Soft cute fuzzy things

I ordered a kit.  The yarn is alpaca, cashmere and silk.

The first grade at my school has baby ducks.

In other news

For the first time ever my answer to a practice question was set up and answered exactly like the given answer.  It was the easiest possible problem.  I had seen part of the set up before.  But when you’ve been scoring at about 50% it was nice to have a win.

The graduation present to the one senior in my class was a win.  It was an outdoor safety/survival kit and one of those things people use to flash at the sky if they’re lost in the woods.  (She’s majoring in fish and wildlife and even if she changes she's a hunter). I told her she’d probably never need them but if she did she could look back and say Mrs. Terry saved her life.

Hey look, I’m doing it.

Sometimes it’s just a random collection

Spanish-today I turned down a $.99 tequila at the Mexican restaurant.  More surprising than that is is in spite of losing all memories of my Spanish learning last spring I was able to say I didn’t want any because I didn’t want to get fat.

Kids- Friday was our all-county choir performance.  I participated and conducted for the first time in several years. (It doesn’t help that rehearsals are always on knit night.) This year I had 5 students participating who showed up for every rehearsal and remembered their music.  It’s good to have enough years of experience to not take things to seriously and still get things done well.  I had quite a few adoring fans.  My favorite part was standing in the wings as kids exited the stage and clapping and cheering for them and seeing their happy.  

Two girls went past and said "give me 5" holding up a peace sign.  I was like... huh?  They said "Roman numerals."

Here’s the thing about LSAT logic games.  I love them but I still struggle.  I’m improving but I have to be more focused.  My brain sort of relaxes and goes loose.

And finally while conversing with cousin today she said, "every day at 4:00 I come home and watch Wagon Train and my cat jumps on the bed and watches with me."  I said "You have her trained. Or else she just likes Wagon Train."  She replied "I think she likes to watch the wagons go back and forth." She wasn’t kidding at all.

WV State Road Rant ahead

I left the high school today. 50 yards to my left, a flagman standing at the local store (meaning heavier cross traffic) waves me on to the road.  Come to find he didn't realize that I was turning right and once I did made no effort to let me know otherwise (I was looking)

As I proceed down the road, well out of sight of ANY flagmen I approach the road crew.

I am stopped and the guy says "you better watch it you may run into the pilot truck"  He acts like he can't hear me when I say there was no flag person anywhere indicating what to do and then says.  "we're going to be here for a few weeks."

I pull over and wait for the pilot truck to lead me in the right direction.  As I am waiting, a U-Haul rental truck (entering exactly where the guy was standing) pulls onto the road in my direction.  If he's going that way, so am I.  He'll hit the pilot truck first.  At the end of the approximately 1 mile one way road, the pilot truck driver is waiting with the flagman, shaking her head in disgust (seemingly at me).

Dear WVDOH. Walkie Talkies- they're real- flagmen at intersections- think about it.

Also saying "we're going to be here for a few weeks" does nothing to let me know which direction I should be going.

She’s pretending to be Batcat- Bruce Wayne's feline sidekick.

No words needed again

Sanity Prevails

A love story.

Destiny is a senior who is really over high school.  She’ll join the game but she’s laughing at it on the side.  All year long Michael, a freshman, has been teasing, flirting awkwardly, watching her intently as she puts on her false eyelashes.  It has, on occasion, been almost painful as well as hilarious.

I know that one day I said "keep trying Michael, you never know, maybe you’ll woo her."  Laughs were had by all, entertained by the shenanigans.

Today they were talking about rehearsal for "the grand march"- the presentation of couples before the prom.  I said "Michael, you’re a freshman, how in the world are you going to prom?"  With a large slightly smug grin on his face he said, "Destiny asked me."

Overheard at the WVDOT paving project

Let's pave that side.

No, wait a minute, let's pave this side.

I'm not sure, this side needs it here.

What's that black stuff coming out the back of my truck?

I don't know but I see some on the other side of the road.  Let's scoot up so that car has to drive through it.

We are going to drop this tar all the way to  China.

I heard they make Penndot wear these bright yellow rubber jackets for when water falls from the sky.

I heard they also only block off the part that they're working on and have extra flagmen where other roads connect to the one lane.

Idiots.

Philly Cheese steak minus the bread and cheese.

