Snow Day

Hello, Internets! It's been awhile, I know. There has been so much going on in the land of Amy's Annotations since I last posted. There is so much, I'm going to just do bullets until you are all caught up. I promise to try to be current in the coming weeks...

• Guess what? I'm teaching 5th grade now! Yep! 5th grade. Science no less... SO loving that I get to play all day and teach kids about science. Our team has 86 kids... I teach the science, David teaches the literacy (reading/writing) and Julie teaches the math. We all teach our own social studies and spelling and social skills curriculum. I can't believe that they actually LET me teach the same lesson 3 times each day. You can see here the blog I keep for the science classes I teach. Loving it, guys. Truly loving it.
• Our septic drain field failed this summer and we had to have it replaced. Ugh. I do have to say that my husband is the best. He kind of has a 6th sense for when things might go wrong and he is so proactive in getting things fixed. The old drain field was completely full of dirt, rocks and whatever so we had to totally move the drain field to the other side of the front yard. Our yard is a disaster, but, really, it's winter now and we'll bring in topsoil this spring and plant more grass. Ed decided to put lids in the yard where all of the lids are on the septic tank and also where the ends of the drain field pipes are so that they can be cleaned easily and we can pump out the tank without having to dig up the yard every time we need it pumped. I'm not to thrilled with the idea of having these lids (6 of them) dotting my front yard, but I'm not the one who does the digging up of the yard to find the lids, so I can't complain. I just want them to be easy to mow around.
• Our back deck also bit the dust. We have this deck that crosses our back yard (about 20 feet) from the garage to the house. Our house sits a little lower than where the garage and driveway is so we need sort of a deck/bridge to get to the back door. We replaced it probably 10 years ago, and we use it everyday so it kind of needed replacing faster than maybe a normal deck. However, this time, we decided to replace it with Trex (sp?) because we DO use it everyday. So, two weekends ago, Ed decided to take apart the deck... WITH A CHAINSAW... and then promptly left for Utah on business. He's been working on it after work and we actually had a huge bonfire last weekend and burned everything up. It still isn't finished because at the moment, it's 8 degrees outside and everything is sitting under 6-8 inches of snow.
• I got a Nook, y'all!!! Loving it. I'm such a book buyer. I was spending so much money on books that it was was more cost efficient to pay $150 for a Nook and then get my books from the library. Oh, it's SO cool... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I ended up purchasing one of the "certified pre-owned" 3G, Wi-Fi Nooks. It works perfectly and I paid the same price as I would have had I purchased just the Wi-Fi Nook. It's great. Would HIGHLY recommend getting one if you are an avid reader.
• We bought a "new" truck. Yep, Old Blue is gone. We loved her dearly, but she wasn't as powerful as the new trucks and certainly not as comfortable. (I cried when we left her at the dealership and Ed was all, "Ame, I thought that you wanted to buy this truck?!?!?" and I was all, "Yeah, but this was the first NEW thing we bought together... Jessie rode in this truck...") We got an '08 F350 Superduty. I have to say that it was super hard finding a truck that had a manual transmission. At our house, we don't purchase cars unless they are manual transmissions. Well, unless they are OLD cars... (my mustang is an automatic as well as the Falcon). We are definitely the minority in this case. And we also found out that Ford trucks made in '11 or after will not be made with manual transmissions. It costs a lot and apparently people don't like to drive them. All I can say is that this truck better last us forever because me driving an automatic is NOT pretty.
• We observed the four year anniversary of Jessie's passing. We miss her every day and still haven't had the heart to get another dog...
• We did a quick trip to New Hampshire to attend Ed's Grampa's funeral. He was 98 and lived in the same house that he was born in. How many people can say that they lived in the same house/town that they were born in for 98 years??? Ed was asked to speak at the service and he did a wonderful job. He was also asked to be a pall bearer. The service was really good, as funeral services go. Grampa's pastor has known him for years... Grampa was baptized in that church so he was a member forever. They had a viewing the Friday night before at the farm. Viewings are such an east coast thing. Rarely have I been to a funeral here where there was a viewing. I know for some people, this helps to give them closure. But for me, I did NOT want to see Grampa that way. My last memory of him is a kiss and hug at the airport last May when Ed took him home from spending the winter here. That's how I want to remember him. Grampa was a wonderful man, and we miss him everyday.
• I got a new phone... the Motorola Droid X. Which I love. It's one of those smart phone thingies and it's WAY bigger than my last phone, but I'm really digging it. It's a bit of a learning curve to see what can be turned off to lengthen the battery life, but I REALLY like this phone. The other thing I did, was I bought the phone at Costco. Yeah, Costco! It was time for me to upgrade. I got the same price as I would have gotten if I'd upgraded online, except, that online, I would have gotten a $100 gift card for the $100 mail-in rebate. I got it right off the bat. VERY COOL. Also, they throw in the wall charger, ear buds, and a car charger! YAY! I didn't have to buy that stuff. I still don't know what else I can do with this phone, but at Thanksgiving at my parents house on Sunday, my brother and I found some fun Applications to load. (Driod Fart machine... yeah, I'm completely juvenile...)
• The weather here is NUTS. It's 8 degrees right now and we have like 6-8 inches of snow. This week was supposed to be conference week. We cancelled conferences on Monday because it was snowing SO hard that we were worried about getting home safely. I did two phone conferences and two parents would like to reschedule. I have 8 more conferences from yesterday that need to be rescheduled as there was no school yesterday.

