Weather Sidebar

We had school today, but the principal told all the staff to get home as soon as the kids left, as we had more snow this afternoon and the wind has started blowing. We didn't have any heat in our classroom until lunchtime. At least they had cleared a path to the bus drop off, so we didn't break our necks getting the kids from the buses to the classroom and back.

A daily routine (that is out of the ordinary for me) has begun to take shape. At home in the evenings, I make sure all the flashlights and lanterns are in place with batteries and easy to grab. I boil two teakettles of water, one to put in a thermos, and the second stays in the kettle. I set my battery operated alarm along with my electric one and make sure my phone is charging.

In the mornings, I boil two kettles of water and repeat that sequence, pack a lunch that can be eaten without reheating (if I go to work) and pack a backpack with extra outdoor clothing in case I have to walk home from work. When I'm home, I make sure I do activities that involve electricity, First.

I was really glad I had an extra sweater at school, today. Without any heat in our classroom, I was wearing a turtleneck, a fleece vest and that long sleeved sweater. My hands were so cold I could hardly use them (getting old with arthritis doesn't help, either.) We put mittens on all the kids to keep them warm.......which doesn't do anything for fine motor activities!

As I said, this place is nuts and pulling me along with it.
Freezing rain is predicted tonight!

Parts 1 and 2 of Thanksgiving Break with Weather Report

I've paused to even begin writing about the last couple of weeks, as I'm afraid the power will go out in the middle of a post and my computer will be fried. I think my printer may already be fried from the constant power 'blinks.'

Part 1: As stated before, I had hit a wall of homesickness here in OH, one that I did not anticipate. I really didn't socialize that much in River City, spending my evenings at home curled up on the couch with a book or watching TV. Even weekends often became 'cave' time. What I have recently realized is that I spent a lot of time shopping or even browsing. Here there are very few stores in which to browse. If you've seen one Walmart, you've seen them all!

Blog continued Tuesday morning.

Weather Report:

Finally!!!!! They closed the school district, so I have a day at home! Oh, the joy of it. I sat in my easy chair looking out the window, watching the bright sun begin to climb into the sky, giving the snow/ice covered branches a glistening glory like no other. A sniff out the door revealed cold, frigid air with that clean scent, even though the snow stopped falling yesterday noon. Now, I have my cup of green tea, kitty is curled up looking out at the sun and I'm blogging. I listen to the news this morning of people on I405 who left work at 4:30 yesterday afternoon and were not able to go any further, as the ice continued to get worse and worse. Some people have actually run out of gas waiting to go home! They are still attempting to get home.....even one school superintendent they interviewed, who had spent the night in a convenience/gas store! Even airport security workers were not able to get to work so things are dicey-icey there, too Planes are being regularly de-iced to keep the ice from building up! The high temp today is supposed to be 33 F. The poor weather reporters must have to live at the station during these storms; I appreciate their sacrifices! Nearly every school district in Western WA is closed today, plus all the private schools; evening activities cancelled. Roads are layers and layers of snow and ice. It's "Storm Watch coverage and Storm Alert!" Even I5 is very, very slow with ice and snow.

Part 1 of Thanksgiving Break:

I decided to go to River City for T-Break since the weather predictions were bad for the mountain passes which I would have to traverse to get to my D's. This turned out to be a very wise choice, as the weather continued to ramp up to non-travel weather as the T-break days progressed. By Sunday the passes were quite bad for traveling.

My trip to River City took an extra 1 1/2 hours as the traffic was bumper-to-bumper through the big city area. I left about 9:30 T-Day morning thinking not many would actually travel on T-day. Oh well, I made it safely. The weather was fairly good, a bit rainy, but no big problems and I saw no accidents, just heavy traffic.

I stayed with Barb and had T-day dinner with her and her daughter's family.....3 children under 4 (one set of twins) and they are cute, but ornery. With all the wisdom and experience I have, I would make such a perfect parent now. ;oP It's hard for me to keep my mouth shut and not give advice.......as my family well knows! It was a very lovely dinner and I really feasted...and paid for it later.

