I am in fricken bootcamp.

Okay, I go up this morning at 8:30 their time, had breakfast, we chatted, and then went right to the sugar shack to work. She (Lindsay) has about a 1/2 acre of plowed field that we were working in today. I am officially a redneck (no comments ASS). They also have these flies here that bite and actually draw blood. You would love em Bob. We were working in the fields, swatting flies, and getting burnt all day...I put sunscreen on but forgot to get the back of my arms and that space above your pants where your shirt lifts up...yep, I have a nice little strip.
I am having a blast though. Everyone should do a vacation like this. These girls are great and will be great for me. They don't eat wheat, they have 3 sensible meals a day, they follow a routine, it's great. I feel like when I am done with the next couple of days, I will have had a REALLY good workout.
I totally understand now the vision. You see, where we are is totally rural. There aren't really grocery stores around. There are tons of boutique stores, bed and breakfasts, 'Inns', si resorts and fruit stands. So, Lindsay is opening a gourmet fruit stand. It makes total sense in this area. We are going on a hunt for good maple candy tomorrow along with a lot more planting of herbs. Today we made super long mounds for squashes and then planted sunflowers, cantaloupe, watermelon, fava beans, green beans, snap peas, corn, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, acorn squash and pumpkins...oh yeah, clover and wildflowers too but that was easy. She had this cart thingy that spins out the seeds as you walk with it. It was hard work but TOTALLY rewarding. We got so much done.
I will let you know tomorrow how I feel, I have a feeling my back is going to hurt and these bites are going to itch.
We had a yummy salad with grilled chicken breasts. I feel totally satisfied. What feels really great is just being able to collaborate and brainstorm about food. I love that and once we get going, we get excited...okay, I will keep you informed as far as the progress goes. Hopefully I will get some pictures soon, we just need Frazier to get the program up on the computer and then we can.
Talk to you all soon!

'an artist is never poor.'


wow. so true.

2nd day of summer break and I have to be to work at 8:30 to do who knows what for who knows how much. I remember last summer...making like $8.00 an hour there. wow. thanks.
I don't even ask anymore because then it would get weird and I certainly don't work there because I need to...ya know...so, I just do it and have fun and then come home and feel really good about food, in a way I don't feel for about 10 months out of the year. I can't really explain it in any other way.

Tonight we had sean and ar and aidan over for the first time since spring break! Damn, what a long time to go without even talking. we just get so into routine it's scary. It was fun though, nothing has changed The house was just as messy too. I had been working all day to do these damn sample cakes that I offer. I would love to be able to put a picture up but I have no way to download them right now.

I am in Vermont. I have been traveling all day and I am pretty tired. It is only 9. The flights were crazy. I have not traveled by myself since I went to France and well, for those of you that know me, I don't like to fly much. So, the first flight started off awesome. We watched an incredibly stupid movie called 'failure to launch', dumb but watchable...then, it started getting bumpy and the seatbelt sign came on. The captian came on and said, "stewardesses, please take your seats immediately." So, of course I get freaked out. But we land fine after I am sweating and white knuckling it in the whole way. I swear, we landed on just one wheel too because the plane was totally tilted. I found myself leaning to the right like that would actually make a difference...funny.
Once inside Chicago's airport, I found that my gate was like 6 gates away. So, I didn't get to go into the tunnel of neon which would have been cool. Oh well.
When I was waiting for the plane, I was sitting across from this adorable couple that was so sweet. They were ofcourse younger than me (everyone is younger than me these days) and were just so into each other...well, when boarding the plane, I walked past them and he handed her a box. She opened it and it was a little wooden box with blue sand, a sea shell and a giant diamond ring. She said in her broken English, "are you serious?" It was so sweet! I was beaming and I didn't even know them...I was also waiting to hear her answer but there were anxious peeps behind me. It was very cute though and then the captian came on and congratulated them...so she must have said yes.
THEN, like 20 min into the flight, the captian did the same thing..."please take your seats immediately, it is going to be bumpy for atleast the next 10 min." Well, it was. SOOOO bumpy. Where it would do those drops and leave your stomach in your throat...yeah, those. I thought I was bad, there was a woman in front of me crying. Seriously.
I landed, they were late and I didn't care, I was just happy to be on the ground.
On the way home, we stopped at a Red Robin for dinner. Holy Moly, it was totally a chain hamburger kinda place but it was so good. I had chicken just so ya know. Then two hours later we got here and went to bed. They were very tired and so was I.
Okay, since I can't put any pics up, I am signing off for now. I will write more when I can. Miss all of you!

Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.

What happened?

He lived happily ever after.



