Well look here...a lot of time has gone by since my last post. almost 7 months. It has been truly hectic and utterly impossible to post to this forum even though I have thought about it tons of times through the intervening months. As my husband sleeps noisily in the bed next to me while I type, I update the family situation. When last we "left the family" they were actually fairly positive and we were all relating well. That lasted a few months until the day before my birthday in November. I got a call from my parents to tell me happy birthday. It was the first one that I could ever remember. I thanked them for calling and calling early even. That is when they told me "we knew the day was around in here somewhere". Ok, so much for the whole paternal love thing right? It is all good, they still called and I was pleased. Then they told me they were calling because they had checked my school website (from PA) to find out that I had the whole week off for Thanksgiving and that my husband and I should come up for the holiday. Wow! Another invitation....this was too good to be true.....and it was. See Mom and Dad live in the middle of basically now where and they have a septic tank. They finally have gotten city sewage and the company putting it in refused to go around the house with the pipes. Instead they jackhammered straight through the basement floor. Now the basement is a mess! Since I have a week off for Thanksgiving, I needed to come up and clean for them.
Now if you remember anything about my family I have a brother and sister in law about 2 miles from my parents...but NO they can't come down and clean that isn't their job. Nor is it my brother and sister in law that live about 2 hours away. It is my job living 12 hours away. How you may ask? Just lucky I guess. Well, I didn't go up for Thanksgiving so I guess it is waiting for me when I go up for Christmas.
School is about the same as always. The kids are good kids! They were taking their 9 weeks exams and one asked "If I fail I will be able to retake it...right?" I said that you can't retake a nine weeks exam and he just about fell apart and didn't understand why he couldn't retake his tests because he can retake all his other tests. I understand the concept of the reteach and retest. I agree with it ...it makes the kids relearn the concepts and then they should know them for the nine weeks exams and the CRCT. I have NO PROBLEM with this at all. It helps the students meet the goal of learning. Some need to hear it multiple times and in multiple ways and be assessed in different ways.... BUT when I hear this, it makes me wonder if we are doing a disservice to these kids because there aren't "do overs" in real life like this. In college you can't retake a test. In business, you can't redo a presentation to a client in marketing or even a jury in a trial.....but here I am suppose to reteach and retest as often as needed until the student passes the test. Makes you think......doesn't it.
Home is about the same. The husband makes me laugh even though he doesn't mean to. Most of the time it is when I try to get him involved in helping me cook. Thanksgiving Day it was just the two of us and I decided to cook a traditional meal. It all went well. The only thing I asked him to do was help clean up a bit. I was asking him to put some foil over plates of food and he tore off this BIG, HUGE piece of foil. I couldn't imagine what he needed that much foil for but I just stood back and watched. He took the plate, put it in the center of the foil and then folded the ends over top of the plate. Well, the bottom of the plate was covered but the food on the top wasn't. When he realized it was too small for what he needed, he balled it up and threw it in the trash and tried to pull off an even bigger piece of foil. I couldn't let him waste the foil....i just couldn't do it.....it is too expensive to keep trying and throwing away and trying and throwing away. I stopped him and shortened the foil to about 1/3 the size he was going to tear off. He kept insisting that was not going to work. I put the foil on top of the plate and folded it under He then looked at me and asked how he was suppose to know how to do that? It is hard to imagine that a 58 year old man was never taught to cover a plate with foil.
Oh well, live and learn as time goes by.
Dolittle Drinking
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Parents
Well, I went to my parents' for their 50th wedding anniversary. Wow, can you imagine being with the same person for 50 years....my mom is a saint...or is it my dad who is a saint. Wait maybe it is me who is the saint who has put up with them for 45 years. Anyway you look at it, that is a long time to be with one person and quite an accomplishment.
The big surprise of visit was that it was uneventful. There were no sarcastic comments about me and my gender and how I was inferior, no comments about my intelligence and how that was inferior (even though I have had better grades than my brothers ALL of my life up and including my doctorate), they mentioned my son (usually he doesn't exist as a grandchild), in fact, it was almost down right positive. I was actually at a loss for words and quite dumbfounded. Every day I was there I kept saying to my husband..."tomorrow will be the day that the proverbial sh$$ hits the fan". BUT it never did. It leaves me wondering.
One of my brothers actually said that he was worried about me when I had the surgery last December (my hysterectomy). I asked why he was worried and he responded because I seemed so sick. I thought about that and wondered how he figured that out. No one really ever called before hand and I was VERY sick. I just told them I couldn't come up for Christmas because I was having the surgery on Dec 21st and getting out of the hospital on the 24th. My family's response was...just drive here on the 24th then...you will be fine. You can drive half way and your husband the other half while you rest. (Yep that is how considerate they were.) Now 6 months later there is a complete turn around and I get that one of them was worried because I was so sick. The turn around is just baffling. He kept asking if I was ok now. I just don't understand it all. Of course maybe it was because I told them all off in an email right before the surgery because I was sick of their attitudes towards me....maybe they thought I needed mental help because I didn't think driving 12 hours 3 days after major surgery was advisable...who knows. All I know is that for once I had an enjoyable visit with my family without having to be a hard, cold, person who always has to stick up for myself and my small family. I didn't count every minute until I could leave. It was just weird.
All I can think is that they are finally maturing and also realizing I will not let them push me around anymore. I won't be a second class citizen based on some outdated socialistic concept from the 1900s that has women subservience to men and placed on earth to cook, clean, and have children not to mention are not as smart as men. It is a lot to take in and hard to imagine a semi-normal relationship with them.
I know everyone....I won't hold my breath....I am sure it won't last.
The big surprise of visit was that it was uneventful. There were no sarcastic comments about me and my gender and how I was inferior, no comments about my intelligence and how that was inferior (even though I have had better grades than my brothers ALL of my life up and including my doctorate), they mentioned my son (usually he doesn't exist as a grandchild), in fact, it was almost down right positive. I was actually at a loss for words and quite dumbfounded. Every day I was there I kept saying to my husband..."tomorrow will be the day that the proverbial sh$$ hits the fan". BUT it never did. It leaves me wondering.
One of my brothers actually said that he was worried about me when I had the surgery last December (my hysterectomy). I asked why he was worried and he responded because I seemed so sick. I thought about that and wondered how he figured that out. No one really ever called before hand and I was VERY sick. I just told them I couldn't come up for Christmas because I was having the surgery on Dec 21st and getting out of the hospital on the 24th. My family's response was...just drive here on the 24th then...you will be fine. You can drive half way and your husband the other half while you rest. (Yep that is how considerate they were.) Now 6 months later there is a complete turn around and I get that one of them was worried because I was so sick. The turn around is just baffling. He kept asking if I was ok now. I just don't understand it all. Of course maybe it was because I told them all off in an email right before the surgery because I was sick of their attitudes towards me....maybe they thought I needed mental help because I didn't think driving 12 hours 3 days after major surgery was advisable...who knows. All I know is that for once I had an enjoyable visit with my family without having to be a hard, cold, person who always has to stick up for myself and my small family. I didn't count every minute until I could leave. It was just weird.
All I can think is that they are finally maturing and also realizing I will not let them push me around anymore. I won't be a second class citizen based on some outdated socialistic concept from the 1900s that has women subservience to men and placed on earth to cook, clean, and have children not to mention are not as smart as men. It is a lot to take in and hard to imagine a semi-normal relationship with them.
I know everyone....I won't hold my breath....I am sure it won't last.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Summer So Far
We are a week into summer vacation and it is just a bit crazy. I thought it would be a time to rest and I would get to sleep in but no that is not the way it is. I have done fencing at the new barn for days....7 am folks. Picking up the Godchild at her activities....by 9:00...lessons at 9:00 (have to be there by 8:00).....vet at 8:00 am...be there even earlier than that.....You get the idea. It is just like getting up for school in the morning. Might just be at school the way things are going.
It has been very busy and I never expected that. I was hoping that since I was teaching CRCT summer school that I would be able to relax and sleep and just plain do nothing for once in my life....boy was I dreaming. I don't think that will ever happen in my lifetime.
The only thing that has changed a bit is the ability to cook the last few days. By the end of the school year, I just wanted to come home and sleep. It has just been the last two days that I have even wanted to at temp cooking or had the energy to cook. It is fun and I love to cook it is nice to finally have the energy and time to do it.
I am ready for bed tonight because I am off to the meet the vet first thing in the morning tomorrow. More on that tomorrow.
It has been very busy and I never expected that. I was hoping that since I was teaching CRCT summer school that I would be able to relax and sleep and just plain do nothing for once in my life....boy was I dreaming. I don't think that will ever happen in my lifetime.
The only thing that has changed a bit is the ability to cook the last few days. By the end of the school year, I just wanted to come home and sleep. It has just been the last two days that I have even wanted to at temp cooking or had the energy to cook. It is fun and I love to cook it is nice to finally have the energy and time to do it.
