Who was going to tell me the thread changed? Hmmm? Hmmm? !!!

Oh... and another thing!!
Would you go to to this map thingy and put a push pin and a hello where you are? Maybe I can get everybody accurately located!! Thanks!!
And my blog is here

Blogs? I'm not the only one with a blog? Fascinating! I'd also like to know everyone's blogs. I know Kiwi's house blog and the fabulous System Goddess, but that's it. I lost the rest of my bookmarks.

Peachy, I think it's a great idea that you're going to be a teacher! I think Lushie is right, and she would know, that kids who go into it out of high school don't have enough life experience (it's ever so fun to be lectured about child-rearing by a childless 22-year-old with a six-month practicum under her 26-inch belt.) I work at a teacher's college and sometimes I look at these little girls and wonder if they've really thought about why they're going into teaching. I know it's possible to have a calling for it, but I think they should do something else for a few years-- get a taste of what life is like for the rest of the world-- and then go into teaching. I suspect that there would be fewer cases of burnout, which is really common among new teachers. I think sometimes kids get into teaching because school is the only workplace they understand and maybe they're a bit afraid to leave it. I'm glad I'll have so much experience elsewhere before I get my certification.

It's Thanksgiving break, so I'll have a whole week to hang out here and obsess about weight loss! I'm considering starting the McDougall plan, which I expound upon at length on my blog. I have to do something about my health problems, because it's only sheer will that keeps them from interfering with my life and my education.

Hi to all the cows!

oh my GAWD!!!!---lushie has been resurrected in true Catholic Glory from her blueberry patch!!! what a WONDERFUL christmas gift for the Cowpatch!!!---i can't even read all of this and absorb it---i will be back to make loud EFFIN comments-----WHAT A STORM OF INFORMATION--- i was on my way to the shop and thought i would check in for a second and WOW!!!--gotta go to work but i do have to say to peacharse--- YOU GO GIRL!!!! FABULOUS IDEA---AND THEN YOU CAN MOVE ANYWHERE AND TEACH ANYWHERE!!!!! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I'm here. I'm addicted to a new thing. It is called Spider Solitaire. Remember when I used to be addicted to Freecell? Spider Solitaire is so much better. It is practically impossible to win. It is very hard. AND you can keep playing and playing the same game all different ways until you see if it is winnable. I love it. It wastes all the time I could be wasting with you.
Hi Bagzie, how's tricks? How is the store coming along? I guess you're busy with the holidays...any displays to show us?
I went to college to be a teacher because that was all girls did when I went to college.
Peaches there are a thousand practice Praxis tests on the internet. The only part that is hard for people or our age is all the 'new age' child management and child psychology phooey that they want you to know about. The rest is trivia.

L

What is Praxis. Personally, I'm not afraid of spiders but I'm not inclined to play with them either. Now, cockroach solitarie would eliminate me immediately. Dog solitarie might. I don't like their:

1. Voices
2. Feet
3. Tongues

Jet is adorable but so nicely far away.

Lushie, I know what you're saying. An older member of my family might have been a mathematics researcher or computer engineer, but because she was a girl, she became a math teacher. She doesn't even like children.

Peachy, becoming a member just means clicking the "register" link and putting in your name and email address. I had to do that because of spam. As far as I know, I'm the only person who has access to the info. Also, I don't watch TV news shows about dirty houses... they have no sense of perspective. Books are not dirt-- except to journalists.

Schatzi dear, as the newest cowchick, there is no need to compile a new list. It's in your email by now; add your name and send it back to ever'body. Lushie, not sure what email you are using; I sent it to a yahoo addy. Yoohoo, Lush, is it Yahoo?
Yeah, me too. I think it would be a blast to take a few kids to Europe. And heck, maybe that's just what I should do -- we could have our own edumacational tour. I'll bet I could do it for half what they were going to charge anyway.
Ah. Good point -- this is a retest (they said to be retested in 6 months or so, but didn't say why -- not that I am particularly worried) -- if I had normal insurance, it should be covered. However I have only major medical now -- $10,000 deductible -- so I'm looking for other ways to pay less.

Oy, Peachie, you are having fun, aren't you? My first reaction is that you need to be all over him about this, but that probably wouldn't help. You are right about the way kids do things now, it's hard for us to figure out what they're doing because we were different. I think you should play up the poor mom having a heart attack with worry angle and insist that you have an open conversation about his friends. I would be having the same problem if DD's school were as far from home as DS's (and if I didn't stick my nose in rather frequently in her activities, which I know you do too). Maybe you could tell him you're worried he's "getting hopped up on drugs". He'd feel so sorry for your completely hopeless uncoolness that he might feel the need to explain what's really going on. Or not.

Anyway, way to go on the edumacation decision. I think that will be great! Believe me, if your future coworkers didn't snipe at you for being in that program, it would be for something else, best develop a thick skin! I'm always horrified at how political some workplaces are and schools seem to be as bad as anywhere.