On Friday I went to River City and did some shopping at thrift stores to get items I can't get here, looked for a good weather radio (for when the power goes out again here!) and then got the oil changed in my car at the place where I've always had my car cared for. Unfortunately, there was a new manager and he didn't know I had been a regular customer for years. I asked them to put on my new state license plates (Yeh, I finally got them) and a day later, I closed my trunk and they fell off....ooooo, I'm angry! They charged me $5! So I will call and complain today. It's been so cold and stormy, I haven't gone out to put the thing back on, so it is taped to my back window.....so slummy. My son could do a much better job!

Then I went to visit my friend Claire and her daughter B, who has a lovely baby girl! It was so great to get caught up on all their news and the news of the ESD where I worked last year. They are so dear! And watching/playing with baby E was so cute!

I returned to WA to Barb's and spent the night, then went to church the next day and had a great reunion with my friends there. Our study group was going to be cancelled as the teacher and sub were both gone, but after talking to a few members, we decided we were 'adult' and could facilitate the group. I ended up being the facilitator.....good thing I'd studied the lesson during the week! But it was great After I got the discussion started, it pretty much continued by itself. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling to be with those of like faith.

Then I spent the afternoon and evening with my friend Cindy. She told me all about her trip to Peru and showed me the souvenirs she brought home. She brought me a handmade baby Alpaca scarf...so soft and warm! She had a wonderful time, thankfully, made great friends....a feat for her. She went with a group from Nature Conservancy. Then we went out to eat at a great vegie restaurant called Bayleaf. It is a new place, neatly painted and decorated, but rather stark. We needed a cozy feel, but didn't have it there. The food was really good, though. I had Pad Thai and she had a lotus flower vegie dish with wild rice. The rose blossom black tea was exceptional! Because it was listed as a vegetarian restaurant we weren't expecting it to be Asian cuisine, but it turned out okay. Then we did some clothes shopping I hadn't had time to do (I found great deals at Freddie's!) I got back to Barb's much later than I anticipated. She was unhappy about that, but I did let her know what was going on. I feel bad about it. Now I know how A & C, C & E feel when they come to visit River City and there isn't enough time to visit with everyone! (Know, kids, that I adored when you spent the nights with me on your visits, as I just enjoyed looking at your faces and getting hugs between all your comings and goings!)

Because of the bad weather and heavy holiday traffic predictions, I left Barb's fairly early Sunday morning (9 a.m.) and arrived home just before 2 p.m. It was a fine trip, not even bad traffic. When I turned off I5 to 20, snow started to fall, and continued all the way into town. It was just starting to be slushy on the streets. It was still beautiful and not causing any problems. As soon as I got home I unpacked quickly in the snow and set up stuff in case the power went out......I don't trust anything here! I had bought new batteries and a lantern, so I charged up my phone and stuff, then set up the lantern with batteries, redid the flashlight batteries and cooked some hot food. The lights blinked twice, but never went out. I do think my dawn simulator light got fried, as it didn't work the next day, but was working when I first arrived home.

Part 2 and another Weather Report

So, Monday arrived and I kept wondering whether we would have school or not. Well, we did. It was only a one hour late start. They generally have a one hour early release on Mondays, as staff meetings are then, consequently they couldn't have a 2-hour late start, as is usual. Since school seems to keep on keeping on, I spent Monday preparing for Tuesday's class and had my assistants make sure they did all the work that needed to be done with electricity (such as copying, laminating, etc., while I did computer work)...in case the power went out again. When all this starts to melt, I know that will happen! Thankfully, there is no wind right now, so things are stable.....if you stay home off the roads!



Then, wonder of wonders, last night, about 9 p.m, I got the call that the school was closed today! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can just enjoy the weather and the coziness of it all!

My plans are to do this blog (check), catch up on bills, put out a few Christmas decorations and write a report from work I've been putting off. I can do that at home! Good ole' Microsoft Word!

I'm thinking about taking a walk if I see enough break in the icey roads in the warmest part of the day. It is too sunny to just look out the windows......my walk will probably be short, as it is COLD! I just looked out one of my side windows and there is ice built up on the inside of the window. Good to know, as I can put a towel there now, before it melts into a puddle. This is such a wonderfully insulated place......Not!

On to the next thing on my list...oh, did I forget the kitty cuddling and looking out the window at the beautiful snow? :o)

Homesick or Just a Hard Week?

