I did it!

So I went from this... (which had a black enclosure....)

To this...without doing ANY kind of comparison shopping I bought the one below. I wasn't spending another SECOND thinking about a coffee machine... so I THINK I might be happy with my decision... after all... I am drinking a cup right now... and it is just as tasty as before. AND you wil notice above, that the NOW EXTINCT coffee pot is empty, while the new one (below) is full. Now that is some form of weird observation...

What's going down...

In my town.....

I've been to the dentist this morning, for my quarterly cleaning. I like the gal that cleans my teeth, she uses the watery wand... and I like that ten thousand more times than the 'inside-the-head-screaming-scraper'. Yes, yes I do. She will be leaving on maternity leave at the end of April... and then gone for a year... (Yes all of my American readers... a whole year.... for maternity leave.......)

Then, upon leaving the little parking lot, I turned right, and then left, and then left again, drove through another parking lot, turned right, and drove home. The lineup inside Starbucks was too long. I could have just turned left out of the parking lot from the dentist... but you know.. I needed a detour. What a moron. Not 15 minutes later I had made myself a lovely eggwhite scrambled egg sandwich, with just a touch of old cheese on wholewheat toast. I was giddy with excitement. But then I needed to make coffee.

I am stuck on this at the moment...

Should I: just go buy a new freakng coffee machine from Cost.co? (which would free up the actually machine part to give to my sister, who says their machine doesn't heat the water very well).

or~

Order a coffee pot from some place (definitely NOT OSTER... because they do not supply glass coffee pots... oh no they do not.....), but they have to order it to. I forgot to ask the guy yesterday about how long they take to order....hey.. I will call this second...ok, thirty dollars + taxes for the coffee pot, and then still extra if I get it shipped to me. OR... just drive 5 minutes away, pick out a coffee maker bring it home, make coffee, stop fussing.

Hmm.... what's obvious here?

Moving on....

That boy of mine is going to do me in. I was quickly hissing and flailing at him the other day when he walked through the front door of our home:... as he walked home in the bitter cold, in the snow/rain, in a track jacket. He has a perfectly good rain/winter jacket... that Oooopppss... yet again he has left lying in his classroom.... yes, in the classroom, and not his locker.... a perfect opportunity for it to grow legs... hence the hissiness from me. I told him in that instant since he was not responsible, he wasn't going to have his x.box. It's quite simple, or so it seemed..... Him and his friend bee-lined into his room... and after several moments of chatter he came flying out of his room, and barged his way into the livingroom. With a face as serious as a 1940's mobster he started practicing his piano. His big song on the go right now is Bohemian Rhapsody.... (and since he doesn't spend a lot of time practicing, but rather just letting his fingers dance along the keyboard, and find 50 other things to play.....) he decided that he should practice.... and SING. The first words out of his mouth.... MaMA!..... and then he made the words up as he went along... he didn't mean to forget his jacket, and please don't ground him right now... he will bring it home tomorrow... Imagine if you will this crazy boy...playing his Queen music, singing me an apology...., since I like this boy of mine, I am a pushover. Just to make him practice a little more, I told him to sing me the apology again... which he did... which bought him his xbox xtravaganza fun filled hour back....happiness for both of us. He did remember to bring his jacket home yesterday... we wouldn't want another close call like we had on Tuesday to repeat itself.

And finally....

The non-work-a-holic-girl that I am just might be coming after me.... after all. Yes people, believe it or not....I may have just had a job finally drop in my lap.

I. KID. YOU. NOT!

I am happy that my nonworkaholic self has slowly ridden that slow long scenic route... but I think the train is finally going to make it to the station and offer up it's load: Another job! Just what a woman that has no brain wants... another paying job, on top of the two she already maintains, and the 1o zillion that herself, and the rest of the mothers/wives out in the world already have.... but I will take this third paying job.... as it is the ONE that I have been riding the rails for, for a great long time.

Well... I am off to go coffee pot shopping now....

Unless

Unless by Carol Shields

This was an interesting read. It seemed to me a lot of chatter about a character, that was about a character who had a daughter that needed help. Of course it was important to get to the end of the book, because I figured that eventually it would come out as to what happened to the daughter. In the meantime there was a lot of chatter that kept you turning the pages.

At least this book was worthy of page turning, unlike the last book. I met a book club friend, and she gave up reading the previous book... so on that thought... I must be completely crazy.

Evil mother's club...