Have to go help DH with the boat cover. Will read the rest of the discussion later, hopefully what I have written is not too hopelessly outdated.

Kiwi

I had to delete my previous list in a panic. While registering with the Us Department of Ed, I copied and emailed some stuff to myself. Accdientally, then, I pasted it in my post.

So new list:
1. exercise
2. clean for a hour
3. Look at the financial aid thing again.

What I did is request 3 transcripts be send to Fl DOE; apply to FL DOE; look at financial aid see that I have to get something in stupid snail mail to continue; apply at US Dept of Ed for PIN number and see that it takes 3 days to arrive in email; fill in aplication for emplyment at college and put in mail.

Kiwi, you are the System Goddess! How organized you are ! Thankyou for the Xmas list..I've updated and returned to all....
I think that some areas come around with the mammomobile where you can get free mammograms... perhaps you can call your health insurance carrier to help you with a low cost or free one....And.... why won't the school make you whole on the money you put down for this trip? Something just sounds fishy to me...its just not right I say!!!!

Peachpit: I sense such enthusiasm in yer list!! I think this is gonna be wonderful for you and thanks for the background on system goddess...yer the historian round here!

Painty: I added my locale to yer Frapper thingie...and Hmmmm I'm Abe Lincoln tooo...and my movie is Raiders of the Lost ark...how amusing.

Lush: The system goddess made a interrrresting read... however since math was never my strong suit I would fail in the point calculation portion of the system...I held back my desire to JOIN THE LIST indeference to Kiwi...

Oh woe Cherry! Health issues??????Good Gravy ...and I dont know where your blog is lest I would read it along with Paintys and Cowpeach

This weekend was spent raking pounds of leaves, trimming hedges, and massive ninja like pruning on a Laterna out front... we then went to pick up a cord of wood for the fireplace... I thought fer sure I would suffer from Flipper Syndrome since I havent had n upper body in years....but thankfully I can lay my elbows on the table as I type this...as the most I can manage with my arms is ummm Penguin like mobility.

Schatzi-this weekend should have been spent raking leaves and such, but I spent the majority of it being lazy. We went to see Walk the Line which was a good movie. Napped. Ate. Little bit o' shopping. You get the picture.

DH's brother and sil are in town, visiting from Texas. I expect to be going out to dinner tonight and eat and drink waaaay too much.

Peach, I'm so relieved to not have those late night worry sessions anymore. I think you did just fine. If DS were one to get into trouble you might have reason to be concerned, but he's proven himself to be pretty responsible and level headed. I think the actual parenting ends somewhere around the 15 to 16 yr old range. After that, we just have to trust that what we've taught them sticks. Oh, and worry - we always have to worry..... of course you will be a wonderful teacher..... you can do anything you set your mind to, darlin'.

Painty - I'm Mother Teresa. I really, really don't like that. I need to work on it.

Hi Lushy, I'm so glad to see you hanging w/ the herd - but you knew that. I'm a closet Spider Solitaire addict too.... but only the first level because I like to play solitaire and let my mind wander.... kind of like computer meditation. Instead of repeating a mantra, I play solitaire. It will completely empty your brain. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to refill it with anything useful.

Hey to the rest youz cows too - didja have a good weekend?

Thank you for the encouragment Wabbo.

It has been at least a week since I cut out sugar and bread. I feel better MUCH BETTER but my butt has not shrunk. Why is that? What am I supposed to snack on? Not cheese and dried fruit? Chocolate Silk? (so good) Celery with peanut butter?

I snack on celery with natural PB...and celery stuffed with egg salad...turkey or salami rollups "buttered" with Lite Laughing cow... also roasted chick peas are good...

How do you roast a chick pea?

Wabbo, I wanted to point out to you that I messed around with the questions on the World Leader survey and became Hitler!! You should be very very proud to be Mother Theresa, I think. If I really got Hilter with my true answers, I would tell no one.

I have nothing to say today...so I thought I would share that I have a crippling aversion to sticking my hands in a turkey carcass... This has led me to creative methods to the cleaning and stuffing of the turkey which keeps my hands outta it's cavity.(Patent pending).

1) put turkey in sink
2) Holding by legs, use the sink sprayer to wash out the innards
3) Using a long handled spork, gently scrap out any remaining turkey lungs
4) Repeat step 3
5) Turn turkey upside down to drain the water
6) Wrap Paper towels around a Potato masher - secure it with a rubber band and proceed to dry the carcass out by plunging and extracting the masher.
7) Using a long handled ladle as a catapult, I wing sling the stuffing into the turkey carcass
8) Mash the stuffing down with the Masher (sans paper towel)
9) Repeat steps 7 and 8 until chockfull
10) Sew up the turkey hiney and roast.

That is motivational but PLEASE SAY you aren't putting that stuffing in now. You're defrosting a bird, right?