"god's front porch"

I first saw the Gourds quite by accident in Seattle, circa 1998. I've been in love ever since. Since I moved here to H-town, I've seen them less often, despite their playing here fairly often. I'm older, lamer and generally less apt to venture out of an evening. Last night they played for free at our new downtown Discovery Park and I was SOOOO happy. The good mood lasted into the morning when I bopped into work.

return to freedom

I've had much discussion with various peeps about my 6th graders. This week of no school has given me lots of time to consider my decision to split my lit classes into smaller groups and to create those groups. I've created four groups in each class, each group containing a variety of strong and weak students, boys and girls, chatties and quiets. I tried to part the most cliquish of girls, I decided not to put a bunch of football players together, and I am making these groups temporary. Ideally, as they become acclimated, they will be able to regroup themselves by affinity. By that, I mean they'll be able to choose a group of readings to tackle and that choice will put them into a group.

I don't really know how this will work and it will certainly be more complicated, as the whole class does the same work but on different days and we only have one classroom space to use, but I think it's worth a try. I am attempting to meet them halfway, to allow them to do their beloved group work but choosing their groups and always directing the work itself.

Anyway, back to all that tomorrow.

halloween costume

We are going to do an experiment to determine exactly what it is about mail carriers that sends dogs around the bend. Is it the "costume" as my hubby proposed (in his own words)? Our dog hates anyone who drives a white truck so I'm not sure the clothing idea is a sound one.

Regardless, that was a long lead-in to a shocking news story here at Chez No Powhere. This afternoon I heard a lot of barking and realized it wasn't coming from the house or the back or side yards. It was coming from the street. The street where the much-harried mail carrier was at that moment spraying our three dogs with pepper spray because they decided to chase her away.

They got much talking tos and a whole lot of bathing out of the experience and I'm afraid we're going to get a lot of No Mail for a bit. Pixie of course tried to explain it this way: "Well, what ha' happened was..." but Jeremy merely slunk home and sat quietly through his humiliating bath.

9,000th day without power

Or so it seems. We stocked up on junk and other preserved foods at the grocery store today and threw in a few perishables to, you know, taunt ourselves. Thus far I've eaten 4 pop tarts and a large quantity of doritos. Yes, I did make us nice sandwiches for lunch, but from there it was all downhill.

We're running the small fridge and the router, computer, etc. from a generator. We just taped a big piece of cardboard and plastic over the smelly fireplace. I suppose that is all we'll do today.

We went over to our friends' house to drop off their extra key and discovered quite by accident that their power is on. That is good because it means I will get to smell precious New Baby smell that much sooner.

The dogs actually managed to shell and eat (and then eat the shell of) a pecan. They also attacked yet another large pentatomid beetle. The PIG is now making me want to retch by playing the Doors on the radio. I am already regretting letting him get new batteries.

Currently, that is all.

alive

Alive, no power, checking the internets from a friend's house. Power is coming back on slowly but the majority are still without. Luckily a few restaurants are open, because we're down to rice and beans, pasta and canned sauce at our place.

schoooool's out for

...the hurricane!

Yes, folks, we have canceled school for tomorrow and sent our kids out into the world to brave Ike as best they can. I for one am looking forward to many beers and some grilling on the back porch before the rain gets here. If you're in town, give us a shout and come over, but beware that we now have our dog, plus our new dog, plus our friends' dog, plus the cat, plus the guinea pigs, plus probably two other dogs.

tiny bit of today

My throat hurts today. I hope it is because I had to ask my first and eighth periods a bunch of questions, not because I shouted at my other classes.

I handed two tests to my 6th graders. They received their first grammar and their first literature test grades. Many were upset or surprised, others were ecstatic.

I sent them home tonight to work on homophones and vocabulary banks and to read more of A Wrinkle in Time. Some of them even know what a homophone is!

murgle

Last night the PIG and I tried to see a movie, but it wasn't playing for another hour and a half. Defeated by the stupid movie theatre, we drove back to the video store and rented two comedies. We arrived home and put the first into the dvd player (read: PSIII) and...F*ing Agent Cody Banks II started playing.

Argh!

On top of that, while at the video store I was spotted by the ex. He walked past me twice and neither time could I muster more than a sickly smile-like expression.

I know it's been years, people, and I have moved on. However, I don't really want to see him. It gives me a nauseated and prickly feeling. I said to the PIG that I was glad his exes live far away and I never have to see them. He said that guys don't have that sort of reaction, so it didn't really matter to him.

I am still feeling oogy today.

In the good news pile, I've finished grading papers and have redone my 6th graders' seating charts. After school on Friday I completely rearranged the room. Hahahahahahahaha!