Zumbabetty offers this recipe up.  Bake peppers covered with a slice of cheese for 20 minutes. Cook garlic, mushrooms and onions in olive oil (maybe add steakums for greathusbandbob next time) bake for 25 minutes more.  Put some provolone cheese on top. Bake for 5 minutes more.  A-ma-zing.

Same show, different color.

While pondering next week's hip hop lessons I stared wondering about a complementary t.v. show.  Hello In Living Color.  Those kids are too young to even know about it or the fact that it was a Jim Carey starting point. While looking at skits there was even a fake used car sales commercial on both.  Negative female and male/female relationship stereotypes, poverty, over exaggerated culture stereotypes.

While researching today I got a glimpse into the world of NYC graffiti, watched quite a bit of break dancing and dancing in the pop and lock style. Wow.  If you’re looking for some great “how in the world" videos, YouTube suicide break dancing moves. I also watched the d.j. championships hosted by Redbull. Scratching, phase pumping, etc.  

I’ve also made a small inroad into my case for next year.  I found the assistant principal and asked about the plan.  I mentioned that teaching guitar and piano in the same class would be (as my good friend described) like teaching French and Spanish in the same class.  I also let her know that while I am willing to figure out how to teach such things, I am not willing to pretend to be doing it if there aren’t enough instruments. She listened to and understood my concerns and will be doing some investigating.  She also observed some of the music making that takes place in the class as is and thought that would be a good option.

In other news, there was a kindergarten meltdown and a fourth grade bloody fistfight between two friends after 3:00 and it was my turn to deal with it.  I know it happened because I knocked on wood at 2:45.

Stupid Fitbit ionic

You save and pay for the cool toy and then it doesn’t work.  Thank you impermanence.  I’m hoping it’s just the charger but I have the feeling this tracker is the Windows Vista of the Fitbit world.  Useless.  When a new one (versa) is released within six months its a bad sign.

I’ve come to depend on it for steps, for rehearsals, for lesson timing, for inspiration.  Garmin to the rescue.  It doesn’t hold any tunes like the ionic.  It also doesn’t have a timer with which to cook my food and I can’t put a picture of my hey lets be healthy friend on the screen but it’s getting the job done. 

Most annoying request from the Fitbit helpline.  "We need to have a 15 second video of you trying to reset it with the case number on a piece of paper next to it."  Um... o.k. But as I have already pointed out it s completely out of charge and will not respond in any way.  "We need it anyway."  Sign number two of faulty products? Ridiculous hoops to jump through to get it replaced.

Not a huge deal in the scope of the world but annoying.

Music appreciation update- we had to listen to country singers today.  Jim Reeves, George Jones.  Ugh.  I said it was torture for me just like Gregorian chant was torture for them.  I did have some Patsy Cline for my own sanity.  

Kasey said "we should watch an episode of Hee Haw." And he is correct.  Today they each did a slide on famous stars that we didn’t get to. Tomorrow we will present them and finish talking about country music of the 80's to the present.  We also might try to learn a walking bass line oft found in Boogie Woogie.  Because as far as I can tell the only thing that makes something boogie woogie is in fact that walking bass line and the use of the word boogie woogie in the lyrics.

I let Quin (who seems to enjoy the country music unit as much- or as little- as I do) pick the next genre. She picked Rap.  She doesn’t really strike me as a rap music fan.  I think she did it just to see what I’d come up with.  Come to find that a Yale fellow named Henry A. Rhodes at the Yale institute of teaching or something or other in New Haven did extensive and interesting historical research and connected it to specific events in the Bronx and Jamaica as well as to the graffiti artists of the time. (Google "the evolution of rap" if you’re interested in his article-with lesson plan activities What the Actual what? Included.)

Finally I allowed myself to see exercise friend's posts again only to have Sarah Huckabee Sanders' picture appear with the words "I love her...she'll be the first woman president." Sigh.  I’m hoping if I don’t follow her and we never acknowledge the existence of politics we can at least be exercise friends.  She’s the first person who's really forced me to question the sanity of our world with her dichotomous beliefs

Supah Zumbah supah food

Yesterday there was a Zumbathon (which is actually 90 instead of 60 minutes.). It was a relay for life zumbathon.  Money raised on entry ($10) and Chinese auction went to the cause.

I went with newfriendmaureen who is a puzzle to me.  She’s educated, has an adopted Korean son, doesn’t listen to country music or fox radio on the drive and yet she’s had a few reprehensible Facebook posts. 

