Another successful feast. Even as I type, the remains of the turkey are in the oven along with some aromatic veggies to make a dark stock. This is not only healthy (rich as sin, too), but forces me to pick all the meat off the bird and get everything out of the kitchen. White meat, for sandwiches, in one container, dark meat, for soup and stews (turkey chili!) in another. I used to just take the white and say the hell with the rest, but my youngest loves the drumsticks - for a little thing she can do a real piranha job. And I don't mind the stronger flavor as I have aged.
Not so many leftovers...small containers of sweet and white mashed potatoes. 1/4 of a pumpkin, and half of a huge caramel pecan apple pie our guest brought, and we can't stop picking at it. Got fixings for an apple pie (tomorrow) in the fridge, maybe another pumpkin. I like to cook, I just don't like feeling that I am being forced to cook.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A breath of relief
Yay - the extra long weekend of Thanksgiving is here. Yes, "Black" Friday is in there (maybe Obama will do something about that name), but I basically avoid leaving the house anywhere you can use money for the whole weekend, so I can avoid crazed shoppers. This year I think will be worse than usual.
The relief of not having to teach is palpable. I don't get to sleep any later, and have plenty to do at home, but not trying to juggle teaching and behavior management (and feeling guilty that the kids aren't listening/learning and that it is my fault) plus all the day-to-day paperwork (of which there is a ton...yesterday turned in the team notebook which includes weekly lesson plans from the four teachers, all conference reports filled out during parent meetings (of which we have at least 3 weekly), copies of any exams, logs of telephone calls to parents (again, several daily)...you get the picture - somebody doesn't think we are doing our job, so it gets complicated by PROVING we are doing our job, which takes away from our job, which makes us look bad)...
Tomorrow I get to relax by cooking. The house will smell good, we have a small crowd - only 12. The usual simple things, turkey, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes (recipe from Cooks Illustrated), somebody else making green bean casserole, ditto with stuffing (tired of hearing how somebody's mother's is better), maybe up to 3 pies for dessert. Then pick the carcass, store the meat and brown the bones and leavings to make dark stock....mmmmmmm.
Monday it was pouring down rain in the morning, so I didn't bike (although the brake situation is fixed), and just was lazy yesterday. Probably will do a fun ride or two over the weekend just to keep the muscles from forgetting things. Enjoying driving the car more than I should - the accomplishment of smoothing shifting...in my early driving days I dreaded shifting. I would avoid potential stops on inclines, I would do anything not to downshift. Now I am having fun doing "real" driving for the first time in decades. It all comes back, just like riding a bike (see how I brought all that back together...and you didn't think I could do it).
The relief of not having to teach is palpable. I don't get to sleep any later, and have plenty to do at home, but not trying to juggle teaching and behavior management (and feeling guilty that the kids aren't listening/learning and that it is my fault) plus all the day-to-day paperwork (of which there is a ton...yesterday turned in the team notebook which includes weekly lesson plans from the four teachers, all conference reports filled out during parent meetings (of which we have at least 3 weekly), copies of any exams, logs of telephone calls to parents (again, several daily)...you get the picture - somebody doesn't think we are doing our job, so it gets complicated by PROVING we are doing our job, which takes away from our job, which makes us look bad)...
Tomorrow I get to relax by cooking. The house will smell good, we have a small crowd - only 12. The usual simple things, turkey, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes (recipe from Cooks Illustrated), somebody else making green bean casserole, ditto with stuffing (tired of hearing how somebody's mother's is better), maybe up to 3 pies for dessert. Then pick the carcass, store the meat and brown the bones and leavings to make dark stock....mmmmmmm.
Monday it was pouring down rain in the morning, so I didn't bike (although the brake situation is fixed), and just was lazy yesterday. Probably will do a fun ride or two over the weekend just to keep the muscles from forgetting things. Enjoying driving the car more than I should - the accomplishment of smoothing shifting...in my early driving days I dreaded shifting. I would avoid potential stops on inclines, I would do anything not to downshift. Now I am having fun doing "real" driving for the first time in decades. It all comes back, just like riding a bike (see how I brought all that back together...and you didn't think I could do it).
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Remember Me?
A week "off" to Colorado for Spc. Chris Fox's memorial. Got to meet people I have only heard about and seen pictures of, as well as old friends who I haven't seen for anywhere from 2-5 years. Colorado is nice, but oxygen levels are low. Combine with sleep apnea and my body is aching for long nights of sleep. School doesn't allow this, though.
