Signs of Spring

Last night I attacked my closet. The Goodwill made a haul today. I took out everything and took the Dyson in. After I sucked up a canister full of dust, I started the sort and separate routine. If I haven't worn it, if it was a size too small, or if it was just old or ugly, out it went. I feel freer and more organized than Martha Stewart.
This morning I did the bedroom. Dust ruffles are aptly named, and mine hasn't been washed since last fall. I did the wood blinds and the picture frames, the secretary and the carpet.I even cleaned the baseboards.
Fortunately, all this high powered housekeeping didn't take all day and when my friend Sharon messaged me that she was thinking about a trip to the new garden center, I was able to take a quick shower and be ready to go.
Reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle has us thinking about locally grown food, so I fell for a huge patio tomato that is loaded with blooms already and a diva cucumber that had two cucumbers ready to pick and scads of smaller ones. Nothing says warm weather like a cucumber sandwich. Mayo, salt and pepper on soft bread. Bliss.
Spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for plants and pots and then headed home to put everything out.
I worked like an army ant planting and transplanting, and I'm pretty pleased with my choices. Now it's time for the final four games and a Reese's peanut butter Easter egg.
Ah spring...I love all the signs of spring.

Just Breathe

Before calling it a night, I checked my school email. Dumb idea. I have a student whose hovering mother is about on my last nerve. Kid does nothing, I'm not certain he can feed himself. His grades are pathetic and every assignment she writes to find out if he can have a mulligan or if I'll still take it late, and on and on.
Makes me want to scream.
Bestsellers Book Club met for lunch today. We split cheese enchiladas and two desserts at Pappasito's and caught up on everyone's news and misadventures. Then we hit Barnes & Noble for a good book scrounge. One of my favorite pastimes.
At Dillard's I finally bought this handbag I've been eying for ages. It was $50 off, I couldn't pass that up.
Another weekend draws to a close and I'm wishing for another day off. I got my laundry done, got my hair cut and colored, bought groceries, and took Mother out for lunch. I visited with Jeff & Jen, talked to Berit & Sloan and coordinated the family Easter with Grunc and his girls. All-in-all a productive couple of days. Good job old girl!

Today's Memo

Memo to Fiat:
Seriously? You want to pay that incorrigible, ancient adolescent Charlie Sheen to hype your car? Thanks for contributing to the erosion of our values. Making an ankle monitor and house arrest sexy is a stretch for cheap vodka. I can't think why a reputable company would want to glorify substance abuse, domestic violence, and narcissistic psychopathology.Am I the only NCAA fan who thinks that ad needs to be taken off the air?

Spring Fever

It has been a beautiful spring day. Thank God for rain, everything is so green. It's almost 7:30 and still light outside. Sometime along the way my favorite season changed from fall to spring.
I had a conference period the last class of the day. A teacher friend came by my room to see if I'd be willing to ditch. I didn't hesitate for a minute. That sunshine was irresistible.
We drove down to Steinmart where I bought 2 dresses and a blouse and Sharon bought a summer handbag and really cute red flats.
When our shopping was done, we adjourned to Starbuck's for mocha frappacinos.
I wound up getting home about the usual time. Mother was sitting out on the patio so I joined her. I cleaned off the oak pollen and repotted the lacy tree. Tuesday night's storm turned it over and broke the pot.
We had a steak recipe that Mother saw on Pioneer Woman. It was so simple and with sauteed mushrooms, perfectly delicious.
Now it's time for more March Madness and knitting.
Just got an evite to Sloan's 4th birthday...I cannot believe my Grandbaby is going to be 4!
Definitely burning up with spring fever.

And Justice for All

I'm upset about the death of Tayvon Martin. States like Texas and Florida have these "stand your ground" laws. If you feel threatened, shoot! So this vigilante neighborhood watch nut sees a 17 year- old walking home from the 7-11 and decides he's suspicious. He made his 47th call to 911 and they record the whole episode including the boy's cries for help and the 9 mm rounds being fired. Hate crime. Legislative insanity.
Thank God law students and the media have made people aware of what has happened in this case, maybe justice can be done in this case and no one else will have to lose his life or his child to this insanity.
I am continually amazed by how incapable people are of recognizing the humanity of all persons. This has to change. God help us.
Voter ID laws, repeal healthcare, tax cuts for the richest people, denying climate change...it goes on and on. We are at a crossroads and the Universe is demanding a shift in our perspective. What will it take to make us all aware?