I feel quite evil..... at this very moment.

I sent the chicklets off to school... to walk in the dusting of snow that is falling. I am not sure why I feel evil about it... but I do.

There is a lovely layer of snow to walk in, and it is pleasantly falling about. The weather-guessers have suggested that we will get maybe 5 - 10 cm... and I see no harm in walking through the dusting of snow.

This all seems weird... especially since yesterday I drove the chicklets, when it was blue skies & a bright sunny morning... except that it was into the minuses, and these fair weathered children aren't used to the cold, and I really didn't want to send popsicle pete and the banana blond into the great depths of the deep freeze. Which I know isn't really a deepfreeze....

Even though it is snowing out, it is warmer this morning than yesterday, and it's not everyday that you can walk in the snow. I am sure by this afternoon we will either have three feet of snow that has fallen, or it will be pouring outside...

Either way... I am still an evil mother... even though the chicklets didn't call me that.... but I am certain one child did... but it wasn't my child.....

The Perfection of the Morning

Wowsers!!! What a book... I don't recommend it in the slightest.... sorry Sharon. This was a complete bore.... (for me...) I did try to like it, and perhaps every third line I liked some of the words in the sentence, but beyond that... I painfully turned the pages. Luckily it was only 217 pages... but holy smokes it was like sucking on lemons, and somewhere in the mix knowing that it really does taste good, but really doesn't.

I'm glad I am done... moving on to the next book before Wednesday... ( I will see how far I get... but I have to admit.. I am fairly tempted by my next EXCITING book....!!! (?)... and I will have to tempt you with that little tidbit... to keep you coming back!

Because I am crazy file # 768

I would really like to come up with something fairly decent to write... but some days that is just impossible with me.

So, for your reading pleasure.... here are some excerpts of emails & anecdotes written to others on this day in "Deanna History":

The girl refused to go to school today.
Down.Right.Refused.
End of story.

There are some days as a parent that you absolutely can not argue, or even attempt to have your child listen to you. They will not hear it. I am not a pushover, or wishy-washy. I believe in listening to what my children are saying to me... (unless of course they are rambling at me about nothing... and then I quit listening...., but this wasn't one of those times)....so the girl refused. And guess what... she isn't a little wimp of a thing... so how does one forcibly make a child go to school when you can not make them budge. Well... you don't... and you have to understand that they have come to this path in their road because there were steps that lead them to it.

Yesterday the girl bitterly complained about her beloved teacher. More than anything she was overcome by his reactions to her. Rolling his eyes, long pauses, a large sigh, repeated instruction that she must stay in the class for math, once again reading a note in the planner from the parent. The girl isn't an idiot, and is more than astute in judging someone's reactions, and I think had really had enough of him. She decided that she wasn't facing him at school today, and refused to go.... but only until lunch... because after lunch she would not have to see him, not today, or tomorrow, and of course not over the weekend... which in her mind, was a good enough break for her.

I was slightly furious. Slightly furious that she refused to go to school. Slightly furious that her observations of his behaviour impacted her behaviour, and slightly furious that I still had to call the school and tell them that she would be missing, not sick, but not able to attend... so I wrote him this:
Pippy will not be in your class this morning, as she has completely refused to go.

It boils down to a number of things:

Pippy can not find "the book" that somehow got misplaced from yesterday. I do remember her with it yesterday morning, and beyond that I am not sure where it has been misplaced. I guess there are not any extras, until the misplaced book is found.

Pippy was not successful in retrieving the spelling words. She hunted through the recycling bin, and asked other students, but they were not able to accommodate her requests. I queried that certainly the teacher could have given the words to write down, even if you didn't have another copy.

She is terrified to have me write you another note, as she has reported to me that you do appreciate notes left in the planner. Whether you wish to believe it or not, there are circumstances in life that prevent people from doing as they are expected.

Pippy did not appreciate breaking down in tears yesterday in class, and wishes not to do so again, so has made the decision that she will not return today until after lunch.

So, for this morning she is completely avoiding your responses & reactions to her, in an effort to regain some composure.

As a parent I wished for her to come in and face you, but she is adamant about this. I have never faced this situation before in her complete refusal to go to school, and am frustrated with YOU and HER, that it has come to this.

