Wow! I'm really behind! Let me catch up...

Kerry, I'm in the middle of Full House by Janet Evanovich. I've been busy, so I haven't made much progress.

Sue, no, I don't worry about my students showing up at my tag sale. I live in the suburbs, and my students' parents rely on the city bus to get from point A to point B. I'm pretty lucky that way. My DS lives in the town she teaches in, and sees her students at Stop & Shop, the mall, and even church! She, unlike me, is pretty burned out and hates to see them outside of school.

Pam, SB isn't for everyone. I am trying to avoid adult-onset diabetes, so I really need to cut down on carbs for my health as well as for weight loss. I will always have to be careful with sugar and carbs. Do what works for you...that is the best way to succeed!

Mouse, your job scoring sounds like what my DS does for the state of CT for the BEST program portfolio scoring for new teachers.

Ginny, you are right, it is summer!!! You shouldn't have to work. I'm getting annoyed with all the commercials and catalogs showing new school clothes for fall!!! EEK!!!

Yesterday, DD slept over her best friend's house so DH and I could go see Chicago and Earth, Wind, & Fire in concert. It was phenomenal. As members of the fan club, we were allowed to rush the stage with security protecting us. We got lots of dirty looks, but these kind of perks come with being in the fan club. It was thrilling to be so close...I actually got light-headed! For dinner we ate at Ruby Tuesdays. I had shrimp with creamy mashed cauliflower on the side. It tasted like mashed potatoes!!! I drank a Baha Bob's sugar-free margarita...yummy! For dessert, we had sugar-free cheese cake. In the middle of the concert, and again at the end, I got really bad diarrhea. I'm trying to figure out which new thing I ate caused it. Heavy cream can cause it as well as artificial sweeteners. Right now I'm drinking another Baha Bob's margarita to see if it is that. I'm having a party tomorrow, and I will be really disappointed if the Baha Bob's caused the diarrhea. Hopefully it was the creamy cauliflower or cheese cake. Gotta go, DD wants to cuddle.

If I missed anybody, I'll catch ya later!

Good evening, all.

All I can say is that I am just about ready to commit violence against teachers who think Powerpoint will save them. I can't explain further, because I'd be giving away testing stuff, I think.

I finally got to the gym today. Monday and Tuesday I didn't have a bathing suit, yesterday there was a tanker truck that spilled over on Route 29, so I couldn't get on that and its the quickest way to the gym from where we're scoring. And now its likely that we have to work on Saturday. I'm not terribly thrilled by that concept, but I could certainy use the money, so I'll do it.
I'm having issues with lunch: I can't walk all the way over to the mall (its up hill and about a quarter of a mile). Well, I could walk over there if I had more time. We have an hour to get lunch. I can't walk there, walk back, and eat my lunch. So I drove the last 2 days, and today there was no parking spaces left when we got back. I wound up parking on the 2nd floor of the garage, then realized that there was no elevator, and while there is a walkway into the 2nd floor, its owned by a private company that leases that half of the 2nd floor of the building: you can't get in!!!! I had to ASK them to let me out that door this evening when I left. Fortunately, I have my salad from lunch today (I had a salad and sandwich, but only managed to finish the sandwich).
Its a shame, too: we get a $10 voucher every day to use at the mall. I've considered trying to use it after we're finished for the day, but I'm afraid if I wait as much as a half an hour, I'll get stuck on the beltway and have no hope of getting to the gym.
Any ideas?

Hey, Summer...
We posted at the same time, but I thought I'd answer your post...
I had the creamy cauliflower at Ruby Tuesdays when my father took me there, and I got a bit sick as well. I didn't eat very much of it because it wasn't very good (I've had it other places and it was fine). I figured they put chicken broth in something, but now maybe it was the cauliflower. Was the cheesecake good? My father tried to talk me into a piece, but it was 400 calories a slice!
I've had the sugar-free cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory, and also a local supermarket chain has one in their bakery. The latter is really, really good... and its an individual tart size, so only about 200 calories. The Cheesecake Factory one was okay, but not worth the $5 they charged per slice. It might have been more, but I was with friends from that special ed teahcer's convention so we split the bill.

this staff development junk is for the birds........
...no I don't get any $$ for doing this...this is part of my contract...

I could do it in July or in August.... I do NOT do anything for school ANYTHING during the first 2 weeks of August... so this was better than that! I guess....

