Weapons

Sometimes, when a person lives alone, and things go bump in the night, you get creative when faced with possible danger. Let me explain.........

While sitting at my computer this evening, I hear a deafening crash from the depths of my garage. I immediately freeze.....

Listen......

Put the tv on mute.......

Listen some more......

Grab my cell phone and look around for the best possible weapon:
the fireplace poker.

Yep, that would do some damage! Unless my get-up scares the predator off first.......horrible cardigan, sweats, woolly socks.........you get the idea. Anyway, I proceed, with phone and weapon in hand, to the source of the crash: the garage. I'm immediately greeted by my dog, who seemed to be as scared as I was. Upon investigation, I discovered that some trim which had been propped up on the wall had come crashing down.

That's it! Poking or whacking with the fireplace poker was unnecessary. But I have an arsenal of household items that would turn into great weapons, if needed.

Sneak Attack Photo Day: My Version

If you've already read Whitney's blog, you know all about Sneak Attack Photo Day. If you HAVEN'T, well first of all, you NEED to..........second of all, let me fill you in........

Last week, Whitney and Ashley devised a plan to launch a sneak attack of photo taking during the school day. This occurring ONLY when we didn't have kids, of course! Education is our first priority. BUUUTTT when our darlings were off to lunch, recess, or music, we decided to partake in the festivus (Sneak Attack Photo Day). We promise that no students were harmed in the making of Sneak Attack Photo Day.

It began innocently......me on the look out for my first victim.........


I spotted her! In a paparazzi style barrage of flashes, I captured my first collection of sneak attack photos..............


After a moment of regrouping at my desk, I decided to scout out my next victim. The next one would be tricky though, so I had to work extra HARD at hiding.........


Catching Ashley off guard was next to impossible.........always ready and posed, it was hard to sneak up on her!


One last mission was necessary to complete photo documentation needed for this day to be a success. It would require the utmost in surveillance techniques.........the poinsettia camouflage! It had been very successful for Whitney, so I just had to try it out..........


It looked like the last few shots of the day would be perfect! Hidden by the foliage of the poinsettia, I was able to take the last round of pictures............


BUT WAIT! What would Sneak Attack Photo Day be without some actual video footage????

I probably shouldn't quit my day job, huh?

Falling

After a lovely evening with my sister, nephew, and a great taco dinner, I stepped gingerly onto Hill's sidewalk to leave. I must not have stepped cautiously enough, because before I knew it, I was flat on my back........sprawled on the concrete. It was one of those legs up in the air types of falls. I guess on my way down, I screamed because Hill came running back to the front door. After she stopped cracking up, she explained that she rushed to the door because my scream made her think I was being attacked. I was attacked! By that dang slippery sidewalk!

Hill must have immediately called mom to spread the news because seconds after I was in my car, mom called to check on me. I think she wanted to offer a little comfort too by mentioning that dad also bit the dust in the backyard today.

I've recovered from the incident, mostly. I'll admit to cracking up afterward, while texting Kenny about the event.

I predict that my left side will hurt in the morning.

Welcoming Winter

This was the scene from my sofa this evening..........the first fire of the season. Finding a house with a fireplace was a MUST, and I'm glad I didn't settle for one without. Luckily, I got the wood stacked up and ready yesterday when it was sixty degrees, so tonight I could just sit in front of the fireplace, poke at the logs, and toss in the occasional stick. With my Christmas tree glowing on one side of the sofa, and the fire roaring right in front of me, I'm feeling pretty cozy and happy tonight.

Now if I can just get ONE snow day out of this weather! That would be perfect! Who's with me?

The Mix-Up

Take a good, long look at the picture below. What is wrong with what you see? Not sure? Look again.................


Yeah, that's what I thought. You figured it out, right? One brown shoe on the right foot......and a black shoe on the left. Let me explain...........

This morning, as I was sitting down at my desk AT WORK, I caught a glimpse of my feet. Once the shock and horror subsided, I broke into a fit of laughter. What else can you do when you wear one of each shoe color to WORK............and you live 30 minutes away????

I decided to deal with it. Whitney mentioned that I should give candy to the first student to point it out. Why not make it a game? Sounded good! Except that I waited until 2:40 p.m. to dish out that one piece of candy (and we dismiss at 3:00)! We'll blame that on it being a Monday......

And we'll blame my mix up on it being Monday too. Yes, the lights WERE on when I grabbed my shoes. No I DID NOT pay attention when I grabbed one left and right shoe. And of course I wouldn't notice them feeling any different due to the shoes being the same exact style. When you find a comfy shoe, you go for it! I needed both colors!

You can be sure this won't happen again.........

Tis the Season

The holiday season is in full swing! Thanksgiving was nice........first I got up and did some cooking........with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade playing in the background! The day was spent with Kenny's family. Since it was pretty nice out, we saddled up Ringo (Kenny's mom's horse) and took turns horseback riding. What a random Thanksgiving adventure........but fun!

Later when we hung out with my family, I got to spend some quality time with Alex. He is on the verge of walking! He can pull open kitchen cabinets too! Hill has her hands full! While we were there, everyone sampled my cookies, and I think they were a bit hit!


On to Black Friday: I participated in the shopping frenzy, however I DID NOT get up at the crack of dawn. I ventured out mid-morning to enjoy the rat-race that was the mall. I lucked out with a great parking spot, found some good bargains, and actually enjoyed the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Later dad and I ran to some antique shops.....then mom and I hit up a favorite gift shop.

For some reason, I am in a really
festive mood this year! I even baked cookies! You KNOW how rare that is! So since the holiday spirit is consuming me, I decorated the house today!!!!!!!! Vintage ornaments on the tree.........my favorite vintage trees on the entry table............and more trees surrounding my favorite picture on the mantle.

I think having time off from work agrees with me!

The Return of Itchy Legs

My last band related duty for the year was this weekend: The Republic Christmas Parade. I was dreading it with all my soul, but now that it's over, it was actually lots of fun. It's always lots of fun. Every year! I just forget that when I have to get up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning and the temperature is below freezing.


As usual, we hiked from the high school all the way to Main Street, down the parade route and back to the high school, so by the time we hit the park, my legs were aflame! Itchy, itchy, itchy! I realized I wasn't alone this time though. One of my girls was also having an itch attack! I made sure I explained the phenomenon to her.

So it's good-bye to marching band until tryouts this spring (with the exception of our annual Christmas party). I do believe I'll survive, BUT I've got to get this itchy leg syndrome under control! Does that mean I'll have to start exercising?

