Rain, Rain Go Away!

Snowy mountain 

It's been raining so long I can't even remember when it started. I was thinking it was 2 weeks...but I think I said that last week so it may actually be 3 weeks of non-stop rain.

I don't mind the rain, really...but we don't just get rain. It comes with high winds most of the time. That means planes can't fly, which means we don't have mail coming in or going out. Having a ferry helps, but the ferry doesn't run everyday so mail service is sporadic during our heavy rainfall.

I remember when winter meant snow. We still get snow, but not like we used to. I remember being a child and being able to lie down and be covered by snow. My yaya's yard was higher than the road. My cousin and I would slide down the side of the yard all day long. It was only about 4 feet high but we felt like we were flying. We'd play out till we were frozen, go home for dinner, and then play again. We never got tired of it.

We loved playing on frozen lakes, too. I never used ice skates like she did, though. I'd just run and slide with my shoes. It was easier for me to help her when she fell if I didn't have skates on.

We always made a snowman but never had a snowball fight. Throwing things at each other never seemed like all that fun.

When I got older, I spent the better part of my winters dragging my smaller cousins on their sleds. They liked snowball fights. I would never throw snowballs at them. I'd let them throw at me and most of the time they'd miss, thank goodness.

Now that I'm grown, the winters are shorter. At least the snowy part of the winter. I look forward to the snow every year. There's something about a fresh blanket of snow. It makes the world seem so peaceful. Any imperfections in the landscape are temporarily covered up. Making the first tracks in the snow is always a thrill. It's as if the world is new. You're an explorer in a newly discovered land.

When you think about it, though, you don't need snow to be an explorer in life. Each new day brings new adventures; new discoveries around every corner.

What will tomorrow bring?


What will you find around the very next corner? 

For Jayleigh

Happy Birthday, Jayleigh!
(And your sister Dotty, too!)

Have a wonderful day and may
God continue to bless you
throughout the coming year!

Friday Fun!

The phrases below are written to sound like familiar everyday sayings. Can you figure them out? I dare you to try...out loud...in the presence of others. Haha!

1. Thick wallet ego sin beef ore thin aim go sawn.

2. Has gin tall has assume arraign.

3. Haul fur Juan in Juan fur haul.

4. Yoke ant half York ache Andy tattoo.

5. Dunk rye offers build me elk.

6. Cad cot shirt hung?

7. Toucan pull eighth hat came.

8. Bad sin tub elf free.

9. Abe herd Indy Andes word tuna Busch.

10. Though all salve veer is.

Torn (Updated)

My poor Lindsey got herself in trouble today. I happened to walk into the office to ask the secretary (Space Cadet aka Lindsey's mother) a question and saw Lindsey sitting there. She looked so sad. Her mother was on the phone so I asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing," was all she said...barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Did you get in trouble?"

"Uh huh."

She looked like she wanted to cry. She feels badly about something but I don't know what. I didn't stick around because if I had, she would have cried for sure.

Whatever she did, must have been pretty bad...this is only her 2nd trip to the office. She hardly ever acts out at school. When she does it's usually not serious enough to warrant a trip to the office.

I want to hold her and tell her everythings going to be okay, but I can't.

I want to know whats wrong and talk about it, but now's not the time.

*sigh*

*******UPDATED********

It's now 2:30PM. I did some investigating to figure out what happened. Lindsey was in Music class and was asked to play the guitar. She has never played before. She's never even touched one before. Her teacher sat her on a stool in front of the class and "told" her what to do. He didn't demonstrate, or even point to show her where her fingers went.

Lindsey is not good with change. She's still trying to accept her new music teacher. The previous music teacher had been her teacher from Kindergarten through 4th grade. She was comfortable with him and he was good with kids. This teachers new, the guitar is new... it was just overloading her little brain. When he finally did try to actually show her where to put her fingers, she had already felt defeated. She shut down and would not participate.

Part of me wants to sit her down and explain to her that change is a part of life. That teachers, like anybody else, will come and go and it's just something she'll have to learn to deal with. She needs to know that she has to deal with whatever comes along whether she likes it or not. At least as far as school is concerned. (She's stated that she wants her old music teacher back and does not want to go back to music class.)

