Putting out the red carpet

With this post, I would like to say "Welcome" to any of you who are first time visitors, and "Thank you" to those of you who have been here before and have returned.

You never know what you'll find here. Like the heading says... this blog is "a possibility..... if I come up with the time and inclination to add anything that might be of the slightest interest to anyone." So what you find boring might interest someone else, but if you try again.... well..... you just never know!



We've started looking at carpet samples. The living/dining room carpet has done its duty, many times over, and it's time... make that way past time..... to replace it! After you look at so many samples, it gets hard to remember just what is what. We even ended up bringing home two sample books that are identical, just different companies! We certainly have not made a final decision. Should we go with something completely different? Or, I looked at one today that seemed to work, and then I realized it was almost the same color as what we've had all these years!

Let us pray!

Does anyone else still use a real tree for Christmas? Typically, soon after Thanksgiving, B and one or more of the kids will go out to one of the pastures, or along a fence row, and find a cedar tree that is just right for our Christmas tree. That's how it was again this year. The tree they brought in and set up even got more green as the days went by, drinking up a steady supply of fresh water. (Except the two cats drank a large bit of it. They loved the idea of a big bowl of drinking water being available "just for them" in the living room!)

As with all good things, it had to come to an end. This morning we took off the ornaments and lights, boxing them up until next season, and clipped off branches to make it easier to get the tree out without too much shedding.

Do you know what's cute? Finding a baby praying mantis on one of the ornaments as you're putting it away!



Do you know what's Not cute? Finding dozens of brothers and sisters of said "cute" baby praying mantis suddenly deciding to abandon the tree on which they hatched out and crawling onto the surrounding walls, windows and carpet! Yikes!!! Fortunately, we do own and know how to use a Kirby vacuum cleaner with hose attachment! But you can be sure I'll be scanning the area for days to come!

This and that

Ching (Siamese cat) was CRAZY today! Every time I sat down to work at the computer, she was on my lap, then paws on my shoulders, then rubbing my chin, then..... A person would think she hadn't seen me for a week or something.

Bookwork, schmookwork! You know, if a person would keep up with it on a regular basis, it wouldn't be all piled up to get done in December.

B and I went to our church choir Christmas party this evening. (No, he doesn't sing in the choir, but "non-singing spouses" were also invited! :)

"Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do. If you haven't got a ha' penny, God bless you!" Do you know that song? We learned it from one of the books the kids got for Christmas years ago. You know, the books where you press a button to play various songs. They still play, but just barely. I SUPPOSE we COULD invest in a new battery. Hmmm. Anyway--God bless you, whether you have a "ha' penny" or not!

I'll try to post some pictures next time, or soon anyway. Don't give up on me!

???

"I'M CONFUSED
...wait, maybe I'm not."

Carrying on

Guess what? I don't feel "like I'm always behind--at school and at home" anymore! My six-weeks sub job ended Nov. 7. Since then, I had another three days in other classrooms, then I asked the secretary to please not call till after Thanksgiving. : ) So now I just feel like I'm always behind at home. Ah well, that's nothing new. And I long ago resigned myself to the fact that I'll never be caught up, so I just keep making those weekly "to do" lists, and keep trying to make at least a little progress. Are you a list maker?

Only Her Hairdresser....

Yesterday (Friday)--No school! The 8 hours had been worked earlier in the week, when we had parent-teacher conferences for four hours after school on Monday and Tuesday. Talk about a couple of LONG days! And yes, even though, I'm "just the sub", I got in on them, since I had been in the classroom for almost as long as the regular teacher by then. We're down to seven school days before the regular teacher returns. I'll miss the kids, but not the part of feeling like I'm always behind--at school and at home.

Anyway, yesterday was the day that the church youth group (B. and I are sponsors) had planned to paint the wire fence at church. The morning was gray and cold, but by noon it was clearing off and starting to warm up, even if rather windy, so we proceeded with the project, finishing in about four hours. The fence looks GOOD now--nice and SHINY!

Someone's hair is turning gray. Or is it "chrome aluminum"??? Only her youth group knows for sure!!

a problem

"I will conquer my procrastination problem.....

just you wait!!!"

One down, five to go

A week into the job, and I'm getting used to the classroom schedule. But the knack of getting all those papers graded in a timely fashion hasn't come back to me yet. Ah well, they'll get taken care of eventually! This week is a bit mixed up--we go to the next town over for an "author visit" in the morning, then on Friday afternoon there is the homecoming parade. So, also tomorrow, we need to get a banner made for the class to carry as they walk in the parade.

I'm tired. And I need a haircut!

It's a girl!

Life around here is going to be different. The call came at 6:11 this morning. It was the school principal. "Can you come in (to sub) today?" Sure enough...... by just before noon the third grade teacher had a new daughter, and I had a six-week job ahead of me! I'm looking forward to this as a change from never knowing from day to day when and with what group of kids I'll be working.

The principal stopped by the classroom in the afternoon to let us know that Hallie Rose had arrived. Right after he went out of the room, one little boy asked about the teacher, "Will she be back tomorrow?"

: )

A First

I sang at a funeral today. Okay, so technically I've sung at many funerals--with the rest of the congregation. But today, for the first time, I was the soloist at one. A couple of nice hymns-"His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Children of the Heavenly Father"-were selected by the family of Don VanDorn, who lived all his life in the Swede settlement here, except the last few years he was in a care home. We're also related, cousins a few generations or so back I think, to the VanDorns.

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being." Psalm 104:33