This week has been difficult, to say the least. I took Tuesday off and had a lovely day, but didn't get accomplished even half of what I anicipated. You heard about that. Then Wednesday came, Oh, Wednesday.

There was a really bad storm that brewed. Was it that day we heard the news of a strong earthquake off the tip of Japan and they expected the whole west coast to receive the butt end with a tsunami? It was supposed to be only a 6 ft wave, but still.......I live on an island!! Thankfully I do live on one of the highest parts of it. So, I calmed my phobia of drowning and went on with my day. As the day progressed, true to the weather forecaster's predictions, a humongous storm developed. The winds took one's breath away and the gusts were enough to have difficulty standing up to.....literally. Trees came down over the island, blocking roads and at noon, the power went out at the school as my assistants and I ate our lunches. The bus driver came in about 20 minutes later and said, "I'm off to pick up your kids, are you having class this afternoon?" Well, I assumed that the principal would cancel classes, so I did run out to ask her....she was directing children into the cafeteria to eat....by lantern. She said, 'We're going on with our schedule." I was shocked to say the least. So I reported the news to the preschool staff and bus driver. Okay, I thought. What will we do...........I've got to keep to the regular class schedule so the kids will stay as calm as possible (I'm talking about special ed kids here - preschoolers - some nonverbal, some who shriek at ear piercing levels at the slightest mention of any change, and some who become like little leeches, clinging to the nearest familiar adult, and some who become violent to anyone and anything because they don't understand why anything is different.

So we went on with class. We have one large window in the room and we moved any barriers that blocked even a fraction of the light from that window, so we could pretty much see around the room.( There was no fear of it shattering for any storm reason.) After an hour, the emergency light in the center of the room went off, so it was darker. Each of us had a flashlight (I had my cell phone in one pocket and my own flashlight I'd brought from home in the other). As we did our songs and stories at circle time, I shone the flashlight on each picture or manipulative...it was interesting to watch the kids respond to that 'focused' effort. We did not take the kids to the bathroom to change diapers, as there is no window or light in there and we weren't about to change diapers without light. For those for whom it was absolutely necessary, we changed them in the classroom. So kids went home pretty soaked 2.5 hours later, but safe. I felt calm, with growing anxiety about the kids, during that time, expecting families to come pick up their kids or for the school to decide to close. It never happened. We finished class and sent the kids home on their buses. It was obvious the bus drivers were stressed. Several roads were closed with trees across them and the stoplights were out. Staff left for home right after the kids, as we needed to get home, check to make sure our homes were safe and set up for a long night without electricity......you know, candles, lanterns, emergency food, emergency radio, etc.

I did all that and realized my little old radio I use for emergencies didn't have very good batteries and I didn't know if the loose ones in my kitchen 'junk' drawer worked, so I decided to drive to Walmart to see if it was open and I could get some new batteries.........ridiculous, I know. What I did see was that the entire town for as far as I could see was black. The only lights were from cars on the road. Walmart was closed, but the nearby Albertson's parking lot was full and a line of people with carts was around the building as they checked out manually. Safeway was the same....they are only a few blocks from each other. So I just drove home (the whole trip took, oh, maybe 10-15 minutes). Come to find out the batteries in my junk drawer did work. I think I had to drive around a bit just to convince myself I was okay.

I lit all my candles, heated a can of chili on my emergency camp stove with the little fuel pellets (yes, I know, open flame in the house) and had supper. Then I cozied myself on the couch under a blanket with a book.......unfortunately, the light wasn't that good to read by (I'm having a harder time seeing in the dark as I get older), so I used a flashlight, one that you shake to keep going, to read by, as well. After an hour of that, I was bored....book wasn't that interesting and I was getting cold, even through my blanket. With the people upstairs' cigarette smoke seeping through the walls (there isn't supposed to be inside smoking here!) and all my 'scented' candles lit, I had to take an allergy pill. Then at 7 p.m. I put an extra quilt on my bed, socks on my tootsies and snuggled in. I was tired from the day's excitement, anyway. Lilo stayed close by my side the entire time. I noticed there were lights on at the police station a block away...they were lit up like a carnival, it seemed..

