Good Dirty Fun

Kyle got off a little early today - he only works until 4:00 on Saturdays - so he took his Isuzu Trooper to some trails behind the Credit Union and played in the mud.  Nearly got stuck in a BIG mud hole... but got out and wasn't even as dirty as he was on Thursday night when he went over.  But he had a good time!!

Most of the mud is on the bottom... but you can see how muddy the tires are...

Just good "clean" fun!

Hard to believe this ol' truck is 23 years old!

A boy and his truck

Rod update:  He's sleeping in a truck stop in Matthews, Missouri.  He has to be up and out by 2:30 so he can deliver a load of Washington apples at 7:30 at a WalMart in ...  uh, somewhere!  LOL  I looked up so many places I can't remember now which one was his final destination, but I know it's about 180 miles from where he is now.

Jim update:  still waiting to hear from the company he's hoping to hire on with.

Tuesday again...

What a glorious morning!  Poor Rod called and said it was -6 in Newton Iowa this morning....  I went out to feed the horses - its 58 here with a light little breeze.  We could do without the wind, there is a 16,000 acre brush fire in the north part of the county.  They got a little rain yesterday, but the wind really isn't helping.  I'm sitting on a chair in the backyard, but might have to go in... the glare on the screen is awful.

I gave Andy his spring clipping this weekend and then we had rain yesterday and a north wind so I put his blanket on last night.  He was toasty warm this morning when I went out to feed.

Ok, here's the picture I promised you.....

Here's the story behind it...  

This was the photo for the Miami Chamber of Commerce about 25 years ago.  The caption is "Miami - see it like a native".  The folks on the Chamber Board were scandalized and refused to use it.  (remember, this was 25 years ago...)  So they BURNED all of them.  Except this one.  This is the ONLY copy (that they know of)  This silly poster is worth $25,000!!!  So I just "had" to get my picture next to it.  LOL  

(however all us Tappers were agonizing over how BADLY she needed to workout!)

Here's where I was this weekend

Here is who I was with...

Here is what we were doing...

I got the opportunity to spend the weekend with Teresa Tapp and 20 of her students, filming a special documentary for PBS!  We all got together in Dania Beach, FL (N. Miami) at a fancy hotel and then headed over to the TV studios.

Thursday afternoon was "interview day" for those of us who were there.  I got to interview with the Producer, Maya - she was incredible.  She had obviously researched my story (thyroid issues) and asked great questions to lead me right into the answers she was looking for.  It will be interesting to see if any of it makes the "final cut".  But either way, it was a great experience!  

Before and after the interviews we all hung out in the makeup room - Teresa and some of her staff, and a few of us participating.  It was such fun to just sit there and chat with people I've only met (for the most part) on the forums! Teresa is always so genuine and personable.  We sat together and chatted for nearly 2 hours about... everything!  Horses, kids, makeup, you name it.  (She has a mare who is now 25 years old and so we discussed "aging horse issues"...)

After they were all finished, Grant's Mom (he's the head honcho, as long as she isn't around...) came in and suggested they were finished and we might want to leave...  (I think she was kicking us out - we were having a WONDERFUL time and were probably a little loud...  grin)

This is my friend "Blessed Mama", Trisch.  She is a homeschool Mama (to 9).  We had such a great time chatting!  The final evening I took her and my roommate, Margaret to the beach.  (And I didn't even run them over!  Thanks for the warning Dad!)  Margaret and I had such fun staying up WAY too late every night gabbing.  Even AFTER lights out. 

Margaret & Trisch at the beach

More later - you have got to see the $25,000 poster!

Tuesday

We are having a great time having Rod home...  Jim graduated from school and headed home on Friday, but has a "new girlfriend" so we aren't seeing a whole lot of him lately...  Kyle has been covering for a co-worker whose Mom passed away, so he's been going in to work 6 days a week and opening instead of closing.  Today is his last day of that.  I've been teaching in Boynton, but I'm home now...