Funnnn (sarcasm!) stuff here with all 4 of us home.... STRESSSSSS YUMMY!

gotta run......class tomorrow...yipppee! (but it is the last day!)
take care,
meee
hope everyone is ok...I've not read posts in days...sorry! TIMEEE and energy..and dh camped out at computer trying to solve dsl issues that are driving him to insanity... arghh!

Hello all
I am terribly hearbroken this am. My sweet little cat was run over last night. I cried myself to sleep as did everyone else I think. I had gone to Walmart and when I came in, my husband was looking really weird, and I kissed him and said Hey what's up to which he replied, Sassy is dead. I couldn't believe it. Apparently, a dog was chasing her and she stepped into the street and got hit by a van. My nine year old was out there, and thought her paw was hurt so he carried her home. This makes me cry harder. The van didn't even stop. It just pisses me off. So, in the dark, in the rain, we buried her under a shady tree. I'm crying again. She was such a sweet little kitty. I have had her almost as long as my youngest. Almost ten years. Needless to say, my eyes are swollen, and I have a headache this morning. I'm sure my husband will be having one too, as he began drinking beer in response to this accident. He really loved that cat. When she was a kitty, we thought she had drowned because of Hurricane Floyd. But, when we were able to get into the house she was floating on the couch.
Anyway, enough of my babble, I'll come back later when I'm not so depressed.
Take Care,
Pam

Pam....I'm so sorry. Our kitty is 18. I am sorry that your child was there to witness everything. Not to even stop....how mean! Take care, Robyn

I'm going to vomit.
On the news this morning (3 "cities" away....about 30 minutes...not rural by a long shot...) :

Police are searching for the 2nd morning for 5 year old boy. He is wearing only a diaper. (DIAPER??) Last seen in the front yard of his aunt's house on Wednesday night sometime around 10 p.m. According to the news, he was being "cared" for by the aunt's boyfriend. The news also has stated that the child needs medical attention as he not only is medically fragile (before "disappearing"), evidently he was severely scalded (hands and arms) 1 day before he disappeared and was never taken to the doctor. The photo provided to police is of the child at 2.

Gee...ya think this is going to have a happy ending? People and their indifference to children makes me so sick.

I'm ill over this!

Just me again.
I feel a lot better now, well as better as i can feel anyway. I went and bought a bunch of impatiens and planted them over where Sassy's grave is. I also bought some Zinnia's and but them in this huge kitty cat plant stand I have, surrounded the whole thing with bricks and filled it in with mulch. It looks very pretty. She would like it, she loved flowers she was always sniffing flowers when I was planting them and rubbing up against them. I think the dog is beginning to wonder where she is because she usually hides behind the table whenever Sassy comes in, and everytime I open the front door she runs to hide behind the table to jump out at her. By the way, animal control showed up at my house today saying they had a complaint that my dog was running loose. I said I don't think so, someone reported the dog that was running loose in the neighborhood last night, the one that chased my cat into the road. She said Well you're cat should not have been loose. Their is an ordinance in Rocky Mount about loose cats. I said well I guess you don't have to worry about that cause when the dog that was loose which wasn't mine, chased her into the road she got hit by a car. She said well, there is a law that clearly states that loose cats are forbidden. I said well geez, didn't know that. Thanks for your time. What a b.......
I think my home is being invaded by frogs. I went out to the pond today to feed the fish, and there was a frog sitting on a lily pad. How cute I said, let me get my camera. I took a picture and then noticed it was not one frog, but two...........I began to look around the pond and there were six frogs in there. FROG ORGIE! Does that make me a pervert? Ha Then, later, a frog got into the house and my dog was chasing it around the livingroom. We finally got it out. It's Pam's Wild Kingdom around here.
Thanks Robyn, Sassy was my baby, and the sweetest thing.
Ok, I'm done blabbing. Talk to you later!
Pam

My this was a depressing read today!

Pam, I am so sorry about your cat. Animals are so much like children when you have had them that long it is like losing a child. Then to have animal control be such a jerk. I would have been tempted to box her ears (as my aunt would say) around a bit!

Robyn, any news on the lost boy. I hate hearing about children who have been abused and neglected. I don't know how anyone could do that to a child. Hopefully he just ran away and when found they will find him a good loving home.

Summer, when you live in a small town like I do you see your students everywhere. My friends can't believe that I won't by alcohol at the local grocery store but believe me students notice that kind of stuff! I stopped going to the local beach a few years ago because students were commenting on seeing me there in my bathing suit (although I usually had my shorts over it). So did you discover if the margaritas were the problem? I'll tell you a great lowfat cheesecake recipe. Just mix a 16 oz container of fat free sourcream with a small box of sugar free fat free white chocolate pudding mix (not made, just the powder) put it in a reduced fat graham cracker crust and put 1/2 can of lite cherry pie filling on top. It is delicious and quick!