So where in this do I mention MATH....???? Is that evil four letter word in the above letter? I can not visualize it.... anywhere.... I think that his generalization of "not getting her work done" is a common theme that he uses. He has complained about this before, and when I wanted to know exactly what the assignments were, I was not given any further info, or even better... she was suddenly caught up. (OMG... he would have HATED HATED HATED the Hamsterson in his class....., in fact, I would probably still be notices that the boy hadn't handed things in from last year.....)

His response:


I am sorry that Pippy is upset.
I do not appreciate being blamed for how she is feeling though. I was in no way angry with her. I simply told her that the expectations are that she has her work completed on time. Lately she has been falling behind. If not, simply come to me before school, after school or during a break (Nutrition Break or Lunch), but not just before the class and say, "I'm not done." I understand that life sometimes gets in the way. Pippy seems to be falling behind though, and my expectations are the same for all students. I think that expecting students to have work done on time, and be in class to learn is reasonable. She has missed a lot of class discussion and interaction with her peers in Math as she is going to Mr. Math Resourse Teacher to complete her homework. As for misplaced sheets etc. I would gladly give them to her if she were to ask. I have to do this daily with a lot of other students.I hope this clears up your misunderstanding.


Because I do not have enough to do... or wait... because I am slightly off my rocker, my response to that:

I am not blaming you, I am stating what I have observed, and her interpretation was in fact that you were angry with her. I will let her read your response to ensure that you were not.

I agree with your expectations that work should be completed in a timely manner. Please tell me what assignments are not completed, so that we can use utilize this weekend to get her all caught up.

Math, the constant sore spot. At the end of the day, I wish to see success. Whether it is in a classroom discussion setting or with Mr. RT, as long as the end result is that she is learning the concepts and understanding them, that is the real importance. I do remember in previous discussion with you, that you wish to teach the class as a whole, and for most kids, I get this. It may just be that Pippy isn't one of those kids, and if she uses Mr. RT to get her homework done, then she is one step ahead of herself, as she understands what works for her.

