Subversive

I tried in vain to leave a comment on Chellee's blog, Telling Deeds. She is a teacher and she was accused of being "subversive" by a friend recently. I was trying to tell her just how welcome she would be in our little group. We are always the team in the back of the room plotting our escape or venting our displeasure at the way things are being handled. Don't get me wrong, we are also the ones who are first to volunteer to help get things done. We know that it is up to us to take action if we want change, but we get great pleasure out of sitting in the back sniggering into our sleaves and covering our handouts with inappropriate doodles. It's what gets us through the day.

So, Chellee, don't let that student teacher leave you without a good dose of subversiveness! If we're gonna light a fire under public education, we need all the matches we can get. :) And I hope you feel better soon.

Shutterbugs

Mikey and I have been taking lots of pictures with the new camera lately. Some of them are even kinda nice to look at...


I took this picture as I was leaving school last week. I was quite happy to see that carrying the camera with me all the time was going to pay off!


These are the trees just off our property. They loved all the rain we got this month.


Bonsai was kind enough to pose in this great natural light one afternoon. I took about a million pictures while he just snoozed.


The pictures below are all from our walk this afternoon.

We found this green patch of land on the other side of a future construction sight. More plants liking the rainy month we've had.


I am especially proud of this picture. I had to lay on the ground to get it, but it was very worth it.


Another shot from the construction site. They cleared out all the brush over 3 years ago and left it to erode away.

The New Arrivals

You have already heard mention of this little baby...



Once the new monitor arrives, I will show you my classy new desk setup.

This guy is one of 3 new fish in the tank...



He is an algea eating fishy and his name is Jay Edgar. Betcha you can figure out why.
The other new fishies are still a little camera shy - two guppies, one red and one blue-ish black. They haven't told us their names as of yet. As soon as Jay Edgar gets the tank cleaned up a bit I'll try capturing their visages again.

New Baby

Hehehe. I love typing titles like that, just because of the heartattacks I know it induces in some. I'm mean that way.

Anyway, you can't tell it from where YOU are, but I am typing this post on the newest addition to our humble abode - an adorable little MiniMac. The whole computer takes up about 84 cubic inches on my desk, and it's SO CUTE! So, I am, as of now, a Mac user. From what I have experienced in the last 2 hours, I am quite happy in my new role. The old PC tower is still standing loyally next to my desk, should I change my mind, but I have a feeling it will only be booted up long enough to retrieve a few things before being retired to the Old Computer's Home.

So far, I have played with the calendar, downloaded some pictures and made a slideshow (complete with classy fading from one to the next AND background music), downloaded updates, and set it so the buttons on the bottom inflate when I scroll over them. WHeeee! Not only that, but this posting I'm doing - ALL WIRELESS. WHHHhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeee!

Although this was really a business purchase (Hamumu Software will soon be porting games to Mac), it has been decided that it will also be my home computer, since I have been patiently using business hand-me-downs for a long time. Mikey even bought me a sweet LCD monitor to go with it. This has yet to arrive, but I know it will be great compared to the mammoth thing I am using now.

It's time to tear myself away from the new computer and get some work done around here. I'll let you know about my week it a bit.

Laz-E-Girl

We had hoped that I would be able to get back to the gym soon after my surgery, figuring it would be good for my recovery and provide Mikey with the company he needs for his own workout. I even went twice before going back to work. Now that I am working every day I just don't have the energy to go work out for the sake of working out in the afternoons. At least that is what I am telling myself. We're even considering cancelling our membership in favor of a daily meander through the neighborhood instead. Cheaper, but also less beneficial. Something to ponder, I guess.

"I Have a Dream"

It is my understanding that public schools have a choice regarding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They can either take the day off in memory of him, or they are required to spend the day discussing Dr. King and his civil rights efforts. My school opted for the day off, but my class spent some time on Friday talking about who Martin Luther King, Jr. was, what he did, and why we remember him 50 years after the fact. See if you can pick out the things I focused on by reading the following essays.

Some of the best essays are here in their complete form. Lest you think I am a horrible teacher, please understand that I was focusing on the content, not the grammar or spelling. We had just about 30 minutes to talk and write at the same time, so there was no editing done.(I have tried to type them exactly as written by my students, providing translations in parenthasis.)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a smart non-vilonet minster. Also he was a civil rights leader. And he was mistred (mistreated) because of his bleaves (beliefs). He was assassinated by James Eral Ray. I really like him because he worked for PEACE! I really like him just for who he is. ~Jack

I agry with him we should have peace on earth. and I agry we should be treted equally. I do not like the other people that roend (ruined) his house. he dide (died) because of that. I do not just like him because his birthday lets us have no school. I like him for who he is. ~Jessica

I really look up to Martin luther king because He changed the world to make the earth a better place. He is one of my biggest heros. One time I even had a dream about him. Martin luther King wanted to work for peace. He was awarded the nobel peace prize. That is why I love martin luther King. ~Garrett

I like how he wanted ALL people to be treated equally. Now that he did that I can play with my friend Ariana. She is black, I feel bad for Martin Luther king that he died. He was shot in the head by James Earl Ray. He was thrown in jail without any light just because he maid a speech. His speech was called I HAVE A DREAM. They all mistreaded him. They all threw rocks at his house. They set his house on fire. Martin Luther king did not believe in violent. He only worked for peace. He always treated people nicely. He never did violence. He was a minister and lived in Alabama. That is why I like Martin Luther King. ~Sierra

He was a great man and he worked for peace. Whene he made that speech I felt great. His house was destroed and that was horrible. Soon he was assassinated by James Earl Ray. I'll never forget him because he was a great man. All in all, He was a man of the peace that why he's a hero. ~Jesse

I agrey that racisom is a stuped resen to hate echother. I think Marten Luther King was a god man, and I think that it dosint mater if you are black, white, or tan you should still be nice to other people. I think peopel should be treated equwele. I think that going to difirint schools becausa of your coler is stuped. I agrey with every ting King said. ~Jacob

I agree with Martin Luther King Jr. because all humans should be treeted equaly just like he said. Martin Luther Kind was a non violent person. He has a speech called, I Have a Dream, and it is a great speech. He was killed by James Earl Ray. The think I like about Martin Luther king Jr. is that he worked for peace. That is why I like Martin Luther King Jr. ~Deanna

1972 Martin Luther King Jr. was wanting to be a minister like his father. Martin Luther King Jr. was non-vilent. He wanted all people to be treated equally. He wanted to work for peace. King was 15 years old when he was in collage so he was pretty smart. He was assassinated by James Earl Ray. Thats how he (Ray) got famous. As you can see, Martin Luther King Jr. Loved every body even if they were violent. But he wanted everybody to be non-vilent. He didn't mean to make people hate him. ~Ashley

Some of the kids said things that were either very funny or touching.

He used his life to save the people from attcking each other. ~Justin

It doesn't madder about your skin it matters about your heart. ~Johnathan

I doent like James Earl Ray for Killing him. But I remember Martin Luther King because he worked for Peace. ~Cristian

I'd hate the days back then. ~Anonymous (grrr...no name papers...the scourge of my existence!)

Dear Martin Luther King Jr., Im glad that you let everybody even the black people go to school. ~Jose

When Martin luther king, Jr Baby He sleeped in a jrow (drawer). A few weeks later he got a cribe. He and his brother and sisters usto (used to) play jokes on people. ~Danielle

When Martin Luther King Jr. was only 27 years old, he lead the boycott that stopped segregation. ~Emily

Reading these you would think that I spent the whole time talking about James Earl Ray, but I really only mentioned him in passing. I think that 4th grade is right about the first time they can really comprehend the concept of assassination and they are facinated by it. I spent most of the conversation focusing on the non-violent aspect of King's revolution. We talked about all the horrible things that were done against King and his supporters and how they used boycotts, sit ins, and protest marches instead of guns and bricks to make their voices heard.

I read out of a book about King and at the end of the blurb it stated that "King's message lives on." I was nearly in tears as I explained to my class that THEY are how that message lives. I told them that I was doing what I could to make the world better than my parents had it, but that there would still be lots for them to do to make it better than I have it. Many in my class expressed the idea that equality had been reached (unfortunately, I think we spend way too much time patting ourselves on the back as we teach this topic). One of my students told us about moving to Temecula. She said that as they were unpacking, their TV was stolen out of their car and eggs were thrown at her house. The kids were appalled. They were quite adament that this was unacceptable and should never happen again.

I hope you are enjoying your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, whether you have it off work or not. No matter what you are doing today, take a moment to think about how far we have come and how far we have left to go. This is, of course, my entire reason for being a teacher - and a very large part of my reason for being at all.

Shirts I would like to have...

I'm blogging this.

It's not my fault you suck.

I (heart) my geek.

(front) {geek} (back) {/geek}

Insufficient Memory

42

Obey Gravity! It's the Law.

How does your garden grow?

I have finally pulled all the dying, rotting vegetation out of my garden. I whipped the Morning Glory back into an imitation of control, and used a pitchfork to turn both beds. The next step is to mix in the beautiful mulch created in our very own compost. I am hoping to plant some lettuce and colder weather veggies very soon. I usually wait too long and everything gets stunted by 100+ temps.

