Support Groups - Teachers Successfully Losing Weight/Spring 2005

Ginny - I hope your mother is doing better today. That must be terribly hard on you to see her like that. I will keep you and your family in my prayers today. Actually my DD's teacher was VERY sweet this year. She just didn't teach my DD anything. I have a meeting at her school today, so I am going to find out if they know for sure who is teaching 4th grade next year. Hopefully we will find someone who is lovable AND a good teacher for next year. My normal day for WW is on Tuesdays but I have my golf league on Tuesdays now so I have been going on Wednesdays. Unfortunately I had a retirement party last night, so I had to miss it. My plan C is Monday nights but that was a holiday soooo I am either going to have to try out a plan D or miss this week. I hate missing when I have been bad (too many picnics, retirement parties, graduation parties, and potluck dinners!) because I need that wake up call to get me back on track. Otherwise I just keep blowing it! I definately make better choices than I did before WW but this time of the year is definately a challenge!

Mouse - good luck with the temperary job search and the move. It sounds like you are a very organized, go getter kind of gal. I am sure you will do great!

Summer - Gee does that mean you won't volunteer to come to Michigan for a week or two to create my flower beds? You know Michigan is beautiful in the summer time! (ha, ha) Tomorrow is my last day of school, so I will have lots of time after that to start doing my research! Your multicultural festival sounds like fun. We miss out on some of that good stuff at the high school level. I can almost smell your apple cake!

Must be Robyn is Hatterasmermaid. I laughed out loud when I read your post. The woman in the classroom next to my room probably things I finally lost what was left of my mind! So tell me more about your 7th grader. What does he qualify as? Is he in the resource room or a self-contained classroom? My DS went from no special ed classes in 3rd grade to almost full time this year (6th grade). He is in the resource room for reading, writing, math and academic support. Next year they want him to go into the categorical classroom for math because they only teach algebra in our resource room math classes (like resource room students need algebra!). I have never been to Virgina but for some reason when I was in high school and most of college, that was where I thought I would live when I got out of school. I like the fact that you have the four seasons but your winters aren't as long as ours!

I need to pack up my room so that nothing is lost when the ganitors throw everything into the hallway to clean!!

Sue

Good morning, everyone.
Ginny: I'm thinking of you & your mother. I hope everything is better this morning. :hug:
MMSue: I often question the whole Algebra thing as well to be honest. But 7th grade???? For pity's sake! Its hard, because I teach kids with MR & Autism or other issues, and most of them can't add or subtract without a calculator, but they're required to take Algebra to get a diploma. That happened at the place I left: Lots of my kids were marked as "mastered" various Algebra goals, and when I work with them or do the informal testing for the IEP, they're at like... 2nd grade math or 4th grade math levels. So, please, tell me... how are thye MASTERING Algebra?!
I'm not looking forward to the COBRA payments either. I'm sure I don't have the money for it, but I'm afraid to let my health insurance lapse because who knows what will happen? Assuredly, I won't be able to see my endocrinologist!! And my medication.
I don't have a job yet, and also haven't heard about the credit card I applied for. I'm really worried about the whole money thing. I can pay off the credit card, but I haven't GOTTEN it yet.
I'm also seriously worried about getting my stuff back. I can't go over and get it, and I don't trust them to pack it up. I don't want to be on that campus at all, and yet, its not fair to ask any of my friends to deal with it. If I go to do it, the guy from HR or the director of the school is going to stand there and watch me to make sure I don't steal anything that belongs to the school or destroy their stuff. As if I would do something like that. What kind of person do they think I am? ARRRGH!
:mouse:

Robyn's back!!! :D :D :D Yippee!!! Missed ya. Have a safe trip, lots of cocktails with little umbrellas, and leave all that awful paperwork behind. P.S. when is your last day of school? Mine is the 20th.

Sue, if you lived closer, I would actually consider helping you out. However, I've been waiting for it to get hot in CT, and I'm not heading north only to have the hot weather take even longer to come. Sorry :( . I've thought the same as you about VA...in fact, I used to have family there. Maybe retirement, but that is about 25 years away.

Ginny, give your mom a hug. Take care.

Kerry, I miss ya!

Mouse, I wish you weren't going through such a rough time. I hope you get all of your things quickly and easily and are treated with dignity. You are well rid of those people.

The multicultural food fest was great!!! I'm beat. The performances were outstanding...especially the bagpipers. Towards the end, the kids got wild, and the parents got too lazy to supervise them. So, by the last 30 minutes, I was ready to go. All in all, I believe it was a success. I am too wound up to sleep, but my body is EXHAUSTED. I can't imagine how I am gonna feel tomorrow. TGIF!!!

It is gonna be a busy weekend for me...getting hair cut and highlighted, report cards, a truckload of schoolwork, my friend's 40th birthday, DD's gymnastics, gardening, laundry, and groceries. Next Friday, we are going to Cape Cod on a whale watch weekend. I have a lot to do to prepare. So, if I'm not around, you won't wonder where the heck I am.

Welcome back Rob!

How do you spell euphoria? S C H O O L ' S O U T ! Today was my last day. My room is now packed, grades sent, exams turned in! It doesn't get any better than this (except maybe Monday morning when I am still in my pj's at 8 a.m. sipping coffee and reading something for enjoyment!!!!!

Summer - so glad that your festival was a success. It would be hard to teach today with everyone worn out from the party. Just remember you are almost there!

Mouse - I feel so bad for you. I can't imagine dealing with that! You have to get your stuff though. I wish I had a brillant idea to share but all I can do is send you my sympathy.

Ginny - How's your mom?

Sue

Hi, everyone.
Well, I still don't have my stuff back, but I do have the tuition reimbursement form they promised to mail me. I didn't get the stuff I need for my graduate project which was on the server and is due... TUESDAY. I guess I'll have to redo the project. Maybe I can make it better.
I did find out that I'm getting the credit card, so that is a relief.... I looked up COBRA payments from other schools nearby, and figure it'll be over $1000 to keep my health insurance. I guess I'll be taking a leave of absence from grad school until at least next spring so I can pay off the credit card. I might try to get a loan for grad school, we'll see. I paid for the master's all on my own, so I can pay for the rest of this on my own too, I guess.
I have an apartment now. The company lost the paperwork for the studio, and rented it to somebody else. Unfortunately, its the only community in the area with an elevator building. Some of the other nicer communities just didn't have any first-floor apartments, and I can't do stairs because of my ankle. So, I got a 1-bedroom... they told me if there is a studio available, I can switch, but I'm not going to hold my breath. At least I get a full-size washer/dryer with the studio, and a nice soaking tub. I do like to take baths, especially in the winter.
I also think I found a gym... I was looking on-line, and found one right near my new place. It costs about what I'm paying now, so that's good, and the membership coordinator said that they frequently have members who also work there and receive discounts. I think I can work there and keep my job at the other gym. We'll see.
I'm going to go see the gym after I see my apartment on July 8.
I wish I could figure out how Loudoun is going to place me in a school: I looked at most of their middle schools and high schools, and saw little or no mention of special education, which makes me worried. But school websites aren't always the best, so I might be worrying over nothing.
:mouse:

Sorry not to get personal........just in case you hear of some crazy lady going nutzo in a north NJ hospital tomorrow on the news, it is just me......about ready to personally strangle a ton of a folks at this hospital. Mom is improving- still some problems- oh, BTW the cancer surgery seems to have been a huge success, it is all the other stuff that was not wrong with her before she entered the hospital that they have f***ed up that I am annoyed about. Finally interceded today and called her internist- told his service that he had better get his hyde in to see her. He seems to be the ONLY voice of reason there and the only one bright enough to see her has a whole patient. The surgeon only looks at his work and the surgical stuff, the cardiologist only looks at her heart, but she could be bleeding to death from the surgical site.....on and on it goes.
And meanwhile my Dm is freaking out.......NOONE is willing to sit with her and tell her that perhaps what is going on is normal. I think I had better get her the heck out of there before they totally mess her up. For example: they are obsessing over her blood sugar- which was in complete control b4 surgery. Now it is way too high- they are giving her NO insulin, or any of her usual meds. And a diet of jello.....(loaded with sugar). Duh!!!!!!!!!!! And the stress of surgery and that she is totally inactive now due to the surgery. Of course her blood sugar is messed up. that is why I called her internist......I know he will see the big picture here. Oh, and because of a heart attack that they are not sure she had, they are giving her aspirin.....yet she is having a problem with bleeding.....gee......last I heard aspiring was a blood thinner.....but I am just a dope daughter here.....could use some of Robyns sarcasm now, and I am sure that Mouse with all the medical morons she has encountered can identify with this. So, on that happy note, I am out of here. Lord willing Dm will be sent home Monday, that is if they do not kill her first. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Sorry not to get personal.......ginny

Ginny, Wow. Hospitals can be dangerous places. When my mother was dying of cancer, we kept her home as long as we could. Unfortunately, she needed care that only the hospital could give. During her last week of life, she got up in the middle of the night to pee. Being heavily medicated for pain, and disoriented as to where she was, she couldn't find the bathroom. My mother walked right past the nurses station (apparently nobody was there) and stumbled into a broom closet where she proceeded to urinate on the floor, slip and fall in it, and break her collarbone. She wasn't discovered until the following morning. My mother who was already in excruciating pain was made to suffer more than necessary because she was in the hospital. If I were to do it over (this was 18 years ago) I would have kept her home, taken a leave of absence from my job, and taken care of her myself. I'm sure a visiting nurse could have given her morpheine. When my DH was in the hospital last year, I did take time off work and stayed at the hospital all day, every day to advocate for him. I didn't trust the hospital personnel to look out for his best interests.

It is shameful how your mother is being treated right now. But I hate to say that I am not surprised. I hope her internist straightens everything out and that she returns home quickly. I will say a prayer for both of you.

Mouse, I'm glad some things are falling into place for you. I hope it is all settled soon.

Sue, Congrats on finally being free!!! I'll be joining you in 15 days.

I'm not sure if you all remember, but a church member was dying of cancer. I was part of a prayer chain for her, and during the time I was waiting for my biopsy results, I couldn't get her off my mind. I have a lot of cancer in my family. My parents died of cancer. My brother, sister, and aunt are cancer survivors. Anyway, after a long battle, the lady in my church died this past week. She was only in her 50's with two grown daughters about to get married. I was really hoping she would live to be at their weddings. The lady was a youth advisor with her husband with DH and me before DD was born. DH grew up in their neighborhood, and his DS was close friends with them. The lady's husband is our dentist. Her brother-in-law is our chiropractor. We were in Bible study together. So, I guess you could say that I knew her pretty well. Unfortunately, that was not the case. You see, her husband and daughters were VERY PRIVATE people. They never showed much emotion, or spoke of things that were personal. While he would crack my neck, her brother-in-law would give me details about her health, but he would complain that they didn't share much even with family. That is just how they were. Now, because of this, her cancer was never spoken about. I prayed for her. I sent her cards. My Sunday school class sent her a card. But beyond that, her family wasn't receptive to emotional support. That is how they are, and that is their prerogative.

This is my dilemma. When we go to the wake/funeral, what the heck am I supposed to say? Sure, I can say, "I'm sorry for your loss." But that seems so fake. It's just that I'm afraid of saying something that would upset them. To make it more complicated, DH has a dentist appointment on June 8th and I have one on June 24th. His will probably be cancelled, but if mine isn't, I will have to see her husband face to face, alone in close quarters. What the heck do I say to him without upsetting him. I can't say nothing or that would seem thoughtless.

I'm just not used to dealing with people who are so introverted and private. I talk about everything otherwise the stress gives me a stomachache. HELP!

Well, I must be off to do my report cards.

See ya!

Summer- first of all I am sorry to hear about the loss of your Bible study member. And you, being the sweet sensitive person that you are are worried about what to say. First of all, I remember all to well when my own father died, and some people, who did not know him at all hardly knew what to say. He was relatively young- 60- and died suddenly of a heart attack. I do remember several coworkers being there, and I was just so touched that they even showed up. This family is I am sure well aware of their desire for privacy. Perhaps you could mention her quiet witness.....for some people just their presence (or even just that you are used to seeing them there) is a comfort, and that is something that you can say about them. In a world where so much is "in your face" the quality of quiet dignity and grace is all too lacking. And of course you can mention ANY fond memories of her- a kind smile, maybe just the fact that she was at Bible study every week, or how dedicated she seemed to her family,....whatever. And of course offer prayers and help. You can, of course in passing mention how devastating cancer can be on a family and that the loss of a mother is especially difficult.
Comfort? Not much you can say that will ease pain- I feel rememberance of the deceased is the most comfort, and hearing others share happy/pleasant memories of their loved one. I will be thinking of you and pray for you and the grieving family also.

My mother is being discharged tomorrow. I did get hold of her Dr- told his service that he did not have to call me (he did not) but that he had better get his hyde in the hospital and take charge of her care...simply amazing enough, he did show up at her bedside an hour later. He did calm her- explain some stuff and actually sign the discharge papers for release on Monday. Good thing as I am sure the longer she stays in there the more they will find wrong with her. She is off all breathing assistance- on solid foods, her blood sugar is FINALLY starting to come down (had to drag her out of bed to walk down the hall)- her blood O2 levels are good...she looks great.
Now to get her out of there before they screw something else up that was not broken. Of course, Mrs Stubborn that she is- her potassium levels are low, so they gave her a liquid Potassium supplement. Well, she did not like the taste...so she threw it out down the sink 3X :dizzy: - and of course because her levels stay low the keep bringing the stuff in- and in greater quantities.
I had to play all kinds of stupid games with her- telling here that I would not feed her cat..........rat on her to the nurse........oh, gimme a break to get her to drink the stuff. A 4 year old lives in that 79 year old body! Felt like I was dealing with my Ds at the age of 4 all over again. But I did finally get her to take the stuff, twice. And this is what I have to deal with.
Told her that if she did not take the stuff I would have them put her on the 4th floor (psychiatrics). By the time I am done with this ordeal, maybe they should save a bed for me there.