I think she realized just yesterday that she didn't have the spelling words, and tried going out on her own to find them. She had said that you were at basketball, and tried to problem solve on her own.

~~~~

I am still waiting for the work that she has not completed to make it to my inbox. Oh wait... that would be because she doesn't have any.....

So that is just one grey hair element for the day....

Onto the next... which is a bit funnier... as my friend was complaining.. ( I guess it is a complaint, or stating about her children and homework....)



Oh L..... what is with you....Are you new to this or what...Don't you know that there isn't any time to do homework afterschool as there are television shows to watch, and games to play, and friends to talk to, and much much facebooking to accomplish... all in an effort to get to bed at the totally decent time of 10:30 at night... (on a good night?).

Have you been stuck in traffic that long....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OK... I SO SO SO SO hear you in the homework department. Nothing makes my hair turn grey even faster than the repulsive excuse that they didn't have time.... now that THEY do not have TKD, or dance lessons, or swimming, or art classes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We could just forget it all, and know that they will succeed even though they fail, as they are not allowed to fail in the public school system, and yes, there might be a phone call home once in a while in the form of a complaint... but you know... who cares... because you and I will be out shooting off our big assed cameras taking pictures of "things", only to scrapbook them in another 7 years... but hey... all of that will save our heads now when we can't and already don't have a lot of input into how our children invest their time. They will achieve.... someway somehow.... we just need to think about preservation!

OH... and I went to sign in at the bottom.. and the jumbled letters were in the form of "scru - u" today.How interesting is that!

So that my friends is todays post.....

PIPPY come home!

So that PIP of ours is doing some cat sitting... AND cat sitting she is! I can not believe how much time she has taken to go and SIT with cats. She is a true cat lady in the making.

Yesterday she took her cell phone to document the cat behaviour... and today she has brought over her PINK camera to continue the trend. I did call her on her phone... and asked her when she was coming home... I felt very much like her ... when I try and go out... that phone of mine rings and she wonders when I am coming back....

Well... seven minutes to american idol...I just hope that I have someone to watch it with!

Happy looky louing.

the PIP called me from school today to come and pick her up. That PIP!

We went for a drive up the mountain... so we could see sunshine again. We found it at the top of the mountain... and out from underneath us was the FOG that we left behind. It was quite beautiful really.... and soothing to see the blue sky once again.

We headed over to the other rather large mountain, and drove way up into the scalped countryside with it's thousands of homes. We made our way down one street, where it was STILL single lane traffic, and about three feet of snow left on their front lawns. The piles of snow that were sitting at the end of their driveways were about 10 feet high. WOW.. the price you pay for living on top of an expensive mountain.

I did bring all my camera gear with me... but being the TRES picky picture girl that I am ... didn't find the right LOOK that I was after... hence the NON picture. Perhaps tomorrow.

Well that was cool!

History in the making this morning....

The PIP and I watched Barack Obama become the 44th president of the United States.

Anybody that knows me would note that I am least political person in the world.... but today people.... now this was history!

The always centered and highly sensible husbandman left for work mumbling away about the fact that children shouldn't miss school because of another countries politics.... go away little man with the big ideas about... NOTHING.....

This kind of stuff is important.... it doesn't matter what you think!

I dropped her off at school, just after NUTbreak.... where she was excited to go ... as it was "open shop Tuesday".... this is where she goes to make her stuff in the woodworking room... she made sure that she was wearing pink as well.

Now... next for the excitement of the day... (well I have already been grocery shopping, put everything away... and ate my peanut butter and jam sandwhich on superseeded bread...) now I am out to the great outdoors... where I am wishing to RAKE up ten million branches and twigs... in FULL ON sunshine! I will mix laundry loads between the raking loads.... because you know.. I like to spice it up a little...

ONTO things that I would rather be doing....

I have a beautiful lense that needs some attention.... I am hoping that I can give it some... sometime soon... now that the fog has temporarily moved on.... and the rainclouds haven't hit us again....

Can't wait for that!

Big boy, big toy.

The boy got his birthday present yesterday. We went for a test drive on Wednesday, and then back again yesterday for a longer test drive. He took a couple of other things for a spin, but they weren't what he was looking for.

He even asked to check out a fresh one.... so he would be the first one in the drivers seat. As fate would have it, the fresh one had a couple of dents, and scratches. Back it went.

He himmed... and he hawed.... was this what he really wanted...is this the one that he would own for years to come, did he like the colour, and did it have all the features that he was looking for?

Finally after an hours worth of test driving, we bought him his birthday present.

An acoustic guitar.


I am thinking about getting him some lessons now. Although, You.Tube is the perfect "any" lesson teacher that you would want. IN all honesty, I do not know what to do with him.... I would like to send him to lessons, but it would be the same as piano.... he would happily go to lessons, and learn what he is told IN the lesson, and then come home, and never practice. I know that is typical... but sometimes I think he learns from osmosis, and that is all.

What goes thru my brain:

Back to his piano:

His piano teacher said to me... "he really practiced"...
Me: "oh... really..... (eye brows quivering)... well, that's good!"
Piano teacher:....."he came in, sat down, and what I thought was good last week, was incredible this week"
Me:..."Ok then... progress it is... one line at a time, I will go with that"

Fact: I pulled his piano books out of his bedroom where they sat all week until 30 minutes before his piano lesson.
Fact: Piano teacher is very well trained, and has been teaching for years.
Fact: He practices as little as possible, but somehow manages to really get the keyboard, and can memorize his music almost instantly.

Problem: He can read music, but will not take the time to read his music, plays mostly by ear, and what he is shown after demonstrations.
Not a problem: You.Tube really is the next music teacher for him.

Problem: solved. You.Tube guitar teacher it is.

