholesale Sporting Goods Store
2. Office Manager in a lumber yard
3. Diswasher and short order grill cook
4. Assoc Chemist in a research and development Lab

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Twister
2. Dances With Wolves
3. Murphy's Romance
4. American President

C) Four places I have lived:
1. Where I currently reside, next door to the "nightmare on Elm St."
2. Huge Victorian near a city park in Area 52
3. Small starter ranch on a tree lined Lane
4. Huge, super huge, house on a mid sized lake in Area 52

D) Four television shows I watch:
1. Criminal Minds
2. Lost
3. Jeopardy
4. Numb3rs

E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Intercourse, Penn (just had to list that one)
2. San Francisco (my favorite big city )
3. Ludington, Michigan (absolutely the best vacation site ever)
4. Disney Land

F) Websites I visit daily:
1. my email
2. Yahoo Weather
3. Babble from Babbler
4. Yahoo Crosswords

G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mi Pueblo Nachos Grande Beef
2. Steak
3. My wife's cooking, specifically her fried chicken, chocolate sheet cake
4. Breyer's vanilla bean Ice Cream

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Somewhere warm, maybe Tahiti
2. In bed
3. On the couch
4. In the country

There was one more that I refuse to answer due the fact that I might incriminate myself:
1. Jennifer O'Neill
2. Jacilyn Smith
3. Jennifer Aniston
4. Sophia Loren (even if she's scads older than I)

Fall Blogger's Block

It's fall. Here in Area 52, the leaves are rapidly turning their beautiful fall colors, the days are getting shorter, and the weather is changing. Today, we had our first sighting of snow, and it's only October 12. I wonder what Columbus felt when he landed in America if the weather was like this!!
I have also noticed that my fellow bloggers that I try to read daily or at least semi-regularly, are way behind on their blogs, as am I. Maybe no one has anything worth writing right now, or are too busy. I just think it's strange that several of us are having a hard time or less energy to write. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and maybe I will have just the inspiration to write. But for now, a good book, a quilt and a soft pillow sounds like a plan.
JE

What a "Crap" Week

This week has been total "crap." I haven't blogged recently due to the fact that I haven't had much of interest going on.
Two weeks ago I had dental surgery. Big woo! I had two teeth extracted by surgery. It hurt like hell for a couple of days, but the la la drugs the surgeon gave me helped with that. As a matter of fact, they helped me so well, I missed an extra day of school. Now I am waiting for the holes to heal, then I have to have a partial plate made with some false teeth. This will go well with the hearing aid and glasses I already wear. Growing old isn't for the weak, let me tell you.
At school, we are taking the tests required by the state here in Area 52. I helped administer these tests to my merry band of sixth graders who already struggle with learning. That's why I am there. Anyway, some of them really tried, but some didn't give a shit, refused to listen to our instructions, or even try to work through to get the correct answers. Thus making the lead teacher's job as well as mine doubly hard. It is now when I would like to call the head honcho of our state's board of education into the classroom and let her figure out how the hell we are to get our test scores up when we have students who simply aren't capable of doing the work required. No wonder Area 52's test scores are in the commode! I am still wondering how these 6th graders got to 6th grade and can't read other than simple words, and do not know their multiplication tables. Come on!
While I am bitching, my arthritis in my right hip is really hurting. The weather here is cold and damp and that aggravates it even worse. I am developing it in my feet now. Toes and ankles hurt all the time. I drive a county transit bus in the afternoons daily after school, and I had to ask my manager for a bus with automatic doors so I don't have to climb in and out all the time. That's another bummer.
My church has been under renovations for several months. The building has been such a mess that we have been meeting in the auditorium of the school where I spend 5 days a week already. I haven't been going! That's so not like me. But my heart just isn't in it. Our new building is about ready, and the building committee keeps dangling the carrot, but delaying opening up our new facility. They want everyone to be WOWed on the first Sunday in our new building, so they think everything has to be perfect. My church choir, which is where most of my "church energy and love" is, has yet to begin their fall practicing due to lack of space to practice. So I don't have that to look forward to. The quartets I sing in have been practicing sporadically, and I miss that, too.
On top of that, my garage is a mess, and I can't get my car in. I need to spend a day finding a place for the stuff Professor didn't take with her to MT, put away my junk that I have just set any old place all summer long, and get it cleaned out and tidied. But after working until about 7 every evening, I am not in the mood to clean the damn garage.
Speaking of Professor, next Tuesday the 26th is her BD. It will be the first one we have not celebrated with her in person. I UPSed her gifts to her today. Lots of stuff I would like to share with her but can't, and dammit, I am just homesick. She has been such a dynamic part of our lives for so long, and I miss her terribly.
So, now that I have griped, bitched and complained for several paragraphs, I will bid you all adieu. Tomorrow is another day and is bound to be better.