Any suggestions on what I should put in now? FYI - it is typically about 70 during the day and as cold as 35 at night. This is our rainy season, too. I'm thinking lettuce, radishes, and onions (because they take FOREVER to grow). Your thoughts?

Good or Bad?

The Good:

I have learned that I am not just a suspicious, vindictive bitch who holds a grudge against an innocent someone because they were part of a tough transition in my life. Nor am I just crazy. I am RIGHT.

The Bad:

I am right. My suspicions have been seconded and that someone is not nearly as innocent as they would have me believe, which makes me feel even more vindictive.

Kid Power

My class has raised nearly $100 in change for the Red Cross Tsunami relief in the last two weeks. Our school has raised $2000 so far. IN CHANGE. Awesome! We continue to collect change for as long as we can get it coming in.

Granted

My pal, D, and I have been talking about lousy boyfriends a lot lately. Oh, not our own...we both have terrific husbands...but those belonging to some other friends. It made us both sit back and say "Wow...we really have it good, don't we?" It is so easy to forget that and take the one who stands by you in thick or thin or kidney surgery or pouring week long rain storm that is likely to drive you out of your freakin' mind. Much too easy.

So, this is for YOU, Mikey.

THANK YOU!

For the rest of you? Who is your rock? You know, the one who is down there every day making sure you are standing on solid ground? And, more importantly, have you told them thank you lately?

Whoa!

I don't often buy DVDs. Why waste the money when I can get anything I want from NetFlix? Especially since there are very few movies I am interested in seeing more than once. Last night, I watched a movie that immediately went on the Must Own list.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (possible spoilers on this page...don't scroll down if you want to be surprised in any way when you watch) is probably one of the BEST love stories ever written. Not only did I find the interactions realistic in their heat, both loving and angry, but I absolutely adored the ending. It was perfect - perfectly real, if a tiny bit idealistic. And you better believe that I am slapping the awkward, should-have-shaved-yesterday Jim Carry right up in the top of my Hottie List. Yowza! So much better than that rediculous Ace Venture crap he used to do (in looks AND quality). And Charlie Kaufmann doesn't just hand the plot to you in a McDonald's bag. The story is told in a unique, charming way that keeps you thinking, but never leaves you behind. Loverly.

I strongly recommend this movie. I will be watching it again as soon as I can get my mitts on a copy to keep. The best thing about watching this movie was the flood of thoughts/ideas/revelations I had regarding relationships and love. If my computer had been on, I would have posted them...as it is, you will have to wait until I can wrangle them back into something resembling coherence. In the meantime, watch the movie!

PS
Amy,
You friend Elijah is in it too, but I thought his character was totally lame and I hated him. Plus he is sporting a dopey little beard thingy that doesn't add to his appearance in my opinion. But perhaps you feel differently...just thought I would point out his presence!

Wednesday Giggle

You must see...

George W. Bush Quotations in Which the Words "God" or "The Almighty" or "The Almighty God" Are Replaced by Famous Names Chosen at Random From the '80s Edition of Trivial Pursuit.

Thanks to Chellee over at Telling Deeds for the link.

Back in the Saddle Again

My first day back was a smashing success! Despite my jitters at coming back after such a long absence (I always worry that maybe I lost the magic), I got through the day without looking too adle-brained. I managed to find almost everything that the sub used and put back differently (differently, mind you, not badly), and what I couldn't find, I managed to do without.

The kids - even my normally stoic boys - were quite generous with their hugs and notes of adoration. Between the excitement of my return and the frustration of a week+ of rain, they were chattier than I like, but that will smooth itself out as they adjust to me again. I was called by my sub's name repeatedly, but that, too, shall pass.

I had a hard time confining myself to my little stool by my desk. Normally, I wander around the room constantly. After about an hour of that, I realized that I was going to have to pace myself. Each time I realized that I was just wandering, I would tell myself to go back to my desk. It would work for a few minutes and then I would find myself wandering around again. It's a good thing I am on the teacher side of the whole classroom situation! The principal came in after lunch to check on how I was doing and remind the kids to make me take it easy. They will, too!

I have already used the kidney to get something I wanted from the kids. (All in fun, of course!) One little boy was complaining that he had to do something and I told him "Think of my poor kidney!" It worked like a charm. He laughed and did as he was asked. I suspect that for the rest of the year all requests will be coming from ghost of my kidney. "Please get out your math - the kindey ghost wants to see it."

Oh, and one more funny thing. While I was gone, they lost the bathroom pass. My ever-creative sub told them to use the model of a kidney that we received from the visiting nephrologist. Now, when they have to pee, they go walking down the hall carrying a kidney. And they don't just grab it and go - they carry it reverently by the base, keeping it upright and safe. It is quite a sight to see!

I am feeling quite good, but I definitely noticed a decline in my energy level by lunchtime. I warned the kids to be extra good in the afternoons, since I will have less energy and consequently less patience. We'll see how that goes! Mostly, I just have to make sure that I get home early and take it easy in the evenings. It feels good to be just about back to normal again.

Why?

Why did I have to pick the day that I wore a thick wool sweater, had a malfunctioning heater (it had to have been 80 in my room), and was the recipient of many congradulatory hugs to forget deoderant?

Sheesh. You can't take me anywhere.

I blame it on too many weeks of not having to go out in public.

Flashback

I'll give you three guess as to what the weather is doing outside right now, and the first two don't count!

Just Do It

Okay...here's your chance to help even more than you already have! All you have to do is go over to Michele's blog and leave a comment. Just say that Soleil sent you. You don't even have to be witty or anything.

"But...", you are stammering, "I don't know Michele. And I much prefer to lurk. Why would I comment on a strange site?"

You will comment there because for every comment that Michele gets to the post entitles "The Tsunami Devestation" her pal from Sigmund, Carl, and Alfred is going to donate a dollar. Last I saw, there were 96 comments. Let's do what we can to increase that number, shall we?

Pretty please? :)

Dear Weatherman,

I understand that we are often suffering from droughts in this area of the world. I also understand that it technically IS the rainy season. I was just wondering if maybe we could get one day...heck, even half a day...of pure, unadulterated sunshine sometime soon. My batteries are running low and I am in danger of serious malfunction if they don't get recharged soon. Might I suggest spreading the downpours out? One a week during the winter months would be perfect. Anything to avoid a repeat of the solid week of rain we are currently "enjoying".

Longing for some dry heat,
Soleil

Illusions

Woke up with the vaguest of yicky feelings. I can't really pinpoint anything that feels bad, but it's there. You know that optical illusion where it shows you a bunch of squares and you see things at the corners that aren't really there and disappear when you look directly at them? That is how I feel. If I concentrate on any particular body part, it feels fine, but when I just unfocus my attention, I feel crappy.

Off to the couch. Have a nice day everyone.

More Pictures

Knitting:

Here's my very first knitting project! I am pretty proud of how neat and tidy my stitches are, but I obviously had no clue what I was doing as I flipflopped back and forth between styles.


And here is my cute little cell phone holder. The strap loops around the strap of my purse. I don't know how I ever lived without one. :)


Other Stuff:

Here's my new bedding. The sheets are wonderfully satin-licious and the comforter is super snuggly.


Meet Bubbles! He's the newest member of our household. He particularly likes riding the current created by the water filter. Unfortunately, he is, like all fish, a horrible liar.

Game Time!

Okay...the idea is to identify as many of the objects on the table as you can. Post your answers in the comments. Good luck! :)

Irony is...

...calling your nurse to get a note authorizing your return to work on the day that you feel LEAST capable of doing anything. Yep, it's time to get back to the classroom on Monday. I have been feeling great and I wasn't worried at all...until today. I think I have pushing too hard this week, what with the cleaning and vacuuming and visiting and going to the gym. Today was the first day in weeks that I actually had to take a nap, and it wasn't that I just wanted to...I really HAD to. I couldn't keep my eyes open for another second. So, tomorrow and Sunday will be dedicated to nothing but eating and sleeping (I heard from an expert on the subject that that was the way to feel better.), so that I can be in top form on Monday. I spent time today planning and organizing so that I will at least have half a clue what I am doing when I get there. Wish me luck!

Knitting Update

I have now completed a whole scarf and a cell phone holder. The scarf is either going to be bronzed in gold as my first knitting accomplishment or given to someone as a gift. Depends on whether I can find someone who would actually enjoy it (perhaps my neice?). The cell phone holder is attached to my purse and doing its job spectacularly. Hooray for learning a new talent! My next new talent should be learning how to operate the download function for the new camera. Then I could show you the fruits of my knitting labor in all their glory.

Simply Beautiful

Household Goal ~ Work on getting rid of unnecessary items in each room.

Living Room - check!
Hall Closets - check!
Guest Bath - check!
Master Bath - check!
Pantry - check!

I have been a whirlwind around here. All the rooms above have been cleansed of things that we don't use on a regular basis, including (but not limited to!) a peanut butter maker, 339 half-empty bottles of lotion/shower gel/hand soap/shampoo/expired prescriptions, several miles of phone cord and cable wires each, and about 7 old toothbrushes. Each room has also gotten a thorough going over with a dustrag and the vacuum. I have cleaned places that haven't seen daylight since we moved in. We may not be living a "simple" life just yet, but we're getting closer, and in the meantime, it looks DAMN GOOD in here!