The other part of me wants to kick the music teacher in the butt for being impatient and insensitive. Sounds like a harsh judgement, but I'm not just going by this one incident. Back in September, Lucione received her very first detention. She got it in band, from the very same music teacher. One of her classmates is completely deaf. She asked a question and it wasn't answered by the teacher so Lucione was answering her question... silently in sign language. They were not gossiping, they were not being obnoxious, she answered the question and that was the end of it. But the teacher gave her a detention for talking in class and causing a disruption. He didn't take into consideration the fact that she would not have been "talking" if he had taken the time to answer the deaf girls question in the first place.

So now he's punished both MY girls for things that were partially his own fault!

I will have the "change is a part of life" talk with her, but not until I've calmed down a bit. It's so upsetting to think a teacher could be so insensitive. He's trying to say she "came in looking unhappy". I think he's just trying to cover his own tracks. Whatever.

Which One Are You?

At yesterday's inservice, I spent a lot of time writing notes back and forth with my sisters-in-law because a lot of what the guy had to say was just common sense stuff. But there was one statement that caught my ear and I've had it on my mind ever since.

"When you find yourself in a difficult situation, don't be the thermometer, be the thermostat."

It probably caught my attention at first becuase it sounded silly. But it also made me think. Similar words, right? Both have to do with temperature.

But, a thermometer can only tell you what the current temperature is. A thermostat has the ability to control the temperature.

It got me thinking about how I react to situations I find myself in every day. Do I let my emotions control me or do I control my emotions?

I've been trying lately, to control my emotions and feelings when it comes to my interaction with other people. I mentioned the other day how I let someones comments about how I spoke get to me and I made a conscious effort to change. I didn't change because I wanted to. I changed because I didn't want to be humiliated again. I was a thermometer. I knew it wasn't a big deal, that I shouldn't have taken his words to heart but felt helpless to change the way I felt. I couldn't control my emotions so I let my emotions control me.

Another way to look at the same statement has more to do with being in a classroom or work setting. When you arrive and are in a bad mood and do nothing but complain, those around you will start to act the same way. You'll end up with non-productive, irritable people and have a miserable waste of a day. If you walk in and, even if you have to pretend at first, are happy and positive, others will feed off of your enthusiasm and the whole dynamic of the room will change in a positive way.

The only one who can decide what kind of day I'm going to have is me. If I choose to be a thermometer then I'm giving up control. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to do that.

Bird's Eye View

Aerial view of my hometown. Told ya it was small! :o)

Hair Loss

Fifty thousand strands
Every time that I shampoo
How am I not bald?



It's scary, sometimes, how much hair I seem to lose when I shampoo. It always seems to be the dark hair. The white ones always get left behind. Hmph.

Today is National Hug Day

*BIG Hugs* to all my friends! :o)

My Daddy

Today is my dad's birthday. Being with him on his birthday and Father's Day is always a big joy for me. It brings back a rush of childhood memories.

I remember him putting me to bed and singing with me. I mentioned before how we used to end each song with "Ooohhh, Maaaannn!" When I started singing in church, he listened to my songs before I left for church and critique my performance. :o)

When Laura moved away, my dad took me fishing so I could just be alone with my thoughts on the water. We had some of our best talks on the water, but he always knew when I needed the quiet time and he'd just let me sit in the bow of our Boston Whaler and stare down at the jelly fish and things in the water as we slowly drifted along waiting for a bite. It wasn't always like that, though. There were plenty of fishing trips where all we did was talk and sing along with the radio or his cassette tapes. I was his good luck charm. He always caught the most when I was with him. We had our own secret spot where we were guaranteed at least 3 big king salmon each time we went there. It only worked if I was in the boat. :o) He taught me to steer the boat and bait the hooks like a pro. I miss our fishing trips.

When my mom left, Dad went through a rough period. He started drinking and stopped eating. He developed a stomach ulcer and often cried himself to sleep. I'd comfort him and never showed my anger or disappointment when he'd come home drunk. I learned to keep house at an early age because of this period, but I don't have any bad feelings about it. He didn't handle his grief as well as he could have, but it didn't last too long and he was back to being Daddy again in no time. He worked hard to support my sister and I, and then it was just the 2 of us.