Anyway........got 2 walks in today- one this am (before I came here to Dm's) and one this evening after I came back from the hosp. I am staying at Dm's tonite (tired of the 75 minute drive each way) and can get her home earlier this way. The nice part is I have noone to take care of tonite- the TV is MINE.......I can read, whatever. Yup, I miss everyone, but the peace and quiet is rather nice for a change too.
Guess I'd better sign off. Hope everyone is doing fine and had a good weekend. Take care.
Ginny

Wow...
Ginny: First, yes. I hate the majority of medical people I have met, and to be honest with you, having worked for a hospital system, I'm even less inclined. You may remember that I refused to see any doctor associated with my former employer. I saw how they treated the employees at the clinic, plus the way they treated me when I was a patient.
My gastroenterologist last week told me that my problem was that I was too smart for my own good, and most doctors can see that, so they dislike me because if I don't understand what they are asking, I'm going question what they say. And doctors typically don't like that. Now, my gastroenterologist and my endocrinologist aren't like that, which probably explains why I like them.
Summer: I wish you well at the funeral; I'm sure you'll come up with something to say that is appropriate. I'm never sure what to say either, mostly because I've only ever been to one Christian funeral, and that was for the husband of one of the Red Cross volunteers that I work with locally. I never met her husband, and while I knew he was very sick, I didn't know from what or anything. I really only got to know her in the last 4 or 5 months when she became the coordinator (team leader).
As for me... well, I definitely have the apartment. I'm not entirely thrilled with what I'll be paying, since it doesn't leave me much wiggle room for savings or grad tuition. I do have a budget that I've done already, and I'm pretty good at sticking to that (except for eating out... although that is becoming less and less with the new dietary restrictions!). I've spent my morning on the phone setting up utilities.
And I do have a full-time job from July 11-July 22 working for the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards grading assessments. We're doing the actual tests, I think, and not portfolio submissions, so that is a good thing.
I've done all the utilities except cable, and I might wait a bit on that only because I think I can do satellite at the new place, and that might be cheaper. I'm going to ask when I visit in July.
I need to tell my current leasing company that I'm moving on August 5th, though, and I'm also waiting to call the moving company because the move-in date might change since I really want that studio apartment... I'll take the one bedroom, but except for my bookcases, everything will likely go in the bedroom. I might put the computer stuff out there, but I doubt that. They have a built-in desk that won't hold all my stuff, so unless I put the desk in the dining room or living room by itself, it'll have to go in my bedroom too.
I will eventually have to buy some furniture. My mother is trying to convince me to get a boxspring and sleep on my aero bed and put my futon in the living room... but I don't know if I want to do that. I like sleeping on the futon. The air-mattress is comfortable, but... We'll see.
I intend to ruthlessly prune books from my shelves this move so that I have some more room ... though I think some of the apartments have built in book-shelves, which is oh-so-lovely. And VERY VERY dangerous to a bookaholic like myself!
You wouldn't believe my Amazon.Com wish list!!!! :) And I typically can't bear to part with a book because I read them over and over again.
I need to bug out: I have PT at 2:30, going to the gym after that, doing some shopping for graduation gifts for the seniors at my former employer (the director promised to give them the gifts, and I have to see my professor tomorrow, so maybe she'll take them over to the school for me!)... and then I think I'm going to treat myself by going to hear a poetry slam at a local coffee/tea place. I've always wanted to go to the one in Baltimore. Besides, a friend of mine runs it, and I haven't been able to reach him since I was fired. I want to make sure he knows that I'm still around.
He's very different from most of the staff, so I think he'll be okay. If not, well, its a public place, and they can't make me leave.
:mouse:

Summer - Sorry. I am absolutely terrible at the whole funeral stuff, especially when it is a young person with so much to live for. I had a student whose DM died of cancer a week before he graduated. They are such a great family. I cried all the way through graduation thinking how hard it must be for all of them.

Ginny glad to hear that your DM is coming home today! My DF-in-law. Swallowed a pill down the wrong tube. He went to the emergency room, explained what happened, and was admitted. They xrayed and told him he had cancer and should get his wills in order. Then they did a scope 4-5 days later and found SURPRISE! a pill in his broncial tube! That poor man (and the whole family) went through **** for almost a week when he told them right away what the problem was!

Mouse - Glad things are beginning to fall into place!

Sue

Ginny, I'm glad that doctor of your mother's got his butt in gear and made it to the hospital so quickly. I'm impressed. I'm sorry that dealing with your mother is like dealing with a child. It can't be easy. My mom died at 62, with all her faculties, so I was spared that. I had to deal with alzheimer's in my father a little bit, but my stepmother got the brunt of it. (When I get old, if I become a widow, I am never getting married again. I refuse to be saddled with a crazy old coot late in life. If anything happens to DH, I will allow charming, handsome, wealthy gentlemen to take me out and spend money on me, but I'm NOT MARRYING THEM!!!) Thanks for the advice about the wake. It was not easy, but the family was much more open with their emotions on the surface. As much as it is hard to see people cry, it is a lot easier to offer support to them. I let her daughters know that my mom died of cancer also when I was 22, and I am always available if either of them need to talk to someone who knows what it is like. I feel so badly for them. Their mom was (thankfully) around for one wedding, but for the other daughter, she will be missing her mom. Grandchildren will be born without her there. Those are the things that broke my heart, and I know it will be hard on them. It is so unfair for someone so young to die. It really sucks.

Sue, I can't believe your father-in-law went through such a nightmare in the hospital. Then again, I guess I'm not that surprised.

Mouse, As you continue to settle into your new life, I'm sure you will feel more at peace. I have a strong feeling that everything will turn out great.

Rob, miss ya.

Paisley and Pam, How's it hangin'?

I had a PPT today that I was never told about. Don't ya love it? During dismissal, I saw a couple of people that I was in a PPT with a couple of weeks ago, and had a feeling that they had scheduled a second one since the parent did a no-show. Anyway, the parent picked up her son, and I stalled her until my aide managed to grab someone who would escort her into the meeting. The woman ended up chasing her down the street!!! By some miracle, the mom returned to school for the PPT and signed the papers!!! WOW!!!

Take care one and all.

I'm Back!
Wow, gone for a few days and it takes an hour to read all the posts.Just got back from Virginia Beach! Went to get my lil stinker. The vacation is over! The house will once be full of kids wanting snacks and wanting to swim and sleep over......Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

First let me say, that I must begin my whole diet and excercise again in the morning. The whole week my son was with my mother we did nothing but eat out! Ok, we walked once...... I'm almost afraid to weigh myself. But, I am remotivated. August 8th Ginny! Or, somewhere around there.
We actually bought two tennis racquets on Saturday, since there are tennis courts in our neighborhood. That should be interesting.
Geez, I don't know where to start.

Ginny: Prayers go out to you and your mom. I hope everything is going ok for you. I know you can lose those last few pounds. What you said to Summer about the loss of her bible study member was BEAUTIFUL. You seem to always know the right thing to say.

Mouse: A new fresh start for you. I know it's difficult starting over, but my dad was in the Navy and I'm used to that. Sometimes, I feel like I want to go somewhere new and start over too. Good Luck!

Sue: My middle name is Sue also. Congrats on being out of school! I am considering tomorrow as my first real day of vacation since I had to work until Friday and then went to my mom's house. I wish I had 11 acres. We had a farm when I was a teenager. I complained at the time about all of the work I had to do once all the veggies came in, but I miss it now. I love to work outside and garden, and I have a fish pond which requires more time than I would like to admit. Unfortunately, I killed all my fish last summer, so I am going to get new ones as soon as I get my pond plants in. Glad you're here.

Summer: Not to much longer huh? I will think of you tomorrow as I lounge by the pool. (Ok, so actually I have to pull weeds tomorrow, but I may get a quick swim in in the afternoon.) My grandmother had alzheimers.(sp?) I know I am doomed. She was a mess. She had been living with my mom and dad for years, and one day she kept calling me like fifteen times in a row asking me to go and buy her some cigarettes. I said ok Granny I can't leave to do that for you if you don't stop calling me. So, she forgot totally who my father was, and accused him of burying all this money in the back yard. Then, she would have these full length converstions in the mirror with this "mystery lady" because she couldn't recognize herself. She would argue for hours and yell at the lady because the lady would not leave. My mother finally had to cover all the mirrors up. She would roll up coffee grounds and tea bags and try to smoke them. It was a mess. I thought my mother would have a nervous breakdown. My mom is starting to get a little forgetful and she says oh it's starting already. Well, unless I have my car keys stapled to my fore head I can't find them. I know I'm in serious trouble. I told my hubby to go ahead and get a "home" set up for me. It's really not a laughing matter. But, it's just so funny that my dad who was the nicest person to her and did everything to her was just taken out of her memory, and this little sweet old lady who sang hymns, went to church, would just cuss him out. I had never ever heard her utter an unkind word about anybody. Ok, sorry to babble........

Robyn: You are on fast forward as usual. Hope that drink with the umbrella was good. Drink two for me. How was the wedding cake?

Paisley: Where'd you go?

Kerry: Hey girl what's up!

Before I forget.........Oldest son and the continuing car saga......Yes, his car is a piece of :censored: . Let me back and say that since February or March, transmission, brakes, timing belt, and then he threw a rod through his engine. We found a used engine, actually the same model car at a junk yard, so, the guy who put it in said at first he would guarantee it for ninety days, now he says that the transmission is slipping (this was the first thing that we fixed on the car) and if it isn't looked at he won't be able to guarantee the engine. So, he had already fixed the car I had to pay for the repair. My mom yelled at me because he had promised a guarentee, my husband was mad as well. Seems like everyone is mad at me about this stupid car, that I didn't pay for in the first place. Yes, I told my mom I am writing to the dealership where they bought the car and mailing them a packet of lemondade. The second day he had the car it started having problems and the man said oh well you bought it. It's ridiculous. I wanted to just get in my car Saturday morning and just drive away and not even tell anyone where I was..................I couldn't do that to my lil guy though. He didn't yell at me about the stupid car. ;) The whole point of this story, is that his job requires his car. So we've been in another catch 22!
Ok, enough yakking. I missed you guys. :D
Nite!
Pam

Hi, all.
I went to an AWESOME open mike/poetry reading at a cool coffee bar. There are SOME advantages to not having to get up early in the morning! :) I fully intend to go to more of these since they're so close.
I have a semi-part-time job in addition to my scoring job with NBPTS... I'm going to lifeguard at the gym. The aquatics director needed a quickie sub, and so I'm it. I knew that license would come in handy again! :)
I'm just going to fill in, but its a little money I didn't have planned... so that will maybe keep me in the weekly grocery stuff I need (veggies mostly... and I eat cheap stuff like celery and cucumbers!).
Anyway... that was totally awesome, and so was the performance tonight. The capper was taking the headliner from the performance across town to the bus station in a huge massive downpour. We got lost twice. It was fun! We got there just in time.
I can only hope tomorrow's meeting with the professor who is also an administrator at the high school goes as well. We can hope.
:mouse:

Well... I'm off to the meeting in a very few minutes. I absolutely cannot eat breakfast right now, and I actually wore MAKE-UP! I never wore make-up to school or the outfit I'm wearing. In fact, this outfit is typically only worn for summer presentations.
I was afraid it might be big on me, since the majority of the other "presentation" or "interview" outfits I bought are... but then I remembered that this one is truly ancient. My grandmother bought it for my very first presentation in summer 1999. So, the full impact of the endocrine disorder hadn't happened yet. I'm surprised its moved 3 times with me since I probably assummed I couldn't wear it!
Laters...
:mouse:

Just a short hello.......great to be home again and attempting to get my life back into some semblance of normal. Whatever that is!

Mouse- great to hear that your life is starting to fall into place. And some parttime employment too to tide you over. How did the meeting go today?

Pam- ah, they will all understand when their kiddies are teens. Best of luck with Ds and the car saga........sort of redfines patience, eh? Glad the vacation was so much fun....hope your return to reality is not too painful. And we missed you too!!

Summer- so glad the funeral was easier than you anticipated- well not easier, but conversation flowed more easily. Yup, tears are so hard to take- I thought all along that the Lord would put you there for a reason, and I am sure he used you well. You can be a special comfort to the family with your own personal experience. And I know all about the special loss felt when your parents never knew their grandchildren. My Dad never saw any of my kids......and my son is a lot like my Dad was. He would have loved him I know. Oh, and if you find that charming wealthy gentleman......ask if he has a brother for me!!! :)

Sue- what an awful story about your FIL!!!! I can identify with the family- after all the junk I went thru with my mother. How has life been treating you?

Robyn- miss you!!! Where you hiding?

Kerry- miss you too???? Everything ok?

Dm is doing ok......lots to fill in with regards to her. Good news, and that is all I will leave- her biopsys came back good- no chemo, no radiation. She is thrilled.
Gotta go get something done here. After all the nonsense going on the house looks like a fright!!!Take care.
Ginny

Hey!
Hope everyone had a good day today. I really have decided I like not working! I mean, I did do the normal running of the house stuff, then took a swim in the pool the water temp was up to 80 today finally! Did a little bit of weeding in the flower bed, visited with a friend, READ READ READ! I need a job of Independently wealthy.
Happy to say I also ate well today, and excercised. I'm gonna try and get up in the morning and excercise before my hubby goes off to work. I was planning on doing that today but those bed rays wouldn't allow me to get up. :D

Ginny: Glad your mom is doing better. It's really hard to be two places at one time isn't it? You know though, in spite of the fact that your house may be a mess.......It will still be there when you are ready to tackle it. Saying prayers..... Decided to drive my son's car this am to see exactly what the deal was.....Not only will it not shift properly, the speedometer doesn't work now. It was working prior to the repair. UGHHHHHHH! That which does not kill us makes us stronger............

Mouse: How was your meeting today? Hope it all went A-ok.

HEY TO EVERYONE ELSE!

GOT A HOT DATE WITH STEPHEN KING, GOTTA GO!
Pam

Hi all...
The meeting went well, I think I will earn an A on the project. She was pretty impressed with all the work I'd done, which was surprising to me! I didn't think I'd done much, and I sure didn't "pretty it up" for her.
I also received all my stuff back. I may have to go the lawyer route depending on how much damage they did. They just threw stuff in the boxes: one of the boxes is 90 pounds, so I'll have to go through everything down in our lobby tomorrow night.
We can't move the boxes. The maintenance guys said they'd do it for me, but they don't fit in my apartment: there is nowhere to put the boxes so that I can work on them.
He didn't need to treat my stuff that way. They accused me of being unprofessional, of not having good communication skills. What message does this communicate to me?
I think I'll take digital pictures of items as I take them out as well so I can prove damage if necessary.
Pam: Glad you're enjoying the time off. I have to admit that I'm enjoying it a bit myself, though I am rather worried about money.
Ginny: SOOOOO glad your mom is doing better!!!!!!!!!
:mouse:

Hey ya'll my big adventure was just that... a BIGGGG adventure! Lots and lots and lots of fun! Milwaukee is so different from where I live! I've returned to the last week and 1/2 of chaos at school. I sort of enjoyed my time in Milwaukee with my dear friends more!

