I used to use Microsoft Word to write my blog. It was so easy, I could just hit publish and it would send it right there. A while ago, it quit working. I could cut and paste, but it still wasn’t the same. So, I figured out today that I could use Windows Live Writer to do the same thing. That was at 8:15 this morning. I have been trying all day to update and fix my computer to install Windows Live Writer. I’ve started and restarted my computer about 12 times. I’ve quit, started again, took a nap and worked on it some more. Crazy stuff, but apparently, I’ve installed and updated enough that it works. Let’s see!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
My Girl
Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 13th is my girl’s birthday. My only niece will be 12. I don’t know where the time has gone – it literally seems like just yesterday when she was born. She was almost my birthday present, born just two days before my birthday. She was so tiny, only four and half pounds. . . I can’t believe what a beautiful young lady she’s turned into. I’m sad that she’s already 12, but I love watching her grow.
I remember the day she was born - my sister had to go to the hospital early Sunday morning. Makiah wasn't due until the end of November, but Patti had started retaining water horribly. On Monday, the doctor said they were going to keep Patti on bed rest until Makiah's due date. But on Tuesday, I went for a department meeting at school, came back to my room and my daddy was leaning against my classroom door. He said "We're having a baby at noon!" I immediately went to the office and said I needed to leave. Our AP at the time said I couldn't leave. I kind of ignored her and spent first period making plans. My friends Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Barry all took some of my kids for the rest of the day and after 1st period was over, I left.
When I walked into the hospital, Patti was telling my mom grades for her kids, and my mom was filling in Patti's bubble sheets for report cards. Later, while we were waiting, I was writing names for a new 9 weeks in my gradebook. We waited forever it seemed. Robyn kept praying for her to yell - she said if the baby could holler or yell, that her lungs would be strong enough for her to be OK. I just kept praying she wouldn't have to have a needle in her head. I kept thinking I could handle anything, but if that tiny little baby had to have a needle in her head, I just couldn't stand the thought of that.
We both got what we prayed for - she yelled for her Aunt Robyn and she never had to have a needle in her head. She was tiny, much tinier that either of Robyn's boys. We were used to 8 pound babies, so this little 4 1/2 pound things was just nothing.
Now, she's taller than her mom, and her feet are nearly as big as mine. I just can't believe it!! She's so much more than we could have wished for - she's beautiful, she's smart and she's sweet. I wish my mom could see her now!
I remember the day she was born - my sister had to go to the hospital early Sunday morning. Makiah wasn't due until the end of November, but Patti had started retaining water horribly. On Monday, the doctor said they were going to keep Patti on bed rest until Makiah's due date. But on Tuesday, I went for a department meeting at school, came back to my room and my daddy was leaning against my classroom door. He said "We're having a baby at noon!" I immediately went to the office and said I needed to leave. Our AP at the time said I couldn't leave. I kind of ignored her and spent first period making plans. My friends Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Barry all took some of my kids for the rest of the day and after 1st period was over, I left.
When I walked into the hospital, Patti was telling my mom grades for her kids, and my mom was filling in Patti's bubble sheets for report cards. Later, while we were waiting, I was writing names for a new 9 weeks in my gradebook. We waited forever it seemed. Robyn kept praying for her to yell - she said if the baby could holler or yell, that her lungs would be strong enough for her to be OK. I just kept praying she wouldn't have to have a needle in her head. I kept thinking I could handle anything, but if that tiny little baby had to have a needle in her head, I just couldn't stand the thought of that.
We both got what we prayed for - she yelled for her Aunt Robyn and she never had to have a needle in her head. She was tiny, much tinier that either of Robyn's boys. We were used to 8 pound babies, so this little 4 1/2 pound things was just nothing.
Now, she's taller than her mom, and her feet are nearly as big as mine. I just can't believe it!! She's so much more than we could have wished for - she's beautiful, she's smart and she's sweet. I wish my mom could see her now!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Granny's Birthday
At the end of August, my Aunt Cecelia has a birthday party for my Granny Hilda. Granny is my mother’s mother and she turned 90 in September. My Granny is something else. She’s not had an easy life, but she’s certainly had an interesting life.
