Sunday, February 27, 2011

I feel this way------"Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them." ~John Shirley  Weekends go by so dang fast.  I feel like I wish my life away by wishing for it to be Friday when it is only Sunday!!!!!!!

Except for today the weather was nice.  Friday was great---daughter #1 came home for spring break.  She is totally exhausted from studying-boy I remember those days of study, study, and study.  She surprised me by stopping by my classroom to tell me she was home. I thought now we can talk when I get home.  She had other plans of course, time to catch up with some other friends and trip to Charlottesville on Saturday. :(

So my husband and I went Saturday to Kentucky to watch daughter #2 play basketball.  Yep the same place we went last year and I ordered a chicken sandwich at KFC and they told me they did not have any--Imagine that!!!!!  The weather was nice and I saw.......


I thought ah hem ------do I have to go inside another gym and watch basketball??? I would love to sit and admire the flowers.  But being a mother we sacrifice for our children-so I went inside to watch basketball.
 
The weekend is over and it is off to another full week of work/school.  Well, not really for me-my husband has an appointment tomorrow with his oncologist (diagnosed with colon cancer in 2010).  I pray for a great check-up--then I can tell him to go and get a job.....hehehe  With all his free-time he is looking for a cabin to buy............We looked at one last week in Pigeon Forge and..........
 
can't decide.   So who knows???????? I am sure he will find one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Have a great week everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Wednesday's Hodgepodge



1. Did you know there is a National Day pretty much everything in the universe? February 23 happens to be National Inconvenience Yourself Day...when was the last time you were inconvenienced?
Actually......the last time was two years ago.  I went to watch my daughter play basketball in Kentucky.  Before the game started, my husband and I went to Kentucky Fried Chicken to grab a quick bite to eat.  I ordered a chicken sandwich and You might not believe this but it is the TRUTH---the person responded we "don't have a chicken sandwich"---what????? go figure-so we left and went to the trusty McDonald's.  Standing in line at McDonald's, I was still in shock about my order at KFC-and trying to decided which  value meal would be healthy, when the lady said (YES    I was next in line-I mean right there at the counter) "May I help you?" a bunch of teenagers jumped right in front of me and ordered.  I honestly couldn't believe it!  I really don't consider it an inconvenience to me-- more of a SHOCK!!!  Needless to say, I left McDonald's and went to the basketball game and ate popcorn.  My husband said he has never heard me yell or argue with referees so much.  I just responded-what do you expect from me-no chicken sandwich from KFC and rude teenagers at McDonald's has gotten me fired up.

2. When a room in your house needs painting who does the job?
Three years ago, we decided to down size from a 3600 square foot house to a 2200 square foot old, house.  The older house needed to be remodeled-so we hired a crew to do all of it-even painting the rooms.  If I had to paint a room- I would hire it done.




3. Are you friends with your cousins?
Most of my cousins are close-so I would have to say-Yes-we are friends even though we don't get to see each other as often as we would like to BUT there is now the ole Facebook.




4. Do you use an alarm clock? If yes-is it an actual alarm, music, or something else?
How about two alarm clocks!!!!  I am a sound sleeper-my husband use to say to me he couldn't understand how I could hear my children-when they were babies breathe and not hear an alarm clock.  My alarm clocks are VERY LOUD with a BUZZ sound and I have to get up out of bed to turn one off!!!!! the other clock is on the nightstand.




5. What do you put ketchup on?
Mainly just plain french fries.




6. What smells make you nostalgic?
The smell of burning leaves (especially in the fall of the year) reminds me so much of my grandmother.  She would always burn leaves in the fall-I really don't know why because I can't remember any large trees around her house.  It was just something she did. 
Another nostalgic smell is a fresh ham cooking in the oven.  This reminds me of Christmas at my house when I was so much younger.  I can remember my dad boiling and then baking the ham.  He took so much pride in that ham--what wonderful memories I have of him.  I now do this at Christmas and I feel so good when my daughters say-"Gosh Mom-this smells good."




7. Have you heard about the high school English teacher recently suspended as a result of some things she wrote in her personal blog? You can read the story here but in a nutshell she vented a lot of frustration onto her blog. She didn't mention individual students by name but she did make some harsh comments about kids in general and their parents.

