Hello May!

Ripped April off my school calendar today.  25 school days left and I will do uncountable things.  What will it feel like on June 15 to know I do not have to return in August.  I actually can't imagine.  Continued w/ the m & m activity. One child will be doing worksheets tomorrow.  Where are the boundaries? What happened to kindness?  When did a 14 year old become in charge?  My parents would have beat me through Sunday if I behaved that way.  It is so scarry that institutionalized education (school) is a product of our society.  At least the hippies, and the head bangers had kindness.  A lost generation.

the lost generation

so sad.  sitting here eating watermelon.  Tis the season.  26 days of school left.  And, I'm saying a prayer of thanks that my mom spent time w/ me.  Tried to do an M & M activity w/ my math kids today.  Estmating.  Probability and Weight.  Now these are 13-15 year olds.  Question 1.  Estimate how many M & M's in a 1 lb bag.  Yes they could hold it.  She was very sure & proud of her answer.  She guessed 8.  The young man took the scale and shoved it to the floor because it was in his way.  How did these kids get to this age and not know how to take care of school instruments and/ learn to estimate, choose colors.  So, Sad.  A lost generation

When you retire:

Oh My! Men are men

  I have a thing against the cats eating our yard birds.  George has a thing about our cats eating his Parrot "Packer".  George enjoys the cats eating our yard birds.  I don't like it : they carry fleas and can give a cat worms - among other things.  This little sparrow was captured by Lizzie but George thinks it was Smokey.  Lizzie tried to tell me something and kept looking for it in my sewing studio.  I kept hearing this crinkle of people and as it got louder just dreaded the fact that the mice were back.  George put on his birding gloves and after a few false starts and the poor little sparrow knocking himself out against a glass window George caught him w/ his birding gloves.  I opened the door and told George to put him on a table until he good fly again because of his mild concussion.  As soon as George laid him down the poor little bugger started flappin' his wings and the cats came a'runnin.  He saw Cali and flew into the back wall and landed at her feet.  Cali held him and he tweeted like crazy.  George said it was tooooo late.  Cat bacteria in back of neck would kill him anyway.  I screamed let him go.  Take him away. After a few minutes of torture - and me whining:  George made Cali drop him and he flew under the car straight into Lyle's paws.  I gave up and said it must be his day to die.  Let it be.  I went to brush my teeth and George said he was back in my sewing room.  Cali dropped him off.  George put on his birding gloves and after a few false starts and the poor little sparrow knocking himself out against a back wall George caught him w/ his birding gloves.  I opened the door and told George to take him out front until he good fly again because of his mild concussion.  George put out back in a tree.  A female cardinal kept squawking at him and finally I watched him fly away.  George missed him.  It was not his day to die and he had no actual bite marks.  We should have taken him to the front the first time.  Poor little bugger.  I can't stand them being tortured..

Oh my.

I just can't believe I am this close.  6 weeks and 25 school days left.   Sitting here and paying bills.  Oh my!  Should be upset.  But that makes me a month closer to retirement.  Went and got 2 cheap pair of plastic glasses.  Oh my.  If I used my insurance it would have been $47 more.  My electric contract is up in a month.  Oh my what happened to the days.  You put your bill in the mail and that was that.  Now I have to "shop" for the cheapest rate and the best plan.  Oh my.  Working on my baby quilt.  Oh my.  2 more to get done.  Can't believe I forgot to make one for one of our sweetest teachers.  She lit up yesterday when I apologized and told her what color it was.  Oh my.  She is just as special as the rest of us.   Called newspaper to renew our prescription.  Oh my.  I mean subscription. When I gave her my email.  I heard a sigh.  Oh my.  We laughed.  mine is felinemiller.   We talked about how nasty and offensive some email names are.  People just have no dignity or modesty.  They are so proud of the vile that comes out of their mouths.  Oh My!  What a sad state of affairs.

Countable days.

I continue reading my book.  What great vocabulary.  I'm going to have to go online and increase my vocab.  It's never to late.  I wonder why we don't use these marvelous words in our every day language.  Working on puppy quilt.  I know for a baby........way to much stitching but i can't help myself.  Whined and moaned about going to work today.  A teacher walked by talking to a kid about attitude and why I'm always so happy. I have been blessed.  I love my job.  I have a horrible attitude between 6 am and 7 am where I have to wake up; do the routine and get ready for work.  I truly did not want to work today.  George said, but you only have 31 days left.  Then in September when I go to work I'm only working to make my new sewing machine payment.  Once I get to work.  I'm just fine.  It's those big crocodile tears I have every morning when I'm starting my car for work that have been a challenge when I drive  

teacher reads

Man oh man I wish I had a better vocabulary.  What is a corpulent sargent?  Looked that up today and was glad.  Me and the kids had all kinds of different ideas.  They definately were not ennui today.  Starting an m & m activity w/ my kids.  Hope i don't get obsessed.  Last time I did this:  we opened 21 bags :  huge bags.  Graphed , weighed , measured and extrapolated.  Darn it"  we weighed to the 1 gram.  darn things:  10  weighed the same.  but when i weighed 25:  they weighed different from our predictions.  I wrote to M & M in Pennnsylvania.  Told them I had issues.  They had no answer for my issues but :  sent us 6 lbs of M & M's to help my issues.  Reading this young adult book about prostitution, brothels, magic, the 1700's and cuckolded.  Ummmm darn it is so good.  But, having issues about keeping in library.  The true adventures of Nicolo Zen.   I want his vocabulary too.  Well 45 calendar days left and maybe I can read some adult books about brothels and prostitution.

