It's in the Consitution!

One of my reading groups at school is a group of boys that wanted to study AL history this year. At the moment, we are reading how AL became a state and about the Constitution of 1819. There were several interesting items listed:

Governor elected by the people to serve a two-year term.

School property protected by the state.

Supreme Court where the judges are selected by the legislature.

Slavery allowed.

Roadways and waterways improvements funded by the state. This statement made one ask about the improvements. After thinking a couple of seconds about how to explain, I asked, "What do you see when you are looking at the road."    A couple of seconds pass....... and one boy finally answers:

 

'Dead possums.'

 

I swear.... You can't make this stuff up!!

Tags: AL, Constitution, roadways, waterways, improvements, dead possums

HOOP: There it is!

Saturday turned out to be a fun day. Our Lady Pats basketball team went to sub-regional's last week and won their first game. In fact, it's still out on if the other team actually showed up. Yesterday morning, the Lady's went up against an inter-city team out of Birmingham. Let's just say, our girls showed up, but they are to nice.  The other team racked up the fouls but there seemed to be some confusion over their girls 25 and 52. Makes you want to go, 'HHHhhhhmmmmm......' However, the support for our team was just amazing!  All three administrators were there, and more than half of the teachers, a huge amount of students showed up to rally our Lady's on.

We stayed for the next game that turned out to be so close. In the forth quarter, both teams were neck and neck. The team that won did it by one point and in the last 10 seconds of the game. Both teams brought out the crowd. The roar coming from the gym was just tremendous, with jabs chanted from both sides of the spectators! I half expected to see a brawl out in the parking lot afterwards, but everyone behaved themselves.

On to lunch with friends made it the perfect day!

Tags: high school basketball, girls team, jabs, taunts, fun, kids, friends, lunch

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The True Story of Charlie

First, I'd like to thank Mary for arranging the surprise birthday 'party' for Charlie! I truly enjoyed reading each and every comment left by all of you.

I've not really told many people here in J-Land about Charlie, but I've decided to share a few things about him today.

He was the most perfect child for me! Even though he had so many medical issues, his personality shone through the darkest hour. The smiles you saw in his pictures are truly the way he was during  his whole life... never seeing 'color' or wealth (or lack of it...).  He was friendly and loving with everyone he met. One day while we were at the local Barnes & Noble, he chased down a man, wheeling his miniature wheelchair just up to the man. The man would move away, Charlie would move closer. No, he would not hear of leaving this poor guy alone. Finally, I told this man if he would please just shake his hand, Charlie would be satisfied. Surprised, the man shook Charlie's hand. Smiling as if he had found the cure for cancer, Charlie turned the tiny wheelchair around and left him alone. I've often wondered if the man ever thinks of that moment.

He was born with spina bifida, had to have a shunt, a paraplegic, was MR, and at 4 years old, had a Wilm's Tumor diagnosed and had to have chemo. He had 24 surgeries and was hospitalized 28 times. He was the bravest person I've ever known. At birth, I was told he probably would never live past six months. He lived to be fourteen and a half. His body just simply shut down.

Reflecting on all he had to endure, I think he did excellent! Our life together was not perfect by any means. Due to his disabilities, the two of use were forced to live extremely simple. We had all we needed and I always tried to make sure Charlie had all he wanted. Even his wants were simple. A hamburger and milk from McDonald's or Krystal, watching Andy Griffith, Price is Right, In the Heat of the Night or his favorite, Jeopardy or going for a ride after I got home from work. 

During his last six months, I watched him both develop into being his own person,  and yet, watching his little body (only about 40 - 45 pounds) deteriorate at the same time. I will always be grateful for having had him as the one person, besides my parents, that influenced me the most. The work I presently do now is because of having had Charlie in my life. I've often wondered what my life would have been like if I had not had him and I don't think I would enjoy it as much as I do now.

Again, thank all of you for helping me celebrate his life!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!!

 

 

He would have been 25 today!

Tags: spina bifida, birthday, silver anniversary, beautiful soul

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The Price of Gas in Saudi

I e-mailed a friend that had to go over to Saudi to work for a few months. I gave a little of the 'local' news such as, the new Walgreens opened and I stopped by, it was still sunny at 5:30 in the afternoon and I went to school Monday morning around 7:30 with the gas price down at the 4-way being $2.79. I went to lunch at 11:30 and the price had shot up to $2.91. This afternoon, it had gone up to $2.99/gallon.

The response e-mail was this: In Saudi, it's 85 cents a gallon.  

Tags: gas, gallon, Saudi, price, WTF?,

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Sleepless in Bama

Well.... I've been awake about an hour... maybe more. Certainly not less. I have a rule... don't turn on the tv, go to the computer, turn on lights to read until it's been at least an hour. FYI, I'm not sick, worried or even stressed (at least, yet....).

But, since I'm up.....

 What is it about all the paid programming in the middle of the night on cable? Do they not already charge you enough money? They have to have paid sponsors, too?? Geez. If I had a job where I came home around midnight or later and wanted to watch a little tv, I would not be impressed.

What is it with the 'security code' things where you have the scrambled-ish letters? Can't everyone see one? And if you can't see it clearly enough, there is a button to click to generate another one. If you are already there and have put in an account number or password, why do you have to put in another that is viewable? If someone has your account number, goes to the same site, types it the info, will they not see a security code thingy? Am I missing something? Yeah, sometimes I screw it up just because my mind is busy asking these same questions..... 