Multiple Choice Pop Quiz (or Yes, I'm feeling a little bitter today. Why do you ask?)

This quiz has been carelessly created just for you, so we may determine your understanding of the arbitrary standards that we here at Testing Headquarters have decided are important. Our research shows that the best way to manipulate the system in our financial favor test understanding is to use poorly worded multiple choice questions with complicated and contradictory directions. So, please remember to bubble in the circle that corresponds with the correct answer completely with a #2 green pen purchased within a mile of a McDonald's (Failure to follow all directions fully will result in automatic public embarassment and the feeding of your test to a wild goat.). Your future acceptance here at Rambling with Isha will be greatly affected by the outcome of this test for which you have been ill-prepared, but we here at Testing Headquarters hope that you will forget about that for the moment and do your very best. We don't want the substantial reward of a million dollars for success or the horrifying punishment of lifetime banishment to affect your thinking process in any way. Good luck. :)

Soleil did not forget to attend a meeting about "at-risk" students. She presented the following query: "So what do I DO for those students who don't qualify for help academically? How do I help the ones who are failing because of the particulars of their home lives?" Please circle the the answer that you think is the least wrong.

A. "Well, we are working on getting a system set up that will help us identify these students earlier and gathering some data that will help us provide the assistance that is most beneficial to the greatest number of students."

3. "Kids like that fall through the cracks. There isn't much we can do."

<>. "Here's a list of county and state programs that are in place. If you need help communicating this information to the parents, let me know and we will arrange a meeting time that is convenient for all of us."

@. "The home life of a student is really the parents' responsibility."


**Please note that if you have a problem with the topic, editing, phrasing, or level of this question or its answer choices, you should know that we don't care. We here at Testing Headquarters know that it couldn't possibly be a problem with our test, so it must be you. Are you stupid or what? I'm sure that your local blog test agency would be happy to provide you with assistance, provided that you can prove there is an academic basis for your failure. Lack of success due to emotional, social, or economic issues are your problem. Good luck. :)

Props

C.Monks dedicated his latest post to Sandra Bullock, because of her incredible generosity. I am hoping that there are others with large amounts of money that they don't need (pretty much anyone who has been in a major motion picture or anyone who has made a top 40 hit) who step up to the plate as well.

I am going try to give those people a little love here in the next few days. Not that that will mean anything to them, but it's better than not thanking them at all. Please let me know if there is anyone who is deserving - famous or not. This is my list so far:

Amber and Ryan Hunt - Despite having two kids to raise (a common excuse for those who don't give - kids ARE expensive, after all), they managed to part with a substantial chunk of their earnings. Amber is also giving what spiritual assistance she can. Thank you, both.

Hamumu Software - It may not add up to the same as the big name companies can give, but Humumu is donating 25% of all sales for the month of January.

No Substance Software - I admit that I don't know much about this company, but what I have seen so far, impresses me. I have heard good things about the game, but what I really like is their attempts at improving the world.

Sandra Bullock - Just imagine if everyone who could afford it, gave this much...

Dooce.com - Dooce has the Google AdSense program set up on her blog. Through BlogAid, she will be giving all she earns in January to Red Cross. If you have a blog, you may want to think about joining her.

Wow. Poking around BlogAid, I found a list of blogs who are donating. I don't know most of these folks, but I want to give a big "THANK YOU" to all of them for caring.

If you are interested in donating:

BlogAid's list of agencies
Google's list of agencies
CNN's list of agencies
One click donating at Amazon.com

As Dooce (and I am sure many others) pointed out, the world supported us in our time of need, and now is the time for us to continue to circle. I know that there are always bills to pay and mouths to feed, but take a moment to compare what you have to what those in those devestated countries have right now. Please give what you can.

UPDATE: While I was in my favorite little ice cream shop (killing time before going to the gym, I'll have you know!), I learned that Doctors Without Borders has stopped taking donations for their tsunami relief fund. They said it was important for them to spend the money the way you intended and the $20 MILLION they have already received is all they can handle for this particular fund. They are asking those who still wish to donate to give to one of their many other funds. How honest. And how amazing. $20 million dollars. It's times like these when I actually like my species! :)

Helping Hand...

Obviously, my father knew what my goals were going to be and planned my Christmas present accordingly. I know this because I got a package in the mail today. It contained one perfect copy of Rise Up, Singing, a music fakebook I have been wanting for some time. This is going to help me a great deal with my guitar practice, because it contains just about every song I remember hearing played at friendly jam sessions with my family.

You see, I am a musical nitwit in an amalgamation of musical families. My father can sing. My mother can sing and play piano and dulcimer. My uncles and my daddy can sing and play a variety of guitars. My sister can play the flute, one brother can play the drums, and the other, the guitar. My parents friends - the adults I grew up with - can play drums and guitars and mandolins and saxaphones.

Although I took flute lessons and piano lessons and (as an adult) guitar lessons, I have always felt like the musical ugly duckling amongst my relatives. That didn't stop me from relishing the sing alongs that invariably began whenever people got together - often beside a roaring bonfire. Some of my best memories from my youth are of resting my head on my mother's lap, listening to folk songs fading one into the other. There are snippets of songs from Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Sally Rogers, and John Prine the bubble up in my head from time to time that I KNOW most people of my generation have never heard. For example:

It was late one night in the pale moonlight
and all the vegetables went on a spree.
They put out a sign that said "Dancin' at nine"
and all the admission was free.
...
Little tomato, agitator
shook the shimmey with the sweet potato.
And old man Garlic dropped dead with the colic
down at the barnyard dance - this morning -
down at the barnyard - early this morning -
down at the barnyard dance!

How many 26 year olds do YOU know that have even heard this song, much less had it running through their heads?

Um. What was my point? Oh, yeah. Despite always feeling slightly dim-witted about music, I have not given up on my attempts at learning a musical instrument. I know that I will never be great, but I have promised myself that I will eventually be capable of playing some of my old favorites on guitar. Thanks to my father, I now have a book-ful of those songs boiled down to their simplest. This is gonna be fun!

Bad Belly

Can I just tell you how irritating it is that my stomach chooses to tell me that it is hungry and I should eat by making me feel nauseated? As if that makes me want to eat! Stupid stomach.

Mayfly Revisited

OOh! How apropriate! As I started this post I was hearing these words...

Long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last.
~The Counting Crows~

Last year I participated in a little activity that asked you to sum up your year in 20 words or less. I found it while looking for last year's goals and I thought it might be fun to try it again.

I summed up 2003 like this.

2004
Things coming together. Family. Friends. Life.
Accidental balance. Coincidental joy.
Finding Peace within. Fighting Hate without.
Hope. Love. Growth. Bonsai.

The activity started here. I know it's not there anymore, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due as best I could.

GOAL!!!!!

I gave up on New Year's resolutions a long time ago. Setting a goal and then spending a year failing at it isn't my idea of a good time. However, for the last several years I have been taking time to pen a few goals. The important difference being that I don't have to flog myself with a wet noodle if I don't reach my goal. Even a little progress is something to be proud of. So, with no further ado, here are my goals for 2005:

Household Goals
~ Continue using the allowance system to get chores done. We seem to have found a system that gets enough done to keep me sane without causing strife between our two VERY DIFFERING ideas about how clean things should be.
~ Work on getting rid of unnecessary items in each room. I have a tendency to hoard things, mostly for sentimental reasons. Do I really need to keep that bottle of body wash that I don't like just because a very sweet student gave it to me as a gift? I don't think so, and it is time to do something about it.

Relationship Goals
~ Improve communications with family using the schedule that I developed some time ago. Rather than feeling obligated to use the telephone (which I hate), I should be using my newly freed up evenings to write letters and make cards.
~ Continue the monthly "game night" we started with friends. Who would have thought that "going out" and "doing things" could be so fun?? :)

Teaching Goals
~ Complete BTSA (new teacher training program) and renew CA teaching credential. (Look into renewing WI cred. as well.) This includes talking to the credential expert at the district to make sure that I have fulfilled all requirements.
~ Take a class on how to teach writing, especially narrative writing. This is a consistent weak spot for my teaching. I have confidence in my ability to make social studies and science interesting. I trust myself to instill a love of reading, and I have even developed a surprising competence with teaching math (understanding their confusion and fear helps a bunch!). Teaching the art of writing, however, leaves me in a cold sweat. I have this sneaking suspicion that the 5th grade teachers can all recognize students who were in my class by their rambling prose.

Learning Goals
~ Continue to study Spanish at home. I want to keep this informal and relaxed, since I know exactly what will happen if I start feeling pressured. I have very little patience for my own failures.
~ Resume taking formal guitar lessons, with the specific intent of learning to play "Happy Birthday" and a patriotic song (preferably My County 'Tis of Thee or America the Beautiful) that I can use in my class. This has to be formal because I don't have the knowledge base to teach myself and I have yet to find a computer program that will do the job.