As a small child, I'd watch the Tommy Hunter and Carol Burnette Shows with him. Later on, it was Cheers. Then Wheel of Fortune.

When I became engaged, he was not very happy. He thought I was young and foolish but I suppose all dads have a hard time letting go of their little girls. I am, after all, his youngest and we are extremely close.

I asked Michael to go and personally ask my dad for his blessing. That broke the ice and now they are as close as any father and son.

The day I got married is a day that will always be remembered by not only Michael and me, but the 400+ guests we had, as well. My dad, always the procrastinator, waited until the day of the wedding to go to Town and buy a new suit. Because all of Michael's groomsmen worked with him, we couldn't have the rehearsal until the morning of the wedding. One of Michael's sisters had to be my dad so I could practice walking down the aisle. The wedding was supposed to start at 7PM. At 6:45, my dad showed up at the church with a brand new suit and....old shoes. He walked into a bar in Town to use the phone. He put down his packages to dial and then wait for his taxi. When he got up to leave, he grabbed everything but his new pair of shoes. We had to delay the start of the wedding because we had to wait for the bartender to bring the shoes to the plane and then wait for them to arrive. The freight person brought the shoes directly to the church so we could start the ceremony. Michael's uncle took a close-up shot of my dad's shoes and we gave him a framed 8x10 as a gift for our first Christmas. He has it hanging in his kitchen. hee hee

Now that I'm an adult, we are still very close. I bake him a spice cake for every birthday and Father's Day. He'll often call me up and say, "I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you." When my step-mom is out of town, Dad comes for dinner. He's an excellent cook but always complains he doesn't know how to cook for just one. Silly, Dad!

I've been blessed with a wonderful father. He is one of my best friends. Today is his birthday.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Daddy and his little girl.

Insecurities

(This is my 3rd time trying to post this today. Hopefully, that doesn't mean it will show up 3 times!)

I am not known for my self-esteem. My self-image is poor and I lack self-confidence. I'm aware of this and am trying to improve, but it's a long, difficult battle. I have a hard time accepting compliments and tend to take what people say to heart whether it's intended to be taken that way or not. The sad part is, I've even let the opinion of others change the way I behave, rather than be true to myself and that realization makes me feel even worse.

Here's an example: When I was in college, I had this friend. He was my best friend the entire time I was there. We did everything together from studying to sneaking off campus. I even took a few road trips with him to visit his home town.

It was during one of these road trips that I made a comment I immediately regretted. What I said was, simply, "I think you need to gas up your car."

He started laughing and asked, "Gas up? Gas up? What does that mean...gas up?" I explained that it meant he needed to fill the gas tank of his car. "Why didn't you just say that? Who says, 'Gas up'?"

I was so humiliated. I made a conscious decision at that point to never use that term again.

Fast forward to a couple months ago. I was chatting with Ahka one day and she said something about needing to gas up her van. I told her the story of my friend and we discussed why he thought it was so funny. We decided that it was maybe a regional term. Maybe we both said it because we were both raised in Alaska. (I think she just tried to convince me of this to make me feel better because that's the type of person she is.)

To this day, I stop myself from saying "gas up" and ask Michael to either "get gas" for, or "fill up" the truck.

Fast forward again...to yesterday. Aimee spent the weekend in Kansas City with some other bloggers. I was curious about her trip so visited the blogs of some of the other ladies who made the trip. I was reading comments and Aimee made a comment about seeing something "while you were gassing up your car."

Could it be that I'm not the one who was wrong? Maybe he was making fun of me before I could make fun of him for not knowing the meaning of a simple phrase?

The point, really, is not why he made the remark but my reaction to it. I made a conscious effort to change my vocabulary so as not to suffer the same humiliation again.

That's just one example. I'm sure if I thought about it, I could think of plenty more instances where someone else's opinion carried way too much weight with me.

I'm always telling my nieces that the opinions of others don't matter. I tell them that they are perfect just the way they are. I tell them that they are exactly what God wanted them to be and that as long as they accept themselves, what others think doesn't matter.