As a teacher, I get very frustrated at the whole system.  No one really knows until you 'walk in our shoes' for at least a month.  Parents blame teachers and teachers blame parents and the system for the reason a student isn't performing.  I could go on and on and on and on.....but.....well......let me just say ----times have changed and we all have to stop making excuses for the lack of students' performances and do the best we can.  One thing I absolutely hate is in our system when we do testing our names are published in the local paper with our test scores-which really aren't our test scores but the scores of students.  So we are judged by a test given on a particular day to students--I just hope the girls aren't having PMS that day and the boys are-well you know --have their mind on the subject at hand. 
As for Facebook-I WILL NEVER be friends with a student on Facebook-also cautious with what I write just in case a parent can read it. I love teaching, but when I hear about all the negatives about our profession I want to scream-there are some positive teachers out there!!!!  For example-I am going to 'toot my own horn'-I have bought food for students to take home because they have come to me saying they were hungry (now it takes a lot of nerve for an 8th grader to say they are hungry or see an 8th grader going through the trash can because when they get home there is no food), clothes for students to wear, and given money for a student or students to go on a field trip-this does not count for the everyday items I buy-such as paper, pens, pencils, notebooks, note cards, markers, highlighters,.....etc.  So there are great teachers out there-that is overlooked!!!!!

8.  Random thoughts:
I have had the pink-eye. Gosh-I felt like a little child when the school nurse told me I had to go home. I knew my eye was red, but I thought I had just gotten a little irration or something, no big deal UNTIL the nurse took one look at me and said--"Mrs. Doane-you have to go home now and I am writing you an excuse because you have the pink eye.  Only me-------
Have a good week--ya'll!!
joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.comWednesday's Hodgepodge


1. Your favorite chocolate treat?
My favorite chocolate treat would have to be hot fudge cake with vanilla beam ice-cream!!!  Yum Yum

2. What more than anything else makes you feel loved?

A hug --when I have had a horrible, terrible, bad day-a hug from my daughters or step-grandson.  Sometimes we all have bad days and when they wrap their arms around me and say "I love you"-oh what a feeling. 



3. Cherries or blueberries?

Blueberries!!!!!!!!!  I do not like cherries. 


4. What is the one trait you most want the leader of your country to posess?
Only one trait---Honesty (sincerity and integrity-these are synonyms in my world) and the power to listen-which have the letters s-i-l-e-n-t in the word--so don't tell others what to do and not listen to what others have to say.  So instead of one trait, I wrote two.



5. Are you a saver or a spender?
Move of a saver or shall I say hider.  I hide money and then forget where I have hidden it.  One time I found one thousand dollars that I had hidden and forgot all about it!!!!!  I feel like I need to save just in case I might need a few extra bucks one day.  However, there are times when I decide to splurge-I think I just need to get rid of the 'little nest egg' I have hidden -that is if I can remember where I have hidden the money!!!!! and then I purchase 'stuff' I really don't have a use for or will seldom use.


6.  If you gave a party for all your friends would they all know each other?
No, but they would have someone in common and that would be me!!!  By the end of the party, all would become friends.

7. Are you interested in antiques?
Some antiques-but not many.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Call it motherly instinct or....but has anyone ever felt nervous for no apparent reason?  I just can't shake this feeling that something is going to happen and I feel nervous.  For the past couple of days I have had terrible headaches and restless nights.  I just wish this would pass.









































































































































Thursday, February 10, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Another snow day--day #18.  What a crazy winter we have had.  Of course I had to go to school and do lessons plans because inservice day tomorrow.  Gosh is teaching the only profession when you are absent you have to make plans for??????
The sun is out and it looks much warmer than it feels. But according to our weather man-temps for weekend are going to be extremely nice!!!!  Yeah and I sure hope he is right like he has been all winter.
I question this---why do people blame others for his/her shortcomings?

