Kontan’s Place

Long week! Does it ever seem like some weeks do not have enough hours in each day, yet they seem to last more than they should? OK, maybe that is just me. I am thrilled to have the week off now! So much to do around the house though. Carpet cleaners are coming Monday and I have to get the place presentable enough for them. I really hope to get a lot done this week.

Last night was sanity date night. I am SO thankful for our babysitter. Without her I really don’t think I would be able to keep it together some weeks. We spent the evening at a local Greek/Italian place listening to a local band. Really great guys. I’m thoroughly amused just watching them, but they have a groove that is pretty cool. These guys are good anyway, but I think it makes the band much more entertaining when you know the members playing. Jem has been really into listening to some of the local talent for a while and it is a neat thing to share. Hey, it’s just great to spend a few hours without the kids.

Anyone else noticing how the holiday’s just seem to merge? Am I the only one that has an issue with Santa carving a pumpkin along with the pilgrims and a turkey? Seriously people, one holiday at a time. Take the time to enjoy the moment before jumping to the next!

It doesn’t feel like I’m making much sense…no PUI going on here, but I’m still pretty groggy. Time for sleep. 10:23. You know…a year ago I was just getting started by this time of night. WOW…I just scanned archives. Unbelievable that I let the one year anniversary of my comps pass w/o a mention. Repressed memory I guess.

Enjoy your weekend. I’m off to Mississipitalks for a few games of pool and then to bed for me…Kontan Jou!

that’s all I have to say. TGIF. This will be a much needed break. If I’m really lucky I will get a lot done this week.

Last thing…We have a new baby!!!!

NO…not me. WHOA no. My cousin and his significant had their baby this morning. Little “no name yet b/c they were expecting a girl”. It’s is a big boy! Almost 9 lbs and 21 inches. Can’t wait to see him!

Jem’s b’day is coming up next week too. Hmmmmmmmm, what to get what to get…

My life is consumed by my work. I’m not liking that very much. I’m trying too hard. Is that possible? I think it is. There are too many irons in the fire and I didn’t put them there, but I’m having to manage them. Today I referred to our new after school tutorial program, for the purpose of grade recovery, as an exercise in flying by the seat of our oversized pants. Someone is going to get mooned before long. I just feel like we are making it up as we go along! Really, it isn’t that bad. We are just ironing out the kinks. I know that. I just wish we were not ironing while wearing the pants. It is really a good idea. Really. I have to keep saying that.

I started reading Janet Evanovich this weekend…the Stephanie Plum series. I’m not thrilled with the language, but the writing is entertaining. The first book in the series, One for the Money, is about a young woman who is trying to make ends meet. After selling off most of her furniture she takes on a new role, one that could bring her a $10 000 payout…if she survives and succeeds. Keeping it in the family, working for her cousin Vinny, she attempts to make a few bucks as a bounty hunter. Her first case, find cop turned bad- Joe Morelli. At least she was familiar with the guy, they had a romantic history, minus the romance. It couldn’t even be classified as a one night stand, but you get the point. Turns out he was almost likeable as a suspected felon, and it worked out great that he could be her body guard. Prize fighter Ramirez, a little bit of a sadistic freak, had a crush on Stephanie. He also had issues with being turned down.

Evanovich writes with an element of sarcasm and a great wit. The story line takes enough twists and turns to keep your attention. However, if you have issues with unnecessary bad language this may not be the best book for you. If you can look past it, you might want to add it to your list.

Right now I am reading a totally brainless Christmas novel by Debbie Macomber. I needed an easy read. Next up…another by Jodi Piccoult. I just wasn’t ready to start a serious read tonight.

I had planned to simply leave a miniblog quote and go back to my book. Instead I want to dwell on the quote for a moment. The less routine, the more life. Without my Google calendar on my desktop I’m almost a basketcase some days. The whole teaching thing is about to drive me nuts. OK, it isn’t teaching it is all the other junk that has to be done. Anyway, that along with goals for next year are about to really send me to the corner in the fetal position. Why? What difference does it really make? I have to get over the need to be organized and on schedule for plans. Jem says he sees progress. I just don’t see it. I don’t feel like I’m accomplishing anything significant. Does it have to be significant? NO! It’s a process. I’m not going to throw my goals away, but I will celebrate when I meet one. It isn’t necessary to get everything done at once. I don’t feel very useful when I can’t see progress. I feel like a mombot. Organize-feed-wash-fold-order-decide-referee-and get kids where they need to be. Step back. Enjoy the day…otherwise the small things will drive you nuts.