I am ready for bed tonight because I am off to the meet the vet first thing in the morning tomorrow. More on that tomorrow.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
School
As the school year ends, (the kids were done Thursday and teachers are done Wednesday) you look back and ask what were the highlights? Did I make a difference anywhere? What could I have done differently?
Only one student failed this year in science and none of my social studies kids failed...that is a marked improvement. I usually have at least 6 to 10 but had a smaller team this year and longer class time so the extra 15 minutes I could use to start their homework with them and show them it wasn't as hard as they thought, finish it with them, or give them just the little extra instruction they needed. The few truly "bad" kids we had who were failing were sent to alternative school early in the year, I think the kids got the idea that we weren't "playing" on the discipline aspect so that helped out a lot too. On the CRCT 11 of my science kids failed - 6 of the 11 were ESOL (ones who don't speak English). Yep, you have come up with the same thing that we as teachers have...if you can't speak and read the language how are you going to pass the state test written in the language even if you know answers. Some of the kids can not even understand the directions. Some are from as far away as Saudi Arabia or Lithuania. All I can do is shake my head and know that a school's AYP (adequate yearly progress) is based on if these students pass a test in a language they can't read...how crazy is that? BUT who listens to EDUCATORS. 4 of the 5 that are left I could have picked out anyway. They almost didn't pass for the year. The last one did each of the two sections of the test in 4 min and 30 sec. Yes readers...the 7th grader answered 35 scenario science questions that would have taken me, with my doctorate degree, longer to read. So I knew he would not pass either. On the up side, I had a 15% exceed rate. This is not one of my highest. and I wasn't pleased but it could have been worse. So I will take it and work harder next year on that one. A total of an 85% pass/exceed rate is ok but again...have had higher....but still pretty good for this group of kids and counting the ESOL kids.
The kids themselves were very interesting. I had one little girl who hugged me between every class. She was the sweetest thing in the world! I don't know what I will do without her everyday and her smiling face wishing me a good day every 70 minutes. To the other end of the spectrum when the student asked me if he lost weight when he sold his soul to Satin this weekend? OR the one who, on career day said we didn't have anyone for his chosen profession that he could talk to. I asked what his profession was? He calmly replied "Ax Murderer". I took him to the police department and introduced him and told the officers there his ambition. They showed him their pink handcuffs. After they were done I took him to the district attorney's office and they talked to him about his chosen profession. I told him I was glad to help him on his way an there was something at the career fair for everyone. Then I reported him to the counselor and they talked to his parents because I didn't know if it was a gifted kid being funny (because that is in their nature as a gifted kid) or serious. I had multiple students who made bomb threats....4 I think who wrote them on the walls/stalls of the bathrooms. I had all ends of the spectrum this year. It really was a strange year discipline wise. They either did HUGE things or nothing.
So I made a difference educationally for quite a few because they all passed. Only two students in the team have to go to summer school and only one has to take science. They did well with the CRCT. Discipline wasn't bad - took care of that early. But I am not sure what I could have done differently to head off some of the big things that happened like the bomb threats. One student did them because I wasn't there - he didn't like my sub but I had to have the surgery. The others just wanted out of class. I can't help that. The ones that went to tribunal were written up by me but it was because of willful refusal. They just wouldn't do what was asked when sent to me for in-house. If I tell you to sit down and get to work..you know what...you better sit down and get to work. There is no answer to that other that Yes Mam...or Ok I will or I need help with this. If you choose to answer another way I ask you to rephrase what you are saying because it is disrespectful and it will get you in trouble...or if your refuse...I ask if you are willfully refusing to do what I ask because willful refusal is an office referral and you don't want and office referral. They just don't seem to get it. I give them a choice. They just don't choose the right one.
Oh well, all in all, a good year academically and behaviorally. I liked the kids and they made me laugh. They kept asking me to go to 8th grade and teach science there for them. I told them no. They can get my best friend there and she teaches like I do so they will be fine. Good luck to them and bring on the new 7th graders!!!!
Only one student failed this year in science and none of my social studies kids failed...that is a marked improvement. I usually have at least 6 to 10 but had a smaller team this year and longer class time so the extra 15 minutes I could use to start their homework with them and show them it wasn't as hard as they thought, finish it with them, or give them just the little extra instruction they needed. The few truly "bad" kids we had who were failing were sent to alternative school early in the year, I think the kids got the idea that we weren't "playing" on the discipline aspect so that helped out a lot too. On the CRCT 11 of my science kids failed - 6 of the 11 were ESOL (ones who don't speak English). Yep, you have come up with the same thing that we as teachers have...if you can't speak and read the language how are you going to pass the state test written in the language even if you know answers. Some of the kids can not even understand the directions. Some are from as far away as Saudi Arabia or Lithuania. All I can do is shake my head and know that a school's AYP (adequate yearly progress) is based on if these students pass a test in a language they can't read...how crazy is that? BUT who listens to EDUCATORS. 4 of the 5 that are left I could have picked out anyway. They almost didn't pass for the year. The last one did each of the two sections of the test in 4 min and 30 sec. Yes readers...the 7th grader answered 35 scenario science questions that would have taken me, with my doctorate degree, longer to read. So I knew he would not pass either. On the up side, I had a 15% exceed rate. This is not one of my highest. and I wasn't pleased but it could have been worse. So I will take it and work harder next year on that one. A total of an 85% pass/exceed rate is ok but again...have had higher....but still pretty good for this group of kids and counting the ESOL kids.
The kids themselves were very interesting. I had one little girl who hugged me between every class. She was the sweetest thing in the world! I don't know what I will do without her everyday and her smiling face wishing me a good day every 70 minutes. To the other end of the spectrum when the student asked me if he lost weight when he sold his soul to Satin this weekend? OR the one who, on career day said we didn't have anyone for his chosen profession that he could talk to. I asked what his profession was? He calmly replied "Ax Murderer". I took him to the police department and introduced him and told the officers there his ambition. They showed him their pink handcuffs. After they were done I took him to the district attorney's office and they talked to him about his chosen profession. I told him I was glad to help him on his way an there was something at the career fair for everyone. Then I reported him to the counselor and they talked to his parents because I didn't know if it was a gifted kid being funny (because that is in their nature as a gifted kid) or serious. I had multiple students who made bomb threats....4 I think who wrote them on the walls/stalls of the bathrooms. I had all ends of the spectrum this year. It really was a strange year discipline wise. They either did HUGE things or nothing.
So I made a difference educationally for quite a few because they all passed. Only two students in the team have to go to summer school and only one has to take science. They did well with the CRCT. Discipline wasn't bad - took care of that early. But I am not sure what I could have done differently to head off some of the big things that happened like the bomb threats. One student did them because I wasn't there - he didn't like my sub but I had to have the surgery. The others just wanted out of class. I can't help that. The ones that went to tribunal were written up by me but it was because of willful refusal. They just wouldn't do what was asked when sent to me for in-house. If I tell you to sit down and get to work..you know what...you better sit down and get to work. There is no answer to that other that Yes Mam...or Ok I will or I need help with this. If you choose to answer another way I ask you to rephrase what you are saying because it is disrespectful and it will get you in trouble...or if your refuse...I ask if you are willfully refusing to do what I ask because willful refusal is an office referral and you don't want and office referral. They just don't seem to get it. I give them a choice. They just don't choose the right one.
Oh well, all in all, a good year academically and behaviorally. I liked the kids and they made me laugh. They kept asking me to go to 8th grade and teach science there for them. I told them no. They can get my best friend there and she teaches like I do so they will be fine. Good luck to them and bring on the new 7th graders!!!!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Show Time
So what is it that I have to talk about now? The horse show is the topic of conversation for today. We went to a small horse show this last weekend in a small town to support the local 4-H. First of all, let’s read between the lines in that statement. Small town – everyone knows everyone – we will be the outsiders. The judge will know everyone and chances are will be favoring the riders from that area because they know everyone. LOCAL 4-H – again..what are we doing at a local 4-H show? Well one of the riders use to belong to this local 4-H and would ride at this barn occasionally and that is how we were “invited” to come. I am gifted and smart enough to figure out this information from the single sentence above but NO ONE else is hence the drama to this story I am about to tell.