Stormy Weather & Santorum

Weather alerts stirred up some excitement this morning. It was dark as night until around 10:00 a.m. The public affairs office was sending e-mails about seeking shelter. I never think about being the responsible adult with that room full of kids. Too scary.
Today is Daddy's anniversary day. He would be 84 and he's been gone for 14 years. I miss him.
Just watched the Descendants and it evoked a strong feeling about family and land and the connections that keep going on and on. There was also a recognition of what we owe to each other, not only to our own families, but to humanity. What it means to be decent and to care for other people. I appreciated that film.
After the movie, I flipped over to Rachel Maddow to check the results of the Illinois primary. Romney won, but I tuned in just in time for Santorum's speech to his supporters in Gettysburg, PA. Oh my God, save us from that reactionary nimwit. Romney is an insufferable empty suit without a shred of a personal belief system, but Santorum's beliefs are quite evident and they'd have served James Buchanan when he was running.
Under the banner of saving America's freedom, Rick will have us all going to the segregated school of our choice, driven there by constantly pregnant women who are forbidden to work outside the home. Everyone will have a job drilling oil and digging coal to insure our energy freedom and you won't have to pay college tuition or union dues. No college snobbery and the right to work, but first you have to get the blacks out of the White House.
Moderate Republicans need to be added to the endangered species list.

Back to Work...Only 49 Days Until Finals!

Yesterday when I was working in the yard, something bit me twice on my left big toe and once on my shin. Itch, all night and all day. I could just scratch these bites until they bleed! And the craziest part of the story is not seeing or feeling anything on my foot or leg. No idea what kind of spider, ant, or insect this was.
Went back to work today. It was a fast flying day because I needed to lecture in all five classes. I can hardly believe how close it is to time for AP testing. There are 125 kids taking the government and politics exam. That's more than ever!
I'm running out of time to cover the curriculum and we are beginning all the distractions like senior picnic and prom. We have another four day weekend at Easter.
DWTS started its new season tonight. The talent was pretty good for a first night. Loved Donald Driver and Jaleel White and the girl who is dancing with Mark Ballas. I think her name is Katherine Jenkins. Max is dancing with Melissa Gilbert...there is room to grow there.
Made B's rotisserie chicken and angel hair pasta recipe. It wasn't nearly as good as hers.
She had better lemons with more zest. And the artichoke bottoms make it better than the hearts.
The March wind is gusting and stormy weather is expected. Even the dogs in the neighborhood seem to be stirred up. Just time to read a few pages before lights out, and the count is down to 48 days!

Spring Break '12 Comes to a Close

What a wonderful vacation this has been. A week of mild weather and a break in the routine. Movies, catching up around the house, time with my kids and grandkids. I've enjoyed this week immensely.
Just had a glass of red velvet Cupcake on the patio to say adios to the break. Blew off the pollen pods, watered the hibiscus and new ferns. The patio is so pleasant right now as the plants put on their spring new growth.
Cindy called from Stu's and invited us to lunch before she headed for home. So we met her at ElCharro and enjoyed some delicious sour cream enchiladas. Cindy looks well and we had a nice visit catching up. It was Mother's first trip out of the house all week, so it was good for her.
This has been a wonderful day without anything more noteworthy than a great nap after a good lunch. I've knitted some on Jeff's blanket.
I'm reading Stacy Schiff's Pulitzer Prize winning, Cleopatra, a Life.
Tomorrow it's time to go back to work. All the knitting and reading goes on the back burner. It's almost time to start reviewing for the AP exam. But we have Easter to look forward to. The kids are coming for the holiday.

St. Patrick's Day

A free day to stay in work clothes and catch up on errands and chores. After reading the Chronicle, I finished my laundry, caught a quick shower and headed out to pick up cleaning, get groceries, and try to do something about the cable bill.
I'm delighted to report that I dropped a movie package or two and got the bottom-line down almost $60. Awesome!
Saw the Pioneer Woman make a spinach salad on the Foodnetwork and decided that would be a great Saturday lunch. Spinach, hard cooked egg, bacon, mushrooms and red onion with warm bacon dressing...umm delicious.
Other accomplishments today included organizing a couple of drawers, putting grades in the computer, changing my bed linens, cleaning up the potted plants on the patio and sweeping up all the oak pollen.
For relaxation I've caught a little NCAA basketball,browsed through the new House Beautiful, enjoyed drinks on the patio with my brother and my son in almost perfect spring evening weather.
For sheer joy I got pictures today of Tyler in his new fedora and his onesie with a green necktie and of Molly in her Irish lass outfit complete with hair ornament!
St. Patty must be smiling.