Will our world be so different in 2000 years there will be archeologists running around trying to piece together our holiday decorations in order to figure out why and how we used them? Wonder what they will think of the lawn art that must be blown up? Or curling irons, books, or baskets? Will they think decorative items are 'idols' we worshipped? 

Well.... on that note.... I'm going to give sleeping another try. Happy Hump Day!

 

 

I spent the last couple of days at my Dad's. I had to take him in for another biopsy on Thursday morning. Results to be in Friday morning. However, after the conversation I had with the doc during the procedure I think the results are going to similar to those in August.

I have found out a few things about my dad because of the last couple of times he had this procedure. First, it doesn't take much to knock him out. Thank goodness he isn't a drinker. Second, when he has taken these drugs, he doesn't realize he is inhibited and limited. He gets up and walks around. NOT a good thing. After we got home, I was making him something to eat and he wonders into the kitchen. Unsteady on his feet, I told him to go back to his recliner. After a minute or two, I bring his breakfast to him only to find he is in the living room, bending over, almost falling onto the floor. He then rights himself, stumbles over his own feet, and begins falling, almost crashing his head into a piece of furniture. He lands laying on top of a table. Dang, Daddy.  He got so close to really hurting himself and not even realizing it. He kept saying he was ok..... That was when I got ugly with him.... asked him what part of 'sit down' didn't he understand??  My thoughts were, if he had hurt himself, there is no way I could have gotten him up because I am still having back issues.  He says he remembers it....

My friend, Bo, suggested I velcro him to his chair next time.  Honestly, I'm considering it....

Tags: Parenting parents, hurt, pain, drugs, velcro, chair, any suggestions?,

Thank you!

I received an award this week from Jimmy over at Jimmy's Journal. I am an honorary member of his group 'Area 51' that meets at least twice a week. Jimmy makes daily weekday entries and at times, gives a weekly 'Cat Ass' award for those  in the public eye that can make you mad! Sometimes, it's just the sound of their name that will make the heckles on the back of your neck rise!

Thanks for the award, Jimmy!!  Just keep the sunflowers and Bloody Mary's rollin in!

Tags: Jimmy's Journal, sunflowers, Bloody Mary's, awards, Area 51, friendship, Cat Ass Award, Thanks!

Mother Nature was pissed this morning!

Mother Nature is NOT happy and letting everyone know it!

Around 4:00 am, I was blasted awake by the sound of a huge roar that sent my house shaking enough to almost roll me out of bed. And that ain't easy! Turns out, we had tornados.... big ones.... at least they were powerful in the county just west of me. Not a good thing.....  from what I have heard, people were killed, homes destroyed and alot of property damage.

Tornado season doesn't really start until April. Just kind of fits with all the other weird weather we've had in the past year or so!

School was delayed until 10:00 this morning. Didn't matter to me.... after all, I was up and already showered and dressed when I found out. Cable was knocked out, too so it took awhile to find out via radio. Actually, cable is still out.

I hope all my Alabama readers are ok... just leave a comment for me!

Tags: Alabama, tornados, Mother Nature, school, delayed, cable out, read a book, get a life, do something else

TGIF.....FINALLY!!!

This has been a very long week.

Last Friday night, one of the kids at school (not in my class) was in a car wreck and died. He was driving to fast, while it was dark and sleeting, passing in a curve, talking on the cell, here comes a car, looses control, and a tree jumps out in front of him. Not a good thing. It only gets worse...he is about 1/2 mile from home and his mom is a responder.  So, on Monday, we have faculty meeting first thing. Visitation is that night, but so is the first Parent-Teacher community outreach thing. Long, long day....

Tuesday is long as well with the funeral on that day.... but I usually stay late on Tuesday because part of that is for me! 

Wednesday stuff has to get done.... stay until about 6:00 pm working on 'stuff'...

Thursday: Now this is  where it gets kinda wierd. First of all, let me explain that we have a series of classrooms in my classroom. We have a kitchen, academics room, wood shop, a room for teaching work skills and an 'activity' room (it has lots of activity all the time!! LoL). So, yesterday morning, I am teaching a class and keep hearing shouting coming from the kitchen (my room and kitchen are beside each other). I go to the kitchen and see FLAMES shooting out of one of the ovens!! I began screaming for the aide to get all the kids and head out all while I'm ripping the fire extinguisher off the wall and putting out the fire! OK, here is where it begins to get messy. Yes, pun intended. Have you ever had to do a fire extinguisher? I knew it put out fires, but didn't realize how until yesterday. They take the oxygen out of the air. (cough cough... more coughing).  By the time the in school fire guy got to the room, it was all out. Then, the fire dept. shows up (of course, now remember this is an all-volunteer fire dept) to see what's going on. What a hoot. After everyone leaves, I look around and begin to think it would have been easier to let it all burn! There is a coating/film of extinguisher grit ALL over the room. YUCK.  But, it's almost all cleaned up now! Any volunteers to help clean are greatly appreciated!

Friday: At this point, I would like to thank Sue (Thanks, Sue!) for the new classroom cooking directions she and her son put together for us.  Let me just say, they are so funny that when I read it to the class this morning we were all laughing so hard some of us couldn't get our breath! I really like the certificates for being a firefighter!! LOL They are now posted on the bulletin board for all to see!!    

Just a quick reminder about Sunday.... GO PATS!  

Tags: New England Patriots, Super Bowl, Fires, Drive carefully, funerals are really sad when they are for kids that have not had a chance to screw up their own life yet, Friday is here and I got paid yesterday, I am ready to do something close to nothing, Have a good weekend