I see you are sitting under that "No Smoking" sign. What are you up to? Oh...smoking? I guess the Legislators did not mean you when they passed the smoking ban, especially since you are sitting in the doorway of a building where many young children pass in and out. Carry on.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Help! I'm Stuck in a Nut Shell!
WOW! It has been a long time since I have posted anything. As I look back at my most "recent" post, I began to think about the various projects I have intended to start and have not followed through. Here is a brief list:
- Things I Find in Books blog posts-I still have a pile of random things I have found. It is sitting on my downstairs desk. These range from receipts to Presidential Trading Cards to old photographs.
- Toastmasters Scrapbook- Several members of my club have been kind enough to gather things together for me, but they sit piled...near my downstairs desk. I even have the cardstock and album.
- Wedding Scrapbook - We recently celebrated our 5th anniversary...no scrapbook yet. This is especially sad because my aunt actually put the album together, and all I need to do is put the photos in.
- Begin writing a book- I have notes jotted for several book ideas, but nothing has come to fruition.
- Running- I technically never started running, though I did research the concept. I looked up various training programs to help motivate me, but I never got so far as lacing up my running shoes.
- Learning to play guitar- I owned a guitar for 14 years. I sort of knew a couple of songs at one point. Now those have escaped me. I realized I will never become a guitar player unless the ability comes to me magically in my sleep. It could happen. Yeah...and monkeys might fly out of my butt.
Here are a few projects that I am considering for the very near future:
- Simplifying- I actually have begun to go through my kitchen to identify things I do not actually use. I have posted some on Craig's list and taken others to a local consignment shop. Another small success is that I have cleared out all my unread and unnecessary e-mails as well as unsubscribing to things I don't actually read.
- Toasmasters Humorous Speech Contest-I have done this for the past couple of year, and I hope to continue for my third. This time around I will focus on the amusing points of dog ownership.
What about successful ventures? Here are a couple:
- Wedding Afghan-I finally completed an afghan for my friends who were married almost four years ago.
- Toastmasters-I served as an officer for two years, but am currently off the hook for official leadership responsibilities. I participated in two speech contests last year and earned Competent Leader and Advanced Communicator Bronze levels.
- Teaching- I finished my 7th year as an English teacher, and the school wants me back next year. :) I even managed to mentor two student teachers who went on to find gainful employment.
- Married- We passed the fifth year mark. That has to count for something.
- Television- I have finally begun watching many television programs on my "Must Watch" list: The Flight of the Conchords, Little Britain, Arrested Development and Strangers with Candy to name a few. I also have Fawlty Towers, Weeds, and a few other choice nuggets on Netflix instant queue.
So...these are a few of the things I have been up to, or not up to. Maybe I will post something again in the near future. But I won't make any promises I can't keep.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Stuff I Find In Books
Being someone that spends a great deal of time thumbing through books, I find many interesting things betwixt the pages. In the upcoming weeks, I will post pictures of the things I find in some of these books since I cannot think of clever things to write. My only regret is that I did not start collecting these items I soon as I found them-especially the presidential trading card I found in a used children's book for sale at the library.
I look forward to a new school year, when my students will use a vast array of whatever they can find to mark pages in books. There will be a bevy of makeshift bookmarks for me to discover.
To wrap up, I would like to share a few amusing quotes about bookmarks:
'I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed-reading accident. I hit a bookmark.' Steven Wright
'Why pay a dollar for a bookmark? Why not use the dollar for a bookmark?' Steven Spielberg
'That won't work very well in Canada, where the dollars are coins!' Posted by AwsomeAud bookcrossing.com
I look forward to a new school year, when my students will use a vast array of whatever they can find to mark pages in books. There will be a bevy of makeshift bookmarks for me to discover.
To wrap up, I would like to share a few amusing quotes about bookmarks:
'I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed-reading accident. I hit a bookmark.' Steven Wright
'Why pay a dollar for a bookmark? Why not use the dollar for a bookmark?' Steven Spielberg
'That won't work very well in Canada, where the dollars are coins!' Posted by AwsomeAud bookcrossing.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Hello Again
I am not sure that anyone really gives a rat's patooty about where I have been, but I have been a busy lady. Here is what I have been up to:
- Finishing year 6 as a high school teacher, which included two new classes for me
- In my backyard...doing some yardwork
- Sewing and crocheting gifts for birthdays and babies
- Writing and presenting speeches for Toastmasters, for which I am the recently installed second in command (I can feel the power surging through me!)