I am a woman of simple pleasures. Right now, I am happy listening to Amos Lee, sitting in OUR house, watching our cats live a very comfortable life, knowing that I have a good job to drive to tomorrow...all of this after having a lovely dinner with my beautiful family.
Why do I have so many questions? I absolutely cannot wait to be in Vermont in 12 days...seriously. What I think about while my head is in the clouds is "wow, what if I just love it, being there with Lindsay and Frazier and then Mike shows up and looks around and says, 'this is totally do-able' and we decide to come back!" Yeah, I know, but NO ONE has EVER accused me of being grounded and logical. What if???!!! Really. What if it was THAT COOL? Wouldn't that just be amazing? Who can argue with that?
You know what else? I think that this was my hardest year of teaching yet. I know, it was only my third year and it is only going to get harder. BUT, the longer I stay, the more intwined I get with my students. You see, it was my hardest year and yet it was my best. I have met some people that I feel lucky to know. Honestly. I think in my HROP class, I have the most awesome opportunity. I have met some people that have experienced some things in their life that I never have and who have taught me a lot. In that class there is every little aspect of person...does that make sense? I have the jock/religeous kid, the goth girl with the cheating boyfriend, the independant girl living on her own in a trailor...struggling to hang on, there is the adopted girl that has had a seriously hard life...I mean serious..., the girl who's mom was/is a drug addict and now lives with friends of the family, the boy who has a loving family and yet hates them, NW who has a great family life and a good boyfriend and will probably be married at the age of 19 and last but not least, the girl with many siblings that she has to take care of way too often and just can't wait to get as far away from Humboldt as she can! I mean, just hanging out with them is eyeopening. On Friday, I was with one student that helped me with a catering job. I started asking her about her dad...it went a little something like, "so, where's your dad now?" "I don't know, last I heard, Bridgeville"...apparently, this guy has been in and out of jail for all sorts of things and now ignores the fact that he has two daughters. The funny or sad thing is that I could totally relate. My dad knows where to find me. He doesn't though. Why? That is the question we both were asking on Friday...together, this 15 year old and me were asking the same questions...how can a parent have a kid and then just act like they don't exist? Why bother if you can't deal? UGH.
So, I think I have a lot to deal with this summer and yet, I know that at least I do have family that is close and here and willing to be all there is and yet...I still miss him...terribly...sorry. Even though I am 31 and Francisco is...well...however old he is...I KNOW we both get bugged and bothered at the mention of dad's name. Because...no, not everything is "cool" and "alright" and no, we won't always be 'buds' and damn...just call, okay? Look at what you are missing. Okay, so maybe we are a bunch of dorks but still, you can't tell me he has anyone in his life that replaces this...right?
Last weekend, we had fun with HandA! We went to The Pearl Lounge...it was right before the election and it was Arts Alive so it was busy. We ran into MandC and proceeded to have a lovely evening.

Man, have I mentioned how great Damien Rice is? The song "Volcano"? Great song.

How come no one leaves me wonderful, thoughtful comments on my blog?

Mickey's a mouse, Donald's a duck, Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?

Goofy's a dog. He's definitely a dog.

He can't be a dog. He wears a hat and drives a car.

God, that's weird. What the Hell is Goofy?




On our way home from making food for 200 people, we wanted to take note of how well we were able to maintain our good moods and sense of humor. The only bummer is that the guy taking the picture only got the top of his head, you can see it there at the bottom...and Triscuit only showed us his sleeve...maroon at that...that dang goth...:)

They are a funny bunch of happy kids...

A flute with no holes is not a flute. And, a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.

Okay, everyone, I need your opinion...should I leave it long or cut it off again? I can't decide.

It is Wednesday evening. There are only 11 days left for me to actually have to be on campus. That is great news.
Today I had a doctor's appt and I had the best secretary ever book me a sub for the whole morning. Originally, they told me that the appt would take that long and it was at 9. Well, I went there, went into the lab room when they called my name, the lab guy (looked like he was 18) drew a vile o' blood and said, "okay, that's it! Have a good day!" It was like 9:07. It was great, I went and hung out at Los Bagels, went to Borders, went and bought Chatty a pair of blue pants...yep, blue...and I bought some stuff too. You ever been to the mall at 10 a.m. on a weekday? I was pretty much the only one there...well, me and those people that go there for exercise, you know, they do laps around the mall early in the morning? Funny.
Then I went back to school a little before lunch and actually got some nagging paperwork done. It was a good day.
We have one official catering left but they don't need to work at that one...but they need to make like 400 mini tarts for it...ahhhh, no biggie.

I just got back from my cycle camp. It was good. The crazy Cajun who leads the class makes us do a lot of exercises with our own body weight...which I have plenty of! But you see, I am soooo sore. Sunday we went on a ride which I thought was okay. I did just 'ok'. I am not pleased with my progress. I certainly do not expect to keep up with the guys but I want to go on a ride where they aren't just 'cruisin' and I am still struggling to keep them in my sights. But, my back got sore from the ride, not so sure why. Then on Monday, I gardened a lot and my back was even tighter, then on Tuesday I ran on the treadmill. I haven't done that in like two months so my legs are superduper sore because jogging uses way different muscles than riding...and then today, The Cajun had us doing all of these lunges and other weird exercises that I don't know the name of and man, to make a long story short, I am worked over. BUT, tomorrow, ASS is going to join me and Chatty in spin class so that should be fun.