I think it's time to practice what I preach.

Prophetic Mini-Story

The following is a writing assignment from college. I tend to save way too many things and found this when I was looking through some old paperwork on Sunday. The assignment was to write a mini-story of 100-250 words. The only rule was that it had to begin with "They had nothing to say to each other."

They had nothing to say to each other. Their anger had been stewing all day. When Chantell arrived home from work, she walked straight to the bedroom without so much as a glance in his direction. She lay there in the dimly lit room trying so hard to hang on to her anger.

Then it hit her; an aroma from the kitchen. John always knew how to make peace. He had the knack for doing just the right thing just when it mattered most. It wasn’t always a cooked meal, but he must have known that she skipped her lunch break that day. She doesn’t eat when she’s angry.

The noises coming from the kitchen softened her. She cried quietly to herself; no longer angry, but ashamed.

She should have been the one to take the first step. Her stubbornness stopped her. It always does. The tears kept falling as she tried to figure out what she did to deserve him. He treats her so well even when she acts so childish.

John knew better than to force her to talk. He suspected she was crying and wanted so much to comfort her. He quietly entered the room. He sat beside her and without saying a word, took her hand.

Their eyes met and spoke to each other. They were both now certain that the fight was over. They both knew they would talk about it later. But for now, they had nothing to say to each other that they didn’t already feel.

I don't consider myself a writer by any stretch of the imagination, but upon finding this was amazed at how prophetic it turned out to be. Michael and I didn't really have a fight today...just a minor disagreement. He thought I should drag my butt out of bed and get to work and I disagreed. I gave into him eventually, but was not a happy camper because I did not sleep well at all last night. I refused to come home for lunch so he brought lunch to me. I tried so hard to hold a grudge, but wasn't able to. He's just too darn nice to me. He treats me so much better than I deserve most days. I am the luckiest woman alive to have found a man like him and I thank God every day for bringing us together. He always knows what to do to make me feel better. Even if it's to just keep coming by me. He apologized for making me go to work when I should have apologized for being so cranky. When I tried, he said, "I should have realized how tired you were. I made you cranky by insisting you get up." Sometimes it seems as if I can do no wrong in his eyes. A lot of times it feels as if I'm not doing anything right. But it's been 12 and a half years...almost 15 if you count the 2 years we dated...and he's still here.

My Popcorn Machine

I fell bad for not posting...and can't think of a thing to write so I thought I'd show off my Christmas gift. :o)


I think it's the cutest thing! Makes good popcorn, too. :o)


Here it is in action. My sisters-in-law were visiting. I don't normally make that much at once.

There's some popping as I type this. We're going for a drive and I guess Michael felt like snacking. I'll write a proper post soon.

What an Amazing Show!

This man has visited our little island before. The last time he did, I was a Junior in high school. I didn't remember his name, but recognized his face as soon as I saw the flyers that had been posted around town.


He was standing in the middle of the floor waiting to be honored by one of our local dance groups.

He is a very nice man with a wonderful sense of humor. His goal is "to raise awareness of the Oneness we share as human beings." He uses his dance to express his belief in the unity of human kind.


He was able to make many different shapes using as many as 28 hoops.

He created flowers, butterflies, stars, a soaring eagle, and his dance concluded with all 28 hoops interlocked in a spherical union illustrating the interdependence we all share and cannot truly live without.


He was constantly moving...and each shape he created had a meaning. His entire dance was a story.

The hoops represent Unity, while the four colors of the hoops (black, red, yellow and white) represent the four human races, the four directions, the four seasons, four winds, and more.


Here he is playing one of the many flutes he brought with him.

Even the holes in his flutes are symbolic. There are 6 holes that create 7 differnet notes. 4 of the holes represent the directions (N, S, E and W), one represents the Heavens, another the Earth. The 7th note represents where all come together in each of us: our heart.


As a finale, he taught some of the children a few tricks. Some of them did very well for a first try!

In the end, a wonderful time was had by all. I was so glad to have been able to witness such a wonderful and meaningful event. The first time I saw it, I think I was too young to really get a grasp on what he was trying to teach me. This time, however, I took hold and don't plan on ever letting go.