I was tagged! It's about me- of course!
Professor tagged me with this meme. So, here it is!

1. Do you still have tonsils? – No: taken out on my 5th birthday.

2. Would you bungee jump? – Are you nuts? My luck would be that the cord would be too long for my slightly pudgy body and I would be just a grease spot on the ground!!

3. If You Could Do Anything In The World For A Living What Would It Be? – Be a matress tester LOL, or be a real teacher instead of a overworked, underpaid teaching assistant.

4. How many tattoos do you have? – 0. Good grief! Being numbed for a two-tooth extraction was bad enough. Why would I let some guy that looks like a geek stab me with electric needles about 10, 000 times and imbed my skin with some man made ink that contains who-knows what toxins!! Get real!

Your favorite fictional animal? – Black Beauty, My Friend Flicka and Lassie.

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? –My friend Lauri! She's a singing buddy, mother of 2 and has the quickest wit and keenest sense of humor of anyone else I know.

7. Do you consider yourself well organized? – Look at my wood shop and then ask that question. Shit no!

8. Any Addictions? – yes- singing, chocolate, and books.

9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? – CNN and local TV, but, hell, I work two jobs daily and have to sleep sometime, so when do I have time to catch the news. Jeopardy is more important!

10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? – Neither! Carnivals are too loud and circuses stink.

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? – At 12 probably a cowboy. Do you all realize how many years ago that was?

12. Best Movie You've Seen This Year? – Ransom

13. Favorite alcoholic drink – Margarita on the rocks, with salted rim. Or Coors Silver Bullet.

14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? – hit snooze. Once, then go pee.

15. Siblings? – One bro . A fine human being. Older and wiser than me.

17. Have you ever gone to therapy? – No. I teach 12,13 and 14 year-olds. Why would I need therapy. They are very good at pointing out all my bad points.

18. If you could have one super power what would it be? – Visiting with the dead.

19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? – No, I don't think so! What the hell is Ikea, anyhow?

20. Have you ever gone camping? – Yes. Used to camp a lot when single. Went on a three week camping trip with 5 in a fold out camper. Enough!

21. Gas prices! First thought? – Fu--ing Commies in D.C!

22. Your favorite cartoon character? – Wiley Coyote

23. What was your first car? – 1954 Plymouth Savoy. Green: wouldn't start if the temp was below 32 degrees F.

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? – no. It has worked for me for over 37 years. It just takes a lot of work daily on the part of both people. Lots are not willing to work at it. Divorce is too easy to get. That's the outdated ritual!

25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? – Yuck! Neither one! Cosby is a favorite as a stand-up, but his show sucked!

26. Do you go to church? Every Sunday (almost)

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? – Anwar Sadat(if he was still with us), Jennifer O'Neill, Billy Joel

28. What errand/chore do you despise? – grocery shopping, cutting grass.

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? – Is it Saturday yet?

30. Last time you puked from drinking? – I was 21, passed out in someone's yard, my Bro found me took me home and put me to bed. I awoke next afternoon.

31. What is your heritage? – Irish, and German

32. Favorite flower? – Zennias

33. Disney or Warner Bros? – Disney

34. What is your best childhood memory? – I have many, but the willingness of my parents to let my bro and I have our firends to the house for swimming parties in summer, ice skating and sledding parties in winter is one of the best. My mom actually would make gallons of hot chocolate and we would roast hot dogs and marshmallows in the fire place. Also Christmases at Grandpa's house with all the cousins.

35. Your favorite potato chip? – Lay's Matsterpiece BBQ

36. What is your favorite candy? – chcoclate

37. Do you burn or tan? – BURN

38. Astrological sign? – Taurus

39. Do you own a gun? – Did, but gave it to my son.

40. What do you think of hot dogs? Roasted over an open fire! GREAT!

I don't wish to tag anyone right now. Let me think on it a while. Most of the bloggers I read have already been tagged.