- Creating the next great American novel...in my imagination
- Watching The Office (British and American) and 30 Rock on DVD
- Hanging out with my dog
- Eating sugar free popsicles
- Teaching Summer School, which includes a great deal of reading and planning
- Having nightmares about eating meat-not even kidding
- volunteering at the library-The Ground Floor
- Reading Kyle K's stem cell blog
- grading a vast array of assignments and essays
- fearing my 30th birthday in September (though I swore it would be no big deal)
- Grocery shopping
- Rereading the entire Harry Potter series before I see the 6th movie
- Wishing I had more time to drive back home to visit my family
- Spending more money than I should
- Celebrating my 4th wedding anniversary
And that is the past several months in a nutshell.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers
I love rabbits. Because of this adoration, it is not surprising that I am ecstatic when learning about a nest of baby rabbits existing in my yard. However, the manner in which I learned about these babies is less than desirable.
Over Spring Break, I enjoyed spending a great deal of time outside with my dog, Izzy. She is very well behaved most of the time, so I allowed her to roam freely about the yard while I cleaned out flower beds. After an hour an a half, Izzy apparently became bored with lying around in the sunshine, so she began to follow smells and ended up in the flower bed at the top of the yard. I realized that she was shoving her nose into what appeared to be a hole, so I was curious to learn what she found to be so fascinating. As I walked to where she was, Izzy pulled out of the hole with a baby bunny dangling from her mouth. It was less than a week old with no hair and closed eyes. It was just a little squirmy thing, mostly pink with a few darker spots where brown hair would shortly grow in. I yelled, "Izzy, no!" and took the bunny from her mouth. It appeared to be unharmed, so I put it back in the nest. Before I could pull Izzy away, she pulled the bunny out of the nest a second time! Again, the baby wasn't hurt, so I returned it to its home as I tugged on Izzy's collar. Needless to say, Izzy was taken into the house for the remainder of the afternoon, as well as for all other yardwork sessions.
Contrary to popular belief, mother rabbits do not abandon their babies the same way birds do after their babies have been touched. As someone who once bred and raised rabbits, I am privy to the fact that rabbits are not as sensitive about their babies smelling like other things. In fact, by the time the mother rabbit returned to the nest that evening, the baby smelled enough like its siblings that the mother did not care that it had gone on a short adventure in a dog's mouth.
For a couple of days, Izzy was stuck on her leash while we went into the backyard to avoid another bunny related catastrophe. I stayed far from the nest, as well, knowing that the last thing those babies needed was a nosy neighbor. When Izzy was allowed off the leash again, I kept a very close eye on her to make sure she did not wander near the nest.
Things were fine in the bunny department for about a week...until one day when my husband beat me home. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw that Scott and Izzy were outside. Izzy was on the leash, but Scott unhooked her when I walked into the yard. She ran toward me, and I thought I was going to be lavished with puppy love. Nope. Izzy took that opportunity to run back to the seemingly forgotten bunny nest and pull a baby out. This time, the baby was wide-eyed and full of fur. I yelled for her to drop the baby as she began to walk toward Scott, apparently thinking she was doing something cool for him. She caught on to my worry and dropped the bunny, which scooted to hide underneath a plant. Izzy bolted, and I picked up the bunny, which seemed to be okay. I once again returned the baby to its nest, hoping that the bunny would continue to be okay. Of course, Izzy was kept on the leash for the next few ventures outside.
The next day, when I came home during lunch, I checked on the nest to make sure all the babies were alive and kicking. The nest was empty. This was a bittersweet discovery for me. I was disappointed that there were no cute baby bunnies for me to look at, but at least I knew they were all able to move.
That evening, my husband was concerned for the baby bunnies because they were scattered throughout the yard. He was determined to catch the babies and return them safely to their nests. I was unsure that this was wise, but I really wanted to hold one of the babies again, so I went for it. I did catch one baby and put it in its nest, only to have it run away as soon as I let go. Bummer. It bolted for the neighbors yard and ran underneath the barn. I am not sure what happened to it from there, for we have seen neither hide no hare of it. (Pun intended.) The remainder of the babies found some hiding spots withing close proximity of one another, and I tried to sneak of peek of them whenever I could. Alas, I have not been lucky enough to see one.
Then, the tragedy struck. When I returned home on evening, my husband said, "We had a bad night. I am not going to tell you what happened, but let's just say Izzy will need to stay on her leash when she goes outside." I immediately knew what I had happened, and I nearly cried. Izzy had managed to catch one of the babies. Though she most likely intended no harm, she is like Lenny from Of Mice and Men; she does not know her own strength. When she snatched the rabbit in her mouth, it crunched between her teeth. She did not want to give her prize to my husband, so when he reached for the bunny, she crunched it one more time and ran.
Eventually, the bunny was dropped and properly disposed of. I have not seen the other babies roaming about the yard. Unfortunately, there are two feral cats in our neighborhood, so Izzy is not the only critter smacking her jaws at the thought of fresh meat.
