Friday Already?

~  Friday already?  This week flew by!

~  Laika had her third puppy class at Petsmart last night.  There's only 1 other dog in the class, so she's getting quite a bit of attention. 

~  MS' car was filthy.  I bought some armorall wipes and wiped down the inside.  I also washed the windows...inside and out.  I don't see how he can stand riding around in that mess.

~  My Curves workout went pretty well.  I took it very easy, and skipped a couple of the machines that target the back.

~  Have you ever been driving somewhere and got so lost in your thoughts that you went right past the place you were going to?  I was taking some motorcycle seats to one of CH's friends, and ended up in the next county.  Yep, I overshot his shop by about 8 miles.  CH's friend got a good laugh about it, then told me about the time he was working in Connecticut and went home to Canada on the weekends.  He drove to the border, reached it at midnight, and realized it was just Wednesday, not Friday.

~ No big plans for this weekend.  Which is just the way I like it!

~  Linking up with Mrs. 4444 @ Half-Past Kissin' Time AND Java at Never Growing Old.

Friday Frags & Follow

~  Wow.  I've done great with getting back into the blogging swing of things.  I skipped yesterday.  Yay, me.

~  Laika went to her 2nd puppy training class last night.  We ventured out into the store with her, and she did quite well.  Especially with all of the smells that are in that store!  

~  I manage to waste an hour or two every morning playing Gardens of Time AND Blackwood & Bell Mysteries.  If you like hidden objects games, then this is for you.  Just beware:  they are completing addicting.  I'm just about to have to walk away.  

~  I need to start reading some of the books I have on my tablet.  I've got some good ones on there, so I need to get cracking!

~  Have you seen the USA series, "Suits"?  Oh. my.  There's just something about that Harvey Specter!  I'm ready for 14 June when the new season starts.  USA has really brought some good series to tv.   There's a new series that just started a couple of weeks ago that's worth watching:  "Common Law".   Good tv + good books = a great summer!

(This was the teaser for this summer)

~  I went to the vet 2 times this week:  once for Laika, and the next day for Ally's yearly checkup.  She's got a fatty mass on her belly, but the vet said it's not worth putting her under for.  She's amazed at what good shape she's in for being 16 years old.  At least we think that's how hold she is.  We have a picture of her as a puppy, and the date stamp is Jan., 1997.  She was born in April, which would put her as being born in 1996, which would make her 16.  Here's hoping Laika doesn't give her a heart attack or stroke!  

~  Have a wonderful, safe Memorial Day Weekend!  Please don't forget all of the fallen service members who gave their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms we have!

The End of An Era

Okay, let's try this post again and see if I can remember exactly what I said before!

(for photo credits, please click on the picture)

Yesterday marked the End of an Era for Lady Vols' Fans.  The Lady Vols haven't had a new coach in 38 years.  When (then) Pat Head took over the reigns as head coach, she was a graduate student and the players were very close to her age.  Pat did it all:  coach, trainer, bus driver, uniform washer, and fund-raiser.  She not only made the UT Program the premier ladies' college basketball program; she put Ladies' Basketball on the map.

I was 12 years old when she took over.  I remember watching a basketball game on tv when I was in high school.  Pat was staring down a player in her famous icy stare, then called a time out.  I told my mom that if I was that player, no way would I have wanted to go over and stand next to her. Pat was a yeller, but a very efficient one:  there has never been an NCAA Tournament without the Lady Vols, 1098 wins out of 1306 games,  8-time National Champion, 2 basketball courts bare her name (UTK and UT-Martin); she is the winningest coach of all time (Duke's men's coach needs 181 wins to catch her).  With all of that, probably her most impressive record is the 100% graduation rate of players who stuck with the program for their college career. She has been known to sit in class with players having a difficult time, as well as having players miss a game due to upcoming tests. Her players are required to sit in the front row during class. She was asked a couple of times to consider being the men's coach, as well as a coach for WNBA teams. Her heart was with the Lady Vols.