My Heroes

In today’s world, heroes aren’t what they used to be. Today, famous people who make millions and live in the height of luxury are the people our young citizens are looking up to as heroes. I have no doubt that actors, rock stars and pro athletes are fine people. But heroes: not a chance.
These are not the people that I want my grandson to consider as heroes. I want him to realize who the real American heroes are.
The real heroes are the doctors and nurses who study for years to become experts in their fields, and then give of themselves so unselfishly to save the lives of many.
The real heroes are the countless men and women who serve their country in the military, sacrificing themselves so we might live free.
The real heroes are the farmers who toil hours on end in all kinds of weather in order to provide food for our nation and for others in the world who are starving.
The real heroes are the firemen, EMT's and police, who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us from both natural and man-made dangers.
The real heroes are the teachers who spend countless hours in the classrooms of America’s schools educating our young people. They often do this for below-standard pay in below-standard conditions, yet they persevere, knowing the reward of seeing our nation’s young people fulfill their thirst for knowledge.
The real heroes are the religious leaders of this country who faithfully bring the word of God to people, giving even the downtrodden a glimmer of hope.
The real heroes are the staff members in nursing homes and retirement centers that strive daily to make the final years of our older Americans as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
Yes, these are the real heroes of the American people. They do not live in mansions or in extreme luxury; they are regular people who just make a difference.

The Rite of Passing

We hear a lot and read a lot about "rites of passage" such as puberty, teen dating etc. but I am talking about "the rite of passing." Or our bizarre way of dealing with the death of a loved one.
From what I have read recently, the Eskimos used to set their loved ones on an ice floe at their death and release them to the elements. This goes along with the "back to nature, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" concept. Vikings set their dead afloat in their boats after igniting the boat into flames. Some tribes of Native Americans built platforms high off the ground, placed their dead, and some of the items them might need in the next life, upon the platform and offered their loved ones up to the Great Spirit. Aside from the stench that must occur for a while, this doesn't seem like a bad plan either. But environmentalists would bust a gut!
Our society, at least here in Area 52, has a rather bizarre and what I consider somewhat barbaric rite of passing. State and federal laws mandate just what can be done with a dead body now days. I have a good buddy in the funeral home business, and I sincerely mean him no disrespect, but I just don't buy into all the fladerah that goes with buring our dead. Do you know that the average cost of a funeral here in Area 52 is upwards of $6000 now?
Upon death, we remove the blood from our loved ones while filling them with some sort of preserving fluid. Then we make them look as natural as possible with cosmetics, dress them in their Sunday best, place them in a $2000 coffin (low end cost, probably) flank them with flowers, and then parade all the family and friends past their coffin forcing them to look at someone who can't look back. How strange is this!!! I don't sleep in a suit, nor do I ever even lay down in a suit. Nor do I know anyone who does. This is just plain weird!
Funeral services are becoming status symbols all over America. What's wrong with a small graveside service with a few scriptures, a song or two and then it's over. I have attended this kind of service, and I have attended the kind of service where it seemed like a staged, musical production. Both got the dead buried, but the first one seemed more personal and caring. Both provided closure for the families left behind, but the first one left more time for conversation with the family and friends. Again it's a personal choice.
Burying a body in a sealed coffin, inside a sealed vault six feet underground seems offensive to me, but sticking the coffin in a hole in a wall is worse. There is something about mausoleums that freaks me out. Maybe I am afraid that the ghost of the dead will be able to get free easier and come back to haunt. And in Area 52 it is illegal to spread the ashes of a loved one at their favorite locale, so we either have to bury them or place them on the mantel. UGH! My buddy says that if one is "hell bent" on spreading ashes, just do it and keep your mouth shut!
There is another way to dispose of ashes that is coming to the forefront. Since the ashes of a human are mostly carbon, there is a new process whereby the deceased ashes can be compressed under extreme pressure and made into a diamond. I kid you not!!! During a recent conversation, a friend suggested to her husband that he gain a little weight, because she wanted earrings and a pendant. Tilly is opting for a ring.
I hope I haven't offended anyone with this rambling treatise, but I felt like venting about a subject that just offends me. I have no concrete answers, and I also know that once I am gone, only my body is left. My spirit will be elsewhere. What my family choses to do with me is their choice, not mine, though I have expressed a few ideas along the way. I hope Tilly chooses a platinum setting. I never cared much for gold or silver. And I'm worth it!

It's Okay to Feel Sad

Today I feel sad. I feel sad for my son and his wife. They found out that their baby is gone. They went in hoping to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time, only to have those hopes dashed.
What do I say to them? I can say that Tilly and I have been there, and can sympathize, but do they really want to hear that? No, I don't think so. I can say that it isn't anything they did, but they know that already. I can encourage them to try again when the time is right. They will, I know! But right now all I really want to do is hold them both close and cry with them for a while. I want them to both know that they are loved. That even though it may not seem like it now, God is holding them in the palm of His hand. That tomorrow will seem brighter just because it holds the promise of the future. God bless them both!

