A nice hot soak

After a few minutes of channel surfing (which always drives the hubby nuts. So much so that I sometimes go in another room to do it) I finally settle on Anthony Bourdain. He is such a lady's man, am I right? Wouldn't you love to throw back a few drinks with him? He was in Japan, and he went to a Ryokan {{Hello Ellison}} and had several meals there. But before he did, he enjoyed a soak in a hot spring.

Naked.

So there he was, all alone in this steamy bath with a gorgeous mountain view...

Naked.

Day-um.

Be still my beating heart!

Although it still did not convince me to eat blow fish. Just saying.

Please, Mr. Postman, please!

So Re-Pete has written her brother a letter. No, I did not take this picture in a mirror. This is how she wrote it. Is she a genius or what?

I put the address on the other side along with the stamp and put my own little "see other side" message just in case some rube thought it was a joke.

A long time ago, before we even had dirt, I was a wee girl in the 2nd grade. I had a uncle in prison. It's true. Well, I actually had two uncles in prison. Both of my mother's sisters married men who ended up in the slammer. I would write one of them letters on that greyish paper with the blue and red-dashed lines. We called them tablets in those days. Remember those? Are those even still made? They were wider they they are long.
So, I wrote him letters, 'cuz he wanted to hear from a seven year old he hardly knew.

I found a few of those letters when I was ten. My handwriting was so neat and even. With tales of swimming and our dog, Popcorn.

But seeing those letters in my Mom's nightstand made me realize my folks weren't really sending those letters to him. Which is probably why he returned to a life of crime once he was released from jail. If he had only received my letters (said with my forehand on my forehead and a pained expression) He probably wouldn't be the schitzoid he is today, with his drug-induced glassy glaze....
but I digress....

I dare you to write out a name completely backwards- from right to left with the letters backwards as well. Okay, maybe you can do it easily. Don't gloat to me. No one likes a sore winner...

Let's just hope her brother doesn't need a mirror to read whatever is in there...

Will you always love me?

So I'm tucking Re-Pete in last night, we read The Berenstain Bears B Book, complete with beautiful baboons and bubbles and banana boxes. After our book we snuggle and talk.
"Mommy, am I your baby?" (We have this conversation on a regular basis)

"Yes, you will always be my baby. And I will always love you."

"Will you always love {the Marine} and {Pete}?"

"I will always love all of you. Even if you drew on the walls, I would still love you."

"What if I made you mad?"

"I would still love you."

"What about Daddy? When you're mad at him?"

And a teaching moment appeared!

I explained how even when people get mad at each other, we still love each other. How we work through our anger. It was wonderful. She has this habit of holding her up and wiggling her fingers slightly when she's processing something. It's so endearing. There we lay, her head near my shoulder, her favorite blanket around her, those fingers twitching. Finally she gave a sigh of contentment, and snuggled into her blanket.

Ahhh, the sweet moments of motherhood.

On a related note, have you ever read I love you, Stinkyface?

Sheesh, have I been an absentee landlord or what? I've been working some crazy hours lately, accomplishing some stuff. Really don't have lot to say.
I tried to stay away from television on Earth Day for fear of seeing Al Gore. My head spins and vomit spews... not pretty, trust me. Yeah, I know, clean up the planet, recycle, use less fuel.... yada yada yada. And it's true. I live and work in the same community. I keep my heat and AC at decent levels. We've instituted a recycling program here at the compound. I drive at the speed limit (mostly) to conserve gas. Hell, I'd fart in a bucket and use it for fuel if I could figure out a way.

Our "new" principal is now our "old" principal, and the "new new" principal came in today and told us he couldn't wait for next year and all the "fun we're going to have". To which the "old old" principal replied that he could start now. That was nice.

Great. I hope that by "fun" he means having a set a rules that teachers are expected to enforce and students are expected to follow. And maybe a masseuse once a week. Now that would be fun.

Let's just hope I can keep my head down. Do my job as best as I can and don't talk to anyone else. At least I'll be in the new building and have nice facilities. At least new desks and clean windows. No graffiti for a few days in the girls bathroom.

Hellfire, indeed!

Today started so great, the girls were in a good mood, even singing. We left on time, a rarity. I listened to some good tunes on the way to work, got to my duty station on time, even had a few kids greet me as they passed by. One of my more bubble-brained student told me she was "getting much better at driving" (one of the many reasons I like to get to work early is I get to avoid the student drivers).

so then it just went to shit. At the end of the day, I am just left feeling very disappointed in the administration, a parent, and several students.

So, I'm off to continue working on my time travel machine. I think today needs a do-over.

A whole new meaning

Today I was yammering on about velocity and we got sidetracked about gas prices and such (and who doesn't?) We were looking at the following:

given that:
-according to Clark Howard, most cars are most fuel efficient at around 60 mi/hr.
and
- for every 5 mi/hr above that you are traveling you lose 10% fuel efficiency
and
- for every ten miles you travel and every 5 mi/hr increase in speed you only gain about 1.5 minutes (do the math!!!)
and
- gas is a motherfucking cocksucking gottdamming holy effing sheepshit BATMAN $3.39 a gallon
-a car with 25 mpg would gain an extra 65 gallons for doing 65 instead of 75 in its daily doings, which for my car is about $10. Moral being slow down, save money, not really worth the time gained.

And then it happened.

I gave out directions for our activity and we began, everything went swimmingly, when suddenly a student asked me a question. Seems she'd heard from "somewheres" that your car used less gas if you slowed down and could I explain that to her.

Gives a whole new meaning to

"secure the student's attention before proceeding"

Bless her heart...

sightings and other news

Sorry about the lack of posting. My computer crapped out on me. Now I have to get up in the middle of the night to get on my husband's computer to post.

I was standing in line at the store today and happened to look at the woman in front of me, just a side glance really. And she looked so much like my mother I almost called her "Mom"- Sort of took my breath away, it did. My mother died 5 years ago this month, so it was a shock to my system.

In other news, my very good friend is finally able to move away, for which I am very glad for her, but very, very sad for me. She is moving literally halfway around the world. Can't get much farther than that.

People in my life continue to amaze me by their acts of kindness. I have witnessed people being very good to one another, which gives me hope.

I still live in fear of my husband's death. I know, freaky. I just can't shake the feeling that he will die before me and that I need to somehow practice being without him. Gah, it's awful.

I betcha you're really happy you stopped at my site today, huh? You know where you should go for a better read? Rachel Lucas' site. She always cracks me up.

I'll be better soon, and I'll share some more from that book about scientists I'm reading.