And there was much rejoicing!

Brownie is better! She finally had a "movement" last night and we all were so excited. It means we get to avoid another trip to the vet and another vet bill. We went to Petsmart today and got her some food with fiber and a toy and some wipes to give her a bath with - that should be exciting, getting all the medical goop off her! I'll let you know how it goes:-)

Okay, okay, I'll post :-)

My mom informed me this morning that I hadn't posted lately. I reminded her we'd been a bit busy lately. Angela came home Friday night. Saturday we cleaned, went to a graduation open house and then made 4 different kinds of cookies. Sunday we had 56 people over for a welcome home/goodbye bbq. Monday we tried, very slowly to recover. Tuesday we had a crisis.
Two words: cat enema.
Dad and I had gone to Webberville (a 20-minute or so drive) to buy strawberries (which are so good!!!!!). We came home and found out Mom and Angela had called the vet. Brownie had been throwing up, was acting very strangely and yeowing. A lot.
So she went to the vet. I cried. I didn't go with her.
And they came home.
Brownie is constipated.
And that's where the cat enema comes in. All 4 of us in the basement (where it's cement and where her "house" is) and administering the enema. It was quite a sight.
We took her back to the vet today and they gave her more fluids via IV but still no movement. So we're all on high alert.
Brownie's 17, I've known her almost as long as I've known Angela. So that's why I haven't posted much:-) That's what we always do around here, blame the cat!

Throwing my own shower...

So everyone thought it was such a good idea to have a school/book shower. But then no one got around to throwing it for me (excuse me while I clear my throat, er Mom, er Angela, er er). Hehe!
So I am throwing it for myself. Several of you have asked what I might need for the library in my classroom or for my classroom in general. I'm not sure so much about the classroom as Angela and her teacher friends have been collecting stuff for me but I do know I need a few more books. (I stress a few as there was an incident with 29 boxes of books 2 weeks ago that we don't need to experience again!)
I don't know a lot about what 7th graders read but I have been doing some research and so if you have any other books you know are appropriate for 5th - 7th graders then that would be fine (as I understand it most of the students are at a lower reading level than they are at grade level).
So if you are interested in donating any of these books, know they will be well-loved by students:-)
Here's a few I've been looking for in used bookstores and haven't found yet (used is great!)
- All the Harry Potter books in soft cover
- The Joey Pigza books (by Jack Gantos)
So far I have about 15 books for my library and I know a few of you have asked about particulars so that's why I'm posting. No need to rush right out to the store or anything but if you find these or have them laying around...
I'm pretty excited about having a classroom, and seeing the same students every day, and teaching them something (God willing!) and I am excited to share all of that with you. I got several new journals from friends this past week and I can't wait to keep track of my experience and then write about it!
If you want to donate books to the library - let me know and I'll give you my new mailing address!

It is finished

The garage sale that is. With only a handful of shoppers today we packed it up around 11. It wasn't worth the time or my patience to sit there any longer. I've read all the magazines in the house and stared at the chipmunks enough:-)
However, one older woman did come back today - her third day in a row. She's the puzzle lady. She apparently does puzzles all the time. In fact she wanted to trade me some of mine for some of hers, I politely declined. We are purging I reminded myself.
She came back today for one more puzzle and a few knicknacks. And to tell me the 500 piece puzzle I sold her yesterday is missing a puzzle. I said "oh, that's too bad" but was thinking, yeah, I'm surprised it wasn't missing 20:-) Most of the puzzles were older than me and well used. But she didn't seem angry and she trusted us enough to buy one of our impossible puzzles (750 pieces, no border, all similar looking golf clubs).
So that was my excitement today. No one died. Didn't make more than five bucks. But I sure am tired:-)

R.I.P. Fred

Today was day 2 of the garage sale. We didn't have as many people but made almost as much money so it equaled out I suppose. I did get a whole stack of magazines read, got some sun (I'm a lovely shade of red right now, even my feet), and found out that one of our neighbors sings, very loudly, when he mows the lawn. Very loudly. Loud enough so that we can hear him over the lawn mower and he's a good yard and a half away from us! So that was fun.
Then there was Fred, the moth. He was huge, probably 5 inches across in wingspan. He had beautiful wings, with 4 circles (one on each corner) and with pink and blue shades on his brown coloring. He was very fuzzy and appeared to have 6 or more legs. Though I never did figure out where his eyes were. He fell off the garage door about 7 a.m. and hung out in the same 6 inch radius most of the day. I kept meaning to take a picture of him to post. One lady wanted to buy him, some kids were fascinated by him, my grandpa said he was the biggest moth he'd ever seen, and then bam! Fred is gone. (Don't ask why I named him Fred, I just did.) Actually, Fred's insides ended up on the outside when my dad stepped on him.
So much for Fred.
Other than that it was a fine day:-) Maybe he was some sort of secret messenger for the Tong. I'll have to do some homework on that.