Well, I think that I've gotten you all caught up here. I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Bonny Swans~ Music Monday

I love this song. I love Lorena McKennitt.


A farmer there lived in the north country
a hey ho bonny o
And he had daughters one, two, three
The swans swim so bonny o
These daughters they walked by the river's brim
a hey ho bonny o
The eldest pushed the youngest in
The swans swim so bonny o

Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
with a hey ho a bonny o
And I will give you house and land
the swans swim so bonny o
I'll give you neither hand nor glove
with a hey ho a bonny o
Unless you give me your own true love
the swans swim so bonny o


Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
with a hey ho and a bonny o
Until she came to a miller's dam
the swans swim so bonny o
The miller's daughter, dressed in red
with a hey ho and a bonny o
She went for some water to make some bread
the swans swim so bonny o


Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan
with a hey ho and a bonny o
It's very like a gentle woman
the swans swim so bonny o


They placed her on the bank to dry
with a hey ho and a bonny o
There came a harper passing by
the swans swim so bonny o


He made harp pins of her fingers fair
with a hey ho and a bonny o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
the swans swim so bonny o
He made a harp of her breast bone
with a hey ho and a bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
the swans swim so bonny o


He brought it to her father's hall
with a hey ho and a bonny o
And there was the court, assembled all
the swans swim so bonny o
He laid the harp upon a stone
with a hey ho and a bonny o
And straight it began to play lone
the swans swim so bonny o


And there does sit my father the King
with a hey ho and a bonny o
And yonder sits my mother the Queen
the swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my brother Hugh
with a hey ho and a bonny o
And by him William, sweet and true
the swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my false sister, Anne
with a hey ho and a bonny o
Who drowned me for the sake of a man
the swans swim so bonny o



The Bonny Swans~ Lorena McKennitt

Music Monday

I know. It's a day early.

At least it's not late.

Yesterday I was cleaning out the trunk I have at the end of my bed... putting away the summer stuff and getting out the winter stuff. I found two undershirts and a hanky that belonged to my Granny (my great grandma). I'd forgotten that I'd put them in there. I couldn't believe that they still smelled like her. It made me cry and even though I miss her every day, I really missed her yesterday. This is for her. Miss you, Gran...


So far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know that you're just time away
Long ago I reached for you, and there you stood
Holding you again could only do me good
How I wish I could, but you're so far away

One more song about moving along the highway
Can't say much of anything that's new
If I could only work this life out my way
I'd rather spend it being close to you
But you're so far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know you're so far away
Yeah, you're so far away

Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely
Nothing else to do but close my mind
I sure hope the road don't come to own me
There are so many dreams I have yet to find
But you're so far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
And it doesn't help to know you're so far away
You're so far away
Yeah, you're so far away
You're so far away

~Carole King, So Far Away

Music Monday- Late

I'm crazy, crazy, I'm the boy
Who defies all, yeah
Lift me higher, than anyone
And hold me arms, yeah

Woman, woman, she out of mind
And simply out of soul, ohh, yeah, yeah, yeah

She gets me higher than anyone
And I miss her so, so do it, I miss her so

Stargazer you call the shots and I'll take all
Stargazer won't you kick with me, ohh, please
Stargazer you call the shots, I take all
Stargazer won't you kick with me, ohh, baby please

I dance a dancer, I'm all wrong
She thinks she's young and wise but no, no, no
She dance around my, my pretty little cable car
And fix me up with a guy, why?

C'mon, how dare you do this?
Why she done that to me, ever?
Why she done it to me? So I'm singing

Stargazer you call the shots and I'll take all
Stargazer won't you kick with me, please
Stargazer you call the shots and I'll take all
Stargazer won't you kick with me, ohh, baby please, tell you what?

Stargazer you cry in blue
Anything I've ever seen
It ain't as good as you child
I'm not trying to push your feelings

But I know you hold me like butter in your hands
Cry for me and rub it in
Cry for the savior and the prophet's son, yeah
Dream of me and Julie Ann, ohh, Xana come back again, yeah

Cry for me and rub it in
Cry for the savior and the prophet's son, yeah, ohh
Dream of me and Julie Ann, ohh, Xana come back again

Stargazer~ Mother Lovebone

Pure Sunset

Sunset in our back yard. One of the first pictures that I took with Nikon Nik.