It all begins weeks before when I am manipulated into going. I do not like shows for a multitude of reasons. First, it creates competition between the girls that normally are friends and they say nasty things to each other – this time I heard…”I don’t care what place I get as long as I score better that ______.” (said in front of that child’s mother which I then have to try to defend/justify) OR “The only reason you win is because you have _________ horse.” (not because they are a good rider) OR “I ride with a “professional trainer” at another barn too and they tell me to do this ______ and you won't win because you don't ride there.” (and the one that only rides with me which I guess makes me the non-professional trainer even though I have been teaching riding longer than her “professional trainer” has been alive and I have a doctorate degree does better than she does at every show we have ever been to). Then there is the work involved, I frequently am left packing the trailer, getting horses ready to load, finding halters, food, and other things ready because they have to "practice". When I try to tell anyone that the students need to help with this work I get the standard answer that I am the adult and I need to let them alone....they are just kids...or they need to practice...why can't you just do that? This from my business partner and their parents – no one sees shows as work because no one has to do any work. When we get to the show, the kids and parents want to get into their show clothes and then they aren’t allowed to “touch anything or they will get dirty”. So that leaves me, unloading, grooming, saddling, bridling, and doing all the work again getting the horses ready the day of the show. Then if that isn’t bad enough, I then have to take the girls to warm up the horses and work with them. I get all dirty, sweaty, and am tired and the show hasn’t even started yet. Now it is time to show and I have to keep track of classes, which ones we are in, who is in which one, who is on which horse, switching horses, switching stirrup length, sometimes switching saddles, running to get spurs, crops, and extra reins when they break etc. all while everyone else just sits and watches. Why would anyone in their right mind want to do this? All for nothing..I am not talking just not getting paid…I am literally talking for nothing I don’t even get a thank you 99% of the time. Oh and to do all of this I have to cancel lessons and loose the income that I gain from doing lessons. I usually have to cancel the next couple days sometimes too depending on how heavily the horses are used and the footing in the ring. The deeper the footing the harder it is on their muscles and more sore they become since our ring is solid ground. Again, why would anyone in their right mind put themselves through this?
On to this weekend’s show, we leave Friday due to the distance from the show and stay overnight at a friend’s family’s farm. One of the horses is hard to load due to his past. We are very patient with him and he has gotten much better! He loaded fine on Friday and unloaded very well on Friday night. He walked to the new pasture and did well but was afraid of the goose…that is fine it was all new. Saturday morning though he would not get on the trailer. We finally got him on after about 45 minutes and counted ourselves lucky. He was very nervous when he got to the show and was whinnying like crazy. I forced the kids to do the grooming and saddling to the dismay of the parents and my business partner before they dressed in their show clothes and did not hear the end of it most of the day…too bad. They were so slow. At home one girl can do all 7 horses in less than 30 minutes but at the show 4 girls couldn’t do 3 horses in 45 minutes. By the time I got them up to warm up the horses we had very little time to practice in the ring which was new to the horses – especially the one that was nervous. This is a BAD thing!!!!
We warmed up and then had to leave the ring and the show started. We were not in a class until 14 so there was plenty of time. Right before we had to mount, the nervous horse had just started to relax and was bending down to try to eat grass and stepped on his reins and broke his new bridle. The rider is now frantic because she has no reins and her very expensive matching bridle is broken. I, of course, have packed the trailer and have included extra of everything. I tell her to calm down and I put on a new set of reins. She is crying and fussing and the horse is now prancing…getting worse and worse…..at this point I fuss at her. I tell her she needs to stop now because she is upsetting her horse. Now her parents are angry because I fussed at their child. I then tell them to stop everything is fine and I make them more angry. No one but me can see the 17 hand 1100 lb horse prancing and acting foolish. The more yelling and crying and screaming that goes on, the more the horse acts out. This is now a danger situation! Finally I am told I am not considering their daughter's hurt feelings and they are "pi$$ed" about it. I calm the young lady down as much as I can in 2 minutes to get into the ring and tell her the judge is looking for teamwork with the horse not a match between the reins and the bridle or the saddle and the bridle and to go into the ring confidently and ride like she knows how and all will be well. That of course doesn't happen and the young lady places last.....and they announce "last place goes to _______." I couldn't believe they did that. This makes it worse. I pull her from the ring and have some tough love with her and tell her that her emotion is ruling her horse and if she loves the animal she needs to calm down or the horse will have such a bad experience he will never want to show again. That did it...she loves that horse soooooo much it worked. After that she got 5th place and then straight seconds in all of her classes. Once she relaxed the horse did very well. Now I had to go talk to the parents and explain to them that they PAY me to take care of their daughter and keep her safe....literally. The reason I was not making a big deal of the reins was because of the horses behavior..blah blah blah. Then they understood. I told them to let me do my job and I will take good care of things....finally they were better.
The young lady on the second horse was almost just as bad. He is an excellent show horse and usually wins first in all of his classes. She is one of the ones that rides with the "professional trainer".....not sure what kind of practice she needs but she always wants to practice for a show. She is riding "push button" horses there (ones that do the right thing regardless of what the rider does) and are very flashy so all she has to worry about is her posture and such. At my barn, our horses are very safe but they do have a brain in their head. If you don't tell them what to do and when to do it then they do what they want to do. So you have to be a team player with your horse, you can't beat them into submission, and you can't be a passenger, you have to be an active participant and RIDE your horse. I finally got to the point where I told her she couldn't ride anymore until she told me WHY she needed to ride her horse....it took her almost 3 hrs and tons of prompts from me texting back and forth before she got the fact that she has to work with her horse rather than against them. We get to the show and she is constantly in the horses mouth, kicking them, leaning forward (which makes the horse go faster we tell everyone that) etc. Even the judge says "The horse was awesome - a truly great show horse if the rider would just quit dinking with him all the time. Now in the jumping classes they are a great team. She works well with him but flat classes she never leaves him alone and doesn't work with him." When I told her what the judge said (same thing I said for how many weeks) she blew it off and made fun of it. Now in the jumping classes they both are a TREMENDOUS TEAM. They really do work well together, she is quiet and he appreciates how she handles him but I can't get her to do it in non-jumping classes. She placed 1st in her jumping classes and was robbed of one first place when the judge missed someone who turned out of a jump and awarded them the first place instead.
The third horse, bless her heart, is not a show horse and everyone knows it. BUT she is safe, reliable and listens well - everybody loves her. She did really well even got a few2nds. The problem is she was used by 2 different students. One who rides with that "professional trainer". Well, she didn't place as well as the one who only rides with me and she kept blaming the horse...she wouldn't do this for me or she wouldn't do that for me. Of course, you can't give this student any suggestions because she just won't listen but she is the niece of my business partner ....sooooo can't do too much about that one.
Finally, we pack up to leave and the one horse will not load...in fact even gets loose. It is time for tough love with this horse now to prevent a dangerous situation but the young lady who owns it is "afraid it may get hurt". I explain it is a big animal and if you don't do something now it will be a problem in the future and if she doesn't want to handle it...I will...so now we have angered people again....Coming and Going...it is a miserable situation.
Showing just is not something that is worth my time. It seems to make me miserable even weeks and weeks after things are done and over with. I seem to stew about what happens and can't tell anyone about it. Even writing about it here gets my blood boiling. I will say that this time I did get a thank you from 2 of the 4 girls that went so 50% is better than the 0% I usually get. I still think I will put my foot down and not do this again....who knows...I would like to do it myself one time again but when I suggested it for this show I was shot down saying I wasn't a good enough rider to show....the list of reasons I think is up to about 56 now of why I don't like going to shows.....oh well maybe I will feel better now that I have gotten this all out.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Policing the World One Person At a Time
My husband and I went on a cruise for spring break alone with a friend of ours. We had a great time on the Carnival Dream. It is a beautiful ship that we were on last year for spring break too. It has a wonderful crew that is very friendly and the service seems much better than on other ships in their fleet. The ship took us to the ports of Belize, Costa Maya, and Cozumel Mexico. We had to forgo the port of Roatan in Honduras because of weather problems but it was still a great cruise.
The only black mark on the vacation came at the very end when we went back through customs at the end of our voyage. We are both teachers so we have to save for our trips and we don't have tons of money to spend so we are always WAY under our customs allowance of 800 dollars/person. Dare I say it...hundreds or even a thousand dollars under the allowance....lol. We spend no more than 10 minutes in line and they scan in our passports and we are welcomed cordially back into the USA. This time, for some reason, we were pulled for a customs inspection. We can't figure out what triggered it. We don't know if we were just the 100th person and every 100th person had to go through one....maybe it was my engagement ring that was cleaned by the jeweler in one of the ports and it looked "new". Maybe I look dishonest...who knows. The man asked if we had bought any jewelery. I said yes two necklaces and he said follow me. We got to a back room where an officer at the desk asked to see the necklace. I pulled it out and he looked at it and said it was beautiful. Dummy me...I thought that was it. NOPE he asked to see the rings off my fingers which he inspected, then to see everything in the suitcase we were carrying off. It had my computer in it and my friend's computer - he asked if I bought them in Mexico? I informed him that computers were cheaper in the US.