A week from today will find me dropping the chalk and running for the beach! :)
...but until then, I'm over my head in stuff that needs to be done. Report cards must be done tonight.....so I will be rather brief! Pardon my lack of ooomph... I'm using all my "niceness" at school everyday letting my darlings LIVE. I can't be expected to be nice here too, nowww can I?! ;)

Gin, glad to hear that mom is doing ok! I know that she greatly appreciates you being with her for those days that were so difficult! I have always said that a "hospital is no where to be when you're feeling sick!" Hope that you can recooperate and get all the pieces of your house back together! I will have to wait until the weekend to deal with the messy (and OHHHH my did they tear it up!) house from me being gone!

Summer, Thanks for missing me! :) I know that you offered the family much comfort at the funeral! How many more days prior to you getting to "drop the chalk"?

Mousie, Glad to hear that you are moving forward and on! Sorry to hear that your stuff was thrown into boxes....but... at least you have it back! I would take photos of your stuff as you dig around in the boxes! You never know what you might find destroyed or not find at all!

Pam, Glad to hear that you're enjoying summer! The first thing on my list is SLEEP! I'm excited that I will get to participate in that activity soon! LOL

Ok... that is it. Gotta get to those yummy report cards...darn, guess I'm gonna need to go get a glass of wine so that I can be NICE yet again....all in 1 day! ::sighhhhh:: Mannnn, this is just about tooooo much to handle!

Oh, BTW, in Milwaukee, I was told by a waiter that I have the "cutest Southern accent"....1st let me explain I was old enough to be his momma...maybe even Grandma, down here in the South! (hehehee) 2nd let me go on to explain that I take GREATTTTT pride in the fact that I do NOT have a Southern accent! I can MAKE one roll out of my mouth if I NEED to, BUT.... I was not even close to "using" THAT voice when That deaaau sweet youngin said that my accent was Qt. Ya'll can just call me Mrs. Robinson....my friends said that he was "hitting" on me. I told them that he was both deaf and obviously BLIND! :) I didn't bring him home to meet my family! ::snicker snicker:: But I AM practicing my SuthunDrawwwl just in case I return to Milwaukee! LOL

take care,
meeeeeee

I'm so glad that everything seems to be winding down and shaping up for everyone. I would sure hate to have to feel quilty about the summer bliss I am experiencing. So far this week I golfed twice on Monday, twice on Tuesday, and once today. I also had time to take a nap every day and read for fun! Plus I have done at least one constructive thing daily. How do normal people work all year round?

It had been in the 90's all week and humid as it can only get in Michigan. Unfortunately our central air went out and they had to order new parts. I am thinking I am getting all the benefits of a sauna just by napping in my living room! Fortunately we have a finished basement and it is always cool down there. If it doesn't cool off enough tonight I may try to talk DH into sleeping down there tonight! I guess I should have asked the repair guy how long the parts take to come in. I think the coolest temperature predicted for the next week and a half was 86.

I had to weigh in tonight and I was up 3/4 pounds. I guess I should be happy that that was the only damage with all the retirement dinners, end of the year parties, and potluck picnics I went to in the last two weeks. I am trying to get back to measuring portions. That is the only way I can keep myself honest. Does anyone else have trouble lying to themselves about how bad they are being when they get off track?

Sue

Evening, all.
Robyn: I have been told that I, too, have an accent. I'm not sure what KIND of accent I have, to be honest, but I have one. I didn't know people from Lancaster County, PA could have an accent! Amish accents? Who woulda thunk it?
And hey, I have time to help you out over the summer now with stuff for your son! :) Think of me as a free assistive tech resource!
Sue: Baltimore gets REALLY humid too, especially the city because we're right on the Harbor. I thought Lancaster got bad, but Baltimore is infinitely worse. I will not miss THAT or the pervasive odor of fried chicken when I move!

I did 2 of the 3 boxes tonight. They wrecked several posters, and just the overall way they treated my stuff made me cry. My friends suggested I ship the garbage back to the high school postage due. I would have done it if we had thought of it before I pitched the crap down the trash chute. Seriously, they sent me back EMPTY plastic containers, open bottles of water, lots of photocopied bits of crap, etc. I'm missing some personal stuff too.
But, I'm keeping a list and will contact a lawyer to get him to write them a letter. The only thing that makes me happy is that when my friend went looking for the school's UPS account number (we figured they'd had UPS pick it up on-site), we discovered that my ex-supervisor schlepped the stuff to a MailBoxes Etc. That means he had to put it in his car, and then lug it into the MBE. And remember, one box was over 90 pounds. Another box was 40 pounds.
I have one more box to do... then I'll bring it all upstairs. I threw away so much trash...
:mouse:

i have tomorrow, mon., tue, wed, and thurs.... all with kiddos except thurs... no more resources, no more duty free lunches...WITH kiddos... and i must pack up every staple, every book, every paperclip in boxes that i can lift myself, marked with my name and new room number on all 4 sides....it must be done by closing time on next thursday. i am nearly done with my report cards. the rest of the paper work is done. finally. the school has provided us with 10 boxes and no tape. my feet are throbbing and swollen tonight. i am beginning to panic. i am beginning to panic. the kids were angels today...considering! that helps! i am beginning to panic...pass the chocolate.

type to you later...gonna knock out the last of the report cards!
take care,
meeee

Just a short hello.......too pooped to leave much else.

Mouse-what a bunch of major creeps to trash your stuff!!!! SOOOOO thankful you are outa there....it got very scary towards the end wondering just what they would pull next. enjoy your time off. It is well deserved!

Sue- yup, I have a tough time at times reigning in myself, especially when I know I have been really bad. think if I logged in all I ate on those days I would have an easier time of it......how about you?

To the dear sweet Southern Belle of the bunch here........yuppie, that means you Robyn!!!!!!! So glad to hear that your Suthern drawwwwlllll is doing fine..... :lol: :lol: you ought to practice it more, ok? Glad the trip went so well, sorry the house is trashed......but a well deserved break for you!

Pam- how was your date with Stephen King???? I got into Cornwell today while having my hair done (the hair appt I missed last week with Dm's surgery). Patience my dear with Ds's car.........oh, I feel your pain.

Not much new here.....trying to get Dd a job......she is declaring her major (double education and biology) and I am trying to get her a job as a bus monitor for the summer. She can sub teach when she has 60 credits - at the present has 30- but knowing how very political my district is, and with me being an employee......and if she can start out at the very bottom as a monitor.....monitors make almost as much as drivers do......but inspiring her is tough....driving me nuts......
better go get something done. Dd wants to play Monopoly......and Mom is pooped.
Nite! Ginny (sorry if I missed you......burned out Mom here)

Hey everyone!
Been a busy couple of days. I have been sooooooooo busy. Just cutting and weed eating grass, pulling weeds, I rearranged the living room furniture.
But, it has been fun too. We swam in the pool today, and then went back in tonight after a feeble attempt at tennis in front of the house. (It was getting to late to go to the actual tennis court.) I actually got some excercise in chasing tennis balls down the street that my nine year old hit. It was fun though. We all suck! Oh well I'm trying to get him moving without him actually think he is excercising.

Sue: I know what you mean about end of the year stuff. I did some major damage when my youngest son went to my mom's for the week. Not only did we eat out several times, but I tried bringing my lunch on workdays and people begged me to go to lunch with them, called me a snob, we had two luncheons. Gosh, it's hard being good........

Ginny: My date with Stephen King???? I think we're on again for tonight. I've spent a lot of time with him already today. I almost reread some Cornwell but opted instead for Stephen King. How's your mom?

Mouse: Aren't you glad to be finally free of those idiots? Should be sort of liberating. Glad your project went great. Good job!

Robyn: Hang in there you can make it. Then you can snooze away.
Next year we will be in the same boat. Our school system doesn't go back until the end of August this year, and we won't get out til sometime in June. You know I never thought I had a Southern Accent, until I lived in Vermont for a year. I heard that so often. Especially since I tend to say
tal instead of towel. (know what I mean?) I laugh a lot here at the phrases people use. Sometimes it makes me insane. For example, people will say Carry me to the store to get some drink.............. UGHHHHHHH or Who you lookin/or so and so was lookin you. THE BIGGEST THING THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY IS instead of bookbag, or backpack, they say BOOKSACK HERE. I could go on for days. Ha ..
Paisley, Kerry, and Summer..........HEY YA'LL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

TAKE CARE!
Pam

Evening, again, all.
I had to come back and post because my friends took me out for my birthday, which was today. This is the married couple that I introduced. I've know the wife-half for 15 years, and the husband-half for 12. They had to be here in Baltimore since Tuesday for a trade-show, and left today. Although, I admit they had a tough time convincing me to go out because I am sort of down over the whole school thing. I know that I shouldn't be, but its hard... And its not getting much easier with having to look at what they did to my stuff, figure out what is missing, figure out how much comp time they shorted me off my check, etc, etc, etc. Telling my grad school advisor why I refuse to take classes with any of the staff of that :censored: without getting into sordid details or impunging the reputation of any of the staff he may know (ALL of them!) and work with. And knowing that I'm making his job that much harder because he has to figure how to get me the classes that I need, without assigning me to any of their courses. :rolleyes:
I realize this will sound absolutely horrible, but I could REALLY use a 3-week national disaster assignment with the Red Cross. 21 days of working 12-16 hours a day with people who just lost everything would certainly cure me of my blues over that nasty place. I'd be too busy to think about them! Of course, I should be careful: I might get my wish if Tropical Storm Arlene continues the way she's headed! And then I'd feel seriously guilty because my mom and grandmother are going to Gulfport, MS to meet up with my Aunt & Uncle who live in Dallas/Fort Worth. If TS Arlene tracks as planned, their trip will be ruined.
Anyway... dinner... We went to the Melting Pot. Believe it or not, the place can be very diet friendly if you avoid the cheese fondu (which, since it was my birthday, we absolutely did NOT do!) and dessert (and, yes, we had that too!). They have 4 choices of cheese fondu: Cheddar, Traditional Swiss and Gruyere, a Wisconsin blend which is cheddar, and two others, and a mexican influenced one. The waiter makes it right at your table... and they were totally agreeable about substitutions! No issues with subbing broth instead of alcohol (my one friend is about 4 months pregnant), or giving us extra veggies that I could eat since I can't eat squash or carrots.
Then, for our entree, we had the vegetarian boullion broth which would have been an awesome soup all on its own! We picked two different entrees: one filet mignon, one vegetarian. I was kinda against the vegetarian one, but ... WOW! That one comes with tofu, artichoke hearts, potatoes, broccoli and squash. The tofu and the artichoke were REALLY REALLY good. And I frequently say that I can't stand tofu, but I've now had it twice where it has been prepared really well. This stuff, soaked in the broth, tasted like a matzoh ball (one of my ultimate favorite foods!). The artichoke and the broccoli were good as well. I'm wondering how sweet potato would have tasted. The filet mignon was good too, but you had to be careful to cook it long enough.
And dessert... ALL chocolate, of course, but choices! They even have white chocolate (which would have been the better choice for me, but what the ****!). We narrowed it to 3: Cookies & Creme, S'mores or Turtle. We went with the turtle because it was the only one that didn't really NEED to be flambed, and we wanted to avoid any alcohol. Though, I really want to go sometime and get the S'mores. I LOVE S'mores.
Anyway, the place could be expensive, but I think the total bill was like $70 for the 3 of us. And the filet mignon was 6 ounces, so not a small piece. 3 of us split the 2 entrees and the small dessert and couldn't finish everything. The waiter was awesome and funny.
I have NO idea how to put any of what I ate in my food log, though. I'm sure the broth doesn't count, and think that the cheese and the chocolate were the worst parts, but I got the impression I didn't eat much of either. I ate mostly vegetables, and that was mostly celery, broccoli, and tofu. I did have two marshmallows, 2 slices of banana and a strawberry in the chocolate sauce.
I know I didn't do badly, because I didn't get sick... and certainly chocolate, marshmallows, and bananas are among the foods that normally make me ill.
I highly recommend the restaurant if you go, but definitely do it with people you LIKE... and make sure you have time. They have fish as well. Single Entree prices are really reasonable: the most expensive was 9 ounces of filet mignon at $24 or the lobster tails which are market price (but its 2 lobster tails and 6 ounces of sirloin). I saw somebody else order that and the lobster looked really meaty.
:mouse:

Thanks Mouse: NOW I'M HUNGRY! HA :D
Happy Belated Birthday! I'm glad you had a good time. You needed to go out and do that after all the crap you've been dealing with.
Not much on my agenda for today. Just cleaning. Bluck. I've been trying to get up and get the inside stuff taken care of in the morning so I can go outside for the afternoon. But, our power went off again last night. We keep hearing transformers blow. It happened three times yesterday. Now, my little one is on the couch asleep so I can't vacuum or anything. Oh well.
Hope everyone has a good day today!
Pam

Good morning!!!!!

Mouse- a belated happy birthday!!!!! Sorry, I had really hoped to stay on top of everyones bdays here at the board, but recent weeks of drama in my life have scrambled my brains a bit. Sounds as though you had a wonderful evening- well deserved at that!! Congrats. Never ever heard of Melting Pot- maybe we will have one someday here in NYS. Keep your chin up~ all the nonsense you are going thru now won't even be a beep on the radar screen of your life long term. And I repeat, I am SOOOOO thrilled you are out of that abusive place. I know you are not Catholic, (and I am not either) but a nomination for sainthood should be made on your behalf for staying there.

Pam- well besides that you are making me sick.....hanging out reading, playing tennis.....gardening, having fun.......(someone please tell me what fun is????? I forgot!)
So glad you are relaxing and enjoying summer. And that Stephen King is treating you well. I had to skip to Potters Field in the Cornwell books, and will back track when I get the chance to order the other book from the library. Hope your day is nice and relaxing.

So, I get to go to the gastroenterologist today.....with Dm getting colon cancer that puts me in the high risk category, so lucky me, I get to go for a colonoscopy. Today is the first visit.....so just papers to fill out I am sure and to make an appt for the test.
Next week will be miserable....one of my schools is 1/2 day, so I get little time off.....and it is so hot out there....detest summer heat.....
Guess I'd better go clean up after the slob teenagers, both of whom are couch potatoing now.