Nikon Nik

This week I turned 41. Yep. I said it. I TURNED 41 YEARS OLD. And, I celebrated my 19th wedding anniversary with Ed.

Gawd.

Nineteen years. We've been together for almost twenty-four, but married for nineteen of them.

So, for my birthday/anniversary present, I got a Nikon D90 that I've named Nikon Nik. I want to start a daily photo portion of this blog so that I can make myself take pictures and practice using Nik. So, be looking for installments of random photos that I'm going to be taking.

Twilight Zone

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the waiting room at Ford of Kirkland.


The large door was open. The blue suited man motions for me to pull forward. The sign says to honk, so I do. The blue suited man grimaces. I turn off the truck and jump out, slamming the door hard. I speak to the long haired lady who asks me to show her what needs to be fixed. She asks for a number to call when the repairs were made. I tell her that I'm waiting.

She looks perplexed. She tells me it might take at least 3 hours. I tell her I have a book and iced tea. I'll be fine.

I move to the waiting area. The door slams behind me like a jail cell in a prison. This is going to be my home for the next few hours. I need to make myself comfortable. There are already people waiting there, each in their own chair. Some texting on their cellular devices, some having private conversations loudly with unknown persons. Some reading the provided reading material on the small side table.

I settle in with my book and tea. People come and go. A small Chinese man named Mel Burke reads a Marie Claire magazine article on make-up. When he sees that I'm looking, he hastily tosses the magazine aside choosing instead "Car and Driver".

A Mexican grandmother comes with her granddaughters. They begin watching the TV... on the Disney channel no less. The Wizards of Waverly place drones on for what seems like hours. The daughter of the grandma comes and hustles everyone out of the waiting "lounge". On their way out, one of the girls tries to open the car door to the mustang inside the showroom and sets off the car alarm. The alarm scares us to death and the honking continues for what seemed like hours.

I listen to the Deli lady gossip with the workers of the dealership. I learn more than I want about many of the people who spend their days selling cars.

I find my eyes getting heavy. The Suite Life of Zach and Cody has it's hold on me. I can't keep my eye lids open.

I feel a touch on my arm. It's the long haired lady. My truck is finished. I jump up eager to be out of the clutches of this "waiting room". I feel as if it almost had me, but I escaped just in time.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

• Seriously, people? If you decide you want to drive slow, that's OK with me. Just do it in the SLOW lane. That's why it was invented.
• Why does the GPS always take you on the weirdest, most non-direct route possible?
• When we bought our "new to us" truck, Ed decided to do the modifications that we had on our old '96: super hitch, camper tie downs, air bags, bug shield and mud flaps. As he was putting on the new super hitch, he realized that he couldn't get the spare tire down. We read in the manual on how to get the spare tire out, and it kept talking about this "key". Yes, internets, there is now a key for your spare tire. I say, if anyone wants that damn tire and can get underneath the truck and lift that sucker out of there, they deserve it. Seriously.
• Did you know that they made like 10-20 different spare tire keys for the 2008 F-350's? (We tried two of my brother's keys, one from his personal truck and one from his work truck and neither worked.)
• Did you also know that it will cost $108.00 to replace it?
• Did you also know that I totally threw a fit when the dealer said this, because, to me, that's part of the safety inspection, yo. Ya can't change a tire without the key. He told Ed to "look in all the cubby holes. It has to be there somewhere." When Ed called him back, he started some song and dance about it was at a consignment place before their's and he didn't know if he could get a key.
• There are a ton of Ford discussion websites that talk about this VERY problem. Apparently you can drill out the lock and then just use the jack to turn down the tire.
• In other news, we have a chickadee nest in our butterfly bush. At least one baby.
• I got absolutely nothing done today.
• And, I'm crabby.

Random enough for you?

Music Monday

Today I needed this song to motivate me. It was a long day with an even longer "to do" list which only has 4 things crossed off on it. Tiny bit disappointing.


Rage in the cage
And piss upon the stage
There's only one sure way
To bring the giant down
Defunct the strings
Of cemetary things
With one flat foot
On the devil's wing

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Raping the geek
And hustling the freak
Like a hunchback juice
On a sentimental noose
Operation filth
They love to love the wealth
Of an SS Whore
Making scary sounds

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Psyclone Jack
Hallucinating Hack
Thinks Donna Reed
Eats dollar bills
Goldfoot machine
Creates another fiend
So Beautiful,
They make you kill

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Crawl on me
Sink into me
Die for me
Living Dead Girl

Blood on her skin
Dripping with Sin
Do it again
Living Dead Girl

Blood on her skin
Dripping with Sin
Do it again
Living Dead Girl



~Rob Zombie: Living Dead Girl

Music Monday

A young Joe Elliot really does it for me.