 I want to be friends with her.  I don’t want to be friends with someone who belittles those Florida high school kids.  I unfollowed her for a while but am following again with hopes that I was mistaken in my first Facebook impression.

Another invented recipe that wasn’t a disaster today. Yellow squash, zucchini, okra, red lentils, tomatoes juice and canned tomatoes and cannelini beans.  4 hours on low, an hour on high in the crockpot. Served over a brown/wild rice mix with chopped up fried egg added.  I guess it’s sort of a vegetable chili.  Only pepper added.  It was time to take a break on poorly mixed spices.

Thank You Universe.

So I took a sick day yesterday.  Not because I was particularly sick.  More because I was angry at my job.  On Tuesday the h.s. music teacher approached me in the drama voice and said "you're teaching two classes here this year and they are guitar and piano if you want to start preparing."

Item number one- She's not the one qualified to inform me and I told her as much.
Item number two- She was somewhat but not entirely misinformed.
Item number three- If it is indeed the case then all of the time and energy spent on creating a music appreciation curriculum was essentially one and done.

I have been hanging on to the drama/anger of inappropriate sharing of information for two days.  Principals are principals because they know how and when to relate such information in such a way that it does not cause stress (At least mine are thankfully that way- and yes, I did tattle on her.)

I was less than my usual bubbly self upon returning today.  641 teaching days until I retire kind of mindset. Suffering from serious "who gives a rat's ass syndrome."  We started taking notes on early country music- listened to examples- looked at the google slides I made for notes-read along the separate lyrics documents for the ones that were hard to hear.

At one point Emily asked "Mrs. Terry, do you make all these slides?" I answered yes.  She said "wow, that's a lot of work."  I said "the hard part isn't so much what to put in them as what to leave out of them."  Then Quin piped up and said, "oh, yeah, we've really been talking up this class to Ms highschool teacher.  We told her how much you seem really excited about the material and all the work you put into it."

Rendered speechless.  When I woke up this morning I was certain that I would be carrying that load of disappointed all day. And then someone stepped up and helped without even knowing it.  Thanks Universe.

Rings on her fingers... you know the rest.

I’ve become refocused in the weight loss world.  I skipped some workouts and ate some food last week.  Just prior to that I had been seeing more progress than usual.  Perezagruzka as opposed to peregruzka.

I’ve found the trick to not being hungry and craving is to make sure the protein is good.  I found some protein cookies at walhell (16g/400cal) and have been filling in the "oh my, I’m starving" times with some protein shakes (12/200).  I also added some powdered protein to those delicious cake mix/pumpkin muffins which are always too moist anyway.  I know it’s effective because I made them Saturday and there are still some left.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been a milestone.  Most of my rings are too big all of a sudden.  Ones from way back are being used to make sure I don’t lose the engagement ring.  

Did I say last time that my new goofy friend needs a stocking for her granddaughter?  I happily volunteered.  Ordered yarn today.  She is not interested in Norwegian  patterns and instead wants some cutesy penguins but there’s no accounting for taste and I’m happy to oblige.  Also the gd's name is Nellie.

I got my eyes checked last week and new glasses are in the lab.  I always get the lightweight lenses and the anti-glare coating.  By agreeing to the light sensitive treatment I was able to get a second set of lenses for FREE and only had to pay for the frames.  I went for some sunglasses- which maybe I won’t really need with the light sensitive lenses but it seemed rational at the time. I spent $120 more on the 2nd frame but got a second pair AND saved $500!

Greathusbandbob begins a second week of respiratory troubles.  A touch of flu and all of this rain has made breathing so difficult.  It breaks my heart and all I can do is make sure he has food for dinner (which I will plan a little better if this goes on much longer.) he did get a chest X-ray today and there was no pneumonia so we'll just have to ride it out.

Finally on Thursday I will attend crisis team training.  I will be so happy to participate knowing that a little moderate exertion won’t wipe me out and send me to the showers.  We have to practice on each other and the tall former counselor (cute boy shhhh) had always been my sparring partner and will be there training as well. Yippee. I won’t be stinky sweaty old lady smell.

We've been talking about ballads in Music appreciation and started with Barbara Allen.  Today we listened to 8 different versions of John Henry.  We also examined the verses of the Great Titanic-ballads focusing on fatal disasters that happened here are called Native Ballads.  The irony of a happy melody (especially the chorus) combined with a horrible disaster was not lost on them.  