Pat Summitt is the epitome of class.  When a competitor (who is known as "he who shall not be named" around here!) openly criticized her for not continuing the rivalry, she refused to address it.  Anytime something happened to another sports team on campus, one of the 1st responses would be, "Pat wouldn't have allowed that to happen."

So, you can imagine everyone's dismay here in Big Orange Country when, in August, she made the announcement that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia-Alzheimers type. While she refused for anyone to throw her  a pity party, it was disheartening for fans to see her on the sideline, sitting in a chair, allowing one of the assistant coaches to take over her role.  Even more sad was her obvious absence from interviews.  A couple of times when she was interviewed, her lack of word finding skills was apparent.  Maybe it's just that we didn't notice it before.

Pat is a tough woman, for sure.  A few years ago, she had a raccoon on her back porch; she went out and chased it away, dislocating her shoulder in the meantime.  She has shown us that she has a good sense of humor: After then men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl showed up at a Lady Vols game topless and wearing body paint, she returned the favor at a men's game by dressing up as a cheerleader, leading "Rocky Top" as well as some cheers, and was the top of a pyramid that included now-head coach Holly Warlick and assistant coach Dean Lockwood.  She is legend...wait for it....dary!

She now has a new title:  Head Coach Emeritus, which means she will no longer be on the team's bench (per NCAA rules).  It's not going to be the same without her.

Pat Summitt IS the Lady Vols!

Follow Friday: It's Baaaaack!

YAY!  Java is back with not just Follow Friday 40 and Over, but also Meet Me On Monday!  I've really missed her, and am so glad she's back!

How sad is this:  On Tuesday, one of my schools got a couple of new copy machines.  My other school got the same kind of machine a week or so ago, so I knew how to work it.  It looks a bit intimidating:  It's much bigger with more buttons that could be pushed.  Anyway, there were signs on them as well as an e-mail letting us know that we weren't to use them until the secretary and bookkeeper were trained, and then they trained us.  Wed. morning, I had a meeting and needed to make a copy of the paperwork.  Sure, I could've waited until later in the day, but with me being so OCD anal, I had to do it right then.  I told the secretary that I had used the machine at my other school, so she (or maybe it was the bookkeeper) said I could show them real quick how to use it.  So, off we went.  We all got a good laugh when we got to the machine because it wasn't turned on and I had no idea to turn it on!  I don't think they had a lot of confidence in my ability to use the machine!  I showed them how to make a very simple copy, and then commented that I had something to blog about.  Well, that brought on an outburst, along with some comment about me not having a very exciting life!  I love those ladies!  The office is always full of laughter (almost always, anyway!), and they have such a great sense of humor.  I've worked in schools where the office staff was stuffy and not very friendly, and I'm here to tell you that when you have an office staff like we do, it makes going into the office a lot more fun.  My other school has a great office staff, too.  The secretary there has become a good friend through the few years I've worked there.

Okay, now you know what to do:  Visit Java and link up!

Friday's Favorite Fave

1.  Date night last Saturday.  Last Christmas, CH got 2 free tickets plus a $10 gift certificate to the concessions at a movie theater in the big town.  We held onto them because CH had forgotten about them we didn't want to waste them, and we had just the movie to see:

I'm not a big Johnny Depp fan, but he's just the perfect person to play Jack Sparrow.  We really enjoyed the movie, so we didn't feel that the tickets didn't were wasted. 

2.  A spur of the moment visit to one of our favorite places.  I told CH that it was going to be crazy  busy with it being Memorial Day Weekend, but knowing some backroads helped!

Click on the picture for a better look!

We saw some lazy things:

Coconut Crab

Colorful things:

 Poison Dart Frogs

Weird things:

 Leafy Sea Dragon

 Weedy Sea Dragon

Japanese Spider Crab (the largest crab alive!)