"Foolin'"

Lady luck never smiles
So lend your love to me, awhile
Do with me what you will
Break the spell take your fill

On and on we rode the storm
The flame has died, the fire has gone
Oh, this empty bed is a night alone
I realized that long ago

Is anybody out there? Anybody there?
Does anybody wonder? Anybody care?

Oh, I just gotta know
If you're really there and you really care
'Cause baby I'm not

F-F-F-Foolin', Ah F-F-Foolin'
Not F-F-F-Foolin', Ah F-F-Foolin'

Won't you stay with me awhile

close your eyes don't run and hide
Easy love is no easy ride
Just wakin' up from what we had
Could stop good love from going bad

Is anybody out there? Anybody there?
Does anybody wonder? Anybody care?

Oh, I just gotta know
If you're really there and you really care
'Cause baby I'm not

F-F-F-Foolin', Ah F-F-Foolin'
Not F-F-F-Foolin', Ah F-F-Foolin'

I'm not foolin' myself, no no no


~Def Leppard

RTT- Catch-up Edition

• School is out, but summer hasn't officially started... Usually it starts July 5th. That's when the sun starts to appear. Everyone knows that it isn't summer unless there's sun, right?
• The kitchen remodel extravaganza is coming along. All cabinets are in, counter tops are on, new plumbing under the sink, old lighting is out and new lighting is in with holes from the old lighting patched, "texturized" and primed (painted today), plumber is coming tomorrow to plumb the gas line for the cook top, and I have a call in to the floor guy to make an appointment to come and lay the floor. I'll order the floor when I know he's coming. Then, install the dishwasher and the refrigerator. Last, Ron will come to finish the scribe molding. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness.
• Many projects are on the docket for summer. Garden, new sidewalk, muck out the office.
• I have a new camera (Nikon D90) named Nikon Nik. I've been playing a little bit with it, but I haven't been anywhere to actually take pictures. That's something that I REALLY want to do.
• We have one camping trip planned... Sand Camp at the end of August. I'm hoping that we go some other places as well.
• Ed's started his weekly skiing trips... he sends out an email to a large group of people. The first three to answer get to go. I haven't had to get up early yet, but I'm kind of looking forward to it.
• Shane's birthday was last week and we rode the motorcycles to the cemetery and then had dinner at the Yella Beak in tribute.
• I'm really looking forward to cooking with the new cook top and being able to cook some good healthy food.
• I took some GLAD training this week. I'm excited to see how I can apply it to science. It's hard, though because I'm teaching 5th grade science next year and I don't know the curriculum.
• I also participated in the 10 Tech conference that our district puts on. I took a classes on pod casts and how to make them, using photoshop elements, making wikis, and a bunch of other things. It's a great thing that our district does. We can learn lots of clock hours for free and we don't have to pay for the classes either.
• We're going to the NHRA drags in July. SO excited. We're going to take Teenie's son Ryan as he loves cars. Can't wait!!!!

OK. I think you're all caught up. There's some random for your Thursday (even though it's supposed to be Random TUESDAY Thoughts). More one the kitchen later. I have to upload the pics from the camera in order to post!

Tuesday Tune-age

So I heard this song this morning on VH1. And I really liked it. So, here you go. The first summer installment of Music Monday or Tuesday Tune-age. Actually, it's the first installment in a really long time. Enjoy.

Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table
While I look outside
So many things I’d say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You’ve got opinions, man
We’re all entitled to ‘em, but I never asked
So let me thank you for your time, and try not to waste anymore of mine
And get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe, but I’m not drowning
There’s no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

You sound so innocent, all full of good intent
Swear you know best
But you expect me to jump up on board with you
And ride off into your delusional sunset

I’m not the one who’s lost with no direction
But you’ll never see

You’re so busy making maps with my name on them in all caps
You got the talking down, just not the listening

And who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

All my life I’ve tried to make everybody happy
While I just hurt and hide
Waiting for someone to tell me it’s my turn to decide

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?

Let me hold your crown, babe.

~"King of Anything"- Sara Bareilles

Porn Free

We were really only touching shoulders.

Really.

Rubies, Proverbs and Astrology! Oh, My!

I love rubies. Rubies are my favorite gem stone. But, having an August birthday, I get this ugly green stone called peridot. It's green. Light green. Like snot. Seriously.

When Ed and I looked for my engagement ring, my rule was that it had to have a ruby, and it had to be a band so that I didn't catch it on stuff and rip the skin off of my knuckle. ('Cause that's pretty...) I got this great ruby/diamond band. I love it. (We also got our Black Hills Gold wedding bands from the Puyallup Fair, but that's another story.) Later, for an anniversary gift, he bought me a band with just rubies. I have all of these soldered together to make one kind of big ring. But, I love it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. (He also gave me a ruby solitaire for Valentine's day one year, but we aren't going to go into that one either.) I wear my rings daily and still think they are gorgeous.