She was born in Red Level, Alabama, which is not much bigger than a sheet of paper. She was named Hilda Herberta Jones. (Her father’s name was Herbert Hilrey and he named her after himself!) Not exactly a name to love is it??? When I was younger, I asked her if I could call her Hilda. She said “Sure” so then I asked about Herberta. She said “Ummm, NO!!” She had one older sister, my Aunt Julia and a TON of half-siblings. Until this year, she had gone to a class reunion every year, since the 30th year. She’s been widowed, and then widowed again. She gave birth to five children and has had to attend the funerals of two of them. I think when she lost my Uncle George, who was her baby, and then my mom just 11 months later, it changed her. I didn’t know if she was going to recover.
She’s a trip! She gave me one of her wedding ring sets and it is absolutely gorgeous. When she gave it to me, she kind of tossed the box at me and said, “It doesn’t look like you’re ever going to get any of your own, so here!” At her party when I went over to hug her, she said, “Well, I see you haven’t lost any weight!” She says whatever she thinks, whenever she wants. I guess when you’re 90, you kind of have that right.
She still lives alone. She lives next door to my aunt, but she lives all by herself. She worked hard, and during a time when most women didn’t work outside the home at all. She started smoking when she was 14 and about 10 years ago, she just quit. She decided she didn’t want to anymore and she quit – just like that! She has the most self-control I’ve ever seen! She likes Almond M&M’s and used to buy a bag and eat three a day until they were gone. Can you imagine – three a day?? Unbelievable!
She has always been a little nervous! She used to know every car in her neighborhood, and knew exactly when people were supposed to be home. For a birthday gift one time, we got her a cap pistol and binoculars so she could shoot to scare off the dogs that would poo-poo in her yard and peek at her neighbors better! It made me sad to see how slow she’s moving these days. She’s slowed down a lot. She always seemed younger than she was and all of a sudden, her age has caught up with her. I realize how lucky we were to get to celebrate her 90th birthday with her.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
My Bubba-cat, Take 2
So, everyone (all two people who read my blog!!) know that I have a cat named Bubba, because I blogged about him a little while ago. Well, another day, here we go again. Rumor has it that my poor cat is being maligned in a certain 5th grade teacher’s classroom where he is known as “Bubba the EVIL cat.” Well, for a supposedly evil cat, he has the cutest new habit. He likes to drink water as it drips into the bathtub. He has a water dispenser, an electric one, mind you, with a pump and filter that is supposed to give him clean, fresh water all the time. But he’d rather drink from the bathtub (and occasionally, the toilet!) So his newest trick is, he sneaks into the bathtub when he thinks I’m not looking. I can’t seem to make him understand that I don’t care if he drinks the water left in the bottom of the bathtub, but he still keeps trying to sneak. His next trick is trying to sneak out of the bathtub as well. My bathroom is tiny. For me to notice him sneaking in or out of the bathtub, I’m usually. . . “busy” but since my bathtub is the size of a postage stamp, he’s NOT sneaking. Then, he shakes. The other night I woke up with his wet head pushed against my leg and I knew he’d been sneaking into the shower again. Crazy cat!
So, I wanted to create an online photo album for the 5h grade teacher who talks about her sister’s “EVIL cat.” I wanted her to be able to show her kids my cat. So here it is Bubba’s first photo album. What a cat!!
So, I wanted to create an online photo album for the 5h grade teacher who talks about her sister’s “EVIL cat.” I wanted her to be able to show her kids my cat. So here it is Bubba’s first photo album. What a cat!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Things I learned tonight at a high school volleyball game
Tonight I learned some stuff, and being the teacher that I am, I decided to share them with you all. You may already know these things or you may not care, but it’s my blog and I can do it if I want to. Tonight I went to Lake Region High School to watch a volleyball game. In the past few years, I have been to several high school volleyball games and watched young ladies from my church play. I’ve watched Sami Carver and Hannah Smith play. Tonight I went to see my friend Laura’s daughter Kali play. Laura and I have been friends for about 100 years, (Okay, maybe just like 20 or something) but we haven’t seen each other in person in YEARS. We used to work in AWANA together and as hard as this may be to believe, of the two of us, I was the warm, fuzzy one! Laura is probably the toughest person I know. She would kick butt on Survivor and she could seriously win if she were ever a contestant on Fear Factor. So, we rediscovered each other on Facebook. (I LOVE that!) Her daughter Kali is a freshman on the varsity volleyball team at Lakeland High School, and Laura helps coach the team. I wanted to go to the Auburndale/Lakeland game, but it was the night of Open House at my school. So tonight, I went to Lake Region to watch them play. In the process, I learned some things so here we go!