Oh and I almost forgot.....to add to the odd language variations....some favorites from Indiana(where I spent one semester at Purdue)- "pop" instead of soda or coke or whatever....."finger nail polish" instead of nail polish, "ink pen", instead of just pen, and said with an awful nasal tone to pen so it sounded like pin, and paper sack instead of paper bag (at the grocery store). But then I live in New Yoawk (but really do not have an NY accent) so what the dilly to I know!!
See ya.
Ginny

Well....this note is really for Ginny...cause I KNOW how she loves baseball....
but I thought I would post that our ds's team has ended their season with 17 wins and
1 loss that came tonight with the *star* players making some HUGE errors...(it is safe
to add that "It won't my boy!" ..said in my best suthen voice)...that had them lose by 1 run. (2 of our guys were being rather fresh and stealing bases like lunatics...and getting called out at home....arghhh! ) anywho...will return as SOON as I finish those report cards that continue to NOT be finished! I'm doing them tonight before bed...or else...

so the only thing that is left is the awards dinner....Hey Ginny wanna be my date???

take care,
meeee

Hey!
Just me again. I remember all those baseball days. My son was in baseball from Kindergarten all the way through High School. We've done all stars.....It's a lot of fun though. Sometimes I would pray for a rain out. However, we'd still be sitting in the rain unless there was lightening. I was going through some stuff today, and ran across my son's letter for Who's Who in Baseball. He was in a book for Babe Ruth League that is supposed to be housed at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Maybe one of these days we will actually find out if it's true.

My legs are killing me. My son and I went to the tennis court this afternoon and then after dinner we all went and didn't come home til 9:45. It was so much fun. I wasn't too terribly embarrased either. My little one has decided he is going to be a professional tennis player. Won't that be great, I have one who wants to be a professional kicker in the NFL and one that is going to Wimbledon. (So what if it's only the second time he has played in his life.) I am so excited to find a sport he wants to participate in. We tried football, he didn't like it. We played T Ball for two years he didn't like it. It's been sort of depressing. I'm used to going to games. He wanted to try soccer until he found out it involves a ton of running, and then he ruled that out.

Ginny: Good luck with the colonoscopy. Yuck. My hubby had that done a few years ago. I skipped around on the Cornwell books when I first started reading her. I remember actually having to order From Potters Field off of the internet because I couldn't find it anywhere. I am going to read Isle of Dogs after I finish this Stephen King Book. It isn't a Scarpetta Novel, but it looks interesting anyway. Sorry I make you sick..... :( However, TOMORROW IS SATURDAY................... I actually forgot what the day was today. Kind of lose all track of time when you don't really have to be accountable to anybody. Ps They say pop in West Virginia also. Get me a bottle of pop.

Robyn: Get those report cards done yet? You are almost done........
I was laughing when you said "won't" The phrase of the century 'IT WON'T ME!" I hear that eighteen times a day in the classroom. It won't my fault...Ha!

Have a good weekend everyone.
Pam

May I have a drum roll puleeez?!

GUESS WHAT?????

HatterasMermaid would like to enthusiastically announce that at the stroke of 11 p.m. on Friday, June 10th, THE report cards are done!

HotDamn&Hallelujah!
:)

YEAH ROBYN!!!! You are in the home stretch. Soon you too can talk about days on end of doing what you want to! Ain't teaching grand!!!!!!! So are you just moving classrooms or did you get a new school? I had to change classrooms about 4 years ago. It was amazing how much crap I had accumulated in the 15 years I had been in that room.

We drink pop in Michigan too. Soda is something you bake with! My sister married a man from New Jersey and they use to have great fun with some of those quirky language things. We also use a "kleenex" to blow our nose, no matter what brand tissue we are using.

I have lived in Michigan all of my life as has my parents and grandparents but when I went away to college (in Michigan) everyone thought I had an accent but they could never place where from. Must be small town hick!

Mouse - Happy birthday! Do you mind sharing how old you are now? I think a fondu restaurant would be hard for me as I really like cheese and chocolate (and marshmellows!). Sounds like you handled it very well though. As for the old employer getting you down, try to think of it as a blessing. I know it is hard but if you continue to dwell on it, they continue to win. Remember you are a great person and you deserve to be happy. They have done you a big favor by setting you free. Rejoyce! I am a Catholic so I can grant you that sainthood if that would help! :)

Ginny - Tracking definately helps. Especially if I do it as I go and not at the end of the day. Last week I used all my points plus about 30 extra! This week I have been much better. I made some of that 0 point veggy soup, so if I think I am hungry I eat that first. Now that school is out I can plan meals better and try new recipes. God I love summer! Good luck with the colonoscopy. I haven't had that experience myself yet but I can't imagine it is too enjoyable.

Pam - It's summer! The work will get done eventually. This was a real hard lesson I had to learn. I like my house clean but during the school year I have such limited time. It was getting to be all work and no fun. I was angry. My DH was feeling neglected (not that he would think to help with the work) and things got ugly. Finally I decided that it was okay if things weren't perfect. It still stresses me out a bit but I am able to let it go a bit and my life is much the better for it. Summer is so great because I can get the work done and have my fun too.

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy summer?!?! Speak of which, where is Summer?

Sue

G'morning all.
I just got a nasty look from the fur-covered lump o' kitty sitting next to me because he had dozed while I was reading the messages. My typing makes noise, however, that disturbs his sensitive hearing. AWWWWW! :yawn:

Robyn: Congrats on getting the report cards done, but how do you do them at home? Your report cards aren't computerized or do you use bubble-sheets and then that is how the grades are entered?

Pam: I'm 32... And thanks, although do they allow Jewish saints? :lol:
And yes, the food was good and it wasn't hard. I couldn't figure out how to put it in the tracker though... I still need to give that a shot. As for cleaning, I do understand that. I've pretty much given up at this point, but hope with my increased salary that I'll be able to find somebody to clean my place twice a month when I move. I'm seriously never home... even not working at the present time, I still drove more than 200 miles this week! I bought gas last Sunday, and did more than 200 miles by this Friday! I didn't leave the state, either! I am so thrilled and looking forward to driving back and forth from Hopkins to Virginia again. :rolleyes:

Ginny: Yes, yes. I know, but I finally finished going through all those boxes of crap they shipped to my house. And half my stuff is still freaking missing! They packed up all the garbage but missed half my binders and lots of books, never mind the desk set and such. GRRRR! Now I have to go pay a lawyer (unless any of you have one handy!) to write them a letter so I can get my stuff back!

I meant to get up in time to go to the early water aerobics class, but I missed it ... and we have lessons tonight, so I'll just go swim before lessons. And tomorrow is my first shift guarding at that pool. Sundays are pretty slow. I'm kinda worried about Monday night, because there is a water aerobics class, and I dropped the class because the instructor was such a dork. She looks right through me when she sees me now, but last year made comments about how "glad she was that I was trying to do something about my weight". So, I will seriously have to :tape: so I don't say something dumb!
I'm not swimming as much: I can only do 20 or 30 minutes before my ankle hurts, and then yesterday I did it before I went to physical therapy and so couldn't do half the exercises very well!

I have to go to my new school district next Thursday to be fingerprinted, background checked, etc. Fun, fun!
:mouse:

Evening all...
I wanted to drop by and let you know that your local friendly swimming mouse is about to become a fully certified LIFEGUARDING mouse. :) I passed the first part of the test today, which is 500 yards combined of freestyle, breaststroke, and mixed... 200 free, 200 breast, and 100 where you alternate the two strokes. I can't kick for the freestyle, so I do it all with my arms.
All I have to do now is do that one more time (you have to do it for two different lifeguards so they can make sure you really DID it, not just had a friend watch you), pick a brick up off the bottom of the pool, and pass the written tests for that, CPR and First Aid.
:mouse:

Mouse:

Congratulations on passing the life guard test. I was a life guard and water safety instructor in my younger days. The last time I took the test I was pregnant for my first child (barely). After I had the children I didn't swim enough to have the endurance to pass the test. It is a tough test! Good luck on the rest of it! Your just a youngster still at 32!

Sue

Gotta be short......had to come online to attempt to get directions to Ds's baseball game (a wonderful double header and it is supposed to be 92 and humid today :dizzy: ). Robyn you swine....... ;) :lol: aw you know how I feel about baseball.....do I have to do this?????
See ya later.
Ginny

Hey!
Hope everyone is having a great day. Mouse you sound busy as usual. When do you rest exactly? I have been a bum today. We played in the pool and sat in the sun. All I needed was a pina colado and a bronzed pool boy bringing me drinks and it would have been the perfect day. Alas, I got Mom are you coming in?????? Mom, the ball went out of the pool can you get that? it was fun anyway. I think I am burned. Oh well.
We have been playing tennis everyday. I could hardly walk last night. It's better tonight. I have been getting a lot of running in chasing the balls my nine year old hits down to the opposite end of the tennis courts. I think we're gonna pass on tennis today and just walk.
Ginny: It may take me from now until forever to lose ten more pounds. I am still sitting at 174. It's really pissing me off. I have been excercising more than ever. I haven't lost any inches either. So we went out for breakfast...................... :D

Robyn: Congrats on getting those report cards finished. I hate doing that stuff. Although in Middle School, everything is computerized, so all we have to do is enter the grades, (on disk)there is a code for comments, then turn in the disk. Not bad. Unless, like me, your disk goes bad and grades are due at 7:30 the next morning. Thank God for back up disks.

Sue: I am trying not to stress about the cleaning, but I just can't keep this house clean. I spent three hours yesterday afternoon scrubbing the kitchen floor and cleaning walls and baseboards. One trip in and out and the floor is messy again. I think I will just swiffer this afternoon. Some days I just say whatever, then someone will call and say I'm stopping by......I become a maniac running around the house trying to clean up real fast. We have the lived in look around here.............Ughhhhh.

Mouse: Congrats on passing the first part of the lifeguard test. Reminds me of a joke I heard..........I was a lifeguard at the local pool until that blue boy got me fired.................Anyway............I was just telling my husband today that I could not be a lifeguard when it is so hot outside. I would die not to get in the pool. We would be having adult swim every fifteen minutes. Ha!

Kerry, Summer, Paisley: HEY YA'LL!
Pam

I just returned from Cape Cod. We had a wonderful three day weekend. It would have been so easy to stay there and forget reality, but somebody's got to pay the bills!!!

I am too beat right now to give details and catch up with you all. I just wanted to let you know that I am back.

I have a field trip tomorrow, graduation on Friday, and our last day is next Monday. Six days left then FREEDOM and my favorite time of year, SUMMER!!!

Someone asked about the report cards... they are an excel file. So I can do them at home on my computer and email them to myself at work and viola! We type what we want to say in the comments section...no codes for us. There is talk of next year using some sort of system that would require that I do them at school. I am sooooo opposed to them chaining me to my darn desk OR me sitting using my school hours when I should be engaged in learning activities with my kiddos.... but hey...that is next year...so I will spare you THAT rant...for NOW!

Ginn, did you survive that double header? I FEEL for you, babe! I truly do! I don't wish double headers on those that I truly hate....and with the weather being so gross.... Hope it was bearable!

Mousie, Is that you I see standing there on the edge of the pool in your BayWatch suit with the binoculars up to your eyes? AND... is that David Hasselof jogging up holding a birthday cake??? Happy Belated Birthday AND Congrats on passing the swimming / lifeguard test! :)

Pam....sounds like you had a great day by the pool! Glad you can enjoy your summer a bit ahead of the rest of us! I have 3 days with the kiddos...and 1 final day without... I've got lots to do between now and then......

Gotta run....1 last load of laundry must be done before I can sleep!
take care,
meeee
take care...

Summer, glad to hear that you had a wonderful time at the beach!

Evening, all.
Robyn: ROFLMAO!!!! That is HILARIOUS, and thank-you!
Pam: Well, that is kinda funny. I'm at least as busy now as I was when I was teaching, if not more so. I can't imagine what my former employer thought, but if it was that I was going to sit around and mope, they're wrong. But, that is really what they think of me. The HR guy seriously sat in that meeting and said that I was passive and waited for people to do things for me.
As for guarding: I work at an indoor pool, thankfully, however, it is anywhere between 85 and 100 degrees in the pool area. And HUMID!! We sometimes open the back door, but the members frequently complain about that. So, today I got in the water for 20 minutes before my shift started, and was comfortable throughout the 3 hour shift. In fact, I was even a little chilly toward the end! I also drank plenty of unsweetened iced tea (Lipton has a new thing called "Tea to Go" like the Crystal Light pouches... just put it in a bottle of water and shake. I love it... easily portable!)
Summer: Nice trip! I have never been to Cape Cod, but I would like to ... if I ever became independently wealthy... to have a house near enough to the beach that I could go. Unfortunately, my training with the Red Cross and experience on disaster assignments makes that a pipe dream. Even if I had the money, I'd never buy property on or that near the water!
Kerry, Paisley: Hi! :)
Me? Well, I guarded tonight, and then swim lessons. Tomorrow I'm going to be running everywhere: Dispatcher meeting for the Red Cross (our fearless paid staff leader wants to take us to lunch), then physical therapy, and then guarding. I want to sneak a swim in there somehow. Not sure how though... We'll see.
:mouse:

Me again.....
Too much time on my hands? I dunno......Went and played tennis again tonight. Then we had our evil scrabble tournament. My husband the dirty dog cleared his rack twice in one game. Needless to say I lost...........
Summer: It's almost summer..........I went to Cape Cod for my honeymoon. I loved it. I would love to go back...
Mouse: I love unsweetened tea. I brew it about every other day. I will have to check that out. Unsweetened tea is my only saving grace against THE MIGHTY PEPSI COLA............
Just finished cleaning my bathroom. I must say, I found a product I liked so much that I actually wrote to the company. Tub cleaning is one of my least favorite chores and this stuff was awesome........... I am saving the upstairs bathroom til tomorrow.
Sunburned and tired going to bed.........
Pam

Dear Sunburned, tennis, scrabble player,
You found a cleaning product that you wrote to the company to compliment them? AND you didn't post the darned name of this miracle product???? WhatTHEheck???
If you would please post this products name...... I promise to post the name of the miracle cleaner that I discover! Promise! (But don't hold your breath that I will find something that is related to cleaning that I love!)

Gotta run.... that last load of laundry is hanging out in the dryer and the oldest ds is 1/2 nude! YIKES!
:) take care.........
4 days from smiling!

Hi! I hope you don't mind if I join your group. I am also a teacher. I'm married and have a 6 yo son.

I have about 100 to lose. I live in FL so I've been with work since June 3. (had to make up hurricane days and had curr. writing).