At our rehearsal dinner, Ed's mom read a proverb to us that goes like this: Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies and the heart of her husband is entrusted in her. At the time, I thought she picked it because I had rubies in my engagement ring.

But, just recently, I've been wanting another tattoo. Because my birthday's in August, I'm a Leo. So, I'm going to get the Leo symbol on the back of my neck, or on my foot. (I can't decide...) While I was doing research, I found that each astrology symbol has a "star stone". Guess what mine is? A ruby.

I'm kind of feeling like this is a little more than coincidence.

Kitchen Porn

Bow Chicka Bow wow....

Yes, I haven't posted in awhile. Been a tad busy. You will see when you view these amazingly professional photographs. (NOT) I'm just going to show you, so look... Ready?

So that's what's been going on here. Lots of pics. Too many to share. Plus you'll get bored. You can only take so much Kitchen Porn, ya know.

PS... I'm NOT going with the Silestone for counter tops. We decided on Corian in this color with this Corian sink (the 850 double sink in Bisque). Ordering tomorrow! In two weeks I will have countertops and a sink!

Music Monday

I dig my toes into the sand
The ocean looks like
A thousand diamonds strewn
Across a blue blanket

I lean against the wind
Pretend I am weightless
And in this moment
I am happy happy

I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here

I lay my head onto the sand
The sky resembles
A backlit canopy
With holes punched in it

I'm counting UFOs
I signal them with my lighter
And in this moment
I am happy happy

I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here

The world's a rollercoaster
And I am not strapped in
Maybe I should hold with care
My hands are busy in the air

Saying

I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here
I wish you were here

~Incubus, Wish You Were Here

See it here...

Kitchen Remodel Extravaganza Kick-Off

Yesterday we started our kitchen remodel. I think at one point, when I started this blogging thing, I posted about before getting married, people should have to endure a remodel project to see if they should stay together/get married. I still think that, however, now, I think that they should also hire someone to do the work for them.

Much easier. Trust me.

We picked out our cabinets February 19th. We got a great deal through CMS (Cabinet Millwork Services, Inc.) out of Puyallup. Greg Halverson came to our house, measured and gave us a lay out. We had to order by the 19th because they were having a special on drawers. (Full plywood construction, heavy duty hardware, full extension and soft close, for the price of a regular drawer. EXCELLENT deal.) He said, "Amy, they'll be here in 30 days." Thirty days. I counted out on the calendar thirty days, thirty business days. I get a call on Wednesday, March 17th. It's Greg, "Amy, don't forget you have cabinets coming Monday, the 22nd!"

Um.... Hello? Excuse me? You said thirty days. Never mind that I ASSUMED it was business days, but you should have told me that up front...

Holy crap. We are going camping that weekend, and our garage is still full of appliances, motorcycles and quads and stuff.


Needless to say, the garage got cleaned out, stuff got moved around in order to make room for the cabinets. The cabinets arrived bright and early Monday morning and took up most of the garage.


Finally, FINALLY spring break arrived. Bart and Matt came over to help us tear out the old cabinets. Ed burned everything that night and we were officially off. Ron (our neighbor who is a finish carpenter) came bright and early Monday morning to begin installing the cabinets. Phil and I uncrated everything so that Ron could see what was there.

We had a slight plumbing issue... In the picture above, you can see cabinets. The base cabinet that you see on the far right against the wall is where my dishwasher goes/went. I wanted it moved to the right side of where the sink goes in order to make things easier when loading. The problem was that the dummies who made our house, (a modular home built at the factory, put on a foundation at the site.) just kind of threw the plumbing where they wanted it to go. So, we had this angled in sink pipe under the kitchen sink that would not let a dishwasher go where I wanted it to go. Sigh.

But, my talented Ed, who can do just about anything with some fertilizer, a piece of rope, and some glue, (think MacGuyver) had in mind just what to do.

So this is what the plumbing fiasco ended up looking like. The pipe now comes out of the wall at a 90 instead of 45. AND Ed had to go through a wall stud to make it look that way. However, this design will make it much easier to connect to the new sink and it looks A LOT cleaner.

Whew. Day 1 was rough. Lots of anxiety around did I choose the right cabinets? Oh no, I got a lazy Susan in this cabinet that I didn't ask for... holy cow, we spent ALL this money, is it going to look OK?

Sigh.

