It is what it is

Sorry Matt that you were mad when you left for Chicago. I had fun shopping and doing "stuff". I understand that it sucks when you barely make enough to have ends meet that you have to pay more for taxes still. It sucks that people take advantage of extra unemployment instead of looking for a job because they are "due" that money for losing their job. It sucks that people live off the government everything...free food, free medical, free everything. It sucks that people that do make a lot of money find "deductions" that the rest of us don't. It sucks that I have more education than the average person and still don't make a ton of money. I preached education for my children and a lot of good that did. It is what it is. Glad that Amanda is back from skiing and had a safe weekend! Andrew is finding out what life is like to work full-time and go to graduate school. (without 3 kids in 3 schools) It really is what it is......

It was so nice to sleep late. Lots to do. Catching up on Idol and Grey's. Matt arrived safely after a long drive home from Chicago. We were with tennis group but not too late. I had a luncheon at work to say goodbye to Kimmy who is our secretary and is moving to technology after 9 years. Then we had a program for Black History Month and I left that about 5:00. We had had snow again so it took about an hour to get home. Just plum tuckered out with lots to do today. I wish there was a way to divide my classes and work with them alone. It works soooo much better. No prep time again today. That is 4/5 I have NOT had this week. Sure we get compensated but it's the TIME that we get lesson plans, grades, xeroxing etc. done. The teacher for this class comes from another building and is totally useless. She is not there at least 2 days a week which leaves a totally useless sub and never leaves lesson plans. Not that she has any for the kids anyway. I can't believe h...

Yesterday was Otto's 65th birthday...not believing that my husband is 65! I am fed up with math meetings, hosting them in my room and providing everything, losing my prep time so that I can't get my lesson plans done and oh wait...I need to be grateful that I have a job. The stuff we put up with and the stress!!! Ok, enough of that. Anyway the week has been full of stressful drives in. The snow is driving us all nuts. The ice, the freezing temps. ARRRGGGHHH. I feel like I am getting something in my chest...oh no. We have a luncheon tomorrow for Kim leaving and then a thing tomorrow night and I have to make something for both. Picked up the cake from Costco, went to Piano (recital is a countdown), picked up a sub, treadmill, BUNCO. Had a great 4-way video chat with the kids last night. Cool!!! Otto had dinner with his Mom cause the roads were so bad that I went straight to bell rehearsal. Oh well. Off to play...it is what it is. Need to post my new tattoo!

Ha, I said it was ominous feeling! What a pleasant surprise! Most of the expected Monday snow hit last night and by 5:30 they called school. We've had about 8 inches and it is heavy and wet. It has slowed to almost nothing but I have not left the house all day! Just having a nice cuppa...raspberry on my mother's good china cup. Some candles have been lit and I just did stuff all day. Put the valentine's stuff away and got out the St. Pat's. What a gift! Casey and I have enjoyed not doing much. The day went very quickly. I washed and dried my car yesterday and glad to have it sit clean today. I am sure that tomorrow it will be all salty again. Dentist appt. canelled as well as TOPS tonight. So I don't have to go ANYWHERE! Caught up on looking at photos on FB, talked to Amanda and just enjoyed the no stress day! It is what it is and it is good today!

It started out sunny but is dark and quiet. Does that mean snow is on it's way? It was nice enough to take Casey for a 4 block walk and she is sacked out on the kitchen floor! Church was nice this morning, nice vocal from men's chorus. Kinda a quiet day, not a lot to do which is awesome. Tried to find a hamster to replace Hagrid and no one has them anymore. Have to explore more pet stores. Got my car washed and hand dried it in anticipation of the snow. We are reading a novel at school so I had no spelling or reading tests to correct and was only there 2 days so I have no other papers or tests. Whoooo hoooo! Very nice dinner last night. Bought Otto a briefcase for his b-day from all of us. Am ready for a trip to DC to hopefully see the cherry blossoms in April. Last year we arrived the evening they all blew off the trees! Arrrrgh. Talked to Amanda & Andrew, Matt to go yet. Fire in the fireplace just to have the ambiance. It is what it is!

had an awesome shopping day. Kohl's had an early bird price day and I had a 10.00 gift card and paid 16.00 for about 50.00 worth of stuff. Then Pier I gave me a 20.00 gift card so I bought 22.00 worth of stuff on mycharge and only paid 2.40 for it. It was a nice day. Have reservations for dinner at Andiamos for Otto's birthday (on Wed) and will be doing dinner soon. Yum...love Italiano. Stuff went well today. Bought new beta today, mine died. Getting new hamster tomorrow, mine died. Yikes. Looking forward to the snow! It is what it is!!!

News flash! More snow expected Sunday through Tuesday. I think I have a meeting or activity every night this week! So, it will just get rescheduled! I need to go to the grocery store and do errands. Hoped to get to Costco last night but had the National Junior Elementary Honor Society induction last night and out of 14 students, 7 were mine. I had to stay and I can't stop anywhere that late when poor Casey is waiting to go outside! So Costco on a Sat. it is! And Target, and Kohl's and ......Pier I is on my list. They sent me a 20.00 gift card that expires tomorrow so I have to use it! Ok, off to start the day. It makes me feel pretty good about the NHS. This group of kids will be the class leaders and graduate with honors. Every graduation I have been to , the kids that are the officers, NHS etc were top kids when they were in the 5th grade. It is enlightening to see success. I would like to think I have been a part of it but then I would have to take blame for t...