Every ad we received this week dealt with back to school. I am not even ready to think about that yet. I don't even know what I am teaching yet. We still have almost two months of summer. There should be a law of no back to school ads until August!

My DD is spending the night at a friends house tonight. This is only the second time she has stayed with a non-family member. I teach with the stepdad (jock/coach) but otherwise don't know the family at all. I am a bit nervous as they have a swimming pool. I know I tend to be a little over protective but I think too many parents don't watch their children well enough.

Sue

Pam- my most sincere sympathies on the loss of your kitty.....ours are like family members.....sweet little souls who smile,comfort and stabilize like really no human can. All for some pets, some food and a litter box change. That animal control person was crass and insensitive.....perhaps fools like her should not be allowed to run loose either.

Robyn- how did that little lost boy story end????They ever find him- and hopefully alive? Some parents should be shot....or put in jail....or made to pay for the horror they cause the rest of society. Dd is working as a bus monitor this summer ($12/hour.....) and one student who is totally unable to leave her wheelchair- cannot support her head (which is supported at somewhat of an angle by a brace on the chair) and cannot speak has puked for the past 2 days. Not just on the bus... but at school also- and each time she does so must be evaluated by 2 RN's for fear that she has aspirated vomit. She lives in a HUGE house...... Big $$$$$$$$ area- house probably worth close to a million.....yet momma sends her to school to make the rest of the county work for her. Some people should not be parents........hope that 5 yr old is ok. (anyone figure out the diaper thing?)

Mouse- is the voucher dated? Can you get in to the mall before you go in????
(sometimes food establishments open early- or what about calling your order in to a where you want food- or asking someone else to pick up your food during lunch?)

Summer- I used to be a HUGE Chicago fan.......how was the concert? How is your stomach? Hope you are feeling better.

Kerry- hope the rain stopped.....and those TOM cravings too (I am suffering from that at the moment, myself).

Sue- I hate this 90 degree stuff too........feel like a soggy sponge. Hope your weather breaks soon too.....

Well, you guessed it, they caught up with me again. Drove this am....at least I got to drive, which I would rather do than monitor. And all the special ed buses (except for one) have A/C. So at least I was comfortable. I did turn down working this afternoon......had to take Ds to his bball game in this miserable heat....team won......
I have been bad with my eating.....TOM is due any moment. Did get up at 5 am to sneak in a wet in this awful tropical air. Where is a nice Canadian cold front when you need one?
Gotta go catch up with a gazillion things that I should be doing....see ya later.
Ginny

Hi...
Pam: I'm so sorry. Imp (my kitty) and I are thinking about you and yours. I wince everytime I see an animal on the side of the road. Imp stays inside for the most part, mostly because he won't wear his collar. He takes it off everytime I try to put it on him.
Robyn: Isn't it FUNNNN? And, yes... I hate stories like that so much that I've almost stopped watching the local news except in the morning before work. The local evening news is on for 3 hours here, so they go into great detail about that sort of thing, for days. I can't handle it, especially since I know that those kids will eventually wind up in my classroom... Most of the kids at my last school were in foster care or adopted, many lived in group homes and their parents were dysfunctional. Those that lived at home frequently had a less than stellar life as well.
Ginny: Thanks for the ideas; I have considered going in the morning since Panera is open early enough, but I looked up the salads at Panera's website, and the only one that doesn't have chicken which I could eat was 600 calories... I have better things I can use 600 calories on! The other place doesn't open until 7:30, and we have to be there at 8. I'm afraid to cut it that close. But after what happened yesterday, our trainer said he'd get me a salad at the place he goes to... One of the other teachers got a sandwich for me today, so its working out so far. I do hate having to ask though... I know I shouldn't but I do. Especially since so many people assume things based on how I look.
We are working tomorrow so we can get done. We finished 1/4 of the assignment today, just before lunch. I wish I could tell you guys about the prompts, so you'd understand better, but I can't...
I can tell you that one of the prompts I scored today had a heck of a typo... the poor candidate was clearly trying to talk about agricultural crops, and the sexual properties of plants... and instead of crops, he typed 'agricultural crap'. I lost it... I laughed so hard I was in TEARS. And you're not supposed to do that.
I'm going to run... My Harry Potter book is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Its being held at the UPS shipping office here in Baltimore. And, I wont be home! I'm working from 9-2 tomorrow, and then figured I'd go to the mall and get lunch with my voucher... and then go to the gym since we have swimming lessons tomorrow night! I wont' be home till after 9!

