News From the Front

Weeks go by without a word from TG; usually that means trouble with a capital T. This time, however, it means that things are moving along rather sweetly. I must tell you that our pay cut and furlough days are beginning to show up in the paycheck. My personal finances are a shambles, but I suspect that part of it is due to Prep being in college and BrownBear being a high school girl.

• My class of 29 has been reduced by one - one of my best students has moved to New Hampshire. Not great, but good for her dad who got a better job.
• I have a few students who are still dragging their feet - but on the whole, my crew does what I ask without too much grumbling.
• The superintendent is leaving after this school year. Some are speculating that he won't' make it to January.
• The best thing we did as a school district is give everyone a fall break. Which I am enjoying as I write. Everyone needs to calm down - this calendar gives me hope that I won't break before I get a break. I can see Thanksgiving from my house.

Look at my Swedish Pancake, Now!

I'm sorry; I didn't pay much attention to Wimbledon this year, except for the local girl who made good. But, excuse me. Bjorn Borg? I never liked him because he was never cute to me. But, hello lover. I'm sorry for not paying attention to you in the past. Can't we call it even and start over?

I Haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Earth..

However, we are in the middle of Super Big State Testing and I am wiped out. My fifth graders need to pass reading and math in order to be promoted. I don't know if it's looking good or not. I really couldn't tell you; I'm not allowed to look at the questions. Hardly makes sense, does it?

Our writing scores came back, however, and 93% met or exceeded standards. I am pretty impressed. With them and myself.

I must return to the real world, now, because the youth group is coming for the weekend. I don't know how I get talked into these things.

Motherhood.

Spring Break - Day 5

We've had prom, funeral for a teacher, doctor's appointment, snow and errands galore. I will need a vacation from this vacation. Thank goodness there won't be that many school days left after we get back.

Who Are These People?

Stupid Daylight Savings Time. Now that that is out of the way, I have a confession. I am a stalker. I have been googling and facebooking old boyfriends, looking for images of boys I kissed when I was younger.

Dudes, I have to tell you that I am shocked by what I am able to find. No hair. Pot bellies. Pure grey on what hair is left. (Do you have your own teeth? I can't really tell.)
I have to say that while I am unable to fit into Prep's cheerleading uniform, I don't think people would recoil from running into me - although I did put a shockingly appalling picture on facebook just to scare people. That's how I roll.

While these guys were all fine personable people, I just can't believe they let themselves fall apart. (Settle down - I know you can't help it if your scalp just lets go of your hair. I hear about it every day from LawyerBoy if some of his boys jump ship.) However, I spend three days a week on the treadmill and believe you me, my hairgirl, Megan, is the only person on earth who really knows what my true hair color is.

Let's take some personal responsibility, people. Take some laps. Really. That class reunion isn't that far off.

(Really. I'm not this shallow. Post provided by daylight savings time. And lack of sleep. And not knowing what time it really is. Really. The time stamp on the Today Show isn't even correct.

Snow Day Silliness

Your Preppy Name Is: Dorrance Sinclair Lochridge the Sixth

But most people know you as Tibby

What's Your Preppy Name?

Live Blogging the Storm from Hell

Sitting here listening to the thunder and watching the lightning. We are under a tornado watch until 11PM. and that's the entire state, people. Hail is falling as big as softballs. What a mess. And Prep is cheering a basketball game. She needs to come home and be safe with us.

To Sleep; To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

I am drop dead exhausted, y'all.

I have been out of my house the past three evenings in a row.

Book club Monday night. Don't get me started on the disastrous choices they have laid out for us to read for October. I refuse. I will go to the party but will not buy either of their choices, including one Swan House, by a former Atlanta native who now resides in the south of France where she serves as a missionary and writes Christian fiction. Discuss among yourselves. Because that raises all kinds of questions I certainly can't answer.

Last night, the LB and I went to Back to School night at Prep's school. We were on the death march to Bataan, going to and from classes in a herd of well dressed preppy folk. By the time we got to French 4 (my question is does Prep know any French at all) we were late to class and had to stand, shamefaced in the back. Prep has learned French from several foreigner teachers, including a Chinese woman and an African man. No French nationals. Discuss. Because, again, it raises all kinds of questions I cannot answer.

In Botany, LB leaned over to me and started quoting Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men." He started off with "I'd just appreciate it if you'd just say thank you or take up a rake and shovel and start out there in the garden." I don't know why he got started or why I thought it was so damned funny, but it took everything in me not to snort out loud. Poor, precious botany teacher is about 12 years old. And has a ponytail. Quite a few of the teachers I looked at this year are about 12; and Prep is 16, so I am a little concerned, to say the least.