Expected things:

Seahorses

And the playful:

3.  While at the Penguin Playhouse, there was a little boy who had a stuffed penguin.  He held it up to the window and moved it around.  There was a penguin who followed the toy as if it was a mirror.  Very cute!

4.  Ally finally getting her summer haircut:

 

It looks like she's not too happy about it, but she does feel much better!

5.  Summer routines = afternoon naps!  There's not many things much better than an afternoon nap.

Friday's Favorite Five

I've not been doing a very good job keeping up with FFF lately.  Susanne has a great way to look back over the past week and to share 5 things from the past week.  Visit Living to Tell the Story to link up and share your Fave Five!

1.  Replanting the back space between the sidewalk and the house.  OS inadvertently scraped up a few of my plants from last year.  There are signs that they were there, but I'm not sure if they're going to make it or not, and, being the impatient person that I am, I want there to be more than there already is.

Maybe this is the summer I'll actually get some mulch in there!

2.  Plants that not only came back, but are thriving!  I'm amazed at how my butterfly bushes are growing:

And, they're starting to bloom:

My balloon plants came back, and some of them are doing exceptionally well:

3.  My favorite reading spot in the evenings:

The girls aren't so crazy about it, though!

4.  The opportunity to go to Daily Mass now that school is out.  I loved this time last summer.  My parents attend Daily Mass all through the year, so it's really special to be able to spend that time with them.  Plus, it's a great way to start the day and to get the day going!

5.   Three new recipes in 3 days that are keepers!  They were all exceptionally good!  I didn't take any pictures...I completely forgot about it before we dug in.
Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Garlic Cheddar Chicken (I used Panko crumbs and it worked very well.)
Manicotti Alla Romana
The only thing I would do differently in any of these recipes was the manicotti:  I don't think I'll use as much spinach next time.

** Bonus:  Look what I found in the freezer:

Suuu-weeeet!  I had completely forgotten that CH bought those thin mints for me, and I put them in the freezer a couple of months ago!  HA!

Link up with Susanne or Java today!




S

Friday Fragments

Friday Fragments:  I remembered this week!  YAY, me!

Adoration:  I participated at our parish when we lived in SC.  I had been watching the openings here, so I watched,  I signed up, and went on Monday.  More on this in an upcoming post.

I won!  Look what I won over at The Charming Tyrants:

 The butterfly card is what it came inside.  I'm not sure if she made the card herself, but I'm definitely going to keep it...it's too incredibly pretty to throw away!  I may frame it and put it in one of my rooms at school.  Oh, and the gift card was $20!

I'm trying to win: A blog make-over give away at Rebecca's.  She just got a new makeover for her blog compliments of Kelsey, and it looks GREAT.  Go visit and see how wonderful it looks!  Also, go check out Kim's flickr account...she has some really cool pictures!

IRL friend:  Sunday, YS & I met one of my young blogging friends for Mass.  Ashley is a student at the same university MS attends.  She is incredibly wise beyond her years and has a heart as big as Texas.  We attended mass, then went to Panera for breakfast.  The strength of her faith at her age astounds me.   It was really good to meet her! 

Seeing stars...almost:  The special ed. class at one of my schools went on a field trip Wednesday to a radio station.  While they were there, they ran into Kenny...as in "Chesney".  Kenny is from this area, and went to the same college that I did...I just missed him by a couple of years.  The teacher said that he stopped and talked to all of the kids.  I knew I should've gone on that field trip!
Here's a song that he wrote about our alma mater:


It's just too bad he didn't use pictures of the university and the actual fraternity house...maybe because the house was a dump!

Friday's Favorite Fave

It's time to get back on the FFF bandwagon!  Link up with Susanne by clicking on the picture.

1.  A good band booster meeting.  It was actually quite fun.  A lot of laughing, and no stress involved in this one.  I guess we're like a family:  we'll have our spats, but then it's done and we move on.

