I'm tired..

Last week I started going back to the gym daily. It's amazing how quickly your body forgets what it's been doing. Last week was a crazy week, but this week is looking better. J and I went to Seattle on Saturday, had dinner with my dad and step-mom, and then went to see an M's game with them. Good seats, decent game, great company. The Mariner's won (against the Arizona Diamondbacks...nothing to write home about), and fun was had by all. (Side note: We were not some of the first people to arrive, so we did not get free Ken Griffey, Jr. t-shirts. We weren't too upset, but ironically, on the night they gave away t-shirts with his name all over them? He didn't even play. I don't care what my dad thinks, I was a little sad about that. I went to a lot of baseball games as a kid when KG Jr. AND Sr. were playing on the team...it was all about the nostalgia for me, but he didn't even play. Oh well, that just means that J will need to take me back!)

We stayed up WAY too late talking, and then slept in a little bit Sunday morning. Had breakfast with Dad and Mel, spent a few hours chatting and reading the Seattle Times (FYI - it's a WAY better paper than the Tri-City Herald!), then drove up to UW to have a late lunch / early dinner with C, J's baby sister.

We got to see her new house (way cute!), and then went down the hill to Aqua Verde for lunch. I highly recommend this place! I had never been before, but had seen a Rachel Ray special about it on the Food Network Channel. It's right on Lake Washington. The chipotle salsa is amazing, as is their guacamole. Good food, resonable prices. We ate out on the deck, and it was beautiful. J and I had to get on the road right after lunch/dinner because he had to work today, but if we had had more time, I would have tried to talk him in to renting a kayak and going out on the lake for awhile. Maybe next time.

We finally got home around 10 pm last night. Late, but totally worth it!

I went to the gym this morning and took two classes. One where I got all sweaty and gross, then I ran down to the locker room and got changed, rinsed off in the shower and then took a water aerobics class.

Whew! I'm now home, and trying to come up with some ideas for blog topics. Hopefully you'll have something more exciting to read tomorrow!

I'm going to go rest for a bit, and have a bowl of cereal! Happy Monday.

R's Rap

One of the boys in my fifth hour class last year (I LOVE that it's summer now and I can say "last year" - even though it was just last week!) was one of those wild and crazy types. During my poetry unit, I play ABBA's "Money, Money, Money" and we compare the lyrics to Edwin Arlington Robinson's poem "Richard Cory." It's a great lesson that usually goes over pretty well with kids. This particular kid asked if he could sing the song to the class, and I said sure. He backed out, of course, because I think he was expecting me to tell him no.

After that, I periodically offered him random chances to "sing us a little song...extra credit if you throw in a dance move or two!" He always turns me down.

On the last day I had that class, he asked if he could rap for the class. I, of course, said sure, but that I wanted to proofread / approve the lyrics before he did it. He said that was fair and got busy writing his own rap about English class.

He gave me the lyrics, I approved them, and guess what he did? He chickened out again.

Oh, well. He was really excited when I pinned the lyrics to my bulletin board where I put student pictures and notes.

Here, for your viewing pleasure, are the lyrics to the nonsensical rap that the public will never hear. (I particularly like his last two lines...I thought they were the most clever!)


Mrs. Hocking,
This class was so cool!
If you did not like it you’re a fool
Who always drools.
Writing poems was the worst part,
I would have rather got run over by a go kart.
We had this class fifth hour,
And now that it is over it feels sour.
Romeo and Juliet made no sense.
Exactly why did Tybalt like to fence?
Now that the year is at a close,
It’s time to reel in the hose,
And I have to say "bye" to my bros.
See you later Mrs. Hocking,
My sophomore year is a knocking.


RH

Is it wrong that...6

Is it wrong that yesterday when J had to get up and get dressed for work I giggled a little bit as I snuggled back down under the covers?

How about when I reminded him that I don't have to go back to work for 10 weeks?

Once upon a time

One day a long, long time ago, there lived a woman who did not whine, nag or bitch.

But it was a long time ago and it was just that one day.


The End

Schools out for summer!

I can't believe it's finally here, but today is the last day of school!

You heard me...today is the last day of school!

I don't think I will get tired of saying that! My face hurts already from smiling so much.

Yahoooooooooo!!!!!!!

I have a TON of plans for this summer, but I think you and I will be seeing each other here a lot more frequently!


PS Happy Anniversary Mom and John! I hope you have fun plans for "our" anniversary! I plan to make my husband take me out to dinner to celebrate the last day of school. He'll drink a beer and we'll toast you!

knowing me, knowing you - June

Shan from Tales from the Fairy Blogmother has been doing a monthly interview post, and I’ve been joining in each month. I’m a little late this month, but here it is, the June installment of Knowing Me, Knowing You!

1. Do you have any pets?
I do. J and I have two cats, Sid and Zoe. They are both 5 years old. I’ve posted lots about them in the past as we don’t have kids yet. They are sweet cats, and they have very distinct personalities. Zoe sleeps under the covers, with or without us. Sid sleeps with his head on a pillow, or on top of one of us. He “pretends” he doesn’t know where Zoe is under the covers and will stand on top of her until we push him away.

2. What's your favorite dessert?
Hands down, crème brulee. Or cheesecake. With fruit toppings.

3. For my fellow bloggers out there - are you a stats checker?
I used to be. But so few people read my blog that I got tired of looking and seeing the same stats over and over and over again. Now I don’t bother.

4. Do you have a gaming system?
Me personally? No. In my house? Yes. J has a PlayStation3 that he uses fairly regularly (probably two or three times a week or so), and I use every once in awhile. I am not good at video games (except Jeopardy), and don’t like to play them very often. J and I own several Legos games (StarWars, Batman, and Indiana Jones) and I do enjoy those. Oh, and I like Guitar Hero even though I – as my students would say – suck hardcore.

5. What is your beverage of choice?
Pepsi or COLD water. I’m trying to drink more water recently, but I do love a nice cold Pepsi every so often. Whatever I drink, it’s cold or lukewarm at best. I don’t enjoy hot drinks at all.

Yesterday, I was flocked

When I left the house to go to school yesterday, look what greeted me when I opened the door!

Pretty cute, huh?

At first I thought we got pranked. (Kids are always "promising" they are going to fork my lawn or tp my trees, but they never do. I'm pretty glad about that.) Turns out this is extortion.

Well, not really. It's a fund raiser (but aren't those two things one and the same?) Two of my students are trying to earn enough money to pay their way to Malibu. A Young Life camp up in Canada somewhere. I've never been myself, but I've heard it's amazing. It was popular when I was in high school, and it's popular still.

Two Young Life kids came to my house in the middle of the night and "flocked" my lawn with the plastic flamingos. Attached to a stake was a note that informed me I had been flocked and it was a fundraiser to send J and C to Malibu. If I donate $20, they will come back to my house and take the flamingos on to someone else's house (someone of my choosing), or if I donate $30 they will come back to my house and remove the flamingos. And, if I want to be a Scrooge, they will come back for free and take them away.

It's highway robbery, I tell you.

But, the kids invovled are amazing young people, and Malibu is a pretty worthy goal, so I bit. I called one of the perpetrators in to my room and wrote the stinker a check. He's going to come back at 4:00 and remove them...

then he's taking them to my friend's house...

This could be dangerous

Oh, yeah! Summer's almost here and look what I just got! Added bonus: my district will reimburse teachers up to $250 for professional development. As an English teacher? Yeah, pretty much anything I read counts. I'm downloaded and uploaded and ready to go!