I Got Nothing

Things are pretty quiet today. I went to the teacher lunch. There are no snakes or big dogs
chasing us. The flora and fawna are under control. The chickens next door are gone. Neighbor
John is leaving tomorrow for a few weeks and asked me to "try to avoid trouble." That is my goal.

WWGD?

What would Giada do? You know I love her. Whenever I am stumped, I think "what would Giada do?"

Lemon Spaghetti


1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss

Hello Sunshine

I have only three weeks of school left. The girls do not finish until after Memorial Day. I hate that. School ought to be done before Memorial Day. Who cares after that! Some schools basically do nothing after the AIMS tests are over. Unfortunately, Miss Brunette is in her fourth week of extreme homework. This week projects due are a take home test (amazingly hard)
of Crusades, Renaissance, etc.; book talk; book talk jacket and science fair exhibit. I think she is about done, with the work load and school.

Blonde Girl's work is winding down, she is spending more and more time outside. They both like the social activity of school. Unlike me, the teacher doesn't write on their report cards "needs to spend less time socializing and talking." I think that was on every report card I ever got! You'd have to check with my mother to verify this fact.

Run Dog Run

Late yesterday afternoon, Blonde Girl was taking photos for her 3rd Grade LOM County Fair entry. She chose photography and she is working on her project called "Weather".

We were walking in the wash, which is across the street behind one row of houses. This dog starts chasing Abby. Abby broke away from Blonde Girl and ran like a maniac from this big golden retriever. The big dog, incidentally, was not on a leash. Blonde Girl was carrying Sam at the time and ran after Abby. I ran after them all. By the way, you can run in crocs. The big dog owner ran after everyone!

Blonde Girl caught up with Abby who was terrified and stood waiting for Blonde Girl to get her. She yelled at the dog, "bad dog, naughty dog" and the owner grabbed him, apologized and went the opposite way of us, mortified.

Both dogs had diarrhea when they got home. Abby was traumatized for a couple of hours. They both are fine today. Blonde Girl has a bruise on her hand from trying to hold onto Abby.

I should have yelled at the lady. But, I was so relieved that Abby wasn't eaten by this

big dog that I told the owner that "I am sure he just wanted to play. " And, probably he did. Blonde Girl told the owner, "it's okay." Dogs will be dogs.

Cactus Flower

We have dozens of buds on the saguaro.
It is really going to be beautiful.
And, we have fully recovered from the snake incident.
The girls slept in Miss Brunette's room and not with me,
which is ironically where the snake was.
We are thinking about getting two more dogs.
Two for me, one for Blonde Girl and one for Miss Brunette.
We may need more snake hounds.

Yes, A Snake

You will never guess what we found in our house! Yes, a snake. That has now been identified as a Sonoran Ground Snake. This is the picture from the Yahoo Image files. Last night I goggled "snakes of Arizona" and found someone who helps people ID their snakes. You know there are tons of snakes here and many of them are venomous.

Anyway, let me first tell you what happened.

We had been watching my friend Amy's little girl (see previous post of the Little Pink Haired Girl). She had been carrying Sam and Abby around since Friday night. So, on Saturday morning

I had her help me put the dogs to bed. She tucked them in and brought in every dog toy they

own. She left about an hour later. Late Saturday afternoon, I knew Sam was under my bed trying to get something. I figured it was a dog toy. We were getting ready to leave. Sam was trying to move his soft, dog bed. He was using his head trying to lift it. I figured there was a toy under the bed, so I picked it up for him. Not a toy, but a snake.

It really startled me, not the sort of thing you expect in your bedroom. I yelled for Miss Brunette not to come in the room. When, I told her why she jumped on the sofa in the

family room and was crying/screaming.

I told her to go get John (neighbor John, next door who may move because of our constant troubles). She did. When, she came back, I said "did you tell him it was pretty small". "No." In comes John with this hook.

I had stayed in the doorway watching where the stupid snake went. We caught him with my

dust bin and broom. On our way out, it got away and was headed under my stove. We

were able to find him so fast because of the dogs. They were all over this snake business.

We got him caught again and released him in my neighbor's cacti.

I later researched the type of snake it was to make sure it was not poisonous in case

these snakes travel in schools, like the fish. We don't know if he came in through an open door

(one was repaired Friday and off for about 3 hours), the dogs brought it in or it was dormant in the house for the winter. I don't like the thought of option three.