Note: The sun is shining brightly right now. Thank You!!! Okay, I just took a break and walked for 1 1/2 hours. It was beautiful and WINDY. It was good to breathe the air. I'm pretty sure I have bronchitis ( a result of bad air, coughs/sneezes in face from kids and stress), so I took deep breaths of the shore air. It felt good, despite the wind. I came home and drank a fresh smoothie with raspberries, banana, oj and soy milk. Ahhhhh. Bliss. I'm not going to church today. I've just had it for the week. I'm taking a 'cave' day. Lilo has found the plastic (broken)ring seal from the oj can and is having a ball chasing it around. A much needed day of rest for us both.

Back to my story: I found out Thursday that most of the island was without power, as a main transformer blew. We had no phones either. I guess the main station for the phone service is located at our school, so of course the school was without phones. We did have walkie-talkies in each room for emergencies....but I'd forgotten that, thus the cell phone in my pocket.

We had a short staff meeting first thing Thursday morning and it was then that I decided for sure that this place is absolutely, NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The principal wanted us to summarize what went right and what was negative about the experience.They never even mentioned the fact that maybe they should have Closed the school? They talked about how we needed to keep the kids here because it is a designated 'safe' place (their homes aren't?) And it would have been chaos having parents come in to take their children home or have the buses drop off children not knowing if parents were home. Well, even the Navy Base here closed! Those parents were told the schools were closed too, so those parents came to pick up their kids! Do you think there's a good flow of communication here? AAARRGGGHHHH! And where was the school superintendent in all this? I never did hear anything about his decision making! Is he actually Here?

Then the principal and staff of older students talked about how some of their older students were scared to go to the bathroom because of no lights, but the flashlights were a good idea. Some parent brought in a few electric-battery operated lanterns. Then the emergency lights in the classrooms were mentioned that they were a big help.......until they, too, went out! The principal says, "Well, I doubt if the school board will approve buying any more of those, as they are expensive, but maybe we could get a bunch of battery powered lanterns and keep them in the bathrooms." Of course, then was brought up, you guessed it, that some of the emergency flashlights did not work as the batteries were dead. Who would buy replacement batteries? No money for that either. Can you believe this? Of course, they thought they'd ask the PTA, but weren't sure about that. There is some sort of funds reserved for emergency/safety, so they would look into that as well.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Until teachers stop working overtime for free and buying needed classroom supplies with their own money and doing labor for free, nothing will change for the better with our school systems!

Then, and I think this tops it all, one staff member brought up that instead of having the students take their gym time in the gym, that they should stay in their classrooms during these emergencies; as when the 1st and 2nd graders were in there, there was danger of the windows blowing out and, (get this), the staff member said the first and second graders were being, and I quote, "Disrespectful" to the teachers by not listening to them to stay away from the windows. Okay, so they are punishing the first and second graders because the teachers can't 'get no respect"? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH! What is wrong with this picture?

This whole meeting became, not a meeting to care for the kids, but how the teachers could best 'control' the situation. Now, granted, we teachers need to be in control of adult situations so the children will be safe, but really, folks, if the children need to stay in the classrooms, let's come up with a better reason why.

Needless to say, when I arrived back at the preschool wing after that staff meeting and shared with other preschool staff there what had been said, I was livid. I think having to hold the stress in the previous day and night finally got to me and I just needed a punching bag to let it all out! Unfortunately, I retold the events of that meeting with more emotion and emotionally laden words than I probably should have!

Then in the middle of the day, I got a call from my dear, dear son and DIL to see how I was faring. It was a blessing, as I needed to talk to someone very familiar and loved. Then, he surprised me with saying they could pay for my trip out to see them at Christmas.....oh, how I appreciate that! I danced a little jig (in my head) and cried a few tears right then and there!

Thursday was a sunny day, though cold (and windy, as always), but so different from the day before, like nature was trying to make up for her temper tantrum. We took the kids OUTSIDE for play and it was a great relief! Then that night, I went with three other staff to a teleconference at our ESD, about an hour away, off the island, We had to go around work trucks who were still trying to remove debris and trees from the road. During the storm the ferries closed and even the one bridge to the island was closed for a short while, as it is on a high point and a vehicle could be blown off in the high winds (we're talking 50-90 mph gusts, here!)