People Watch - Day One

And so it began. The garage sale that is:-) We set out all our wares and junk and waited. Half an hour and no one came, then they started trickling in. By ten a.m. the place was hoppin'! And let me tell you - we had quite the group.
The born-again Christian talking about cops and how God uses them to help keep us in line. At least that's what I think his message was. All I know is he liked to talk, he told me you get a lot of hash browns at Mr. D's with the breakfast special, and he didn't buy anything.
Then there's the guy who buys lighter fluid because he might need some someday. (But let's be fair - we were the ones selling it for a quarter in the first place.)
The woman who bought the costume jewerly for her grandaughters. Including a fake diamond ring so big it fell off my thumb. I hope her granddaughters are giants;-)
The couple who sounded as if they'd just stepped off the stage of Jerry Springer - he's apparently leaving his wife for this woman, and if so, I'd hate to meet the wife.
The girl (and I say girl because she looked about 18) who was about 9 months pregnant and smoking a cigarette. And the boy with her looked like he'd been in a nasty bar fight the day before and had stitched up his own face.
The women who buy everything, just to buy something (at least that's my theory).
So all in all, an interesting day. And we made some mad cash:-)

I'm in the paper - and this time I didn't write the story!

So I wrote a thank you note and here's what came of it:
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060611/COLUMNISTS09/606110588

I'm back in Howell, still unpacking and I'm off to the garage. This task seems daunting. Wish me luck...........

It happens:-)

The "It" post confused some - so here's the deal. Wireless is at times unreliable. So that's the story. My apt's almost packed. Moving in 15 hours. Dinner with friends tonight. So this is it for now. More later. Wish us all healthy backs!

Unemployed...again!

Tonight at 9:41pm I will officially be unemployed - again. This is not a new experience for me, as every time a quarter or a semester or a contract ends, I become unemployed. But this time it feels different. Maybe because in July I will begin a full-time job with regular hours (hopefully no night classes!) and a regular non-contract paycheck!
Packing and sorting is going well - I haven't written at all, which is sad but true. I will start again next week if not tomorrow. I promise I will!
You all waiting for more chapters inspire me. Plus, I have an endgame in mind:-)

A Quickie

I'm standing up typing at the library - my free internet at home is slow so I stopped at a terminal before leaving here. Just a quick update - I survived my last night at ConneXions (church) without too much sadness (just a tiny bit - especially when Shell started to cry!) and my "see you later" party last night. I did cry but I think I will be ok - no, I know I will be. I really cried when I got home and saw the scrapbook Leslie had made me and everyone had signed. But happy tears, thankful tears, tears of joy and hope and love and memories.
Tears nonetheless.
So today I am packing again (surprise! shocking!) but hanging out with friends. I'm rambling now so I'll leave you with a Chuck Norrisism - which I found out is a national pasttime for many of my friends.
Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice. (that one's for Mr. Joe!)

21 and counting...

That's the number of boxes that have gone on to Yuma before me! I took 13 more today - whew. I never knew I had so much stuff.
It was a great weekend though - I got a lot packed and clean (thanks to my wonderful parents!) and had great fun in the process.
Five words is all I have time for right now but I'll elaborate more later:
Dierks Bentley and Kenny Chesney.

Mission Accomplished

I saw Mission: Impossible III today and can I just say - it rocked! I was entertained completely and believe I got my $2.50's worth! I was a Mission: Impossible fan from the first flick and find these movies just good fun. This one was by far the best. I may be a bit biased in my love for all things J.J. Abrahms but it's worth it, check it out. There are elements of Alias throughout the whole movie which I loved (starting with the party scene - Weiss is so great!!!) and then with the handler meet at the grocery story - vintage Vaughn/Syd first season. So great. And Phillip Seymour Hoffman was terrific as the villian - so scary, I don't want to meet him in a well-lit alley;-)
Again, great movie - and some twists and turns I wasn't expecting. Also, Tom Cruise is great. Gotta say - regardless of all the crap lately, he's good in this. Really good. And there were strong women characters too which I loved, makes me want to do some more tae bo quick!
Off to bed - need to get my rest so I'm all ready for Kenny Chesney tomorrow night!!!!! Woohoo - look out Grand Rapids;-)