Health Goals
~ Maintain weight. I am not unhappy with where I am (especially since I lost about 5 pounds in the process of giving the kidney), but I don't really want to gain anything.
~ Work out 3 times weekly. We were doing a good job of going to the gym fairly regularly before the surgery and it is time to pick that up again.
~ Continue vegetarian diet for another year. I have started taking a multi-vitamin so that I don't have to worry about my iron levels. We have also decided to start using our cookbooks more often so that we aren't stuck in the Spaghetti/Macaroni/Frozen Ravioli/Canned Soup rut anymore.

Financial Goals
(personal)
~ Earn at least $25 dollars spending money through chores each week. This is easy as long as I actually DO some chores, rather than sitting around on my lazy butt all weekend.
~ Set aside 1/2 of weekly earnings for donations/gifts to others.
(household)
~ Donate more money to charity. This is pretty vague, but we haven't gone over our finances closely enough to set an actual amount. This WILL be happening soon.
~ Adjust finances to find current income and revamp savings plan. This is something we do every January. I am actually quite impressed with our ability to plan financially.

Fun Goals
~ Have at least one craft project going at all times. I am going to use the time previously wasted on television for something useful and creative. Current projects include knitting and cross-stitching.
~ Take a trip to Mexico during spring break. I truly enjoyed being in Mexico the two times I went with my family, but this time we are going to be as un-touristy as possible. I want to see Mexico, not the inside of a resort designed to look like home.


**I spent some time searching my January archives, looking for my previous goals, and I can't find them. But I did find that I had some interesting things to say on a variety of subjects. How woulda thunk it? Of course, by "interesting" I mean "I wrote some stuff that doesn't sound stupid to me a year or two later". You might think differently.

Sol-cicle

I am really wondering what temperature you all set your thermostats at. We are having a bit of a debate about where ours should be. The trouble is balancing the need to limit the amount of fossil fuels we are burning up with the need to maintain a semi-comfortable body temp. I don't mind wearing layers, but I draw the line at beaking out my Mukluks for indoor use. Please tell me what is normal so we can figure out which of us is being unreasonable.

Feelin' Groovy

Things I noticed today:

1. On our trip around the block, I was standing completely upright and walking at my normal speed.

2. It doesn't feel like I am pressing on bruised muscles when I sit.

3. My stomach feels (but doesn't really look) smaller.

4. I can sit up using only my stomach muscles.

It has taken nearly 5 whole weeks, but the muscles in my abdomen seem to be returning to normal. Everything else has been wonderful for weeks, so this is really the last thing keeping me from being my old self. Hooray! I can now spend the next week working up my stamina a bit and I will be happy as a clam when I return to school.

Out and About

Mikey and I spent last night (and the surrounding hours) with his family. A splendid time was had by all. Except maybe his neice, who was suffering from double ear infections and bronchitis. We played games, ate food, and laughed until we cried. It was quite satisfactory.

In other news, we had a shopping spree on Tuesday that leaves me giddy with pleasure at all the goodies and shuddering with shame at my gluttonous greed. Many of my New Year's goals revolve around freeing myself from the need for things. In the meantime, I will enjoy my new digital camera, my pile of new novels, and all my new sewing materials. And I have to admit, I am having a ton of fun with our new plug and play video game. What can I say? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. During the day, we will prepare by going over our finances and tweaking our budget system, as well as developing our new goals. The evening will be devoted to games and movies. There will be jalepano poppers, mozzarella sticks, and sparkling cider involved. We'll stay up until midnight, but we'll be sound asleep by 12:30. What will YOU be doing when the ball drops?

Unexpected Side Effect

My belly button is no longer the same as it was pre-surgery. It used to be pinched all the way around - looking remarkably like one of those cloth covered buttons. Now, it is pinched on the bottom, but the top has come all undone. It just goes straight from the button part to my stomach. Personally, I think they should warn a girl before they go messing with her belly button.

Vedddy Eeenterestink...

I started re-reading Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon the other night. I remember not liking this story very much the first time I read it and I thought it was time to give it another shot. I read about 15 pages before tossing it to the bedside table with a distrustful glance. Like Joey and The Shining (also a Stephen King book...hmmm...), I was tempted to put it in the freezer for the night. The next morning, I got up, dressed, and made the bed, carefully ignoring the book. Although I eventually picked it up again, I only did so during daylight hours.

Some of you may be thinking, "So what? King's books are supposed to be scary." Well, this is one of only two of his books that inspire actual fear in me. I am a loyal King fan and I have read a very large portion of his publications, but it is not the horror that draws me. Instead it is the people and their interactions with each other that I most enjoy. King is a master of the character study. Sure, I worry for the ka-tets that I meet in each story. They are succeptable to the spooks and goblins that King creates. I am not. I can easily close my eyes and dream sweet dreams just minutes after finishing a horrifying encounter with Randall Flagg because I know he's not real.

In reading The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, however, I find my heart pounding with fight-or-flight adrenaline despite the fact that I couldn't care less about the main character. In fact, I would have to go look up her name. It is the forest - beautiful, dangerous, unnoticing - that makes it hard for me to sleep. Mother Nature, in all her glory, is what inspires fright in this Devoted Reader. The boogeyman might not be real, but lightening strikes, carniverous animals and well-hidden cliffs overlooking rocky fields are.

Now, don't misunderstand me. It isn't that I don't like nature. I am a big fan of everything that is out there - waves crashing on a pebble strewn beach, ribbons of sandstone stacked one on top of the other in the hot desert sun, icy expanses filled with puffin and polar bear. Raised in the the woods of northern Minnesota, forests happen to be one of my favorite things. I love the majestic pines and the twittering birds, the fiddler ferns and the buzzing mosquitoes. Okay - maybe not the mosquitoes so much, but I am not generally afraid of the out-of-doors.

You don't have to be afraid of nature to respect it, though. Just this weekend, people all over the continent of Asia were reminded just how powerful Mother Nature really is. One minute everything is fine, and the next, your country is underwater. There is nothing vindictive or premeditated about it. Despite our attempts at anthropomorphizing her, Mother Nature doesn't care about us, one way or the other. When you get right down to it, that makes it all the more frightening to me, because no matter how nice you are to her, she'll cut you down if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trisha (I remembered her name after all) goes so far as to clean up the shell of the hard boiled egg that she ate several hours after wandering off the hiking trail. Does that provide her with any kind of leverage when the rains come? Nope. There is no mercy when you are dealing with nature, no sweet talking yourself out of a difficult situation.

I have read books about murderers and aliens, rabid dogs and little girls with telekinetic powers. I have faced zombies and demonic automobiles and giant spiders (always with the spiders!) without missing a beat. You want to scare me? Set me in the middle of a forest with nothing but the mercies of Mother Nature to protect me. I'll be shaking in my boots, because I know there is no such thing. Apparently, so does Stephen King.

PS - The other King book that really scares me is Gerald's Game. But that's another visit to the couch entirely...

Can You Tell?

I spent several hours this afternoon revamping the site. Nothing major, just a little touching up here and there. Any comments or suggestions?

Yesterday was a first in my life. We stayed home and made our own Christmas. We thought ahead of time about how to incorporate the things that we most enjoyed from our childhoods and then just focused on having a good time together. Some things that will be becoming tradition:

~ finding unique, fun ways to replicate a Christmas tree without scaring the kitties or killing an actual tree
this year we used a 12" tree that was made by a student of mine last year

~ watching holiday themed movies, preferably of the comedic genre
our current favorites: Elf and The Hebrew Hammer, we also watched Bad Santa, and although I thought it interesting, I don't know if I will watch it again. Next year, we add The Nightmare Before Christmas and any others we can think of.

~ making Monkey Bread for breakfast
must remember to make the dough the night before next year, also pour extra butter over dough before baking, and be sure to check doneness physically instead of visually

~ forgoing Christmas gifts and exchanging stocking stuffers with hubby instead
somehow, this was more enjoyable. Perhaps because I was able to get lots of little things I knew he would like rather than spending HUGE amounts of money on a game, not knowing if it was the one he wanted most

~ finding gifts for the kids that are somehow environmental or educational rather than just noisy and plastic-y
we adopted animals (donated money for the care and protection of different species) for each of the nieces and nephews this year

An event that I would like to avoid making into a tradition:

~ crippling injuries
Mikey managed to throw out his back putting on a shirt first thing in the morning and spent the rest of the day unable to turn his head or sit up unassisted. Fortunately, I am better enough that I was able to do all the moving for both of us. It was nice to be able to repay him (a fraction of what is owed) for all the help he has given me. He is feeling much better now.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!

Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to complete the following steps:
~ find someone you love and give them a HUGE hug,
~ sing along with your favorite carol,
~ do a happy dance at least once today,
~ and act as childlike (as opposed to childISH) as possible.

Peace be with you all.

Such a Spaz

Okay, I have gotten over the freakfest that was yesterday. I decided to call the Mayo guys and talk to them before making an appointment. After all, I was 99.9% sure that I was being a big baby about the whole thing. The doctor listened to what I had to say and told me that it was all part of the normal healing process and that I should relax and enjoy my holidays. So I am.

PS - I got tired of waiting for the steri-strips to fall off, so I gently removed every last one! It felt good.