I couldn't get done with Friday soon enough. My emotions were ragged throughout the day and in the middle of the morning I just about lost it in the middle of class. It seemed like every kid was whining, crying, pulling at me and fighting. We were all suffering from the stress of the storm!

Somehow this place and my working circumstances are digging at issues inside me that I can't even articulate, pulling raw, ragged stuff to the surface for me to cleanse and heal. I can't describe it well, I just know it's there and it's hard. We'll see what all happens. These are the lessons God wants me to learn here, that much I know. I just have to sort it all out.

Lessons to learn, naps to take, more walks on the beach. Thanksgiving is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL

Oh my goodness!!

I'm watching Ellen D. on TV this morning (will explain in a minute). She has this team of guys who have made $50,000 on Google Video of their display of qt. Diet Coke to which each bottle has a Mento added.....a veritable geyser ensues! So they've made a whole water-fountain type display of many Coke bottles w/Mentos, running through them to get the bottles set up and spouting in different formations! Oh my Goodness!!!! It was worth it to stay home just to watch that! Totally meaningless and totally funny! What we won't do for entertainment! LOL, LOL, LOL

I'm home today--not because I'm sick (except that I'm sick of working) but because the workmen came to repair a bunch of stuff in my apartment I've been complaining about. I don't trust the pair and I didn't want Lilo freaking out since it has been such a short time since her traumatic vet visit. I had finally written a letter to the property manager about my complaints (rather than just handing a 'note' to the workmen), listing what needed to be done. HA! I feel at least partially vindicated! Finally they fixed some stuff. They boarded up the gaping hole under the kitchen sink that smelled of sewage), replaced the guts of the toilet (It now flushes without holding down the handle 12 seconds!), replaced the porch light fixture, put weather stripping on my door (although only along the bottom), caulked the tub/shower stall. They have not fixed the broken window or fixed the burners.....it cost more than $10/each for the burners, so they were not allowed to fix them (raspberries). They also moved out the broken washer and dryer from the laundry room but didn't say anything about replacing them or cleaning the place or putting a new light bulb down in that dungeon!







Anyway, it is very nice to have a day off when I feel good and energetic enough to get some stuff done! I've finished organizing and paying bills, will go to the laundromat and do some paperwork that I brought home from work. What a great day! Happy sigh.


One Wary Cat!
PS I don't even feel guilty for not working today, though my assistants were a bit touchy yesterday when I told them they'd do fine without me!

Funk

My Little Lilo seems recovered from her illness and subsequent visit to the Vet. However, I was left a voicemail later in the week, that the xrays were sent to be read by a vet radiologist (for free, as we'd decided not to go through with this since they were having technical difficulties) and this guy found a mass on Lilo's spleen. I'm very upset to know what to do next, as I spent the money on her other vet visit that I'd been saving to go to see my kids at Christmas. Half of the $ is gone. My biggest worry, though, it that my little friend is ill. I know things are not right, as when she goes to her litter box to poop, she sits in front of the box for awhile, goes in and comes out a couple times, mixing the litter. Sometimes she meows loudly, not in pain, but more in frustration (I know, this could be a bit funny). Then later she'll return and do the same thing all over again. Last night she finally did 'her business' and meowed loudly at the fact. There were sounds that didn't seem normal. Considering the fact that I buy high-grade food and that is all she gets, I'm worried. I don't want to lose my little friend prematurely. Okay, she's a cat, but she's My cat and I've come to adore the little creature. She's my sole companion and cheers me when I'm down. What steps to take, a second opinion, more tests, surgery, what? All big money. Why does it have to end up about money?




I'm in a funk. I know it and I know what to do to get out of it, at least somewhat, but here I sit, wallowing in it.

Yesterday, the sun shone for a short time in the morning, so before I went to church, I took a nice, long walk. It felt so good to be out with the sun's rays shining down on me. Of course, my body feels it today, as that is the first time I've even exercised in 10 days! I've been so lazy. I go for so long and then just can't stand it; I have to get some exercise. I'm thinking that a treadmill might be better for me here than Curves, as I haven't been able to get into the routine of going there regularly like I did in Portland. It is a farther from home. I still enjoy it once I'm there, but it's all new.