I Missed Out :o(

I couldn't go to the assembly today. :o( I was so upset. I was really looking forward to it. It started at 2:00. At 1:40, the principal approached me and said, "Kindergarten will be dismissed from their classroom today so you're going to have to stay behind just in case any of them need Latch Key."

"Latch Key" is in the Library. I'm in there each day after school to help kids with homework and supervise those who are waiting to be picked up. The entire school district was allowed to attend except 2 of us. Space Cadet and I had to sit at our desks and twiddle our thumbs with nothing to do for the last hour of the day.

As if that wasn't bad enough, nobody showed up for Latch Key. Worse yet, Lindsey volunteered to hoop dance and we both missed it! Lindsey doesn't volunteer for anything. She's extremely shy and this was HUGE for her. We both missed it. I'm so bummed. I asked her if she'd volunteer again tonight if she gets the chance and she said no. She said she wouldn't have volunteered the first time if she knew what she was volunteering for. I told her I was very proud of her for taking a chance and following through. I'm so bummed I missed it, though.

Speaking of hoop dancing...it starts at 7:00 and it' s almost 6:30. I better get off the computer. Maybe I'll post again later.

Maybe not, though. It's snowing and I think I may go for a walk later. :o)

Not Much to Say

Today was a pretty uneventful day. I got a lot done at work, but didn't have anything exciting happen. On Thursday, there's an assembly because a hoop dancer is coming to town. I'm so excited about that. It's been a while since I've seen one (I think I was in high school the last time I saw one.). I just hope the forecasted snow doesn't interfere with his arrival.

I tried to post from work today. It doesn't seem to have worked. I can't remember everything I typed so I guess you miss out. :op

One thing I do remember mentioning, though, is the weather forecast. Our weather man says that on Wednesday and Thursday we will get 6 to 12 inches of snow. A lot of snow would be fun but I hope it doesn't interfere with the hoop dancer or the basketball games scheduled for this weekend.

I'm pretty tired so this is going to be short. Hopefully, I'll get a good nights rest tonight.

(P.S. Jayleigh: Remember when your profile wouldn't update? How'd ya fix it? Mine says I haven't posted since November!)

Busy, Sleepless Weekend

Between the loud music of the dance, Lindsey's nightmares, and a few nightmares of my own, I did not get a whole lot of sleep this weekend. I did, however, manage to keep busy and fooled those around me by keeping my family dramas to myself. I told my dad, of course, but he and Michael are the only people I told.

I know it's not good to hold things in, but the emotions were too raw. I didn't want to be so emotional all weekend so decided to keep it hidden.

The dinner went really well. We had turkey... again... for about the 4th time since Christmas. She got some nice gifts and it was great to have the little ones around. Craig and Mikayla were there. I cannot get over how adorable those two are. When Marie picked up the gift they brought for her, Mikayla said, "Hey! That's from my mom and me!"

She loves her Barbies and Marie asked her, "What did you get me? Is it a Barbie?"

"Yeah, maybe!"

Poor Craig had an accident at school today. He was on the swings during recess. He fell off backwards and his head hit a rock. He had to have 3 staples in his head to close the wound. He was a brave little man at the clinic, though.

Lucione is so excited. The first basketball games of the season are this weekend and she can't wait to show off her new trumpet. The blue matches the school colors perfectly. I'm so glad she likes it.

I received some mail today that shocked and disturbed me. It was from a clinic in Town. A doctor I have never heard of working out of a clinic I didn't even know existed sent me a $1500 bill for an abortion I never had. I was floored when I saw the bill. #1, because of the amount and #2, because, as a woman who loves children and doesn't have any of her own, I would never even entertain the thought of an abortion.

I think I'm going to stop rambling and take a walk around the neighborhood. It's snowing and cold and that's just the way I like it.

If God Was Testing Me...

...I hope I passed. What a weekend I've had. I'm so thankful for Michael's family. If it weren't for them, I don't know how I'd be able to survive. Being so far from my mom and sister is hard enough, but when she pulls stunts like she did on Friday, it's almost unbearable.

My mom called me at 3:00 on Friday afternoon. Thank God the inauguration was that day because I was home early. Normally, I'm not home until after 4PM.