Hey!
First, let me thank everyone for your kind words. It's a beautiful day here. I am going to try to get all my housework done this morning and then just lay by the pool for the remainder of the day with a good book. I think it is going to be 94 here today.
They are already advertising back to school stuff here too. I think I will go out and buy the ninety folders I use when i catch them for 7 cents a piece. I think I am going to have to switch rooms this year. It really sucks. This guy I worked with called me yesterday morning and was telling me about all the latest gossip from Southern Nash Middle School. In the process he asked me where room 605 was. I said that's my room why? He got really quiet and said I was just wondering. Hmmmm.......
Ok, gotta run, so I'll talk to you later!
Pam

Morning Ladies,
I told have time for much of a personal post this morning. Have to get ready to leave to go to a baseball game for a couple of our friends little boys. But I did want to pop in and say hi. I hope you all have a wonderful day today! Pam I am so sorry to hear about your kitty! Hugs go out to you and your family.
I am a little bit ticked off at my dh. He knew that I wanted to take a weekend trip just him and I sometime before our summer vacation was over. Everytime I tried talking to him about it he just blew me off. The other night one of friends asked him to go to the Ohio State/Texas football in Columbus the second weekend in Sept. He jumped all over it. That is all he has talked about for the last few days. When I tried to talk about where we could go he was like I thought you decided not to go anywhere now, because you having to go to school this summer. I am tempted to just make plans for myself and go away for the weekend. Maybe I should do that and call my best friend and invite her along. Well I have been summons to take my shower. Talk to you all later.
Have a wonderful Saturday!
Kerry

Mouse - Did you get your book yet? I actually ran to Meijers at midnight to grab one! I came home and read a chapter but then I needed to sleep. I was hoping for rain today so I would have a good excuse to curl up and read all day!

We have a 30% chance of rain today and we could REALLY use some. Still the next 8 days looks like high 80's to low 90's. Atleast the humidity is suppose to drop on Wednesday, which just happens to be our next camping trip. This trip is with my family. Everyone goes but my brother's family. His wife is a bit prissy and doesn't like their girls to get dirty. They do sometimes come for a day but we are going up to Higgen's Lake this time. That is a bit to far for a day trip. I always love the family camping trip because each adult does what they like the best and the children can choose which one to go to. I have always been the beach person so hopefully it won't be too hot. I may have to switch to the "stay in the air conditioned camper and read" person! I am going to try to be good with the smores this time. I should just avoid them all together but if I could stick to one, that wouldn't be bad. I actually do well with real food as I have never been much of a grease/fat lover. Maybe I'll throw in some Skinny Cow icecream sandwiches. They are the same number of points but I would be less likely to binge on them.

I was up 3 3/4 lbs when I weighed in Wednesday. I am hoping that some of that was the fact that it was that TOM. I also had had a lot of salty foods for several days prior. I'll need to weigh in early this week due to vacation. I hate Monday weigh ins because the weekends tend to involve pizza and movie popcorn.

Speaking of movie popcorn. My DD was at a friend's house, so we were able to see a PG13 movie! We saw the War of the Worlds. I was disappointed but glad it wasn't scarier. I was a bit worried that my DS would have nightmares forever but he wasn't frightened at all. The acting was good though. Of course I plan on marrying Tom Cruise some day. I have been in love with him since I saw him in his underware in Risky Buisiness!

I guess I should go. I am debating whether I should go golf before it gets too hot or just curl up with Harry and the gang. Such decisions! Don't you just love summers?!

Sue

Morning!!!!
Just a short hello.......

Mouse- forgive me for not remembering what your food restrictions are- Panera also has a really nice vegetable soup (comes with some bread too of course) that I checked out the points on and the whole meal was 4 points. With the Panera salad gosh, that must be the dressing.....or something that they could hold to reduce the calories on,perhaps??? Just an idea.

Kerry- hope your baseball game daygoes well. Sorry about Dh.....he must be related to mine.....hugs to you.

Sue- brother you hit it right.....the one thing I hate about the Tuesday WW meeting I go to is that it is so close to the weekend...and lots of times it takes 2 days for the salt to exit my body. Hope this weeks WI goes better for you!

Pam- hope you enjoy the nice (???? 94 is miserable in my book!) weather.....get some pool time in and relax. You have had a rough time recently.

Not much new here.......need a nap, doubt I will get one.....have a great day!
Ginny