~~~

I talked to a HOT guy strumming a guitar yesterday... it sounded like he could play very well. He told me that he learned everything from you.tube. OK, Mr Two Earrings with Nice Jeans... you keep playing... women will love you.

~~~

So... we walked around the music store some more.... the boy played his "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the grand piano. Well... that's a nice sound. He played me some "stuff" on the drums. He strummed a lot... and then we made it into the keyboard room.

OK... oh my lord... I was right then and there going to drop TWO grand on a keyboard, and black box thingy to make it sound good... all for the boy. He played all his music... and added whatever soundy things that one could add to basic music.... and holy freaking flying cows ... it was beyond COOL to listen to. I do not know if it was the Chopin/Teardrop piece... of the Requiem for a Dream that he played with all kinds of junk added, and twice the speed... it was an amazing piece to listen to. I really wish then and there I had my video camera in my pocket....

In the meantime.....

Our Fussy was busily at home playing with the two cats that she is looking after. What a Fuss!

The son then asked me how come the Fuss doesn't play an instrument.... is playing with cats an actual talent he asked me....

At that moment... my name went from being Mom, to FRANK. I told him where she doesn't have it in the music department (whatsoever), she does have it in the life skills department. Where the boy could PLAY the piano & the guitar, & the drums, & give me almost every fact in music & other subjects known to man; the girl could take apart the piano and put it back together. It's the reason why she owns a tool kit, and he doesn't. It's the reason why she gets things, and he flies by the seat of his pants. It's the fact that this pink loving Fusspot is excited by "open shop Tuesday" in the Tech Ed room, and we were still waiting for him to bring home his very first project. Where she gets the sense of time, and the urgency of keeping others waiting, he has no clue that a clock exists, or that potentially he keeps people waiting because he has forgotten that there are people waiting for him. It's the very fact that unless people move mountains for him, he will wait at the bottom of the hill until someone offers him a way around the mountain; compared to the girl who would assess the situation & potential difficulties, find resources & supplies to get her up/over the mountain, and perhaps just start climbing the mountain on her own accord, and face the difficulties as they came her way... the boy would prefer to sit, and wait. Period.

So where she lacks in the music department, she far exceeds in other ways. In ways that will help her get through life, the very same way that music will get him through life... because he is going to need it badly, because little does he realize.... you can't move mountains by singing to them... as they only echo back a much bigger sound.

Yes guitar, piano and drum playing boy... choose your words carefully.....

Will they or wont they?

I am taking a LARGE gamble here people....

Will the walking group ladies show up... or wont they....?

I did go on Tuesday... and the paths were not clear, and it was still dangerous to walk in our favourite locations that we frequent.

This morning I am taking a large gamble... and not going.. only because I am just going to guess that the trail is not clear enough to walk on. I showed up the other day.. and one lady was at our meeting point, but I can not even fathom walking around today, on this side of town, and I am hoping that others feel the same.

Heart's racing... getting warmer.... beginning to rethink my decision.... for the moment I will standfast with my decision....the walking weather has not returned yet. End of story.

The day is ICK!

Bad hair and bad coffee... what more could a girl want!

I'll tell you... BLUE SKIES & BEARS!

I have to go fix this mane on my head.... it's just wrong.

So is the coffee, which is instant. I DIDN"T BUY IT... the husband bought it for a quick fix.. which is exactly what I wanted....

I boiled the stainless steel kettle practically until the super hard plastic handle was pleading to send it to hell, (it would have been cooler there I think).... and filled my cup with scalding water. The water burst from the spout, spitting and sputtering along the way.... ooooh... it's that hot. I had to make the decision... tea or coffee... tea or coffee..... You see, I had tea last night, and the little starbucks girl put in TWO teabags in a regular sized cup. That amount of tea caffiene currently has me a bit scared. That is why I chose the instant coffee crystals... as they suddently caught my interest, and since I had some NO fat creamer left in my fridge, I knew it was all going to be bad... so why not mix the science experiment together, to get the full effect? Hence, now there is a cup of steaming hot water, with added brown flavouring, and the colouring of white sitting in front of me... barely touched, only sipped... and just sort of stared at.

Well... best move onto the hair now....

Bad hair, new day!

So I have some bad hair going on today... don't look at me... I'm hideous...(that reminds me of Kramer when he opened up a smoking loung in his apartment)...


it's just kind of floonkey and babalesque.

Somedays there is just no helping my hair. It actually looks fine from the behind... (where I won't even go there in thinking anything about the behind, other than the hair...).... and it just curls and swoops in the joe average places. It is fine. OH, and for the moment, it is all one colour... other than the grey spot that I missed on the side of my head...., but all in all... it appears good for today...