I answered the phone and she was hysterical. I couldn't understand what she was saying for a while and when I finally did decipher it, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Your sister is in her room screaming that she wants to kill herself and she's got all her pill bottles open!"

I asked if the door was locked. She said no. She wanted me to call my sisters cell phone and see if I could calm her down. Her cell phone was off...or not charged. I got voice mail.

I called Mom back and told her I couldn't reach my sister. "What do I do?" she asked.

"Go into her room and take her pills away," I tell her.

She's on a cordless phone so she takes it with her into my sisters room. What I heard next will give me nightmares for a long time.

Mom: "Kerri's on the phone, want to talk to her?"

Sister: "NO! Tell her I'm killing myself!"

Mom: "She told me to take the pills away. Where are they?"

Sister: "They're gone."

Mom: "Where are the pills?!"

Sister: "They're gone! I told you I want to die!"

Mom: "Give them to me, WHERE ARE THEY?!?"

Sister: "It's too late. I took them!"

Mom starts screaming, "You did not! Give them to me! Where are they?"

I'm trying to get my mom's attention. When I finally do, I tell her, "Hang up the phone. Dial 911. Tell them what's going on."

Mom asks, "What if she didn't really take them?"

"Call anyway," I tell her, "Either way, she needs help! Dial NOW!"

I hung up and waited. After about 15 minutes when she didn't call back, I called her. The paramedics were there. My sister had hidden the pills and gave them to the paramedics when they arrived. Mom wanted them to take her but they wouldn't. She begged them to talk to me. I explained my sisters situation to them in great detail. Telling them how she got hurt, how she is totally dependant on my mom for everything yet refuses help, how she was screaming about wanting to die just a few minutes before. They said, "I'm sorry, but she gave us the pills. She didn't swallow any. She doesn't appear to meet the criteria to be a mental patient so we have to leave her here."

I have never felt so helpless in my entire life. My sister was having a break-down, my mom was hysterical, the people who could have helped refused to, and I may as well have been calling from Pluto because I have no way to get to them.

After the paramedics left, I calmed my mom down as best I could. She's afraid my sister will try again. I told her to dial 911 immediately if she does no matter how many times she threatens. She'll either get tired of the paramedics showing up or quit threatening.

I hate that my mom has to go through this. I hate that my sister is in so much pain, physically and emotionally.

I was supposed to take care of Lindsey and Lucione during the inauguration but left them home alone with Michael. He didn't want me to go, but I needed a distraction. I went late, and didn't eat, but it was good to get out of the house for the short time. Later that night, I invited my sisters-in-law over to show off my popcorn machine. They had no idea what had happened earlier in the evening and I still haven't told them. I knew if they knew, they'd want to talk about it to make sure I was okay and I didn't want to talk about it. They made me laugh, as I knew they would.

Lastnight I kept Lucione and Lindsey overnight. The more distractions the better because when I slow down, I think about Friday and then end up either really sad or angry over the whole thing. In about 20 minutes, we're going over to Michael's parent's house for a turkey dinner. My niece Marie, Lindsey and Lucione's older sister, is turning 20 tomorrow but we're having dinner for her today.

Council Inauguration

I don't know if I've mentioned before that I live on an indian reserve. Our town is goverened by a Mayor, his executives, and 12 councilmen. Each elected official serves a 2 year term. The council elections are set up so that 6 are up for re-election each year.

The Mayor has a Secretary and a Treasurer. Each year, if more than 13 individuals sign up for the 6 vacant Council seats, a Primary Election is held in October. The top 12 move on to the general election in November and the top 6 earn 2 year terms as Councilmen. The Mayor, Secretary, and Treasurer ballots are narrowed down to 2, if needed.

In November, the general election is held and the newly elected executives or councilmen are sworn into office at an inauguration held usually on the first Friday of January.

Council Inauguration consists of the swearing in of newly elected executives and councilmen as well as newly accepted community members. Because we are a reserve, you must be a member to reside here. When you reach the age of 18, you must apply for membership and, if approved, be sworn in at the next inauguration ceremony.