This weekend was pretty fun. It was mom's bday party. We had ourselves a little fiesta in the rain, and I think mommasan had a fun time. I know I sure did...except my flan didn't turn out. It was quite strange. Oh well.

So, I know I talk about my students a lot and it is because I adore them. I always get the outcasts of society for some reason. They have a hard time in the 'popular' realm and I think that it's just because no one their age really knows how to talk or say things that mean something...for example...today, my fav student, the religious boy, and I were working side by side. He was very quiet. He's a thinker. I kept grabbing the tart shells that he was making and repairing them here and there and I asked, "am I annoying you yet?" and he says, "no, of course not, you're keeping me company." and I said, "but we're not even talking," and he says, "don't you realize that your presence alone can make a huge impact on someone?" (he makes me smile to myself a lot.) ...he is something else I tell ya'. Maybe that doesn't sound like much to ya'll but when you hang out with teenagers all day and all you hear is them talking about getting shit faced and partying and how stupid school is and so on and then you hear something like that, you pause, or at least I do. I am reminded of the fact that I get the best students in the whole school. Period. I am lucky that I get to meet such cool kids that are not given the time of day by most...man, everyone else is missing out!
Okay, on that note, good night. I will put some pics up tomorrow from our last catering job (that went VERY well, thank you very much). We got some funny shots, and I have some funny photos from the fiesta...
Later taters!!!

Dr. Rumack:
What was it we had for dinner tonight?
Elaine Dickinson:
Well, we had a choice: steak or fish.
Dr. Rumack:
Yes, yes, I remember, I had lasagna.

Anyone, anyone???? What movie?

We have our second to last catering tomorrow for 200 people. It is a wine and brew tasting at the wharfinger and I am sitting on my ass yet again while I should be making f@*king Thai Peanut sauce x 20 for these folks. Ahhh, yes, I think it will be fine, just let me finish this glass of wine...

So, last night I started my "Cycle Camp" where they (Bill) train you and your body to be a better rider. It was a lot of exercise using your own body weight and it was REALLY hard and now I feel it. It was all about balance and I and the Quaker are the only ones in the class. Anyone read NCJournal? Then you'll know who the quaker is...there was a story on the quakers (all three of them) a while back...anywho, she is funny yet slightly uncomfortable and a tad...gangly, but I still think she's interesting. So, he had us jumping up on benches, doing pushups, situps, all kinds of crap and I hurt now. Now, I can't go tomorrow cause of this job but man oh man, I am determined to beat Chatty and Smith...okay and Francisco up a hill at some point in my life! Also, I just bought my ticket to VT tonight!! I am so excited! I get to go hang out with L and F for NINE days!! WOOHOO! So, I get to go riding with Frazier too! WOOHOO!
So, I am just going to say it...at WW tonight is was the FOURTH week in a row where I weighed the same! UGH! I am working hard...hold on...I need to finish this wine...ahhh..okay, where was I? Yeah, I have been going to Spin class and now this cycle camp thingie and I really haven't been eating that much and then Lucky Larry down at the meeting has the balls to say I shouldn't eat my activity points! Yeah, right, you know how hungry you get after working out! What ever, that guy is a curse!
Okay, I am going to make Thai Pnut sauce! GO SOUL PATROL!! Yeah, I am a major dork but since when do I care?
Later taters...oh yeah, we had caramelized black pepper chicken for dinner tonight and umm, well, I don't like it anymore. I will probably never make it again...bummer.
Okay, see you all on Saturday!
Oh yeah, that's not quite everything...check out this picture...okay, I have two maybe more, churchgoing kids...this is a pic of them on our trip...very cool that it would look like this behind them, it almost makes you believe...


The guy in the picture is who I wish was my little brother...and you know, he kinda treats me like he's my little brother. I am too young for this stuff...right??? Right??? Okay, so I am not getting any younger but man, I relate to him and the rest of my kids better than I do to most adults. I know, no big surprise. Here is how they mess with me caught on film...funny. Don't I look bitchy? That's him like smackin my head...what a charmer.
Oh my gosh, I have so much more to tell you about, like our dinner out with an English teacher on Sunday night...Interesting...but, I need to get something done before I go to bed!

Later, bye.

The Good Wifey....
#7 is well, sick.

1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal - on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.
2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.
4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.
5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.
6. Some Don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.
7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.
8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.
10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

It's a beautiful day!!!! (Sing along with the U2 song...)