I am enjoying staying home. Although last week I felt like all I did was cook and clean! My husband really helps out during the school year-I see that now.

I am changing grades next year. I taught 5th for 2 years and now I'm going to 3rd. I taught 3rd grade my first 3.5 years of teaching-so I'm looking forward to it-but not the FCAT!

I hope everyone has a great day!

Congratulations to all of you in the home stretch! It is all so worth it when summer hits!

After over a week of humid 90 degree weather, it is finally raining here in Michigan. Pouring to be exact. I can almost here the lawn saying AHHHHHHHHHHH! I am hoping to take advantage of the weather to either do some major cleaning or some much needed shopping (have I mentioned that I HATE to shop?) but my library book is calling me to the couch! This weather also makes me want to bake but my will power has been so slacking lately, I am afraid to do that.

My DD and I read an article in Family Fun magazine about a family that collected post cards from all 50 states. Of course my DD now wants to do the same. I was hoping that you all might be willing to get her started but I am a little leary about putting our address on a public web site. What do you think?

Sue

Sue, Private Message the address to us! Do NOT post it on the general list here! I also get that magazine and love it...have for years! My guys are nearly too old for it! :)

Deb, Welcome! You've walked right into a rather CRAZY group! But... you know that...You teach! :) We're really all the same! Where in Florida are you? My dearest friend teaches in Stuart! They lost their school TWICE last year due to hurricanes! I'm in coastal Virginia where we still have folks living in Emergency Housing (trailers) AND all have trees all over the place from Isobel. SOOO.... I'm rather anxious about hurricane "season" approaching!

...and to the rest of you, I've gotta run... dinner is burning and the family needs feeding! I'll be back! Shouldn't have tried to do this with dinner on the stove...WHAT was I thinking??? Trying to have a bit of ME time, HOW selfish! ;)

later....
meeee

G'evening (or should I say good morning!) all!
Welcome, Deb! I know/knew some other Florida teachers, and I do Red Cross work, so I understand and sympathize with hurricane days. I'm a special education teacher who earned an unexpected early summer vacation.
I am, however, keeping busy. I working as a lifeguard at the gym I was a member of... that's what happens: I spent so much time there, they HIRED ME!
They needed somebody to close tonight, but you can't close without being fully certified, so I had to do the 2nd half of the swim today. AFTER 90 minutes of physical therapy, and not having eaten anything all day! I went to lunch with Red Cross friends, and Applebees screwed up my order, then the manager was rude and nasty, so I told him he could have his hamburger back and not to bother me.
The waitress fixed it as best she could, but I still didn't get my food with my friends; in fact... they were FINISHED before my order came out! So I had to take it with me. I put it in the fridge at the PT office, and then the fridge at the gym. I finally got to eat (and it tasted nasty so I threw half the burger away!) during the thunderstorm that closed the pool for 45 minutes.
Anyway, I passed the test... so I closed the pool tonight. I had to fight with the lap-lane lines... we have to move them for water aerobics classes, and they got all tangled up and fell to the bottom of the pool.
So... that was my night. It was fun, though.
Laters.
:mouse:

Pam-It sounds like you are enjoying your summer. That's awesome!

Hatteras-(sorry I don't know your name)-I teach in Seminole county-Lake Mary area? Seminole county is just north of Orlando area. Yes, I'm not thrilled about hurricane season. My husband has always tracked the storms-but I guess I notice it now because of the 3 that hit us. He woke me up to tell me that there is a depression near Jamaica. Why did you choose HATTERAS as a screen name? I've been to Hatteras once. Great time. We might be moving to NC in the next few years. (not the OBX though).

Mouse-that is so awesome about becoming a lifeguard! You sound busy! Applebee's is usually hit or miss with us. Why did you earn an unexpected early summer vacation? Hope everything is ok--oh wait......are you going to a new school district? What type of special education do you do?

Sue-I'll send out a post card. I'm not sure how the private message works. I'm still trying to figure out if there is a way to view posts from newest to oldest. I click on this thread and then hit the last page--does everyone have to do the same?

Today it's going to be HOT here in FL-I know isn't it always hot?? LOL. I have to clean up around the house. (a chore I hate doing!) We are going to Sea World tonight. Teachers get a free pass. It makes it affordable for us to get dh and ds season passes. We are hoping to catch the new dolphin show. The dolphin stadium has been closed since the first hurricane.

I hope everyone has a great day! Enjoy!

Debs

Robyn - I tried to send a private message to you all. Please let me know if it worked. That is my first time (virgin send!). I was just thinking when I got my latest issue of "Family Fun" that I probably won't subscribe again as my children are out growing it also. It sure has served us well for many years though! I hope you were able to save your dinner. It is so tough finding "me" time when you are a working mother. This is doubly true when you teach because you have so many extra children to attend to!

Mouse - Congrats on passing the final test. Although closing the pool doesn't sound like a great thing! How late is it open? Is there someone else there when you walk out to your car? Be careful! I noticed your post was just after midnight. Hopefully you weren't just getting home. I have had great luck at Apple Bee's. I love it due to their no brainer Weight Watcher meals! I do have a friend though who has nothing but terrible luck there. Oh those lane lines can be a bare even with two people working on them. I guess you need to just think of it as a good workout after sitting for a bit! Glad you are enjoying it.

Deb - I am not sure about the private message as I have never sent or received them (until today). I know on my computer if I scroll to the very top it has my login and says private messages. That is where you access all your information. I am assuming that if I get a message it will pop up there. That is also where you go to change the order of your post. I like to have the newest first then I arrow down to MY last post and read up from there. It is probably the dislexic way to do it but what can I say I am a special education teacher! Here's how I did that. I went to the top and clicked on private messages, then went to edit options, scroll way down to Thread Display Options. Under thread display mode pick Linear - newest 1st.

Everyone - Please let me know if I ever offend you when I talk about special education. After 20 years of teaching in special ed, 13 years of having an autistic DS and 10 years with a very ADHD DD, I find humor the best survival tool. I know sometimes my friend who works for another school will repeat a story I have told using my words and the teachers at her school get upset. So please just let me know.

Ginny - I hope you survived your ball games. I don't envy you any there. How is your DM doing?

I guess I should start thinking about lunch since the children have golf this afternoon.

Sue

Morning. Wait. It was morning when I already posted.
I'm having a struggle getting myself going today. I didn't go to sleep till around 2 anyway, and my cat is definitely not encouraging me to get myself moving.
I want to do the laundry before I go anywhere....
I think this heat (even though I'm inside!!) is killing my appetite... I'm not hungry at all. But, I'm not feeling sick either, so it MUST be the heat!
I've had some decent food at Applebee's before, though they are hardly a first choice with me because the menu is so very limited and they hate substituting! There is a whole lot of stuff I can't eat, and its a fight to get them to sub a salad for fries or steamed broccoli for mashed potatoes.
I seem to be more busy now than I was when I worked full-time, worked part-time (at the gym), volunteered, and took grad classes. I'm not taking summer classes because BOTH of my classes were cancelled (ACK!). I'm not working full-time at the moment because my employer didn't like that I was looking for a new job, and if you read the other messages here, absolutely didn't like me. :shrug: I suppose its their loss.
I am moving to Virginia (Northern) to work for another school system down there. Its more money for me, which is nice... but I'll have to resume driving back and forth from Virginia to Hopkins. I did it for 2 years for my Master's degree and wasn't terribly fond of it then. But I only have 7 classes (well, 6 classes and one project) to go for my certificate of advanced graduate study... and then I can decide to apply for the doctoral program. Most graduate programs only allow a transfer of 3 credits, so it'd be silly to switch programs. With any luck, by this time next year I will have 1 class and 1 project left.
Okay. I AM going to do my laundry. I AM going to find something to eat. :sigh:
Later.
:mouse:

Pfew!!!!!
Did I actually get here????? You mean I get to stay home for a nite and NOT go to a baseball game?????Well, Dh, Dd and Ds are enroute- the game starts at 8 pm......Lord knows how Dh will make it into work tomorrow.....as it will be close to midnite when they arrive home again. But you see SOMEBODY had to stay home with Dd, who still has school........great hardship that it is. :lol: Aw, I love my husband and kids...but the obsess on the baseball/softball thing. Nuff bellyachin!!!!

Deb- welcome!!!!! How is life in the Sunshine state? My husbands brother (BIL and SIL) live near Newport Richey. I have been to Fla several times, pretty state but I would never manage in the heat. I have a bit of a polar bear in me, I think. Are you going on a specific plan to lose weight? What about excercise? And how was Sea World. I have never been there......but to Orlando several times to visit the mouse with the big ears. Oh, and as for me, I am a certified insane person~ not certified to teach a darn thing, but I drive the little critters that you teach to and from school each day. Call me a transportation expert......certified sickie......or more commonly a bus driver. I usually drive a "big bus" crawling with 57 little monsters, who I love dearly as long as they keep their clothes on. But that is for another day......welcome. I look foward to getting to know you! :)

Mouse- congrats on the certification for lifeguard. Sounds as though your upcoming move is now making more sense to you- and I really have a good feeling about this. Said it before,a nd will say it again...you HAD to get out of that other job. they were abusing you. Hope you got the laundry done- oh and BTW you expected Imp to inspire you to be productive???? :lol: I am sure that after one long stretch.......yawn......maybe another stretch......Imp was set for another nap, or perhaps watching some birdies out the window.
Wonderful for your well being and blood pressure- pure poison for inspiration to work. Hope you got done what you had to do!

Sue- thanks for asking about my Dm. She is doing great, but a bit tired. Her Dr informed her that she needs no chemo or radiation- it was found early enough. And according to my Dr, that sounds appropriate- he said that most stage 1 colon cancers are treated with surgery only. As far as special ed stuff.....I could use enlighenment about it- and also all summer work for me is special ed. So I can add a laugh or two at times too. (I signed up for sub work only this summer). Today I actually was asked to sub on a special ed run........nice part of it was I drove 2 students home in an airconditioned suburban with a great radio......one that worked! (big bus radios are pathetic). So for 15 minutes(drive back when empty) I felt like a human being. Then had to climb into my usual dinosaur with out the air or radio and take the 57 critters home. Rude awakening.

Pam- so with a summer of house cleaning facing me(the only time it gets really clean!) ya gonna enlighten me with the name of this good tub cleaning stuff???? Marathon scrabble huh?? take care of the sunburn.....and I hope you enjoy your time off!!!! (even though I am so jealous)

Robyn- get your dinner on?????? How is Dh's job search going? This summer going to be extra tough on you being home with him too? (hubby's can be so charming) Good for you trying to get some "me" time! Well deserved,my dear. Oh, the double header??????? Well long story short......Dh sold it to Dd and I that we would go to Cracker Barrel for dinner after the 2 games.
Got to the dumb field (and unfortunately have been there b4, hated the place then, hate it now) and realized that there was no way in you know where that we would have the time to go out for any dinner other than Mickey d's. Oh was I ticked.......seething describes it well and hurt too. Hurt, because he is such an honest man- but his one weakness is his dumb baseball. SO, he had me ready to kill......but when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping......so my Dd's and I left him during the first game (Ds did not play until the second) and all got sandals at the local mall (the only good thing about that field is a pretty nice mall is about 10 miles away). Ah, revenge is sweet.......

Summer- your trip sounds great.....how was the weather at the Cape? Been so darned hot here, I hope it was nice for you!

Guess I'd better go get the dishes done, then I promised Dd we would watch her yearbook (on DVD) together. I had to miss the viewing at school because of all the half days....finals-regents etc....which has us driving most of the day.
If i missed you I am sorry- Kerry where ya hiding???? We miss you!!!
Ginny

Imp absolutely didn't inspire me... fortunately, a letter from my health care spending account management did. They needed a receipt; I tried to get it to them, and discovered that although my insurance company hasn't bothered to send me the COBRA information, they sure have cancelled my account! :mad:
AND... those :censored: :tape: at the human resources department told me that I could use a credit card to pay the premium: GUESS WHAT???? YOU CAN'T!
I have NO idea where I'm going to get $800 (minimum...its $400/month) in CASH. I'm trying to prod my bank into getting my credit card for my grad school loan cleared by Hopkins (since they cancelled my classes), so I can get a cash advance....
At least its cheaper than I thought it was going to be. I was figuring at least $1800 for the 3 months. $1200 isn't so bad... assuming I can find the cash.
It means I might be able to take a class during the fall.
:rollpin: I'd love to .... :tantrum: :devil: Those people should be hung out to dry like jerky! I just cannot believe they are so incompetent... they are doing this on purpose.
And I still need to find a damn lawyer to write a letter for me. I've been reluctant to call my friend's cousin because he really didn't want to get involved last time. I think he was trying to save me money, but if he'd been more forceful, I might not now be in this situation...
Not that its his fault or anything... You know what I'm saying.
:mouse:

it was hot today. understatement. really hot. and really humid. we had our class picnic. yippeeee skipeeee. it was hot today. really hot. and really humid and our dumb@##s were outside having a picnic complete with sweaty teachers. hear my yell. yipeeee skippeee.

tomorrow is THEIR last day. hear my yell! i have enough work to do to last me 2 more weeks. i've got 'til thursday at 4. hear my yell! (it is a different yell, in case you can't hear me!)

not personal at all tonight. sorry. cooked brain has too much work still to do!

:) i will return once this fat lady has done the singing! it won't be long now! i could count the hours! YIPEEE SKIPEEE! hear my yell!

ya'll take care,
meeee
(The private message worked well....I'll send out a card to your dd as soon as I can get to the store to get a postcard! :) )

Hey!
It's 11:30. Just hanging. Everyone is in bed but I think I actualy hear the oldest coming home now. He had football practice tonight, so maybe he will be tired and come home. They have their first football game Saturday in Fayettville, but I think I am going to pass on that. The last time we went to Fayetteville we got so lost and turned around it took us forever to figure out how to get out of there. I'm gonna try and talk hubby into taking us to the beach Saturday. But, he'll just say we have this pool......But, that's ok too I guess.

