I scream, you scream...

I just finished dinner. A half a pint of ice cream. It's not real ice cream, of course, but I think I've found the best non-dairy ice cream EVER! Sure it's $3.89 a pint, but worth every calorie ridden bite. Just because it's non-dairy doesn't mean it's non-fat. This was my dinner...nothing new to me. I figure if I don't eat anything else it's okay, right? Right!

Although I think it's going straight to my butt. I started running on the treadmill instead of outside for vanity sake. There's so much on me that jiggles (especially my back end) that I have no need to showcase this in the outdoors. But I digress...

The ice cream stays. I have need for it. It makes me happy. I've given up a lot in the food and beverage department...I'm keeping the ice cream. If you ever see it in the store, you have to get it.

Program, shmogram...

I hate programs. I really don't remember being in any programs when I was in school. I remember seeing my sister's Kindergarten program, but that's it. Why do we DO these? Every day for the next 6 weeks (luckily only during 1 class) I get to put on the same music, and teach the SAME songs! It's right before Thanksgiving, so I suppose it'll have a Turkey day theme. I've got 3 songs...nothing more...I have to start this on Monday...I'm so not creative. Any creative ideas are welcome. Just keep in mind I work in the ghetto. Parent volunteers are non existent. Nothing too over the top. No really...I need ideas.

Neighborly love

I love my neighbors for many reasons.

1. They're always home and can sign for our packages during the day.

2. They help me mow the lawn when I'm looking pitiful with my crappy lawnmower.

3. They provide endless entertainment when the sun goes down.

I guess they figure if they can't be seen, they can't be heard. They're like kids who think sound doesn't travel. I'm sure the alcohol has a lot to do with it, but the more they drink, the more entertained we are. During the week of no power there was no shortage of Next Door Excitement. We usually sit on the back porch...I don't know why, we just do. But since we had the generator running in the back, we had to make do with the front. We'd go sit in the complete darkness out front and enjoy the cool weather. The only way you'd know the neighbors were out was the light from their cigarettes glowing. We might actually be the only ones in our neighborhood who don't smoke and have college degrees. Anyhoo...

A very large tree came down on 2 of their cars during the hurricane...about 8 feet from our bedroom window. They were obviously not happy about it and made their anger known to anyone in a 1/2 block radius...from their front porch. That porch has seen more drama than a Broadway stage! But we don't mind. It's worth not having TV with neighbors like these! :o)

Life after Ike

Holy crap! That hurricane really sucked. Not that not all hurricanes don't suck, but that was a doozy. It's taken a week to post because it's taken a week to get power. I'm not going to complain too much about that, we had a generator from Rita...we were lucky. Finding gas for it was another story. Water was just turned on today...eight days without water. That was the worse part. But we still have a house, so I don't really care. I wish I could get the pictures off the camera, but that'll have to wait. Hubby decided to put them all on HIS computer and delete them off the camera. But soon I promise to show you lots of water and destruction.

Power companies from all over the country were here working on downed lines. I've never seen anything like it. They were awesome. The power went out late Friday night. We started seeing trucks in our neighborhood on Thursday morning, and by the time the sun went down on Friday, the power was on. As the trucks left the neighborhood, it was like a parade of onlookers hooping and hollering from their front yards. These men were heros to us.

Our fire department was also awesome. Twice during the week they came to our very low class neighborhood and gave us all cases of water and bags of ice. They're certainly getting a letter from me!

Going to PODS (points of distribution) was not in our plan, but we did eventually go to one for ice and water. I was not happy about going to one, but ice was in short supply since most grocery stores still didn't have power either.

Things are starting to feel more normal now that I don't have to brush my teeth with bottled water, or take sponge baths with baby wipes, or go outside to cool off. I'll be posting pictures as soon as I get them.

Head to the hills!

Even without TV, I know there's a hurricane coming. Hurricane Ike...almost to the middle of the alphabet already. Freakin' hurricanes. You could be a hermit and know it's coming. It's like Armageddon. Lines at the gas station, signs at the gas station saying "no more gas", the bumper to bumper traffic headed north, bread and water gone from every store in a 100 mile radius, and a lot of really bad drivers. This morning we heard there would be no school tomorrow. Well that was a shocker. I suppose the catagory 3 hurricane headed our way didn't tip us off.

Before the end of the day, those of us who lived far were told to go home at about 2:15. I didn't get home until a few minutes ago...about 2 hours to go 20 miles. I guess that's not bad considering with Rita I sat in traffic for 12 hours and went 5 miles. I didn't complain about my measly 2 hour drive home. But mom lives down by Galveston. I don't envy that drive if she decides to come up here. Not that my house is any safer...it's farther north, but built on wheels.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there are a lot more hurricanes forming every year? What the heck is going on? Oh well. Here's an extra day to get my house clean, and do lesson plans...yippee. Let's hope I have power while doing it.

Sick already

My eighth day of school, I felt a little tickle in my throat. Well, I am talking and singing all day, so I thought it was just voice strain. Day nine I wake up with a stuffy nose. This is not happening the SECOND week of school! As teachers we accumulate days every year to use as we see fit. If we change districts, we lose our local days, but keep our state days. My last year of teaching, I thought that would be it for me. I went ahead and took ALL my days that year. I had 21. Yes, I took 21 days off school...I hated it that much.

Fast forward to the present. I am now starting with no days of sick leave...not that I would take any right now, but coming from 21 days to nothing in one year is quite impressive. My immune system is crappy. I really was sick a lot that year. My first year of teaching little kids who don't like to wash their hands takes its toll. I had several colds, the flu (twice), pleurisy, ringworm, and a few upper respiratory infections. It was a rough year. So here I go again. Into a new battlefield of germs and infection. Second week of school...I think that's a record. Even though I've sprayed Lysol on all my door handles, keep hand sanitizer on me like a drug, and wash my hands 27 times a day, it was all for nothing.

These next two weeks, I'm going to do a little experiment. I'm not going to sanitize anything, and see if I still get sick. Might as well have a little fun with not being able to breath through my nose.