Wangenheim Middle School has an award winning band. Andrew plays percussion and I have to admit he looks pretty badass when he gets rockin on the tympani drums.
At the holiday concert it was mentioned that out of all the middle schools in San Diego Unified, Wangenheim has the most awards yet is the least represented in the district honor band.
I was sitting next the parents of one of Andrew's friends and I asked them if their kid, Lucas was going to try out. In my constant quest to keep Andrew occupied and out of trouble, I said I was going to ask Andrew to do it and then if Lucas did too, we could have a... you guessed it... a carpool!
There are 10 kids that made the honor band. Andrew, Lucas, Keegan and Edward are in the carpool. I don't know the other kids, only Andrew. Last night was the 2nd rehearsal and I had the pick up shift.
Me: so how did it go?
Fine, they all say
Me: how is the band shaping up?
Fine, they all say
Me: have you made any friends from the other schools?
The car erupts!
Our school has the hottest girls! Only HOT girls go to Wangenheim! Those other girls are so UGLY! We are sooooo HOT and so are the girls! None of those other schools have HOT girls! I would never date anyone but someone from Wangenheim... not even Challenger (the other middle school in Mira Mesa) All our girls are HOT! Asian, white, Mexican, black, Everybody!
It is what it is...
Namaste
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Quiz Time
Its Quiz Time Folks!
1. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher (nicely called Visiting Teacher in the SDUSD) politely asks the class to get their literature texts and their literature journals out, move to the spots they "normally" sit in and be quiet so we can get started, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. ask where to sit
C. ask what do I need
D. roll on the floor and bump into my classmates
E. B,C,D in any or all combinations.
2. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to only bring to the carpet only the required materials, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. bring ALL 10 of your erasers that are shaped like band instruments and set up your pretend band on the floor and disturb your classmates with them
C. be completely surprised when your band instrument erasers are taken away from you.
D. try to blame it on your classmates when your band instrument erasers are taken away from you.
E. B,C,D in any or all combinations.
3. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to keep all of your "stuff" in your desk and not play with it or it will be taken away, put in a big pile and left for your regular teacher with a note saying, "This pile of stuff was taken away from students who were playing with it at inappropriate times." You should:
A. follow directions exactly
B. play with your stuff
C. argue with your substitute teacher
D. blame it on your classmates
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
4. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely gives you time to use the restroom before class starts, after morning recess, and after lunch recess, tells you not to raise your hand and interrupt a lesson because it is rude and off topic and it will cost you $10 for your classroom money if you REALLY need to go bad enough to disrupt the class, you should:
A. follow the directions and wait until there is a break in the lesson or an activity change
B. get right in the teacher's face and wave your hand around
C. stand up and do the pee-pee dance in the middle of the lesson.
D. whine and complain about the $10 in classroom money
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
5. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to walk properly in line by keeping your feet on the floor, your hands to yourself and your voice turned off, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. hug, hang on, grab or in any other way touch your classmates
C. spin around in circles with your lunch box flying so you hit the teacher and knock the can of Diet Coke out of her hand.
D. run from the front of the line to the back, trip someone and and then fall yourself
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
6. If you are a substitute teacher that has spent 2 days in this classroom, and have rewarded the students that were following the rules by:
A. using them an example of what to do and how to behave
B. praising them individually and as a group, etc
C. letting them earn extra privileges
D. giving them tons of classroom money
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
F. Put this class on your personal "Do Not Accept" list
I'm choosing F for question 6.
It is what it is...
Namaste
1. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher (nicely called Visiting Teacher in the SDUSD) politely asks the class to get their literature texts and their literature journals out, move to the spots they "normally" sit in and be quiet so we can get started, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. ask where to sit
C. ask what do I need
D. roll on the floor and bump into my classmates
E. B,C,D in any or all combinations.
2. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to only bring to the carpet only the required materials, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. bring ALL 10 of your erasers that are shaped like band instruments and set up your pretend band on the floor and disturb your classmates with them