Back to School

This week it was "back to school" for me. After a summer of transit driving, dispatching, and the wearing of many hats, I was looking forward to getting back into the classroom. I was a bit apprehensive because not only were we getting a new principal and assistant principal, we were getting a new "special education" staff. I was uneasy about how our routines would be changed. But I needed not have worried. The new administration is caring and proactive, which is a big change for all of us. They are believers in "gentle, but firm" dicipline, and are very much available and visible to us all. The new "special ed" leaders are great! They are full of new, innovative ideas and eager to hear our input and willing to listen.
But the real icing on the cake is the students. They are amazing! I am working primarily with 7th graders, but have two classes of 6th graders, too. The sixth grade students are so eager. They seem enthralled with each new thing the lead teacher and I try in the classroom. Hands are shooting up with eagerness and the smiles I am seeing on their faces just makes the whole classroom experience worth all the effort we as teachers put into our jobs.
Much the same thing is happening with my 7th graders. They come to our classes prepared to learn and seem to be challenging us to teach them. Of course, we always have a few who like to create havoc within the classroom, but both the lead teacher and I have already warned them that we do not intend to put up with their "crap" and expect them to act their age and grade level. So far it is working. This afternoon I walked the 8th grade hallway, curiously observing the students I worked with last year. I saw amazing things happening in the classroom as I slowly (on purpose) strolled by each door. It seems like a magic cloud has decended on our school. At first I could not put a finger on just what is happening, but today it finally hit me. Our staff is more caring and relaxed than they have been in several years. The last two years were pure hell for all of us. Our principal had a monster ego, which in turn, made him into a monster! He was the final and only "word" and we all felt like we were under a microscope. He was more of a dictator than an administrator, and created an animosity that prevailed within the school, reflecting not only on the faculty and staff, but had to be affecting the students as well.
Isn't it strange how one person can either make or break a system, whether it is education, or business. We are all so lucky to have new people at the helm who care and want the best for our kids. It makes it fun to go to work. I no longer dread hearing the alarm go off in the mornings, for I know I will encounter smiles from my students and encouraging words from my peers. GO US!!!

Tiaras, Tatonka and More Damn Driving!

Prof just called and she is in Dickinson, ND. She had an eventful day of tooling down interstate 94. She wore her tiara and jammed to Mellencamp as she drove. Slowing for every herd of cattle because someone told her that there might be buffalo ('Tatonka) on the range there. But, alas, no Tatonka. At a pee stop she asked the clerk where she might see buffalo, and found out that they are all on reserves, because they are coming back from being endangered. Interesting! As she traveled down I 94, she was on a section called the "Laura Ingalls Wilder" expressway. This was in Minnesota, and after crossing into ND, it became the "Enchanted Highway" which she found profoundly ironic since by then she was wearing her tiara. (An aside here, her mother and I actually bought the tiara for her for Christmas last year, and I made a jewel studded, velvet lined box for it.)
Reaching Bismarck, she stopped for a much needed rest stop, and got turned around when getting back on I 94, and headed back east; twice. Finally she found out that to get back on going west, you had to cross a Burger King parking lot, through a storage complex driveway, up a big "fu--ing hill, and turn right to the on ramp. She wondered why everyone in the parking lot at the gas station looked at her funny as she walked across the lot, and discovered looking in the glass windows of the store that she still had on her tiara. She immediately hurried back to the car and took it off.
Between Fargo and Bismarck, there was a iron sculpture of geese, just sitting in a big field in the middle of nowhere. She stopped to take a picture of it. Seven cars passed by while she was stopped, all eyes on her with her camera, and, you guessed it, the tiara.
Tilly and I suggested that she not wear the tiara into the town where she will be teaching. They might think one of two things. One, she is weird, or two, she is the new rodeo queen! She opted for "rodeo queen." Being a member of royalty has always been a desire of hers.!!!
Vistiting a Wal-Mart in Bismarck was about the highlight of her day. Buying a liter of shampoo and then finding a place to put it in the car, was a challenge. But, tomorrow night, she will be at her destination. Be sure to read "redneck nerdboy's" entry on her blog about the "pimped out" guy on the interstate. And the Starbucks attack in Fargo. Both a hoot!
Oh, she had to stop due to rain and hail in West Fargo, and twenty minutes later heard on the radio that a tornado touched down where she had just been stopped. She decided she was definitely "not in Kansas anymore, Toto!"
Check in with lilith. I think she's the next guest blogger.
Keep reading, this is THE adventure of Prof's life!