Then he went through my jeweler that I had purchased on other cruises and wanted to tell me that they were all to be taxed. I told him they were purchased on previous cruises - He told me to prove it so you know what.....I did. In my bag where I had my passport, I happen to keep all important documents like the receipts for the expensive jewelery purchased. (One reason is that the stores offer an exchange policy. If I were to get tired of it I could exchange it with the receipt for something new getting the full value. That is why I carry the receipts) So he started matching the jewelery to the receipts piece for piece. Yes my friends, I had them all. there was nothing he could say. Then he wanted to look in my zip bag where I had my passports. He went through that looked at our birth certificates, the husband's DD214, passports, ship boarding papers everything that was in there. That is when he found my friend's jewelery receipts. He wanted to know why I was carrying her receipts. So I told him the truth. We are traveling together we just put everything in one back so we don't loose it and asked what the problem was. He now tells me he has to inspect all of my luggage, my husband's luggage and my friend's luggage. BUT before that, he wants to look through my purse. Yes he went through everything, my wallet, my check book, even my medicines. He had the nerve to ask me which I had purchased in Mexico - even though they were all in CVS bottles. I told him that Mexico wasn't regulated by the FDA and therefore wasn't safe so I wouldn't be taking any meds from there.
Now, I think he realizes I am honest but he is in too deep and has to keep going. So he makes me sit in the office and he asks my husband if he would recognize our best friend again if he saw her down stairs at the luggage? My husband is a smart ___ by nature and answers..."well, I haven't seen her in like 20 minutes so I don't know anymore". That goes over really well with the officer who has decided to police my world. While they are gone, the couple next to me asks how much we were over our limit (with great fear on their faces) because they bought a 5000 dollar ring. I told them I was WAY UNDER the limit and had no idea what was happening. They got even more scared.....I felt really bad for them. One officer came up looked at their ring, shut the box, and had them move on - no money even paid. I was astonished at what was happening - so were they. That officer then went and got the "boss" to come talk to me. He had me sit down and explain everything that happened. I went over it all again. Handing the passports and the customs form to the man outside, he didn't even look at things and just brought us straight back, looking through everything, looking at my jewelery which I showed him too, matching the receipts to the jewelery, the man searching my wallet, the drug comments, where the officer was now. The "boss" asks how much we were OVER our custom allowance I told him we were WAY UNDER. He just shook his head and said don't worry Mam...It will be fine.
I wanted to ask how I wasn't to worry. My name was on that form that says you go to jail for things even though I know that I was way under but this officer seemed determined to find something that I did wrong even though I had no idea what it was. I kept asking everyone there...."If you just tell me what you are looking for I will gladly tell you exactly where it is or that I don't have that". Finally, after almost an hour and a half, the man comes back upstairs and tells me that I am free to go and my party will be waiting for me down stairs, he had been through all of my luggage already. I shake his offered hand and say thank you (because my mom and dad raised me to be polite to people who are only doing their job even if I don't agree with it or understand it). I go down stairs to find out the rest of the story. On the way down to meet my friend. The officer tells my husband not to speak to anyone, no eye contact, no gestures, etc. He will do all the talking. Of course, the husband wants to yell across the luggage area "RUN THE COPPERS ARE AFTER YOU...RUN FOR ALL YOU ARE WORTH" but he tells me that he restrained himself because the man looked way to serious and he didn't like his last joke about not recognizing our friend because he had held us so long upstairs. (Thank the Lord for a little restraint) The officer then makes our friend sign her customs form again saying it is what she is declaring. Then matches all of her new and past jewelry purchases just like he did to me. I don't know what would have happened if the receipts wouldn't have been there?????? Finally we leave feeling like we have done something wrong when we actually over estimate our money every time to make sure that we are not going to be over our allowance. It was just a strange experience with no rhyme or reason for the beginning.
Now the new question is do I take my jewelery with me on the cruises? If I do, do I make sure that I take the receipts? Is it not worth the hassle so just don't take anything? What caused this? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again? Who knows.....all I know is I could never truly have lied on that form! I felt so bad and I had done nothing wrong and I knew it, I can't imagine how bad it would be if I would have done something wrong.....rest assured that will never happen.
The only black mark on the vacation came at the very end when we went back through customs at the end of our voyage. We are both teachers so we have to save for our trips and we don't have tons of money to spend so we are always WAY under our customs allowance of 800 dollars/person. Dare I say it...hundreds or even a thousand dollars under the allowance....lol. We spend no more than 10 minutes in line and they scan in our passports and we are welcomed cordially back into the USA. This time, for some reason, we were pulled for a customs inspection. We can't figure out what triggered it. We don't know if we were just the 100th person and every 100th person had to go through one....maybe it was my engagement ring that was cleaned by the jeweler in one of the ports and it looked "new". Maybe I look dishonest...who knows. The man asked if we had bought any jewelery. I said yes two necklaces and he said follow me. We got to a back room where an officer at the desk asked to see the necklace. I pulled it out and he looked at it and said it was beautiful. Dummy me...I thought that was it. NOPE he asked to see the rings off my fingers which he inspected, then to see everything in the suitcase we were carrying off. It had my computer in it and my friend's computer - he asked if I bought them in Mexico? I informed him that computers were cheaper in the US.
Then he went through my jeweler that I had purchased on other cruises and wanted to tell me that they were all to be taxed. I told him they were purchased on previous cruises - He told me to prove it so you know what.....I did. In my bag where I had my passport, I happen to keep all important documents like the receipts for the expensive jewelery purchased. (One reason is that the stores offer an exchange policy. If I were to get tired of it I could exchange it with the receipt for something new getting the full value. That is why I carry the receipts) So he started matching the jewelery to the receipts piece for piece. Yes my friends, I had them all. there was nothing he could say. Then he wanted to look in my zip bag where I had my passports. He went through that looked at our birth certificates, the husband's DD214, passports, ship boarding papers everything that was in there. That is when he found my friend's jewelery receipts. He wanted to know why I was carrying her receipts. So I told him the truth. We are traveling together we just put everything in one back so we don't loose it and asked what the problem was. He now tells me he has to inspect all of my luggage, my husband's luggage and my friend's luggage. BUT before that, he wants to look through my purse. Yes he went through everything, my wallet, my check book, even my medicines. He had the nerve to ask me which I had purchased in Mexico - even though they were all in CVS bottles. I told him that Mexico wasn't regulated by the FDA and therefore wasn't safe so I wouldn't be taking any meds from there.
Now, I think he realizes I am honest but he is in too deep and has to keep going. So he makes me sit in the office and he asks my husband if he would recognize our best friend again if he saw her down stairs at the luggage? My husband is a smart ___ by nature and answers..."well, I haven't seen her in like 20 minutes so I don't know anymore". That goes over really well with the officer who has decided to police my world. While they are gone, the couple next to me asks how much we were over our limit (with great fear on their faces) because they bought a 5000 dollar ring. I told them I was WAY UNDER the limit and had no idea what was happening. They got even more scared.....I felt really bad for them. One officer came up looked at their ring, shut the box, and had them move on - no money even paid. I was astonished at what was happening - so were they. That officer then went and got the "boss" to come talk to me. He had me sit down and explain everything that happened. I went over it all again. Handing the passports and the customs form to the man outside, he didn't even look at things and just brought us straight back, looking through everything, looking at my jewelery which I showed him too, matching the receipts to the jewelery, the man searching my wallet, the drug comments, where the officer was now. The "boss" asks how much we were OVER our custom allowance I told him we were WAY UNDER. He just shook his head and said don't worry Mam...It will be fine.
I wanted to ask how I wasn't to worry. My name was on that form that says you go to jail for things even though I know that I was way under but this officer seemed determined to find something that I did wrong even though I had no idea what it was. I kept asking everyone there...."If you just tell me what you are looking for I will gladly tell you exactly where it is or that I don't have that". Finally, after almost an hour and a half, the man comes back upstairs and tells me that I am free to go and my party will be waiting for me down stairs, he had been through all of my luggage already. I shake his offered hand and say thank you (because my mom and dad raised me to be polite to people who are only doing their job even if I don't agree with it or understand it). I go down stairs to find out the rest of the story. On the way down to meet my friend. The officer tells my husband not to speak to anyone, no eye contact, no gestures, etc. He will do all the talking. Of course, the husband wants to yell across the luggage area "RUN THE COPPERS ARE AFTER YOU...RUN FOR ALL YOU ARE WORTH" but he tells me that he restrained himself because the man looked way to serious and he didn't like his last joke about not recognizing our friend because he had held us so long upstairs. (Thank the Lord for a little restraint) The officer then makes our friend sign her customs form again saying it is what she is declaring. Then matches all of her new and past jewelry purchases just like he did to me. I don't know what would have happened if the receipts wouldn't have been there?????? Finally we leave feeling like we have done something wrong when we actually over estimate our money every time to make sure that we are not going to be over our allowance. It was just a strange experience with no rhyme or reason for the beginning.
Now the new question is do I take my jewelery with me on the cruises? If I do, do I make sure that I take the receipts? Is it not worth the hassle so just don't take anything? What caused this? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again? Who knows.....all I know is I could never truly have lied on that form! I felt so bad and I had done nothing wrong and I knew it, I can't imagine how bad it would be if I would have done something wrong.....rest assured that will never happen.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Lessons - What you can learn
You can learn a lot from horseback riding lessons and the horses that have nothing to do with actual riding skills. Those lessons can be positive or negative...or it can depend on how you look at the item and your own personality as to the outlook on the lesson learned. Today was one of those days.