Nevermind......

Too Hot!

The best weight loss plan on the planet? Being sick! Seriously, not eating for two days will definitely help in that area. Not that I was trying, but looking on the positive side of a 101 degree temperature (thus, the blog title), that's the only good thing I could come up with.

This is my first attempt at sitting upright, so I thought I'd check my email and get back into reality for a few minutes. I COULD be preparing to work the concessions at the Eagle's concert tonight, but unfortunately, whatever this sickness was took over. Hopefully, I won't have to crawl to my classroom tomorrow to scrawl some lesson plans down for a sub.

While being home for two days, between the naps and sips of Sprite, I've gotten reacquainted with daytime television! The Muppets were on the Today Show........there's nothing like Kermit at 7 am. Ellen celebrated her 900th episode! And Yakov, I've learned (from a commercial played repeatedly), is getting his own "talk show." Whitney, I KNOW you're all over that!

Okay, I think my sitting up time has run it's course. I think it's time to go lay back down.

Elvis, Dancing Bears, Etc.

I tried voting this morning. I kept right on driving when I saw how crazy the line was and that the parking lot was overflowing. All day long I wondered how long it would take me to vote after work. I was prepared! I was thinking how I would enjoy the nice weather while I stood outside in line. I had my jacket just in case I got chilly! Then when I pulled up, I discovered that my wait would be SHORT! I parked right up front and was done within 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie concretes from Andy's ROCK. They are AMAZING!!!!!!!!! You can only get them for a limited time, so get to Andy's quickly!

I have always loved this print by William Beard called "The Dancing Bears." For years, there has been a blank spot on my wall above my sofa. It has been waiting for this special picture. So while shopping for a birthday present in Kirkland's on Sunday, what do I find?????? MY PICTURE! It took everything within me to NOT completely go crazy! What made it even better, was the crazy price..........on sale for $30! I was ready to pay whatever! And it was the size I needed it to be! Anyway, I snatched one up immediately! It makes me smile when I look at it.

Recently, one of my kiddos gave me a guitar pick as a gift and said it once belonged to Elvis. Of course I then questioned how he was able to find such an interesting piece of history.......and why did he want to give it to me? He says, "I bought it on eBay and it came with like 40 other guitar picks Elvis used, so I thought I would share." So then I just HAD to say, "Thank you. Thank you very much."

Scarecrow Shenanigans

Meet my class scarecrow. He was made for a contest and has found a home outside my classroom door for the last few weeks.

At first, I had him in a spot where I could see him if I glanced at my door. After thinking I was being watched for about two full days, only to realize it was my scarecrow time after time, I moved the thing............to a spot on the OTHER side of my door, so I couldn't see him. That worked out MUCH better.

Before long, I realized that OTHERS were also caught off guard by my innocent scarecrow. Once that discovery was made, the scarecrow shenanigans began! With the help of Keith, our night custodian, scarecrow ended up in a few doorways and closets......and the assistant principal's office.........to greet people in the morning when they got to their room or office. Opening your door, only to be greeted by the lifelike scarecrow, can most definitely cause even the calmest person to jump back just a little. The reactions were quite worth it. I had way too much fun with this. Anyway, he is gone now. He went home with one of my kiddos. I'll miss the shenanigans. I had one really good one left.......

Haiku Wars

Recently, I taught my class about the art of haiku poetry. They caught on really fast and loved it! There's only one problem! It has become a war of boys vs. girls.

It all began with one little boy writing a hilarious haiku about girls. I had him read it aloud. The girls became wide-eyed during his recitation, and their jaws dropped! Thus, the poetry war began. The girls retaliated in huge numbers. I had haiku's being handed to me left and right. Then the boys began firing back! It's been an ongoing battle for about a week:

Girls

Girls are disgusting.
All they want to do is shop.
Girls are really weird.

Boys

Boys are really gross.
They are dirty, loud, and mean.
Boys are annoying.

Here's what I'm thankful for..........They are writing up a storm! They are following the rules for haiku's! They are writing poetry for goodness sake! Let the haiku war continue............

Three Down, One To Go

Marching band season is in it's last two weeks. We've been to three competitions and have one left. Saturday was spent at MSU. We got 3rd place in prelims and advanced to finals. In finals, the kids kicked it into high gear, and we ended up 2nd. Advancing in finals is exciting, especially when you're beating bands that have previously beat you! Oh, and here's a HUGE shout out to Kenny, who spent the entire day at the competition.

This coming weekend will be the finale.......in St. Louis at the Dome. It's an overnighter, so it will be the longest weekend of them all, with parent/teacher conference week to follow! AHHHHH! The only saving grace is that we get Halloween OFF. NO SCHOOL!

The Good and Bad of Autumn

If that ain't a perfect pumpkin, I don't know what is! Kenny and I went to the "pumpkin patch" in Republic on Sunday and found this beauty! See how perfectly proportioned it is??? And I love how the stem is longer! I was very excited when I spotted it and got even more excited when I discovered that it was only $3.00! I found another one for my classroom that is also quite nice. Pumpkins are definitely another thing I like.

Leaves are another story. I love how they turn orange, red, and yellow with the green ones still mixed in! The color of fall trees is another favorite, BUT raking those leaves once they've turned brown and are covering my yard is NOT one of my favorite things. I guess it's my fault. When house hunting, one requirement was that I had to have beautiful mature trees. I really wanted a neighborhood lined with trees, and I found one! Trees all around! I have 3 in my front yard and 3 in the backyard. And I love them.......with two exceptions: fall raking duties and winter ice storm clean up. But before I start thinking about ice and snow, I need to focus on the current situation: leaves are starting to fall. Since I have 6 trees, that means I have about a billion leaves. And since I don't care to rake all that often, it means that it usually doesn't get finished any time soon! So this year maybe I'll turn over a new leaf (hahaha....) and maybe I'll be done raking by at least Thanksgiving! I know, maybe I should have a raking party! Anybody up for some fun???? I'd even make snacks! Let the raking begin!

More Things I Like

My Nephew: He is the greatest and cutest baby EVER! Along with Emma, of course and Kenny's nephew too! I dropped by Hill's tonight to see them. Seeing him was a stress reliever. He has totally mastered the art of crawling! Now he's working on pulling himself up to the standing position. He is getting very good at that too! Hill has her hands full!

My Class: I really loved my class last year. I didn't think I'd ever be able to bond with a group like that again. I had amazing parents too. Luckily, knock on wood, this year is shaping up to be another great one! I really like my kiddos. They are hilarious! They keep me on my toes, but I really am enjoying them.

