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.