Tomorrow it’s the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (which made me so sad, sensitive child that I was) Then we'll talk about how to go about writing some lyrics (using a melody they already know which is what they used to do anyway.). But the reason I share this information here is because of the sub plans I’ve written for my absence on Thursday.  They have each been assigned. "Murder ballad" (which is a thing) to research.  Should be great fun. And will take care of me having to research them next year!

(Oh and maybe we'll have a flood day tomorrow and I’ll get to stay home.)

Phinally Phipps.

People find their tribe members.  I think I found another of mine.  It’s the kindergarten aide that everyone else thinks is goofy.  In the category of things, people, and ideas conversation centered around ideas.  Perhaps another friend to snag when wanting to see a show or a play.

Today we went to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.  

It looked as I imagined but the smells had not occurred to me.  There were mossy ferny smells that reminded me of being in the woods-somewhere I haven’t been in a long time.  And so the summer plan list begins.

I just like a busy brain, is that so wrong??

I’ve noticed a trend.  I like to learn some stuff.  I think about it for a good while, it becomes "a thing" and depending on how engaging I find it depends on how long I stay with it.

It all started with knitting.  And knitting continues.

Last spring and summer it was Spanish.  Come to find none of that made it to my long term memory.

I keep trying to force drawing and visual art making but so far it’s fleeting.

After summer vacation it became all about the Zumba and the food. I am still exercising three times a week and mostly not eating bad stuff. But  there are days when a protein cookie for breakfast, some quinoa and fresh vegetables for lunch, a protein shake for afternoon hunger and some light dinner (maybe a refried bean quesadilla) is acceptable.  I’m looking forward to the farmers market in the  summer and feel like I’ll know how to take advantage of it, but I’ve gotten out of the habit of thinking about food every breathing moment.  (Until I do again, of course.)

A good bit of my mental energy this year has been spent trying to keep high school music appreciation educational and interesting.  Just when I think there are no more ideas, one shows up.  Sometimes they like it, sometimes not but very little of it has felt like busy work.  (I finally broke down and gave a way too easy review sheet for those dingbats who have to take a final and don’t even try to do well-  getting them ready a little earlier this semester.)

Three summers ago I took a class sponsored by Smithsonian Folkways (it was that class that left me laughing about why dogs sniff each other’s butts- completely unrelated but still hilarious to me-it’s in a June archive somewhere). It’s really an online collection of folk music from around the world.  At the end of the week we had to write a lesson plan using the site.

Last week I assigned those kids five countries (which they had to show on a map) and they had to research the pop stars of that country.  It ended up being a pretty cool assignment.  I collected the names, YouTubed them, and they listened to (and informally) evaluated them while working on the next country.  Ethiopia has a pop star.  Mongolia has a favorite. I knew that was likely, but still.

My quarter of world music was curtailed due to the strike (thankfully so because I was struggling there) and it’s now time for American music beginning in the 1620's.  After some notes today we listened to the classic ballad Barbara Allen.  Here is tomorrow’s assignments: 

Go to this website

https://folkways.si.edu/search?query=Barbara+Allen

Listen to each 30 second sampling of Barbara Allen.  You don’t have to listen to duplicate performers (Pete Seeger, Jean Ritchie) or ones that just say “various artists”

1. Write the name of the artist performing

2. Write down any changes in the lyrics (especially who, when and where) in the first verse.

3. List any additional instruments you hear. (or is it just voice?)

4. Describe what makes this version unique or anything else you notice    

     about it.

5. Rank it compared to the other versions you’ve heard.  

     4 is “this is the best one so far."  

     3 is “its not the best but I can tolerate it” 

     2 is “this makes me uncomfortable.” 

      1 is “ N.O. NO

By the time they finish they will notice how oral transmission affects folk songs and how a good song travels across time.  Also there are quite a few more modern versions of it on YouTube. (Simon and Garfunkel, Dolly Parton, EmmyLou Harris)

And that plan just bounced into my head while I was thinking about something else.

And the latest brain occupier has been two days of studying logic and logical reasoning.  Logic involves the logic games (Bill wear blue.  Tom wears green. Sue will only go out with someone wearing yellow on Fridays.  What is Martha wearing?). They made me crazy when I took the GRE.  They are a big part of the LSAT.  I love them.  Especially with strategies from Kaplan to solve them.  Last night I read and studied and got 2/5 on a practice test- really just guessing on some of them.  Tonight- same problem (too complicated to remember answers from last night.) I got 5/5 and could say exactly why it was right. So. Much. Fun.