Sammies: This is quite possibly one of my most favorite food inventions. They are at Quizno's, and they are great, especially the Sonoma Turkey. They have good raspberry lemonade too!

Sitemeter: If you've read Whitney's most recent comments or her blog entry about Sitemeter, you already know that we have a tracking thingy attached to our blogs. We love this! It provides tons of fun for the analytical mind........info from the location of the visitor to if they're using a Mac! It is SO interesting to see who comes to read our silly banter. We have our usual suspects, aka, our buddies who visit regularly and leave their fun banter via comments. We also have the accidental visitor, who does NOT find what they're looking for when they google "laryngitis" or other random phrases. Then we have what we've dubbed our "mystery visitors." For instance, someone at work really enjoys coming to our blogs! We know it's not us because we don't get on our blogs at work. We aren't even sure which building they work at! Then there's the infamous "marlinco" mystery. We pretty much covered this in Whit's comments the other day, but we're still puzzled by the daily occurrence of our marlinco friend. I thought my covert shout out might be a "lure" (hahaha) but it wasn't. That only made our friends question our sanity. Anyway, Sitemeter is another thing I like, but it's definitely cause for things that make you go hmmmmm......................that reminds me of a song.

CSI: The season premiere is tomorrow night and I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!! I am very excited. I love Grissom. I know you're with me on that, right Jill?

Weekends Off: This weekend is band free. I'm already looking forward to lunch with friends and sleeping in!

This Weekend

I am not a night owl, except when forced. For the last two weekends, I haven't had a choice in the matter. Two weeks of late Friday and Saturday nights are catching up with me, so when I had my first opportunity in about 3 weeks to NOT set an alarm, I was very excited. I slept until about 9:00 this morning......and although I wouldn't say I'm necessarily a morning person either, 9:00 is pretty late for me and it was glorious!

In marching band universe, life was good this weekend. Friday's performance at the football game was pretty good. Saturday's performance, however, was GREAT! The band got 3rd (ONE point away from 2nd). My girls placed SECOND!!!!! We were thrilled. They did an amazing job and worked so hard. Luckily, we all get next weekend off!

Now I think it's time for a nap!

Lucky!

As I was grading tonight, I came across something very interesting! I had assigned a paragraph and the topic was "authors." In a particularly entertaining paragraph, one of my kiddos claimed to have met Mark Twain! How lucky is he?

Then in a conversation with another kiddo recently, I was told a tale of swimming with jellyfish at Pomme de Terre Lake! I exclaimed that I'd never heard of freshwater jellyfish in Missouri, so what a lucky kiddo he was! Well, as I googled it tonight, I discovered that it might just be true.........Freshwater Jellyfish in Missouri

Who knew!

Weekend - Part 3

The weekend wrapped up yesterday with a great trip to Kansas City for the Chiefs' first WIN!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!! We had a great time on our trip. The trip was actually a present for Kenny's mom, who is a major Chiefs' fan. Kenny rented a Charger for the day. Our seats were great......34th row, right on the 50, behind the Chiefs' sideline! The weather was perfect, and the Chiefs pulled out a VICTORY!


A couple of side notes to share:

• I've decided that I love a Charger! I really like the body of that car. It sorta reminds me of a Mustang, which is my all time FAVORITE ride!
• On the way, we passed a Chiefs themed limo (upper left picture)! It was hilarious....all red with arrowhead decals.
• It was Breast Cancer Awareness Day at Arrowhead, so they were handing out temporary tattoos! To show my support, I went ahead and applied it to my arm! This morning before I left for school, I made sure to remove it. I didn't want any children going home and telling their parents that their teacher got a tattoo of the Chiefs' symbol on her arm over the weekend!

This weekend was tiring but great. This coming weekend holds the same amount of craziness, with a football game on Friday night and another band competition on Saturday. Luckily, I get Sunday off though! I'm looking forward to NOT setting my alarm clock that day!

Weekend - Part 2

On Saturday, the marching band went to Webb City for the Webbstock Marching Festival. We placed 2nd in our division, which meant we stayed for finals. My girls did a great job both times around.

I misjudged my estimated time of arrival at home by one hour. I pulled in my garage at 1 a.m. Now I'm up and at em for the Chiefs' game today.

Weekend - Part 1

I really should be gathering my things for today's band competition, but I just can't get myself motivated. The crazy weekend began last night with the RHS Football Homecoming Game........they lost, but the band did GREAT! It was our first real run through of the entire show, and they rocked it! I was really proud of the progress my girls had made since the last game. We still have stuff to work on, but hopefully we can rock it again today! I'll either be home by 6:00 this evening or midnight, depending on how we do. I know, I know ~ you're on pins and needles! I promise to let you know the outcome!

I'm pretty sure you're jealous that YOU don't get to spend a Saturday this way! Here I go......I need to gather my reading materials for the bus ride!

Things I Like

I sure like marlin. They are tasty. Just thought you all should know. This great picture reminded me of my fondness for marlin. I sure wish I could catch a marlin like that! These friends of Whitney's (from college) caught a marlin for Whitney because she loves them too! As a whole, I like seafood. I really enjoy the occasional trip to Captain D's or Long John's, but those are few and far between since Kenny isn't a fan of those establishments. Come to think of it, Whitney isn't either, so I'm not sure why she likes marlin so much!

I also like guitar hero, which you already know. Here is the paparazzi shot Kenny got of me. I didn't know he was lurking! I was concentrating way too hard on the notes.

Pac Man is another favorite. Thanks to Andrea, I can play it any time I want to! Oh, and Tetris! Love Tetris! Used to have competitions with my sister and dad!

Another thing I like is Dancing with the Stars. I enjoyed watching it while I was grading papers tonight. It made paper grading a little less painful.

Last of all, I like the occasional joke: How do veterinarians take care of sick birds? They give them "tweetments."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA!

Saturday

This is my last weekend of freedom before marching band competitions fill up my Saturdays and football games consume my Friday nights. I am looking forward to four Saturdays on a big yellow school bus.

Since the next month of weekends is shot, Grampy came to visit!!!!!! The family gathered at mom and dad's for lunch and Model T rides! Alex LOVED the Model T. He grabbed onto the wheel immediately and pulled himself to his feet. I also took Grampy to see my house. I'd sent him pictures, but he hadn't seen the newly painted exterior in person!