One of the horses got hurt yesterday. He is a very calm draft horse cross that we use for all the little kids as well as the older girls because he is so safe. He has never been hurt before and he was giving a lesson to a handicapped young man and was cantering and hurt his back and leg. Instead of acting foolish or hurting someone...he just refused to move when he got hurt. So today, I had to go get some more joint supplement for him as well as some bute (horse aspirin), and feed. I got to the barn early to help him out and he came right up ready to eat. Fed him and let him rest awhile for the meds to work....then I tried to ride him to see how he was feeling. He did the same thing - just stopped when he started hurting. You then learn that despite your size - 1200 lbs - and how much pain you are in you can still act civilized and you don't have to hurt people - even if you aren't very smart - ie...a "dumb horse". That raises the question then...why are people mean when they are not feeling well? They are suppose to be the smarter "animal" and should be able to process through things better. Yet this horse who turned out to be in a lot of pain rather than hurt a mentally handicapped child or even me when I asked for his compliance...just stopped and didn't move. No fight, no anger, not a mean bone at all. You can learn a lot from a horse I would guess.
One of our riding students got a horse for Christmas that doesn't like to load in the trailer so we have been working on getting him to eat in the trailer to be comfortable with it. While all the other horses were eating. I purposely went out 2 hrs before lessons so he and I could spend some quality time together. Since it was Sunday, his owner would be in church and wouldn't have time to keep up our routine of feeding. We started out with his owner in the trailer and me lifting his feet one by one into the trailer. As he would put his feet in, he would get some feed. (In other words...I was doing the work of picking up his feet and putting this 17 hand horse into the trailer) This worked fairly well and we got him into the trailer one time in probably 4 weeks. Yesterday and today I had no help at all. Just the horse and I so I put the bucket in the front of the trailer and I just held it there. If he wanted it, he had to come the whole way in to get it. You know what...he did in a manner of minutes. It taught me that the baby steps may have been good and the little rewards were ok. But if he wanted to truly eat his food, then I had to let him come the whole way in to get his whole bucket. I didn't have to pull, prod, lift, or even talk, just let him put his feet in and out as much as he wanted to until he was comfortable and would come on in. Maybe the same goes with all of life. Just lay what you need to in front of people and leave it there within their reach. Let them come in and out as much as they want until they are comfortable enough to come the whole way in and take what life has to offer. Then praise them for their winning effort.
Then there is my husband's mare. She really is a great horse. She is very safe and was purchased because I know she will refuse to go anywhere he won't be safe. That is the real reason I bought her for him. Since he only rides 3-4 times a year, she has to be occupied with lessons the rest of her life. She safely does beginner rider lessons. I fuss at her constantly for slowing down and stopping as she trots and jumps. Most of the time she is just lazy - or so it appears to me. Today I watched her closely and learned that she is not as lazy as I thought she was. She was working with a young lady for the first time over some very small jumps and she kept stopping. I was fussing at both the young lady and the horse telling them to keep going..when I realized the young lady was just not steady on the horse. Every time the horse stopped it was because the young girl was not sturdy in her saddle. The horse could tell the minute balance of the girl that I could not see and slowed down to keep her from falling. Here again, the horse kept the rider safe. The kindness may seem "all in my head" to you, the reader, until you hear how my husband's horse treats me.....this same horse that slows down for this little girl and won't go places that might hurt my husband does not like me. Yes readers, when I saddle her, she will flatten her ears at me and try to bite me. IF I ride her she will buck and run in circles without being told. She will run straight into the wooden standards (what holds up the jump poles), she tries to brush me off on the trees. It is not an uncommon phenomenon. It is lead mare syndrome. She is lead mare in the herd and there for in charge. I am the "head" of the barn and she doesn't like to submit to me with her strong personality so she tries to rebel against my authority. After a good 10 min fight at the beginning of a ride. She will calm down and be the super sweet horse that everyone else rides. She does comply but with protest in every muscle of her being....it is quite funny. So you learn what keeps one person safe is not safe for another even if you are the better rider than the 8 year old.....lol. You learn that the relationship with your horse is precious and one with walk through "fire" for you to keep you safe especially if you are little girl. You learn that the horse is more sensitive than what you can see which teaches the instructor to look more closely at what your horse is telling you even if you aren't on it. Again, life is the same way, you have to look closely at a situation to determine the true meaning of events. Sometimes looks truly do deceive.
I did learn a lot from lessons this weekend and not a lot had to do with the actual lesson themselves. I have one more tomorrow, I wonder what it will bring?
One of the horses got hurt yesterday. He is a very calm draft horse cross that we use for all the little kids as well as the older girls because he is so safe. He has never been hurt before and he was giving a lesson to a handicapped young man and was cantering and hurt his back and leg. Instead of acting foolish or hurting someone...he just refused to move when he got hurt. So today, I had to go get some more joint supplement for him as well as some bute (horse aspirin), and feed. I got to the barn early to help him out and he came right up ready to eat. Fed him and let him rest awhile for the meds to work....then I tried to ride him to see how he was feeling. He did the same thing - just stopped when he started hurting. You then learn that despite your size - 1200 lbs - and how much pain you are in you can still act civilized and you don't have to hurt people - even if you aren't very smart - ie...a "dumb horse". That raises the question then...why are people mean when they are not feeling well? They are suppose to be the smarter "animal" and should be able to process through things better. Yet this horse who turned out to be in a lot of pain rather than hurt a mentally handicapped child or even me when I asked for his compliance...just stopped and didn't move. No fight, no anger, not a mean bone at all. You can learn a lot from a horse I would guess.
One of our riding students got a horse for Christmas that doesn't like to load in the trailer so we have been working on getting him to eat in the trailer to be comfortable with it. While all the other horses were eating. I purposely went out 2 hrs before lessons so he and I could spend some quality time together. Since it was Sunday, his owner would be in church and wouldn't have time to keep up our routine of feeding. We started out with his owner in the trailer and me lifting his feet one by one into the trailer. As he would put his feet in, he would get some feed. (In other words...I was doing the work of picking up his feet and putting this 17 hand horse into the trailer) This worked fairly well and we got him into the trailer one time in probably 4 weeks. Yesterday and today I had no help at all. Just the horse and I so I put the bucket in the front of the trailer and I just held it there. If he wanted it, he had to come the whole way in to get it. You know what...he did in a manner of minutes. It taught me that the baby steps may have been good and the little rewards were ok. But if he wanted to truly eat his food, then I had to let him come the whole way in to get his whole bucket. I didn't have to pull, prod, lift, or even talk, just let him put his feet in and out as much as he wanted to until he was comfortable and would come on in. Maybe the same goes with all of life. Just lay what you need to in front of people and leave it there within their reach. Let them come in and out as much as they want until they are comfortable enough to come the whole way in and take what life has to offer. Then praise them for their winning effort.
Then there is my husband's mare. She really is a great horse. She is very safe and was purchased because I know she will refuse to go anywhere he won't be safe. That is the real reason I bought her for him. Since he only rides 3-4 times a year, she has to be occupied with lessons the rest of her life. She safely does beginner rider lessons. I fuss at her constantly for slowing down and stopping as she trots and jumps. Most of the time she is just lazy - or so it appears to me. Today I watched her closely and learned that she is not as lazy as I thought she was. She was working with a young lady for the first time over some very small jumps and she kept stopping. I was fussing at both the young lady and the horse telling them to keep going..when I realized the young lady was just not steady on the horse. Every time the horse stopped it was because the young girl was not sturdy in her saddle. The horse could tell the minute balance of the girl that I could not see and slowed down to keep her from falling. Here again, the horse kept the rider safe. The kindness may seem "all in my head" to you, the reader, until you hear how my husband's horse treats me.....this same horse that slows down for this little girl and won't go places that might hurt my husband does not like me. Yes readers, when I saddle her, she will flatten her ears at me and try to bite me. IF I ride her she will buck and run in circles without being told. She will run straight into the wooden standards (what holds up the jump poles), she tries to brush me off on the trees. It is not an uncommon phenomenon. It is lead mare syndrome. She is lead mare in the herd and there for in charge. I am the "head" of the barn and she doesn't like to submit to me with her strong personality so she tries to rebel against my authority. After a good 10 min fight at the beginning of a ride. She will calm down and be the super sweet horse that everyone else rides. She does comply but with protest in every muscle of her being....it is quite funny. So you learn what keeps one person safe is not safe for another even if you are the better rider than the 8 year old.....lol. You learn that the relationship with your horse is precious and one with walk through "fire" for you to keep you safe especially if you are little girl. You learn that the horse is more sensitive than what you can see which teaches the instructor to look more closely at what your horse is telling you even if you aren't on it. Again, life is the same way, you have to look closely at a situation to determine the true meaning of events. Sometimes looks truly do deceive.