I started the logical reasoning workbook at school during free time today.  An argument with premises and an analytical question to follow.  These are definitely more difficult for me what with all of the convoluted wording but I thought that about the games last night so there is hope.

I’ve been hanging out at the brain gas station saying “fill 'er up."

Logic games for $200 Alex

One of the LSAT prep books arrived today.  Greathusbandbob is under the weather so it was a great night to begin.  And when I came back from a pause, I found Liza had taken an interest.

Non sequiturs

This is an unknown internet dog but I saw it and believe it is all of truth and beauty.

I met a friend at Zumba.  We are at similar levels of fitness and had talked about moving to weights together in the summer.  Except then we friended on Facebook and she minimalized those kids.  And she shares fake Russian bot posts and likes the president. Every new friendship now requires a political litmus test because there are things I can not abide.

Today’s brush with stupid brain.... couldn’t think of the word minimalized.  Had to look up synonyms for diminished

When I turn 55 in three years I will have more than the required years to be eligible for full state retirement.  Yes.  I can retire in three years.  What the freakin' what?  I have a friend who's husband just finished law school after at least a 20 year career in local radio and sports broadcasting. When I found out I thought- wait- I want to do that.  If for no other reason than I love to go to school.  And then I could be a child advocate.  LSAT prep materials are in the mail.  It seems so much more interesting than subbing. (Or medical transcription which was my other idea before this one.)

And finally- I have a friend who recently ended a five year relationship after slowly coming to realize the incompatibility of her situation and I have a new app idea.  It’s called "meet my ex." Marcia leaves Greg.  Marcia wants to warn others about Greg’s batshit craziness.  She can’t use his name so under her name she includes necessary information.  Then all the new girlfriend to be has to do is learn the former girlfriends name.  There are still some kinks in it but I think it has potential (unless of course it’s already out there.)

There are no words

Those kids.  Those kids.  Those kids

Senator John Lewis marching with those kids as he has done so many times in the past.

In the same way a mere mention of Sandyhook brings tears to my eyes such is the case when these kids speak.

I know many members of the NRA.  But here is what I say.  There is an amendment that protects that which you feel you have a right to.  Why do you still insist on giving them money? It’s pretty hard to turn over an amendment I’m thinking.  Also.  I don’t assume that the people I know who are NRA members are racists.  I’d like to say mostly they're not. BUT. The NRA was founded as an offshoot of the KKK as a way to slide under the racist radar.  The very core of its mission began with that. Lynching having gone out of favor, let’s start a gun club.  Maybe people feel the need to be members for other reasons.  But know that it’s still the case.

I believe th NRA as an organization that manipulates legislation and pays for politicians is a treasonous terrorist group with just enough cover to trick naive citizens who happen to like to shoot guns for sport into believing that they need them.  Talk about collusion.

And then we were married for 14 years

And he was a conduit from my grandma saying she approves.

A close call.

Strike week was hard on routines.  It also wreaked havoc with sugar abstinence.  As in hello donuts, bagels and pizza, where have you been all my life.

The exercise train was easy to hop.  It feels too good not to.

The food recovery had some close calls.  It was a hungry Saturday morning. (The start of a scary novel.) I was out and about after having taken cousin shopping.  The options were a subway seafood wrap a super delicious treat from the pizza place or go home and try one of the meal replacement shakes.

I had finally decided to go home ant take my chances, knowing I was too lazy to go back out.  And I found the rice and beans leftovers.  A perfect lunch.

This weekends experiment was a replacement for chicken noodle soup.  Fried tofu and shells to fill it out.

Lessons learned- lesson number one-pick one spice and go with it.  I’m not clever enough to know how spices work in combination.  Lesson number two- don’t use so many noodles. Lesson three-don’t use parsley.  Lesson number four- don’t forget celery.  It was tasty but could have been  better.

The square knitting continues.  I feel like quitting and then I can’t think of what else I want to knit.

Regarding memory loss- kmkat wrote this comment on the previous post.  I thought it was brilliant.

I think of my brain as a wheel. When I can't think of a word or remember a name I just have to wait for the wheel to turn and bring the lost word back to the front. Kind of like when Arlo Guthrie says we have to wait for the song to come back around on the guitar in Alice's Restaurant.