Ahh, yes, it is indeed a lovely day. Not quite as lovely as yesterday, but still lovely. Yesterday it was like 87 in Fortuna. During 5th and 6th we held class outside under a tree. It's weird how the HOT weather just slows everything down...everything just seems a little 'thicker' if that makes any sense. And, the funny thing is that it was only 87. That isn't that hot really but you can tell when it's summer in Humboldt...everyone has these weird sunburns. They all show up with silly sunburns just on the front of their legs, sunburnt on their arms, funny lines on their chests...it's weird.
SO, we all got the news that we were crossing out fingers for...YAY MR. SMITHY!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I, along with everyone else, am jumping with giggly, silly joy that you are okay! I can't even imagine what a huge weight this is off of your chest...Even though everything turned out okay, I still feel like I need to pay more attention to you...and not the naggy, bitchy sisterly attention that I am so good at giving...(but don't think that is going to disappear), but well, okay, who am I kidding? Just know that underneath my sarcastic exterior that I am just as sarcastic on the inside and well,
<-----this picture pretty much sums it up...I love you man. This is how happy I am that you are okay! Doesn't he look happy?
Is that really Bono? Wow...

We had a good Mother's Day. It was so hot at our house. Everyone came over for breakfast and of course it turned into more of a brunch. The weather got crazy and we turned on the sprinkler and ran through it. It was fun and made me want to get one of those sprinklers that waves back and forth...

I had this grand idea of everyone sitting down at an actual table together but with 10 people it is just so much to coordinate. Everyone has different schedules and eats different foods so you have to make things different for some people and then by that time, it's totally thrown off. It's no biggie, I mean, I guess everyone is used to it by now but sheesh, sometimes eating at the table is totally forgotten. We'll sit in front of the TV or in different rooms all together or in front of the computer...Seriously, we pride ourselves on being such a tightknit family but yet, we don't really sit down to eat together enough...we should! Alright.

Jerky is doing soo well!! I have been measuring his food out and since I have started, I have seriously noticed a change in his attitude. It has a lot to do with the weather but also, he just feels better! He is staying out later, he's more active and going farther away, and even getting a little fiesty with Patsy outside which is always fun to watch. At the end of the day, he just comes in and collapses from his day.

Okay, talk to you later...

33 days + me(& chatty) = the hell outta here....

So, it's true. Just 33 days until it's over. Hallalujah!!
We (chatty and me) are sitting around all day at school because of the f'd up STAR testing schedule. 1st period is like 6 hours long and I don't even have a 1st period! BUT, we had to be here because there was a stupid staff meeting at 7:15...so we were here early! UGH.
But A.S.S. has been helping me pass my time. We have been emailing all freakin day...about what you ask...not much...a bunch of nonsense really, but it makes me laugh, outloud even. We really are two silly birds.
I went and got lunch for chatty, woz and me and it was bad. Poor Fortuna, it really has no hope to be cool. Everything kinda sucks here except for the school. The school is actually okay. If we could pluck a few teachers out of their comfy little desk chairs and replace them with well...cool people, then it could be almost bearable in my opinion...and we would keep the sup. cause he's cool. And there are a few students that I wish that I could keep for awhile. This cat for instance, she is a freakin character and I laugh everyday with her. It is great being around people like that, isn't it...I think it keeps you healthy.

Have you ever felt like you want to reconnect with people that you haven't seen in awhile? I am going through that right now in a bad way. I think I feel old and I am trying to remember times when I was crazier and the people that went with it. It may work. If it doesn't atleast I will have reconnected with some of my good buddies from times past. Here I sit, a 31 year old in 21 year old's mind ( I would say body but who would I be kidding???). Does your mind ever catch up with your age? OR, do you even really want it to? It seems like a good idea to think young always but then it also seems like it could make you a little unhappy because regardless of how young you feel, you can't deny the fact that HELLO! you're getting older! What is the happy medium?
I think its when you are outside on a sunny day, playing frisbee really well with people you love (and hopefully they play well too, that only adds to it), and you're barefoot and the grass has no burrs or thistles or dog poop in it and you're out of breath but in a very good way and everyone is happy and healthy (EVERYONE), and there is a lot of laughter and it's just...in the moment...right? Because really, who cares about all of that other shit like growing old when you can have a day...even a moment like that, where everything and everyone is just jivin' together. It happens.

Right now I am listening to Damien Rice. He is a very 'sensitive' singer so he is rubbing off on my mood. Okay, I just switched it to the Dead 60's-Riot Radio. Very uplifting. Woah...the song that just came on is People are People by Depeche Mode...an oldie but a goodie.
K, I'm outta here, gotta clean my room before the chittlins show up at 2.
More later of course.

what am I doing?

OMG. It is exactly 12 a.m. and I am sitting here drinking a beer. listening to music and trying my hardest not to think about Saturday. I know that as soon as I put my head down on the pillow I will start stressing.
We have 15 different appetizers, 3 desserts and 1 beverage to prepare for 150 people and we are behind. Yep, we are behind.
I am not worried, there is nothing that I can do at this moment except for chop cabbage but come on...it's midnight! I just finished making the last 80 pork buns. It's a very strange menu but whatever.
The first week back was good but WAY too busy. We have staff lunch tomorrow, this thing on Saturday and then this strange school schedule on top of it all.
And I am getting sick. great.