A week without cycling also takes its toll, although today I realized my brake pads are rubbing some, which is making it harder to drive. Internet to the rescue, though, and I think I can fix it. Naturally it has been borderline freezing the past two mornings, so that adds to the fatigue.
One more week and Thanksgiving break arrives. Then a scant 3 weeks before the year-end break. I think I can do this. Looking forward to cooking turkey and all the extras, especially since there won't be a house full (full to me means the 20 or so I cooked for a few years back. Two turkeys, etc.) so I can put things on or in the stove and relax a bit.
A week without cycling also takes its toll, although today I realized my brake pads are rubbing some, which is making it harder to drive. Internet to the rescue, though, and I think I can fix it. Naturally it has been borderline freezing the past two mornings, so that adds to the fatigue.
One more week and Thanksgiving break arrives. Then a scant 3 weeks before the year-end break. I think I can do this. Looking forward to cooking turkey and all the extras, especially since there won't be a house full (full to me means the 20 or so I cooked for a few years back. Two turkeys, etc.) so I can put things on or in the stove and relax a bit.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Almost there
It was kind of fun to fill in the dates in my gradebook today. Highlighting out the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Even though there are technically six weeks to the break, I will be out most of next week, this week is already over, so just a week prior to Thanksgiving. Then two and a fraction after that before Christmas. It will FLY by. yeah, right.
The election results ramped the kids up, and brought an interesting racial revelation to light. Almost all my students think because I am white I naturally had to have voted for McCain. I don't discuss politics or religion, so they have no reason to think one way or another. But I find the more unsavory, unimaginitive kids to be the ones to use "McCain" as a curse to me, or to sing-song "McCain lost." It is humorous on the surface, but the underlying message is pretty disturbing.
Little nice things - A book I have been awaiting (Anathem by Neal Stephenson) is in at the library, just in time to take it for a 7-day loaner to Colorado. Probably stop by there coming home tomorrow. I have most of my planning done for next week, just have to run off a bunch of copies and such. There have been a number of kids transferred off the team or just moved to other schools, which has lessened the burden somewhat. Still too many broken ones.
Fall is certainly here. Some trees have leaves directly below, no windblown patches or anything. As if they got Agent Orange'd and *flump* all the leaves just fell off in an instant. Going to make riding somewhat problematical. I can manage small sticks, nuts of varying states of consumption, but wet leaves, not so much. And now, as I am typing (instead of during the day when I could do something about it) I remember that the front break on the bike is not totally secure, which means it won't work. Good thing I never use it.
The election results ramped the kids up, and brought an interesting racial revelation to light. Almost all my students think because I am white I naturally had to have voted for McCain. I don't discuss politics or religion, so they have no reason to think one way or another. But I find the more unsavory, unimaginitive kids to be the ones to use "McCain" as a curse to me, or to sing-song "McCain lost." It is humorous on the surface, but the underlying message is pretty disturbing.
Little nice things - A book I have been awaiting (Anathem by Neal Stephenson) is in at the library, just in time to take it for a 7-day loaner to Colorado. Probably stop by there coming home tomorrow. I have most of my planning done for next week, just have to run off a bunch of copies and such. There have been a number of kids transferred off the team or just moved to other schools, which has lessened the burden somewhat. Still too many broken ones.
Fall is certainly here. Some trees have leaves directly below, no windblown patches or anything. As if they got Agent Orange'd and *flump* all the leaves just fell off in an instant. Going to make riding somewhat problematical. I can manage small sticks, nuts of varying states of consumption, but wet leaves, not so much. And now, as I am typing (instead of during the day when I could do something about it) I remember that the front break on the bike is not totally secure, which means it won't work. Good thing I never use it.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Grrrr
Today started off as crap. Rode to school, but the jerkwads who were 20 minutes early for the polls (we host voting) wouldn't move to let me enter the teacher's entrance. They had huddled between the two sets of doors, and sort of laughed when I asked to come through. So I rode to the front of the school where ALL the doors were locked, and early (very early) students were available to heckle me and my spandex. So back around to the door and I guess I had a look or something because people got out of my way. While at the front of the school if I had been able to locate my phone I would have called my principal and told her to take my job and shove it sideways.
The day didn't really improve after that. Boy scrawls " is a hoe" (yes, the garden tool, not 'ho), and I tell an assistant principal, and he tells me we don't have proof so don't do anything. Six boys scream loud and long in the bathroom - I round them up and take them to the same asst. principal (who is in charge of discipline for the 7th grade) who warns them, etc. Boy's bathroom smells like an ashtray, which is better than the stale urine smell from yesterday. Two kids transferred off our team, reducing our trouble load, but raises concerns about actually promoting discipline rather than just shifting a problem and hoping it gets better.
Ride past home to vote. Went quickly, in fact half the time of my wife who went during the day. Then back to the car dealership, where amazingly they were able to trim the cost to a monthly payment we would live with. Joking about the washed car (clean and shiny) being the $1000 difference. Got some credits for dinner, and a 3 day/2 night vacation package, plus maintenance, and a full tank of gas (to replace the recently filled tank in the trade-in car - doh!). So we have a shiny new '09 Versa with a six-speed standard transmission, power windows, locks, cruise control. Had 9 miles on it when we drove it away...didn't seem like a popular test drive choice.
Staying away from the news and such tonight. Neck has been bad lately from stress.
The story of my life and how it is messed up, in one incident
When I was young, I remember my parents going somewhere and bringing back helium balloons for me and my brother. This was an extravagence, something we had never dared even ask for, since my family was frugal to a fault. On the way home one of balloons popped, and the remaining one was given to my brother, illustrating his favored status. I, on the other hand, wept for the loss of the balloon and regretted the measly (but to me, princely sum of) 50 cents that had been spent, and lost, on my behalf, knowing that I didn't deserve a frivolous item.
The day didn't really improve after that. Boy scrawls "
Ride past home to vote. Went quickly, in fact half the time of my wife who went during the day. Then back to the car dealership, where amazingly they were able to trim the cost to a monthly payment we would live with. Joking about the washed car (clean and shiny) being the $1000 difference. Got some credits for dinner, and a 3 day/2 night vacation package, plus maintenance, and a full tank of gas (to replace the recently filled tank in the trade-in car - doh!). So we have a shiny new '09 Versa with a six-speed standard transmission, power windows, locks, cruise control. Had 9 miles on it when we drove it away...didn't seem like a popular test drive choice.
Staying away from the news and such tonight. Neck has been bad lately from stress.
The story of my life and how it is messed up, in one incident
When I was young, I remember my parents going somewhere and bringing back helium balloons for me and my brother. This was an extravagence, something we had never dared even ask for, since my family was frugal to a fault. On the way home one of balloons popped, and the remaining one was given to my brother, illustrating his favored status. I, on the other hand, wept for the loss of the balloon and regretted the measly (but to me, princely sum of) 50 cents that had been spent, and lost, on my behalf, knowing that I didn't deserve a frivolous item.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Couple of days
Election day is looming. I can't say I care one way or the other - my pitiful single vote doesn't make a whole lot of difference. I do worry, though, that a lot of the spiteful rhetoric isn't going to evaporate like dew on a sunny day. There are seriously crazy people (on both sides) who aren't going to be able to respect the office even though they might not like the office-holder. And down that path lies social chaos.
Good things I forgot to mention the other day - filling the car's gas tank for $30 or less. Hasn't happened in a long time (and hey, didn't Exxon/Mobil have record profits yet again?).
Been in a foul mood all weekend. No particular reason, but school gives me plenty. Excessive paperwork, a massive student project that has to be "judged" by outsiders to the school, and even though it was not going to be officially graded, somebody had the bright idea of putting it on the report card. Now we math teachers have been slipped a number - 91% proficient. Beats me where they pull this stuff, but I know on a given day I don't have 91% of my kids who are compliant with the dress code. Last year I taught over 100 kids, and from what I could tell from test scores only 8 scored less than proficient. Sounds like I already hit that benchmark, but the sky is already falling and whips are cracking. Plus taking four days off means I have to prepare lessons that are basically self taught for the sub to hand out. And having seen the kids working in groups for two days - well, it is hard to believe they can do anything with OR without supervision.
Today I took some of my frustration out by visiting one of the (four) local Nissan dealerships. We bought our first car from them in 2002 and they send us all kinds of cute mailings about trading in, demand is high for our old car, etc. Reading between the lines, they want to have our debt. The latest mailing said they will give us "maximum trade in" for our current car and will get us a new car at the same or lower payments (the car is paid off, so again, good luck there). We went in armed with a few bits of knowledge - first, the trade-in for our car is around $7000. Second, our niece got a new Versa in June for around $12,000. So, we figured we might be able to get a decent deal. Found the only manual transmission car on the lot, which was an OK color and interior. Went inside to start playing the number game.
The first offer was ridiculous. They not only lowballed the trade-in, but then deducted over $1000 for things accounted for by the estimate I had online (paint, wear and tear, etc.). The "generous" manufacturer cash offer amounted to $500, which seemed less than generous. We came to realize we had picked a lousy time, since all the October deals ended on Friday and the dealers won't get November incentives until Monday. On top of this, they deal more at the end of months, when sales goals need to be met. We held firm, told the salesman in no uncertain terms where we wanted to see numbers, and exactly how they could get them there. Two rounds later we hadn't budged and the manager came in to explain margins on the smaller cars and how he would be taking a loss. I told him I would come back when they sent the "free turkey" postcards out and see if they were ready to put us in a new car. In the meantime we would visit other dealers to see how reasonable they could be. Then we had to wait for our car to be brought back around - they had anticipated we would sign the papers on the new one.
We walked out smiling, not having been forced into anything and feeling like we held the upper hand. And we just might do it again next weekend, with the dealership that sold us the Sentra. We have a plot in mind for them to assume the note on the Sentra, roll the unpaid portion into a new loan for a Versa - as long as they can meet the price we want to pay. It is fun to be a bastard sometimes.
Good things I forgot to mention the other day - filling the car's gas tank for $30 or less. Hasn't happened in a long time (and hey, didn't Exxon/Mobil have record profits yet again?).
Been in a foul mood all weekend. No particular reason, but school gives me plenty. Excessive paperwork, a massive student project that has to be "judged" by outsiders to the school, and even though it was not going to be officially graded, somebody had the bright idea of putting it on the report card. Now we math teachers have been slipped a number - 91% proficient. Beats me where they pull this stuff, but I know on a given day I don't have 91% of my kids who are compliant with the dress code. Last year I taught over 100 kids, and from what I could tell from test scores only 8 scored less than proficient. Sounds like I already hit that benchmark, but the sky is already falling and whips are cracking. Plus taking four days off means I have to prepare lessons that are basically self taught for the sub to hand out. And having seen the kids working in groups for two days - well, it is hard to believe they can do anything with OR without supervision.
Today I took some of my frustration out by visiting one of the (four) local Nissan dealerships. We bought our first car from them in 2002 and they send us all kinds of cute mailings about trading in, demand is high for our old car, etc. Reading between the lines, they want to have our debt. The latest mailing said they will give us "maximum trade in" for our current car and will get us a new car at the same or lower payments (the car is paid off, so again, good luck there). We went in armed with a few bits of knowledge - first, the trade-in for our car is around $7000. Second, our niece got a new Versa in June for around $12,000. So, we figured we might be able to get a decent deal. Found the only manual transmission car on the lot, which was an OK color and interior. Went inside to start playing the number game.
The first offer was ridiculous. They not only lowballed the trade-in, but then deducted over $1000 for things accounted for by the estimate I had online (paint, wear and tear, etc.). The "generous" manufacturer cash offer amounted to $500, which seemed less than generous. We came to realize we had picked a lousy time, since all the October deals ended on Friday and the dealers won't get November incentives until Monday. On top of this, they deal more at the end of months, when sales goals need to be met. We held firm, told the salesman in no uncertain terms where we wanted to see numbers, and exactly how they could get them there. Two rounds later we hadn't budged and the manager came in to explain margins on the smaller cars and how he would be taking a loss. I told him I would come back when they sent the "free turkey" postcards out and see if they were ready to put us in a new car. In the meantime we would visit other dealers to see how reasonable they could be. Then we had to wait for our car to be brought back around - they had anticipated we would sign the papers on the new one.
We walked out smiling, not having been forced into anything and feeling like we held the upper hand. And we just might do it again next weekend, with the dealership that sold us the Sentra. We have a plot in mind for them to assume the note on the Sentra, roll the unpaid portion into a new loan for a Versa - as long as they can meet the price we want to pay. It is fun to be a bastard sometimes.
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