Observations

Weather phenomena- today when I walked out of the building the sun was shining. And the snow was coming down like in a snow globe with almost zero visibility.  Is there such a thing as a "snowbow?"

Food phenomena- roasted cabbage with lots of black pepper almost tastes like egg noodles.  I love it.

Men and women-today greathusbandbob was serving as minority election inspector which means he’s one of the guys that does important things like read ballot numbers when people are voting.  When I walked in and gave them my name, all of them groaned, laughed and then said “you poor poor woman.” Which I totally get. BUT I can tell you that if the tables were turned and I was for whatever reason in a similar situation, he would have a cow and then that cow would have a cow.  Men are dumb.  You heard it here first.

High school kids.  When they are acting jerky it’s much harder not to take it personally. It’s easy peasy with the little ones. Ugh. I will have higher expectations next year and won’t smile until November.  I know they think I’m a pushover because I feed them. And laugh when they are funny.

The dog.  She is not a dog that likes to be petted.  She’s always been that way. She'll snuggle against you but she only just tolerates petting. I took some time last week to read her body language when I was trying to pet her.  It was so obvious once I started looking. Then I think but how will she know I adore her.  And then I watched her some more and realized her favorite thing to do in the world is play chase right when I get home.  She brings her toy with an impish  grin and then runs.  The game involves going from one end of the hallway to the other and occasionally throwing the toy (when I can get it)  I am adapting.

Fear and the introvert.  A new kindergarten aide invited me to join her for a trip to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on Easter.  She already knows I’m not very Jesus-y.  She isn’t either and her husband has to work that day so I said o.k.  Except come to find ever since greathusbandbob was sick I haven’t wanted to wander too far from home- more specifically- him.  I’ve wanted to go there forever, we usually avoid major holidays with an afternoon at the casino (which GHB will likely do with or without me.) and it’s a new and quirky friend and another chance for me to say in my head "she likes me, she really likes me."  There is just a part of me that is struggling to go back to normal.  Now that I see it for what it is (unlike when I didn’t go to New York last month) I think I am better equipped to manage but there was a feeling I wasn’t expecting.

The vice-president.  When I hear him talking about Christianity (some interview this week) I can’t help but imagine that he’s talking about elves and gnomes and hobbits and fairies and leprechauns.  It’s not when any old person talks about it (well maybe a little) but mostly it’s really bad when it’s him.  Mike Pence makes me an atheist (botanical gardens here I come)

And finally as I proofread this post, I realize it’s relatively concise and to the point in the observations.  Except it took more than an hour to write it because I kept forgetting ideas and words.  In fact I wrote this below just to remember this part:

Forgetting words

I’m certain it’s hormonal. I just can’t believe how inarticulate and cloudy minded I’ve felt.  I don’t do the "senior moment" excuse (there’s always someone older than me around anyway). I don’t get mad and try to fight it.  I’m certain that makes it worse,  I try to just watch my brain go by and tell myself that whatever it was will come back in a little bit.  Also this afternoon in my head I heard myself sneering "I will cut you" to adults that were driving me crazy. I will not really do that and I don’t really want to but the ferocity with which these feelings arise is also startling.

At least it didn’t snow... oh wait.

We went back to school on Thursday.  The kids had an Arctic Day(teachers report-kids don’t) on Friday.  I took a day.  I can only spend so much time looking busy.

I like chopping vegetables with a sharp knife.  Who knew?  I like it so much that I didn’t even take a picture of the final product.

The ingredients were this from an amazon prime video cooking recipe.

It was for vegan Shepard's pie.  I doubled the recipe but ran a little short on the potatoes.  I’ll know for next time.  Also on this week's menu is roasted cabbage slices over egg noodles.

There’s been a good bit of cheating going on.  A meal at red lobster (I did order broiled and grilled things but went to town on the biscuits,) this was followed by a trip to the Cracker Barrel candy store with the cousin.  Later that night a DQ banana split at greathusbandbob's request.  He took charge of getting cousin's roof fixed, I could not deny him.

On the up side, I haven’t missed any Zumba- and visited my original Zumba tribe on Thursday.  I love them and I love cracking them up which mostly I do by existing.  I finally have a friend friend from the gym Zumba.  The next goal for me is to start working with weights.  That will happen this summer and she and I will be workout partners.

Tomorrow the 4th and 5th grade girls start the Girls On The Run program.  My counselor friend and I will be joining and hopefully will be able to run in a 5k in May.  We'll just see how that works.