All of this was written on Thursday evening and a lot has happened since.
We had our job last night and all went well of course. We had rave reviews. I knew they would but the kids are still getting used to people showing so much apprecitation for good food. We finished wiping, mopping, loading and standing at 9:45. I was totally wrong, I told them we would be home around 9.
We pulled out of the parking lot and I had to drive all of the way to Redcrest, which is about 20 minutes past Fortuna. Of course, they all wanted to go with me. None of them really like being at home, so any excuse to prolong the return...
But, once we got to Fortuna and unloaded the truck, a few of them decided that it was kinda late and they didn't want to get in trouble. So, it ended up being me, ddr boy and Redcrest girl...DDR boy loves Redcrest girl and she likes someone else...so, it was funny witnessing the whole interaction between the two...oh, to be in highschool again! Then on the way home, DDR boy, who lives in Ferndale, and I chatted about...oh whatever. It was fun. Now, how do you know yer a hick??? Or how do you know when you live in the freaking country??? Well, driving into Ferndale there was a freakin dead cow in the middle of the road! There were flares around it and broken glass everywhere...I wanted to take a picture but ddr boy wouldn't let me...he thought it was gross and he said he saw the vertabrae (sp?) hanging out of the cow! I didn't see it though. Oh well, photo op missed!
Right now, I am hooked on Spearhead, so listen to it if you can.
Later for now! I

Brace yourself...it's a pity party!
and p.s.--it is not directed at anyone specific! This is merely my messed up mind at work!!!!

When I see pictures of my school or when I am there in person, I feel overwhelmed. When we drive up into the parking lot, my breathing gets shallower, my knees start shaking and I get REALLY excited...I love my school and I feel soo, sooo lucky to have gone there. I feel like it is less a part of me every day and that scares me... a lot.

So, I don't feel like talking about the trip because when I think about it, I get a headache. When I think about one particular student, I get a headache. When I think about what's going on in my life, I get a headache. When I think about what I wish I was doing instead, I get sad. The grass is always greener, right? Well, how would I know unless I see for myself? I doubt anyone can sit back and tell me that they would blame me for being curious, especially if I'm not feeling the pull that I "should" be in my current situation. I bet however, that plenty of people will/would try and talk me out of any decisions that we may make just because they played it safe in their own lives. I HATE playing it safe. I HATE it when people try and tell me the way to be. I am still young and there is no way that I am going to not do something, even if I screw it up, just because someone told me not to do it! UGH. What's the most frustrating is when people are happy when you screw up. It's like it's more important for them to be right than for you (me) to have lived a little bit of life and learned a little something for myself. There.

Now, do I have a plan? What do you think? No, no plan. BUT, I am open to spontaneity, opinions, ideas, adventure...I am open to collaboration and compromise. What I am not open to is comfortable. I like it a little uncomfortable. If you ask me, comfortable is way scarier than not. It says to me...that's it, no more, you're done, have fun.
So, chatty says, "plan it and we'll go!" Never was I expecting him to say that and so easily. You see, these trips get to him too. He has daydreams of going to culinary school but then talks himself out of it by telling himself that he isn't creative enough. I think that's a load of crap! Why are people so scared of doing the unconventional?!

I know that I am labeled as the 'unrealistic' one in the family. I daydream a lot and get smiled at like, 'oh, that's funny...now really...' back down to earth. So, my mission? To find a plan. Yep, you don't believe me, but I am going to. Even if it is just short term!

This is how I feel often and it's always magnified when I get back from these fieldtrips. This one was the most unique one ever. I was actually accused of basically stealing money from the trip's budget from one of my students. I wish I could no longer claim her as one of my students. AND, when I get back to school, she will be phased out. No longer am I going to give her anything but just the work to be done. She sucks and she ruined my trip...she made me cry. AND, she is fat. I know, I'm mean but really the whole reason she was making these accusations is because she thought that there should be more money for our meals! Hello selfish! I don't even get more than $35 per diem when I go out of town for work! Freak. She could stand to eat less anyways. Walking around SF she couldn't hang with the pack, even when we were going downhill! ughhh! I am completely over this girl! There were lots of good things that happened and unfortunately, it's all overshadowed by her greediness. Here is a picture from -> Chinatown. I love going there. It was so sunny and HOT too. What a beautiful day in the city. We didn't have nearly enough time to enjoy it.

So, we had a nice Easter, right? This is my freaky brother in his ultra retro short shorts. Nice, huh? All ready for a hot tub. What you can't see is that he's not the only one in the room with those fancy shorts on! There are two others and they look just as retro as spank here. Nice hair by the way.

Now about Jerky. He is growing. This is unfortunate because he's already quite large. He can still jump up on the bed and couch, however I wouldn't say it is with ease. He has been enjoying our time off and sleeping inside WAY too much. This is his pathetic mug wanting in yesterday morning. Just before the pic was taken he was actually scratching furiously at the window panes. Such a darling kitty.
Here he is as of right now, this very minute. Rough day. You know, even though his limp is gone, something is still wrong with his hip. When he sits down, he sits with his right leg sticking out to the side, not tucked under like he used to do. So, I don't know, maybe he has a sore hip or something....he just won't tell me what's wrong! I ask and I ask and he just says he's fine and to leave him alone! Whatever.