I did learn a lot from lessons this weekend and not a lot had to do with the actual lesson themselves. I have one more tomorrow, I wonder what it will bring?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Atlanta
We are in Atlanta to see Stomp. Last night we went to Mideival Times and had a lot of fun watching the horses. Today we went to Dim Sum and it was totally delicious! Wish they still had it home in Augusta. I miss it so badly. Came back to the motel to go to the pool and and hot top. Getting ready to leave the motel to go to Stomp. Have had such a relaxing weekend and that is something that I have needed.
The things on my to do list has grown to an unmanageable level. I didn't think that I would be able to do this weekend but you know what...had to stop and do this. Now going to go and take pictures for Flat Stanley for my niece,.
The things on my to do list has grown to an unmanageable level. I didn't think that I would be able to do this weekend but you know what...had to stop and do this. Now going to go and take pictures for Flat Stanley for my niece,.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
When will it all end
Well today was a very interesting day. Lessons were very tiring and life was very busy. Had a lesson at noon and thought I was done until 2:30 and could relax...but had a 3 year old at 1:30 and had to get geared up to do his lesson that I had forgotten about. This not remembering things is killing me. While doing this lesson we were feeding and trying to teach the new horse to load in the trailer but couldn't get him in the trailer. Just had him in the other day but NO NOT TODAY. I think I pulled something trying to get his feet up and in the trailer. He is only about 16.3 hands and weighs close to 1100 lbs with more weight going on him every day so when he decides he isn't going to do something...well he just isn't going to do it. While he eats in the trailer, Dolittle, the horse at the top of the page here, is his companion by the trailer. He was tied to the side of the trailer and I was working with our little boy. Dolittle decides to try to go to the back of the trailer and scares himself some how and rears backwards and breaks his lead rope...this causes Asagai to be scared and come out of the trailer again as well as scare the pony that the little 3 year old is on....Thanks Dolittle!!!!
This makes for a very long day - all this running around after horses and kids. I am exhausted again. This being so tired that I can't move by the time I get home has got to stop. I just don't know what to do with myself. I should not be this weak and lazy. Now others may not see it as lazy but to me it is. When I have to come home and sit down and am not ABLE to get up and do what needs to be done VS not wanting to get up to do what needs done there is a problem. I tell people about it and they say "Go to the doctor". What will a doctor do? Really now lets think this through? I show up at the office and say.....When I get home I am really tired. They say Ok tell me about your day and I will see what I can do to help. I say....well on week days, I leave for school at 6:45 am and teach 7th grade until 3:00 then at 3:00 I start after school until 5:10, then I come home and try to do dishes, laundry, take care of the dogs, teach class on Tuesday until 10, or give riding lessons on Fridays. OH on the weekends it is a bit easier doc....I give lessons at the barn with 7 horses from 12 until about 6 or 6:30 then I go home and do dinner, laundry, grade papers etc....before I start my week over. I don't sleep very well and I wake up at least 4 or 5 times a night. I just don't seem to have the energy to do anything anymore. I think the doctor is going to look at me and say "What do you mean you don't have energy. Looks to me like you have tons of energy and are working very hard. I think you are fine and are worried for nothing." But they won't see that I need to force myself to put one foot in front of the other every day to make myself do less than 1/2 of what I did before the surgery and even though I am feeling so much better not in any pain, the lack of energy makes me feel like I am the laziest person on this earth. I can see it in other peoples' eyes. When I slow down for a minute or don't get things done fast enough for them....like I use to. It is akin to pity and no one lifts a finger to help. Just stare at me and shake their heads as they sit there and watch. What a good feeling to know that everyone just watches you struggle and doesn't really care about it.
I have spent so much money going out to eat to try to alleviate at least that much of my day that my husband is tired of eating out and complaining about me not cooking. When I say I am tired he says sure you are...that surgery was months ago you are fine you just don't want to cook. Of course he does no cooking, laundry, dishes etc and can't keep up with me now let alone before I had the surgery. So he has no idea how tired I am. He sleeps through the night so he has no idea about that either. It just seems like no one is listening. Here no one reads this either but that is ok. At least I have said something and it makes me feel a bit better even if it won't change anything.
Night all......
This makes for a very long day - all this running around after horses and kids. I am exhausted again. This being so tired that I can't move by the time I get home has got to stop. I just don't know what to do with myself. I should not be this weak and lazy. Now others may not see it as lazy but to me it is. When I have to come home and sit down and am not ABLE to get up and do what needs to be done VS not wanting to get up to do what needs done there is a problem. I tell people about it and they say "Go to the doctor". What will a doctor do? Really now lets think this through? I show up at the office and say.....When I get home I am really tired. They say Ok tell me about your day and I will see what I can do to help. I say....well on week days, I leave for school at 6:45 am and teach 7th grade until 3:00 then at 3:00 I start after school until 5:10, then I come home and try to do dishes, laundry, take care of the dogs, teach class on Tuesday until 10, or give riding lessons on Fridays. OH on the weekends it is a bit easier doc....I give lessons at the barn with 7 horses from 12 until about 6 or 6:30 then I go home and do dinner, laundry, grade papers etc....before I start my week over. I don't sleep very well and I wake up at least 4 or 5 times a night. I just don't seem to have the energy to do anything anymore. I think the doctor is going to look at me and say "What do you mean you don't have energy. Looks to me like you have tons of energy and are working very hard. I think you are fine and are worried for nothing." But they won't see that I need to force myself to put one foot in front of the other every day to make myself do less than 1/2 of what I did before the surgery and even though I am feeling so much better not in any pain, the lack of energy makes me feel like I am the laziest person on this earth. I can see it in other peoples' eyes. When I slow down for a minute or don't get things done fast enough for them....like I use to. It is akin to pity and no one lifts a finger to help. Just stare at me and shake their heads as they sit there and watch. What a good feeling to know that everyone just watches you struggle and doesn't really care about it.
I have spent so much money going out to eat to try to alleviate at least that much of my day that my husband is tired of eating out and complaining about me not cooking. When I say I am tired he says sure you are...that surgery was months ago you are fine you just don't want to cook. Of course he does no cooking, laundry, dishes etc and can't keep up with me now let alone before I had the surgery. So he has no idea how tired I am. He sleeps through the night so he has no idea about that either. It just seems like no one is listening. Here no one reads this either but that is ok. At least I have said something and it makes me feel a bit better even if it won't change anything.
Night all......
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Teachers
It is harder and harder to be a teacher. I was reading the online newspaper and it was talking about a teacher who had a blog and complained about her high school students being lazy and wanting things done FOR them instead of them working FOR what they get. No school names...No teacher names...NO student names. They traced it back to the teacher and SUSPENDED HER. Just for stating her opinion that probably most teachers think but are afraid to say for just this reason. I know I am afraid to say anything and I am a very brazen person and will say what needs to be said. It is crazy what this world has come to that teachers can't say what needs to be said. All of society's ills are laid at the doors of the teacher, but teachers are not permitted to ask for help from anyone or get support from anyone....they are just to fix it.
I agree a blog is not the place to do it and a frank discussion with an individual parent is, even if you have to repeat yourself over and over, but it just seems like overkill to blame the teacher again. NOW in all fairness I have heard she has done other things on her blog and this was the final straw so to speak......will have to see how this plays out. I think the bigger ideal is if teachers actually have a voice outside the classroom and are allowed to use it as long as it doesn't mention schools, students, districts etc. We will have to see. AGAIN, I am sure there are more facts to this case than we are all hearing but will have to see how it plays out.
I agree a blog is not the place to do it and a frank discussion with an individual parent is, even if you have to repeat yourself over and over, but it just seems like overkill to blame the teacher again. NOW in all fairness I have heard she has done other things on her blog and this was the final straw so to speak......will have to see how this plays out. I think the bigger ideal is if teachers actually have a voice outside the classroom and are allowed to use it as long as it doesn't mention schools, students, districts etc. We will have to see. AGAIN, I am sure there are more facts to this case than we are all hearing but will have to see how it plays out.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Work Week
I made it through the first week back. I think it was by the skin of my teeth though. Sleeping isn't better and I am really tired. I thought my legs were going to give out a few times this week. I am also glad that no one reads this because if anyone knew, I think I would be in trouble.
Did lessons today and it was very tiring too. Had to walk with the little kids who were just starting their lessons. I thought my legs were going to give out again today. I came home and have been in bed ever since. I even slept a bit but that didn't help much. This is getting really depressing. I don't know if I should keep pushing it to make sure that I get my old stamina back or if I am already pushing it even though I am not really doing even 1/2 of what I use to do....what to do....what to do.....what to do?
We ate out all week because I was too tired to do anything but then when it came time to sleep I couldn't. I guess Monday I call the doctor and see what she has to say about all of this. I hate this depressing state.
Did lessons today and it was very tiring too. Had to walk with the little kids who were just starting their lessons. I thought my legs were going to give out again today. I came home and have been in bed ever since. I even slept a bit but that didn't help much. This is getting really depressing. I don't know if I should keep pushing it to make sure that I get my old stamina back or if I am already pushing it even though I am not really doing even 1/2 of what I use to do....what to do....what to do.....what to do?