Tonight was choir.

Right now, I am watching Prep graph functions. I really don't understand what she's doing and the mere fact that she asked me to help her cracks me up. I handed her the colored pencils. That's about all I remember from Calculus. And in actuality, I don't even remember using the colored pencils.

I think it's time to form that prayer chain Cupcake keeps talking about.

Sick Day

Y'all. I am no longer qualified to be that soccer mom I used to be. Today, I had a doctor's appointment, so I took the whole day off. After all, I had to go midtown to get to my doctor. That, in and of itself qualifies for a sick day. But the rest of my glorious sick day? Nails, massage and hair. And let me tell you. I am exhausted. Personally, I don't understand it. Perhaps it has something to do with me never being in a position of being relaxed. Today, I was caught so off guard, that my poor little body didn't know what to do. I am about to take a nap.

But at the doctor's office: she said, "You've lost weight! Tell me what you did." My crowning glory for the day. Or week. Maybe the entire rest of the year.

The Forgotten Blog (or Why I Didn't Post Last Week)

Last week was the week of LawyerBoy and the trial from hell as he put it. So, we put him out. Of the house. He is no fun when he has that kind of stress and it is better for all if he is no where to be found. Seriously.

As we put it, it was the first week of school for the girls, cheerleading and volleyball practice, team meetings, the Backstreet Boys concert, lots of homework, (are you kidding me?), tall grass, and various and sundry little aggravations. But I am woman, hear me roar.

Cupcake is living through her own trials, and heaven help her.

With LB gone, life takes on a different pace. The first week of school always sets its own pace. The only difference is the responsible rising and leaving the girls have taken. They have gotten up and dressed and met me downstairs for breakfast. They have been in the door of school early. Early, people. Last year, they would still be abed as I left for school.

I am a different kind of mother - apparently. Second night of school and PrepGirl was on her way to the BackStreet Boys concert to celebrate a birthday. Fourth row - it pays to have friends, that's all I can say. She and her friends spent the night at the birthday girl's house.

While Prep was singing and swinging, I was becoming another sports mom at the volleyball parent meeting. All is well, however, as I' ve just got to learn how to be a line judge. (New glasses may be in order.) And when I got home, I assessed the state of the front lawn and the threat of the hurricane and decided that our neighbors would be in the ultimate state of pissed if we let the grass any taller and it rained like I thought it might. So, I fired up the lawnmower and mowed.

The weekend was a welcome respite. Next week looks worse on my part. If I can get to next Saturday, I am gravy.

Oh My Holy Hell, Part 4

I just checked the calendar. I report for duty in 15 days. Count 'em, people. FIFTEEN days. Personally, I still think there is something wrong with children going to school while the beach is still calling to me in August. Remember my battle with the AC last year? I have already had to call in a request to repair my AC. Blown breaker, people. It is working fine, now, but you know how that goes. I was wearing shorts before it was over last year. And flirting with AC technicians. They knew me by name.

"Howdy, teachergirl. Cool yet?"

Boys, if I were cool, you wouldn't be here.

So, two weeks. Let's party like it's 1999. Or something like that. Maybe I could plan a lesson or two.

Oh My Holy Hell, Part 3 (and maybe I'll stop)

.... this just in:

I got an e-mail from the cheermom (OMG, the cheermom) and this is what part of it says:

Wednesday August 6- 3:30 pm Cheer Perfomance for Parents
4:00 pm MANDATORY PARENT MEETING

Thursday August 7 and Friday August 8- Cheer Practice 9:00-12:00.

The parent meeting is very important, and we really need everyone in attendance. At this meeting, we will go over the cheer budget for the season, and there will be lots of opportunities to volunteer . The Varsity cheerleaders, football players, and their families are invited to an after party after all home football games and including the Westminster game. This party is held at school and the cost of the main meal is included in our cheer budget. The players and cheerleaders are usually starving, so it is a great way to feed them and celebrate those victories! Each of us will sign up to help host one after party, and the football parent in charge, will call you with what you need to bring.

There will also be a sign up sheet for the Cheerleader Pre-Game dinners for home games and the Westminster game. Senior Parents get first choice, must live close to Lovett, and have one other mom help them with the dinner.

Every Friday morning during football season, all the football player Moms and Cheerleader Moms meet for breakfast at OK Cafe at 8 am. This breakfast is a long standing football tradition and a great way for the moms to visit and get to know each other. Each person is respondsible for their own meal.