Rabbits, let this be a warning to you. As much as I would love to have you nest in my yard, you need to beware of the dog.
Over Spring Break, I enjoyed spending a great deal of time outside with my dog, Izzy. She is very well behaved most of the time, so I allowed her to roam freely about the yard while I cleaned out flower beds. After an hour an a half, Izzy apparently became bored with lying around in the sunshine, so she began to follow smells and ended up in the flower bed at the top of the yard. I realized that she was shoving her nose into what appeared to be a hole, so I was curious to learn what she found to be so fascinating. As I walked to where she was, Izzy pulled out of the hole with a baby bunny dangling from her mouth. It was less than a week old with no hair and closed eyes. It was just a little squirmy thing, mostly pink with a few darker spots where brown hair would shortly grow in. I yelled, "Izzy, no!" and took the bunny from her mouth. It appeared to be unharmed, so I put it back in the nest. Before I could pull Izzy away, she pulled the bunny out of the nest a second time! Again, the baby wasn't hurt, so I returned it to its home as I tugged on Izzy's collar. Needless to say, Izzy was taken into the house for the remainder of the afternoon, as well as for all other yardwork sessions.
Contrary to popular belief, mother rabbits do not abandon their babies the same way birds do after their babies have been touched. As someone who once bred and raised rabbits, I am privy to the fact that rabbits are not as sensitive about their babies smelling like other things. In fact, by the time the mother rabbit returned to the nest that evening, the baby smelled enough like its siblings that the mother did not care that it had gone on a short adventure in a dog's mouth.
For a couple of days, Izzy was stuck on her leash while we went into the backyard to avoid another bunny related catastrophe. I stayed far from the nest, as well, knowing that the last thing those babies needed was a nosy neighbor. When Izzy was allowed off the leash again, I kept a very close eye on her to make sure she did not wander near the nest.
Things were fine in the bunny department for about a week...until one day when my husband beat me home. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw that Scott and Izzy were outside. Izzy was on the leash, but Scott unhooked her when I walked into the yard. She ran toward me, and I thought I was going to be lavished with puppy love. Nope. Izzy took that opportunity to run back to the seemingly forgotten bunny nest and pull a baby out. This time, the baby was wide-eyed and full of fur. I yelled for her to drop the baby as she began to walk toward Scott, apparently thinking she was doing something cool for him. She caught on to my worry and dropped the bunny, which scooted to hide underneath a plant. Izzy bolted, and I picked up the bunny, which seemed to be okay. I once again returned the baby to its nest, hoping that the bunny would continue to be okay. Of course, Izzy was kept on the leash for the next few ventures outside.
The next day, when I came home during lunch, I checked on the nest to make sure all the babies were alive and kicking. The nest was empty. This was a bittersweet discovery for me. I was disappointed that there were no cute baby bunnies for me to look at, but at least I knew they were all able to move.
That evening, my husband was concerned for the baby bunnies because they were scattered throughout the yard. He was determined to catch the babies and return them safely to their nests. I was unsure that this was wise, but I really wanted to hold one of the babies again, so I went for it. I did catch one baby and put it in its nest, only to have it run away as soon as I let go. Bummer. It bolted for the neighbors yard and ran underneath the barn. I am not sure what happened to it from there, for we have seen neither hide no hare of it. (Pun intended.) The remainder of the babies found some hiding spots withing close proximity of one another, and I tried to sneak of peek of them whenever I could. Alas, I have not been lucky enough to see one.
Then, the tragedy struck. When I returned home on evening, my husband said, "We had a bad night. I am not going to tell you what happened, but let's just say Izzy will need to stay on her leash when she goes outside." I immediately knew what I had happened, and I nearly cried. Izzy had managed to catch one of the babies. Though she most likely intended no harm, she is like Lenny from Of Mice and Men; she does not know her own strength. When she snatched the rabbit in her mouth, it crunched between her teeth. She did not want to give her prize to my husband, so when he reached for the bunny, she crunched it one more time and ran.
Eventually, the bunny was dropped and properly disposed of. I have not seen the other babies roaming about the yard. Unfortunately, there are two feral cats in our neighborhood, so Izzy is not the only critter smacking her jaws at the thought of fresh meat.
Rabbits, let this be a warning to you. As much as I would love to have you nest in my yard, you need to beware of the dog.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
25 Things About Me
Okay, so I have been meaning to do this for quite some time. This has been passed along through FaceBook, and it has taken me a month or so to get around to it.
Here goes:
1. I have absolutely no will power when it comes to chocolate, although I wish I had enough control to eat only chocolate that has been approved as not using slave labor in its production.
2. I have been thinking about becoming vegetarian for a while, and I finally took the plunge last summer. Although I fell of the wagon, I have been working hard at being vegetarian for a month.