It's the side and the front that just go babinga, and then I have troubles. I don't even have bad times with the bangs... it's just the way I have to swoop it up in a barette, or a hair band thingy. It is completely wrong... and then I end up making new words because of it. I guess there could be far worse things in life.

Hey Deanna.... how's that babinga hair treating you???

Moving forward...

There was no hate mail in my inbox today. Although I did get a response. It seemed like a halted response, like it had to be made to sound genuinely polite, while it was written with seething fingertips. But to the joe average floonkey headed mother... the email sounded like I shouldn't have fingers wrapped around my throat.

In all fairness, I let other people read the document that was sent to me... because I genuinely thought I had a problem with my eyes when I kept squinting, and rereading all of the information..... and they too squinted. They too didn't have floonkey babinga hair, or appeared stupid in any what shape or form. I felt slightly thankful when they couldn't quite tell me what I was supposed to interpret.

Back to hair... I am going to go and cut my girls now....

This close to spring

I can feel it... spring is in the air...

I just know it is...

I can smell it...

Seriously & really.

OK.. maybe once all the snow melts and stuff......

Moving on to other stories to fill the day:

Right... I have none.... ah.. but this one... The King made spareribs for dinner, and buns, and scalloped potatoes... and vacuumed.... and the dishes are done. That is just so kingly.

My response:

Well... I tried with the best of my ability to not answer that form letter. I really tried..... but is obvious that I am truly crazy... and couldn't stop myself. Like my sidebar states... ( as if this is a reason or something....)... that I watch people... and then write about it....It's the same thing here.... I read things from people... and then write them back! I tried hard to keep it short, and without too much craziness added to it... but you know.... this is what a parent thinks about... or at least this parent thinks about.

I am still of the mind that WE are not doing something right, in reaching/teaching this boy of mine.... there is something that is missing, and I think will forever be missing... and that is the way it is! I am not about to start in on psycho-ed assessments, and the like...I am just not... but when I get these kind of crazy letters with "please sign & return" attached to it... it just makes the icing drip off the big thick chocolate cake that I just baked in the oven....

I haven't had a response yet from the school..... they probably saw the writing on the wall and put that in the special pile marked: F.R.E.A.K. PARENT.... DO NOT APPROACH.....

POLITE RESPONSE:

Thank you for the receipt of the “Learning Support Plan for Adaptations within the Regular Classroom.”
Under the “Current Achievement” It is documented that “* able to maintain his level of performance in meeting expectations for grade level in the listed core subject areas by utilizing some adapted supports as offered at core teach
ers’ and student Services’ discretion”.

I have to be honest, I read this sentence over and over, and in the end I came to the conclusion that it really did not make sense to me whatsoever.
From what I understand from his recent report card, and conversations with yourself and Mr. *;* is currently receiving an “I” for Grade 8 Math. With the information from the report card, and the above statement this is what I gather from it: * has successfully managed to conduct himself with very little effort to continue to meet expectations for his grade level, with classroom adaptations.
The next paragraph details the “Goal” for * ...will continue to meet and to maintain the widely held expectations for the grade level”. As a parent, this information frightens me to consider that even with adaptations put in place that *will continue on his path of receiving an “I” Grade for Math 8, with very little effort.

This is troubling to read and interpret.

I have considered the conversations with the teachers and with * and have formed some thoughts:
Assessment:
Easily distracted.
Fails to work when requested
Does not retain information to complete task
Does not complete homework
Appears glazed over.
Does not complete math exams.
Does not seek help after class when requested to do so.
Has had some success with small group instruction.
Does not take notes from board.
Complains that it takes too long.
Does not understand that math is equivalent to writing. That each and every math equation deserves the same scrutiny as writing a good sentence.
Current Achievement:
· “I” in Math 8
Goal:
· To improve attention in class
· To increase amount of math work accomplished in class.
· To improve ability to retain math work instruction.
· To complete homework assignments as requested by teacher.
· To attempt all math tests and quizzes.
· To increase confidence in math
· To improve current “I” letter grade in math.
Plans for success:
· By sitting at front of class away from distraction
· By meeting with math teacher after school at least once a week.
· By engaging in small group instruction as requested.
· By completing homework as requested, with parent signature.
· By taking notes in class when requested and putting them in his binder.
· By attempting every second question on math exams.
· By asking pertinent questions in classroom discussions.
· By using home computer to master basic math skills.
Thank you for your support for * in the classroom. At this time I am unable to sign the document until there is clarification in the “Current Achievement” and “Goals” listed. I will not comment on the bulleted list of Assessments that will be used, as they do not come with any explanations as to what they are, without assuming what exactly they are.

I had to stop there, as I didn't want the student services teacher to actually send a dart through my face via another letter home.