Needless to say, Ed and I went to dinner because I HAVE NO KITCHEN, YO! and then to Home Depot to look at/buy stuff for the fancy schmancy new cooking vent we have. I also looked at the counter top selection. I did some research yesterday and it looks like Silestone is the new-fangled way to go. I've decided that I'm doing this once. I'm going to get what I want. So, I brought home some samples. (Right now, my eye is drawn to the Mountain Mist color. Ed really likes Ebony Pearl.) It only takes two weeks to get the counter tops done and Home Depot is have some kind of special around the counter tops. It's either an edge upgrade until April 14th or a color upgrade like on the 24th. I don't know if I want to wait that long for a color upgrade. I want to get this done ASAP.

Home Depot may just be my new home away from home. I just wish it had a kitchen I could cook in.

Front Row Seats, LOTS of Great Lip Gloss and Sensible Shoes

Michael Buble'. *sighs a school girl sigh*

Tina got Michael Buble' concert tickets for her birthday and asked me to go with her. I might have to kiss her on the mouth for the invitation. (Or, at least sniff her armpits.)

The concert started off with this really great band called Naturally 7. These guys were phenomenal. They are an a cappella group that does ALL of the band sounds (drums, horns, bass, EVERYTHING) with their voices. You can hear them here and here is the guy who does bass. Amazing. Seriously talented young men.

They entertained us for a good forty-five minutes and then out came Tina's boyfriend Michael. I have to say that I was not a rabid Michael Buble' fan until I saw him in concert. I liked his music, his sound, his look... but, ya'll, he's just this guy. After the first note... can this man sing! Even the songs I didn't like so much on the CD, I REALLY liked hearing live. I am a convert.

Picture this, Michael Buble' singing his opening song. Lights are flashing, spotlights whirring. Tina takes out her cell phone to take a picture to send to a friend. The lady next to her taps her on the shoulder and says (and I quote), "Can you please put your cell phone away? The light is hurting my eyes."

WTF?!!?!? You have GOT to be kidding me. The light is hurting her eyes.

Me, being the snarky one, asked Tina if she told her that she paid the same amount for her tickets as the lady next to her did. Immediately after I said that, our boyfriend finished his opening number to a gigantic explosion and a shower of sparks. Again I, being the snarky one, said, "Wonder if that hurt her eyes." Seriously??? A cell phone light was hurting her eyes??? With all of the other mega lighting in the arena? Seriously.

About half way through, Michael was talking about Michael Jackson being a huge influence on him as a singer. The crowd went wild when he BUSTED out Billie Jean, hat and all. Can you believe it??? Billie Jean!

I told Tina next year we were going. And we were going to pay money for the front row. She suggested lots of good lip gloss. And I suggested sensible shoes. You know, in order to kick the butts of all the other wanna-be girlfriends. Because, really? He sings to ME.

The Portal of Hell

I believe that the Hell Mouth visited my school district yesterday. I firmly believe that the Hell Mouth is able to switch positions at any given moment when things are going entirely too smoothly.

Yesterday was a full moon. We ALL know what happens during a full moon. Kids go crazy. It's a proven fact.

Our discipline referrals were up so our Eagle's Nest (Dean's office) was jam packed.

Kids were puking right and left keeping our custodian and Health Room assistant (we can't call her a nurse because she's not an RN) extremely busy. One kid actually puked on our Health Room assistant and her computer. She had to go home and change. Luckily she lives close.

It rained. It hailed. The sun shone down. The weather couldn't make a decision as to what it wanted to do. Do we do rainy day recess or don't we?

There was a car accident out in front of our school where an Escalade truck hit a power pole knocking out power to our school and our Central Services building. The power stayed off until WELL after school let out. Because the power was out, the traffic was awful out in front of our school, which sits on a small highway. This made our buses late getting to us.

Not to mention the fact that two other schools had a lock down at 3:30 (ten minutes before school let out) because many students reported seeing a "guy with a mask" wandering around in the woods outside the fence of the school. Apparently, a bank nearby had been robbed and the police thought it could have been the robber hiding. So, both the middle school and elementary school near there were put on lock down. Until 5:00 PM. Ugh.

Because the schools were on lock down, some of the buses that were supposed to pick up our kids could not make it here because, duh, lock down procedures state that everyone must be locked in the building. Which meant that the students on route 30 was stuck here. I took the 3rd-5th grade riders into my room and some other teachers took the K-2nd grade riders to the library. We couldn't notify parents because our power was out and therefore, had no phone service. Finally, the wonderful bus driver of route 36 took mercy upon us and volunteered to take the kids from route 30 home. By this time, it was 4:30. School had been out almost an hour. I'm sure parents were frantic.

However, this left the poor high school, junior high and middle school kids who ride transfer buses in the lurch because there was no bus to take them home. When I left at 4:45, they were still out in our bus lane trying to figure out what to do with those kids.

I certainly hope that the Hell Mouth decides to invoke it's wrath somewhere else for a while. I think we've had our fill.