Later, while on the phone with Ashley, I went to water my flowers. As I approached my flower pot full of mums, a rustling near my feet caught my attention. With less than cat-like reflexes, I realized a snake was coming at me. I proceeded to scream into the phone and dance around while not gaining much ground. The snake kept coming straight at me! Finally I moved one direction and it went the other. Sorry Ashley! Your ear may never be the same.

After recovering from the snake encounter, Ashley and I went to dinner! I enjoyed our sushi and shopping very much! It was a very good last Saturday!

The Bungee Racer

When Whitney posted her entry about inflatable contraptions, it reminded me of my ALL TIME FAVORITE inflatable game: The Bungee Racer!

Last spring, our PTO hosted an event complete with kick-ball tournaments and inflatable jumping opportunities! That's when I spotted the bungee racer! Seeing it transported me back to a band event years ago, where I first participated in a bungee racing competition. My memory of it consists of cracking up non-stop for the five minutes it took to play. So there it was, right in front of me! I couldn't WAIT to find an opponent! That's when one of my students approached and threw down a challenge! If I played against him in a basketball throw, he'd compete in the bungee race with me! It was ON!

The bungee racer is made up of two lanes, divided by a wall with velcro along the top. You are strapped to a harness which is attached to the back wall. The point? To run straight forward with a velcro covered marking piece and attach it as far down the divider wall as possible, before the bungee cord you are strapped to snaps you back! Each person gets about 3 attempts, and when you've gone as far as the cord will allow, you are snapped back so quickly that you completely lose your footing, and are flung to the bouncing floor of the lane. The hilarity that ensues is beyond words. You simply laugh for the entire time you are up there. It is quite honestly THE most fun inflatable contraption EVER!

So as you can see, as the race was going down, a photographer captured this moment in time. As soon as we finished, he approached to record the specifics. He happened to be a reporter. It landed in the Republic paper.

The First Football Game

Today was the longest day ever.

Picture Day + Grandparent's Day + First Football Game = Exhaustion

Pictures: One of my boys was consumed with his hair. Every few minutes he would ask me if his bangs were curling.

Grandparent's Day: Uneventful, but always long and tiring..........mainly because the kids were WILD! In the midst of the wildness, I heard a kiddo exclaim, "I sure wish the water fountains could shoot out Gatorade!"

Football Game: I discovered something tonight that I didn't expect to. After watching a good first attempt at our halftime show, I realized that I don't like giving up control of my color guard girls. I thought stepping back and giving up some of my responsibilities would be a breeze. And it has been so far. Until tonight.

It hit me as soon as we stepped on the field. I had NO CLUE what they were doing! Then as I watched them, the feeling got worse! Every single year, I have known exactly what everything was supposed to look like. I could've performed in their place! But tonight, I was a fish out of water. And I hated it. I never thought I'd feel like I was missing out when I scaled back on marching band/color guard duties.

I must be crazy. Let's blame it on the full moon.

Guitar Playing Skills

For all of you DYING to see a video of my guitar skills, well keep on waiting! I'll have to work up the nerve to post one of those! Thank goodness only one photo exists of the event. As I was zoned in on the game, Kenny did some paparrazi style photography.

Thanks to the weekend, I had some time to practice. I will add that I am now "on tour." Meaning: I passed the entry phase! A few songs that I conquered were Barracuda and School's Out. I did have difficulty dueling Tom Morello though and had to call in the expert (Kenny).

An Addiction

I'm Danavee, and I'm addicted to Guitar Hero. Yes, you heard me.

The other night, after a VERY long day at school (complete with a 7:00 date for Parent Night), I went to Kenny's. What do I find when I get there? Kenny dueling Slash! He was getting down on the guitar, thanks to his new PS3 game. After a long day, I figured that a little video gaming wouldn't hurt! So I clicked on the easiest and slowest setting possible and attempted to finish a song!

As for games, I really want Rock Band. I thought (and STILL think) Rock Band is/was the best invention ever, but now that I'm learning how this guitar/bass contraption works, the more I love it! With Rock Band, the only instrument I cared about was the drums. Oh, and I'll sing too! The microphone is my friend! But the guitar is growing on me! My only problem? With the way Kenny was laughing at me, I think I bop, sway, and bounce too much. And I'm not very good at the actual guitar playing.

So tonight, after sushi, maybe I will try to conquer that Pat Benatar song one more time.

Three Day Weekends

I love three day weekends. I tend to stress out over them though. Mainly because I want them to be glorious.......not a moment wasted! I want to go back to work and feel like I've had a mini vacation! This particular holiday did not disappoint! Nothing major happened, I just really enjoyed the last few days.

It did start off sort of boring, with Saturday being filled with tons of nothing. Cleaned the house, actually did some school work, got my voice back, and was very lazy........BUT rented a great movie and had a wonderful lunch with Kenny too.

Sunday was my FAVORITE day. We got to see Kenny's nephew and family at a cookout for his mom's birthday. Then later we enjoyed some time with great friends. I fell into bed Sunday night with a smile on my face.......happy from the day.

Today was another lazy day.
Slept in, did some stuff
around the house. THEN mom and dad came over to help me hang my new curtains! Kenny took the circa 1967 curtains down last week, and we hadn't had the chance to hang the new set. They are up now, and I love them! They match my furniture perfectly! We still have work to do on the wall, where the old curtains were, but the transformation is amazing. It really makes the room feel bigger.

So tomorrow, when I'm back at work, I'll feel like I had a great long weekend! I'll just have to focus on remembering it when I have to rush to the high school for flag practice after school............and then again when I have to stay even later for a band booster meeting.

Questions and Laryngitis

The top three questions asked in my classroom on a daily basis..........

1. When are you going to turn the lava lamp on? So I thought a lava lamp would be a cool addition to my classroom.........until I realized they are obsessed with it. It may not last much longer.

2. How much longer until lunch? I say, "what time is it now?" They answer. Then I ask, "What time do we go to lunch every single day?" They answer. Then I sweetly tell them to figure the time left until lunch......do the math! It's a learning opportunity people!

3. What are we doing next? We pretty much follow the same routine daily, ANNDDD I write the schedule on the board.........so when I hear this, I rarely speak. Pointing at the schedule without talking is my standard response. They should catch on by December.

And speaking of not speaking, I can't! My voice is completely GONE. I have been croaking and basically whispering all day. Tomorrow will be interesting. At least it's a Friday.......and a long weekend.

