Life Is Good

Life is crap? Not really. I loved the sign is all.

Part of Society's Downfall

We haven't had TV in our house since 2001, and yes, the 9/11 coverage played a key role in this decision. But. But to my detriment, I've discovered such things as Hulu. Glee, The Office, House, CSI, ... but mostly, Jon Stewart. And if you want to watch the show, you've got to watch the little commercials.

There is one for a ridiculous product. A little, disposable toothbrush. Used without water, and then thrown away.

Sure! I need one so I can make out with strangers I meet in dance clubs!

Yuck.

Why Did Summer Have To End?

Rudy's! We miss you.

Another Something For Me

I took the trim off an old pair of flip flops. They were so worn out that my feet hurt. But they have great sentimental value to me. So I saved part of them hoping to find a use.



I found a use. It's and iPhone bag. The lining is leftover fabric from jammies. There are pockets on the outside and the inside for debit cards, the licence, and such. All it needs now is a ring to attach the car keys to. It's my new purse!

De-Cluttering The Classroom

Among the things inherited from a retiring colleague were three (!) file cabinets jammed with teaching materials. I managed to weed through two of them before the kids returned, but this last one has stood by the lockers since then. It was filled mainly with colorful, 2 pocket folders. A copy of a (mostly useless to me) worksheet was glued to the front of each (and there were literally hundreds) folder, but the folders were mainly empty.

I tore the worksheet off the cover of each folder, kept 25 for my class, offered some to students, and put the rest in the teacher's room on the give away table.

Now that I have finally gone through all old guy's stuff, the room feels officially mine. Just in time to move again!

A Scrappy Project

The Friday before school started, I was tasked with sorting through the possessions of a retiring teacher whose classroom I had inherited. All I will say about this is that there were piles and piles and piles, and the custodians and I were utterly overwhelmed with the volume of stuff I had no use for.

My principal helped out when she could, so did friends and the assistant assigned to my room. When it was time to leave for the day, I told my boss I was taking the weekend off, even though there was more work to do before kids came back. She said,
"Good for you! Make sure you do something for yourself this weekend."

So I did. I made a cover for my planbook.




It's a fitted, sleeve kind of cover.




With pockets on the inside for pencils, pens, and notes.




Made of patches and strips from my collection, and leftovers from recent projects.



I love it when my skirt matches my planbook!

Lucky Find

This vintage pattern and fabric waited for me at a church sale. The fabric provided enough for a skirt and this dress (the sleeveless version). I will make the dress next spring. I made, wore, and put away the skirt already.

Going Over To The Dark Side

I needed a prescription filled. Strangely, my insurance will pay for all but $2 if the prescription is for 30 days. But if it's just for 10 days, like most antibiotics are, I have to pay half. With fancy antibiotics (like Joe always manages to have prescribed), that could be up to $80.

So when Joe had strep, I went to Mal*Wart to get the script filled, where the charge is supposed to be only $4, no matter what. What do you know? It was only $4. Good news for someone trying to catch up on bills after a long summer with no paycheck.

I got groceries while I waited for the pharmacy to fill it.

I feel dirty.

Tour of the Classroom, part 1

After teaching 2nd grade for 11 years (if you count that 1 year at the christian school (which made me agree with Gandhi ("I like your Christ, but I don't like your Christians. Your Christians are not much like your Christ." or something like that.)), I was moved to 5th grade social studies. This position is far more intellectually vigorous and far less manual labor intensive. I'm enjoying the new challenges. A lot.

Of course I had to move classrooms, which gave me the opportunity to get rid of most of my crap and start new.




Here's what my desk looks like most days around lunch time. The piles move fast and will be gone by the end of the day.



Here's what my desk looked like just before the school year started. I made a cover for my grade book. And a cover for my iPhone. (The trim on my iPhone cover is from and old pair of flip flops.)

I will probably be moving to a brand new classroom in midwinter. New 5th grade classrooms are part of our school's capital improvement program.

Themes for this year are:

Beauty.
Own it.
Only hang on to useful stuff.
Light, space, and air are the most important interior design elements.

Memory From Short, Spur of the Moment Trip to the Mountains With A Couple of Joe's Friends

Heather said, "Joe! Make a bridge out of your body and I'll walk across you to the other bed."
And he did.
And she did.

Henry, Henry, Henry

The special needs kitty was born without a sternum. The vet advised, "Keep him quiet, don't let him go outside, no rough play or jumping." Ever.
I told Henry, but he didn't listen.

Henry like baskets, no matter the size.



Or that it's a piece from my treasured authentic Mohawk black ash/sweet grass collection.



Or that it's on a high cupboard near the 16 foot ceiling.

He's Not Talking From His Head

He's talking from his butt.



Don't send him any money. 'K?

Pajama Management

The dog needs to do his business right around 5 AM. I don't make the kid walk him, because he needs sleep more than I do. I roll out of bed, slip on some flip flops (or boots, depending on the weather), and walk the dog. Since rolling out of bed is the best I can do at 5 AM, I always make sure I have proper coverage before I go to sleep.

Recently, I went a step beyond proper coverage and made myself some decent jammie pants. There are 3 full length, 1 capris, and 2 shorts.


I put in special feature, like cuffs!



And tags in back! So I can tell how they go on.



Depending on the weather, I mix and match them with tanks, t shirts, or sweat shirts.
And best of all? They are pretty and they fit.

Next up? Fleecey jammie bottoms for the whole family.

The Coffee Cup Sings

After climbing bald mountain.

School Bag

We are always receiving promotional items from textbook companies. A couple of years ago, when we were deciding on a new math series, the companies tried to out-do each other. My favorite was the company who "set" the tables for the big meeting with water bottles, chocolate bars, lunch boxes, and a tote bag. I still use the lunch box as a back up.

A company that was promoting a series on nutrition sent me some materials packed in this messenger bag. There was a logo on the flap, a big, ugly orange and yellow logo. I covered it up with a black sharpie.



And then I covered that up with a bitchin' sunflower patch. Now, I happily carry my bag to and from school, even if I don't have any homework.



(Yes, that's my new grown-up teacher chair with wheels. And I got to pick out my new desk... it's a 1950's blond wood one that does not squeak when I write! I love, love, love my new desk and chair.)