JE

Day One of Prof's Travels

Well people, she is finally out of here! We got everything packed last night, but she was still adding to the already filled automobile still this morning. After many hugs, kisses, and tears, she began her journey. About 3 hours later than I anticipated she would, but any of you that know Prof, know that she walks to the tune of her own drummer.
This morning at 1:00 AM, she discovered that we hadn't packed her "Beatles" picture. Her words were, "I am not going without John, George, Ringo, and Paul." Now bear in mind that this is a framed, glassed, picture that measures approximately 30"x36". I could not see how this was going to fit, but I told her to bring it on. We slid, repacked part of her 40 pairs of shoes, and 20 purses, and wedged it in the backseat covered with a sheet. So she was again at peace with the world.
She will call when ever she changes states, and probably in between, and I know some of you are going to post her progress. I will continue to share, but from a parent's point of view, and keep you updated. So tune in. She has now been gone about 1 hour!
JE

First of Several Updates

As you all know by now, Professor is moving to MONTANA. Today was the last day on her present job. Her laptop was compliments of that job while she was employed there as was her cell phone. Tonight she is both computerless and phoneless. I bet she feels like someone cut off all of her fingers and both ears. LOL.
Tomorrow she has that bit of minor surgery she blogged about earlier in the week. I think that anytime the word "surgery" is used, it is not MINOR, but she seems brave and didn't even think Mom or Dad needed to be there. A friend is going to be there to cheer her on and stay with her. Said friend and "he who is without shirt" will pack up her car at the "frat" house for her on Friday night or Saturday morning. She will arrive at our house Saturday sometime. She intends to sort thru some stuff here and get ready to pack up her car while she is recuperating. Since after this "minor" surgery thingy, she is not allowed to lift over 10 pounds, I'm sure I will get to move boxes from point A to point B for her to sort thru. That is fine with me. I want to help any way I can. Mom is worried that Prof won't have enough to eat or money to buy food when she arrives in MONTANA so she is cleaning out our pantry and we will try squeezing non-perishable food and cleaning items into every conceivible crook and cranny in Prof's POS Malibu.
Now, if you want to hear something weird, Prof's ex husband (divorced 10 years now) offered to come to our house on Tuesday evening and bring Kiddo, and pack Prof's car for her. I can't imagine him being that nice, but "whatever." Isn't that strange? Then, on Wednesday, she will be off on her new adventure. She said she wasn't leaving at the butt-crack of dawn, but wants to get thru the zoo of Chicago while the rush-hours were not in progress.
She promises that she is buying some sort of cell phone to take along on this trip. She has joined AAA auto club in case she has a problem. I wish I had the money to buy her one of those computerized locators, what ever they are called. I think I should make sure she at least has a compass, don't you?
She also has promised to call every evening, and give me an update on her day and a location, then I am supposed to blog it, so all of you out there in blog cyberspace will be able to keep up. When she arrives at her new home, in WhereinthehellamI, Montana, the school is providing her a new laptop with internet service. Then she will resume posting blogs. I am sure all of you are anxious to read about her teaching experiences, as well as her "adventures in cowboy land." I will rest a lot easier when I know she is no longer traveling, and is safely ensconced in her new home.
So, stay tuned. I will try to keep you up to date as much as possible. Maybe this weekend she will have time to blog between sleeping, eating and packing. Who knows!
I ask all of you to keep her in your thoughts and prayers while she is traveling. Thanks!
JE

We Asked Ourselves "Why?"

36 years ago today, our first son was born. He never drew a breath. For some reason, his heart just stopped beating during the birth process. He was perfectly formed, weighed 10 pounds and was 22 inches long. Till had a real hard labor due to his size, but all was proceeding normally yet slowly. Suddenly...nothing.
Today marks his 36th birthday. We asked ourselves then why this happened to us. What had we done wrong. The doctors had no answers. No cord problems, everything seemed fine. His heart just stopped. To this day, we still wonder why. These days, there are all kinds of technology to either stop this from happening, or to find out why it happens. Times have really changed.
Today was a hard one. Some years go by and we don't think much about it, but with all the talk about the new grandchild, it brought back those unhappy memories.
I can say that the experience we shared made us stronger and drew us closer. Our pastor at that time told us that these types of experiences can either make or break a marriage. Fortunately, I believe the loss strengthened our marriage. Not only that, it made us cherish our two living children even more. So good did prevail.
So maybe it's time to stop asking "why" and remember all that is good in our lives. We were taught patience and understanding, as well as love. I thank God for that!