Avoidance Behavior

I REAAAALLLY should be grading math papers, but instead I'm playing on the computer! I am very good at what I call avoidance behavior. Tonight's avoidance behavior involves finding some songs that I heard on tv. I like finding new songs! These were on a televised concert. They aren't new songs, but new to me.....Forever Lost by The Magic Numbers and Wires by Athlete. Then another one is from a commercial....Evermore....Falling Away

A laugh at my expense.....

An evening ritual for me is to water my pitiful attempt at landscaping (another summer project). I really like the bushes I planted, so I really want them to live.....thus, I water daily. I headed outside to begin the watering. I strategically placed the sprinkler in the perfect spot and turned the water on. No action was coming from the sprinkler. I turned the water on a little more and then realized there was a kink in the hose. Completely forgetting the water was ON, I unkinked the hose........only to get an immediate face full of water.........literally square in the face........full blast.

Now that I've dried off, removed the running mascara, and stopped laughing, just thought I'd share.

It's gonna be okay.....

So on Monday, all I could think about was leaving my job as an educator to become best buddies with the Keno brothers. Appraising priceless antique furniture was (and still is) very appealing. Then on Tuesday, as I was making my morning coffee, my first real thought was, "I wonder how many snow days we'll have this year?" At that point I hadn't even met my kiddos, and all I could hope for was inclement weather.......

Now here we are a few days and migraines later.......and the negativity has subsided. I'll give the credit to my new bunch of kiddos. I think it happened when one of my little guys exclaimed excitedly that he had an extinct turtle at home (as his pet)! The conversation went like this:

Kiddo (wide eyed and very excited): "Ms. Roderick!
I have an extinct turtle at home! He's my pet!

Me: "Is that right? How did you discover this?"

Kiddo (holding up an informational science book and
pointing to a picture of a turtle): "This is my
turtle, and this book says it's extinct!"

Me: "Oh my! I bet there are some scientists out there
who would pay big bucks to have your extinct turtle."

Kiddo: "I will keep him, but it looks like I'll need a
bigger aquarium because the book says he's gonna get
as tall as my knees!"

Between that conversation and another involving a semi truck and snapping alligator (don't ask), the funk I had been in began to fade.

I still want my snow days though.

New Job

As the first day of school draws nearer and nearer, and the stress of the first few meetings mount, I think of all the other jobs I should have gone to school for. And I've decided, while cutting out laminated name tags, that I should have been an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow.

Making the Most of the Last Days....

School: Our first contracted day is Monday, and kids come on Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday will be filled with meetings, and I can already feel my brain being filled with too much info. More than it can handle. If the new superintendent still does recognition for years in the district, Whit and I will probably have to go up for our certificate for TEN WHOLE YEARS of working in the district! That makes me nervous, since standing in front of crowds is not one of my favorite things. Oh well, we'll get a cute paperweight or something, which will make it worth it, right?

Freedom: I have been trying to make the most of the last few days. When referring to my list of things to do before the end of freedom, I discovered that I can check off a few things AND add some additional items to the list...........

• Pedicure with Whitney.......check
• Take naps...........check
• Sleep in...........check
• Swim..........tried to but it was too chilly this week! Gave it a good attempt though! Got in up to my waist..........so we'll check it off anyway.
• Spend time with family...........check
  
• Haircut..........check
• Pineapple Whip with Kenny...........check
• Ride in dad's Model T..............check
• Go to fave antique shop............check
  
• Watch Olympics...........check

Even though I spent Mon. through Wednesday in my classroom, I still feel like I accomplished a lot on my list. I really enjoyed Thursday with mom, Hill, dad, and Alex. We just hung out at Hill's all day. I brought cherry bear claws for breakfast (thank you St. George's). Hill got pizza for lunch. We ate and talked, and I got LOTS of quality time with Alex. I got to feed him and play with him! He is precious. He smiles ALL THE TIME.

Friday was another great day. Kenny and I went to mom and dad's, and what did we find when we got there? Dad and mom riding around the neighborhood in the Model T!!!!!!!!!!! So of course we took turns riding in it. That was so much fun! The horn on it is hilarious! We are all very excited that dad got it running.

Today, mom brought me a great bouquet from the farmer's market. Now I want another bouquet for my classroom. I love fresh flowers! Then Whit and I got our SUPER FINE pedicures! I wish I had a picture of both of our toes! We each got artwork on our big toes, which turned out great.....very hot! Finally, after shopping at Gordman's with Whit and having lunch with Kenny, I drove out to my favorite antique shop and browsed.

I'm pretty happy with my last week of freedom, and actually I'm pretty happy with my whole summer! Got the house painted, went on a few small excursions to St. Louis, and spent time with friends and family! Let the school year begin!

Good Memories and an Accidental Turn

Good Memories: Today when I pulled up to the 4-way stop by school, I saw a sight that immediately made me smile! Various fair rides were arriving at the Kiwanis Pavilion for the Fall Festival! It made me sort of excited! I love the small fair that Republic hosts every August. It takes me back......oh the fun we had back in the day! I can remember a ride on the "Zipper" vividly........couldn't stop laughing and screaming all at once. We thought we would be flung from the thing, the way it was twisting and turning. Ah, good times.

Accidental Turn: On our way to lunch today, I was telling Ashley where the restaurant was.....minus one right turn. So as I realize this, I notice another right turn option up ahead.......the right turn into the cemetery! Half joking, I say we could turn there.........and Ashley does! Thinking the road would lead us right out the other side, we venture down the cemetery road.........only to realize IT'S A MAZE OF LANES!!!! As we take multiple turns to find our way out, we imagine who will drive by to see a car full of teachers winding their way through a cemetery. Next time I give bad directions, let's take the long way around........

The End of Freedom

Sigh of relief: band camp is over. We topped it all off with a performance called "Stepping Out." Basically, we showed family and friends what we learned during camp. Kenny came to be dazzled, and he was a great photographer!

The work isn't over yet, though. Early morning band starts on the second day of school! After school practice starts the following week. Then it'll be time for the real performances.....football games and marching competitions!!!! Maybe we'll bring some trophies home like last year!!!