It’s the start of another week. For some reason I am flat out exhausted. I came home Friday and fell asleep for about two hours. Yesterday I drifted off in the late afternoon. Today I refuse to give my body the opportunity to nap…even though this couch looks very inviting. There is too much to do! It’s time for a break I guess. Just a few more days and we get one. Lots to do before and during that time. My cousin said he would help me get the house in order. Minimize stuff and decorate. I would love to be on the market by December, but I don’t think it is going to happen. OK, I know it is not. That’s ok. All will work out in time. I have faith in that. I know we are doing the right thing. Scary though. I still haven’t filled you in have I? Another day. Tweety’s bedroom is calling for organization.

Here’s my football mention for the weekend…

Auburn was dominated by Georgia. Every member of the team needs to run the fan gauntlet and get beat with a wet noodle…the swimming pool kind, not the spaghetti kind! All is not lost though…at least Bama was beaten by LSU. There’s sunshine for the day.

Next game…The big one. The Iron Bowl. Auburn vs. Alabama in Tuscaloosa. After a terrible loss to Georgia, maybe Auburn will whip into shape and dominate Alabama. I’ll take a win…even if it isn’t domination.

Echoing Tense Teacher…ONLY SIX DAYS! I am not a fan of the week long Thanksgiving break, but I’ll take it! IMO we desperately need a break b/w Labor Day and Thanksgiving. TOO long to go without one. I will be SO glad to have a break though. Our school grading program crashed Tuesday afternoon and was down all day Wednesday. All information entered Tuesday was lost. I had to spend today putting all of my grades back in. DANG IT! This means I wasn’t able to dedicate the day to teaching as I had planned. Yes, I planned to teach…amazing isn’t it. It frustrates me that teaching is not at the TOP of the list of things teachers actually have to do. Anyway, I refuse to continue this rant…I had a WONDERFUL time tonight. Jem took me to a local place where we had great food and entertainment. It is really nice to listen to a good band while enjoying the company of someone special. Jem was even allowed to sit in for two songs. Unbelievable, but it is the first time I have heard him play in that setting. 12 years and tonight was the first time. He’s hot, what can I say…LOL. I really am impressed with him. He’s a good drummer and a talented percussionist. He plays with a lot of feeling and that is impressive to me. It was good to get some time out too. Much needed. Life is just too fast lately. We have so much going on and so many plans to work toward. It seems everything we are doing is for the purpose of where we want to be in a year. That’s good in a way, but bad in that we are not living for where we are. In the last year we have met some really cool people and I love where we are. We’ve been in this area since ‘99 and it has taken this long to feel even semi “right” here. Just in time to move on to the next episode of our life. Strange how things work.

I spent the day at home…just me, Tiki, Alli, and an entire living room of laundry. Might as well take in a few movies while ironing and folding. I made it through almost all of “Bride and Prejudice” before my VOD service locked up. DANG IT. I’ll have to try to finish it. Not making it to the end drives me nuts.

I also got a wild hair…literally I guess. While getting ready to take the girls somewhere I wondered what my hair would like with bangs. Then I thought…I bet it wouldn’t take long to see. I found the scissors. Then I decided it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if Google had any tips…and it did. As I figured, it wasn’t that hard. I even added a few more layers to blend the new bangs with the rest of my hair. I was happy with the length, and now I am liking the bangs. It isn’t “wah in your face”…it blends. Jem has commented several times as well so hmmm, might be something to keep.

Not too long until Thanksgiving/Fall break!

We had a great time in Auburn this past weekend. It was alumni band day so Djembe took me to meet all of his Auburn buddies. It was the first time our girls attended a college football game. I have heard so much about so many of his friends, but it has never been where I could travel with him for alumni band. I am so glad this time was possible. Really neat people and a great family trip. The game was a blow out, Auburn (27) against Arkansas State (0). Have to give big Congrats to Mississippi State Bulldogs for their win 24-16 over Alabama. WOOHOO! I’m glad for MSU, they needed the win. Totally unexpected though. Found this interesting tidbit in an article about Alabama’s loss- Alabama lost to a team that had not won in an SEC venue outside Starkville, Miss., in the last six years to the day.

Here are a few pics from Auburn…

I am not a huge Halloween fan. I let my girls participate and try to make it fun for them, but it is just not my thing and never has been. This Halloween we had a carnival of sorts at our church on Sunday. The family went as Auburn tailgaters WAR EAGLE! Halloween day I let the girls wear some of the clothing I have from the Middle East. The youngest is a princess and the oldest is a genie…but I think she looks like a princess. We walked the neighborhood trick or treating and then I took them to another church where we were supposed to meet up with a friend of the oldest. Not all plans worked out, but we stayed for a little while and let them play games. Then back home we came. Djembe was kind enough to man the homefront ad hand out candy. I think he stayed pretty busy. After a few days I will gather up candy and take it to school. If I put it in the teacher workroom it will be gone in a matter of hours. We have several hundred red hots in a container on the counter. Apparently Tweety made a lucky guess and “won” them. Oh my. She doesn’t even like red hots. Ever since a choking accident when I was her age I don’t care for them either. I bet those would disappear from the workroom too!