2 Reasons for Making a Doctor's Appointment

1. One of the poke holes that they made for the laproscopic gadgets is really bothering me. Several days ago, it barely bothered me at all. Now, it aches all the time and has shooting pains when I bend or stretch. It may be nothing, but I don't like the idea of having more, rather than less, pain as time passes. It seems counter-intuitive to me.

2. My incision is healing well and not hurting at all. Most of it is smooth and nearly seamless with much of the scabbing already falling off. However, the very right side has a very small bulge. It may just be extra scar tissue, but given that the spider induced sit-up caused the most pain in this very area, I am a little bit wary.

I am probably being a baby and it will be a waste of time and money, but I would rather be safe than sorry. For this same reason, I am also considering taking my final week of recovery time off school. I was hoping I could go back right after the break, but I would much rather take the time to heal properly than go back early and than have to take more time off later when I mess something up. We'll see. I suspect Mikey is ready for me to get back to work! :)

In an age of selfishness and greed, a generation of "What's in it for me?" kids, I have the pleasure of knowing some of the most giving, selfless kiddos there are. I was shown just how wonderful some people are just yesterday.

"Mrs. A"'s son, "B", is in my class. Her younger son, "C", also attends our school. When she heard that I would be having sugery and unable to do much afterwards, Mrs. A commented that she would bring her boys over to help out if I needed her to. Thinking that it was a wonderful offer, I accepted, fully expecting that it would be forgotten. No! Yesterday, they came over and spent an hour weeding my front flower bed, much improving the front side of my house. As they dug and pulled, we talked and laughed. The boys were cheerful and helpful and darling. "B" was just thrilled to be AT THE TEACHER'S HOUSE, and the most either of them wanted in return was a chance to pet the kitties. There was no asking for anything, although they did hint that they would enjoy playing our Dreamcast.

I told them repeatedly how wonderful it was that they were so willing to help someone who was in need and that I was very proud of them. I also gave them Snapple, candycanes, one of Mikey's games, and the chance to pet-sit a hermit crab for the next week or so. (That last one was really more of a gift for me, though!)

Perhaps I shouldn't have given them so much. After all, it would be a shame to take such selfless kids and make them think that you should get stuff when you do good...but I happen to think that you DO get stuff in return for giving without expectation of getting. It isn't always something tangible, like a Snapple or a hermit crab, but the universe has a way of repaying you for the things you do.

I miss...

...touching my toes.

...sneezing with confidence.

...sexy underwear.

...rolling over in my sleep.

...going to the gym.

...being able to suck in my gut.

...my tight-fitting jeans.

...acting without first judging the amount of discomfort it will cause.

...running - hell, even walking fast.

...getting things from the floor or the top shelf.

...looking at something behind me without turning my whole body.

I can't wait until these things start to return. I am deeply grateful that they WILL be returning. :)

All is Well

I bravely walked into the Vampire Lady's den again this morning. But rather than walking out frustrated and angry, I left happy that I had achieved my goal AND made peace with VL herself. For once, she made me feel as though she really did care about helping me. We found a mutually acceptable solution to the problem at hand and all was made right with the world. At least the part of the world that contains me, a blood draw kit, and the lab.

Whooooot!!

AMY is HOME!!!!

And before Christmas, too! Read all about it here.

Is It Too Late To Quit?

I was supposed to have blood drawn today. It didn't happen. I was unable to jump through all the hoops and wade through all the BS before the 12 o'clock deadline. You see, at noon, the Vampire Lady goes out for her lunch and doesn't return until AFTER the FedEx pickup time. This was all carefully planned so as to make my life as miserable as possible.

I headed over to the VL's den this morning, a little bit angry because I knew she was going to make me do the shipping myself, but resigned to doing it because of how royally she had screwed up the last time. Since she already knew that I was going to be pissy about paying her the extra $10 to ship and handle when I was going to be doing that part myself, she decided to call someone to find out how to deal with it. Hmm. It turns out that she CAN'T give me the blood and tell me to ship it myself. Which makes perfect sense and was the problem I had with the whole thing in the first place. Anyway, she told me that in order for her to ship it for me, I had to have a special bag for her to put it in. Again, makes perfect sense. My only question is if she runs a medical laboratory how can she NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF BAG?????? I left the lab (having been told that I would need to be back by noon) feeling irritated. I called Mikey, vented, and headed over to a FedEx shipping location that he knew of.

So, I got to the Postal Annex only to be told (by a very sympathetic girl, by the way) that they didn't have this kind of bag either and that I would probably have to drive to the other side of town where there is a FedEx hub. I knew where this hub was because of the last time when I had to personally take my blood there and pay $30 to get it to Mayo after the VL screwed up. By this stage, I was frustrated, tired and not a little sore. I again called Mikey, who suggested that I return home and let him help me - something I was only too happy to do, since I was on the verge of tears.

At home, we decide that maybe we should try for a different lab, having absolutely no faith in the current one. I called around and learned two things. One, I am an idiot. And, two, labs don't do this kind of thing. Three calls later, I have been insulted, annoyed, and told that what I am asking is impossible by three different labs. You would think that noone ever had to have blood shipped to the Mayo - only one of the biggest hospitals in the country. No wonder the hotel industry is doing so well there. Apparently ANYONE who has to have blood work sent there travels there to do it. This was my breaking point. After several teary breakdowns and a string of curse-words later, I gave up and went back to Plan A - finding the materials needed to get the VL to ship my blood for me.

Not wanting to make a special trip all the way across town (might not sound like much to you, but traffic here sucks and I feel like crap at this point) only to find that they didn't have what I needed, I decided to call the FedEx hub first. A very clever plan, if I must say so myself, except for one thing - I couldn't find the number ANYWHERE. Not the yellow pages, not the white pages, not the internet, nowhere. I finally ended up calling FedEx customer service where a WONDERFUL woman listened to my frantic story and explained the whole process to me clearly and calmly. When I thanked her profusely for being the one ray of hope in my whole frustrating day, she even offered to call ahead and make sure that they would have what I needed. *Sigh* She probably thought I was crazy, given the emphasis with which I thanked her. I was ready to burst into tears again - this time from sheer relief.

Darling Mikey packed me into the car and drove me to the hub, where he carefully protected me from more frustration and the attendant from me. We not only managed to get everything we needed (a diagnostic bag and a FedEx Express form), but only sent the box containing Christmas gifts off to my dad and his wife. When we got back to the car it was exactly 12 o'clock, and since I am not yet proficient at Apparating, we had to give up for the day. Which is just as well because I was in no mood to face the Vampire Lady again.

Tomorrow, I will go first thing in the morning and get this over with. At least until next month. Which reminds me - I didn't pick up any extra bags or forms. Dang it all!

Well, Get It Off Me!

When I left the hospital, they told me not to lift anything over 10 pounds for the first two weeks and then slowly build up after that. My biggest concern regarding this restriction is that my own body weight is SIGNIFICANTLY more than 10 pounds and I have been afeared of sitting up using just my stomach muscles. I have done lots of flopping around like a fish and levering myself up with strategically placed hands, arms, and elbows. I have been wondering when is the right time to start using those muscles on their own again. Well, let me tell you, nothing encourages use of stomach muscles like being in a prone position on the couch, seeing your big, manly husband twitch violently, and hearing him say "IT'S ON YOU!".

Several minutes later, we have rescued the poor, hapless spider who dropped in our midst and learned that I am not quite ready to be doing sit-ups yet. Ouch.

Whew.

Bubbles managed to survive the night without being molested by curious kitty cats. Hermie was just barely rescued from a dramatic drop off the entertainment center at the claws of a certain orange terror. Hermie decided it would be best to spend the night locked in the bathroom to avoid another such incident. Both newbies have been studiously ignored by all veteran pets during daylight hours.

I Am.

Very Tired Today.

What was I thinking?

The next time I talk about getting a classroom pet, somebody smack me. I can't imagine what I was thinking. Not only are they distracting during class time, but you have to remember to feed the darn things and you have to feel guilty if they die (something fish and hermit crabs are really good at, it seems). And of course, there is the hassle of taking care of them during vacation time.

Mikey and I went to school this morning and spent a good hour cleaning out the fish tank and taking the sole surviving fish home with us. We then spent another hour setting up a tank at home for him. The sole surviving hermit crab also came home with us, although his habitat is a little more relocatable. All so that I wouldn't have to go to school every day to feed them. ONE FISH AND ONE HERMIT CRAB. Ugh.

Okay, so I whine about it, but I am also a little enamored with the site and sound of a fish tank in our living room. We always had one while I was growing up and I find it very soothing. Bonsai finds it very tempting. This little guppy might end up staying with us. He is a hardy little fella (one of the original three and only survivor of the 9 we have had in our room this year), but I think that some goldfish might be better suited to the classroom setting. The hermit crab on the other hand is evil (he ATE several of his roommates) and will be returning to school as soon as possible.

By Request

Here are some of the poems in the book given to me by my students. Please keep in mind that they are in 4th grade and that they did these completely on their own without any adult influence. :)

Roses are red
Violets are blue,
Teachers are great
And so are you!!!
Because you are the #1 teacher
In the whole school.