New, different. I'm in need of some 'familiar' fixes. Portland, friends, stores, places to eat, Trader Joe's, my kids, oh, my dear kids. Didn't realize how much I would miss certain things. I do Not miss the big city noise outside my window. The quiet here still 'rings' in my ears at night.

I sat down this morning to journal and read my Bible when the neighbor turned up the music. Mostly I could only hear the beat, so I began to read out loud. Then I could hear words to songs......hymns! Old time hymns. This, from the rocker downstairs. I think she's off to church this morning, as she's all dressed up and leaving at this early hour. Yes, I watch the neighbors now and then. Anyway, how much we are alike is more than we are different, over all, wouldn't you say? Somewhere in most of our backgrounds, we've been given a taste of Good. What we do with it is how we live our lives....either running and hiding from it, or dealing with it and using it to make us better people.

Oh, I got on a run, there, didn't I?

If any of you are inclined to do so, please pray for my friends in Portland whose son was in that horrific car accident. He is healing quickly, thank God, but they are all still worried about his cognitive functioning. He had extensive brain injury to his occipital and frontal lobes.

I'm taking off Tuesday from work. Workers are coming here to my apartment to 'fix' things. I had finally written a letter to the property manager listing what was wrong, so they are coming. I intend to be here to make sure they do what they have on their work order. Also, I want to make sure Lilo does not totally freak, since she isn't feeling well in the first place.

Okay, I even have a stiff neck this morning.

It's not all bad. Lilo is playing happily and ate some breakfast and drank some water. She even meowed at the door, pawing at it, as though she wanted to go outside. I wrote about letting her go out on the porch landing; well I've created a monster, as she wants out a lot of the time.

Since I'm back to writing about Lilo, it is time to stop.

Cleansing Enema

Okay, I'm sure you've heard on the news about the torrential downpours the NW is having and how there are floods everywhere and that even part of the Hwy that goes off the island to the freeway is under water. So inside, I'm monitoring my panic that arises when extreme weather takes over. I start survivalizing in these situations. Add to this I'm fed up with my apartment and its problems, and have been trying to actually accomplish paperwork at school and debating the issues of whether or not to stay here next year if I have the opportunity.

Is weather like a 'cleansing enema' to the earth?

Now, my dear little Lilo has been throwing up for five days, as of today. So I have been getting more and more worried as the week progresses...and more and more frustrated at cleaning little barf-sites off the carpet (Does anyone make 'carpet cleaning enemas'?)....there is a lot to be said for hardwood floors!

So I called my DIL to get the name of the best vet in town. She had to tell me their latest encounter with the criminal minds of Memphis. >shudder< I'm so glad they are safe! This is totally un-PC, but I'd like to see criminals get a moral 'cleansing enema!"

Then I called the vet for an afternoon appointment. My p.m. class ends at 3:30, and Lilo's appt was at 3:50, so I hightailed it out of there, picked up Lilo and her vet records (I actually found them!) and headed over there.

By the way, the sun was actually shining at this point! Ahhh. Cleansing!

Of course, poor Lilo was totally huddled in a corner of her carrier, having recurrence of the nightmare trip she had to go through when she was last forced into her carrier.

So there we were, checking in for an immediate (vs. emergency) appointment. (Did you know this vet has separate entrances for cats and their owners vs. dogs and their owners?) I had to wait. Then the Dr., a newly graduated vet, offered what I suspected: fecal test, x-rays, enema and/or blood tests.

Well, I opted for all but the blood tests. And, then I had to wait. Technology is great when it works....it didn't tonight as they attempted to electronically send the x-rays to be read by a veterinary radiologist, thus Lilo and I waited. They found her bowel to be pretty impacted...poor thing! I think this has been going on for awhile. Anyway, three, (Yes, I said THREE!) hours later, one poor, frightened, huddling-in-the-corner cat and I headed home. One and a half hours later Lilo is settling down on a nice warm blanket. Before that, she was wandering around from room to room alternately hiding under the largest, most stable piece of furniture she could find.

Personally, I think she'll recover well. After all, how could anyone remain ill after a cleansing enema?

PS. As I finish writing this, she is puking on the floor behind me. Evidently she ate some food. Here goes another $100 for blood tests to add to the $350. Oh, what a week. Another 'cleansing' : from the wallet, this time!