C. be completely surprised when your band instrument erasers are taken away from you.
D. try to blame it on your classmates when your band instrument erasers are taken away from you.
E. B,C,D in any or all combinations.
3. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to keep all of your "stuff" in your desk and not play with it or it will be taken away, put in a big pile and left for your regular teacher with a note saying, "This pile of stuff was taken away from students who were playing with it at inappropriate times." You should:
A. follow directions exactly
B. play with your stuff
C. argue with your substitute teacher
D. blame it on your classmates
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
4. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely gives you time to use the restroom before class starts, after morning recess, and after lunch recess, tells you not to raise your hand and interrupt a lesson because it is rude and off topic and it will cost you $10 for your classroom money if you REALLY need to go bad enough to disrupt the class, you should:
A. follow the directions and wait until there is a break in the lesson or an activity change
B. get right in the teacher's face and wave your hand around
C. stand up and do the pee-pee dance in the middle of the lesson.
D. whine and complain about the $10 in classroom money
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
5. If you are a 4th grade student and your substitute teacher politely asks you to walk properly in line by keeping your feet on the floor, your hands to yourself and your voice turned off, you should:
A. follow the directions exactly
B. hug, hang on, grab or in any other way touch your classmates
C. spin around in circles with your lunch box flying so you hit the teacher and knock the can of Diet Coke out of her hand.
D. run from the front of the line to the back, trip someone and and then fall yourself
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
6. If you are a substitute teacher that has spent 2 days in this classroom, and have rewarded the students that were following the rules by:
A. using them an example of what to do and how to behave
B. praising them individually and as a group, etc
C. letting them earn extra privileges
D. giving them tons of classroom money
E. B,C,D in any and all combinations
F. Put this class on your personal "Do Not Accept" list
I'm choosing F for question 6.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Boys and Pants
After at least 4 years of wearing white pants for baseball, Colin needs grey pants this year.
Me: Colin, do you have grey baseball pants?
Colin: No
Me: Do you want to go to Sports Authority or Big 5.
Colin: Sports Authority.
I know he thinks Big 5 is the Walmart of sports stores but it is right around the corner and is usually cheaper.
Me: RPLL has a coupon of Facebook for 20% off on Sat and Sun. We will go on Sun.
On Sunday. Seth aka Syd is here for the weekend.
Me: Lets go to Sports Authority.
Colin and Seth: Oh Yea! Lets go.
Me: in my brain YES! Enthusiasm from the boys. We should have a good trip. Seth is always in a good mood and that usually puts Colin in a good mood.
At Sports Authority.
Employee: What can I help you find?
Me: Baseball pants - grey
Employee: Right this way.
She shows us the pants... ranging in price from $25 - $50.
Me: Colin, you want to just go with the Nike? They are the $50. Most expensive.
Colin: I have these Easton's in white. Mens small. I'll just get this grey pair. They are the same.
Me: OK... ($40. YES!) What about socks?
Colin: Navy. Here's a 2 pack. I'll go with these.
Me: OK... ( 2 pairs for $11. YES!)
Colin: Can I get an Evo shield?
Me: Sure. ($25 for a wrist guard? better that than a broken bone...whatever)
Me: Anything else? Want to look around? ( me wanting to check out the sale racks for women, you know work out and yoga clothes)
Colin: No. Can me and Syd have the keys to the car?
In and out in under 20 min. $65 YES!
It is what it is...
Namaste
Me: Colin, do you have grey baseball pants?
Colin: No
Me: Do you want to go to Sports Authority or Big 5.
Colin: Sports Authority.
I know he thinks Big 5 is the Walmart of sports stores but it is right around the corner and is usually cheaper.
Me: RPLL has a coupon of Facebook for 20% off on Sat and Sun. We will go on Sun.
On Sunday. Seth aka Syd is here for the weekend.
Me: Lets go to Sports Authority.
Colin and Seth: Oh Yea! Lets go.
Me: in my brain YES! Enthusiasm from the boys. We should have a good trip. Seth is always in a good mood and that usually puts Colin in a good mood.
At Sports Authority.
Employee: What can I help you find?
Me: Baseball pants - grey
Employee: Right this way.
She shows us the pants... ranging in price from $25 - $50.
Me: Colin, you want to just go with the Nike? They are the $50. Most expensive.
Colin: I have these Easton's in white. Mens small. I'll just get this grey pair. They are the same.
Me: OK... ($40. YES!) What about socks?
Colin: Navy. Here's a 2 pack. I'll go with these.
Me: OK... ( 2 pairs for $11. YES!)
Colin: Can I get an Evo shield?
Me: Sure. ($25 for a wrist guard? better that than a broken bone...whatever)
Me: Anything else? Want to look around? ( me wanting to check out the sale racks for women, you know work out and yoga clothes)
Colin: No. Can me and Syd have the keys to the car?
In and out in under 20 min. $65 YES!
It is what it is...
Namaste
Sunday, February 23, 2014
List of Lasts
Lest you all think I am not serious about ending my Little League Board career, here is my List of Lasts. I'll be updating at each milestone.
Days left as MMWLL Prez - 219. My term ends on Oct. 1, 2014
Last Official Spring Registration Day - Jan. 11, 2014 (although players continue to register)
Last Player Draft - Jan. 26, 2014 ( I always enjoy the draft...and picking managers)
Last All League Meeting and work party - Feb. 1, 2014
Last Carnival - Feb. 22, 2014
I'm not saying I won't help out or stay on the D32 staff, but its bye, bye, bye to the MMWLL board.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Days left as MMWLL Prez - 219. My term ends on Oct. 1, 2014
Last Official Spring Registration Day - Jan. 11, 2014 (although players continue to register)
Last Player Draft - Jan. 26, 2014 ( I always enjoy the draft...and picking managers)
Last All League Meeting and work party - Feb. 1, 2014
Last Carnival - Feb. 22, 2014
I'm not saying I won't help out or stay on the D32 staff, but its bye, bye, bye to the MMWLL board.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Friday, February 21, 2014
Just When You Need It
Its been a long week of work both subbing - hey its hard to be retired when I'm working every day - and getting ready for Opening Day on March 1.
There are uniform issues and our 1st ever Uniform Pick Up Party. The party went off with mixed reviews 80% positive but pulling it off was pretty labor intensive.
Tomorrow is the fundraiser carnival. I have a carnival chairperson but ultimately I am "in charge." Even though my standard answer is " If it sound good, do it. You are in charge." I get second guessed at every turn.
But...
As I pulled in the driveway after 2 days in 3rd grade, I spot the box from ProFlowers!
There are uniform issues and our 1st ever Uniform Pick Up Party. The party went off with mixed reviews 80% positive but pulling it off was pretty labor intensive.
Tomorrow is the fundraiser carnival. I have a carnival chairperson but ultimately I am "in charge." Even though my standard answer is " If it sound good, do it. You are in charge." I get second guessed at every turn.
But...
As I pulled in the driveway after 2 days in 3rd grade, I spot the box from ProFlowers!
From one of the LL families
It couldn't have come at a better time.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Tales from the Carpool Lane
What's it called when you fart and $$it comes out? Shart!
Andrew: Who sharted?
Jack: You sharted!
Colin: No, you sharted!
Eric: Brendan sharted!
Shart, Shart Shart... you see where I'm going from here...
Which morphed into:
What do you do when you are out with a girl and you have to take a crap?
Oh, man, that sucks. Its not like you are in your nice quite bathroom taking your time and it feels good.
No dude, that would be awful.
You have to just push it out really fast, like in the amount of time you normally take to piss.
Yeah, cause you don't want to be takin' a long time and the girl wonderin' what you're doin'.
What if its like a giant one and it won't come out?
You gotta just push super hard and get that big one out.
(loud pushing and grunting noises)
And don't make any noises either...
And that segued right into:
Hey, anybody look at the KKK website in history today? (they are studying the civil rights movement)
Yeah, it said Love on it.
No idiot! It said something about a "Message of Hope and Deliverance"...
Whatever that means...
Dude, I hope they deliver me right out of KKK. That stuff sucks so bad.
Who believes that crap anyway???
It is what it is...
Namaste
Andrew: Who sharted?
Jack: You sharted!
Colin: No, you sharted!
Eric: Brendan sharted!
Shart, Shart Shart... you see where I'm going from here...
Which morphed into:
What do you do when you are out with a girl and you have to take a crap?
Oh, man, that sucks. Its not like you are in your nice quite bathroom taking your time and it feels good.
No dude, that would be awful.
You have to just push it out really fast, like in the amount of time you normally take to piss.
Yeah, cause you don't want to be takin' a long time and the girl wonderin' what you're doin'.
What if its like a giant one and it won't come out?
You gotta just push super hard and get that big one out.
(loud pushing and grunting noises)
And don't make any noises either...
And that segued right into:
Hey, anybody look at the KKK website in history today? (they are studying the civil rights movement)
Yeah, it said Love on it.
No idiot! It said something about a "Message of Hope and Deliverance"...
Whatever that means...
Dude, I hope they deliver me right out of KKK. That stuff sucks so bad.
Who believes that crap anyway???
It is what it is...
Namaste
Monday, February 17, 2014
Random Things From a Hawaiian Funeral
A close friend's mom died on February 5, 2014. The service was today. Like most of you, I have been to many funerals and pretty much know what to expect.
Catholic: Church service with the casket.
Non Denominational Christian: Bible readings, a message from the pastor, family members, friends sharing the life of their lived ones and a photo collage and a slide show with contemporary music.
I have never been to a funeral like this
Today we witnessed:
Everyone getting "lei" ed
Very colorful clothing, Hawaiian shirts, dresses, shorts, short shorts, short dresses and tall shoes and flip flops.
Poetry in Hawaiian and English
Singing by her sister (WOW! rendition of Were You There)
Singing by a deaf sister with beautiful signing by her son (also in Hawaiian and English)
Emotion
Passion
Loud weeping and sobbing
Multiple descriptions of the deceased new teeth, deformed toe nails and an extremely long thumb nail that has been considered a weapon. These descriptions all started with the pastor reflecting on how she always sat in the front row wearing flip flops. Each person there after repeated what the previous person said about the teeth and nails and added on.
A partial 12 step meeting (34 days sober from a neighbor with no teeth) He actually got up and said, "Hi, my name is ..." I can't remember his name
References to her weed smoking and drinking
A description of an ankle monitoring system by an incarcerated sister let out for the day. She was happy to not be accompanied by 2 sheriffs. And the "ankle bracelet" which she showed us, matched her dress.
Many interruptions and calling out when people were speaking including the pastor, to add or correct something the speaker was saying.
But the thing everyone had in common was that they all knew she LOVED the Lord and was at home in his arms.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Catholic: Church service with the casket.
Non Denominational Christian: Bible readings, a message from the pastor, family members, friends sharing the life of their lived ones and a photo collage and a slide show with contemporary music.
I have never been to a funeral like this
Today we witnessed:
Everyone getting "lei" ed
Very colorful clothing, Hawaiian shirts, dresses, shorts, short shorts, short dresses and tall shoes and flip flops.
Poetry in Hawaiian and English
Singing by her sister (WOW! rendition of Were You There)
Singing by a deaf sister with beautiful signing by her son (also in Hawaiian and English)
Emotion
Passion
Loud weeping and sobbing
Multiple descriptions of the deceased new teeth, deformed toe nails and an extremely long thumb nail that has been considered a weapon. These descriptions all started with the pastor reflecting on how she always sat in the front row wearing flip flops. Each person there after repeated what the previous person said about the teeth and nails and added on.
A partial 12 step meeting (34 days sober from a neighbor with no teeth) He actually got up and said, "Hi, my name is ..." I can't remember his name
References to her weed smoking and drinking
A description of an ankle monitoring system by an incarcerated sister let out for the day. She was happy to not be accompanied by 2 sheriffs. And the "ankle bracelet" which she showed us, matched her dress.
Many interruptions and calling out when people were speaking including the pastor, to add or correct something the speaker was saying.
But the thing everyone had in common was that they all knew she LOVED the Lord and was at home in his arms.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Friday, February 14, 2014
Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together
Remember that old Reese's commercial? 2 great tastes that taste great together? Peanut butter and chocolate. That sure is the combo of the week.
Wednesday's Food Section - who can resist Wicked Good Chocolate Peanut butter Pudding???? Certainly not me!
Then this was in Thursday's magazine section.
Here is my impression of a food blogger.
Gather all of your ingredients
Wednesday's Food Section - who can resist Wicked Good Chocolate Peanut butter Pudding???? Certainly not me!
Then this was in Thursday's magazine section.
Here is my impression of a food blogger.
Gather all of your ingredients
Sift together the coco and sugar
separate the yolks of 6 eggs
Slowly add the Half and Half to the cocoa and sugar and whisk together in a pot (not the smoking kind)
Add the egg yolks 1 at a time
Stir till it thickens and boils
Remove from heat Add in the vanilla extract, chocolate chips and peanut butter (Jiff -cause choose moms choose Jiff)
Pour into fancy little cups. Or whatever cups you have
Cover with plastic wrap so skinn doesn't form on your pudding. That sounds weird, skin on pudding. Unless you like skin on pudding the leave it off.
Refrigerate overnight.
Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
Enjoy! Its awesomely delicious!
Happy Valentines Day!
It is what it is...
Namaste
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Tales From the Carpool Lane
The "sh.." hit it today in the carpool. And I didn't have my paddle with me.
You would think 13 and 14 year old boys could behave for a 1 mile drive home but NOOOOOO!!!!!
When I'm working the kids have to wait about 10-15 minutes for me to get from Ericson over to Wangenheim. I don't know what they do but apparently from today's incident Jack and Andrew bully a girl that waits near them. I don't know if she is in any classes with them but sometimes they yell "egg head" out the window at her when we pull away. Since her group is behind me I don't see her reaction. I do however tell them to not yell out the window, don't yell "egg head" or any other names. I have even pulled back over, if its safe to do so, to yell at them to behave. Sometimes I lock their windows.
Today, her brother followed us in his car. When I pulled up outside Andrew's house they both got out and approached my car.
Him: (politely but mad) Are you aware your kids are bullying my sister?
Me: I hear them yell out the window and I tell them to knock it off. I have pulled over, locked their windows and it will never happen again.
The girl names Jack and Andrew and says the rest of the kids don't do anything. (Colin, Brendan, Cara, Eric)
He proceeds to chew them out and makes them apologize. He does not yell, nor curse but he is very menacing. I make them apologize. Then I make sure that this is done. No more following me, no more talking to the girl. No more "egg head". Nothing. DONE!
Then I ream them out...with a few curse words. How lucky they are that the brother didn't bring a bunch of his posse and kick their a$$. How embarrassed I am, blah, blah And after my sucky day. Like I needed this!
I'm sure no one will be yelling out the window after this. They were all pretty darned scared! And so was I... who knows who is in the Asian Crips or some other stupid Mira Mesa gang and may have a gun. And now I have to call all the parents and tell them what happened.
It is what it is...
Namaaste
You would think 13 and 14 year old boys could behave for a 1 mile drive home but NOOOOOO!!!!!
When I'm working the kids have to wait about 10-15 minutes for me to get from Ericson over to Wangenheim. I don't know what they do but apparently from today's incident Jack and Andrew bully a girl that waits near them. I don't know if she is in any classes with them but sometimes they yell "egg head" out the window at her when we pull away. Since her group is behind me I don't see her reaction. I do however tell them to not yell out the window, don't yell "egg head" or any other names. I have even pulled back over, if its safe to do so, to yell at them to behave. Sometimes I lock their windows.
Today, her brother followed us in his car. When I pulled up outside Andrew's house they both got out and approached my car.
Him: (politely but mad) Are you aware your kids are bullying my sister?
Me: I hear them yell out the window and I tell them to knock it off. I have pulled over, locked their windows and it will never happen again.
The girl names Jack and Andrew and says the rest of the kids don't do anything. (Colin, Brendan, Cara, Eric)
He proceeds to chew them out and makes them apologize. He does not yell, nor curse but he is very menacing. I make them apologize. Then I make sure that this is done. No more following me, no more talking to the girl. No more "egg head". Nothing. DONE!
Then I ream them out...with a few curse words. How lucky they are that the brother didn't bring a bunch of his posse and kick their a$$. How embarrassed I am, blah, blah And after my sucky day. Like I needed this!
I'm sure no one will be yelling out the window after this. They were all pretty darned scared! And so was I... who knows who is in the Asian Crips or some other stupid Mira Mesa gang and may have a gun. And now I have to call all the parents and tell them what happened.
It is what it is...
Namaaste
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Never would have thought...
I never thought I would actually say this but after a super challenging day subbing in 3rd and 4th grade and a whole new level of carpool disaster, I found working on Little League for 2 hours actually calming.
It is what it is...
Namaste
It is what it is...
Namaste
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Mission Not Accomplished
My goal on Sundays is usually pretty much the same.
Read the newspaper, go to yoga, drink a minosa... or 3 and NOT DO ANY LITTLE LEAGUE.
Epic fail! I didn't get to the newspaper until 5pm, no mimosas and LL ALL day.
Between the emails, the reminder emails, the reminder to the reminder emails, the people coming to the house to register, figuring out the candy money and figuring out why we are mixed up on the player numbers, it was a full day. Beer o'clock couldn't come early enough.
For example 10 emails about having a jumper at our fundraiser carnival. My final response:
Well there is always next Sunday.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Read the newspaper, go to yoga, drink a minosa... or 3 and NOT DO ANY LITTLE LEAGUE.
Epic fail! I didn't get to the newspaper until 5pm, no mimosas and LL ALL day.
Between the emails, the reminder emails, the reminder to the reminder emails, the people coming to the house to register, figuring out the candy money and figuring out why we are mixed up on the player numbers, it was a full day. Beer o'clock couldn't come early enough.
For example 10 emails about having a jumper at our fundraiser carnival. My final response:
I am not against it however there was a tragic accident at the AYSO soccer picnic where kids were fooling around and a kid hit his knee on his chin and put his teeth through his lip. He broke a few teeth and had to have facial surgery. We just need to have super careful monitoring.
My suggestions are:
1 ticket for 5 min of jump time.
ages 5 and under, 6-8, 9-11 and 12 and up at a time
1 adult needs to be present at all times to monitor groups and jumping.
Well there is always next Sunday.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Friday, February 7, 2014
Today's Project
I have been meaning to clean my linen closet for a while now. Today was the day!
First I took everything out.
And dumped it in my bedroom.
A canoe paddle? I can sleep peacefully knowing I will not be "Up Shit's Creek" with out one.
I need all these shoe laces...why?
And the results... are FAB!
Where did all the stuff go? 1 big bag went directly to the trash can. 1 bag of blankets and towels to the church for their blanket drive. 1 bag to Good Will. The few things that are going up into the rafters for saving are 2 of Colin's old soccer jerseys and a quilt Phyllis made for Colin when he was a baby.
That's it. Feeling lighter and breathing easier.
It is what it is...
Namaste
First I took everything out.
And dumped it in my bedroom.
Why? Because that's what the experts say to do. And I got 3 big black trash bags for keep, donate and throw away.
What a bunch of random stuff I found.A canoe paddle? I can sleep peacefully knowing I will not be "Up Shit's Creek" with out one.
I need all these shoe laces...why?
And the results... are FAB!
Where did all the stuff go? 1 big bag went directly to the trash can. 1 bag of blankets and towels to the church for their blanket drive. 1 bag to Good Will. The few things that are going up into the rafters for saving are 2 of Colin's old soccer jerseys and a quilt Phyllis made for Colin when he was a baby.
That's it. Feeling lighter and breathing easier.
It is what it is...
Namaste
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Fire and Ice
You all know how I LOVE to brag about our beautiful weather. But I don't want to do it at the expense or mock the problems being faced all around our country with the extreme weather caused by the dreaded Polar vortex.
Hold onto your hats people. This is scary...
Today we have guest blogger and my sister, Paula telling her harrowing tale of
Fire and Ice.
So here’s how our free snow day off from work went at home for the last 30 hrs or so...
4:15 am Wednesday - Roger (Paula's husband) had just put wood on the fire (they heat their house almost entirely by wood) and was standing looking outside when he saw an orange glow across the whole front lawn. He went outside and saw 6-8 foot flames coming from the chimney! Chimney Fire!!!
He came in, yelled for me upstairs to get up and put my shoes/braces on. Called 911 and got me & Magnus (the giant dog) in the Pilot. Took my car and us next door to a sleeping neighbor’s driveway.
Called another neighbor to come help him plow our driveway to prepare for the fire trucks.
He took out all the burning logs, wrapped them up in the fiberglass fireplace rug and threw them out the back door into the snow and closed down the stove. (Firemen said that was so smart – he basically removed all the fuel so there was nothing to keep the fire burning!)
6 or 7 support vehicles and police blocked the road (lights flashing but no sirens).
Fortunately it was contained to just the chimney. No damage, just smelly. (Oh, and scary, when your husband wakes you up by calmly telling you to get up and put on your shoes because the house is on fire!)
Police had to send for another truck to lay down salt to get fire trucks down our driveway after they inspected everything because the driveway turned to a sheet of ice.
Later in the day, around noon, 3 large cedar trees fell, 1 right across the driveway. That's not such a big deal, unless it snaps a power line and lands on the other power line, cutting off all power.
And... since it’s on live power lines, you’re not allowed to cut it, even if you have the equipment, which, of course, we do.
So there we were, no wood stove. No power. No heat. No way out. Stranded in our own home.
By 5 pm , with an estimated power restoration now at 6 am, Roger setup a propane heater, running the hose out the bathroom window, to a propane tank. Closed off the family room and loaded up with blankets. We were able to keep the temp in the room to 60°. The rest of the house fell to 40° by morning (very cold getting ready upstairs to come to work).
Meanwhile, back to the tree situation, we got a call that the tree truck was on its way - it finally arrived after 9 pm . By 11 pm , the trees that had now fallen were all cut. BUT, they asked Roger if we had front end loader (which, of course, we do) to move the wood once they took the tree down!
A Kubuta looks something like this
After all that, they came to the top of the driveway to turn around and their giant truck snagged the telephone wires going into the house so even if we had power, we wouldn’t have had land lines - Whoopsie! Good thing for cell phones...
Next we had to get into the "queue" for the Line Men to come and reconnect the wires. We heard, "they'll be here soon, just don't know how long". We finally went to sleep at 1:30 AM, still waiting for them.
We were hoping that was the 3rd thing of the day since things happen in three’s! Actually, we were hoping the 3rd thing of the day would be for us to win the Powerball lottery, another neighbor went to get us tickets since we couldn’t leave but that, obviously, didn’t happen.
Spent the night on the couches in family room with the propane heater and one light. Didn't hook up generator to all fuses because we were hoping they'd put power on by 11pm .
Driveway all ice so Roger had to drive me down in the Kubota (RTV) and then drive my car down (after getting car out of garage with, hello, electric garage door opener!).
This morning the estimated restoration time changed to 1pm. Great. They showed sometime after 11 am.
1:54 and power was restored!
The temp inside is now up to 52°.
Hooray!
I'm sure others have it worse than us.....
Paula
Hold onto your hats people. This is scary...
Today we have guest blogger and my sister, Paula telling her harrowing tale of
Fire and Ice.
So here’s how our free snow day off from work went at home for the last 30 hrs or so...
4:15 am Wednesday - Roger (Paula's husband) had just put wood on the fire (they heat their house almost entirely by wood) and was standing looking outside when he saw an orange glow across the whole front lawn. He went outside and saw 6-8 foot flames coming from the chimney! Chimney Fire!!!
He came in, yelled for me upstairs to get up and put my shoes/braces on. Called 911 and got me & Magnus (the giant dog) in the Pilot. Took my car and us next door to a sleeping neighbor’s driveway.
Called another neighbor to come help him plow our driveway to prepare for the fire trucks.
He took out all the burning logs, wrapped them up in the fiberglass fireplace rug and threw them out the back door into the snow and closed down the stove. (Firemen said that was so smart – he basically removed all the fuel so there was nothing to keep the fire burning!)
6 or 7 support vehicles and police blocked the road (lights flashing but no sirens).
Fortunately it was contained to just the chimney. No damage, just smelly. (Oh, and scary, when your husband wakes you up by calmly telling you to get up and put on your shoes because the house is on fire!)
Police had to send for another truck to lay down salt to get fire trucks down our driveway after they inspected everything because the driveway turned to a sheet of ice.
Later in the day, around noon, 3 large cedar trees fell, 1 right across the driveway. That's not such a big deal, unless it snaps a power line and lands on the other power line, cutting off all power.
And... since it’s on live power lines, you’re not allowed to cut it, even if you have the equipment, which, of course, we do.
So there we were, no wood stove. No power. No heat. No way out. Stranded in our own home.
By 5 pm , with an estimated power restoration now at 6 am, Roger setup a propane heater, running the hose out the bathroom window, to a propane tank. Closed off the family room and loaded up with blankets. We were able to keep the temp in the room to 60°. The rest of the house fell to 40° by morning (very cold getting ready upstairs to come to work).
Meanwhile, back to the tree situation, we got a call that the tree truck was on its way - it finally arrived after 9 pm . By 11 pm , the trees that had now fallen were all cut. BUT, they asked Roger if we had front end loader (which, of course, we do) to move the wood once they took the tree down!
After all that, they came to the top of the driveway to turn around and their giant truck snagged the telephone wires going into the house so even if we had power, we wouldn’t have had land lines - Whoopsie! Good thing for cell phones...
Next we had to get into the "queue" for the Line Men to come and reconnect the wires. We heard, "they'll be here soon, just don't know how long". We finally went to sleep at 1:30 AM, still waiting for them.
We were hoping that was the 3rd thing of the day since things happen in three’s! Actually, we were hoping the 3rd thing of the day would be for us to win the Powerball lottery, another neighbor went to get us tickets since we couldn’t leave but that, obviously, didn’t happen.
Spent the night on the couches in family room with the propane heater and one light. Didn't hook up generator to all fuses because we were hoping they'd put power on by 11pm .
Driveway all ice so Roger had to drive me down in the Kubota (RTV) and then drive my car down (after getting car out of garage with, hello, electric garage door opener!).
This morning the estimated restoration time changed to 1pm. Great. They showed sometime after 11 am.
1:54 and power was restored!
The temp inside is now up to 52°.
Hooray!
I'm sure others have it worse than us.....
Paula
Thanks Paula!
It is what it is...
Namaste
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Show Me the $$$
Disclaimer: This particular post may offend some. It did, however, pass my personal policy to let it sit overnight. If it was good to send yesterday, it will still be good to send today... after re-reading.
I don't often whine (or wine, more on that later) on this blog but there is something that I'm really bugged about so here goes.
Girl Scout cookies, Girl Scout nuts, Boy Scout popcorn, Autism, breast cancer, MS, any cancer, mental health, any illness races, feed the poor, help the homeless, magazines and wrapping paper for school, bread for band, candy for baseball and theater, pancake breakfast for rugby, spaghetti dinner for cheerleaders... These are all causes I have either bought products or given money for this year.
Well, no more.
I worked really hard on that Rally video for baseball. I know not everyone is in the position to give a few dollars. If you can't donate, all I ask is for people to just share. Send it in an email. Hit that
"share" button on Facebook. Pass it along, someone is bound to donate. With all the people in our
league, and all the people they know, we should have more than $410. Other than my dad and Aunt
Joan, not one of the people whose causes I have helped this year has shown up with a few $$$ on our Rally site.
To all of the Mira Mesa Girl and Boy Scouts, and I know at least one in every troop standing outside
Von's, sorry kids. And sorry to Colin too, no more $4 boxes of cookies everytime I leave the house. Sorry to all you walkers, runners and cyclers. I won't be tossing 20 bucks your way. Sorry to the pancake flippers, spaghetti sellers and bread makers. Maybe my waistline will become a little smaller. The karma dollar train stops here.
That's my rant and I'm sticking to it.
And on to the wine... courtesy of YouTube. Look what you can do if you have no corkscrew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1wROm-OF9w
It is what it is...
Namaste
I don't often whine (or wine, more on that later) on this blog but there is something that I'm really bugged about so here goes.
Girl Scout cookies, Girl Scout nuts, Boy Scout popcorn, Autism, breast cancer, MS, any cancer, mental health, any illness races, feed the poor, help the homeless, magazines and wrapping paper for school, bread for band, candy for baseball and theater, pancake breakfast for rugby, spaghetti dinner for cheerleaders... These are all causes I have either bought products or given money for this year.
Well, no more.
I worked really hard on that Rally video for baseball. I know not everyone is in the position to give a few dollars. If you can't donate, all I ask is for people to just share. Send it in an email. Hit that
"share" button on Facebook. Pass it along, someone is bound to donate. With all the people in our
league, and all the people they know, we should have more than $410. Other than my dad and Aunt
Joan, not one of the people whose causes I have helped this year has shown up with a few $$$ on our Rally site.
To all of the Mira Mesa Girl and Boy Scouts, and I know at least one in every troop standing outside
Von's, sorry kids. And sorry to Colin too, no more $4 boxes of cookies everytime I leave the house. Sorry to all you walkers, runners and cyclers. I won't be tossing 20 bucks your way. Sorry to the pancake flippers, spaghetti sellers and bread makers. Maybe my waistline will become a little smaller. The karma dollar train stops here.
That's my rant and I'm sticking to it.
And on to the wine... courtesy of YouTube. Look what you can do if you have no corkscrew.
It is what it is...
Namaste
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