Oh for Robyn and Ginny: the wonderful cleaning product was just something I had never tried before. It was Lysol Basin tub and tile cleaner. I had tried everything else. We have this old fiberglass tub which I have pure scrubbed scratches in trying to get it clean. I sprayed that stuff on went about my business for ten minutes and that sucker just wiped clean. I was amazed. Then, I thought to myself, wow, I should have bought this stuff years ago. It doesn't stink, burn your eyes, and you don't have to rub your arms off to get soap scum or whatever. I have become a cleaning fanatic this week. I run around in the morning and fold clothes, and all the fun stuff, then just hang out in the afternoon, swim, play, watch tv whatever. If I was home everyday I might actually have a clean house. During the school year we sort of just kick a path.........If you know what I mean. We really don't have a lot of storage space so I have tons of things stuffed here and there. I need the clean sweep team to come in and do my bedroom............. ;)

Mouse: Are your moons and stars out of alignment or something? Dang, girl, you just have one thing after another happening. JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. Remember that............ Congrats on the lifeguard thing. You are one inspiring woman.

Sue: I know what you mean about the weather. It has been in the nineties here with a heat index of like 102. Very humid.......Yuck. They keep promising rain, but so far I have not seen any. Our vegetable garden needs some. We've been watering everyday, hopefully this week it will finally rain. Got the pm, I will be happy to send a postcard.

WELCOME DEBS! I know you'll find everyone here to be very supportive AS WELL AS sarcastic and quite humorous........

Well, still haven't lost anymore weight. But, I will say that my energy level since losing thirty pounds is awesome. I actually don't mind parking farther away at the store and walking now, and really look forward to excercising. I haven't been walking as much this week, since we were playing tennis, and swimming. But, I am either going to get up in the morning and walk before my husband goes off to work, or do the watp tape.

Should we put up a missing persons alert for Paisley? Kerry?


By the way before I go........ My Pepsi addiction got the better of me today. Water seemed less and less appealing and Pepsi my life force kept calling my name. I'm drinking one now :s: !

See ya'll later!
Pam

Pam,
Now that you have the cleaning bug......mind coming up here to NY and cleaning this disaster I live in??? thanks for the name of the stuff........I am always looking for something that will do the job well with less work. Emphasis on less work.........Glad you are enjoying the WATP tape. I am an addict too as you know. Dont sweat it if the scale does not budge. I am a firm believer that staying the same for a while is ok, while in the journey of losing weight. Sometimes it is nice to take the pressure off.
SO good to hear how great you feel!!!!!!! Keep up the good work.

Well, I have had it.....some major teasing on the bus today....and at 4:15 I radioed in for a clean copy of my route sheet so that I can rework the seating chart. Yup, with one week and one day left. I don't care. I am so sick of the 5th graders being so cocky- picking on the younger students......so the seating chart will be changed and all their precious little hides will be separated. Too bad that they are not sitting with their buddies.......don't care. Can't tolerate teasing... ain't I a crab???
Lots of xtra driving today......the last check will be great but I am tired. Next week will be much easier....gotta go finish Monopoly with Dd. See ya!! Sorry for not getting personal........can you tell I am a burn out?
Ginny

Oopps.....Robyn and Mouse you were on the other page and I was too lazy to look.
Mouse- I know Cobra is so expensive......hang in there brave one........you will work this out somehow.
Robyn- OH PLEASE tell me when the fat lady starts singing.........I cant stand this anymore.
Ginny

Are you all still hot and humid? It was FREEZING here today. I think the high was 68 degrees and it was windy! I actually had to wear long pants and a coat! I think it is suppose to improve by the weekend. Something between 68 and 90 would be nice!

I picked up my new camper today. It isn't really that big (26 1/2 ft) but compared to my old popup it seemed huge to haul! Then I figured I'd take the back roads to avoid the expressway but the road was blocked in the middle of no where with no detour signs! I drove all over trying to get back to the road and finally had to go back into town and take the expressway. Then I was afraid I was going to run out of gas and wasn't sure I wanted to try to pull in and away from a gas pump just yet! The good news is we made it safely and if the rain stops I should be able to transfer the gear from one camper to the other. That should be fun! Now I just need to find a campground with an open pull through site! (ha ha).

Ginny - So glad your DM is doing well and no Kemo! That is great news in itself. You know teachers all think bus drivers are saints (or is that insane? Maybe both)! My father drove bus after he retired. He just retired from bus driving last year but he still misses it so much that he has a radio tuned into the bus radios on at all times. He really loves the little guys but some of the big ones gave him fits. He got tendonitis in his elbow from opening the doors manually. I think his last bus had a power door though. Just becareful if yours doesn't!

Robyn - Repeat after me: THE END IS NEAR!!!

Pam - Isn't that a great benefit about summer? You can be productive in the morning and still have all day to play! Not that I have been overly productive this week, but I COULD be!!! Unfortunately (or fortunately?) Maeve Binchy has control over me in my spare time this week. There is nothing better than being curled up with a good book on a rainy day! My husband is a Pepsi addict too. I think you have to let yourself have a treat now and again and if your vise is Pepsi, it could be much worse! Just remember if you aren't drinking decaf, you need to up your water intake. Caffeine will dehydrate you and you know how important water is to weight loss!

Thanks to all who replied to my private message! Please don't feel obligated to send a postcard, I know you are all busy. But thanks to those who can as my DD is already checking the mailbox!

Sue

Good evening, all.
Oh.... wow. I'm SORE. We did the deep water life guard stuff tonight. We had to go to a different pool, because the one at our gym isn't deep enough. The other pool is pretty cloudy, too. I was with 4 other guys, and they don't know their own strength!
I passed everything except the deep water submerged rescue (I can't make myself go down that deep... I keep coming to the top before I get close. You can't do a surface dive, you have to make yourself sink), and I have to redo the brick grab (I took my hand off the brick because I crashed into the wall. I couldn't wear my glasses, so I was disoriented!). But I did everything else, including all the rescues with the tube, and backboarding as seconary, and primary rescuer.
I'm just going to say hi to everybody else, because 4.5 hours in the water (I don't know how to list THAT in my little foot note, but it has to count for SOMETHING!)... we'll leave out what happened when it was my turn to be the victim for backboarding. One of the guys clipped my bad ankle, by accident, and my leg cramped up like it had on the camping trip... I couldn't yell at them to stop becuase my jaw was clamped shut for the neck stabilization part... so I had to flail myself off the damn backboard. I can't imagine how I looked! Funny as ****, probably!
Okay... dinner is calling my name (yes, at midnight, but what the ****)... and I 'd better eat before that tylenol I took (yes, I took more than 2!) get where they are going!
:mouse:

Sue-not offended here…..I think in our jobs we need to find the humor in it. After the year I just had……laughter is all I had. It was one of the hardest I ever had! EEEKKKK! I’m so glad it is over. I’m sure three hurricanes, an intern who lacked motivation and classroom management and the group they gave me didn’t help.

Mouse-you do seem busy. Did you work for another school district and then they let you go? How is the lifeguard going? I couldn’t do the stuff you were doing. I hated swimming under the rope to get to the deep end yesterday. I don’t go to the deep end much—I have my son and he can’t swim YET. There was a sign that said no life jackets in the deep end. They saw us down there….but I think because he was with me they let us stay---I read the sign and told son and we went back to the shallow part—YEAH!

Ginny-My hat goes off to you for driving the buggers . I had bus duty this year and I hated it! I didn’t know there was a system. You see it is best to stand at a bus post closest to the school….not all the way down….duh me? I went by 219 because know was there……after the first day I knew why—WACKY! By the end of the year I love them boys (there were only 3 girls!). The fourth grade ones were a bit mad when they said they wanted me to be their teacher next year…..I told them I was teaching 3rd. I’ll still keep my eye on them! Where in NY do you live? I was born and raised in Buffalo/suburbs. ALL of my family lives in NY. They live in Lockport-my father owns a business in Buffalo. My in laws live in Naples. In 2000 we moved back to NY to be closer to family…..we moved back to FL in 2003! LOL. We don’t want to stay in FL forever…….we’re thinking NC….closer to NY and still close to FL to visit our friends that our like family to us. We’ve to The Mouse. We will probably go in December-our friends mil works for Disney and she lets us in for free. We’ve taken ds twice and it was through the friends MIL. We just can’t afford it. That’s why we have SW passes-I’m free! We thought about getting Kennedy Space Center tickets-I get in free there also. Right now the shuttle is on the launch pad. I was there in April (fieldtrip) and it was out. DS is so into space. We had a space themed party-turned our house into NASA-Nathan’s Astronomical Space Adeventure. It was a blast! Lol

Pam-I thought my house was the only one that got messy during the school year. My dh does help out a lot. He’s on “vacation” from cleaning the house! LOL…wait…that’s not funny…….

Ginny-I just read about you and the 5th graders. I laughed. I know it’s not funny to you…but you see I taught 5th grade for 2 years and I taught 6th grade 2 years prior to that. The 5th graders were the worst. I can totally relate. This year was the worst. The girls were TERRIBLE! My boys picked their noses-one actually likes to fart and wipe it on others(the slime he pulls out of his nose)….stopped that….except when I had an intern (oh I regress)…..not my problem anymore….they are now middle schoolers……now that’s FUNNY!!!!

Sorry to be brief...gotta go back to bring the kiddies home.

Mouse- congrats on getting as far as you did with the lifesaver!!! What an inspiration you are, my friend! (take that tylenol?)

Sue- my big yellow limo has a power door, if you can call it that. Not the manual thing that is torture on the elbow. Yup it is addicting, and the radio chatter so funny.......especially if the kids acting up are not yours! good luck with the camper.
Deb-thanks for the heads up on the 5th graders.......I agree they are tough.
I would appreciate your wisdom on them anytime.

Gotta go pick up the kritters and then go .....to a baseballl game. see ya later!
Ginny

MOUSE!

I just have to say--you are inspiration! I tried to swim laps during the 10 min. adult swim. I did from side to side 2 times and I was like.....I can't do this. I love to swim-I'm not the best swimmer....but you going down to the deep end-picking up bricks saving people---WOW!!!


Well I had a good lunch-salad. I"m about to make dinner. I can hear the thunder.....I'll be going to Curves later. I had a good time with Nathan at the pool.


HELP!!!! Any advice on what type of sunscreen to use eyes?? I'm fine-but Nathan keeps getting burned under his eyes. I have face sunscreen with zinc oxide in it-should I just keep reapplying? We were there for 2 hours? The rest of his body is fine-it's just right under his eyes--and I made sure I put stuff there. Any suggestions???


Have a super evening!

Debs

Hey ya'll...I'm literally sneaking to the computer... kiddos went home yesterday... I've yet to finish my junk at school. I'm having some horribly painful problems with my legs.... to the point of being advised to go to the emergency room...which I did... 4+ hours later ...not only did I find a job that is worse than mine (nursing!) ....I was told that I was not in danger of dying and to call my dr. UMMM.... well...it hurt..but I sorta knew I wasn't dying. (they thought that it was a blood clot.) dh just found me... gotta get back in the bed.... this is one way to get some rest... gotta run...
I'm ok...I'll be back! take care. Robyn

Deb - lets see you taught 6th then 5th then 4th and next year 3rd, are you working your way down to pre-primary?! Eyes are the toughest because you don't want to get the crap IN their eyes. The best thing is sunglasses or a hat that shades his eyes but those are tough in the pool. Maybe goggles would work. In my lifeguard days we would use straight zinc oxide for high burn spots, usually our noses! It wasn't pretty but it would stay in place and stay on in water. That is what I use with my children if they already have a burn and we are back out (They even have cool colors now!). Mostly we try to prevent by reappling and by having the rule that anytime you are out of the water you must have on a hat that shades your eyes.

Robyn - How is your leg? It sounds terrible! Listen to your Dh and stay in bed so you can get healed. Blood clots aren't anything to mess with!

Sue

G'morning, everybody!
Let's see if I can handle this...

Deb: Yes, I worked for a private school run by a a children's rehab hospital that is partnered with a major research/teaching hospital in my area. They claim I had poor communication skills and was passive (in waiting for administration or some other staff to do things for me). It was really strange because they emphasized that my "dismissal" had nothing to do with my teaching. So, clearly, teaching wasn't the most important thing to them. :rolleyes:
Ginny/Deb/Sue: I wouldn't say I'm an inspiration... there are, afterall, lots of lifeguards! :) Our pool is 25 yards (75 feet), so a mile is 72 lengths of the pool. I was doing a mile almost daily until I hurt my ankle again in May. It hurts now... so I've only been doing about a half mile. And not even every day.
Robyn: TAKE CARE OF THAT LEG! You don't want to wind up like me, tripping over everything!!!!
Kerry/Pam/Paisley: Where'd you guys go?
I spent yesterday down in my new area, being fingerprinted and ID picture, doing licensure paperwork. I am going to try to get Virginia to add an endorsement in severe disabilities since that was my minor for my master's program. Not sure if I have enough classes, but we'll see. I mean, the only severe disabilities class I didn't take at Hopkins was the one on language acquisition. I also didn't take a lot of the autism classes, but those probably don't matter as much.
We're trying to get my former employer to verify my employment with them. So far, they've refused to do the other two requests... Let's see if they do that one.
And I still need to find somebody to write that letter. This week has been utterly crazy, so I never had a chance.
:mouse:

Hey!
Happy Friday everyone!
I am thinking of getting started on this day. Still debating actually. I guess I should get my butt in gear and get some stuff done before the house fills up with the neighborhood children. My two are still sleeping. It seems like during the school year I can not get up to save my life, but now I am awake when I could be sleeping in. It doesn't help that my husband is so noisy in the morning. (And he used to complain about my hairdryer.)
It's supposed to be cooler today. It's been in the upper nineties the past few days. The pool water is even warm. We desperately need rain here. Still playing tennis everyday. My little guy is actually getting to the point where he can hit it a few times before I have to run two courts down and get the ball. I think I am going to go buy an extra tennis racquet so that he can bring his friend and they can play, then my husband and I can actually play properly. It's still been a lot of fun though. It really does wonders for the front part of the upper thigh. I am serious!

Ginny: It's no fun to stay the same weight forever, and quite frankly it's pissing me off. It has been over a month now. The scale hasn't budged. The tape measure hasn't moved. I am excercising more now than I ever have in my life. :devil: I think I will try drinking more water maybe. I need to make sure that I am writing everything down. I have been sort of slack about that lately.

Robyn: Sorry to hear about the leg. What exactly was it? Was it a blood clot? You need to try and rest. Hate to see get to summer and then be layed up in bed. Yuck.

Mouse: What will you be teaching in your new school? Everyone keeps telling me that I should go for my National Boards, but I swear I am just unmotivated to do that. Just putting together the portfolio in order to be considered Highly Qualified under the stupid NCLB was a lot of work and a lot of time. Don't know if I have it in me right now. I am supposed to be going to a workshop in August called Child Attuned. Dr. Levine I think. Ever heard anything about this workshop? Sounds very interesting. Will also take a lot of time throughout the school year.