Music Monday

Heart's Dreamboat Annie was the first record I ever bought. I REALLY wanted the album with Barracuda but, I got a gift certificate for Gary'sTV at the helicopter drop at our town's annual festival. And, he didn't have it. I was like 6. I still have it.

So this ain't the end- I saw you again - today
I had to turn my heart away
You smiled like the sun- kisses for everyone
And tales- it never fails!

You're lying so low in the weeds
I bet you're gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldn't you, barracuda?

OH!

Back over time when we were all trying for free
You met the porpoise and me
No right, no wrong, you're selling a song- a name
Whisper game

And if the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ooooh, barracuda!

OH!

'Sell me sell you' the porpoise said
Dive down deep down, deeper than
You.. I think that you got the blues too

All that night and all the next
Swam without looking back
Made for the western pools- silly, silly fools!

The real thing don't do the trick, no?
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ahh, barra- barracuda!

~Barracuda, Heart


While I like the original WAY better, this will have to do. The original videos aren't great.

Photo credit

A Single Man

Ed and I decided to thatch our yard. This was going to be a GIANT undertaking because:

1. we have a super humongous yard
2. the moss was almost growing faster and thicker than the grass
3. we hadn't thatched for probably six years.

Ed rented a thatcher from the local rental place and spent Saturday thatching the yard. On Sunday, the ginormous task of taking up the moss would have to begin. Our neighbor down the hill has this new-fangled invention called a "sweeper". This sweeper hooks to the back of your lawn mower and as you pull, these large brushes "sweep" the lawn and pick up whatever might be lying there. (Think carpet sweeper for your lawn.) Ed was able to borrow Patrick's sweeper and he chose the job of sweeping up the moss.

Once the sweeper was full, he'd make a circle back to me, who had the garden cart hitched to Rosie (my quad). He would pull the rope that Pat had attached to the top of the sweeper and dump the moss into a large pile. I was then to shovel it up into the garden cart and, once full, drive Rosie and the cart up to the compost pile/blackberry bushes to dump. My garden cart holds 10 cubic feet. I stopped counting loads at 20. That's A LOT of moss, yo.

Towards the end of our seven hour day, (oh, yes, it took SEVEN hours to clean that mess up) Gavin the six-year-old neighbor boy came over to chat with me. Gavin is a really funny kid. His brother is quite a bit older, so I think that he's really lonely, because, hey, he wants to come and talk with me! He asked if he could help to which I responded, "Of course!" and gave him the rake to keep the piles Ed was making neat for me.

As we were working, we got on the subject of growing up.

Gavin: When I grow up, I'm going to be a single man.

Me: You don't want to have a wife or family at all?

Gavin: Nope!

Me: Why not?

Gavin: Because all my wife will do is yell at me to take her to the store. That's all my mom says to my dad. 'Take me to the store' (Gavin's mom doesn't drive due to medication she takes for diabetes)

Me: Well, won't you be lonely?

Gavin: Nope. I'm going to have a house and furniture and all that stuff.

Me: What kind of job do you think you want to do as a single man?

Gavin: Oh, I'm not going to have a job when I grow up. I'm not going to work.

Me: Well, how do you think you're going to buy your house, furniture and food and stuff?

Gavin: Oh. Well, maybe I will have a job. But no wife. I'll be a single man with a job and a house and furniture and stuff. Maybe I'll work with my dad. We can have a job together. Like a company. And I won't have to take my wife to the store.

Such innocence. What he doesn't know yet is that someday, girls will come before job, school and everything.

No, Officer. I'm NOT Using My Cell Phone While Driving

Last Thursday, I had a TON of errands to run. Ed and I were getting ready to go to the ocean to celebrate a friend's birthday. After school, I made my way to Issaquah to pick up cat food, go to Weight Watchers, hit Costco and go grocery shopping.

After picking up the cat food, I was sitting at a light reading a text message from one of the boys who were in Reno for five days on union business. (Right. "Union business" in Reno for five days and the boys don't "go" together!) They were giving me a hard time because they were there have a GREAT time while knowing I would have to sit in a meeting all day the next day. I happened to look in my rear-view mirror and spotted a motorcycle cop sitting behind me.

Crap.

We now have a law in Washington that says that we can't use our cell phones without a hands free device and it's a primary offense. I carefully stow my cell phone in my purse thinking that if he saw me, I could say, "No, officer. I wasn't using my cell phone. See? It's stowed safely away in my purse!"

The light turns green and I make my left hand turn praying to God that he's not going to pull me over at his first convenience. As I'm turning, I hear this horribly loud honking noise. It's the horn of the motorcycle cop's motorcycle. I'm in a dead panic. He's going to pull me over. I look in my mirror to see which way he's signaling me to move. Only, he's NOT pulling ME over.