There will be lots of other things we will go over at the meeting, but these were some of the highlights.IMPORTANT!!OK, last but not least... The cheer budget is ready and I have attached a copy to this email. Coach McCarter and I tried to think ahead and plan for everything up front so you would only have to write one check for the season. For the returning Varsity girls, the big difference in this years budget vs last year, is that we have added the cost of the End of Season Cheer Video and the cost of snacks for the away games to our beginning budget, rather than collecting for them during the season. I cannot promise that something else may not come along, but I think we have most of it covered. Basically, the Seniors owe $255 and the Juniors owe $245. I have opened a seperate bank account for our expenses, so please make your checks out to me. You can mail the checks to me directly at:

(teachergirl needs another job - send funds immediately - because I can guarantee that this is the tip of the iceberg; uniforms, jackets, shoes, socks, sportsbras....)

I nearly fell out of my chair when I started reading this missive. Apparently, I tried out for a squad that I don't want to be part of. I'm going to get to host parties before and after football games? With stinky football players and cheerleaders. I can't wait!! And Friday breakfasts with football and cheerleader moms. So we can get to know each other.

Let me check my calendar. Nope. It's not 1957 and I'll be calling roll about 8:00 AM on Fridays. (Don't comment about comma usage and grammar - I just cut and pasted.)

I find it extraordinary that in today's world, we still have people who go to garden club and do lunch. And fill their days with stuff like this. With the world collapsing around us, I am amazed. I am sure that these parents are fulfilled by engaging in these activites, but I have volunteered to teach 10 year olds how to function in the world without their parents. Part of my fulfillment is a meager paycheck and health benefits, but I also do it to make certain that two young women in this house realize that self-sufficiency is an option. While I had the opportunity to stay home with them while they were little, I wasn't the garden club girl - I needed to have something to fall back on because I realized that these little girls were going to grow up and the void that they were going to leave is immeasurable. And I like what I do, most days - because every 180 days, we get to start over with a whole set of new employees. Perspective, people. Perspective.

You Never Know Who You'll See

My city is a crazy amalgamation of who knows who you'll see in the Publix parking lot. Tonight, it was Martin Luther King, III. As I him to showed PrepGirl and BrownBear, BrownBear piped up, "I know Ted Turner's granddaughter. She's in the grade ahead of me in school." And Hamilton Jordan came to PrepGirl's 8th grade Grandparents' Day.

A hundred years ago, before Prep was born, I was bestest friends with a crazy girl named Vicky. She was crazy in the funnest sense of the word. We did things that I had only imagined in my white bread upbringing. I think my mama and daddy would have died to find me in Yasmine's Fish Supreme eating with the Muslims. The black Muslims. But oh my word - I have never eaten fish and bean pie like that before in my life. And Vicky got me to Deacon Burton's Grill for the best down home cooking I have ever eaten. Vicky got me to places in this city I never would have experienced because I am a fraidy cat. Gracious - we went to Cancun for girls night out. She talked the ticket agent into putting us into first class because there weren't any seats together and I was a sissy flyer. We came back three days later - three days of tequila drinking and dancing on the beach and tequila drinking. LawyerBoy picked us up at the airport - I got back into the country with a notarized, photocopied copy of my birth certificate that I had kept in my back pocket (pre 9/11, obviously) - and he just shook his head. There had been lots of turbulence coming back and I had thrown my food (yes, real food) all over my shirt and shorts. I hadn't slept in days and I had sprained my ankle in some drunken escapade. (There was a lot of LawyerBoy headshaking.)

Crazy Vicky married the father of the children she had once nannied. (I know. I told you she was crazy.) Her wedding was at their West End mansion (and I mean mansion) one Labor Day weekend. Her fiance was one crazy Atlanta lawyer - at one time, he had been one of Wayne Williams' attorneys. The guest list was a veritable list of movers and shakers in Atlanta. I think Martin Luther King, III was there. I came flying out of Vicky's sitting room and ran head long into Andrew Young. "Hello, Mr. Mayor." "Hello, Teachergirl. Is our bride ready?" Mr. Mayor officiated at the ceremony. While this ceremony was taking place, LawyerBoy pointed out the people he knew and those he thought were supposed to be in jail. Really - we had had a rash of unscrupulous behavior and several convictions. I don't know if they got time off for weddings or what.

As we were eating wedding cake (some of the best wedding cake I have ever eaten), somebody said, "Aren't Teachergirl and LawyerBoy cute as a button? They look just like they walked out of Thirty Something." Looking around, I realized I did look like I had fallen out of Thirty Something and into A Different World.

Vicky and I had babies within two months of each other. One of the first outings we took them on was to a baseball game at the old Fulton County Stadium. And we sat in Hank Aaron's seats.

