Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Turn of Events

August has just flown by it seems.
Now I've worked all summer but the Teachers and various support staff returned last week and the Kids return this past Monday. OH MY. Traffic patterns have changed. Before leaving the house I heard a wreck had been cleared on the freeway but it was backed up still so I took the back way. Now this summer I changed my hours from going in between 7:30-7:45 to 6:30-6:45am which means I get off earlier. 
Well now that school is back in session means I have to deal with the buses. I guess the bus I was behind this morning was early so he sat and sat and sat. Like 5-6 minutes with his flashers on.. There were no kids anywhere in site. Finally the bus turned off the flashers and pulled over to the side so cars could pass.  Next 3 corners I passed had 15-20 kids waiting probably for that bus. I think I need to adjust my hours a little more so I can avoid the buses. 
Now if I can only get my lazy butt out of bed to make that change. Chickens aren't even up at that time. There's something wrong with this picture. I shouldn't be up before the chickens.

Last Thursday David saw a new band (for us) was playing at Main Street Crossing called The Resin Valley Boys and asked if I wanted to go. Of course I said sure. The band name should say plus Girl. LOL. 
The fiddle player was a girl. Well excuse me to be correct she was a viola player. LOL. I was talking to her at the end of the show and she told me she was playing a viola actually. She said she was different in school and hasn't changed much.  So you ask what's the difference between a viola, fiddle and violin? Well let me tell you... A viola is larger than a violin and is turned differently. It's a fifth lower than a violin. A fiddle is just an informal name for a violin. You musical instrument lesson for the day. They sounded like Hank William's Senior and older country western type music. They sounded real good. We'll try to catch them again.
I'm not a wine expert by no means and don't care to be because just drink what my taste buds enjoy. And that night it was White Zinfandel  A whole bottle for me all by myself.  It was cheaper for me to buy the bottle than by the glass. I'm not complaining.

Saturday we finally caught a rain cloud. Well it blew in.  It lasted a whole 8 minutes. Woo whooooo but the grass must have enjoyed it because actually lookedngreener the next day 


I actually worked in my office/sewing room all this past weekend. Everything is/was in the floor so I cleared some space on a shelf. Once we find a bookcase for the guest room more will clear off once I get . Then I should be in great shape. 
Didn't feel good last night so didn't accomplish anything but dinner and bed. Then this morning David wasn't feeling well. We have things happening this week starting tomorrow so we don't have time to be sick. But then again we might have to hold those events. David came home with 101.5 fever. 

I guess I'll close for now.
Until next blog...'Be yourself. Who else is better qualified.' ~FJ Giblin~


 Carla

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Kinda Quiet... I said Kinda

Well it has been kinda quiet around here since my last post. What's up with that?  LOL
Summer is the busiest time of year for me because while the teachers are off I'm busy getting new equipment or replacing the old by tagging, creating spread sheets, etc. The boss even gave me a credit card to go buy required technology equipment for the schools. That was stressful. I was worried about ordering the right projector or camera etc...  We're talking lots of equipment to over 80 campus's.  Plus we have a new elementary school opening open. The principal and teachers are there now prepping for the influx of kids on the 26th.. Summer is winding down. I remember those first days of school when I was the assistant principals secretary. Whew.
My last 10 hour work day was on August 8th only I wasn't there. I took the day off for my Mom's birthday and I have been scolded for not taking pictures. Anyway it's always bitter sweet when the last 10 hour day rolls around because at first you're HAPPY that you don't have to work 4- long 10 hour days but then you sigh because you don't get Fridays off any more. Who doesn't like a 3 day holiday?
Oh happy days....I went to the doctor.. he was happy with my weight loss and most of all WE'RE both happy with my A1C number (for those who don't know that's the 3 month average of your blood sugars) It was 6.2 and anything under a 7 is normal. Mine was kinda out of whack prior. I won't mention that number but 6.2 was a big drop from 3 months ago. But that doesn't mean I get to stop these lovely meds he has me on or the shots I give myself daily. Not insulin but something that doesn't tend to let me eat some things with out causing pain or illness and it has changed my taste buds. Meat texture has changed and I love a good steak but now I'm good with about 5 bites and I'm down.  It's more fruits and veggies for me to be on the safe side. Now that doesn't mean I don't eat my Mexican food. That still tastes good. Thank goodness.
I'll be glad when I lose enough weight and my blood sugar levels stay down so I can stop some of the meds. They don't exactly make me feel real good. Most days I feel kinda woozy and almost nauseous plus my body has been so use to the higher blood sugar levels that it's a like WHOA what's happening. The side effects of the meds are nausea,  dizziness, fatigue etc. Making me sometimes just a big BLAH. 
Now the only thing that hasn't changed is the damn blood pressure. I can get maybe an excellent BP reading once a month but 95% of the time it's been running somewhere around 150's/80's. I told the doctor if he didn't stop giving me new additional meds I was gonna need a suit case to case the meds. This time instead of adding another med he increased the dosage. Yippee.

Went to go look at some wood flooring for the den last Saturday. Waiting for another sample board before we make a final decision of any kind. In the mean time we brought 3 other sample boards home to lay on the floor to check out our options. We'll see. 