Moving on.....much like band camp is over, summer is too. Today is the last Sunday of freedom. Next Sunday doesn't count because it will be a school night (sort of) with our first day back being next Monday! So tonight is our last official Sunday night that we can stay up late and go to Quarter Mania bowling or watch a late movie without paying for it the next day. The freedom will last through the end of the week, although I know I'll end up in my classroom for most of it. Blank bulletin boards and unlabeled book tubs are waiting for me. I can hear them chanting my name. So with freedom coming to an end, and only having seven days left to cherish, I want to make sure I spend them wisely! How do I make that happen? Well, here are some possibilities:

• Sleep in (at least until 7 or 7:30 am)
• Swim, swim, swim
• Get a pedicure
• Get a massage
• Take naps
• See family as much as possible (since work and band will consume any free time)
• Finish painting the kitchen
• Listen to my new favorite song over and over: All I Need
  
• If I'm working in my room, take a Sonic or Dairy Queen break
  

Any other ideas?? Hey, Andrea and Ashley, maybe we should take another walk? Whit and Jill could join us!!! This time we would have water, phones, and maybe a GPS.........

Band Camp

Okay, I'm not looking for sympathy here, but I'm in the middle of band camp. Two full weeks of twirling and tossing flags.....from 8 am to 6 pm......needless to say, pretty long days. I do it for the big bucks, of course!

In this lovely photo, the girls are in their new uniforms. Trying these on is one of the few fun parts of band camp. I also play a few fun games with my girls.......games that are now a part of our band camp tradition! But who wants to hear about the fun parts? Let's move on to the not-so-fun parts: HOT TEMPERATURES, sore muscles, and doing the same routines over and over til they are perfect. I always forget the sore muscles part. My arms haven't moved like that since last season, so they need to be whipped back into shape. Also during these two weeks, most of my vocabulary is limited to quotes such as, "One more time!" or "Let's do that again."

Anyway, aside from the work and scorching heat, the rewards are great. When we hit the field for a football game or competition, all the band camp stuff is forgotten.

So I guess I just needed to vent??? And maybe I do want a little sympathy......

The Auction Purchase

Behold the wonderful vintage chairs!!!!!!! These two perfectly amazing chairs were purchased for only $7.50 at that auction on Saturday. That means $3.75 per chair! I was very excited about the price because usually I see them at antique shops for $30 to $40!!! WHAT A BARGAIN! But do I want to sell them? NO!!!

I bet one or two of you might be thinking, "What is wrong with her? Those chairs are horrible!" Even Kenny thinks they are "WT" if you know what I mean. Let me explain further! First of all, did I mention they were vintage? If you know anything at all about me, you know how I love antique or vintage anything! Second, my grandma had some similar to these (which my mom has now) and they remind me of her. I've always wanted some just like hers.

So now I have two great backyard chairs! Maybe they'll be my next painting project! All I know is that they make me smile because I think of my grammy when I see them.

Band Camp, Auctions, Etc....

Band Camp: Since this week has been filled with band camp and working to put my classroom back together, nothing exceptional has happened. This was the easy week of band, with only freshman being there. The next two weeks will be hard.....8 to 6 everyday. I'm pretty sure I'll be worn out by day 3 or 4......but with 10 days of it ahead of me, I have to be positive! Hey, no "this one time at band camp" jokes either people! ANNNDDD no making fun of my ankle tan line....stark white feet, with a hint of a flip flop line........tennis shoes are a MUST! I can't get around it! Whitney, you understand what I mean, right?

School: My classroom is almost done. I still have to put up bulletin boards, and the piles of stuff I didn't want to deal with have been shoved in my closet......so I'll have to mess with that eventually.......but the furniture is back in it's place! Curious George stuff has been strategically placed upon my bookshelves, and my classroom library is close to being arranged. Oh, and I dusted, which is a rare occurrence for me. Mom will be proud.

Dark Knight: Amazing movie......made my heart pound! GO SEE IT!

Farmer's Market: My new favorite thing! I went to the one by the mall with mom. It had a family playing fiddles and singing (think SDC type music), all kinds of produce, and the most beautiful fresh bouquets I'd ever seen. I bet it'll be even better in the fall with pumpkins and mums!

Auctions: An old favorite thing! I love auctions (Jill, you are with me on this, I just know it). Don't make it to them very often, get nervous when I bid on anything, and am pretty determined when I find something I want. Met dad at one today. I found some old chairs that I really wanted. I left dad in charge of getting them for me (because I couldn't stay) annnddd he got them!!!! Three chairs for under $10! HOT!!!!!!!! Thanks dad!

Babysitting: I am babysitting for my wonderful friend Julie tonight. I am nervous already. Yes, I can handle 25 ten year olds on a daily basis.....no problem! But can I take care of 3 little kiddos under the age of 5 all by myself? A baby going on 7 months, a 3 year old, and a 5 year old. Julie, you might never ask for me to babysit again!

My new favorite song (click on it!!): Beating My Heart by Jon McLaughlin. I play this over and over. Whitney: On an unrelated note, every time Kenny and I hear Viva la Vida by Coldplay (another fave song), one of us does Chris Kattan's head move and the other breaks into Tracy Morgan's hand/wrist shake. Picture that! Good times....

Take me out to the ballgame.....

On Thursday, Kenny and I headed up to St. Louis for a Cardinal's game! We decided to rent a car since both of ours could possibly leave us stranded. I really wanted a Charger.......maybe an orange or red one. Kenny wanted a Hummer.......the new H3.......I don't think he cared about the color. Unfortunately, our options were limited, so we went with a PT Cruiser......a car that we often make fun of........so it was pretty ironic that we got stuck with it. But props to the Cruiser! It was a nice ride!

Once we got to the new stadium, we headed to the Bank of America Box. Our tickets were crazy! They were for the box, which was air conditioned, and it was over 90 degrees so we were very thankful for that. They also included an all you can eat buffet and unlimited drinks. Mr. Pibb was on the menu, so I pretty much drank my weight in it. I love that stuff. Kenny enjoyed a new nachos invention that he created. And what's a ballgame without a hot dog? So of course we both had hot dogs!

Once we finished pigging out, we found our seats outside. We had an amazing view of the Arch from our seats. We sat at about third base......I even bought a Cardinal's shirt for the occasion! They were playing the Padres. Cardinal's won 4 to 3. All four points were actual homeruns! We got to see four real homeruns! I was pretty excited! I was also relieved that no foul balls came our way, since I would have had to duck and cover.

So a big, huge thank you goes out to my amazing and wonderful room-mom and dad from this last school year for sending us on this trip! You guys rock!!!! We had so much fun and really appreciated this gift.

Garage Sale Fashion Show

When 5 friends get together for a garage sale, and customers are few, craziness ensues! We decided it would be fun to dress up in our own garage sale items for a fashion show........with Whitney's driveway as our catwalk.