Nature ramblings, etc.

Took a walk this morning in the calm between storms. Wow! Lots and lots of seaweed had been thrown on shore and in the low tide looked like green grass growing profusely! Lots of driftwood had been floated off shore into the bay from the high tides and waves, I'm assuming, during the storm Friday and Saturday. The birds were close to the shore looking for breakfast and I saw herons, grebes, buffleheads, mallards, sea gulls (of course, but my next study will be into the many varieties of these), the local kingfisher, and some other birds I didn't know. The air was so fresh and clean and it was not that cold. I'm so glad to have this opportunity!

Tidbit: I think I've forgotten to show you the nice wicker chair I found for my bedroom from a garage sale last month.

Who's chair is this?

As to Lilo, she has become a bit of a different-acting cat, here. She is much more bold. She sneaks out the door to the landing whenever I open the door, is now looking down the steps like she's debating whether to explore further. I put her in this long mesh tunnel I bought so she could safely be outdoors and watch things, but she turned it over and got out. There are two holes in the bottom where if you were to peg the tunnel to the grass, the cat would have grass to nibble on. Of course, on the landing I couldn't peg it down. I even put one of her cozy blankets in there so she could lay down and watch things, but to no avail. Then, today, she threw up three times, watery, icky stuff. In the biggest pile was a piece of balled up scotch tape! Then, I opened the dining room window a bit to have the fresh air flow through and she managed to push it open enough to get half her body through when I caught her! I don't know if she would have gone all the way out......it is 1.5 stories down to the ground, but good grief! She often whines around and goes to the door, paws at it and then meows. What am I to do? I've created a monster by letting her taste outside!

Of course, in the picture she's her demure self. Naughty kitty! >hands on hips, frown<

My First Field Trip (and other tidbits)

Tuesday, the first day of our school week with kids, was a field trip to this small farm with pumpkins galore that had mostly frozen from harsh frost the night before and many which had been laboriously made into jack-o-lanterns. We walked by a pen of about 8 stinky turkeys, 3-4 cats and many kittens in a crate, smelly, noisy geese penned with one duck and one chicken (I'm wondering if the 'loners' were from 'Joey' on "Friends"...made me laugh in the middle of insanity to think of it, anyway.) There was another pen of peacocks, pea-hens and half grown chicks, another of 3 pigs (black, brown and whitish-pink.."The Three Little Pigs"?) and a field of cows behind an electric fence that had been supposedly made 'safe' by putting a line of hay bales in front of it. Do you know how fast a 3-5 year old can get over a hay bale? The cows were fed the frozen pumpkins and Mr. Pumpkin fed them corn around which they wrapped their long, long tongues......and some people think cow tongue is a delicacy! Gross!

Thankfully, the sun was shining and it had been cold enough for two days before so it was not muddy, nor were there huge mud/water potholes. It was a beautiful crisp fall day for a field trip, despite it all.

We were directed by the owners of this operation, known as Mr and Mrs. Pumpkin (they had orange jumpsuits on and the man had orange hair that looked like it had gotten electrocuted in the electric fence and in the middle of his head was a large green stem poking out!). I'm surprised the kids weren't more afraid of the duo. Okay, there were 3 special education teachers, 2 assistants per teacher/class and two-three parents. In the morning I had eight preschool special education students of the 24 who attended. Of those, I'd say about 3 were able to process what was even happening. One kept running back to the geese pen and imitating the honking.....only words he's said! Anyone heard of 'goose therapy'? One kept running back to the cat crate to pinch the cats...I wanted to pinch Him! Another just whined and threw himself on the ground whenever we stopped to listen to a story from the Pumpkins. We could never let go of this one as he would run off just for the joy of running. Another is visually impaired and couldn't really see the animals unless he was up close....thus no fear of electric fences! He just hummed his little tune as he wandered around, stumbling over pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. Thank goodness 'the screamer's' mom came with us and so we had no trouble with her!) We had to help the others find the few pumpkins that did not freeze. Of course, none of the kids brought money from home (as asked) to get a pumpkin, but Mr. Pumpkin set them up by saying, "Okay, go find yourself a good pumpkin!" So guess who ended up paying for the pumpkins? At $2 per small, orange globe, they weren't cheap! Then we sat on hay bales to eat a snack we'd set up for the kids. We brought their favorites: goldfish crackers (the current M&M motivators) and gummy bears, juice boxes or small water bottles. Of course we also had to push one child's wheelchair around this set up; he doesn't like to be outside, as the bright sunshine hurts his eyes and if we stop, he just wants to 'go'. Add to that the limitations of my assistants: (1) morbid obesity, knees ready for replacement and a bird phobia [remember geese, duck, hen, turkeys, peacocks, pea-hens?] (2) lymphodema, so she can't run or get on her knees. Is it any wonder I couldn't sleep the night before and forgot to take the camera or have the kids wash their hands with the carefully packed Purell before snack? Yikes!