Home At Last

There really is no place like home. I remember what a rush my Daddy always was in to get home. Now I understand why. Home has your bed, your tea kettle, your bathroom and it's very peacefully quiet.
I stopped at Woody's on the way home. I went through that place like a starving dog in a slaughterhouse. Cheese bread, iced cinnamon raisin bread, a big piece of red velvet fudge,crunchy cheetos, and a grande mocha frappacino to wash it down.
I do miss the kids. Sloan is very funny when she's not whining about something. She can cut with scissors and catch a ball. Pretty good fine motor skills for a three year old. And Ty is just a big doll. His big old sweet smile is going to have the girls in love from the word go.
My vacation is running out fast and I'm definitely not ready for it to end.

Thursday

Crapped up Berit's crabcake recipe while they went to sell the CRV.
But we had an expensive bottle of wine so it didn't really matter. Imitation crab won't make crabcakes!
Sloan had four crashes today and hurt everything from her mouth to her left foot, and I mean everything. She even broke a dining room chair!
Thank God there was no blood & no lost teeth.
All this happened with two grandmothers watching & everyone paying attention.
Tomorrow my tour of duty is over. I'm going to miss all this good sugar from Ty's chubby cheeks! But, I'm ready to get sprung. Haven't been out since Tuesday & I want to shop or something.
I have grades to put in the computer and bills to pay. I don 't have a hair appointment though to take up my day.

Continued

If this is a vacation, I don't ever want to be sentenced to hard labor. It's 9:35 and I've already had a soak and am ready for bed. Long day! Picked Tyler out of bed this morning with a blow out diaper full of sweet potatoes. It was everywhere. To clean up meant stripping a double bed, laundering the sheets.
Between laundry loads NaiNai came and it took both of us to manage our two small grandchildren. They are little, but busy.
Brenda arrived this afternoon, she has been I'll and hadn't seen the children since December, I don't know how she stood it so long.
We didn't have a lot of luck with Tyler napping, so we played hard. Inside and out, pretend and games and telling stories. No videos all day, that's a miracle.
I have mo idea where I was headed with this, nut I'm never going to make it....I've already fallen asleep three times while typing. The only thing left to say is goodnight.

I'm in Big D, My Oh Yes

Drove to Dallas today. I'm exhausted and have dog hair and spit up milk all over my favorite black Chico's skirt! This is a non-stop operation. Sloan is still going through s period of adjustment. Tyler was in the swing for the first time today and it brought her to tears. I'm too tired for the details tonight. More tomorrow.

Monday, Monday

Getting ready for Tuesday's departure. Started at Kohl's looking for bras and panties. Nothing fancy, I'm interested in comfort and back fat control. Any company that can make no wedgie panties has my business locked up.
Also on my list size six months clothes for my main man Tyler. He has outgrown all his little baby clothes. Found a couple of cute things, but I would have had more choice if I needed twelve or eighteen months.
Sloan got the big haul. Palais Royal had cute sundresses forty percent off.
I got her three adorable summer frocks. She also got a living room suite for the calico critters house. She'll be thrilled.
Ssh! Don't look! The sun is out. Drought survivors shouldn't wish away rain, I know, but all the gray skies and muddy yards are a dreary sight and not a nice background for all the azaleas and everything else that is in full bloom.
Heading in to pack. Tomorrow is hugs and kisses day.

Spring break

Another rainy day. Finally made it to the Kroger before we ran out of coffee and t.p.
That's when you can 't put it off any longer. So far this vacation has been cold and wet. Tomorrow is day three and we're hoping to have a break in the clouds. I'm not doing anything outdoorsy, but I think I might get motivated to get off the couch if the sun comes out. So far I've made it to the Toyota dealership for an oil change, to Michael's for yarn and to the grocery for Bluebell.
Tuesday I head to Dallas to help take care of the Grands while their mom works. WRSN has spring break too. Ty weighs eighteen pounds at five months. If he grows to those feet, he'll be a whopper! I can't imagine how I'll carry him up the stairs. I've been enjoying my leisure time with a good book and some carbolicios snacks. I'm in no shape to do this job.
Finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. It took me a long time to get around to it, but it was my favorite book of the three.
I love being able to stay up "past my bedtime". Going on daylight savings time during vacation will be a huge help. I can read or watch a movie all evening without being a gritch the morning after.
So it's no tropical island or ski lodge kind of spring break, but there's a great sense of time to relax and enjoy.