Whitney sported two fashions on garage sale day. The first ensemble consisted of every single basket we could find. She wore a lovely basket on each leg, as well as her arms and head. To finish off this unique look, she held a heart shaped basket. The second look was made up of a woven straw hat, a handmade boa, and a plastic E II lunch bag. We felt the orange bag matched her shirt and shorts very well. Surprisingly, the boa and hat did not sell. Nor did any of the baskets.


Andrea decided to go a little more formal. For her strut down the catwalk, she donned a stunning gown, once worn as a bridesmaid's dress. In addition to the dress, she held a Curious George doll (since monkeys are the latest accessory). To top off her fashion statement, she found a brown hat that went nicely with the monkey's fur. Strangely enough, none of these selections sold either.




We took a break from the catwalk to do a posed shot of Terri........mainly due to the incredibly unique stool she chose for her photo shoot. Not only is the barrel a stool, it is also a cooler! It can hold many cans of your favorite frosty beverage. In addition to the cooler/stool, Terri modeled a hot pink shawl with brooch, knee-high black boots, and a woven straw hat. To reiterate the fact that the barrel was a cooler, Terri chose a bottle as her accessory. Shockingly, the only item that sold was the shawl.

Back on the catwalk, it was my turn to work the runway. In keeping with Terri's shawl look, I draped a tan shawl across my shoulders. A vintage handbag with a delicate silver chain hung from my arm. Brown wedge sandals and a small straw hat completed the ensemble. In true model form, I decided to strike a dramatic pose for the camera. Of all these items, just the sandals found their way to a new home with Andrea.

Last, but not least, we have Ashley's unusual frock. Ashley went unconventional when she broke out the ski mask. Along with the ski mask, she cleverly added a blue denim shirt and tied it at the waist..........and what would a denim shirt be without a black and white purse and picture frame? This unique look closed the show, with the denim shirt selling seconds later.

Dedicated to Whitney

Whitney.......since Emma's first word was patina, I thought I'd provide you with its definition as stated in Miriam-Webster's Online Dictionary. The definition in which I used patina is definition 1b. Now if you are ever in a spelling bee, you will not need to ask for this additional information, as you are now well informed (I even provided the etymology)! I'll even use it in another sentence for you: The vintage sign had a great patina which reflected its authenticity.

Patina: pa·ti·na
Pronunciation: \pa-'tē-na\
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian, from Latin
Date: 1748

Definitions:
1 a: a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color

1 b: a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use

2: an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character

3: a superficial covering or exterior

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patina

The "Walk"

Once upon a time, on a mild summer day, I decided to go on a walk. I happen to live close to a trail, which is quite pretty. I wanted some company on this walk, so I asked Ashley and Andrea to come along! They happily agreed! Soon after they both arrived at my house, we headed down the street with wild abandon.....no cell phones......no water bottles.........just us and our walking shoes. After all, it was just a nice afternoon stroll, right?

WRONG! Failure to communicate, led us on a journey that I am crippled from today. I feel as if I turned 75 years old overnight. Arthritis set in as I slept. If I can even stand, I hobble to my destination.......with a slight hunch of the back too. How did this immediate aging occur? Well, back to the story..........

The trail picked up at Fort and Sunset, and we headed east. Conversation was flowing, birds were chirping, flowers were blooming..........dodging the bicyclists was no problem. In fact, the company and conversation was so great, that none of us even stopped to ask: Where are we going exactly? As we get farther and farther I'm thinking, "I wonder when they'll want to turn around?"

The fitness level of Andrea and Ashley compared to mine is unmatched. That is, THEY run and exercise (high endurance levels). I try NOT to run and exercise (LOW endurance levels). The pace we had immediately settled into was FAST, and I was fading, but still keeping up. The itchy legs had come back, but by this time, they were numb.

Finally, we saw a set of stairs. We climbed up only to discover that we had hiked all the way to Battlefield Rd and West Bypass. Our options were grim. Turn around? Walk down Battlefield to Kansas Exp? Neither sounded good to me. I offered to stick my thumb out, but no one jumped on that idea. With no cell phones to call search and rescue, we decided to head down Battlefield. At this point, I don't remember much of the return trip......just that I fell back about 10 feet behind Andrea and Ashley..........and when we finally crawled up my driveway, we all collapsed on the floor in my living room.

That was my exercise for the next decade. I have no idea how far we actually walked, but I'm sure it was well over 7 miles. Next time, I'll arm myself with water and a cell phone, just in case.

The Unveiling

I'm ready to unveil the house, since it is finally finished! This project consumed 85% of the month of June, but I think it was well worth it! Talk about CURB APPEAL! I still have some landscaping projects to complete, but I might take July off from home improvement!

BEFORE

A lovely yellow! Not bad, just not me!

DURING

Thank goodness for Kenny's power-washing skills! It is harder than it looks! Just about knocked me off my feet the first time I tried it! I'm sure neighbors were cracking up if they happened to catch a glimpse of that!

Another shout out to mom and dad who helped paint!!!! They spent so much time over here, they probably don't want to come again for months! We ruined a few paint brushes (bad cleaning-them-out skills) and demolished a ladder (mishap with dad...which neighbors did see) but overall, it went pretty smoothly (except that silly storm door).

AFTER

TA DAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much better!

Concerts, Parades, and Silliness

DISCLAIMER: If you read Whit's blog too, you'll be getting a double dose of what you're about to read! We can't help it! We were both there! Oh, and Ashley was too, so maybe even a triple dose!

On Thursday, I headed to St. Louis with Kenny, Whit, and Jim! We were on our way to see Whit's favorite musician of all time: John Mayer! The concert got underway with an opening act (Bret Dennen or something). Then Colbie Caillat put on a little show! After both of those acts, we were ready for the main attraction! Our seats were amazing.........Row D for me and Kenny.........and Whitney and Jim were on the SECOND ROW! The main attraction didn't disappoint, with one exception..........no Jennifer Aniston sightings.

While we were there, we also had some other fun! Whitney and I demonstrated how to NOT play "Dance Revolution," although Whit always beat me at every round. I've decided that if I ever have a basement, I want one of those contraptions for the "game room." Then we could have Dance Revolution Face-offs! Whitney would win.

We also went to see Kenny perform in the St. Louis Fourth of July Parade! We found really great seats for viewing the army band.....right across from the Arch! AANNNDD while we were waiting for the parade to begin, the silliness began! When cute little flags are passed out to parade watchers (and you have too much time on your hands) you get really creative and silly..............