Remember, I have one class in the morning, and another in the afternoon, so we returned to the school, we staff ate lunch, gathered our courage and repeated the process all over again with the afternoon classes. Believe me, by the time we returned to the school that afternoon, we staff were all exhausted physically and mentally and emotionally.

Now as I have been taught, I have reflected on the experience. The first thought that entered my mind was selfish: What in the heck was the educational relevance and why should I have to go through all that, worrying about all those kids perhaps being injured, bee-stung, bit, scratched, etc? I made picture schedules of the event before we went, took those schedules with us on the trip and repeatedly showed them to kids who were fearful or 'stuck'. I had to take two backpacks: one with snacks and the other Full of first aid equipment, blood-borne pathogen kit, diaper changing supplies and emergency information on each child. A few kids were able to process the experience, but only a minority.

If I were the parent of a child with special needs, I'd still go to the Pumpkin Patch, so I could let my child have at least a simulation of participating in community activities and giving him/her the same opportunities other children have. And really, we don't know for sure how much they were able to retain or make happy memories.

Okay that was Tuesday. On Wednesday the day at school was off as we'd had that field trip the day before and kids were all unruly and out of sync and, of course, (1) assistant called in 'sick' as her knees hurt too much.

On Thursday, I think the stress of it all had caught up with me and I just wanted to velcro each child to a chair. I was tired of listening to the perpetual high, ear-piercing screams, listening to the whines, keeping one child from continually stripping off his clothes, trying to keep calm, quieting those whose ears are overly sensitive to sound and chasing after the runners. All this while trying to do the daily learning activities. Thankfully, in our little classroom, my assistants can function well so they were good help. But it rained that day and we couldn't take the kids outside to work off some of their energy, breathe deeply, and, frankly, to give us teachers a breath of fresh air. Even though there are problems with the playground, it is basically enclosed and fairly safe and the kids can roam 'free'.

I called my friend, Cindy, Thursday evening as she was preparing to leave on her much anticipated trip to Peru. She is going with a group from Nature Conservancy and has had never traveled outside the USA before. She told me some quite upsetting news about a favorite colleague of ours from near River city. His 22 year old son was critically injured in a head-on car accident near his university. This young man was preparing for a career as a special education teacher and was engaged to be married.....well he still is, but has severe head trauma and was put in a drug-induced coma to help him heal and to deal with the multiple surgeries he will have to have over the next few weeks. He was ejected from his vehicle at the crash (while trying to pass a hay wagon trying to get to class on time from his job), landing on his left side which was crushed: head, arms, legs, ribs. He has lost one eye and probably his sight, as his occipital lobe has been severely injured. His frontal lobe was also injured. The future does not look bright for him. His family is very close. The four of them had all spent last year in England doing a job trade and had a wonderful time together. His younger sister is a senior in high school this year. She will need lots of prayers as well, as I'm sure her needs will be put second to that of the brother's. I ask any of you so inclined to do so to pray for this family. My heart aches for them.

With stress mounting, I gave in to buying Halloween candy at 50% off and gorging myself. Of course, it really didn't solve anything.

Friday, came, finally. I couldn't' wait for it to be over and the weekend to come. My stress level for trying to be 'professional', kind, caring and all round perfect teacher was rapidly draining away.

Now, its Saturday, and as I'm writing this I'm watching "Free Willie"....It's on TV. Sort of suits my mood though. Oh to be free! But, poor Willie (Keiko) in real life. He tried and tried. Still needed a self-contained 'classroom' to survive.

What are we doing, people?