3. I am not a member of PETA.
4. I often have dreams that involve my teeth falling out or on the brink of falling out.
5. I hope to someday publish a book. Probably a fantasy novel.
6. I am obsessed with my dog, Izzy.
7. I make sure I read for pleasure every night before going to sleep.
8. I played donkey basketball today, and it was awesome.
9. I love Star Wars.
10. I sometimes feel guilty when I show movies in my classes.
11. Today I bought Izzy her own pillow.
12. If I could, I would sleep 10 or more hours a day.
13. Someday I hope to compete in the finals of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest.
14. One of my goals is to stop drinking bottled water.
15. I hate when people talk on their cell phones while driving.
16. I am a terrible housekeeper.
17. I refuse to buy more than a few items at a time at Wal Mart. I once stood in line 45 minutes waiting to checkout.
18. I am having a difficult time coming up with 25 interesting things to write about myself.
19. I want to help people, but I am never really sure whether I am making a difference.
20. I sobbed several times while reading the last Harry Potter book.
21. Sometimes I eat mac and cheese for breakfast.
22. I failed my first driver's test.
23. I like bananas, but I don't like things that are banana flavored.
24. I refuse to watch the end of Gone With the Wind because I know it will make me sad.
25. I love YouTube.
Here goes:
1. I have absolutely no will power when it comes to chocolate, although I wish I had enough control to eat only chocolate that has been approved as not using slave labor in its production.
2. I have been thinking about becoming vegetarian for a while, and I finally took the plunge last summer. Although I fell of the wagon, I have been working hard at being vegetarian for a month.
3. I am not a member of PETA.
4. I often have dreams that involve my teeth falling out or on the brink of falling out.
5. I hope to someday publish a book. Probably a fantasy novel.
6. I am obsessed with my dog, Izzy.
7. I make sure I read for pleasure every night before going to sleep.
8. I played donkey basketball today, and it was awesome.
9. I love Star Wars.
10. I sometimes feel guilty when I show movies in my classes.
11. Today I bought Izzy her own pillow.
12. If I could, I would sleep 10 or more hours a day.
13. Someday I hope to compete in the finals of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest.
14. One of my goals is to stop drinking bottled water.
15. I hate when people talk on their cell phones while driving.
16. I am a terrible housekeeper.
17. I refuse to buy more than a few items at a time at Wal Mart. I once stood in line 45 minutes waiting to checkout.
18. I am having a difficult time coming up with 25 interesting things to write about myself.
19. I want to help people, but I am never really sure whether I am making a difference.
20. I sobbed several times while reading the last Harry Potter book.
21. Sometimes I eat mac and cheese for breakfast.
22. I failed my first driver's test.
23. I like bananas, but I don't like things that are banana flavored.
24. I refuse to watch the end of Gone With the Wind because I know it will make me sad.
25. I love YouTube.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Materialism
For lack of anything better to write about, here is a list of the stuff I got for Christmas:
Craft Related Items
- Charmed Knits: Projects for every Harry Potter Fan
- Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet
- money for yarn
- an apron and matching potholders (Believe it or not, apron was actually on my list)
- cookie scoop
Personal Care:
- a turban hair drying thing
- shower and bath stuff
- more shower and bath stuff
- scented soap
Clothing
- fuzzy socks
- lambies slippers
Food and Beverage
- hot cocoa mix with peppermint schnapps
- 120 bags of flavored green tea
- chocolates
Miscellaneous
- a humiliating photo from 1994...I had some major hair issues back then
- a photo album for pictures of Izzy
- DVDs that my husband bought for the two of us
And the grand finale:
A new Nikon Coolpix camera...Sweeeeeet!
My previous camera was causing me grief, but this new baby is a dream come true. On Christmas Eve I had given my husband a hard time about buying DVDs that he wanted and claiming they were Christmas gifts for both of us. Then, Christmas morning, he whips out the camera and I feel like a jackass.
I also had my first experience making Chex mix, which went so well that I am going to do it for New Years, even if it is just me sitting around playing Wii games and drinking green tea.
Probably the best part of my visit back home was seeing my niece and nephew. There will be some photos of them coming soon.
The scary moments both involved Izzy. Her head started shaking back and forth for no apparent reason, though she was completely responsive and still demanded that we rub her belly. Eventually she recovered, but we need to get her checked out.
On Christmas day we went to my aunt's house, leaving Izzy in the care of my in-laws. At a time when just my father-in-law was home, Izzy managed to eat a plate of cookies off the dining room table. My mother-in-law called us, we told her to call the 24 hour vet clinic, and the crisis was averted. She found out how to induce vomiting in Izzy, and she has been absolutely fine ever since. However, I am paranoid that my dog has developed a sweet tooth and I will have to fight her for my candy.
Coming soon...my goals for 2009.
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