When I got to school in daylight, I realized that I had carefully chosen the navy socks and shoes but grabbed the black pants! Oh I hate myself. Then Hagrid, my hamster didn't move. I had not seen him since last Friday and he wasn't real active then. Anyway, I had to get rid of him before the kids came in. Then I cut my arm on the staircase and God knows what germs are there! But, I did find a bus company to take us to Lansing for $740.00!!! Yikes. The kids agreed to pay a bit more for our trip! And.....my piano lesson was excellent! I really worked for those recital pieces!!!! I am almost ready...a few more lbs.!!!! I can't afford the car I want and it feels like a no good very bad day. It is what it is!

Just filling out the form to teach writing camp this summer again and realizing how much I have grown as a writer this year made me want to fill out my blog before I settle in to watch Idol. I have tried, this school year, to become more focused on the writing and less focused on the mechanics of writing. It is hard sometimes but they really have been quite creative in their stories. It is like a sandwich that is full of good stuff in the middle but you don't much like the bread and have to pull back the layers, throw away all the gunk and get to the "meat". Lent started today. We don't have a service, would to have liked to have gone to make it more concrete. No chocolate or meat for me. I actually cooked fish and veggies and rice in the oven. Quite tasty. Had another professional development on Neo boards. They are like a keyboard that you can answer questions, type etc. A lot of work to set up and only 2 sets per school and we don't have any cords or...

It is only 2 days but better than nout. Just fooling around on the computer looking for stuff I can't afford! Went to look at Honda's yesterday I spent 2 hours of torture at the dealership. Drove a CRV (bottom line) and didn't like. Saw no reason to drive another CRV that had leather seats and all the accouterments. The drive would be the same wouldn't it???? May end of with a new Accord if I can't get a reasonable payment. Going back with Otto tonight. Having lunch at Papa Vino's with 2 girlfriends that I haven't seen in awhile. Getting KC's license, just doin' stuff. Cleaning day so I better hit the shower and get out of here soon. Piano progressing nicely. Entertainer is about 99% and Farewell to Ireland about 95%. Stopped at Evola music yesterday and looked at the new pianos which sparked me to look at Craig's list. Lots out there for minimum costs. But, I need help from Mona (my piano teacher). Actually went there to look for ...

Today started as a normal Saturday. Had a delayed piano lesson as my teacher's father passed this week and she re-scheduled most of us. Did my errands, talked to Amanda and just did Saturday stuff. Went to a Music Dept. concert at Ward Pres. last night. Am off for 4 days for winter break. Otto does not want to go to service tomorrow because he still has a big bandaid on his face for the skin cancer operation from Monday.....4 times in the OR until they got it all. I won't go alone so..........wondering what we will do Sunday and then M & T. Want to take my Honda Accord to dealer to figure out what I will do when lease is over in a month. Hoping to shop and maybe do lunch with friends on Tuesday. Bought Otto new watch for VD and BD because he lost his Seiko at C-Mas in the parking lot of a restaurant when the bank broke after about 25 years. Loved that watch. Bought one at Kohl's.. Not nearly as nice but it looks similar. We will see. Ok that is it for no...

Found out last night by 9:30. What elation! Slept in and did lots of little stuff all day. Got to the mall and since our street has not been plowed, the Honda did not want to leave the driveway. Had to work it! It's quiet here and I need that once in awhile. Told my kids last night I would see them on Thursday and it worked!!! I don't like to be alone too long but one day is nice. I miss Amanda and the boys a lot. We got a lot of snow. I don't know how Andrew & Brian are coping with all their snow in Washington DC. This morning they had another eight plus inches on top of the 20 plus last weekend. It was still coming down, blizzard conditions and whiteout, with another 8 expected. Andrew hasn't been to work in a week. The city is paralyzed! It can get old. A year ago I flew to DC on this Sunday for a week's visit and there were flowers blooming. It was brisk but sunny and NO SNOW from about half-way on the flight. This year sheesh! Glad I am no...

That is what we need, want and hope for! Puleeze! We get two gimmes, so bring em on! Andrew & Brian are cursing the 20 plus inches in Washington DC. The city has shut down, everything started closing yesterday including airports and the rest of the country became affected. They went to 3 grocery stores trying to find "supplies" for their Super Bowl party Sunday! Things are tough there! Glad I am not going for our February break for a week like I did last year. It was so nice with the exception of one day that Luke, Mike and I went to the Washington Monument it was snowing sideways! The flowers were blooming in February! Anyway, we only get two days so it is not an issue. I am missing them and want to go visit again. I can bounce my weekends between Chicago, Washington DC and Arizona anytime! Poor Casey then misses me! LOL It is what it is! Guess we will have spring before they get rid of all that snow. We still have green grass. Not fair!

Today flew. I was out for a workshop in am and had the sub for the pm so I did some grades, met with the rp rep (restorative practices) and told her no Barney stuff for these 5th/6th graders...you know "I love you, you love me" crap. Some of that stuff drives me up the wall. They are beating the crap out of each other and then have to walk away saying their best friend.....right! Conferences yesterday, why is it the parents you want and need to see don't come????! TGIF It is what it is!

But not enough to do anything but mess up the roads. Typing worship minutes, putting in an avon order (after 26 1/2 years still doing that), typing the flower sheet for church for February and planning a Super Bowl party for a few friends. Geesh life is expensive and all they want to do is cut our benefits and have us take concessions. We fought so hard to be professionals and we make so much less than people in the business world with equal education and experience and now we are fighting to keep from drowning. The state would love to see our unions busted and new, young inexperienced teachers take over in the charter schools because they will work for so much less. After all we are just glorified babysitters who have to push their classes to pass MEAP, state standards and I am teaching Algebra, Geometry and things like changing fractions to percents and decimals to FIFTH GRADERS! They need to be able to convert metric to standard, measure and figure perimeter, area and volume, ...