This morning John told me he wondered if it came from the attic. I had a trap door put in the ceiling of the garage also on Friday. He told me 20 years ago the people who lived in this

house raised and bred snakes. Nice. "Now you tell me John," was my answer. That sort of thing ought to be disclosed when you buy a house. Love Man, who naturally is away when all trauma dramas happen, said that would explain why no birds get in our attic. Great. My snake looked

exactly like this one in the photograph. It was about 12 - 14 inches long, salmon colored with an orange back (or dorsal as they say in the snake biz).

Completely Off My Croc

OMG, OMG they are selling Crocs for $5.

For the next couple of days, every kind of Croc, every color and all the accessories. The jibbitz were $1. I got some for everybody, except Miss Brunette who doesn't do Crocs.

They are fantastic for preschool as the sand doesn't hurt them! I like the mary-janes.

The other cloggy ones look awful. Blonde Girl loves Crocs. She is going to die when she sees the jibbitz. She was nagging me at the Sunflower for some more. They are normally $9.99 a bag.

These are Love Man's. I got him a compass jibbitz. I may have to take Blonde Girl tomorrow!
You need to support Crocs.
They are in trouble. Teachers can not live without them. Children can not live without them.

Cactus Blooms

Aren't they beautiful?

Rainbow Circus

We have been talking about the circus this week at preschool. The children made these darling clowns. We set them up in our circus room as the guests.

I hung this tent to make it seem as if we were under the "big top". Not my idea, my teaching partner's.

After they got their face painted, we went to our circus.

We had obstacle courses, bowling, bean bag toss and circus music. We later pinned the nose on the clown.

Then, we snacked on a corn dog and a juice box.

Chickening Out

I went to pick-up Miss Brunette from a slumber party. The mother said to me, "come to the back and see our chickens". Oh God, not another person raising chickens! "That's okay," I said.
"Don't you want to see them? They are really cute." "That's okay, I'm from Iowa. I know chickens," was all I could say.


OMG. Not again.


I have a long history with chickens. When I was 4 or 5, I took my doll Sandy over to visit
Mrs. H across the street (our old house). Her miserable rooster, named Freeman or something
commanding chased and pecked me back home. I left Sandy to fend for herself. Mrs. H called, feeling so bad, and asked me to watch "Another World" with her. We shared a pepsi (yes,
in those days, it was pepsi. I was from a pepsi drinking family).

My grandmother used to raise chickens. I hated it when it was time to butcher them (the word that was used). They did run around with their heads cut off. Grandma hung them upside down by the feet on the clothes line. My mother always helped her. They plucked and plucked. Guess what we had for lunch? Chicken. I would sit on the other side of the house, by the big tractor tire that had been painted white and was full of flowers. Grandma came up to me, "how are you ever going to live on a farm?" "I'm not," I told her.

Okay, I have to admit I didn't really eat that much chicken until after I was married and sort of got over it.

A couple of years ago, the girls and I were at MV nursery. I took them to see the chickens
there. They were there to control the scorpions and had hatched babies. The girls had a great time looking at them, while I was getting a tree. We were leaving and all of a sudden, Blonde Girl started screaming. This insane chicken had flown up to her shoulder and was pecking her. That hen knocked her down twice before I could run over to her. I started screaming and hitting the stupid chicken with my purse. Me, Blonde Girl and Miss Brunette all screamed bloody murder. No one came to help. That is how I got the 25% discount on my tree and all the shrubs I may ever need in my lifetime. I have never gotten the shrubs as Blonde Girl refuses to go there ever again.

Chicken. It is what's for dinner.

Sun Faces

This is the 3rd grade art project. They do sun faces. The top one was made by Miss Brunette in 3rd grade and the bottom one was done by Blonde Girl. love them. Blonde Girl describes hers as a "rainbow sun face."

Blonde Girl's face.

Miss Brunette's shady sun face. It almost makes me want to have had more children, so I can have morw of these cute sun faces. Amost anyway!

Okay, It Has Been Awhile

Love Man has been here since Wednesday. He has been on the computer a lot. Then,
when he is not on the computer - he is on conference calls. They conference for a long time. He is usually in the office. It is too funny. So, unlike the preschool world. You need to do this, do that, turn this in and sign-this. That's it!

The saguaro cacti are starting to bloom. They bloom in the early morning. I will be posting photographs. Just look at the buds!

Our saguaro is around 225 years old. They only grow so much a year. It takes 100 years for them to have arms. We have many, many arms and tons of holes pecked by birds. In fact, we think of our saguaro as an apartment house for birds.

The saguaro is now taller than our house. When I sit out in the sun, I can see it peeking over our roof line. Naturally, I find joy in this. You now how I am about plants. By the way, Love Man did tons of yard work while he was here. The yard didn't look so great when he arrived. He is the best raker that has ever lived. He goes back today.

Easter

By the way, Easter was good. We went to church and ate too much. It was not the same without Love Man, but we were all pretty tired and just hung out most of the day.

They looked adorable. Blonde Girl has a darling purple cardigan that she wore with this outfit. Her skirt had big stripes of various shades of purple, as she is a purple girl.

Jury Duty

I had jury duty today, municipal court. My friend's husband, who is a judge, wrote down the best bus to take. He takes the bus down there every morning.

I meant to wake up at 5:45 and instead got up at 4;45, which I did not realize until I was out of the shower. I took a small nap.

I phoned the Phx Metro to confirm that I could catch Super #7 in the spot I would be. "Oh, yes," she assured me. I left my house at 6:50 in the morning. I made BG sleep in her clothes. I had the breakfast, snacks, water bottles, and backpacks ready to go. BG did not like her breakfast, she started making mac and cheese as I left the house. I later worried that she left the stove on. NOTE: my girls can both cook. They were to walk to school with MB's friend.

I was in my spot as I waited for the Super #7 bus. It went right on by. Another bus came. I got on it and was told I could still get there. It would take longer. I arrived at the courthouse 2o minutes later, which was actually not a problem.

I sat there, while they called the panels upstairs. Finally, at noon names were read that were released and I was free. I headed back to Central Station and found out what bus to take home.
As I was walking across the street, this moron started rapping at me and saying lewd things.
I later stood by a guy covered in tattoos, including one over his eye. He told me he was going to go ahead and have the rest of his teeth pulled. The bus arrived. Everyone stared at me.
The crowd had certainly changed from the morning commuters. I read my book.

I should have gone the way my friend's husband said to go. I just didn't want to walk 14 city blocks.

I was glad to arrive home. I was even able to pick the girls up from school. I cancelled my
"back-up" to get the girls home.

Roses

My roses are starting to bloom. Love Man cuts the bushes in half in January. That gives us roses the size of our fists by April. On Thursday, I cut some dark red for the house. On Friday,
I decided I need some in a bowl. Two hours later, I cut white ones for the dining room and
tropicana pink for the kitchen table. I still have many roses left. I think I may have 15 bushes.
Five are new and just starting to grow. I will count the bushes later today!

It is raining. It rained most of the night. I told BG to stay in bed as there would be no soccer. "Did you call the number?" she asked. "No, it rained all night, rained this morning and there

was lightning. There is NO soccer today," I said. "I hope you are sure," she doubted. "Go back to sleep," and she did. Miss B is at a sleep-over that required us bringing her bicycle. We enlisted the help of our neighbor, John who answered the door with "what are you doing now?"

I should have brought in the variegated red and orange/yellow roses. They are probably very wet and bruised by the wind. My Mother-in-law always asks me what kind of roses I have.

I don't know, ones that grow. I know some are Tropicana, Christian Dior, Mr. Lincoln,

and the rest who knows. They are mostly dark red, pinks, but we have some white,

orange/yellow ones, and a red/white one that is very beautiful. It is almost too pretty to cut.

Neighbor John's wife cuts some for her house too. She usually doesn't tell me. I don't care, I told her along time ago to help herself. She waters them for me, when she thinks I need to or have forgotten. Or, am not watering them enough.

Coach Steve just called, "NO SOCCER". So there Blonde Girl!

Easter Weekend

Did you know there is some sort of shortage on the Cadbury mini-eggs? We love them and

always buy them. In fact, we bought some at Fresh and Easy late yesterday afternoon. They were even on sale. I would have bought more had I known. Apparently, some lady in Arkansas

went crazy and called all over the place looking for them. I don't know if I would go that far.

I love them them. Miss Brunette loves them as well. So, if you want those eggs and see them -

you'd better get two bags.

I Am Done

See those chairs? That is where I am going to be this weekend. I am done. I am dreading the massive crush at church this weekend. Am even thinking of looking up my old Lutheran church online and seeing if they have a 5 o'clock this weekend. Our church doesn't. Last year, we even arrived very early, and practically sat outside. OMG.

That is our silly Sam running on the pool cover. That cover has saved my life, especially with life without our favorite pool man. It is electric, came with the house, and is awesome. We replaced the canvas a few years ago. It used to be turquoise. I am not sure I should have changed the color. It shows dirt and there will be dirt.


You should see Sam and Abby when we retract the cover. They ride, bark and try to bite it. We normally have to have them inside when we are covering and uncovering. Sam enjoys running on it. It saves him a lot of time getting from one side of the pool to the other. Those legs belong to MB's friend, Ilsa. They have known each other since pre-school.

Overdue

I like to read. I borrow books from my friends, bunco girls and the library. I also buy books.
I am in trouble with the Phx Public Library.

Apparently one of the books I returned had "severe liquid damage" and I was being charged $29.95 for the problem. I went in to inspect the damage and attempt to get more books.

The book is totally warped from, I am guessing, water. I don't remember returning it wet. But,
okay, as Love Man would say, I checked the book out and was responsible for it until it
was returned.

So, I copped a plea and am purchasing the book on Amazon rather than from the library
and bringing them a new copy (less expensive). I am not sure if will be able to keep the one with "severe liquid damage". Actually, the book was not that good.

I am not sure it was me. But, I do take a water bottle with me places. I don't have the
aluminum one like the girls and Love Man have (can not find it in pink, my family color)
and my plastic water bottle could have leaked. The other books weren't damaged, only
this one.

Ironically, the lady let me have two more books as a "one time courtesy" until I bring
in the replacement book. I have been getting books from this library for 20 years and have never had a problem.

Don't ever read "Miss Julia Paints the Town" by Ann Ross. Her first book "Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind" is okay, but the rest are lame, in my humble opinion.

Going to the Birds

Yes, that is a big, giant turkey fighting with himself by Love Man's window.

Have I mentioned that I really don't like birds?

B, Girl was once attacked by a chicken at MV Nursery.

I had to fight the dumb thing off by smacking the hen with my purse.

The three of us screamed bloody murder and no one came to help.

I do have an offer on the table from MV Nursery for a lot of free shrubs.

We have not been back.

BG still has a scar and was traumatized by the experience!

The neighbors next door still have chickens,

God only knows why.

We also have the pleasure of having a wood pecker peck on our fireplace shield.

You know the thing on top of the chimney that keeps the sparks from flying out

and the birds from flying in?

It make be called a grate.

And, my Love Man's stupid dogs ate a wren.

Yes, the chihuahuas and I don't know how they did it.

But, they ate the bird.

It was so disgusting.

And, they were not the least bit sorry.

I had to clean up the mess before the girls came home.

I told the girls NOT to kiss the naughty dogs.

It was gross.

About the only bird I like are hummingbirds.

We have a lot of them.

In fact,

I need to make them food.

Love Man usually does that.

Love Man's View

Friday at Last

This has been such a busy week. Miss B has had so much work. Diagrams, models, spelling tests, social studies test, math assignments, a speech and a power point presentation. Seriously. In fact, I phoned her at school yesterday. Yes, there is a telephone in the classroom that usually gets answered. I know it is crazy. Anyway, I asked to speak to her. I said, "Listen, I have been thinking that you should skip bike club today as you have your speech and presentation, a spelling test and a social studies test." She said she was worried about it.

So, she came home and starting working at 3:10 and finished at 9:00 when I told her to go to bed. Her social studies test in on the Crusades. I made her note card/flash cards for them. Honestly. I don't know what kind of grade I could get on it. She meant to make the flash card on Thursday, but forgot them what with math homework, a diagram and clay model to do.

I am glad it is Friday.

Birthday Celebration

Today was my teaching partners birthday.

We pretty much partied all day.

Every child was to bring her three flowers.

Some brought thirty-three.

Last night, we got out of soccer so late. I told them I was my turn and we picked up a pizza. Next week will be Miss B's turn. Miss B had a power point presenation, a speech and a project all due tomorrow and Friday. It was too much to go out on top of all of that. She has just been slammed with work and she has a SS test Friday. Blonde Girl hasn't had that much. They are finishing a unit on the Civil War and I guess they are coasting until the AIMS tests are over.

Wednesday Night Dinners

After Love Man re-located to CdA,
the girls and I found the time passed a little more slowly.
We decided to go out to dinner every Wednesday night.
Soccer goes until around 6:15 and there is the 20 minute drive home.
We were tired when we got back to our house.
So we invented the Wednesday night dinners.
We decided to be reasonable with our choices
Places, as my English friend would say, that were cheap and cheerful.
Cheap and cheerful.
One of the best English expressions.
Second only to whingy.
Children act whingy at times.
Then, there is the great expression, minging.
It means disgusting or really dirty.
Your house could be minging and a tip at the same time.
We have a mutual arrangement for the Wednesday night dinners.
We go in order of age as to who gets to pick the venue.
Generally, I pick In 'n Out Burger.
I am a creature of habit.
When our friend, Kent, was in town and wanted to go out to dinner.
Naturally, it was on a Wednesday night.
Blonde Girl always picks Panda Express.
It is Miss Brunette who picks a different place every time.
We have had Mexican, American, and Italian.
You never know what she is going to pick.
She announced yesterday that is was getting warmer.
That only means one thing - Souper Salad!