So, tonight, as we pulled out of Publix after seeing MLK,III, I drove them to Turner Field for one of the Braves games down Hank Aaron Drive and I thought that this town is pretty amazing.

You Call This A Drought?

My part of the country is suffering in the middle of a drought. This past winter, the lake levels that supply our water were down by huge amounts; so much so, that we were on lake alert. The local news would let us know nightly how many inches our lake levels were down.

Our local intown park is host to several festivals in the spring and the local government decided that the drought, coupled with thousands of festival goers, would devestate the grounds of the park. They moved all the festivals to the parking lot of one of the malls inside the perimeter.

Fast forward to Thursday, the opening day of the first spring festival: a deluge poured down from the heavens, which continued through Friday and Saturday.

I believe it has rained more during this drought than at any other time in our state's history. The lake levels are all up; the only one that isn't up to capacity is the one which the Corps of Engineers continues to release with no forethought as to the consequences for the people of this state.

Either way, I am still on spring break: I can just sit around in my pajamas for all I care.

Five Days and Counting

The mom who wants her son retained... didn't scare me as badly as I thought. she was calm, rational, and made sense. Praise be. We have placed the paperwork in his file and all is well. Retaining this kid makes perfect sense. He is not where he should be academically, emotionally, ...you guys fill in the blanks. He reminds me of the book, Leo, the Late Bloomer. I just hope he blooms.

Tora, Tora, Tora is rated G. And that works out well for the World War II unit we planned. I love that movie. And the attack scenes are amazing... and the movie takes up a lot of time. Is it a little over their heads? Probably. But, it was over everybody's head, remember? Most of them got it, though.

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week.


We'll just see about that.

Let's Start the Celebration Now

It is amazingly silent; well, not exactly silent, but quieter than normal. The only noise is the noise that I am generating. History Channel, washing machine, keyboard. You see, it is finally March Mission Madness/No Wives 16 converging at the same time. And when that convergence occurs....Teachergirl has a weekend alone. Just in time for birthday weekend!!!

Has this ever happened before? Uh, no. BrownBear just got into the Youth Group, so this is the first time she has gotten to go on the big March trip.

I've already had a lovely girls' night out and have purchased Sophie Kinsella's newest novel, Remember Me? If only Jen Lancaster knew and loved me, I'd have a copy of her newest book. And what a time I'd be having with that.

The only thing that sucks the ass out of this whole weekend is Daylight Saving Time. Are you kidding me? It is way too early for this crap. You all spring forward; I'm quite happy where I am. And, by the way; my evaluation was held today - kind of a surprise, but whatever -- and I hit the exemplary mark on every category. My AP wanted to know if I had anything to say or add and I was like - uh, no. Exemplary is just fine by me. I'll take it, thankyouverymuch. What gets me is that when I was teaching middle school, I couldn't get an Exemplary/Exceeds Standards evaluation to save my lily white behind. In some ways, just going inside that building should have qualified teachers for an exceeds standards. Do I get a medal or a raise or anything else? No. But I get to hang my evaluation on the refrigerator along with report cards and dance invitations and pictures of my kids.

A Note About Today

• "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" was our anthem. Not an easy piece; I think I sang it in college along with Elijah and other things I don't remember. The best compliment I heard was that we didn't sound like a church choir.
• Now that BrownBear is 12, she had a complete teenage meltdown this morning - over what to wear.
• When Prep found out that Angelina was pregnant, she actually said, "Eeew. They aren't even married." Me, too. I have NEVER been a fan of those two. I don't see the attraction - to her, to Brad, to the tattooing and to the whole "we're adopting the whole world, aren't we great" mentality. Please. They are too condescending for me. You want to re-build New Orleans, do it the way Harry Connick, Jr., is doing it. You want a job -- come visit me and do what I do for a while. Or better yet, pay me your salary for what I do. Then we'll talk.
• Perhaps I'm in a lather because I get to go to the cheerleading banquet tonight. Whee!!!
• No, I think it is because I just don't like the whole Brangelina thing. I was always more on Jen's side; you know, the one who said for better, for worse?
• Maybe BrownBear's mood has soured me; I've got to go sit through a cheerleading banquet?

War Heroes

These two men were shot down in wars as Navy pilots while they were fighting for our country. One was dragged out of the Pacific Ocean by an American submarine; the other was tortured in a prisoner of war camp for over five years. My question is this: do you think there is ever a moment in their lives that they do not think about it? Seriously, stupid stuff happens to me and I think about it all the time.

Discuss among yourselves.