Roses are read
Violets are bluee
There is love and hope for you
I hope you feel better
That's why I wrote this letter


Marvelous
Rich
Smart
Happy
Outstanding
Matters to everyone
Math helper
Education
Loving


Every day Mrs. H brightens up our day.
With a pretty smile that hides away the pain.
Anyway, I hope to see you soon but when you
come to school beware of the children around you.
Get ready for the biggest hug you have ever had!


Merry
Royal
Smart
.
Happy
Outstanding
Magnificent
Mannered
Excellent
Loyal


Roses are red
Vilots are blue
You're our teacher
And we miss you.

As you can see, they are still working on developing their individual styles...but they are very sweet.

Before the Break There is Chaos

I shouldn't even tell any of you this, because I am sure I will get yelled at, but today I spent the whole day at school. I got there at 9:05 - just in time to hear the names of my kiddos who were being celebrated - and left at about 4:30 - after spending the whole day getting hugged and loved on by my darlings. I got so many gifts that I couldn't lift them into the car by myself and I had the bestest of times seeing book presentations and watching the White Elephant Gift Exchange. I got to say hello to all my buddies that I won't get a chance to see again until the new year and I got lots of walking exercise. Aside from the first and last days, this is always my favorite day of school. The work is all done, there is fun to be had, and everyone is in a festive mood.
Perfection.
And I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Tomorrow, I will be resting and I will continue to do so as long as my body requires it. So, don't worry about me...I promise to be good from now on!

PS - My best gift was a set of poems that my students wrote about me and pasted into a beautiful journal. It is quite sweet.

Holiday Hint #24

When making your own Christmas cards, it is good to keep in mind that you are going to have to send the finished product to your grandmother.

So, keep it clean!

Pathetic

I always have nightmares before an important day, especially if I am required to be somewhere be a certain time. I always spend the night before having all sorts of rediculous problems that result in me being late to my very important date. You would think this would be a problem I could avoid for the weeks that I have NOTHING to do. But no.

Last night's nightmare was all about how I was missing the holiday feast that my students were having on the last day before Winter break. I kept losing track of what day it was. And, as if that weren't bad enough, when I would wake up between repetitions, I couldn't figure out what day it really was, so I would fall right back into the same dream. It took a good five minutes after I really woke up to straighten it all out in my head. Fortunately, the part is tomorrow. I'm not late. Yet.

Finally

I have finally, and rather belatedly, started getting into the Christmas spirit. I justify the delay be saying that between frantically preparing for and slowly recovering from the surgery, I just didn't have the time to think about what time of year it was. Oh, and the fact that it has been in the high 70's all week hasn't helped much either. It feels like June. Anyway, as I said, I have finally gotten the bug.

I finished my shopping, such that it was, the other night (all online - no malls, no hassles). The gifts that are here are nearly finished being wrapped, and the ones that are on the way will be wrapped as soon as they hit my front door. I am gearing up to decorate as soon as my darling hubby gets the boxes down from the closet shelf - I would do it myself, but I'm still on lifting restrictions. I'm looking forward to draping our living room with ribbons and lights and homemade ornaments.

Spoiled

There are some things you can never go back to...

- a dial-up connection after DSL,
- Hershey's chocolate after authentic German chocolate (or so they tell me),
- a 2 kidney body after donating one to a beloved cousin,

and most obvious to me this evening...

- watching movies on TV after getting used to NetFlix.

I can't tell you how annoying it is that the TV big-wigs have been controlling my pee-breaks and tea getting all evening while I watched "Liar, Liar". Not to mention all the interrupting and censoring of swear words.

Cat Logic

My baby Bonsai missed me while I was gone. He's just a baby (just over 8 months) and he was the one who was the most overtly affectionate when we returned. He even started jumping onto my lap, which would be really sweet, if he would just choose a different place to do it. Because he can't seem to figure it out anywhere besides the bathroom. That's right. Lately, I take a pee with a 10 pound ball of orange fur purring at me.

I have become a crazy cat lady.

More about My Health

I know you are all sick to death of listening to me talk about how I feel, but this is my blog and that is all I think about these days, so that's the way it goes.

Today was a big step on the staircase to recovery. In the days right after the surgery I was amazed at how much better I felt each morning. Then I got home and things seemed to plateau a bit. I have 2 or 3 days of feeling pretty much the same and then suddenly make a leap. Today was one of those leaps.

I tossed and turned last night, as usual, looking for a comfortable position, but I woke up feeling better than ever. I am finding myself needing less and less assistance in getting up from a prone position, which tells me that my stomach muscles are starting to do some of their fair share of the work. I got myself some breakfast and then I worked on writing out certificates for the students in my class who are going to be recognized this Friday. The sub could have done it, but it means more for it to come from me. I was feeling so good when I finished that little project that I started working on the massive pile of "thank you" cards I have to write. Still feeling energetic, I decided to take the certificates over to school myself.

I'm sure if you have ever had to recover from something, you know that the most tiring thing isn't necessarily going somewhere, but having to explain to people over and over how you are feeling. This was one of the reasons I had previously avoided going to school during working hours. I knew I would have to go over the whole procedure with each person who I met in the halls, not a bad thing, just a tiring one. And so it went. I saw tons of people, got lots of hugs, and answered the question "How are you feeling?" about a zillion times.

I then spent a little time with my students. They were in the process of studying for tomorrow's social studies test, so I let them go on with their work, but several of them kept looking back at me and smiling. They took great pride in showing off all the information they had learned in my absence. (I can't say strongly enough how much I appreciate my sub. She did a fabulous job.) As they left for lunch, I had a joyful little crowd around me, each wanting to give me a hug and tell me some of their news. I had forgotten how many of them there were and how sweet they all are. It was WONDERFUL.

The remaining visiting time was spent in the teacher's lounge, getting more hugs and chatting with my teammates. I missed that part of the day the most - the sharing of news and laughter. I am a social beast and being at home with only Mikey (exceptional though he may be) and the cats doesn't quite fulfill my socialization needs. This was the perfect antidote to the cabin fever I have been suffering from. Plus it allowed Mikey some undisturbed work time, since I drove myself there and back. I am going back on Friday for a party of sorts and I am quite excited.

The rest of my day has been filled with reading a great series and watching an old musical (sheesh, there are some pretty archaic ideas in those things) as I wait for Mikey to finish his work day. Things are definitely looking up.

Hee hee

I got a shirt from Amy that says, in beautifully embroidered letters, "It takes guts to be a kidney donor". In return I am giving her this shirt. Mikey and I designed it ourselves.

You know,

It is rather annoying to have an upset tummy at the same time as a healing stomach incision, since it is difficult to tell which is bothering you at any given time.

Baby Steps

I felt better enough today to gather all the supplies I would need to keep myself entertained on a typical day off - books, water bottle, markers, light school work, thank you cards, kleenex, cell phone, hairbrush, stuffed kitty, pens/pencils, and the ever present bottle of Tylenol. I didn't use any of these things, but the act of gathering them as though I might seemed like a monumental step. Perhaps tomorrow when I don't have to waste the energy getting them together first...

Walkies!!!!

This morning Mikey and I walked around the housing development the long way. I needed a long nap afterwards, but it felt good to be doing something active. This afternoon, we walked around the block (the short way) as well. Again, it was nice to be in the fresh air. Also, I tried to cut my 2 Tylenol every 6 hours down to 1 every 6 hours, but there are aches and twinges in my back that suggest I'm not quite ready for it. Despite that, I am feeling quite good today. I was able to sit much more comfortably on the couch and even able to do some straightening up in the kitchen. Not to say that Mikey isn't doing a good job (He IS!), but it felt good to do something useful.

Best Friends Ever

I have the best friends in the whole world. They seem to "get" what I am all about and not only accept it, but enjoy it. Lucky me!

Yesterday, one of my friends called me up and asked if she could bring me anything. For a brief moment, I was afraid that she meant bringing me food that I would feel guilty about (she is a much busier person that I and has no extra time for cooking me food), but she soon set me at ease by suggesting that she bring over some of the books she had enjoyed. That alone would have made my day, but when she arrived I saw that most of them were mystery/detective type stories with interesting female lead characters. Only, like, my favorite kind of book!

And then today another friend (the one who is covering my class for me while I am out) dropped by with a bag full of musicals for me to borrow. We had once chatted about musical and she figured I would need a break from all the reading I was doing. She even remembered which ones I said I hadn't seen.

See? Very cool friends. I hope I can return the favors sometime.

Somebody HELP.

IT ITCHES!!!

Oh, and for those of you who might be tempted to make me feel better by reminding me that "itching is a good thing - it means things are mending", please be forewarned that that doesn't actually help with the INFERNAL ITCHING at all. I know, I know, good intentions and all, but at the moment I am daydreaming about having Wolverine-like claws. The better to scratch me with, my dear!

They say it's your birthday...