Monday was a FULL day for Rod and I.  Started up at the vet's with Fuzzy, Kyle's puppy.  He is suffering from heart failure - poor little guy.  He's only 7 years old, but the vet thinks he was born with a defect.  Put him on 2 more medicines which will help his liver and heart function.  Will improve his quality of life, but likely shorten it as well.  Hank said he expects 6 months to as much as a year.  But that was the prognosis without the medicine as well, so if he can have a GOOD 6 months, that's better than the way he is now.  He gets very short of breath, can't run with the others, can't go on walks with us anymore and can hardly get up the step into the house.  Hank said he should have significantly more energy and feel better within 2 days so we'll see...  The vet is up in Merritt Island, so we stopped in Cocoa on the way home and visited with Tim and George.  They are doing well... the stop is staying steady.  With the rising fuel prices, people are pulling out their bikes and scooters and getting them worked on so they can ride them again.  At least it keeps Scott busy!


After we dropped Fuzzy at the house we went into town with Jim - took him to my office to fax all his school papers to KLLM.  Hoping to hear good news back from them today... Keeping fingers crossed.  He left from there to go to the beach / river with his girlfriend and Rod and I headed over to Walgreens to fill Fuzzy's prescription.


Rod is so funny.  As we were leaving Walgreens - walking through the card department he said "well, Happy Valentines Day.  Do you want me to get you a card or do you just want to stand here and read a couple?"  I laughed about that all day long!!!!  (We are NOT Hallmark Holiday people...)  Across the street to the bank to make a deposit and then back to Walgreens to pick up the medicine.  Then off to the eye doctor.  His pressure is holding at 13 and the doctor was pleased.  She said that was her goal - so now he just goes in every 3 months to make sure it is holding steady.  What a blessing!!!!


After Kyle got home we went for a nice long walk in the woods and then headed over to Cocoa to send in Rod's paperwork on his last trip, (has to go up on a special machine you can only find at a truck stop - we don't have a truck stop around here...) and then to Orlando to his post office box to get his mail.  There was a little mexican place next door so we went in for a burrito.  It was really good!  Kyle and I jabbered all the way home.  Rod took a nap in the backseat.


This morning we went out for breakfast (Waffle House - a tradition) and then fueled up and stopped at the feed store to get hay.  Home to unload and then Rod taught me how to start the giant 4-wheeler and drag the pasture.  It was hard work!!!!  I was surprised how tired my arms were - but very proud of myself.  Nice to know I can do it myself now!


We came in and Rod took a little nap - while I checked my email etc.  His back was a little sore today, so he has been laying on one of my rice bags (as a heating pad).  He's awake now and feeling better, so we are going to the grocery store.

Happy Valentines (early)

Want a cute idea for Valentines Day?  Shamelessly stolen from another website I can’t for the life of me find again…

My assistant handled Activity Day Girls for me this week while I was in Ft. Lauderdale.  They made rice krispie square kisses!  You make the rice krispies, colored with red food coloring to get a nice little pink.  Then pack them into a large kitchen funnel. (sprayed with a little cooking spray so you can get them back out!)  Then wrap each with a little foil and stick a little paper with a cute saying.  She said she took pictures once they were wrapped, but it didn’t save on her phone… 

Anyhow – cute!  The girls had a good time making (and eating) them.

Oh wait, HERE’s the website!  http://rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com/2009/02/day-10-rice-krispy-treats-as-kiss.html

Rod update:

He is now in FLORIDA!  Just about even with me, but on the wrong coast.  Heading south to Arcadia – should be there in another hour or so.  Then once they unload him, he can head east!!! 

Thursday, right?

I’m at work today.

I know… I’m supposed to be home, basking in the glow of my darling husband.  But he’s stuck in Atlanta.  Poor guy!  He was all ready to head home – had a load for Florida and everything!  But the truck in front of him flung a rock and broke his windshield.  Which ground all Florida-bound movement to a halt.  Luckily he was near his “home” terminal so was able to do all his laundry and take a shower for free!  (Like he couldn’t have done that when he got home, but you gotta look for the silver lining, right?)