There is a message here....

Current Achievement:
Able to maintain level of performance in meeting expectations for grade level in the listed core subject area by utilizing some adapted supports as offered at core teachers' and student services discretion.
Goal:
To provide student with the following adaptations as required within the calssroom-based program by core teachers in the listed subject area so that the student will continue to meet and to maintain the widely held expectations for the grade level.
Adapted programs are reflective of the concepts and skills taught in the regular classroom and reflective of the ministry I.R.P.s.

Assessment:
The student will be assessed using a combination of the following assessments tools:

• BC Performance Standards
• Work samples
• Checklists
• Rubrics
• Self & Peer assessments
• Observations

I just need to know exactly what it is telling me.....

Those kids need to.....

Drink some java!

as I drove them to school this morning... I looked upon the sidwalks, and side streets, and asked how the roads were....


NONE of them were quick enough to respond with: ... THEY ARE NOT GOOD...!. They are awful..! We can't get through them.... it's impossible...!

All three of them said they were fine.

OOOPS.

Those silly children.... I didn't realize that I had thrown out such a trick question....

HIssy & Licky....

Lady Jane...this one's for you!

The dog in the foreground is (was) Cicely. WE knicknamed her everything under the sun, but eventually we just stuck with Prance. (As you can tell... it is just so similar to Cicely). The little one behind her is Ellpee. There is a screen door dividing them... otherwise they would have had their jaws wrapped around each other's throats... but you see... a mere piece of mesh kept them from doing that. This dog Cicely was beyond high strung... and everybody knew it... and if you didn't know about... you would very quickly. She was the queen of the castle, the greatest of all, as well as the supreme of evil queens one could come across. She did like people, and would run at you full force just to let you know that she was keen to see you. Of course not everybody takes kindly to a german shepherd running straight at you.. and that is the way it was. I used to write about them quite abit... one would hiss, one would lick.. hence the variation in the knicknames... it has almost been four years since the evilest of queens was called to rule the dog heavens above... so I had to hunt to find some pictures of her... the one at the very top may be pixelated.... I won't know until I publish....anyways... a shortened version of the two crazy beasts!

Who qualifies...:

As the happiest.... the big mouth, or the big hair??
Little did I know how much plastic could bring this much happiness!

I wasn't kidding.

She may be long gone... but the stuffed version of her still lives on... and she continuously is around to keep us on our toes. She was busily yelling at the Hamsterson when he was playing the piano... and when he was doing well... she sat quietly. The bottom picture was of course her... waiting to open her present... and she didn't shut up until it was opened... with the assistance from the PIP. Wierd... who's weird?

70 - 300 mm

Come out come out whereever you are Mr. Blackbear friend... I can't wait to see you!!!

Grey

The sky is grey.
It's wet outside.
There's lots of puddles.
Everything looks a sticky brown colour.

Yes... this is winter on the wet coast.

Ahhh... we have returned to regularly scheduled programming.

Stuffed love.

If there is such a thing. Here is the now dead an long gone stuffed version of the once live animal so named Cicely. when she died her knickname of the hour had been Prance, for quite some time. So this is the name of the stuffed dog that came to live with us upon the real dogs death. She talks... to everyone... that lives in the home. As people pass her by somehow all of us make her talk. At this picture taking, she had decided that the red roses that were brought into the home were especially for her... as she claimed that we all love her very much, so she insisted on a picture with HER red roses.

I gave in, because you know... we always give in to her needs and whims... because you know... it's important to always love things that are stuffed....

The barky dog next door...

He is busily barking away... probably at the rain, which has finally arrived, and will be visiting around these parts for the next couple of days. Oh the lovely rain.... but only in the winter... not all summer.... because then the font will change, and so will the boldness, and then it will appear across your computer screen with a gritted set of teeth as well.

Enough of that....

I have not had a good chance to get out and use my new lens. I need it to be bear season.... RIGHT NOW. Or maybe it can be eagle time... that would be fine to.

OK... in other things that leave me swishing my eyebrows....

The boy bought another school boys PSP from him back in the middle of October. Prior to the boy buying this piece of equipment I asked that he confirm with the kid that the parents knew that the kid was selling the PSP to the boy. My boy ensured me that the kid had asked... (they are 13 afterall). Yesterday the kid approached my boy and told him that he needed the PSP back, and gave him fourty dollars for it, with another fifty dollars to arrive today at school. The kid said that the kids father told the kid to get it back. Hmmm.. so much for parental consent. The question is this.... does the boy have to give it back? He bought it, which now is over two months ago, and has downloaded all kinds of stuff into it...

There are two lessons to be learned here.... that the boy now knows that he should never buy from kids at school ever ever ever again... (which had my eyeballs rotating in my head)... or, should it be the kids lesson... that the kid should never never never try and sell his gadgets without his parents knowing....?