uncountable ways

People are always asking me what I will do when I retire.  Uncountable ways of doing nothing.  that should be my answer.  Uncountable sleep in and staying in jammies until George gets home.  If you like historical fiction:  read:  Widow of the South.  Robert Hicks.  Lots of violence and no sex.  So you probably will have to look hard for it.  I wish I had his vocab:  posterity, uncountable, acquisition, exploitation , credulous, ennui.  These words form such vivid pictures in your mind.  Idiots create turmoil, society jumps on the band wagon.  Boys die for a cause...........or is that things just happen.  Things just happen to good people.  And, there can never be an answer.

                                                      My fur just doesn't happen

Closer and Closer

Went to Human Resources today to get checked-out.  It will be hard to contain myself in a month!!!  34 school days left and every day is Saturday.  Just order 2 t-shirts w/ the word retired on the back.  A couple more steps with the Retirement System and I'm done.  Oh so very done.  Do I hear a sun burn in my future???????

the quilting widower

Have you ever looked up widow vs widower?  waiter/waitress,  mister/mistress.  Ummm.  It all came about because of legal property laws.   Well there needs to be a law about not having to crank out 2 baby quilts in 2 weeks.  I'm exhausted.  48 puppies.  200 squares.  and finally attached a border and back.  Quilting every evening this week.  I need an assistant.  George just passes by my sewing room and grunts.  Me:  I keep watching tv.  drinking soda.  listening to music.  getting old.  Making myself take a break every 2 hours.  What happened to the days where I stayed out until 4 am. took a quick shower .  got up at 7 and made it to work on time w/ a smile?  And now I go to bed before the news.  What is happening in the world?  besides  7 weeks, 49 calendar days and 34 school days.

another week closer to a permanent vacation

I thought getting past 109 days and 87 days would kill me.  Now this last week:  went really fast but this morning I just couldn't get myself motivated and had to drive like a maniac.  Ummm 51 calendar days and I will no longer have a schedule.  What shall I do?  Who will get me out of bed.  Put a furry cat next to me and I just won't ever wake up.  I will have to right down every day.....Yippee!!!!!!  Everyday will be Saturday.

Stress 101

45 puppies cut and trimmed;  now to sew them on.  Picked-out this cute baby boy transport fabric for the sides and borders.  But, darn it.  Last year I was so ill that one of our teachers adopted a baby and all we got her was a gift card.  So, now I have/want to cut out 16 kitties.  I should be working on stuff for the dog show next month.  Stress and tired.  tired and stress.  But, it will be worth it.

  Purple kittys here I come. 

                                                                   38 days left

                                                            take me

                                                 alligators at school???ummmm

45 puppies cut and trimmed;  now to sew them on.  Picked-out this cute baby boy transport fabric for the sides and borders.  But, darn it.  Last year I was so ill that one of our teachers adopted a baby and all we got her was a gift card.  So, now I have/want to cut out 16 kitties.  I should be working on stuff for the dog show next month.  Stress and tired.  tired and stress.  But, it will be worth it.  Purple kittys here I come. 

39 days

Lost a  week somewhere.  Still 8 weeks to go.  This working is interferring w/ my life.  Work all day and come home and make supper, feed pets, do laundry:  what happened to my socks?  Sewing squares together for baby quilts.  Whoever thought you would pay a billion bucks for fabric and then slice it up.  But it ever gets worse.  You slice it and dice. Then sew it back up and continue to cut it again.  Who would have thought.................Photos from wild animal park.  54 days left.

                                                 Oops!  I'm just passing through

                                                   just tuckered out

             even at parks I get the wrong end

                                            Oops!  just passing through

                                                       yummy tummy

                                                      up close and personal

                                 one ,  two,  three, flip!!

starting two new baby quilts.

I was actually missed at work last week.  Still thinking about what the authors said.  You can never be lonely when you read.........Kids loved the books I picked-up.  I'm relieved.  You never know about 14 year olds.  I'm going to put puppies on the quilts.  Wanted to add Cats but George stopped me.  Hum Bug!  I just love shopping for fabric.   More photos from last week.