Only members are allowed to vote in municipal elections. Non-members are allowed to reside and work within the community but must obtain resident and work permits each year in order to do so.

Sometimes state politicians attend our council inaugurations. Most often, though, the politicians who speak are local. There is usually some live entertainment that consists of either native dance, a choir, or soloists.

Once the inauguration ends, there is usually a town dance to end the evening.

How's that for an explanation, Jayleigh?

Randomness

I haven't been outdoors since Tuesday. I stayed home sick on Wednesday and again today. I've got a head cold that has sapped all my energy. I think the stress of the holidays and my sisters injuries caught up to me.

I've spent the better part of the past two days asleep. When I'm awake I'm sneezing and dealing with a monstrous headache.

I feel silly complaining about a cold when my sister and mom are dealing with a more serious situation.

If I manage to get up for work tomorrow, it will be a short day. Our Council Inauguration is tomorrow. For some reason it's at 3:30 in the afternoon rather than closer to the dinner hour as previous years. School is being dismissed at 1:45 because a.) one of our teachers is married to a newly elected councilman and b.) the highschool choir and junior and senior high bands have been asked to participate.

Our weather has warmed. We're back up into the 30's again. I think we even got a small sprinkle of rain.

Lucione has had a crush on a certain boy for quite some time now. I think he's finally figured it out and has commenced playing little flirting games with her. Trying to take her trumpet away, poking at her, etc. I'm not ready for her to date. She'll be 13 in April. I had hoped, unrealistically, that she wouldn't show any interest in boys until she had been in high school for a year or two.

Okay, enough rambling. I think I'm going to go lie back down.

Blah Blah

I feel guilty for not posting as regularly as I used to. It’s not like I view my blog as something I HAVE to do. I’m not sure where the guilt comes from. I guess part of the reason I haven’t been writing is because I didn’t feel I had anything worth being read. I don’t feel like I have to be upbeat and chipper all the time, but don’t want to be all gloomy and depressing, either, and that’s how I’ve felt the past few days. I think I need to just quit over analyzing myself and just write. I think being over analytical is a part of who a Virgo is. *sigh*

Today was my 2^nd day back at work. Things are a little crazy at work. The Jr. high building suffered water damage the night before school was to resume when the pipes froze and burst. Because of that, we’re sharing a couple of our classrooms with them. That means juggling other things around like the Title-I Math class and the tutors. Kids are not always open to change so we’ve got some moody students but I think it will all work itself out. I guess they’ll be out of their building until February 1^st or later.

Our principal isn’t back from the break yet. He bought his son snowboarding lessons for Christmas. Christmas morning he (the principal’s son) was on the slopes and broke his hand. With him gone, things are even more confusing. We had a PE teacher show up that we didn’t know was coming. The kids know she’s here and are excited, but we don’t even know if she’s a PE teacher for the district, or just the Jr. and Sr. high schools.

I don’t have an update on my sister. I haven’t called my mom in a couple days fearing I’d get more bad news. I’ll call tonight.

Our cold spell is still holding on. It feels a bit warmer now, though. Maybe we’ll get some snow before it rains. My nieces are not minding the cold at all. Their dad built an ice rink in their front yard and they’ve learned how to ice skate. Even Lucione, who is ALWAYS cold has been having a blast.

The bell is going to ring in about 5 minutes so I better get going. I have to go to Study Hall.

The New Year Starts Off With a...

...Crash.

Not a car crash, or anything like that, but something just as devastating.

My sister, still not fully recovered from her broken hip had another accident. She was rushing to my mom's bedroom to wake my step-dad and wish him a happy new year at Midnight. Her walker slipped out from under her and she fell. She broke her arm and possible her hip...again...for the 3rd time.

The last time she was in the hospital, the doctor told her she had brittle bones. I guess that means that she'll break something everytime she falls? I have had an upset stomach ever since I heard about it.

They don't have insurance. My community won't help her because she's not a student and has been away from home too long. I can't afford to help with Michael being unemployed.

I feel so helpless.

So anyway, that explains my absence. I haven't felt much like writing. I haven't felt much like anything.

School started back up today, though, and being around the kids usually helps me snap out of my funky moods. If I'm up to it, I'll write again tomorrow.