Or they do if you happen to be the adorable guy I call hubby. That's right, the Mikey is starting another lap around the sun today and I want you all to be sure to send him a birthday thought. He's handling this one fairly well considering it is the big three-oh. I would have enjoyed doing something big and exciting for him, but the timing didn't work out well and he wouldn't have liked it anyway, so instead we opened some presents this morning and had lunch at Chili's this afternoon. I have promised a home-cooked meal and other more traditional goodies when I am feeling better. For now I just hope that he knows just how fabulous I think he is.

Many happy returns of the Day, Mikey. My shoes hurt!

The Healing

My incision is itching like a mother-father. The left side is splitting just the tiniest bit on occasion. Nothing to worry about, but annoying all the same. There is still an angry, maroon bruise along the length of the upper half, but most of the other bruising has reached that sickly yellow-green stage that means it is just about gone. I have gone to taking nothing but Tylenol for the pain and it seems to be going well. The big shadow bruise on my left hand is nealy gone and doesn't hurt at all anymore. My poke-holes are pretty well healed on the surface but continue to pain me a little inside. That is still the more sensitive side although I still wonder if it isn't the visual of a big, empty spot that bothers me most. I am walking up-right once again (although when I am not paying attention, I still curl up protectively out of habit rather than pain). I continue to sleep 12 hour nights with a 1-2 hour nap about half-way between. My appetite is still subdued - I feel stuffed to the point of pain after eating about 1/2 what is normal for me - but that isn't really a bad thing. All in all, I am quite satisfied with how things are progressing, although I am still not getting anything done. It is just too irritating to have to do everything in slow motion and bending over is still an off-limits move. I am hoping that once I reach the 2 week mark (Monday) I will be able to start doing more. I had hopes of getting birthday and Christmas cards out as well as finishing up the tiny bit of Chrismas shopping I am going to do. We'll see.

The Physical and the Emotional

You know how Amy had leakage from her incision? Well, since that happened I have become quite nervous about my own incision. This is not helped by the fact that my right side remains much more swollen than the left and my whole abdomen continues to be swollen and tender. I called the Mayo today and talked to a nurse coordinator (mine being off today, of course!) who said that things were probably just fine, but that it wouldn't hurt anything to go see my regular doctor. She mostly said this after I told her that I was unable to control the pain with just Tylenol, something she said I should be able to do by now. So, I called and made an appointment with my local doctor for Monday afternoon and then I took a nap. I am going to see if the Tylenol isn't more effective if I take it regularly (harder to do in the night when I am sleeping) during the day in the meantime. Mostly I just need to be careful not to freak myself out about the things in my head.

I noticed while I was talking to the nurse that I was on the brink of tears. It seems that there is some emotional flotsam and jetsome floating around in my head afterall. I was starting to wonder. It seems to be linked most strongly with the continued discomfort and boredom that comes from forced relaxation. Unfortunately, the idea of crying still seems too physically painful! Guess that will have to wait for some time.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

The queen proclaims that all her subjects must read the book "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. She finds it a desctiptive, thoughtful story complete with an interesting bit of jolt at the end.

The queen is now going to begin reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".

That is all.

The Sun is Shining!

I am happy to see it after the cloudy, rainy day we had yesterday. It always perks my spirits up to see that big, warm square of sunlight lounging on my living room floor. Good stuff, I tell you.

Talked with my dad this morning - always a good way to start the day. It was a great conversation (at least from my perspective, but I may not have been all the way awake. i hope i made a little sense!), but there was some bad news. The other cat lovers who stop by here on occasion will understand the sorrow they are feeling due to the death of a feline family member. Please send them comforting thoughts.

Also, I realized that I forgot to thank Pam for the comfort items that she gave me. I think I mentioned the pillow that I had on the plane that made the whole trip comfortable. Pam got that for me. And I am not sure that I have told you about the stuffed kitty that I carried with me nonstop after the surgery. That kitty helped me feel like my remaining guts were going to stay in place while I took my first lap around the nurses' station. Pam got that kitty for me, too. She also helped my Daddy get to Rochester. For all these things that comforted me so much, I say thank you. Thank you very much. You're good people. :)

Uneventful

Spent the day doing nothing. Took nap. Ate food. Watched movie. Read book. Having trouble keeping track of when I last took my pain meds, because they are so few and far between now. Not very comfortable. Will be glad when I can stretch again. And sit up easily. Must do something useful tomorrow. Maybe. Goodnight.

Errors and Praise

ERROR:
It turns out that I was wrong. A two hour nap proved that I was still capable of sleeping.
PRAISE:
Mikey is cooking my lunch - mac and cheese with peas - like a good boy. He has been an absolute angel through this whole ordeal. Cooking and cleaning and lifting and carrying and babying me to no end. I wouldn't have had the nerve to do this without him and I certainly couldn't have recovered from it without him. Amy is darn lucky that I married such an awesome man!

BORED

Yep. Already.

See, the thing is that I have done all the sleeping I can possibly do and there is still 63% of the day left. I have eaten a bowl of cereal/glass of OJ, petted the cats, and read some blogs. I am too sore to sit comfortably (which takes away most of my entertainment - TV, books, sewing, guitar), too limited in my lifting to do the laundry or cleaning that could be done, and too awake to do any more sleeping. What is a girl to do?

The problem mostly comes from cutting back on my pain meds. I am down to 1/2 a dose every 7 or 8 hours. I thought this would be a good thing since I prefer knowing just how my body is actually feeling to the numbness that comes from doping it up, but it turns out that the wonderfully healing sleep I was getting from my multiple naps was coming straight out of that amber bottle. So now I am still only slightly uncomfortable, but I don't have the pleasure of dozing away hours of that discomfort at a time.

Okay. That's done with now. No more whining. I am actually really happy with how I am feeling. I was worried that cutting back on the meds would make it hurt more, but it really doesn't. I am able to sit, stand and lie down, but only for short periods of each at a time. I am able to lie on either side now, although the right side is definitely less sensitive. I am still not walking fully upright - I look a bit like Lucy - but I am not shuffling nearly as much as I used to. Things are progressing exactly the way they should be for me.

Amy Update:
Although most of her numbers are looking good, her white blood cell count is still elevating and they haven't figured out why. Hopefully, the results of the biopsy and blood tests that they did yesterday will clue them in and help them get things under control. It seems that Amy also had some trouble with her incision yesterday. I guess there was a bleeding bruise or something like that and it started leaking out between the stitches. It turns out it isn't anything to worry about, but I am sure it was a little disconcerting. I will let you know when I find out anything about the remaining test results. I am desperately hoping that the latest crossmatch comes back negative.

Back Home

Wow. Yesterday was a flurry of motion and activity.

We got up at 6:30 so we could go do a blood draw at 7:00. Unlike on the weekends, the lab on Monday mornings is busy! We waited around for nearly an hour before we could leave. Returning to the hotel room, I napped while the guys got things packed up. I wasn't feeling very well at all and the nap was quite refreshing.

We checked out at about 10:00 and headed to the Twin Cities where we stayed for a few hours with my Aunt Kate. She fed us grilled cheese sammies and tomato soup for lunch and let us nap on her couch. It was quite relaxing and pleasant.

Around 3:30, we got to the airport where the SkyCap guy allowed us to bribe him out of making us pay for the (4 lbs) overweight bag we had. We managed to wrangle a wheelchair ride for me to the gate. We got to go through a special security gate and everything! I remembered to wear my TED socks for the flight - in fact, they kept my legs nice and warm despite the lack of blanket. The flight went spectacularly, and I wasn't even sore until the car ride home. Between leaning the seat back and using the smooshie pillow that Pam gave me, I was able to stay at pretty much the right angle.

The ride home from the airport was not quite as wonderful. The in-laws very kindly picked us up and their vehicle is more comfortable than most, but there was no leaning back to be had and my back muscles were pretty strained. By the time we actually got home, I was pretty sore and pretty tired. We were greeted by 3 adoring kitty-cats who didn't leave the room we were in until sometime this morning. Bonsai and Huzzah were especially attentive, wanting to sleep with us and on us during the night. I managed to keep my tummy protected AND get some of Bonsai's slobbery kitty kisses at the same time. How lucky am I? :) Oh, and I slept most of the night on one side or the other, something I wasn't able to do just 2 nights ago.

You would think that after all the napping I did all day long, that I would have had trouble sleeping, but that is not the case. We tucked ourselves in at about 10:00 last night and I didn't get up until about 5 minutes ago. I am feeling pretty good, but with a little more pain than I was having before. I decided that now that the travelling is done it's time to see how much I can cut back on the pain meds. For my last dose, I took a Tylenol and 1/2 a Perc. It isn't quite as effective as a whole Perc., but definitely managable. And this way I won't be trying to do too many things too soon. A healthy reminder of my limitations isn't a bad thing right now.

Woke up this morning...

and got myself a waffle.

I am once again feeling very good. I slept poorly last night until I moved myself out to the couch. Something about being cradled in the fold of the cushions was just the amount of comforting I needed. I slept until 9 and got up ready to eat a whole waffle! (Yesterday I could only handle 3/4 of one.)

The guys think that I must be feeling better because I made them straighten things up in here when we got back from breakfast. Actually, I didn't MAKE them do anything - I started straightening up myself and they tried to stop me. Now I am trying to figure out what we can do with the small amount of energy I have stored up. I want to get out of the hotel room and do something, but it has to be something that will allow me to sit down and rest any time I need to. Or stand up and stretch any time I need. We are considering a trip to the movies to see "The Incredibles", but I am worried about having to sit upright for 2 hours.