I’m still knitting squares in original Star Trek shirt colors.  I’ve blocked some and learned that acrylic melts.  There’s no real plan but I’ll keep making squares until I run out of yarn and see what happens next.

Still walking

Except two days were spent at the state capitol.  Some photo ops.  The large crowd outside was from a rally on the Capitol steps.

Sunny Monday in Charleston

This picture doesn’t do the crowd justice.

The first grade teacher and I hanging out on the capitol steps yesterday.

(You can always count on your best girl school pal to make sure

you share a good photo.)

Let the kids carry the signs...  

It’s been seven days.  The 20 republicans in the state senate are the ones holding the voting power.  They are tabling the vote to vote every time with various excuses.  The money the governor added to the revenue budget isn’t there is one.  A vindictive senate chair says "well if it’s about insurance and not the raise, we'll lower the % of the raise (5-2%) and put the imaginary money into the insurance fund."  The governor walked into a town hall held at a high school saying "you’re not going to shoot me, are you?"  At the next town hall he referred to all of the striking employees as rednecks.

There have been plenty of great signs.  My red 55United t-shirt feels like it’s become a uniform.  After 2 trips to the capitol in one week I gave myself the day off.  Today I sent an email to our superintendent thanking him for his support.  A nearby county canceling announcement read "wetzel county schools will be closed tomorrow and let’s just say it’s not due to weather."

It feels futile to be shouting in front of the doors to the state government as they are clearly working on their own agenda. The first day felt inspiring.  The second day was discouraging and weird.  Like you don’t want to get too attached to the shouts because it’s likely not going to end well.

It’s one of those times where you don’t know what’s going to happen and checking Facebook every 5 minutes doesn’t tell you any sooner.

Cold wet and eventually floody

We walked the line.  It poured. It was cold. I went home when the flood warnings began.  I was done.  For the record, the redneck version of honk if you support is to rev your big truck engine.  We got at least three of those.  I didn’t have a sign but thought of one while I was there.  "Honk if I was your teacher."

Secretary Sandy carried the winning sign.

This little guy lived next door to the "line" and likely got up early with all of the coal truck horns honking.  He brought out some little Debbie strawberry marshmallow treats to pass out.

It should be warmer tomorrow.  And a little less rain.  And I will remember my camp chair. And bring some lunch.

Dinner tonight roasted rutabaga and sweet potato.  This is a good combination.  Sweet and not so much.  Red pepper and garlic powder as spices are always wins.  I tried a little coriander and ginger.  Maybe too little to notice.  Also we continue to be winning the tens column reduction. 

Items.

Item the one- new favorite food experiment.  Black beans and wild rice.  I didn’t know what a rare commodity wild rice was until I tried to find it. Amazon to the rescue but a word to kmkat saying a special thanks for leading me to it initially.

Item two- drawing? Once again not so much.  I’ll just have to draw when I feel like it and have that be good enough.  I did try the kids dancing around the tree-something I would not have done without the course.

Every school in the state of wv is closed tomorrow and Friday.  An informational picket line- 45 degrees, 100% chance of rain. Walmart muck boots and camping rain coat to the rescue. Those not inclined to picket in the rain can help serve community prepared meals to the kids missing lunch from 10-2. I don’t have a sign because all I could think of was "hell no, we won’t go." And greathusbandbob reminded me that that’s more of an anti war slogan.he also informed me that we need a burn can and an American flag if we want to be legit.

Guilt tripped the high school kids for being lazy.  It worked. They came in eager today to show me the work they did outside of class on the assignment. As a teacher of high school kids I think if you can say "I’m disappointed in the quality of work you did" and your opinion matters, it’s as close to getting them excited about learning as you can hope for. At least for this year. I’m looking forward to getting a do-over with this class next year.  That big feeling of "you don’t know what you don’t know" from August has been replaced with the new plan.

Finally, high school kids taking a stand about gun control. Go kids! Because up until I saw them fight I was wearing a heavy coat of grief for them all.  That’s still here but underneath it is a little armor and pride for those kids that are stepping it up.

You are a butthole.

I found a valentine on my classroom floor yesterday.  It had a unicorn and a princess on it.  The back read, "you are a butthole."  You just can’t make it up.

We are out today for a flood day.  It’s so puzzling.

I fell behind in drawing but forced myself back into the game.  Latest version-

And for brunch today-buckwheat pancakes- and even the big guy liked them.