                                                  My roommate in Austin "Zeke"

                                                                   busted

                                             Monday nite lecture "sally collins"  no piece bigger 1/2inch

                                                      Bad Kitty got my 6th graders to read

                                                Librarian evening event at new Western Museum

These young adult authors take their work very serious.  They are the gate keepers of our youth.  It takes up to a year to get a quality book written and edited.  I haven't read an adult book in years.  I'm reading Nicolo Zen.  Don't let the magic disturb you.  It is really good.

packed a lot in in a week at Austin and San Antonio

Nature   Gardern

 Wild Animal Park

 Sea World

Love Sea World California.  Disappointed in Sea World San Antonio.  It's turned into a glorified carnival that happens to have Whales (you can't see) and dolphins.  Won't ever go again.

And broken heart

Been having a great time at the Library Conference.  Just came from a panel of 6 authors.  Just delightful.  I can't believe I have read several books from these creative people.  You bring your personal baggage to each book and these books have brought me so much pleasure.  You are never alone when you read.  However....there is collaboration on a book where both authors share in the writing process.  And then:  there is the "and".  I want my $25 back.  Bought a book and had it signed.  $25.  Guess what?  the book had author's name and : and +  another name attached.  Oh my!! The author is no longer the writer.  It broke my heart.   The author has become a corporation.  Did you know that?  A corporation.  He has an idea.  Writes an outline and sends it off for someone else to write and Rewrite.   Then the corporation does a quick edit.  That's the way movies are made.  That's the way tv is made.   and.   from Now on:  if the book has an "and" to it......you know it wasn't written by the author.

thefinal result

I'm in San Antonio.  I'm at the Texas Library Conference w/ fellow librarians.  Just finished a "retirement" class.  Getting all the ducks in order is a process.  I'm so glad I have mine in order.  Went to an afternoon session.  Got to hang-out w/ 6 fabulous authors.  Got my photos of bad kitty.  If you haven't read it yet:  Bad Kitty gets a bath"  is just hysterical.  Also if you hit a book store.  Go to kid picture books and read the book "carnivores"  oh my it is wonderfully funny.  Time to hit another session.

And, the end result................

Did you know we actually need boys?  Ummmmmm?  A few years back I went to this wild animal park outside of Dallas.  You stay in car and the animals come to you.  You can purchase a bucket of pellets and feed them if you desire.  Well maybe 4 years ago,  right around this time, I went there and got these great photos of baby zebra and giraffe.  There haven't been babies the last two times I went.  Wanted to go during spring break but my fingers hurt from those darn zippers.  So, I contacted them via email.  Yikes! technology.  They told me they did not have baby zebra or giraffe at this time.  They are planning on getting a male zebra at the end of summer.  She also suggested I should visit the park anyway because they have lots of other babies currently.  I thought about it :   Go figure:  and, the result is;  you got to have a boy zebra hanging around to make a baby zebra.

 brand new baby (must be a girl)

               1 day old

 a few days old:  Soon to be a quilt.

made an art quilt of this precious girl.

two the end result

Easy day today.  All is calm again.  Taught kids conversions:  how many ft in a mile?  So cute.  Drill and kill.  write it down.  set it up.  "say it".  had these 15 yr old boys:  "saying it".  Once they got it the light went off.  For 30 years I have lived for that light.  Maybe my end result will be a bright light w/ puppies and kittens and cheetahs and cubs and............Had a meeting today.  just like taking my brain and eyes for granted.  they are there.  functional.   And, should never hurt or irritate.  So is money taken for granted.   Geez!  When you are dealing with large budgets,  federal dollars, district dollars, state dollars, kid dollars, grant dollars, slush dollars (just kidding):  it all has to balance to the penny.  I take for granted my roads are paved, the street lights work and I have a clean building to work in.  I have my materials and the end result:  I'm safe going to work.  I sleep safe each night and  at Point D:   I am safe while I teach children.  So how many cups in a gallon?  and how many feet in a mile?

the end result.

Came home frustrated yesterday  George said it doesn't matter as long as you have "the end result" .  That opened my eyes.  Women approach chaos differently than men.  As long as you have "the end result" the way you want it - getting from Point A to Point D just doesn't matter.  Well darn it:  it matters to me.  But, I can't win that one.  Ate homemade lasagna for lunch today  : the end result: always better the next day.  here are photos of some end results.

 Finally a bag w/ a zipper.

 Oh how my face hurts.  now to redo face

auditioning buttons.  Finally with a zipper.

Lord! give me patience

Only  48 school days left.  I don't know if I'm more excited about retirement, meeting Henry Winlker or taking classes with David.  Another day of tutoring w/ my gentlemen.  He needs self-confidence we start book 2 when I return from James Patterson.  60 billion (some agressive) librarians will be there so we have to be at events at least 40 min early.  Not fair.  They overlap w/ classes I want to take.  Choices, patience.  Another day of testing tomorrow.