Friday Confessions

It's Friday.  Time to link up with High-Heeled Love and confess!

I confess...
Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, and this has nothing to do with the martini party.  I don't like ghoulish and scary things.  I am not one who likes to be scared on purpose.  I only like the "fall" part of Halloween, but it doesn't even feel like fall here yet.

I confess...
I might have been a little rude to my friend.  She is getting married in less than 5 months.  She's spent thousands of dollars on her wedding... and this is her second marriage and his third.  What finally got to me is not the white dress, the fancy venue, the 150 guest wedding, the flowers, food, cake, and 4 bridesmaids... no.  What finally got to me is that they registered for gifts.  They are over 40 and have everything you could need and most of what you could want.  When she told me they registered for gifts, I was like, "Really?  Why?"  It just rubbed me the wrong way.  If she would spend a little less on her wedding - it's not the first time around - she could pay for two years of college for her daughter AND buy everything on her wedding registry!  Just doesn't make sense to me.  Each to his or her own, I guess.

I confess...
We are having Red Ribbon week at school right now, and I think it is a farce.  It's an excuse to have crazy sock day, crazy hat day, crazy hair day.  The students are "forced" to sign pledge cards so their names will go in a drawing for prizes.   I don't think it does one thing to increase awareness or prevent drug abuse, which is its actual purpose.  I wish they did a true drug-prevention program.  Red Ribbon week just gives the students an extra reason to act crazy, especially since it's the same week as Halloween.  Oh, well.  I can't change it.

Thanks for reading.  I really needed to vent!

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Hodge Podge

I'm linking up with "From This Side of the Pond" for Wednesday's Hodge Podge.
Questions are in red.  My answers are in black.

1. My hubs spent last weekend pheasant hunting. Are there hunters in your family? If so, what do they hunt? Which of the following have you tasted-pheasant, rabbit, venison, duck, goose? Which of those would you most like to taste, or be most willing to taste? Vegetarians keep calm and Hodgepodge on.

A.  My son has been hunting a couple of times.  He likes it.  He brought home quail, but it went bad before we had a chance to cook it.  I would have tried it, though.  I have eaten venison, duck, and squirel.  I prefer regular meat, though:  beef, chicken, fish.

2. What high spot have you visited that gave you a wonderful 'bird's eye view' of something below? 

A.  The Grand Canyon.  The views are amazing!  Looking down into the canyon from one of the highest points is breathtaking.  Words don't do it justice. You can barely see the water right around the middle of this photo.

3. Do you have any birds in your home? These could be either real live pets or decorative, as in bird prints, knickknacks, fabric or pottery.

A.  No.  No birds here.  Well, maybe an owl on a decorative box, but that's it.  My daughter hates birds.  She's seriously phobic when it comes to birds.  I blame this on us (her parents) taking her  duck and goose feeding when she was little.

4. Tell about a time you 'killed two birds with one stone'? 

A.  Can't think of a thing, although I'm all for efficiency, getting two things done at once.  But I have no clever story like putting was on the bottom of my socks and sliding around the floor to both A) get the floor clean and B) get some exercise.

5. Your favorite song with a bird in it's title?

A.  Rockin' Robin is a cute song.  Reminds me of my childhood.

 6. What most recently gave you goose bumps?

A.  I had a horrible dream recently that had snakes in it, and snakes give me the heebie jeebies, so those were bad goose bumps!

7. Halloween is this Friday...any plans? Did you trick or treat as a child? Carve pumpkins? Share your most memorable costume.

A.  No plans this year except maybe to hand out some candy.  I used to love to trick or treat.  I'm not big into carving pumpkins, but this year I decorated a few.  One year, I went as a saloon girl.  I loved that costume!

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

A.  I don't see a point in having Red Ribbon week in middle and high school.  It only serves to HYPE the kids and give them excuses to wear crazy socks, crazy hair, crazy ties, crazy hats.  How does that promote a drug-free lifestyle.  They only sign pledge cards because A) they are forced to and B) the pledge cards go into a drawing for prizes.  I wish we had a program that was useful in promoting a drug-free lifestyle.

Friday Confessions

It's time to vent!  Join me at High-Heeled Love.

I confess...
After two observations, an early meeting before school, and a lock-down drill, I am ready for the weekend!

I confess...
I scared to death about have my arthroscopic surgery.  He needs to remove a bone spur and decompress some arthritic tissue, but if he has to stitch a tear in a ligament, I'm looking at a long recovery with a minimum of six weeks in a hideous sling that keeps the arm at a 90 degree angle.  I'm scared of all the things I won't be able to do for a couple of months, not of the surgery itself.

I confess...
I really like our two new principals and two new counselors  this year!  It's amazing how much difference a competent person can make!

I confess...
I'm worried about my mom.  She is in Israel, and I'm so glad she was able to go because a previous trip had to be cancelled for health reasons, but... I have no contact with her and I worry about her falling down or getting sick.

I confess...
I was excited to be chosen as 1 out of 20 people to design electronic professional development for my district.  There were at least 80 proposals sent in, so I'm very grateful.   It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm excited about it.

Have a good weekend!

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Wordless Wednesday

Having so much fun crafting!

Link up with Wordless Wednesday!

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Surgery

I went back to my orthopedic doctor today.  Not good news.  I need to have surgery to have a bone spur removed from my left shoulder and arthritis near the clavicle that has to be dealt with.  I might also have two small tears in the tendons or ligaments around the shoulder.  He plans to do the surgery arthroscopically, so hopefully recovery won't take too long, but I would love to hear any and all experiences you have had with shoulder surgery.  I'm second-guessing myself, and I need straight facts, advice, suggestions, anything.  Thanks, readers!  All four of you!  LOL

Good news - normal mammogram.