Debs: Sounds like you have been having fun in the pool. I snuck out and went swimming without telling the kids yesterday. They were all upstairs playing a video game, and it is a lot easier to swim if you don't have kids cannonballing, hitting you with noodles, flipping your raft over. Ha! Bad aint I? I had to clean the pool anyway, so then I added chemicals and they couldn't go. They were not very happy. Speaking of husbands on vacation. During the school year my husband is really great about helping out around the house, washing dishes etc.... The minute school was out, all helping ceased. What a bummer. I have even been cutting the grass. I tried weedeating until I burned up some grass. I can't do that anymore. :D

Sue: Camper? Wow, I can't drive big vehicles. When we bought our house a couple of years ago, I was backing up my husband's truck so he could get the Uhaul out and took out part of the neighbor's fence. Scratched up the truck too. Nice way to meet the neighbors huh? I have no depth perception whatsoever. So, I can understand you not wanting to pull in for gas. My husband says I act like I am driving a semi or something trying to park his truck. I'll stick with my lil car thanks.

Summer, Paisley, Kerry: WHERE YOU GUYS AT??????????????

Take care!
Pam

Sue-I taught 4th for only about a quarter-my first year in Buffalo-I was in 3 schools in one year and I started in November. I won’t teach below 3rd. I taught 3rd for almost 4 years prior to my big kids. I only taught 6th and 5th because I needed a job-now I have a choice! Next year will be my 3rd year at the same school! That hasn’t happened since 1997-2000 school years!

Pam-I can totally relate to getting my butt in gear and the husband on strike! He’s feeling a bit left out. He use to take Nathan to and from school. He’d actually pick him up and then bring him to his work. They spend more together than they do now. They are doing a Daddy/Son night while I go out to dinner with my coworker. I’ve thought about National Boards, too-but I don’t know. We are *thinking* of moving to NC in the next 2 years-I would get certification because of my Florida one.---I just don’t know-I hate paper work-plus FL will pay for it (I mean the district)-but if I’m leaving—not the best idea. Salaries seem to be about the same as FL. Housing is NOT. We were going to try and buy the house we are renting. He wants $160,000( he’ll probably sell for $170,000+) for it and it is not a new house at all. We’d have to replace windows and roof and something is up with the plumbing pipes. We looked at new houses in NC and it looks like a new 2 story home would cost us about $30,000 less. NC would also be closer to our families. It be more realistic for us to visit than it is now. We are going to try and find a cheaper place to rent and save as much as we can to move and buy a house. We have talked about moving to NC on several occasions-just never did.

Mouse-it’s best that you are out of that place. 72 laps—like I said I only did 2 and that was from side to side on a med. Sized community pool!

Sue-thanks for the info on the zinc-where can you buy it? We have Ocean Potion face stuff-it’s white-but not real thick.—like lotion. When we go to the beach I do have a hat on him-even in the water- he’s not jumping in-just basically bobbing. He’s not red there today-but he was last night.

Robyn-yes listen do dh and stay in bed. Did they do blood work to figure out if it was a clot? School stuff will get done...


Not doing too much today. My son is playing with little people. He hasn’t pulled that stuff out in a long, long time. He’s pretending that a hurricane is knocking people’s houses down. Can you tell he lives in FL? Every time it storms he asks if it is a hurricane. Poor kid. It was tough on the kids in general I think. He does a good job of drawing and creating the state with play doh. We were blessed-no damage at all to our house or our stuff. Not having power for 6 days was the worst!

I’m going to the Olive Garden for dinner-I’ll be good. My husband and son are doing something together. We might go to the beach tomorrow-if we can reschedule our church directory pictures. We’ll go to the west coast, near Venice. It’s a 2+ hour drive but the beach that we go to is awesome.

I really must go. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Debs

Gotta be short here as the kids (my own!) are being arguementive and I have to go back early......lucky me, I am subbing on a middle school run (Lord, give me patience!) then my elementary.

Robyn- take care of yourself!!!!!!! Stay off your feet....hope this is nothing serious. Where are the leg pains.....could Lyme be a possibility?

Deb- ah, the days of little people.....enjoy it while you can! Speaking of enjoying, I love Olive Garden!!!!! Have a great time (the salad is so wonderful!)

Pam- yup try increasing the water.....and logging all BLT's........(bites, licks and tastes). Also go back to measuring portions- make sure you are not overestimating stuff. A plateau of a month is not unheard of. Also try different foods......sometimes the body gets used to the same stuff. Hang in there!

Mouse-well, I still find you an inspiration....working both your mind and body, and we know that you do not always feel tremendous either!!! So you have survived fingerprinting (will we find you in the next Kay Scarpetta novel?). Oh, I know all about the background check stuff. We live in such a sick world.
Hope things level out for you.

Ok,good thing I did not get here last nite. Dd is done with school and with her report card was her standard testing results. She is a wonderful reader- and the testing results reflected that- she even improved in that.....but her math????? Well, she has been complaining all year that the teacher did not pay attention to her, and she is the shy patient type.......so no squeaky wheel there. Her math scores went down (do I want to strangle this teacher or what!) and I blame the teacher because Dd was not her favorite (teacher was blatant about that) and Dd is not special needs in anyway...Dd complained that she never got extra help when she asked(both my older kids had this teacher and they felt the same). So I was ticked. Regally ticked!
Honestly......can anyone recommend a math curriculum I can work on this summer (and one that a non teacher can get ahold of) to help her. Her confidence is low.....and BTW last years teacher was such a great lady- at the end of the year Dd was proclaiming that she liked math because "Mrs D" 2nd grade teacher made it fun! Seriously- I would love to pick up a decent book to go over with her this summer....gotta do something to avoid brain drain with her before the really hard subject material hits in later grades.

Gotta go........see ya later!
Ginny

And that was short??????????
Ginny

Evening, all.

Ginny: Thank-you. Uhm, I guess I could be in a Kay Scarpetta novel, but I'd rather be in a John Lescroart novel (they're all in San Franscisco, same characters all the time too) or maybe a Grisham novel. I also wouldn't mind being in a Pern book (oh, wait, I already did that one!) or the Hallmark Channel's Jane Doe mysteries. That's a good one (even if I never manage to pay attention to the whole movie and wind up watching it 4 times to see the whole thing!).

As for calming down, well.. maybe... I still have to go over and practice all that lifeguarding stuff. I'm dispatching for the Red Cross this weekend, so of course we already have had one call (I've only been on since 5:30!). And, I think I told you that the guys I was doing the lifeguard re-cert with whacked me on the left ankle... the bad one... and my leg cramped up. I was still hurting today, so I asked the physical therapist about it (well, I didn't have a choice, I couldn't do what she wanted me to do today!). So, she says that isn't normal and I should tell the orthopedist about it... whihc I've done, but he doesn't seem to want to deal with it. Maybe if I say something again... We'll see. Anyway, so she worked me over good today... apparently I have some kind of spasm in the calf. Let me tell you, physical therapy isn't a whole lot of fun, but I was able to walk a little better when I left, and it feels much better now. So that is all good.
:mouse:

Mouse - I have never had physical therapy but I hear that it can be painful. The good side is that they know what they are doing and will make it work correctly in the long run. I have been thinking about calling my doctor to see if their is anything to do to improve this tendonitis I have in my knee. Last time he said all I could do is rest it but I can't do that forever!
You might want to look into the classes on autism. It is one of the most interesting subjects I have ever studied and I am not just saying that because my ds is autistic. It is very fascinating stuff!

Pam - I am doing the same thing. Wide awake at 6:00 every morning! It is kind of nice as it is the only totally alone time I get all day. I usually drink my coffee and watch the early morning news show. I am sure by the time school starts I will be sleeping in later, then I'll have a reality check when the 4:50 alarm goes off! Maybe I should TRY to get up that early all summer.
I wouldn't complain too much that your dh takes a vacation from chores during the summer. Some dhs don't help out all year round. Mine would be a prime example of that. I try to talk to him about it but he says that if he doesn't think it is dirty than he shouldn't have to clean it! One time I tried to see how dirty it had to get before he would clean. I think I made it 2 1/2 weeks and believe me it was gross but he still did nothing. Actually if I asked him to do it he probably would but he would never think to do it on his own!

Deb - It must feel good to stay in the same school for a change. I switched districts after my first year and couldn't believe all the garbage I had accumulated already. Next year it will be my 20th year at my current school. Man I am old!
I would think you could get the zinc at Walmart or Publixs or a drug store. It comes in a tube. The colored stuff would be with the suntan lotions but if you want plain white (much cheaper) it would be in the pharmacy area. It must be so hard on the children in Florida with the hurricans. When we went to Florida this spring there was still a lot of damage visable. One night it rained and my ds just freeked that it would be a hurricane and he is from Michigan in an area that barely has tornados let alone anything serious. I just can't imagine what it is like for children (and parents) in hurricane or earthquake prone areas!
So what do you eat at Olive Garden that lets you be good? That is one of my husbands favorite places but it seems to me that everything is covered in sauce or oil. Plus those unending bread sticks are really hard for me to resist! I do like their salad but I'm not sure how much oil is on it.
I have been to the beach in Venice, it is very nice. When we go to Florida that is the area we go to. Actually we are in Englewood but it is close to Venice. My hair dresser owns a house their that he rents out. It has a pool plus is just blocks away from the beach, so it is perfect.

Ginny - You are so right about those BLTs, they can really add up. When I get relaxed on my measuring and tracking, I always gain weight. It can be a pain sometimes but it really makes a difference. Also getting that water in.
I think working on the basic math facts can be a big booster. If they have the facts down, they have a much easier time with the tough stuff. This summer my children are using "Turbo Twist Math" to keep up and improve their skills. It really is like a game. It has everything from basic addition and subtraction to fractions and percents. The machine automatically changes the level to fit the user. It is by Leap Frog. You could probably find it at Walmart or Target someplace like that or go to leapfrog.com. The kids actually enjoy it and they are practicing their skills!

This weekend is going to be busy. I have to drive to Grand Rapids to pick up a tree my father wanted for Father's day. Then to Lansing to meet my husband. We are then going to the "Gizzard Fest" to watch my step-ds play in a basketball tournament. You would think at 25 I wouldn't have to suffer through sporting events anymore, but I guess that is not true. The good news is there is also a carnival, so my children will be happy. The bad news is there is probably an elephant ear booth and I will want a reward for watching basketball! God give me strength!

Tomorrow we are having Father's day here. So I will be baking and cleaning all morning and celebrating all afternoon! The weather is suppose to be nice at least! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

Sue

Sue-thanks for the info on the zinc. I’ll look for it. Well, I wasn’t good at the Olive Garden. I had some dish with a creamy dish, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes. Ah, rats! No dessert! We were going to go to Englewood on Memorial Day but we went to Casperson instead. It seems that more locals go to that beach. My husband likes it-he has one of those shell digger baskets and spends HOURS looking for shells. Sounds like you are having a busy Saturday-but fun also! I wasn’t sure what an elephant ear booth was—but then I figured it out. YOU CAN RESIST!

Mouse-ouch on the ankle. I was suppose to do physical therapy a few years ago for my foot/ankle. I just couldn’t fit it in with my wacky schedule. I fell down a flight of stairs and hurt my foot-they said it was the way I walked. They gave me exercises. I find the more I exercise the less my knee hurts—but it hurts while I exercise, when it rains, when it is cold, when I get up from sitting down…..lol….

Ginny-ah those blasted standardized tests. Your daughter was in 3rd grade, right? The big thing in 3rd grade is making sure she knows her x facts for 4th grade. Also they do a lot more problem solving. I’m assuming that was the bulk of her test. It’s no longer 34234234134+1242344-23423424=. They now have to be able to do multiple step problem solving. I HATED word problems when I was in school. It is still hard to teach. I’m going into work next week. Let me see if I can snag a 3rd textbook. We are getting a new series so we are DISCARDING the texts. I can send it out to you. She also needs to know area and perimeter and graphing. I’ll also see what online resources. I know that there is a FCAT practice test that you can download. She could work on that. Granted it’s Florida specific-but all the states have similar benchmarks. ---oh duh…..you are in New York state. What scores did she get back Terra Nova? I lived in NY and taught there for a few years. I was in western NY.


Well we decided to not go to the beach. The grass had to be cut (dh is doing that now). We have a few things to get down around the house. We are going to the pool later and then a movie. I didn’t get a FitFare meal at Olive Garden.  We were going to try and see Mr. & Mrs. Smith but it was sold out. I told Kristi we’d go a different time. She is the teacher I worked with. She is so sweet. Her daughter is going to be in my class next year. Her daughter is a darling, bright cookie! She was suppose to be tested for gifted-I don’t know what happened to that—I’ll make sure I’m on it…! My dh and ds had a good time on their day out. They were at the movies! They saw Madagascar. Nathan said he had fun, but missed me. I’m sure my husband loved that….lol.

I better get going. Almost 10 am! Man, I’ve got to set the alarm next week!!!

Super Saturday!

Debs

Hello people.

I went to the real (non emergency room...I didn't want to go to the ER...I was told by the insurance company to go!) doctor yesterday. He thinks that I have a stress fracture in my ankle. He sent me to bed for the weekend with an icebag. And I was sent to the hospital for an xray. They bent my foot and leg everywhich way...which was not graceful but very painful.... and sent me on my way. I'm on huge doses of Motrin every 4 hours (with directions NOT to miss a dose). I will hear from the office on Monday about the xray and I have an appointment on Tuesday IF the xray shows nothing. The leg / foot is feeling better....as long as I don't stand on it!

I have tried to read all the posts that I've missed...but I've not done a very good job. Please forgive me! I do miss my old laptop that was from my old school! I can't sit at this computer for long as the foot begins to throb like crazy. Whine whine whine...
it is all about me! Sorry!