I feel some hilarious movies in my near future.

Roasted vegetables Week Two

Turns out last week's parsnip was actually a turnip that had been misplaced in a Walmart bin.  I had roasted turnip last week and didn’t hate it.

This week I bought and roasted two heads of cauliflower (because I could seriously eat a whole head in one meal) and a rutabaga.  Come to find I was often confusing rutabaga with rhubarb.  Everything has been made clear.  I love rutabaga.  Rhubarb not so much.

Waiting for roasting later in the week are some sweet potatoes and some actual parsnips (which look more like white carrots).  I’ll likely make a trip to the store with white sweet potatoes as well.  

I’ve been considering a garlicky cashew sauce to put over them but they are so delicious as is.

I stopped at the local pathetic farmers market and came home with "just add water" buckwheat cake mix.  I’d like to think I’ll make some and stash them for breakfast next week but time will tell.

There are also three ripe bananas and some unsweetened applesauce to make zumbabetty's cookies.

Food food food.  I also knit.  Still making squares,

Well spent

We know how much I love to art.  It was one of the failed goals of the summer.  I think maybe arting is best done with extra time at school where desk and supplies are always at hand.  Last month I paid $20 to join Sktchy's 30 faces in 30 days. Art support, tips, occasional live lessons to be viewed again.

The first invitation to portrait was this

  

I ended up with this-

Then I watched an art lesson video and decided to do one with a focus on shapes and value and ended up with this-

And then I had extra time today so I tried to do it the way he did in the lesson and ended up with this-

And finally I decided to jump on the color train and finished with this-

I’m going to say I already got my money’s worth.

In for a penny...

In for a pound of roasting

Ingredients... leftover wild rice and mushrooms, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, and white sweet potatoes. Dashed with olive oil, some paprika where appropriate.  Holy deliciousness Batman.  White sweet potatoes are my new favorite tubers.

Roasting without the roast.

This felt a little like Sunday dinner- except it was missing some green.

Sweet potatoes and cauliflower roasted with olive oil and crushed red pepper.  Baby Bella mushrooms sautéed in garlic and olive oil mixed with wild rice.  This wild rice is different from yesterday’s.  This was a gift from the friend kmkat when she visited a few months ago.  Cooking yesterdays rice made me feel like I could do this rice justice without disappointment.

Roasting vegetables may be my new favorite thing. Wild rice may be my second new favorite thing.

And while I am never glad when greathusbandbob has a bellyache, there was some karma in place last night when he had indigestion from the best smelling frozen pizza ever while I quietly digested rice.  

Finally some food

First of all.  That damn hat was still too small.

It’s been a week of craptastic food.  While the candies and muffins were delicious, my combine foods and make them taste good intuition was a little off.

On Monday it was oyster mushrooms, spinach, celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, ginger, quinoa and tamari sauce for the opposite of a win.

On Thursday it was brown rice linguine seasoned with Italian seasoning and olive oil with spinach, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers added.  I used the energy saving cooking method for the linguine (boil for 2 minutes, let sit in pot for 12). The message on the package that it does not get mushy lies.  Also you can not stir fry it the next day in sesame oil.  In case you were thinking that might be a solution. 

Today I finally met with some success.  I happened across a bag of wild rice and an organic can of succotash. With some salt, pepper, and coriander it was a winning, dare I say, comfort food dish.  Of course after a weeks worth of less than palatable sustenance, anything remotely not gross would be comforting.

  

The desire to snack still pervades nearly every waking moment on the weekends.  Today I bought some pistachios and pumpkin seeds with hopes of taming that beast.  I also bought more pumpkin muffin mix but will wait until Sunday night to make them lest I eat all of them in one sitting.

I may try another pony tail hat.  Weather forecasts are saying "heavy snow" for Wednesday into Thursday.  I’d like a new hat to wear while shoveling.

Freebie

The weather really never looked terribly treacherous.  But last night they cancelled all after school activities.  Then they had a 2 hour delay.  Then at 6:30 a.m. they cancelled school.

So this morning it is Murder By Phone (1982 with Richard Chamberlain and John Houseman)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081203/

Some knitting- (Plant a Seed ponytail hat with doubled fingering yarn on size 7 needles) I've upped the needle size so maybe this one will fit.

And a zumba playlist for later-

And because this day was so unexpected I feel obligated to complete nothing and my brain is pleased.