Okay, well, if it means anything, I feel better after venting!
Later ya'll.

Homage to my good friend...

Well, we are all a little on edge today and probably will be for awhile now. The news is limited, which makes it that much more scary. I am extremely worried for my friend and his family.
I feel uncomfortable leaving town. I feel like what I should be doing instead is driving over to his house and just sitting close to him for a long time. That of course would be way more of a comfort to me than to him but I just feel like I need to be close. We will be thinking of him the entire time that we will be gone...like more than just thinking about him...praying, hoping, wishing, willing, crying...unfortunately, that's all we can do, well, that and sitting really close, with my arm around him, for as long as he will let me...
It doesn't seem right that I write about our trip. I don't want to really talk about anything good right now other than how much I want him to get better, how much I love all of the Smith's and UGHHHH!! This is sooooo unfair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, we are leaving after school today. We are driving straight down to San Francisco and having dinner. We did get into the Olive Oil tour and everything else just fell right into place.

The Jerkus Dingus is not limping anymore which is good.

I have no music to recommend, no food to tell you about, no dreams...WAIT, that is not true...I dreamt of a guy named Marc who worked for a company named Pravin...huh? And for some reason his email address was funnyguy@pravin.com...why do I know this?
Okay, weird, I know...
Wish us fun on our trip!

Peace out yo!

3 days + my students = superduper fun times


So, 9 of my students, Chatters and I are headed off to the Bay Area in 3 days. It is our annual party to celebrare il cibo...celebrate food. We go down to SF and eat 3 meals a day, all at wonderful places...North Beach Pizza, Pakwan Indian Restaurant, Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers, Wine Spectator Restaurant...hmmm...there is more but places that are little and no name type places. That is a picture of their "North Beach Burger". Huge, just like all of the food that they serve there. AND GOOD TOO. Notice the orange in the back of the picture...c'mon, they don't serve oranges there! You would get a fat basket of curly fries and a shake at a place like that! I am most excited about Pakwan though. I went there in December and I still salivate everytime I think of the food. There is just something about Indian food...they serve so many dishes together but they all complement each other perfectly. You can't just have one dish, you need the bread, the chutneys, raitas, rice, samosas...OH, I could go on and on! SO tasty. This is a picture from their menu of a chicken dish...I have no idea what it is but I bet it's good.

The track meet went really well. We sold a buttload of sandwiches and made a killing. Now, we are going to use that money to buy chef coats and take a tour of the Round Pond Olive Oil business...it is $20 per person but I think that it would be very cool to see how it's made. And finally, I can find out why you can have Virgin OO and EVOO (as RR would say)...I mean, how can you get a virgin o.o. if it's already been pressed to make the evoo? It just seems wrong because we all know once it's pressed the first time...it is no longer a virgin...how can you be 'Extra Virgin'? It is all a marketing thing I think, it doesn't seem like something Italians would actually do but I could be totally wrong! It looks really pretty there at Round Pond though. It's almost heavenly looking, don't you think? I really hope that we get in, it may just blow the kids minds to get some special treatment.
So, this dream that I had yesterday...totally strange, but I was asked to give it a title and when I did, I really liked the sound of it. Now, Chatters knows that I have some crazy ass dreams because I try and explain them to him if I am feeling particularly talkative...and I usually am after a vivid dream...and often, he looks at me and just kinda giggles because as soon as it comes out, it really makes NO sense whatsoever...to him, and yet, I press on, thinking that he might relate to the story somehow but if you think about it, that's impossible when you are dreaming of things like I dream of things. SO anyways, I called it "the hummingbird king and his family portrait". Now, just think about this for a minute...where the hell did this come from? I have got some crazy shit buried in my subconscious...he was even wearing a white fur collar and it had those black spots in it, you know, that royal fur???? I am amazed and I only wish that I could wake up and write down everything that happened. I forced myself to remember the closing scene and I am not going to even try to explain...it's just for me I guess. Maybe that's why people always look at you crazy when you try and tell them about it, because only the dreamer really 'gets' it...huh...I will think on this awhile...dreams...crazy...
I just found this new singer, well, new to me. His name is Joe Purdy and he sings my kind of music. He is very nice sounding. I love those guy singers that are just there, with their voice and guitar and they can pull it off and they are singing about real things...I am still looking for female singers but, I don't know, they just aren't exciting. Well, unless we are talking Catpower, that girl can sing, it gives me goosebumps. So, listen to my song choice of the evening...The City by Joe Purdy. It is nice and mellow just like my mood right now.
Okay, sleep well. I am off to make a giant shopping list and then go to bed. It should be a fun 3 day week.
Have a good Monday!