1. I didn’t think that my friend Laura could sit so calmly and watch a game, especially a game her daughter is playing in. She keeps statistics and sits right there in her chair and makes notes on paper. She never jumped up and yelled, never screamed at any officials and never appeared to even get very upset. I didn’t know she could do that! I have seen her almost rabid at AWANA Olympic practice! I was completely surprised.
2. Volleyball has changed a WHOLE lot since we played in PE. At every game I’ve been to, I’m just amazed. This ain’t my PE volleyball anymore. No three lines of three players, no more gently wafting the ball over the net. These girls are like machines. I was a little nervous.
3. I’m amazed at how much a kid can make you think so much about two other people. Looking at Kali, I couldn’t tell you specifically if she looks like her mom or her dad, but she made me think of both of them. I look a LOT like my dad – I have his round face, his chin and I’m built more like him. I have my mom’s squinty little eyes. I can’t tell you specifically how Kali looks like Laura or Jimbo, but I can see BOTH of them in her. She makes me think of both of them. One time, during the game, though, she did something and she was her mother made over. At that moment, she was 1000% Laura!
4. I don’t know who decided that volleyball players should wear bottoms that look like boy leg bathing suit bottoms . . . and I’m not sure it’s a good idea. There is probably some reason why those spandex bottoms help them move faster or something, but I don’t know any statistics. I’m shocked at how unflattering those things are, even on high school girls who are in fabulous shape. I also can’t imagine how irritating they must be, because between every part of the game, the poor things have to pull them out of their nether regions. Can’t be comfortable at all!!!
5. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have students from the home school watch the lines to determine when a ball is out or not. . . And that’s all I’m going to say about that. You can probably imagine why.
6. Almost last, but not least, my friend Laura’s daughter is a scary good volleyball player. It should be obvious to everyone that what I know about volleyball could fit in a thimble and there would be room left over, but I can even tell she’s REALLY good. I’ve gotta tell you, she hit some balls that were like bullets. If I were told I had to choose between being chased by a dog and letting Kali hit a volleyball at me, I’d take the dog. I was watching the game and I flinched sometimes, even though the ball was WAY away from and going the opposite direction
7. I’m so glad that God puts certain people in our lives. I’m so thankful that I’ve found my friend Laura again. I can’t even tell you why we’re friends; we don’t have much in common at all!! She is a tough, tough athlete – I’m a big wussy pants. She can handle anything that comes her way, with attitude, while I just want to curl up on the corner and cry! When we first met, she was married and I was single. She’s married now, and I’m still single. She’s a mom, I’m not. But somehow, in spite of all that, we ended up friends – and I’m so glad that we are.
1. I didn’t think that my friend Laura could sit so calmly and watch a game, especially a game her daughter is playing in. She keeps statistics and sits right there in her chair and makes notes on paper. She never jumped up and yelled, never screamed at any officials and never appeared to even get very upset. I didn’t know she could do that! I have seen her almost rabid at AWANA Olympic practice! I was completely surprised.
2. Volleyball has changed a WHOLE lot since we played in PE. At every game I’ve been to, I’m just amazed. This ain’t my PE volleyball anymore. No three lines of three players, no more gently wafting the ball over the net. These girls are like machines. I was a little nervous.