At this light, there is a left hand turn lane going north and a free right hand turn going south. Each can go at the same time. The cars just can't cross the rumble strip that separates the lanes until a few hundred yards after the turn. Safety, yo.

Here's what happened. A GIANT, black Suburban was making a right as we were making the left. He ( And I KNOW it was a "he") crossed the rumble strip not even looking OR signaling and merged right into the motorcycle cop nearly crashing him into the median strip. Granted, the cop WAS in his blind spot, but that's the reason the rumble strip is there. So people don't merge and cause accidents. The cop was blaring his horn at this guy, not me. Whew.

I felt kind of bad for the giant, black Suburban guy. He really didn't see the cop. I'm sure he got an ass chewing and a hefty ticket. (While I went on my own merry way, scott free!)

Tuesday Tunage

Some new A.I.C. for your listening pleasure...
And it IS your decision. What you say, what you do. Everything. Think about it.

Time to change has come and gone
Watched your fears become your god

it's your decision

overwhelmed you chose to run
apathetic to the stunned

it's your decision

you feed the fire that burned us all
when you lied

to feel the pain that spurred you on
black inside

no one plans to take the path that brings you lower
and here you stand before us all and say its over
it's over

it might seem an afterthought
yes it hurts to know you're bought

it's your decision

you feed the fire that burned us all
when you lied
to feel the pain that spurs you on
black inside

it's your decision

no one plans to take the path that brings you lower
and here you stand before us all and say its over
its over

~Your Decision- Alice in Chains

YouTube won't let me embed the video so click here to see it.

Say What?!?!?

Said during a presentation on planets in my classroom today:

"My simile is: Uranus is as big as three Earths."

I'm thinking (while trying not to snort), "How many times do I have to tell you it's not 'urAnus'? It's 'YERunus'."

Ugh.

Music Monday

I LOVE this band. Nuff said. Caleb Followill is SERIOUSLY hot with that voice of his...

Stranded in this spooky town,
Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
Snow is crackling cold,
She took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run,
Far from the carnage of the fiery sun

Drivin' by the strangle of vain
Showin' no mercy I'll do it again
Open up your eyes
You keep on crying, baby I'll bleed you dry
Skies are beneath me
I see a storm bubbling up from the sea

And it's coming closer [2x]

You sh-sh-shock my bones,
Leavin' me stranded all in love on my own
What do you think of me?
Where am I now, baby where do I sleep?
Feels so good when I'm home
2000 years of chasing takin' it's toll

And it's coming closer [4x]

~ Closer- Kings Of Leon

Eyebrow Epilady

Let me just start by saying that I am NOT a hairy person. I have a ton of really curly hair, but it's fine and slippery, not course and wiry. The hair on my legs is very fine and light. You can barely see the hair on my arms and my eyebrows have "holes" in them. I'M NOT HAIRY.

That being said, I do like to have my eyebrows shaped every so often. Most people have to have theirs done every four weeks like clockwork. Me? Not so much. The first time I had my eyebrows waxed, Jolene did it. She promised me that she would not make me look like I was permanently surprised at everything people said to me. Plus, whatever wax she uses, doesn't make my skin react in little bumps or uncontrollable itchiness. She cleaned things up neat and tidy.

I had a hair appointment with Jolene on Monday and I'd asked when I made the appointment if she'd do my eyebrows 'cause they were looking kind of ratty. Well, both of us forgot. I got out of there with great hair, but ratty eyebrows. But, I knew that today I needed to go to South Center to get my warranty check on my bracelet so I thought I'd try the place in the mall where Tina got her brows done before. Brow Art by Threading.

Oh, my. Tina assured me that it was great. WAY better than waxing. Um... not so much. I'm thinking that I would wax my WHOLE body before I would "thread" my eyebrows again. It was painful. Seriously painful. Waxing is quick because it takes all the hair in one fail swoop. Threading does not. It's like plucking your eyebrows with tweezers, but pulling a bunch out at a time and only realizing that you got three hairs. Not twenty-five. Remember the Epilady? Think that. On your eyebrows. It's been three and a half hours and I'm still getting little twinges of pain.

And... AND, I'm STILL picking eyebrow hairs out of my nose, eyes and mouth. They went everywhere.

Plus the fact that you're in the middle of the mall and people are stopping to watch you get little hairs ripped out by their roots from your forehead. Sometimes they shout questions at you like, "Does it hurt?" or "Is it better than waxing?" It took every shred of control I had to not shout back, "Run away! Seriously! Hold on to your eyebrows for dear life. This effing hurts!"

The topper was when the lady was finished and I was getting out my wallet to pay (read: quietly whimpering in the chair trying not to bolt without paying), she had the balls to ask if I wanted to buy a package deal.

Um... probably not.

If you want to see the art of brow threading, click here.