I think I am going to go shopping (Pandora here I come) and then watch my daughter play basketball.  Can;t wait till Saturday to see my other daughter!!!!!!!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

1.  What is more important doing what you love-or loving what you do?
Loving what you do is more important to me.

2. Do you like bleu cheese?

Absolutely!!!!!!  especially with celery



3. What is the most difficult emotion for you to handle?

I have two---grief and fear.  Grieving the lost of a love one is difficult to handle.  Grief is an emotion that can 'pop up' out of no where when something triggers it-a song, a saying, even a t.v. show.
Fear is difficult for me, also or is more 'worry'.  I worry because of fear-especially when my family is not with me-in my house!!




4. Fresh flowers or a box of chocolate?

Definitely fresh flowers-I can't get enough of them!!!!  Flowers just make all my problems go away-just one sweet smell and....POOF!!!  I feel better.  I love chocolate, but can't eat just one piece-and afterwards I feel sick!!!!  So flowers don't make me feel bloated!!!



5. What's a song you love that has the word 'love' in its title? It doesn't have to be a 'love song'.

"Stop in the Name of Love" and "I Honestly Love You"



6. Are you the person you wanted to be when you grew up?
Tough one......in some ways yes and in other ways no.  Yes-- I wanted to make a difference in the world and by teaching I hope I can still do this.  No - I thought I would be able to handle most situations and just 'chill out', but I can't.  So to look on the bright side-we are all still growing, so if we want to change we can. I still have a lot of growing up to do.




7. Any special Valentines Day plans?
:(  Not really-just another school day with bus duty and remediation after school.

8.  Random thoughts:
I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

1. Would you rather be seen as a person who did their duty or forged their own path?
Probably both to some extent.  I do what is my responsibility to do-or I try to do what is expected because it is the right thing to do.....But---I do like to forge my own path-follow my dreams.......who knows....






2. This week's Wednesday Hodgepodge happens to fall on Groundhog's Day. In keeping with that theme, if you could have a do-over of any one day out of the last seven, which day would it be and why. If you haven't seen the movie Groundhog Day this question will make absolutely no sense but that's okay....you can answer anyway.
Well I haven't seen the movie, but I would definitely do over last Saturday.  My daughter plays basketball and I make a 'fool' out of myself at her ballgames.  I cannot sit still and not yell, I mean I REALLY YELL!!!!
I would do this day over and eat many, many suckers (blow-pops) to keep my mouth shut--but honestly this wouldn't help!!!!!!




You thought my question was going to be weather related didn't you?
Since you are experiencing blizzard conditions, YEP!!





3. Hot cocoa...yay or nay on the marshmallows?
Let's just say more marshmallows than hot cocoa.  I am not a fan of hot cocoa.




4. Do you wear makeup every day? What are the top two must haves in your daily makeup routine?
Wouldn't leave the house without it.  I would not want to scare anyone I face.  I must have foundation and lip color.  These two are a must.




5. Is it more important to you in a relationship to be loved or understood?
More important for me to be loved.  When loved a person understands you.  Sometimes it is difficult for a person to understand you, but if he/she loves you then that person also understands you.  Does this make sense?  Real love is understanding.  Just because you understand that person does this mean love-or is it because you accept the way that person is and move on.......
 





6. Parsley sage rosemary or thyme... your favorite?
I hate to admit this, but.....since I am not the cook in my family--what is parsley, sage. rosemary, or thyme?  I might have put parsley on lasagna once!  I don't know.





7. What do you do when you feel angry?
SLAM and POUT.  When very angry one knows because I slam doors, cabinets, anything that will make a noise.  I get my anger out this way.  I don't want to hurt someone's feelings by the tone of my voice, so I just slam-this way I hurt no one.  Afterwards I feel much better.  I also pout if angry at my spouse.  He knows not to speak to me and eventually I get over it.  Again no harsh words are spoken so no one is really hurt by my anger.





8. Random thoughts:  I loved Saturday (Jan. 29th).  It was  61 degrees as I watched my daughter play basketball in Kentucky.  Yes, my husband and I drove 9 hrs. to watch her play. Even if I did make a fool of myself by yelling-what is a mother to do??????
Then I enjoyed my Sunday with my oldest daughter sitting in the sunshine with 63 degree weather before she had to leave to go back to pharmacy school.
I had a fantastic weekend-it just ended too soon.


Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What kind of thinker are you-doer concrete thinking) analyst (analytical and abstract thinking), orator (logical thinking) inventor (imag...