3. I’m amazed at how much a kid can make you think so much about two other people. Looking at Kali, I couldn’t tell you specifically if she looks like her mom or her dad, but she made me think of both of them. I look a LOT like my dad – I have his round face, his chin and I’m built more like him. I have my mom’s squinty little eyes. I can’t tell you specifically how Kali looks like Laura or Jimbo, but I can see BOTH of them in her. She makes me think of both of them. One time, during the game, though, she did something and she was her mother made over. At that moment, she was 1000% Laura!
4. I don’t know who decided that volleyball players should wear bottoms that look like boy leg bathing suit bottoms . . . and I’m not sure it’s a good idea. There is probably some reason why those spandex bottoms help them move faster or something, but I don’t know any statistics. I’m shocked at how unflattering those things are, even on high school girls who are in fabulous shape. I also can’t imagine how irritating they must be, because between every part of the game, the poor things have to pull them out of their nether regions. Can’t be comfortable at all!!!
5. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have students from the home school watch the lines to determine when a ball is out or not. . . And that’s all I’m going to say about that. You can probably imagine why.
6. Almost last, but not least, my friend Laura’s daughter is a scary good volleyball player. It should be obvious to everyone that what I know about volleyball could fit in a thimble and there would be room left over, but I can even tell she’s REALLY good. I’ve gotta tell you, she hit some balls that were like bullets. If I were told I had to choose between being chased by a dog and letting Kali hit a volleyball at me, I’d take the dog. I was watching the game and I flinched sometimes, even though the ball was WAY away from and going the opposite direction
7. I’m so glad that God puts certain people in our lives. I’m so thankful that I’ve found my friend Laura again. I can’t even tell you why we’re friends; we don’t have much in common at all!! She is a tough, tough athlete – I’m a big wussy pants. She can handle anything that comes her way, with attitude, while I just want to curl up on the corner and cry! When we first met, she was married and I was single. She’s married now, and I’m still single. She’s a mom, I’m not. But somehow, in spite of all that, we ended up friends – and I’m so glad that we are.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The stupidest thing I’ve done (today!)
I hurt myself quite often. It’s never on purpose, but I hurt myself frequently. When I was about six, I decided to shave my legs. I grabbed a razor and dragged it up my leg, leaving a scar that I still have today. One year at my school’s Christmas play, I had this massive scab on the front of my shin. Imagine a pretty red dress for Christmas, nice little white lacy socks, with this ginormous red, bloody scab in between. I was trying to walk on some concrete pavers and fell off. My mother used to tell me “It’s just a clumsy stage; you’ll grow out of it.” The year I turned 27, she quit telling me that.
So yesterday, my nephew Josh had a job interview and, being the great aunt that I try to be, I was ironing his shirt for him. I picked up the can of spray starch by the lid. You can probably figure out what happened next. Gravity is still in effect, so the heavy can of spray starch fell out of the lid and landed right on top of my left foot, where my toes attach to rest of my foot. I hopped around moaning for a while and then ironed the shirt and went on to church. Things like this happen to me all the time, so it’s really no big deal.
This is where the stupidity comes in. Tonight I’m in the shower. ****** Caution – this next sentence may be TMI, so you may want to skip it. I have this pair of shoes that are really, really, comfortable, but they make my feet . . . how can I say this delicately . . . a tad odoriferous. Whenever I wear them, I can’t take them off until I’m ready to take a shower. ******************** Okay, you can read again now. I’m in the shower, scrubbing my feet. I notice this dirty spot on top of my foot and I’m scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing. Then, I realize it hurts and the dirt is NOT going away. Then, it hits me! DUH!!! It’s a bruise! I’m trying to scrub off a bruise!! What kind of dummy am I??? I start laughing; water goes up my nose. . . Good times, good times!!!
So yesterday, my nephew Josh had a job interview and, being the great aunt that I try to be, I was ironing his shirt for him. I picked up the can of spray starch by the lid. You can probably figure out what happened next. Gravity is still in effect, so the heavy can of spray starch fell out of the lid and landed right on top of my left foot, where my toes attach to rest of my foot. I hopped around moaning for a while and then ironed the shirt and went on to church. Things like this happen to me all the time, so it’s really no big deal.