I'm sure this is all of interest to you, so I will be sure to let you know what we decide on. :)

Today's Update

I gave some blood this morning and they used it to do another crossmatch test. It seems that there was a bit of a reaction, meaning that Amy's system was starting to notice the foreign object tucked in next to her pelvic bone. They did a session of plasmapheresis as well as giving her some kind of IV drug. She will continue to do this for a couple of days and then have a biopsy on Tuesday. At this point it isn't anything to worry about, and they are glad that they caught it early.

I have been feeling fine. I had to get up quite early to do the blood draw, but I took a very long, very intense nap afterwards. I experimented with lengthening the time between doses of pain meds but decided that I'm not quite ready for that. If I wait longer than 6 hours, I get mighty uncomfortable. If I stay dosed up, though, I feel pretty good. Took the stairs up two flights again today as well as a long shower and a trip to Zorba's for lunch. A busy day for someone 6 days post-surgery.

Everything I Need to Know...

I am going to take a page from Amy's book and tell you some of the things that I have learned in the last week:

It is difficult to play board games from a prone position.

It is possible to get a shirt that says "It takes GUTS to be a kidney donor." And I look darn good in one.

After having a hole cut in your abdomen, a needle stick for a blood draw isn't so bad.

When you really need pain medication, it doesn't make you loopy.

Even if you really need it, pain medication can still wreak havoc on your powers of concentration
and organization of thought.

It is easier to handle pain when there are big positives connected to it.

Sleeping on your back is possible, but not really all that much fun.

Eventually, I can get tired of talking about myself.

Having an overfilled stomach is particularly unpleasant when your stomach is being held together with thread.

Laughter, while being the best medicine for you mind, can be incredibly painful for your body.

I am not at all concerned about having a 6 inch scar across my belly, but I am seriously hoping that the lopsidedness goes away.

I am not going to miss our cable television when it runs out this month. Not even a little bit.

And most of all...

I WAS RIGHT WHEN I TOLD PEOPLE THAT SEEING AMY FEELING BETTER WOULD MAKE ALL THIS WORTH WHILE.

Every time that I see her smile or hear her revel in eating something that was previously forbidden, it makes it that much easier to handle the little pain I have left. I'm thrilled that I can look at that happiness and know that I had something to do with it. If only I had more disposable body parts! :)

Amy's Site

If you are interested in knowing more about Amy's end of this whole process, you should go to her site. I know I told you this before, but this time I am going to tell you how to get there. Click on the link in the first sentence. Or simply type this address into your address bar:

http://amy.dflytech.com/

Enjoy.

Super Girl

I am feeling VERY good tonight. I have been alert and relatively active all afternoon. We took the elevator down to the lobby level to get the paper and then we took the stairs back up. And it didn't hurt at all. I am still walking a little hunched over, and it kills to laugh, but I am moving much faster than before.

I talked to my pal "A", who is currently on cat duty, and she said things are all very good at home. There is going to be a pile of mail and lots of little chore things to work on when we get back, but things are under control. It will be good to see the kitties. We miss them bunches.

Speaking of kitties, I also got some pics of the new kiddie. He is ADORABLE! His daddy looks quite proud and, if the picture ratio is true to life, seems to be spending lots of time gazing at his tiny son. Just as it should be. I am not going to try to do it now, but I will post a pic of the little guy when I get home and re-settled.

Surgery, Pt. 1

We got to the hospital at 5:30. This is even before the doors have officially opened! Thom and Kathy drove us there and Dad and Pam were there to meet us. Amy and crew showed up shortly. We checked in at the desk and were told to have a seat. We sat for a few minutes, making small talk and looking at each other. I was pretty stunned by the fact that the day had arrived, and everyone was pretty tired - neither hotel had decent coffee, much to the dismay of my coffee consuming family.

Amy was called first. She and her entourage had just disappeared down the hall, when my name was called. We gathered up our things and followed the escort to the 2nd floor. My family was showed to the family waiting room, while Mikey and I were put in a little room. I got changed out of my street clothes, into the glamorous gown they provided for me. Actually, the gown, robe, TED socks, and slippers all matched well. I was quite fashionable. We were in this room for about an hour, while nurses came in to take my vitals, give me instructions, and put an IV in my hand. Eventually, it was time to say goodbye to Mikey (something that happened way too quickly). I had to lie down on a gurney and get a ride back down to the pre-op room on 1st floor. That was a new perspective!

In pre-op, I had to answer lots of questions - the most disconserting of which being "So, what are we doing for you today?". Um. I know that is for good reason, but I would feel better if they didn't sound so uncertain! I met the anesthesiologist and spent lots of time people watching while I waited for Amy to show up. When she got there, we were put next to each other so we could chat. At about 8:30, they said it was time to go, so I said goodbye to Amy.

The operating room was full of masked people and shiny machinery. Everyone said "Goodmorning" as I was wheeled in, which was surprisingly comforting. I was shifted from the gurney to the operating table (I was sitting on a beanbag!), and they started applying monitors and such. As I was lying on the table, staring up at the huge lights (like a dentist's light, but much bigger), I had my first few moments of fear. I was just starting to have a flutter of panic when the anesthesiologist said he was going to give me "a little something to take the edge off". I'm not sure what edge he was talking about though, because before I could ask him, I was asleep. The next thing I remember, a nurse was saying my name and telling me that I was in the recovery room.

According to Mikey's recollections, I was cut into at about 9:06 and the kidney was removed at about 9:50. By 10:55, I was stitched up and hanging out in the recovery room, waiting for my brain to catch up with my body. At this point (5 days later), I'm still not sure it's totally caught up. It's time for a rest. Recovery details coming later...

Please Welcome...

I would like to introduce my newest nephew, Richard Jerome. He arrived on December 1st at around noon. He was a healthy 9 lbs. 4 oz, but only 20 inches long. A chubby little thing! I hear that he is a sweet boy and I really wish I could see him. At least there are plenty of pictures being sent.

Am I Making Any Sense?

Hola!

Here I am, still feeling remarkably well. We headed to bed about 9 pm last night after I won a game of Unexploded Cow (despite being super stoned on pain meds). Mikey was asleep within 3 minutes of hitting the pillow and I wasn't too far behind. The pain meds tend to give me the jumpies as I am falling asleep, which often results in a tummy spasm that lurches me back into wakefulness. Even during the night, I was functioning on 6 hour shifts, since my body is still very aware of when the next dose of meds is due.

We got up this morning with just enough time to shower before heading down for a bit of breakfast. I managed to eat about half a bowl of Total and most of a glass of apple juice. It is much more comfortable to be sitting up now - I think the inflato-gas is pretty much gone - but it is still tiring to be up and about for too long.

Ooh. Mikey just found Charlie's Angels II, and since it is easier to watch something than to try to put together complete sentences, I think it's time for me to be done with this post.

In other news...

And in case you were wondering, there are some exciting things happening that don't involve me. The biggest one, in my opinion (and that's what really matters here, right?), is that my sister is in the process of expelling a third child from her loins. She is an old pro at this kinda thing, so I am not particularly worried, but I'd like you all to keep her in your thoughts. Pretty soon, I will have a nephew named Richard or a niece named Madeline. How exciting! :)

Many Thanks...

I have so many people to thank for helping with this whole process...

Thank you, Mikey, for supporting me through the getting ready, getting cut on, and getting better. I could never have done this without your strength. I will never be able to repay you for sleeping in a chair for two nights, or for attending to my every need so cheerfully for the last few days. I love you more than I ever thought possible and I am continuously stunned by my outstanding luck in finding you.

Thank you, Daddy, for adjusting your hectic school schedule to be with me. You were the first familiar face I saw after the surgery and I really needed to see one at that moment. I love you.

Thank you, Thom and Kathy, for all the rides and attention lately. This whole process was made much smoother simply knowing that you were there to help when needed - emotionally and physically. I love you.

Thank you, Mom, for visiting and chatting with me. Thank you for convincing me to take that extra pain medication this morning. It made all the difference. I love you.

Thank you, Amy and family, for all your smiles, prayers, and support. I couldn't pick a better person to give a kidney to or better people to have as family. I love you all.

Thank you, Dr. Stegall, for your quick, steady hand in the operating room. It was nice to be able to go in with such confidence that things would go well.

Thank you, all my nurses, for your smiling faces and kind words while I was in the hospital. I was able to rest and recupperate much better knowing that you were there to keep me safe. I felt downright spoiled with all the attention and concern that you showed me.

Thank you, Mayo Hospital staff, for the nutritious (and delicious) meals, the prompt service, the excellent healing environment. Thank you especially for allowing my Mikey to stay with me the whole time. I would recommend the Mayo to anyone!

And finally, thank you to all the people - family, friends, and complete strangers - who were keeping us in their thoughts and prayers. I firmly believe that you played an important part in making the prep, surgery, and recovery go as well as they did. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. Please know that you are all in my thoughts and that I am eternally in your debt!