9 weeks + 1 day = relaxation


I don't really have any news. I have been soooo busy it seems like that I don't have time for much when I get home.
Tomorrow night is our biggest trackmeet and we are doing cole slaw and pulled pork sandwiches. They are going to be soooooo good. I can hardly wait to eat one myself. We are also doing a Sri Lankan Chicken dish for staff lunch tomorrow. It is the first time that all of the lunches ordered wanted meat. No one went for the veg dish...not one person...that's funny. I will take pictures of both things so I can show of chatty's talents on the bbq and my student's talents in the classroom...
It however, is late right now and I need to find a Southern recipe for my little ones to make for class tomorrow so I better do that.
Jerky update: He has been limping since last Wed and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I am taking him to the vet on Saturday, that's all there is to it! He must be so sore and tuckered out. He has been sleeping in different places too...like, he'll jump up onto the coffee table and lay there...weird. Or, he is now jumping up on the bed which he hasn't done in soo long. He still jumps a lot even with the limp...he's tough.
Kinda like my dad. This is how I like to see him...relaxed and breathing deep...he doesn't do it much. He is working himself to death and for as long as I can remember he has been doing it. I miss him and I am worried about him. I wanted to put pictures of him on here just cause. I haven't seen him since this day in 2004 and there is something wrong with that. We all three know it but still we just go on with our day to day. If he were to all of the sudden not be around, I think that I would be very sad for a long time.
On that note, I am going to go to bed and dream happy thoughts. Tomorrow should be fun.
Later taters.

11 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is so hard to believe that I only have to put in 11 more weeks. I am just like the students, yearning for Friday nights, weekends, spring break, summer vacation...oh my gosh, it makes me tired just thinking about it.

Okay, well, today I did a little recuperating. You see, last night at the big birthday bash, I had a few of those mint juleps. They got better and better as the night progressed. And I think that I was trying to forget that everyone around me is getting pregnant. I know, ours can't happen just yet. I need to plan it just so...I get the last three months of school off. That would be perfect. That's if everything goes according to plan! We shall see. Still, I cannot wait.

The guys went on a 30 mile ride today. I didn't go. I have convinced myself that when ever Smith is involved, I don't want to be there because I hate being dropped. Oh well. I am going to do the 50 in the TUC...again...it's getting a little boring and predictable and that last stretch just kills me, riding into that crazy wind! I hate it. I really have no interest in doing more than 50 though. The guys are doing the century and well, that's just too much road time for me. If it were a mtn bike ride, that would be a different story. I really...REALLY want to do the 24 hour marathon! In Moab no less. That would be so hard and brutal and I would probably be reduced to a pile of goo by the 3rd lap but, damn, if I could finish it, I would be so pleased with myself.

I am trying to plan summer break. I have no idea what we are going to do. Everything sounds good. Riding in OR sounds so fun! Backpacking for about a week and a half sounds fun and I know it would be GORGEOUS, going to Hawaii with H and A would be sooooo fun yet pricey, going on a 2 week road trip with our bikes down to southern CA sounds like a blast too! UGH! I just feel like there are so many good ideas and none of them will happen. I need some assurance, something concrete like NOW! I need something to look forward to. Hell, I don't know that Italy is completely ruled out! It could happen if we could find tickets cheap enough. Who am I kidding though, tickets to Italy...in the summer...for cheap? Yeah right.
I want to go on some trips with some people too. Oh, I just have way too much time on my hands to be thinking about stuff like this!

Jerky is sitting (laying...sleeping) next to me underneath the halogen lamp. It's nice and warm. He will need me to help him down though I bet. It is a long jump from the desk to the floor. All of that body weight hitting at once has to be hard on the joints.

I made some pretty good food yesterday. It was a Mediterranean extravaganza. Well, not really an extravaganza I guess but I made four lovely spreads. Hummus (big deal, I know), Baba ghanoush (yum), spinach pate (too dry but yummy) and the best is one that I will be adding to my list of things I make...muhammara. Oh my gosh, it is sooo tasty. It was even better the second day. The flavors blended and oh lordy, it is so tasty. They all unfortunately looked a little like kitty food but once I convinced A.S.S. to stop freaking out and just try it, she got over it and realized that it was actually very tasty.

Okay, I am off to bed. I am not going to tell you what we had for dinner anymore unless it was something special. Well, tonight we had home made falafel, pita, tzatziki, hummus, feta...yum. It was special.

I am listening to Miles Davis now. He is good. Is that like saying I have brown hair? Totally obvious? Well, he's relatively new to my music collection and I am ashamed to admit it but, it's true. Better late than never! Later!

Have a good Monday.

Three hundred eighty something....................

Oh forget it! Doing it in hours is completely depressing ~ kind of like this weather we seem to be having...every day...more and more rain...and more mud...wet cat...messy yard...slippery bricks...dressing in long sleeves...carrying kleenex everywhere I go...did I mention the mud?! Woah, I got sidetracked there for a minute!

This is what it has looked like outside of our house since flippin' December! UGH, I am so tired of having muddy shoes and cold weather! Enough already. It is just too dang dreary.