This is where the stupidity comes in. Tonight I’m in the shower. ****** Caution – this next sentence may be TMI, so you may want to skip it. I have this pair of shoes that are really, really, comfortable, but they make my feet . . . how can I say this delicately . . . a tad odoriferous. Whenever I wear them, I can’t take them off until I’m ready to take a shower. ******************** Okay, you can read again now. I’m in the shower, scrubbing my feet. I notice this dirty spot on top of my foot and I’m scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing. Then, I realize it hurts and the dirt is NOT going away. Then, it hits me! DUH!!! It’s a bruise! I’m trying to scrub off a bruise!! What kind of dummy am I??? I start laughing; water goes up my nose. . . Good times, good times!!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My Bubba-cat
So, I have this cat named Bubba. Sometimes I call him Bubba-cat; sometimes I call him Bubbalicious and sometimes just Bub. I got him in May of 1996, when he was just about six weeks old. He was so tiny; he couldn't jump up onto my bed. I had to pick him up and put him on the bed. He has grown into quite the monster cat. He's very long, if he stands on his hind legs, he can read pas the doorknob on my front door. When he lays flat on top of me, he reaches from my shoulders, almost to my knees.
Bubba thinks he is an alarm clock. If I don't wake up, he wakes me up. Either he jumps on my stomach, or he climbs up on my chest of drawers and hits the blinds on the window so they crash into the window. He does it over and over until I either get up or swing a pillow at him. He also has a horrible habit. He chews on plastic. Plastic bags, trash bag handles, whatever. One day I picked up a plastic folder to take to school and it had little teeth marks all over the end of it. The really weird thing is, he chews on them with his back teeth, not his front teeth. It's very strange to watch him.
He also thinks he's a watch cat. When my Mom died, I had to run an errand, and my friend Laquita was coming to my house. My nephews were downstairs so I left my door unlocked, because Quita was almost here and we'd be back soon. When she tried to come in my house, Bubba started hissing at her and almost wouldn't let her in. During Spring Break this year, my sister came to get some of her stuff from my house. My dad and my nephew and I were cleaning out the garage. Everything was fine as long as I was here, even though I was downstairs and she was upstairs. But, the minute we got in my car to run to Lowe's, Bubba went after her. He hid under stuff and jumped out at her, he hissed at her, and finally, she put a laundry basket over him to get away. When we got home, I noticed a plastic spoon on the window outside my front door. She had to use the spoon to get out of the house.
Bubba can hear me open a can no matter where he is in the house. If I open any sort of can, he comes bounding into the kitchen, meowing for his dinner. It doesn't matter if I'm opening a can of soup or whatever, he thinks it's cat food. He loves cheese, especially the cheese they put on nachos at Taco Bell. He likes queso and loves the chicken from a Wendy's chicken sandwich.
My nephew and niece are both terrified of him. He attacks their feet, hides behind stuff, and jumps out at them. I think he's playing but they both think he's trying to hurt them. I would swear he laughs whenever they are scared of him. When I went to London, my dad and his wife "cat-sat" for me. Bubba took a road trip to his Grandpa's house. He did not enjoy the three-hour drive and whined pitifully from Auburndale to Wauchula. When he realized he wasn't getting out of the carrier, he just went to sleep. He spent his first several days at my dad's house hiding under the bed. Every time they tried to check on him, he would swipe at them. He doesn't have any front claws, so he can't really hurt you, but he still tries. Daddy finally got a flyswatter after him. Whenever he misbehaved, Daddy would swat him with the flyswatter. He finally got so comfortable, he would swat back at the flyswatter. He's definitely a strong willed child. Daddy kept asking me if he could give Bubba a bath. I told him he was welcome to, but I wouldn't advise it!!!
When I was in the 6th grade, my teacher missed some days of school because she had to have her pet put to sleep. I can't remember whether it was a dog or a cat, (I'm thinking a dog, but I'm not sure.) I remember thinking that was the silliest thing I'd ever heard, missing work because her pet was sick. Now, I understand. Bubba is very much like my child. I worry when he's sick and I spank him when he misbehaves. I had no idea when I got him that this one little cat would become such a huge part of my life. Crazy as it sounds; I love my Bubba-cat.
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