The boy did take the PSP back to school today, with all of the things that he bought along with it, including the same bag it came in... and I said to the boy, please make sure that he gets the fifty dollars prior to giving it to the kid. Sounds like some concocted scheme... but it is all kind of strange. Fortunately/unfortunately my boy gets the learning lesson on this one.

Moving on... it's still raining... I am glad that i can type that....

The girl in the phone

I am supposed to be this very second getting some coffee... from somewhere. I had it timed to perfection thta I would take the chicklets to school.... and then i would do a coffee run for myself.

Well... that has not happened, the girl in the phone called and said that her dad was driving. There's no going back on what her dad said was going to happen. I wanted to ask her if her dad wouldn't mind making a small detour, and doing a coffee run for me.

I have coffee.
I have 2 % lactose free milk.

I have no cream.

This just isn't working for me.

I offered to drive the girl in the phone, knowing full well that my intentions for driving the chicklets were amassed with other opportunities, but she simply said NO.

Tea doesn't cut it, hot chocolate ick... (OH... but I did have a mocha the other day... and that was exciting!)... so now I am living high on orange juice.

Speaking of orange juice, the girl from down the road a bit got a kick out of the birthday boys antics with him and his orange juice. It took me four tries for him to get it in his bag.

Yes, I said birthday boy.... how is that I have come to own a 14 year old?? Fourteen years ago he was six and a half pounds, sleepy and wouldn't eat. One of the three still remains after 14 years.... any guesses.... ha ha ha hah . The biggest laugh that we have about our dear birthday boy is the fact that he eats beige food. That is it... if it isn't beige, then he doesn't want it. I have over time incorporated a couple of orange things, and on the off days that his super beige vision isn't at it's three hundred working capacity, we sneak in a green thing now and then, just to mix it up a bit.

AND... on an end note....the girl in the phone is a constant around here. There is always one calling... oh GRAMERICA the phone is for you......

Snow

The final frontier.

The End.

An American belief...

That Canadian's live in igloos.

Well... guess what... you are partially RIGHT!

It hasn't quit snowing here all day... it slowed down for a while, about 25 minutes ago... but it is back ... full flakes ahead..... complete craziness....we have piles and piles of snow milling about, this might be the most we have had in over fourty years.... for real, for real.

I might have to go get myself some mucklucks, and some sled dogs.... (won't the little high maintainence Miss Ellpee be totally terrified with NEW dogs on the scene!.... more importantly she might be worried that she would have to share her cage, and her couch, and her basket...)

Meanwhile..... it continues to snow.... deep into the evening....

First book of the year....

I liked this book. It took me a while to read... well, actually I ignored it for a while, and then ignored it some more... and then when it came down to the crunch and I had to read it, it never got done.. but then the Book Club was cancelled due to snow. I can't believe that this was over two weeks ago... and just today, I cancelled my Monday group due to snow... (well, for other semi-related weather conditions as well.. but when you are a stroke survivor, trying to find your way in a multitude of weather messes, it does begin to get a bit tricky... and for certain.. I am a safety first kind of girl... so in the effort to always remain "things will not happen on my watch" sort of person.. I cancelled).

Back to the book.... I enjoyed it. It was a bit bizarre in some spots.. and I am really left wondering about the main characters state of mind upon finishing the book, as I am thinking that he isn't so right in the upstairs. (His sister really was not alright in the upstairs department). Once I engaged myself into this reading adventure, I was hooked. I enjoyed the writing, even though the character development left one thinking with one eye closed about potential missed ideas and concepts... but that didn't really happen, upon re-reading some sections. This tale took the reader on an interesting journey... to the point of being unbelievable.. then then in reality ... totally believable.

I liked it... and hopefully, all going well, my memory will retain the information for this months book club... that is not happening until the end of the month... hopefully I will remember the title by that point.

Whala!

It's next year already... and I'm back..!

I can't believe I still have last years christmas stuff still hanging around... I better get on that.

Onto this years exciting adventures:

1. The kindly husbandman gave me a nice birthday present... 70 - 300 mm lens. People might never see me again.
2. The boy is now in state of less severe anxiety over his mother being eaten by a black bear because of the new lens situation. Mothers do not taste as good as blueberries that are in season...
3. I applied for another job last year.... and now hopefully... that will be my last one that I apply for, for a while...
4. PIPPY will get her hair cut. We are looking at March...hopefully her hair will be long enough to donate, with some left over for not a completely drastic short "do!"
5. The boy will learn Bohemian Rhapsody to memory.... this is coming, he just needs to do it.

Five for the morning... that is good enough.. and they aren't even really mine.

Well... here's a first for the first.... a cup of coffee...cheers people.