When we got home tonight (it was earlier than normal) from dinner :), Jerky was perched on the porch like he heard us coming. It makes me think that maybe he doesn't really go anywhere while we are away all day. He is 10 now afterall...that's getting up there! His birthday was in February. Maybe he is so grumpy because we forgot to have a party fo him. Nah, that wouldn't explain the other nine years of grumpiness.

I finally have my iPod nano nano. Didn't Mork say that? I have soooo much music that I want to put on it and I just want to listen to music all of the time now! It is totally fun!

BUT...now as usual, it's late and I am going to bed. No planning for tomorrow, it's a teacher's best friend...GUEST SPEAKER!!!!!! Later taters.....................
Oh, go and listen to Girls by Death in Vegas, it's from Lost in Translation, my #1 most favorite movie!! And that's no exaggeration B.H.!

406 hours. work hours only that is...

hey, well, you and I both know that that is purely a formality...the 406 hours. The reason I say that is because I just got home an hour ago from working the concession stand at a track meet. We put in way more than the standard 7 hour days but so does every teacher right??
It was sort of embarassing when people would say, "What club are earning money for?" and my kids would say..."the culinary arts club" and then you look around and we are selling: hot dogs, nachos, candy bars, chili dogs/nachos, etc...what is so culinary arts about that?! So, I think for the big meet coming up, we are going to make pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw...and sell the sandwiches for like $5! They will totally pay it too, it's amazing!
Okay, I am tired from just everything. I am going to go to bed now.

For dinner tonight, I had nothing because I ate a hot dog at the meet...can you believe it...5 points just for the dog, another 3 for the bun! Was it worth it? I don't think so.
Jerky didn't say anything tonight, he just pushed me out of the way when we got home and headed straight for his food bowl. Then he hopped up on the couch and passed out. He is so ungrateful sometimes, geez. This picture makes him look mad but really he is just squinting because the sun was shining in his eyes and well, I probably just woke him up.

Today's song is by one of my ol' favorites...The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait...They always just sound so great.

Later!

11 weeks and 4 days...

It was so cold outside. He just needed to warm his bones a little. He didn't really know that I saw him enjoying it this much. He really does have hard days out there. This is what I wish I could do just whenever I felt like it but for some reason, I think work might have a problem with it.

Oh my gosh, tonight's work out was a rough one. I thought that Chatty next to me was going to pass out. He knows how to put the hurt on more than anyone I know. I thought that I was working hard but his bike was dripping with sweat. That is so cool in a weird kind of way.

I am hooked on French Dip sandwiches. I don't know what is so French about them, maybe it's that Au Jus...yeah, that's probably it. Anyways, they are pretty much my favorite. I made one for dinner tonight out of leftover roast beef and a salad with ranch. Not very gourmet of us...it was even low fat ranch...I did caramelize onions for my sandwich though, that made it much tastier.

We are putting the final touches on the fieldtrip. I have convinced the kiddos that Pakwan is awesome and we should go there. They were suprisingly into it! I am so stoked. Ever since we missed out on it last weekend with T and E and D...we have been craving it even more. Now, we have suckered them into going to fulfill our fantasies. The one that we are going to take them to is right in the tenderloin too...what a name...tenderloin. That should shock them into sticking close and behaving right?! I think that they will like it. This class doesn't really have many food phobias except for one girl. She doesn't like a lot of stuff. I am trying to work around it as much as possible but she doesn't like rice...that is a new one to me, I mean, who doesn't like rice? She will be just fine.

Welp, until tomorrow...go listen to Amos Lee's song called Give It Up. He is one talented guy.

Jerky says see ya later.

Still 12 Weeks...

Okay, now I am getting a little obsessed. For those of you that don't get the whole 12 week thing...that's how long it will be until school is out. I feel like I am practically shoving my students out the door! I am always just so excited for them though. Once school is out, it is such an amazing part of life that happens...that time after highschool but before real adulthood where you still don't know what the heck you are going to do. Or maybe you know and this is finally time to do it after playing the game for all of these years...man, I would love to be there again. Sounds silly and so many people would never utter those words but when I look back, I think of nothing but fun times.

I am superdiduper sore from working out tonight...which is a good thing. I have been sick so I haven't been doing much but wallowing in a pile of tissues. I despise being sick. For two days there, I lost my ability to taste and to me, there is nothing worse. I would rather have the flu.

This picture has nothing to do with anything that I am even talking about. Infact, it was taken almost three years ago. (I look a bit different now I think) Anyways, I was just going through all of our pictures and came across this one and I love it. It was such a fun day and I am with two beauties who I adore and well, we are being chauffeured by some great guys too.

Jerky says hi.
And just because I am weird...
Lets not forget:
Dinner: Roast Beef, Potatoes, Carrots
Green Salad w/ Cilantro, Corn, Kidney Beans, Red Bells and Carrots

Song o' the day: hmmm...this is hard. I would have to say Top of the World by Patty Griffin
and the movie, or show rather, Nip/Tuck.
I have just started watching this and I am still in the first season. I am hooked of course. Don't tell me what happens.