We ate out all week because I was too tired to do anything but then when it came time to sleep I couldn't. I guess Monday I call the doctor and see what she has to say about all of this. I hate this depressing state.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Last of the "Freedom"
Today is the last day of "freedom" before I go back to work tomorrow. The husband is very fond of running around the house all weekend in a sing-song voice telling me that..."You have to go back to work...You have to go back to work...No more sleeping for you...No more lazzzzzyneeessss...You actually have to work again". I want to slap him. I know he doesn't think I have been just playing and I know he knows this was serious surgery - the Dr said they "took a 12 lb alien out of my body" (her words) - I think he just has missed having me next door for the last month...lol. He loves to come next door to my room and "cause trouble" or ask how to make something technical work etc. It is nice to be missed. I got a lot of that on facebook too. When are you coming back....We miss you....Never knew how much you did until we had to pick up the things you didn't do. You know the typical things. Even have parents emailing asking when I will be back. I wish I would have been permitted back earlier but alas that was not to be.
So how do I feel now that my freedom is at an end? In one word....TIRED. I am tired of sitting at home. Tired of having nothing to do but read, watch TV/movies, and play on the computer. Tired of just going for a drive. Tired of not being able to do things that I should be able to do. Tired of being inactive. Tired of hearing "don't do that you will hurt yourself". Tired of wanting to do some things and not being able. Tired of not sleeping well. Tired of wondering what to do next....you get the idea. Heaven help me when I retire. Will have to find another job...but one that starts at about 11...I did like the sleeping until 10 or so every morning. The dogs liked having me home all day especially Harvey because he didn't have to spend the day in his kennel (he has a tendency to chew things he is not suppose to when he is home without supervision).
Now what do I predict for the future? One word....TIRED. I will be tired from being out of "shape" because I have done nothing for the past 7 weeks. I will be tired from school all day. Tired from after school until 5:10. Tired from coming home and cooking and cleaning (surgery is over the husband doesn't have to do anything anymore - not that he did it when I had the surgery). Tired from not sleeping well at night. Tired from getting up at 6:15 in the morning instead of 10. I guess my life will revolve around the word tired...not the word Freedom like I had hoped.
Freedom is still there though. I will have the freedom to go back to a job I enjoy. Freedom to ride the horses again. Freedom to move and be active again instead of sitting and laying down all the time. Freedom to play and walk with the dogs. Freedom to take a nap when I get tired. Freedom to just get back into the life I lead and enjoy without all the pain and problems that I had before the surgery. So it really isn't my last day of freedom ...just have to work on my stamina for the new freedoms I will get.
So how do I feel now that my freedom is at an end? In one word....TIRED. I am tired of sitting at home. Tired of having nothing to do but read, watch TV/movies, and play on the computer. Tired of just going for a drive. Tired of not being able to do things that I should be able to do. Tired of being inactive. Tired of hearing "don't do that you will hurt yourself". Tired of wanting to do some things and not being able. Tired of not sleeping well. Tired of wondering what to do next....you get the idea. Heaven help me when I retire. Will have to find another job...but one that starts at about 11...I did like the sleeping until 10 or so every morning. The dogs liked having me home all day especially Harvey because he didn't have to spend the day in his kennel (he has a tendency to chew things he is not suppose to when he is home without supervision).
Now what do I predict for the future? One word....TIRED. I will be tired from being out of "shape" because I have done nothing for the past 7 weeks. I will be tired from school all day. Tired from after school until 5:10. Tired from coming home and cooking and cleaning (surgery is over the husband doesn't have to do anything anymore - not that he did it when I had the surgery). Tired from not sleeping well at night. Tired from getting up at 6:15 in the morning instead of 10. I guess my life will revolve around the word tired...not the word Freedom like I had hoped.
Freedom is still there though. I will have the freedom to go back to a job I enjoy. Freedom to ride the horses again. Freedom to move and be active again instead of sitting and laying down all the time. Freedom to play and walk with the dogs. Freedom to take a nap when I get tired. Freedom to just get back into the life I lead and enjoy without all the pain and problems that I had before the surgery. So it really isn't my last day of freedom ...just have to work on my stamina for the new freedoms I will get.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sad Day
There are multiple reasons for such a sad day today. The first was the ritual paying of the bills. Watching all the hard work going right out the window...or bank account in this case. Then I was all excited that I had payed off a few of the bills and had almost 900 left in the checking account - cha ching!!!! WRONG...I went to pay the student loans from my doctorate and found that LAST MONTH was my first payment so there went 680 of the money that I was sooooo excited that I had thought I had saved.
Then came the meds. I got the "patch" for the hormone replacement from the hysterectomy. It is designed to last a week and then you take it off and put on a new one. I put one on for the first time yesterday afternoon. It had not even been 24 hours and the dang thing is falling off. So I don't have enough hormones and that makes me sad with hormonal hot flashes so if I do something stupid that can be my defense in court...lol
Next came the taxes - need I say more. At lest we owe the state less than 200 this year that is a small blessing. I don't understand how this happens every year. We are getting back 1/4 of what we got back last year so that is a sad thing. I was hoping to pay off more bills with it. Also the family is talking about going on a cruise to Alaska for the parents 50th anniversary this summer - was hoping the tax refund would pay for it...guess not!!!!
Finally the saddest thing of all. One of the teacher's mom died that we work with at the middle school. Today was her funeral. I felt so sad for her and her family. The woman was only 61 and just 2 weeks ago was sledding with the grandchildren in the local snow storm. It is amazing how quickly your fortunes can change and how fragile life is. Watching the video and slide show of her life was amazing and I was saddened by her loss even though I had not met her. I was there to support her daughter - my colleague. It makes me wonder what I will feel like when my parents die. Will their actions of the past disappear and I just see the good in everything and mourn the loss of a parent or will it still be the same where I am a second class citizen because I am a girl and nothing that I say or do matters to anyone else in that group of people. Where I feel like a servant in my own house.
The minister talked about what you will leave behind when you leave this world and that is what is important...not the material things but the legacy that you leave for others - what you will be remembered for. So what will I be remembered for? Causing trouble for my family because I don't fit into their mold for a daughter or a sister? A teacher who actually helped and taught her students things inside and outside the classroom? A college professor who inspired at least one person to be a science teacher that will excel? A riding instructor that inspired her students to love horses, treat them well, and learn how to communicate with a beautiful animal that will walk through fire for them if needed? OR Will I just be some woman who taught but never reached anyone, anywhere, at anytime? That is the saddest thought of today.......and the one that is most prevalent in my mind today.
Then came the meds. I got the "patch" for the hormone replacement from the hysterectomy. It is designed to last a week and then you take it off and put on a new one. I put one on for the first time yesterday afternoon. It had not even been 24 hours and the dang thing is falling off. So I don't have enough hormones and that makes me sad with hormonal hot flashes so if I do something stupid that can be my defense in court...lol
Next came the taxes - need I say more. At lest we owe the state less than 200 this year that is a small blessing. I don't understand how this happens every year. We are getting back 1/4 of what we got back last year so that is a sad thing. I was hoping to pay off more bills with it. Also the family is talking about going on a cruise to Alaska for the parents 50th anniversary this summer - was hoping the tax refund would pay for it...guess not!!!!
Finally the saddest thing of all. One of the teacher's mom died that we work with at the middle school. Today was her funeral. I felt so sad for her and her family. The woman was only 61 and just 2 weeks ago was sledding with the grandchildren in the local snow storm. It is amazing how quickly your fortunes can change and how fragile life is. Watching the video and slide show of her life was amazing and I was saddened by her loss even though I had not met her. I was there to support her daughter - my colleague. It makes me wonder what I will feel like when my parents die. Will their actions of the past disappear and I just see the good in everything and mourn the loss of a parent or will it still be the same where I am a second class citizen because I am a girl and nothing that I say or do matters to anyone else in that group of people. Where I feel like a servant in my own house.
The minister talked about what you will leave behind when you leave this world and that is what is important...not the material things but the legacy that you leave for others - what you will be remembered for. So what will I be remembered for? Causing trouble for my family because I don't fit into their mold for a daughter or a sister? A teacher who actually helped and taught her students things inside and outside the classroom? A college professor who inspired at least one person to be a science teacher that will excel? A riding instructor that inspired her students to love horses, treat them well, and learn how to communicate with a beautiful animal that will walk through fire for them if needed? OR Will I just be some woman who taught but never reached anyone, anywhere, at anytime? That is the saddest thought of today.......and the one that is most prevalent in my mind today.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Mom's B-Day
Well today is my mother's birthday. I called this morning and left a message. Said Happy Birthday on Facebook and was soooooo excited that I had gotten my mother a birthday card days ago and got it all ready to mail. It would be the first time I have gotten a birthday card off in time in years...I was so proud of myself.