They finally got his windshield fixed this morning, but it has to cure for 2-3 hours before he can start driving again.  Which means he was  “in detention” for 24 hours (and so he gets paid…)  So it’s not ALL bad, right? 

Meanwhile, I got up EARLY yesterday morning (yah, Froze, I know, “my” early is not actually early…)  I was up at 5 and gone by 5:45 heading south to Ft. Lauderdale to meet with the honchos from home office about the new curriculum.  The plan was to get there for an 8:00 breakfast.  But some poor soul on the highway got into an accident and it caused everyone to do stop-and-go for 25 minutes.  (despite being pulled over to the side of the road, not in ANYBODY’s way, or even being all the interesting to look at!!!!!)  So… Instead of pulling into the hotel parking lot at 7:59 as predicted by my faithful GPS, I pulled in at 8:25. 

Wandered down to the table and visited with the folks there until just after 9:00 when we headed up to the room to begin deliberations.  It’s always fun to get a bunch of people together with no clear direction or understanding of what is expected and hope to come out of the room 8 hours later with a useable product.  I don’t know how successful we were, but the 3 of us sitting at our end of the room had a great time “work shopping” and comparing notes about the different strategies we use to teach various concepts.  I felt like I learned a TON!  And I was gratified to see they brought the manual from the agonizing class I went to in Pensacola last year and were using lots of the information from that experience.  I also brought the Review manual I’ve been teaching from for the last few years.  Emily (from home office) was pleased to know I use it LOTS (as evidenced by the state it’s in, as well as all the notes I have made over time…)  (She wrote it...)  She referred back to it often and seemed to take note of the changes I had made.

We had a great lunch downstairs (HQ FORBADE her from having a “working” lunch…) and then back up to finish up.  I think she got lots of material.  Looking forward to seeing the results.  Some of the instructors were hesitant about participating… feels a little like working yourself out of a job.  I imagine the horse and buggy guys felt like that when the new automobile folks came in asking them to help them create a new chassis…  But you gotta embrace change.  It’s coming either way… might as well get onboard…

Another senseless slowdown on the highway on the way home, adding another 30+ minutes to the drive.  But I got home just before 8:00 (I think) so it was all good.  Kyle and I ate a little dinner, watched a little TV and then headed off to bed.  One of his co-workers lost her Mom this week, so he’s covering for her which means opening at 7:15 and getting off at 4:15.  Quite a change for the guy who generally doesn’t get UP until 7:40 and goes in at 9!  He’s NOT loving it, but it will be over soon.

Jim update:  Today is the last day of testing.  He is doing STELLAR!  Can’t wait to get out there on the road with a trainer and start actually making a little money.  (during training they get a flat rate regardless of the miles they drive… but something is better than NOTHING!)  We are super proud of him and can’t wait for him to team up with his Dad!

Rod Update:  Still waiting………………  Snowed in Atlanta last night.  Can’t wait to head south!  (but it’s rainy and chilly today… not much better than where he is…)

BUMMER!

I know…  You’re not supposed to laugh at the misfortune of others… but sometimes you just can’t help it. 

Friday night after school ended and all my students left (10:00) I was tidying my classroom before leaving, when one of my ladies came back in looking distraught. 

I asked what the problem was, imagining her car wouldn’t start or some such thing.

Nope. 

She was in the restroom.  Used the facilities.  Washed her hands.  Dried her hands.  Picked up her purse and her keys.  As she was leaving, she reached over to flush.

And her keys slipped out of her hand.

It was like a Jr. High School swirly.  Down they went.

Gone.  

In an instant.  

Never to be seen again. 

Perhaps eaten by one of those infamous gators that live in the sewer in South Florida.

I didn’t laugh out loud. 

I’m quite proud of myself.

But I’m grinning now!

Rod update...  He is sitting in Missouri (again) waiting for them to load his truck - sometime between now and 8:00 tonight.  Then it's off to Atlanta!  At least that's in the correct quadrant!