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Friday Confessions

It's time again to 'fess up!  You can link up, too, at High Heeled Love.

I confess...
I am not looking forward to my next-door-teacher at work coming back from maternity leave Monday.  She is difficult to deal with and wants to tell pwople what to do all the time. She's strict to the point of being mean and very inflexible. When she was in school, she was the student who always reminded the teacher that homework was due when everyone else wanted the teacher to forget.  People say, "Maybe motherhood will change her."  But from recent interactions with her in preparation for her return, that has not proven to be the case.  I have to partner with her for some of our cross-curricular activities.  Oh, joy!

I confess...
I'm going to have to  go back to the orthopedic doctor Monday. I broke my shoulder years ago, and I reinjured it  somehow a year and a half ago or so.  I have two small tears in the muscle and ligament in the shoulder. It has had me in so much pain that I can't even sleep. I'm guessing I might need surgery.  Booooo!

I confess...
My daughter who is at Abilene Christian University this year is home for the weekend, and I couldn't be happier!  It's a 6-7 hour drive, so since she had fall break this weekend (just an extra day off classes), I confess that I paid for her to fly home to get her here quickly. She is riding back with friends who all left at different times. We are going to go to her favorite restaurants, shop, and craft.  She's also going to get her hair done as well as some other pampering, and spend some time with friends.

That's all for today! Have a super weekend!

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Do you see what I see?  Yes!  A gray hair, or as I prefer to call it, silver.  I have been in denial for some time, but there's no denying it any more.

Link up with Wordless Wednesday!

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Friday Confessions

Better late than never.  At least it's still Friday!

I confess...
My dad passed away ten years ago today.  I can say it's a little easier now, but you don't ever just "get over it."  There isn't a time limit on grief.  I think I am still in denial, and I'm okay with that.  My mom thinks I need to deal with it, but I'd rather just put up a wall.  It doesn't help that my step-sons twin boys' birthday is the 9th and my ex-husband's is the 10th.  I just want to hibernate during October, especially the first two weeks.

I confess...
The main thing I am looking forward to right now is my daughter coming home from college next weekend.  The take a one-day fall break, so she will get to come home Thursday afternoon.  It's a six hour drive (or longer, depending on who's driving), so I am flying her home, and she is riding back with friends.  I don't think my 18 year old is ready to make that drive alone, and the other girls she's riding back with are coming home at different times due to their class schedules.

I confess...
I'm not used to being busy on weekends, and she is going to keep me running!  First, she won't have her car here, so one of us will have to take her to see her friends or wherever she wants to go.  She and I have appointments to get our eyebrows waxed and our hair cut.  And she wants to do some shopping, and let me tell you, she can shop till she drops!  Thank goodness she's a bargain hunter!  Otherwise, I'd be even more broke than I am.  And of course, church on Sunday before she heads back.  I can't wait to see her!!!!

I confess...
I had to go to my step-son's house today to wish the boys happy birthday.  No problem with that, but his mom, my husband's ex, is living with them now, and that is awkward for me.  We get along fine, but it's just weird.  My ex has never been invited to our house.  That may change if we have our own grand-kids someday, but I doubt it.

I confess...
My favorite new show is "How to Get Away with Murder" and I think I'm going to watch it now!

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Strange Things about Texas

Some of these things may apply to the state where you live, but I wonder if all of them do.

1.  Homecoming.  Football is BIG in Texas, and there is no game bigger than Homecoming.  Our girls wear mums on Homecoming (and the guys often wear smaller mums on a garter around their arm), and the bigger the mum, the better.  Three or four flowers, dozens of ribbons, teddy bears, boas, and all other kinds of goodies.  They have become gaudier over the years since I was in high school.  Then, it was a single mum, a few ribbons, one with your name, one with your boyfriend's name, and one with your school name.  They're over the top now.

 

Image Credit:  http://www.stephaniesmumshop.com/BigMums.html

2.  The first week of October saw temperatures in the high 90's.

3. You can request a jury trial for a simple traffic offense.  My husband was called for jury duty a couple of weeks ago for an illegal left turn.  Six people missed a day's work, plus the court's pay and time, for a $200 offense.

4.  People wear white after labor day because... who cares?  It's 90-something degrees outside!

5.  "Fixin' to" is acceptable language.  It means "about to" such as   fixin' to do something.

6.  Our state capitol's slogan is "Keep Austin Weird" and has an annual WeirdFest.

7.  Our state capitol is also the live music capital of the world.

8.  Although we are largely a "red" state, "blues" dominate our capitol city.

9.  Females tend to shave their legs and schedule pedicures throughout the entire year.  We never have a month where there is not at least one day you couldn't wear shorts, or at least capris.

10.  Brides (and sometimes bridesmaids) often wear cowboy boots with their dresses.  I'm in a wedding next March, and the bride has asked us to wear boots with our dresses.  I don't own cowboy boots!

 

Image Credit:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/152137293633402064/

11.  We have a Congresswoman who can't pronounce vast (vass), ebola (e-bowler), ambulance (ammulance), and a whole host of other words!  Luckily, she doesn't represent my district.

12.  We not only say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school, we also say the Texas Pledge every day.  Honor the Texas flag, I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.   The words "one state under God" were added in 2007, about the same time they started making us say it every day in school.

13.  Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am, Yes Sir, and No Sir are considered respectful, not sarcastic or insulting.

Let's try to get Thursday Thirteen going again!

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