Then I came into the spare bedroom to grade papers today and guess what I found on the computer desk? You guessed it...my mother's birthday card. So here we are again the horrible daughter that can't get a birthday card to her own mother on time. I will hear it again for years - or until I mess up again next year. Oh well just one more thing for them to say that I don't do right.
Other than that I took water to the horses, fed Sterling cause he is loosing weight as he ages and took my friend some decongestant. Even spent a few minutes at Walmart. Finally, one of the teachers at school made dinner for us tonight - roasted chicken with a celery stuffing, creamed corn, broccoli, roasted potatoes, and rolls. It was absolutely fabulous! I don't know what I would do without the friends I have.
Need to grade some more papers so I guess I need to sign off for now.
Then I came into the spare bedroom to grade papers today and guess what I found on the computer desk? You guessed it...my mother's birthday card. So here we are again the horrible daughter that can't get a birthday card to her own mother on time. I will hear it again for years - or until I mess up again next year. Oh well just one more thing for them to say that I don't do right.
Other than that I took water to the horses, fed Sterling cause he is loosing weight as he ages and took my friend some decongestant. Even spent a few minutes at Walmart. Finally, one of the teachers at school made dinner for us tonight - roasted chicken with a celery stuffing, creamed corn, broccoli, roasted potatoes, and rolls. It was absolutely fabulous! I don't know what I would do without the friends I have.
Need to grade some more papers so I guess I need to sign off for now.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Missing in Action
You never know how much you miss someone until they aren't there for you! I know everyone knows that but today was a classic case that was magnified because of the surgery. I know I am not 100% even though I like to think I am and I have been VERY GOOD about not pushing my limits which is not normal for me. I like to test my limits. But this time I know where they are because of the pain. The co-riding instructor at the barn has been my best friend since 1994 (other than the husband) and we have worked very well together for years! If one of us gets sick and can't go to lessons it is no biggie...the other takes over and it is a bit more challenging but all in all life is good and we get it done. Today was an exception.
First, yesterday we started a new little girl who turned five and riding lessons were her birthday present. So I walked with her all hour lesson, then we worked with 7 in the second lesson and it was very active putting up knocked down jumps, etc, plus feeding and such. Felt ok yesterday. Then we added today with 3 hours of lessons, another new student plus all the horses out every lesson. The first lesson had a 4 year old as her first lesson and a 12 year old just learning to trot....the second lesson has an autistic boy who is just the best young man ever but have to keep a close eye on him and walk to help him keep his horse where he belongs....and the third lesson has a young lady who just started last week so she is still at the point where I am walking with her...ya not only did the tummy hurt but the LEGS WERE KILLING ME! I walk tons every day with teaching science labs and lessons etc but I guess I am really out of shape with being laid up with the surgery.
This is what I mean with Missing in Action. There was so much action and there was no partner to bounce ideas off of for what to do next when the students mastered something faster than I expected....or slower for that matter. There was no one to take 1/2 the walking...lol There was no one to watch 1/2 the kids...well truth be told she watches more than half. If I have a beginner lesson then she has everyone else or visa versa. Yes I made a bit more money in lessons today but it sure wasn't worth it. On top of that my friend being home sick with a fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, etc was no fun for her. She would have much rather been out with us at lessons too. Yep truly missed her today!
First, yesterday we started a new little girl who turned five and riding lessons were her birthday present. So I walked with her all hour lesson, then we worked with 7 in the second lesson and it was very active putting up knocked down jumps, etc, plus feeding and such. Felt ok yesterday. Then we added today with 3 hours of lessons, another new student plus all the horses out every lesson. The first lesson had a 4 year old as her first lesson and a 12 year old just learning to trot....the second lesson has an autistic boy who is just the best young man ever but have to keep a close eye on him and walk to help him keep his horse where he belongs....and the third lesson has a young lady who just started last week so she is still at the point where I am walking with her...ya not only did the tummy hurt but the LEGS WERE KILLING ME! I walk tons every day with teaching science labs and lessons etc but I guess I am really out of shape with being laid up with the surgery.
This is what I mean with Missing in Action. There was so much action and there was no partner to bounce ideas off of for what to do next when the students mastered something faster than I expected....or slower for that matter. There was no one to take 1/2 the walking...lol There was no one to watch 1/2 the kids...well truth be told she watches more than half. If I have a beginner lesson then she has everyone else or visa versa. Yes I made a bit more money in lessons today but it sure wasn't worth it. On top of that my friend being home sick with a fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, etc was no fun for her. She would have much rather been out with us at lessons too. Yep truly missed her today!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
First Post - Get Updated
First lets update on what happened this weekend. I have a total of 11 horses that belong to me and to others at the barn and a few that are retired at a friend's house. One of the retired horses, Traveler, colliced really badly. In addition to his collic he also banged up his left knee pretty badly. I really thought we were going to have to put him down and he is my husband's horse. This would have led to major drama from him. He is way to emotional...the husband...not Traveler.
So since I am out of school because of my surgery - complete Hystorectomy - I went to check on him to see how he was doing. He is better with the collic but still limping terrably. Hopefully it will be better soon. I am tired of worring about him and waking up in the middle of the night wondering if he is ok.
While on the subject of horses, they are a never ending source of fun. At the barn today Aracelli (owned by my Goddaughter) was let out after feeding along with Asagai (owned by my riding student who should be our other Goddaughter cause she is so close to us). Aracelli fashons herself as a DIVA! She thinks she is in charge of everything out there at the 20 acre farm. She starts flattening her ears and biting at Asagai who promtly just stares at her. Now these moves are meant to frighten and intimidate him and he is just standing there. His nonreaction angers her so she starts snaking her head around and flipping her butt around and trying to kick him. He still just stands there and does nothing...she doesn't just frighten him in the least. She tries for a good 10 minutes to get him to move or be afraid of her but it is not to be. Finally, when she stops and hangs her head in disgust, he reaches over and licks her neck. She just stares at him like he is crazy...which I think he is for not getting out of her way. Most of the other horses there move quicky when she starts her antics. It was like a parent watching a child throw a tantrum then hug them when it was over and say...I am glad you got that out of your system. There was nothing I could do but laugh and wait for it to end. I surely couldn't get in the middle of it all.
As I write, Jasper is sleeping on the pillow - big suprise - he is not called "the pillow dog" for nothing. Ayla is sleeping on the floor under the desk - as usual. and Harvey is on the bottom of the bed. These are their usual positions. Jasper and Ayla are 6 year old Border Collie/Lab crosses that are brother and sister and weigh 85 lbs each. Harvey we got from a pet adoption agency and we call him Little Dog because he is so much smaller than the other two at 17 lbs. He even has been nicknamed the sausage dog. Finally, there is Annie May. She is a very old grayhoud/redbone hound mix 14 now. She gets picked on by Ayla so we keep them separated. She also was abused and we have to make sure that she doesn't get around men - except for the husband. They are forever doing something silly also. We will have to see what mischef they get up to in the future.
So since I am out of school because of my surgery - complete Hystorectomy - I went to check on him to see how he was doing. He is better with the collic but still limping terrably. Hopefully it will be better soon. I am tired of worring about him and waking up in the middle of the night wondering if he is ok.
While on the subject of horses, they are a never ending source of fun. At the barn today Aracelli (owned by my Goddaughter) was let out after feeding along with Asagai (owned by my riding student who should be our other Goddaughter cause she is so close to us). Aracelli fashons herself as a DIVA! She thinks she is in charge of everything out there at the 20 acre farm. She starts flattening her ears and biting at Asagai who promtly just stares at her. Now these moves are meant to frighten and intimidate him and he is just standing there. His nonreaction angers her so she starts snaking her head around and flipping her butt around and trying to kick him. He still just stands there and does nothing...she doesn't just frighten him in the least. She tries for a good 10 minutes to get him to move or be afraid of her but it is not to be. Finally, when she stops and hangs her head in disgust, he reaches over and licks her neck. She just stares at him like he is crazy...which I think he is for not getting out of her way. Most of the other horses there move quicky when she starts her antics. It was like a parent watching a child throw a tantrum then hug them when it was over and say...I am glad you got that out of your system. There was nothing I could do but laugh and wait for it to end. I surely couldn't get in the middle of it all.
As I write, Jasper is sleeping on the pillow - big suprise - he is not called "the pillow dog" for nothing. Ayla is sleeping on the floor under the desk - as usual. and Harvey is on the bottom of the bed. These are their usual positions. Jasper and Ayla are 6 year old Border Collie/Lab crosses that are brother and sister and weigh 85 lbs each. Harvey we got from a pet adoption agency and we call him Little Dog because he is so much smaller than the other two at 17 lbs. He even has been nicknamed the sausage dog. Finally, there is Annie May. She is a very old grayhoud/redbone hound mix 14 now. She gets picked on by Ayla so we keep them separated. She also was abused and we have to make sure that she doesn't get around men - except for the husband. They are forever doing something silly also. We will have to see what mischef they get up to in the future.
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