Ginny, even though your daughter is a reading nut...have you looked at the books by Rainbow Bridge Publishing called Summer Bridge Activities? They are grade specific...
I have used them at home for years with my boys during the summers! I get mine from Barnes and Noble....I know that you can find them in other bookstores! Also, you can find "real" math books or programs at bookstores (they are used by teachers and by homeschoolers..) or at "teacher stores".... Let me know via PM if you'd like further info.... or very specific titles and stuff... While I've taught 1st grade for 18 years...I've been a mom searching for extra work for both my boys since the oldest was in preschool! ;)

I have yet to get to the store to get a postcard.... please get that kid in from the mailbox...she is making me feel so guilty! LOL I will get to the store by Tuesday (Dr's appointment...) if not sooner. This leg/foot thing is slowing me down! (Back to MEEEE! LOL)

I've yet to get to the library BUT I'm heading there Monday...if my DH will drive me... (I have a standard...and while my leg/foot thing is in my left leg...THAT is the leg I use to change gears...and it HURTS...in case you forgot!) I was told by the doctor that I need less stress... more hobby / reading / relaxing / ME time. ...and of course I need to exercise and lose weight. Thanks... I can barely walk... let me see if I can do some leg lifts! When I made a face at his last comment about weight.... and then asked HOW did he think I could exercise if I couldn't stand comfortably? He did admit that I needed to get my leg / foot (I don't know exactly what part of me is not right...) well first! Dr. Butthead! Mouse, I think one of your doctors has migrated South!

Sue, You mentioned being at the same school for 20 years... This year, after being in the same ROOM for 17 years, I left the district....and am now teaching in the same county where I live. At 40, I was the "new" teacher. The oldest NEW anything! LOL
I was petrified, terrified, horrified....... but I knew that I had to leave my very urban school and get away from social working, parenting the parents, umpire-ing, playing child psychologist, etc....and being abused by the district admin, the school admin, the parents, and even the kiddos myself. It was hard and very scary to leave. BUT, I have discovered that even at 40, change is GOOD! :) I've very much enjoyed my new school and the new and very different challenges of teaching rural kiddos. (WHAT a change in scenery and needs .........Not bad or good...Just totally different!) I do miss my slick city kiddos. I KNEW that I made a difference in their lives. BUT...the time had come for me to find a new place to put my ruler! :) It has been great! ...AND...I'm not going to be the "new" teacher come August! :) Being NEW and all it entailed was exhausting! But..I'm learning...and getting things down! ENOUGH! Sorry.

With all that typed, I can no longer stand the throbbing...I'm gonna get back to bed.
I'll return tomorrow!
take care,
mmeeee
(Hatteras.... who asked me about that? Buxton, N.C. is our favorite spot on the planet.... Right there on the beach near the Hatteras Light House! Have you seen the cover of the new Nicholas Sparks book? THAT is my light! We live about 4 hours away in Va! )

Evening, all.

Robyn: Take care of that leg. You could TRY swimming. I'm living proof that you don't NEED to use all of your limbs to do it. ;) And, in case anybody was curious, I too have a laptop... don't know what I'd do without it since my whole leg goes to sleep if I dangle my foot straight down for too long. I don't THINK any of my doctors have migrated south, though. As far as I know, they are all still in the area.... and I think they're breeding so that the next generation is ready to be stupid soon.


Debs: Elephant Ears! My grandmother LOVES those things. They have them at every kosher bakery on the planet. I only like them if they are fresh ... hot... if not, they get stale and icky. I don't think I've had one in years.
I don't have much choice about physical therapy; I was pretty good when I made appointments during work. I always made them for late in the day so I missed nothing or just missed the 10 minutes of PM Homeroom. I fall so often anymore that it just gets on my nerves. And of course, I have a good physical therapist now, but I'll be moving again, soon... and she's too far for me to drive to more than once or twice a month, if that.
Sue: I haven't taken many of the classes, but I do teach kids with autism. I have LOTS of kids with autism. I just didn't take the graduate level classes that were specific to autism; my master's degree is in transition planning and severe/multiple disabilities. I'm going to take a couple of the classes, the one on social skills... I think that is one of the hardest parts.
Me? I spent 4 hours in the pool today, from 4:30 to 8:30... 2.5 hours of it was practicing the life guard skills. And I was so ticked! The head lifeguard, who, admittedly, has a bad back... didn't even GET IN THE WATER when we did all the deep water stuff... AND IS CHECKED OFF ON ALL THE SKILLS! :mad: I'm checked off on ONE, the 500 yard swim. The instructor is refusing to check me off any of the rescue skills because I couldn't sink myself and pull somebody up from the bottom... and I took my hand off the freaking brick one time, so she's making me do that part again too. Oh, I was sOOOOOO MAD!!!!!!!!
I spent all day swimming with just my legs, on my back, holding 25 pounds on my chest. And the aquatics director told me that I wasn't holding enough weight (she thought I was just using a little blue barbell that is 5 pounds), so I told her what I did... and then she was okay with it, but I still can't sink! I just can't do it.... even with like 50 extra pounds around my waist I couldn't sink very far. Or if I do get down there, I don't stay down long enough to get the proper grip on the neck of the victim and come up safely.
:sigh:
:mouse:

Happy Fathers day........ ;)

OFf to church and then a double header......yup you guessed it.
See ya!
Ginny

Good morning/afternoon all.
I will be going to the gym in a few hours so I can practice more skills, but I swear I'm going to do some hard swimming for myself FIRST.
I also wrote a testimonial for a software company; I've used their software in my classroom for years, and they asked me several months ago if I was interested in writing something. Typically, my supervisor ignored/didn't answer my request, but since I don't work for them anymore... ;) Why not???? And its their loss: they would've gotten the credit with the name of their school and their program listed, but oh well.
I am going to go put all my dishes in the dishwasher and run that, then do some cooking for later in the week. But, right now I'm watching 'Ladder 49'. I saw it in the theatre and cried my eyes out... so I got it from NetFlix to see again. I knew what was coming, so I didn't cry this time (not much!).
And, for the cuteness statement of the day: There is a medium-sized ball of fur with its head half buried in a yellow blanket... eyes shut... purring. AWWWW!!!!! ;)
This same ball of fur attacked my feet a few moments ago when I came back over to the futon.
Hmmm... you know, I really should CLEAN this apartment. :gah: I hate cleaning!
:mouse

back again-

Mouse- glad that Imp is living up to her name..........There is something so sweet about a sleeping cat......and the funny positions they get into. Still attacking your feet eh???? Lot of kitten left there! I remember when you had first seen Ladder 49- I think you had thought you knew some of the extras in it (and ended up they were not?) As far as housework?Well, you know my line about it, it is very patient and always waits for you. Aw, you will have to get the stuff done sooner or later......with moving and the like. When will you move to your new home? How is your leg feeling?

Robyn- so glad you made it to the hospital and got that checked out! Yup- take that advil, just be sure to eat something- advil is rough on the stomach in even small doses. Sorry about the brain dead Dr (hey Mouse had to share them with someone, she had encountered way too many for one person!).
With summer break coming, I do hope that some more "me time" is on the schedule for you. What are you going to get at the library?

Deb- thanks for the advice for Dd. She did not take the Terra Nova's- she attends a small Christian school (where we attend church). They will be taking the state ELA's next year....and I am curious how she will fare on them.
So right about the word problems. I never had trouble with math, and I always found it sort of fun (until I took advanced differential equations sophomore year in college and thought they were insane). But I have tried to make up problems for her- using the subject of cats (she loves cats and kittens so it makes it interesting for her). What totally ticked me off about this year was that anything requiring verbal skills- even reading science, to of course history and just plain reading she is almost off the charts with. This teacher she had focused on 4 favorite students- two were very special needs (one slightly autistic, the other who has been raised in a spanish speaking home and I suspect is also ADD and two other kids) leaving the rest of the class to die on the vine. Dd actually felt confident in her math at the end of second grade (bless that teacher) and now feels like a failure. If you can get a text that would be great (I will pay for the postage) but I can also take up the other good advice and snoop around B&N and see if they have something appropriate. How did your kids like Madagascar???? Dd really wants to see it.

Sue- hope you resisted the elephant ear booth...but then there are times that giving in is good, as long as you can control the dammage and get right back on track. Hey, you tried the housework experiment with your Dh too???
I did that with mine.....let his clothes pile up (he refuses to put anything clean or dirty away......so masses of clothes just piled up for over a week) and it did no good. I just got more and more aggravated.....why are men such slobs? Hope your Fathers day goes well and you are not stressed by all the cleaning/cooking etc.

We ended up having MIL/FIL over yesterday for Fathers day. I had bought some steaks and shrimp on sale and knew that baseball would somehow interfere with today, so we invited them over at the last minute. I cleaned a ton and cooked up a storm in a hurry. Dh announced that we "all had to pitch in and help Mom...." which meant that he mowed the back lawn and then sat out on a lawn chair ...... :lol: Ah, both Dd's helped and for the most part the day went well. Glad it is over. I will be leaving in a wee bit for Ds's games- and then we will pick up a pizza or something like that while out.
Guess I'd better go and get some bills done. :( Or at least started.......see ya later!
Ginny

I had to come back and share:
The testominal I wrote is going to be published, and they liked it so much that they're going to PAY me for it... a gift certificate for training or product. :) :) :)

Okay.
Ginny, sounds like you had a good day. Imp, actually, is male... well, the parts that are left are.... if you get my drift. And yes, there is a lot of kitten left when he wants it to be there. Oh, and yes... my Red Cross group was supposed to be in the film, since we are in the St. Patrick's Day parade they filmed. But we're not there---they used a clip of the Special Olympics group instead. And I do know at least one of the extras, but I couldn't pick her out either time I saw the film. :shrug:
I'm sure there is something else I am supposed to be commenting on in your message, but I need to eat dinner. I ran out of time (did a lot of writing today!) and so didn't get dinner before the gym.... then I spent an hour swimming, 2 hours with the kids... and speaking of sloppy males!!!! The male instructional staff left a huge mess that I wound up cleaning up. And I was already dry, too... so I had to get back in the pool to help move the lane lines and clean up their mess.
:mouse:

Quick post...

Ginny--Does your daughter use the Abeka curriculum? Familiar with-taught 3rd for 3 years using it. My son just completed kindergarten using it. I'll look for that book tomorrow!

Mouse-awesome on the writing! My dh decided to make things interesting for the lifeguards on Saturday. He went to swim under the water in the 3 ft.-didn't realize it and......2 chipped teeth, a really bad cut on this lip (he should probably have gotten stiches) and a whole lot of pride meet him at the bottom! The lifeguards were great! We went to the pool yesterday and the one from Saturday was joking with him.

Robyn-oh yes, I know were Buxton is. A few years ago we stayed at a beach house (fireman themed) in Frisco. We went to Hatteras. My dh grew going camping there for numerous years.

If I left anyone out...sorry...I'll be back later today. I have a bunch of stuff to do around this house and have to go to the store.

Have a super Monday!

Debs

I'm back. The weekend was nice. I managed to get through the festival without one ounce of fair food! YEAH ME! Actually it was pure luck, not willpower that did the trick. I had decided ahead of time that I would do caramel popcorn instead of the elephant ear because it is the lesser of the two evils. Once I get my mind set, I'm pretty good. Then as it was there wasn't a single booth selling caramel popcorn! Plenty of elephant ears though but my mind was set on the popcorn. I ended up popping some 94% fat free kettle corn when I got home. It wasn't quite the same but it did the trick.

Robyn - Don't you dare worry about that postcard when you should be resting your leg! We don't have any deadlines as to when she needs to have them all in, so wait until you are better. She has received three postcards so far and is really excited. I think this will be fun for all of us! I decided that I am going to print a blank U.S. map and she can color in the states as she gets them. Right now she just has a check list but I think the map would be better.
I think you will be surprised at how many students you can make a difference for even in a rural community. Around here the teachers are sometimes the only people who care about the child's education. I know with some of my students I am more Mom to them then their own. In fact I had two seniors graduate this year who called me "Mom" (jokenly of course but it is because I act like one).

Ginny - I wasn't stressed over Father's day as it was MY side of the family coming (they call me the anal one and think my house is clean when it is not!) and I love to bake! In fact I have thought about starting a business after I retire where people could call up and have something baked homemade. I am not sure I would enjoy it if I HAD to do it though. On the other hand, my DH would like to open a Dunkin Doughnut some day (because he is addicted to their coffee) and maybe I could just back some healthy alternatives to the doughnuts. Not that we could afford to by a franchise or anything but one should always dream!

Not all men are slobs, my sister married a man who likes the house tidy and she isn't the best house keeper, so he does a lot. I know mine just doesn't get it. Lately he has been mowing the front yard and thinking that is plenty of a contribution for the week! Now we do mow about 9 of our 11 acres, so that is a time consuming task but we have a huge tractor mower so it basically is just sitting and driving. Luckily he is cute and charming or I would have had to hurt him a long time ago!

Mouse - Congratulations on your testimonial being published. That would be exciting! We just watched Ladder 49 last week. I loved the movie but hated the ending. I like happy endings!

How much longer for you silly people who are still working. You must be close, it is almost July for goodness sake!

Sue

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Sorry I have been MIA for so long, but there was just too much to do with all the activities involving graduation and the end of the year, not to mention everything at DD's school. How do people with large families do it?!

I was done today. DD is done tomorrow.

I'm gonna start a fresh thread for the summer. Look for us!!!

Evening, all.
Not a whole lot happening here: I think I'll be doing more lifeguarding at the gym in July, which is good. I actually applied for unemployment, so we'll see if I get it. I wasn't going to, but then I thought about it: I've paid into the system since I was 13 years old (camp counselor job!), and they can certainly give some of it back to me. :) Bad attitude? Maybe. I only want it for June & July, anyway... I'll get my first check from my new school the end of August.
I'm happy to report that I have been swimming longer distances again: I am back to 3/4 of a mile or a mile whenever I'm there. I'm trying to do the Chesapeake Bay swim that we're doing at the gym. I'm going to scrape up my pennies and pay for the registration fee: I want the t-shirt from the gym!
Oh, and I finally got my grade on my spring grad school class... so I submitted the tuition reimbursement to the people at the other school. I mailed it right to the director, and included a list of stuff that is still missing from my classroom. I told her that I was shocked and dismayed over the condition of my belongings and how they were packed because I certainly never would have treated THEIR stuff that way! And would she please ensure that I get the rest of the items belonging to me so I don't have to seek other alternatives to regain my belongings. She's smart; she should figure out what I mean.

Deb: Thanks for the congrats. :) I'm glad your son is okay, and that he was willing to go back! I can do all of the stuff except sink myself to the bottom. I *think* I can get low enough to bring somebody up from six feet, though, now. Lots of practice!!!!

Sue: Congrats on avoiding fair food. I love funnel cakes and the fresh french fries. I don't ever eat either, though... or I'll get a small fry and share it with my mom & grandmother when we go to the farmer's market.

Summer: AWESOME! Free! Does this mean we're going to become a 'Summer Edition' again? Hmmm... what can we call it? I mean, we did summer last year!
:mouse: