New No More

We laid the new rug on Wednesday; Friday, Popcorn, our geriatric canine guest, peed on it. We quickly cleaned the spot and were relieved to see that it didn't go through to the back of the rug. Yesterday, our dog walker texted that Lucy had barfed, where else? On the new rug. This morning, we were puzzled to find our puppy outside the babygate-- somehow she had broken out during the night. And later we were greeted with three piles of gooey poop, also on the new rug of course. The salt and peppery gray shag that really doesn't show much of anything has cleaned up better than we ever could have expected, and it didn't cost a fortune, but still? I added a few tears to the mix as I mopped up the mess.

Ain't No Spring Thing

50 degrees yesterday and 88 today?

Oh, Spring! Do not forsake us.

Nows and Thens

On a day that started with the assistant principal giving a ten minute lecture to the sixth graders which consisted entirely of don'ts and or elses, the parent of a student stopped by our team meeting. He was there to sign some paperwork, but also to discuss some concerns the teachers have about his son's behavior. We spent some time problem solving and putting a few supportive strategies in place.

Even though I do not have the boy in my class, I was glad to meet his dad, because I remember when he was a student at our school. Twenty years ago he was in the most restrictive program for kids who had trouble controlling their behavior.

"You were here then?" he asked, squinting.

"Yep!" I answered cheerfully.

"The school has changed so much since then," he said.

"We have a lot new windows and classrooms," I agreed.

"Nah," he said, "I mean, everyone is so helpful now. They want my son to succeed. Back then it was all punishment, punishment, punishment." He shook his head.

We were silent for a moment.

"I guess we've all grown since then," I told him. "At least I hope so."

Recovery Period

After sleeping in a little longer than usual, I had to down a cup of strong coffee and slip on my shades before I stepped out into the brisk April morning with the dog today. Oh, it wasn't alcohol that gave me this hangover: it was just a week of getting everything ready for a houseful of guests and then three days of celebration.

Whew! I am looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow. Middle School will be a nice break!

Lucky Dog

It's not every dog who gets to celebrate her one year adoption at a canine sports club with a dozen of her besties wrestling and playing on the agility equipment while jamming out to a Hits of the 90s playlist.

Oh, and then there was this:



Her very own cocktail menu! (Thanks, Bill!) With cookies and cupcakes and veggies and chips  and drinks for the people and cake for the dogs, Lucy's party was one to remember.

Overheard in the Museum of American History

Never mind the hat, I'll just take the whip.

Who's Julia Child?

The Ups and Downs of Extraterrestrial Life

Today's Jolly Rancher Challenge, after yesterday's assignment to write an ode to a planet, was to say the best thing and the worst thing about living on another planet. The answers were straight out of Kids Say the Darndest Things.

"The solitude would be a plus," said one guy, "but the suffocation would be pretty bad."

"I would love all the newness!" another student told me, "but? Ugh! No WiFi!"

"The low gravity would be great, but the -600 temps would be pretty cold."

"I'd love to see the rings every day, but no solid surface would make it hard to walk around."

"Well, I'd never be cold on Venus," a girl said, "but I don't think I would live very long!"