Toilet Paper and Pepper Spray

Ashley: The non-grass cutter and floating toilet paper house is the SAME HOUSE! They are repeat offenders! I'm scared to mow close to the "fountain of sewer" because I don't want the mower flinging it on me! It's kind of like weed-eating snakes! I don't really want snake to fling on me either, so I try to avoid both! Although it's easier to avoid the moat next door than it is to avoid snakes in my yard.

Andrea: So Bass Pro has pepper spray??? I would never have guessed. I was hoping for a trip to that tactical supply place with you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Stu! Now who will go to the tactical supply place with me?

Whitney: Do you think air horns would work on snakes?

American Idol and the Missouri 135th Army Band

On Friday, I went down to the Branson Landing to see Kenny perform in the Army Jazz Band. Not only was I treated to some great jazz music, plus a very hot solo by Kenny, but beforehand, some former American Idol contestants performed! I'll admit I was a little star struck! I've watched every season, haven't missed an episode, so I knew each one by name (Hayley, Scott, Jason, Brandon, Vonzell, Carmen, and RJ) and was pretty excited to discover they were performing before the jazz band! Kenny got to pose in the middle of all the Idols for a picture, and I have to say, I was a little envious! Anyway, they put on a short, but good show. THEN the real talent came on stage (the jazz band).

Kenny has had quite a few performances this last week due to Active Training. He performed at the Landing twice and once at College of the Ozarks. I was the crazy groupie at all of them! He had quite a few solos at these various events, and boy was I proud! He can play that saxophone!

CREEPY!!!!!

I woke up the other night to dogs barking. It was about 2:30 a.m. I got up and looked out the window, and a police car was parked in front of my neighbor's house....really close to my driveway! It's lights were even off! THEEEEENNNNN ANOTHER police car drives up to the parked one! They chat for a few minutes, then one drives off. A few minutes later the first car starts up and drives off too. CREEPY!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON? Was someone out there prowling around? Was there a sting operation going down? Maybe they are going to arrest my neighbor for not mowing their lawn............but they wanted to catch them off guard!
WHO KNOWS! But the timing of this event couldn't have been better: there were NO knobs/locks on my front door, because it was being painted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep after that!

HAIR

Okay, okay! I'll give the readers what they want! Here comes the "hold the camera at arm's length and take a shot of my hair" picture. I actually got quite a bit cut...........about 5 inches off the bottom, and about 8 to 9 inches off my shortest layer.

Realizations

1. Bud is a very good car rider! On the way to his yearly vet checkup, he sat in the front seat like a perfect little dog! I should take him for more rides.

2. Putting the new storm door on my house was very difficult. I bought a new door for the front because: a. I hate my current storm door........b. Not only do I hate it, but I'd also have to paint it since it's yellow! So the day of installation arrives (Wednesday). Dad and I tear into the cardboard only to discover that this would involve a little more assembly than we had planned for. About halfway through, I decided that Lowes should have installed it, but we were determined to get this thing on the house. So after 3 hours of trial and error, it was finished........or so we thought. When we tried to latch it, we realized the frame was too far away from the door. So needless to say, it's not finished. We wired it shut for the time being. I don't want to even think about working on it again. Can't wait til Monday. Oh, and does anyone need a yellow storm door?

3. I need a change in the hair department! I've got a 1:00 appt for this change, but I always chicken out once I get there. Normally, you can't even tell if I've been to get a haircut. If I end up being brave, and cut more than an inch or two, it'll be a miracle. I'll post a picture, if I decide to get crazy and you can tell that I've had my hair trimmed! Most likely, no picture will be posted!

Classmates.com

A few years back, I signed up on classmates.com.........a web-site where you can find high school friends. I think I signed up for high school reunion updates or something. I never checked my "profile" or looked up old friends. Until recently, I had forgotten about the site. THEN I started getting random emails from classmates.com that excitedly said some old friend had "signed my guestbook" on my profile. The email also teases you with statements like, "Who is thinking about you?" or "Uncover the mystery!" Of course I want to uncover the mystery!

Clicking on the link takes me to my guestbook where the people have "signed" their names. Only you can't see the names! You have to "upgrade to see who is thinking about you!" AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For someone as curious as I am, that is mean and unjust!! The cost isn't terrible, but it's the type of thing that probably ropes you in! Once I subscribe, will I continue to year after year? Hillary tells me DON'T UPGRADE, but my friend Julie DID upgrade! She can see who signed her guestbook any time she wants!

I'm torn.......what a terrible dilemma! I have thirteen guestbook signatures, and I am dying to know who those 13 people are! SOOOOO I'm taking a poll here: Do I subscribe or keep the mystery alive? Please circle yes or no ;)

Car Update

My Saturday trip to the mechanic yielded some new problems: a leak in my power steering rod (which might be what's causing the belt to slip) and my wheel bearings are shot. BAD he said. So BACK TO the mechanic on Monday! I told them I liked them there, but not this much! He said unfortunately they didn't have a frequent flyer program. On the plus side, I won't have to be towed there again. So to make light of a yucky week of car issues.........................

Two tows...............$132

Three trips to the mechanic...................$450

No car payment.................PRICELESS

Okay, I know I'm a dork for even writing that! After Monday, I might be reconsidering the "priceless" statement!

Car Problems

So my car turned 10 years old this week, and to celebrate, it decided to QUIT on me.....more than once. The first mishap was on Monday. It simply wouldn't start. DEAD. It ended up being the battery, not a big deal! We also discovered a bad fan belt in the process, so after a quick trip to the mechanic, that was taken care of on Monday too.

Mishap two was today: On our way to IHOP, my battery light came on. Kenny thought it might be the alternator, so instead of IHOP we head to the mechanic. On the way there, in pouring rain, it DIED on Kearney. GOOD TIMES! Thanks to Kenny and two nice strangers, we got it into a Walgreens parking lot. Luckily, I had a Henry's Towing keychain in my purse (compliments of the Sertoma Chili Cook-off). Just so you know, towing is EXPENSIVE! To go approximately 6 city blocks, it cost $66! Good thing my insurance covers that. SOOOOOO we get it to my mechanic, they discover it's my fan belt again! It slipped off! Frustrating, since that was supposed to have been fixed on Monday, BUT cheap and simple!

IF ONLY! I am about halfway home from the mechanic when my battery light goes off AGAIN! Panic sets in immediately! Do I go home? Do I try to make it back to my mechanic? Kenny had dropped me off at the mechanic, so I was alone! I'm closer to home, so rather than getting stranded.......this time without Kenny........I head home. Where my car currently sits........fan belt off AGAIN! I get to be towed back to the mechanic again in the morning. I can't wait!