2.  Getting new Pampered Chef stuff!  I just got a few little odds & ends, but oh how I love Pampered Chef!

3.  Getting some soap products in the mail.  Some goodies for the boys for Valentine's Day, and some foot lotion for me.  This stuff is great!  I'm so glad my SIL took me by the store over Christmas Break.  I like Bath & Body Works, but would much rather support local businesses. 

4,  Some relief.  A couple of weeks ago when I had the chest congestion/cough, I did something to my ribs...possibly.  Then, I did something really stupid:  I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment and didn't tell him about it.  Not one of my smartest moments.  I went back last Friday and told him what happened.  He worked his magic, and it feels much better.  It still hurts, but at least I can breath!

5.  Jeans Day and  barbecue.  The superintendent is visiting my mountain school today, so we got to wear jeans yesterday.  And, since I'm at a different school today, I get to wear jeans again!  I love to wear my jeans and sweatshirt/fleece/tshirts on Fridays!

What were some of the highlights of your week?

First FFF for 2011

Let's see if I can think of 5 favorite things that happened this week.  I've been such a bear lately; hopefully this will go well!

1.  NO SCHOOL TODAY!  My favorite meteorologist predicted snow last night.  I woke up at 5:30 and...nothing.  I should be used to it; this happens every winter.  I guess weather predicting is a little tricky in the valley.  Anyway, I got up this morning, let the girls out, and decided to hop on the 'puter.  While I was on FB, I got a message that the school system I work for called off school.  We're suppose to get some snow today, so I guess the powers that be decided it would be easier to just call off school than have us get there, then have the monotony and confusion of leaving early;  making sure the kids get home, as well as the staff.  We have some pretty curvy, tricky roads here when the weather is bad.  So glad I got Dexter: Season 4 yesterday!  I have that and a good book to read today, so I'm all set.

2.  Back to school.  I realize that statement totally contradicts #1, but it was good to get back into a routine.  

3.  Keeping with the "back to school" theme:  I had a couple of kids say their /r/ this week!  I couldn't believe it!  (/r/ is the hardest sound in the English language to make.  Say 'er' and think about what your tongue is doing...it's a pretty complex sound!)  I had just about given up hope on these kids...they are at the end of their speech therapy stint!  I give each student 2 years:  if they don't progress at all, then I dismiss them.  One of these students is in 4th grade, the other is in 3rd.  The 4th grader has worked so incredibly hard to get this sound, and, when we left for break, he was close to getting it, but didn't have it.  The 3rd grader had just started working on /r/ in nonsense syllables.  Sometimes all it takes is a little break!  The happy dance may have been involved on Wednesday!

4.  Meeting a new student yesterday.  I have a student who was placed with me before Thanksgiving, but, due to some illnesses with him and his family, I hadn't met.  Yesterday was the day.  What a cutie pie!  I can't wait to see what he can do!

5.  This was waiting for me in my box at my school yesterday:

My "Lunch Buddy" gave me a Starbucks Gift Card!  He's the best!  This is also the teacher of "Skunk Ape" and "The Poop Book" fame.  He's a riot!

What was the highlight of your week?

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Christmas Friday's Fave Five:

1.  This was actually from last week, but having 3 days off from work due to snow/ice.

 2.  Christmas goodies all ready to go:

 3.  Feedin' time at our house with all of the boys home.  (You can kind of see FES in the background.  I think he was afraid he was going to lose a hand.)

Gotta love them, even if they do act pretty goofy sometimes:

4.  In the bathroom-over the toilet-at the Tanger Outlet (how thoughtful is this?):

 There's no wondering where you're going to put your pocketbook in those stalls!

5.  Getting together with friends and getting a present!

Oh, y'all...I wish I could send the smell of the coffee through the 'puter, 'cause it smells wonderful.

Picture taken from.whereistheoutrage.net

Happy birthday to my dear, sweet Mama!  Tomorrow is her birthday. When we were younger, we used to see who would be the first person to wish her happy birthday right after Midnight Mass began.  We're a little competitive!  

I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas!