AAAACHOOO

Got in Texas and I was just about to get over a chest cold. Mom had a cold and by now we all have colds. None of us are getting much sleep at night. Living in the land of the miserable. Taking Mom to the doctor later today. She's been caughing so much her back has knotted up and she can't get comfortable.
Grinnygranny has taken Auntypesty to get her driver's liscence. To all drivers in this area --DUCK!

Went into Fort Worth yesterday and saw the exhibit on Hatshepsut. Stood in line to get tickets longer than it took to walk through it. It was half price Tuesday and busy busy busy. There was one statue of Hatshepsut when she was just the Queen, and is in the best condition of all of them. Walking around it made you feel like her eyes followed you. Kind of creepy. Auntypesty really enjoyed it.
Ritchie went outside with E while we were in line to get tickets and ran his head off. The weather was pleasant and he has been shut up in the car for two days driving and then Sunday and Monday it was rainy and windy. He has about twenty cars from Chritmas and is having the time of his life rolling them all over the floor and cabinets. The only problem is that we can't get him to stop feeding the dog. Sadie follows him around waiting for scraps which doesn't make it very easy.
Heading home tomorrow. First Monday starts tomorrow too, but I don't think we'll have time to walk around -- not much money to spend either.

On the road

The snow storm on Tuesday and Wednesday delayed my books getting here by a day. We waited till Friday afternoon, and they finally got here. The we took off for Texas. Yesterday was a long day of driving and today other than attending Methodist Church in the morning and Catholic service (neice was playing an angel in the pageant) we've taken it rather easy. Actually I stayed here with Ritchie as he was running a fever and had the sniffles while everyone else went to the pageant. It looks like tomorrow will be a big day of opening gifts and eating alot of food.
I'm autographing and giving out copies of my novel as Christmas presents to all the family members. I've already had two people e-mail me wanting copies, and I set up a PO box for those wishing to buy an autographed copy. You can get the particulars by clicking on the Optimus link at the side. I'll get those out as soon as we get back from the trip.

Here's wishing one and all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

How proud I am

It's real and it's here. I took it to school the last two days and have shown it off. If I had them I could have sold at least 20 copies. The librarian took down the information and is considering ordering a copy. A couple of English teachers said if they like it they might buy classroom sets. Hard to tell yet if they're just blowing smoke up my tailpipe. I've ordered 50 copies and they should arrive just before we leave for Texas. After I've used them for Christmas presents to all the family I don't know if I'll have any left over to sell.

Auntypesty has fussed at Grinnygranny and me ever since she's been ten years old whenever we call her our baby. We keep telling her that she's the youngest and will always be our baby. Then over at the Optimus blog I referred to the novel as "My Baby". Would you believe she took exception to that?

Red Letter Day

Got home and waiting for me was a package with two copies of my novel. They are finally here. I'll have around 50 copies after the first of the year. That's as much as I can afford right now.

Finals coming up

Just one more week and the school year is half over. Doesn't the time go by in a blink? Except when you've sold your prep period and are teaching six classes a day instead of five! Still a couple of weeks off and time with family will help recharge my batteries.

Adding a new link to the political blogs -- jurassicpork -- he posts Paul Krugman editorials that NY Times have started making people pay to read. I have missed Krugman's wisdom for some time now, it will be nice to have a backdoor.

Been shopping

Went to get the permanent crown on my tooth, it didn't fit so I have to go back Thursday. Bummer.
Met Grinnygranny at Cottonwood. I decided my Christmas would be a new sports coat. I went to the Men's Warehouse met the salesman -- former student. He tried to sell me a nice blue coat for $170. Told him I check around and might be back. Went to all the dept stores in the mall. Dillards thought their coats were made out of gold or something. Found a nice coat at Sears and got in line to buy it when I look around and there's the former student from the Men's Warehouse right behind me. What could I say, the coat at Sears was just as good and a hundred bucks cheaper.
Grinnygranny decided her Christmas would be a new pair of boots. Found them at Penny's. Our Christmas is taken care of.
I went through my closet and took out all the jackets that no longer fit. Don't know if I should take them to Goodwill or if someone in Texas could use them. Maybe Dad or D.
Can't wait for the semester to end and getting on the road to Texas.

Captains log

Stardate 1201.0830

The Baker report is coming out, and Dubbya is already letting everyone know his mind is made up don't confuse it with facts. His security advisor's warning about the Shi'ite militia dominance and the upcoming bloodbath of Sunni's when they finally have total control of the government and the U.S. trained armed forces were totally ignored.
The only hope for our troops right now is for a bi-partisan Congress to insist that the Baker report be implimented or cut off all funds. That will be the only leverage effective enough to save American lives. In my opinion any member of congress, that includes Leiberman, who continues to support the Bush-Cheney madness needs to be replaced like all those other supporters who lost their jobs last month. It's time to stop making our gallant young men and women cannon fodder for delusional fools seeking glory and grandeur at their expense.

Bush doesn't want to admit it but the job is over. The Shi'ites have won. Al Sadr will become the leader of Iraq just like Khomeni did in Iran. The Kurds will create their own country, and all the president's horses and all the president's men will never be able to put Iraq together again. It may take years and the carnage will be terrible. The outcome is inevitable. If not Al Sadr, whoever the Shi'ite leader is at the time will emerge victorious. Sheer number of population and Iran's support will be too much for the land-locked Sunni triangle to survive. The Kurds won't help the Ba'athists who tried to wipe them out, and they are going to have enough problems with a disgruntled Turkey and Syria.
I do hope my cyrstal ball is wrong.

Two Hour Delay

On a two hour delay today. Nice to get up fix breakfast, watch a little of the Today Show and then I'll go to class with about an hour and a half to get caught up on grading papers. Couldn't have come at a better time.
Looking forward to trip to Texas, hope there's not another storm like this when the time comes.

Time to relax

GreekShadow is now the Optimus blog. Anyone wanting an autographed copy (won't have any myself until February, so please be patient God knows I'm not) That blog has my e-mail on the top of the page. Drop me a line so I can send you one.

Went to UNM South course yesterday and played with three retired Sandia Lab guys. When I hit a shot into the left bunker on hole #3 one of them told me to be respectful of that sand, one of their friend's ashes was sprinkled into it. I guess that's as good a place as any for a final resting place.

Grinnygranny slept on and off for most of the day Thursday. We had a nice dinner of Ham with honey glaze, real mashed potatoes, ambrosia, and pumpkin pie. We'll have leftovers for days to come. I gave the bone from the ham to Lucy and Watson -- talk about two really happy dogs.

E figured out that if he has Ritchie and we are in Texas he doesn't have anyone to watch him, so he's going to try and get those days off and come with us on our trip. Normally MIL would stay over and keep an eye on the animals, but she's in Nebraska, so we'll need to find someone to check in on them.

I think we're going to see Casino Royale today. Grinnygranny seems to be up to it.

Good News

Here it is, click on the link then write in Optimus: Praetorian Guard on the search bar, it'll take you right to it.

Dear P. M. Prescott,

Congratulations on your book! It has been sent to print this week. The book is now available to order through the PublishAmerica online bookstore, and you should be receiving your complimentary author copies within the next 4-6 weeks.

The official release date for your book, Optimus: Praetorian Guard, will be approximately two months from the date of printing (Monday, 11/21/2006), on Monday, 1/22/2007. This is the date by which other booksellers should have your book’s information in their ordering systems.

Regards,
Public Relations Team

Grinnygranny is doing well, she's resting now, but I did have to stop her from going out to get the mail. Now she's hungry and thirsty so I need to fix dinner.

More music

When I left for college I left behind almost all of the music on records. They were mostly single .45's. I took exactly one .33 lp album. Iron Butterfly's Ina godda davida. Mom was never so happy to get peace and quiet. The seventies were the death of vinyl records with 8track and cassettes tapes being more verstile for travel. Bruce had a stereo where the speakers folded on top to make a brief case. It had turntable, radio and cassette. Best of all you could dub from the turntable onto the cassette. In the summers when I was home from college I did a lot of dubbing. I also joined two record clubs where you got so many free albums then paid through the nose for the ones you were obligated to buy. They built up, still have most of them gathering dust for many years. There was one group Bruce bought records of that I dubbed and listened to for hours. Bill Chase. The ultimate trumpet player. He could go into the rafters like no other artist before or since. He only made two albums and died in an airplane crash. He is rather obscure. Bruce has the albums, the tapes are long since dead and they have never been released on cd. His most popular song was Get it on. I liked Boys and Girls Together the most.

Then there are show tunes.

The one that has a special place in my heart is Lerner and Lowes' Paint Your Wagon. I gew up listening to They Call the Wind Mariah, There's a coach commin in, I still see Elisa, I talk to the trees.
My senior year in high school is when the movie came out. We went to see it at the Sunshine Theater on Christmas day. It starred Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Harve Presnell as Rotten Luck Louie, who sang Mariah. I still see his name come up on credits on T.V. from time to time, though he's not singing. He did do a wonderful job on Mariah, the only song in the entire movie worth listening too. Lee Marvin's fog horn of a voice on Wondering Star was like hearing tires screeching. One radio station played the song and had twenty calls in ten minutes demanding they never play it again. The movie does have a special place in my memories and I enjoy watching it from time to time.

Then there is Cats. It gave me my theme song: Memories -- I love Barbra Streisand's version of that song. We have the video of the stage play and watch it about every three or four months. I even showed it to my Social Psychology students, when I was teaching the class. I then had them do field research in the school's halls recording all the students they could classify as Gumby cats, Rum Tug Tuggers, Bustopher Jones, etc.
Whenever you get one of those songs in your head that drive you crazy and you want it out, you know the feeling. I just start humming Memories and the brain can't hold two thoughts like that at the same time. I call it my killer tune. I could hum or sing Memories for hours and never get tired of it.
If I do get tired of Memories my fall back tune is Song of angry men from Les Miserables. Aunty Pesty would roll her eyes and fuss, but I loved pulling out the video of the ten year concert performance or listening to the cd while driving.

Then there is Phantom of the Opera.

Nuff said.

Music

Brian posted the music that affected his life over the years, and Irina followed suit. Thought I would join in on the fun.

The song that first really touched me and left an indelible impression was Moon River. I was only eight years old when I saw the picture Breakfast at Tiffany's and I was humming the song for weeks after it. Drove Mom and Bruce bonkers. I still have a fondness for the song and can watch the movie over and over again. I saw the movie when I was in my twenties and it made a lot more than when I was only eight, but it didn't affect me any less.

Moon river
wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style
some day.

The next song that affected me was not so much by its lyrics, but by it's powerful melody.
The theme song from Exodus.
This land is mine God gave this land to me...
I used to play it on my clarinet all the time.
The movie to me was tedious and disappointing. Paul Newman overacted something awful.

Dad had two albums of saxophone instumentals. Bill Black and his Combo, and Bill Black's Solid and Raunchy. One of the bigger hits was Taquilla. Dad, Bruce and I wore those albums out. Mom never appreciated them.
Then at age 16 I discovered George Gershwin. I still could listen to Rhapsody in Blue for hours.

Pop radio music I was not that big on Elvis or the Beatles.

Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter
girls like her are really something rare
but it's sad
she doesn't love me now
I'd go down on my knee
but it's no good to pine.

I really dug Herman's Hermits.

Gary Lewis and the Playboys:

Who wants to bu ay ay this diamond ri i i ng
she took it of her finger now
it doesn't mean a thi i ing
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
and this diamond ring can be dreams that are coming true
so if your love is tru oo oo
let it shine for you oo oo

Then there was The Associations' Cherish, Standing Still and Wendy
Simon and Garfunkle's I am a rock, Sounds of silence, The Boxer, Bridge over troubled water. There's never been more poetic music ever written. Richard Cory comes to mind too.

Most of the music though in my life has been gospel.

The Old Rugged Cross
At Calvary
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Amazing Grace
Just As I Am
Holy Holy Holy
Softly and Tenderly
He Lives
Let Jesus Come Into Your Heart

Songs that have such tremendous meaning and beauty. I can't stomach the cotton candy, meaningless, repititious drivel of praise choruses currently stuffed down congregations throats in church today. I refuse to be brainwashed into Theocracy.
I sang in the choirs that performed The Messiah, Tell It Like It Is, Natural High, Show Me, Celebrate Life, and other cantatas. Church music had so much wealth. Currently it is so pathetic and poor.

In the 70's I discovered Lobo, Moody Blues, the Carpenters, James Taylor, John Denver, and Neil Diamond.

To be continued.

Hip hip hurray

I received the cover for my book today. They did a spectacular job. It's on to the printers and will be out soon. Can't wait.

Had more work done on the tooth that was giving me trouble. I have a temp crown on it and go back in few weeks for the permanent.

Grinnygranny's surgery scheduled for today has been postponed. We go to another doctor tomorrow and see if she can have the surgery. This may keep us from having around ten people over for Thanksgiving if they reschedule her surgery for next week.

BIL driving in today trying to get MIL to go back to Nebraska with him for Thanksgiving. It would be nice for MIL to be there as all their kids and grandkids will be there. I hope he brought dynamite as that's what it will take to get her out of that house.

Long week over

Here's some pictures from Glorieta I took last week. Aspens are so pretty when they turn gold.

I started the project Warlords of Japan this week. It'll go to Thanksgiving break. It is involved and keeps me hopping the whole period, with no prep period that makes for a really long day and I don't feel like doing much after I get home except rest. I'll post more once the unit is over.

Dateline Glorieta

The good things about the trip to Glorieta I'm writing about here, the rant is at Greek Shadow.

Drove up after I finally got away from the classroom. Nice enough drive. Had a good meal. Rested a little in the room while Grinnygranny had a meeting on team building. We're staying in the Hall of States and it is really nice. Over the years I've stayed in private cabins, church cabins, college cabins, Oklahoma hall, Texas Hall, Thunderbird hall, and Chaparelle Hall. Chaparelle and Hall of States are the creme de la creme in Glorieta. The room was nice and the bed was comfortable, more than could be said of most Hotels and Motels across the country. It feels a little funny going into a room like that, though and not having a tv set. The campground is in a bowl surrounded by mountains and doesn't get reception. I kind of liked not having the idiot box as a distraction.
Around eight o'clock I went to where they are meeting as they had scheduled an hour of games. We played Pictionary and another game I can't think the name of right now, but it had a round plastice game piece with a lever on the side. You pressed in the lever and on a little screen would appear a word or phrase that you tried to get people to guess without using the word or words in the phrase. There was a timer and after the word or phrase was guessed you would hand the game piece to the person next to you, the person who was still holding the game piece when the buzzer sounded the other team got a point. It was fun, except when you've got the stupid game piece in your hand, the beeping is getting shorter warning that it's about to go off and no one can hear you give your clues because everyone is laughing from the answer before you!
Had a nice big breakfast, did I mention big breakfast. Full bowl of real, not instant, oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, pears, scrambled eggs, hashbrown, salsa, extra thick cut bacon. Stuffed myself. As we are leaving the dining hall Grinnygranny says in all the years we've been coming here she's never been to the top of lookout mountain. So we drive behind the prayer gardens, park and start walking. There is a telephone pole with an arrow painted on it saying this is the start of the trail to lookout point. Behind the pole are huge bolders and you have to climb over them to get started up the trail. "You've got to be kidding?" is all could think, but up we go. More bolders, tree roots, actually the tree roots help act as steps. Up and up it went, from time to time I would stop to catch my breath and she would look at me with a hurry up. Hey I'm packing more that a hundred pounds around my middle than she has! We get to where they've installed cell phone towers (you can see cigatette butts all around the fenced off towers -- stupid stupid stupid with the fire danger the last four years. A miracle they didn't start a fire!) Anyway a little past the towers we made it to the top, huffing and puffing, but we got there. goind down was a lot easier on the lungs, but you really had to be careful not to twist an ankle or trip on the rocks and tree roots. We made it down and surprisingly enough I didn't leave that big breakfast on the side of the trail. I told grinnygranny that we should have done this twenty-eight years ago when we met, as I was in a lot better shape then than now.
Grinnygranny then went to her meeting and I took a fifteen minute nap in the room before packing everything up and putting it in the cars. At lunch Grinnygranny said she still hasn't caught her breath from that climb. That'll teach her.
I went to the bookstore to see if they would let me do a book signing this summer. They have to have Nashville's approval, We'll see. I told the publisher to have it listed under Historical fiction and Christian fiction. I'll just have to lobby Lifeway to add it to their booklist.
My cell phone died without me knowing about it yesterday, and grinnygranny left three messages telling me to bring the digital camera which I never got. Soooo I bought a disposable camera then walked around taking pictures. I'll get them developed over the weekend and post some of them. We're about two weeks too late for the aspens. Most of the leaves are off now, which is a shame because when they are all decked out in yellow they are gorgeous.

Can't believe she's 20

Auntypest is 20 today. Hard to believe my little girl is no longer a teenager.

Grinnygranny left for Glorieta this morning. She wanted me to go with her today as well, but I needed to get my classes ready for the test tomorrow when I will be gone. I'm going up after school today. I always love going there.

Having lunch with E and his mystery lady Saturday, that's also Southwest Writers Workshop and wedding anniversary.

Nothing like everything hitting at once.

I hate DST

You forget just how many clocks you have until either the power goes off or Daylight Savings Time. At least when the power goes off you don't have to reset your wrist watches and the ones that are battery powered. With DST they all have to be changed. I haven't been out to the cars yet to change them, but most of the ones in the house are all changed.
E has a girl friend and has been rather scarce ever since he hooked up with her. Saturday we're taking them to lunch so we can finally meet the mystery lady. She has a three year old and a six year old. It's made him miss Ritchie a little more. He said that he noticed at work he has his child radar back on and didn't even notice when it had stopped.
Looking forward to Grinnygranny's staff retreat Thursday and Friday. She's going up to Glorieta Thursday morning, I'll drive up after school, spend the night and we'll be back home Friday evening. It'll be the first time we've been to Glorieta since all the renovation. I hope the book store is open and I can set up some book signings in the Spring and Summer.
I'm about half way through reviewing the page proofs. Hope to have it over in a few more days and can sign off. I've found a few revisions, but at 95,000 words that's to be expected.

F-I-N-A-L-L-Y

Page proof came today. Grinnygranny and I will go over them this weekend and get back to publisher. It goes to Cover Design, and then it gets published. Thanksgiving seems a little too soon, but possibly Christmas. Cross fingers.

Slack Jawed Amazement

Sunday I posted a rant on my Greek Shadow blog. I mentioned and commented on the latest interview on a magazine best known for having a staple in the navel of a lovely young lady. Today I got an e-mail from the magazine. They condensed down what I said and asked if they could include it in their "letters" section for an upcoming issue.
I agreed, and am actually a little honored -- I think. On touchy ground with Grinnygranny and it could be a little embarassing for her at work if it got out.

I've got a cold in my nose

• Really rotten timing. Started coming down with a cold Friday. There was a department party at the dept. chair's house Saturday. It was an unofficial goodbye for Robyn as she's going downhill very fast. I had to call and express my regrets as I didn't want to give her this cold.
• I did take Grinnygranny out shopping for black pants and a skirt she just had to have to go with the new BCNM shirt everyone is going to wear. She's going to convention Monday and will be out of town for a few days. E's working evenings so I'm going to be by myself. I like having a few hours after school to to rest up and relax before she gets home from work, but I really hate being alone at night. It just doesn't feel right. Nothing on T.V. grabs my attention and I get restless. The house feels so empty. It takes these few days every year for me to really appreciate her.
• The worst part of having a cold on the weekend is I don't have the enegy to golf. Maybe I'll feel good enough to get in some playing time while Grinnygranny's out of town.

It's here!

• We have the new refrigerator. It's a few inches narrower than the older one, but at least it works. Wow ten years ago we got 20 cubic feet today the same price will only get you 18.2.
• School has turned into a comfortable routine, though without a prep it's hell keeping up with the grading. One of our Ass principles left for an alternative school, and they are revisiting making us all turn in lesson plans. It only takes me about two minutes to edit and print the textbooks lesson plans, but I could do without having to use up precious ink to do it. Since the printer is mine and the cost of the ink cartridges come out of my pocket.
• I'm staying out of things this year, playing it by ear if I return next year or not. A lot depends on what happens with the sales of my book, should the publisher ever send me the galley proofs (it's been two weeks since they said they'd get them to me and I'm getting antsy).
• E's missing Ritchie. Not being able to take him trick-0r-treating this year brought it home to him.

Crash

Had a pleasant weekend. The three of us went golfing on Sunday and though a little sore it was a fine start to the week.
Then I got home yesterday to discover that everything in the freezer was thawed, and the refrigerator wasn't very cold. When Grinnygranny got home we had to go out and buy a new one. It won't be delivered until Thursday. Our little freezer saved some of the food, but we couldn't re-freeze most of what had thawed. I cooked some of the meat so it could be frozen, and the rest was a special treat for the dogs.
It always seems to be something we're having to replace lately.

TGIF

The crazy week is finally over. Looking forward to driving down by the river in the morning and getting some pictures of the balloons to post. The last two days have been really good, but we've had to work, and didn't feel like going to the glowdeos. It is really such a hassle even with the park n rides.
Have a number of errands to do over the weekend too. Maybe I'll get a good round of golf in on Sunday.

Good day

Sunday finally got back on the golf course, not a very good score, but it felt good to hit the ball again.

Monday I napped off and on all day. Needed a really good day of rest.

Today E had the day off so we went and did nine holes. Score was a lot better.

Tomorrow is parent/teacher conference day. Regular school hours for parents to show up and get their students report card and see how they are doing, then back 5:30 to 7:30pm. Gong to make for a really long day. I hope I have a good number of parents even though the time inbetween visits will be good for catching up on grading. With no prep period the papers really stack up on me. Wouldn't you know that this is the year we as a school are focusing on extended response questions!

Thursday is a delay day for more training. Talk about a wasted week for trying to teach anything.

Somewhat back to normal

• Finally living without pain.
• Robyn, who taught next to me last year, left school this week and won't be coming back. She's been fighting cancer -- the battle is nearly over. I didn't get a chance to tell her goodbye.
• Got my one dollar advance in the mail. I was also given choices on my novel. Have them proofread it, which could take up to six months, or have it set "as is", I chose the "as is" having full confidence in Grinnygranny's proofreading ability. They will be e-mailing me the final proofs and when I sign off on them they go to press. The book could be out by Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Got tied up and missed Southwest Writers today. Helped E install a new fawcet in the master bathroom.
• MIL finally got the stump from the old cottonwood tree taken out. Her neighbors will be happy as they can work on the fence now.
• Had a bit of a bust today on the balloon fiesta. Rain and wind put a damper on the first mass assension, hoping tomorrow will be better and we'll be able to get good pictures.

On the road to recovery

I have never wanted to have a tooth numbed so bad in my life! Root canal done, go to regular dentist in six weeks to start the process for putting a crown on it.
Tomorrow it's back in the classroom and hopefully back to normal.

Tough weekend

Been living off of ant-biotics and pain killers all weekend. Barely human right now. Can't wait until the dentist appointment. I never want to go through this again. It makes me appreciate the medical service we have in this country. I've known a number of dentists who make missionary trips to Mexico and other countries, usually to pull rotten teeth. I can't imagine living for maybe years in this much pain.

Pain -- pain and more pain

I’ve had a tooth ache since last night. Made it to lunch at school, but had to come home. No telling what shape my classroom will be when I get back.
Got into an emergency dentist who took x-rays, and set up an appointment on Monday for a root canal. I’ll have to take off at least the last half of the day on Monday, and depending on how I feel over the weekend maybe all day.
Had a nice talk with Ray the pharmacist picking up anti-biotic and pain killer the dentist prescribed. He asked about Mom and Dad, and Grinnygranny.
He’s had four front teeth replaced after a car accident with implants. I’ve been debating about getting an implant for a missing molar, or getting another bridge. He recommends the implant. Maybe I’ll look more into it.
Painkiller didn’t kick in until seven tonight. It’s still pretty sore, but doesn’t feel like I’m biting onto aluminum foil.

Bad Computer Day

My laptop crashed. I had to reinstall XP, and have lost everything that was on it. Nightmare time.
Gradebook wise I'm alright. I have plenty of backup on memory stick, but so much more is missing. All my templates for the rediculous lesson plans we have to turn in every week, three years of tests, and powerpoint presentations. I think some of that might be saved on my external hard drive.
Back to installing printer drivers, office and alot of other software.

Mission nearly accomplished

No Champaigne apples this year. They sold out in one week. What a bummer. We drove fifty miles up there and back for the best apples in the world and had to settle for Red Burgundy and Romes. Still last year there wasn't any cider and this year they were selling it at three gallons for ten bucks. We put two gallons in the freezer and will take one of them with us on our Christmas trip to Texas.

Son was served this week with a petition for Divorce. He says the State of Arizona will require child support payments. She'll be given full custody and he'll be able to have him for summers and every other Christmas. Right now that's the best he can do. He can't move to Tucson and get set up working at Mikey Dee's. He planning on taking classes at CNM ( used to be TVI) and getting auto mechanic training. Maybe when he has a trade he can move there and be able to spend more time with him. It would take too much money for too little chance of success for any better settlement.
I've told him that right now the only way he has to show his love for Ritchie is to send that check. What a sad thing to say, that our Country has decided men are only a walking wallet.

Grinnygranny has just about finished proofing my novel, we took some pictures up at Dixon's to send for the back cover, and now all I need do is write the acknowlegment, dedication, bio and back cover blurb. I'll e-mail it all off Monday, and wait for the proof to come back. It's unbelievable how many steps it takes to finally get a book in the stores. I've got an idea for the cover, but I'm not much of an artist. I hope my description will work with their graphics artists.
When taking pictures I asked Grinnygranny if I should dress up in a tunic and toga, get E's gladius Iberius and use that as my back cover picture. She doesn't think it's a good idea.

Grades are due Monday. This is the first time grades are to be posted on the computer instead of filling out bubble sheets. Like they say, "To err is human to really mess things up takes a computer." No telling how messed up this grading period is going to be. I'll find out as soon as I get through with this post.

Spent most of the day yesterday getting caught up on Premier week.
Grey's Anatomy may have had better ratings than CSI, but it was just more of the same angst over who is sleeping with whom. Getting kind of old.
CSI is still the best show on Network TV. CSI New York though not as good as the parent show comes close, but CSI Miami was so lame as to be laughable.
House still keeps you guessing about what the disease is and has some really witty writing.
Shark was an interesting take on a Law show. I've always like James Woods, and for him going from the wealthy defense lawyer to an ADA is a new twist.
Justice really shows how we have the best legal system that money can buy. Particularly with them using mock juries to try out their stategies. Damn, it would be fun to teach the Law class again.
Boston Legal may be getting absurd, but it is so funny. Denny Crane (William Shatner) in a closet with a Cupie doll that looks like his female partner (Candice Bergen) was really funny, but then she comes to him demanding to see it, then asks him if he has any idea how much it diminishes her. It was so poignant.
The real find of the new season for both Grinnygranny and me is Men in Trees. We weren't that sure about watching it because of Anne Heche being the main character. So far her only claim to fame had been Ellen Degeneris's gay partner and a so-so movie with Harrison Ford. It's not often a TV show makes you open your mouth and put your hand over it in suprise, but this one does it two or three times a show. I'm not sure how long they'll be able to keep it up, but it's been fun to watch so far.
Numbers kept you guessing and had an interesting story. We didn't watch Bones last year, Aunty Pesty and E liked it, and we caught up over the summer. It had a really complicated story line that kept you guessing, but was to a certain extent reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs.
Criminal Minds I remember watching, but by now the shows are blurring a bit.
Standoff has been interesting so far, but again it makes you wonder how long they can keep it up.
Grinnygranny enjoys Dancing with the Stars and Celebrity Duets. I could live without them, but not her so we watch, and they're not all that bad. The quality of dancing this year is way above last year, and it's actually entertaining.

Rubber Room Time

I’ve gone off the deep end.
By the time school is out (in May) the men in white coats will take me away. Ha ha hee hee ho ho.

It will be a miracle if Grinnygranny doesn’t divorce me.

Today I had my last prep period for the year. Tomorrow is an inservice (who would have thunk I’d actually look forward to one?) And Monday I pick up another class of Sophomore World History. That’s right I sold my prep. As if I really needed more on my plate right now!
Like they say no pain no gain. The 20% in extra pay will help, and when it’s factored into the retirement formula (only the high priest of retirement knows how to calculate it) should work out to quite a bit more stretched over the retirement years. I’ll try to keep my posts here on the mundane and informative side, but beware of Greek Shadow – that blog may really go to the dark side as I get stressed and irritable. Something tells me I’ll need the Shrieking tree a lot in the next few months.

Premier week

Why oh why did Premier week have to fall when I'm scrambling to get my novel in final form for publishing. Now before you get in a huff Grinnygranny, I know you are the one scrambling to proofread it for me, and I appreciate and love you for all your hard work.
Still the last few weeks were so nice not being a slave to the boob tube. Now we're watching three hours a night and taping two or three more to watch on the weekend.

Dixon's has a bumper crop of apples this year. Someone from Grinnygranny's work said he stood in line for two hours to get apples over the weekend. We are planning to get up there either Saturday or Sunday. I think we need to get there early. There is nothing better than Dixon's Champaigne apples, and their apple cider is to die for.

I posted another rant over at Captains Log, if anyone is interested.

Golfing again

E. had the day off, so we went golfing when I got home. Paired up with another father and son team, but were they ever slow. We started at 3:30pm and left after only doing six holes at 6:00pm.
There were two coyotes at one tee box. They were just laying there sleeping. After one guy teed off, one of the coyotes walked over and sniffed at the ball. We almost thought he’d have to fight him for it, but the coyote just walked away.
Coyotes are usually rather scruffy and scrawny on the mesa, these two are the fattest and sassiest I’ve ever seen.

Long Day

Woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 0500. Decided to start looking over my novel. Then had to take cars to get worked on, groceries, and a few other things. Grinnygranny started looking it over too. I have two weeks to get it ready for publication with a checklist of other things to do as well.

The Big Change

APS has filtered out blogger and I can't get the site up in the classroom. So I'm shutting the classroom blog down. I might have kept it going, but I was foolish enough to switch my Greek Shadow blog to the Beta, and it won't let me post on non-beta sites or non-beta sites post on it. And it won't let you revert back. Soooooooooo I'm turning this blog into the family and friends communication blog so we can stay connected.
I'll keep the Greek Shadow blog for my soapbox rants.