As we were driving home David asked where I got my brown boots and how about we go look for some for him. Sounded good to me so down the road we went to Outback Western Wear. So while David was looking and trying on boots I had to look too I mean they were having a boot sale and who can pass up a good sale right? 
David finds him a new pair of boots. He hasn't wore boots in years but now I've got my cowboy back now. And weeeelll I kinda found a pair of boots I liked too. In fact I liked them the first time I was there but they weren't on sale and kinda out of my price range but with the sale they fit my budget and my feet just right. With the little weight I have lost my other boots actually feel a little big. 
Check out our new boots...

New boots means.....you've got to break them in and we did just that last Saturday night.
David and I went to Tin Hall to listen to yet another new band for us. The lead singer Wade Smith actually works with David. Tin Hall (click on for more info) used to be the place to go if you were a Kicker also known as a country western lover of boots, horses and music back when I was in high school. Now it's more of a special events kind of center but they do have public dances ever so often and this past Saturday was one of them.. Our friends the Harper's joined us while we listened to Wade Smith and Driftwood. We even danced to break in those new boots. The boots worked well but I had forgotten how to dance it had been so long. David had to keep me in line. Oops
If you click on the band's name you can sample some of his music if you like. 
Today was our big Convocation for the district. Our guest speaker was Jamie Vollmer from Iowa and is a pubic education advocate. He didn't start out as one but after a speaking engagement at a school in Iowa I think to tell them the teachers they were the problem and along with the system when during Q & A a teacher spoke up that made him re-evaluate his attitude.. Then he was invited to a school in Mississippi not to speak because they already knew his attitude toward teachers but to spend the day in their shoes. He spent spent 3 hours with 3rd graders, went to lunch in the teachers lounge shoveled down his food while cutting pumpkins or something, then he had recess duty and finally spent the rest of the day with 8th graders. I have to admit I may have had the a simular sort of attitude he did and then I went to work for a school district. He started thinking and very slowly he changed his attitude and now he's an advocate. He was entertaining and made a lot of good points. Like the schools can't do it on their own. The community and the educators need to come together. Sounds like a song huh? "Come together right now"  I won't say there's not some teachers who shouldn't be teaching but 99% of them are there for your students to give them a chance at an education. Support your educators. Stay Positive!

Lots of adventures coming up next week•´´¯`•.¸¸.•.♫•¯`•.¸¸.•.♪♫•*

Well until next blog....“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities”
J.K. Rowling~

Carla










Sunday, August 11, 2013

End One Month and Begin Another

The last week of July was a busy one to say the least. But most was all about fun.
Had to celebrate a co-workers birthday first off. A bacon, egg, and green chile casserole was made to bring in the morning. Yummy. The birthday girl was surprised since her birthday had passed. I pulled out the tiara I got from the Rodeo so Samara could be the princess for the day. One of our summer workers wanted to make a dessert and who are we to argue right? 
Doesn't Samara make a lovely princess? Got'cha Samara!
We hit Puffabelly's on a Wednesday night to get our fix of Jesse Dayton and Davin James.
Then Friday I met up with the folks from the book store. These 2 were the owners and they now have this little cutie. His name is Jaxon. Sorry to the rest of the group who was present but this little guy was the forcus. 
He was just the happiest little guy and would go to anyone.
Friday the 2nd our friends the Harper's called and asked if we'd like  to meet them at Cypress Saloon to listen to a band called JJ and the Stoneponies. So we said sure we'll meet y'all.   
This picture was taken from their website.They sounded like Nickelback especially the lead singer. They were really good. I wouldn't mind seeing them again. The only thing about the Cypress Saloon is the smoke. Whew my hair and clothes smelled. I guess it's the price you pay I for good music. Next the Black Top Gypsy is there I want to go suffer thru the smoke again. 


On Aug 3rd Pamela was able to come home for the weekend before Mom's birthday so we celebrated a week early. We met up at a great restaurant called The Black Walnut in the Woodlands. It was yum yum good. They have a large variety to choose from on the menu from breakfast to dinner.
Another fun week of going to Tri County Quilt Guild to see what everyone has created and I might have had some to show this time but I can't share it completely yet. But I have actually accomplished something.
Then on Thursday I took the day off to spend with Mom on her actual Birthday. Okay Shirley W. Here it is.... I forgot to take pictures that day and I'm blaming it on the heat. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 
Can't blame the drinking because that didn't happen until the next night. LOL
Wine doesn't affect me like Margarita's do.
Thank Goodness.

Friday my husband called and said "Would you want to go see someone new at Main Street Crossing?" and I said "Sure"




So that night we went to see Jesse Raub Jr. It was a great show and we're ready to see him perform again. We hope to go see him out at Dobbin Saloon. Oh and in case you can't tell I suck at using my iphone to take pictures.

This last picture is Jesse Raub Jr and his son who joined him on stage.
You know this empty nesting can be getting expensive with all the music we go listen to but oh the fun. I do believe we fit plenty of music in over the last 10 days and there's more to come and I can't wait.
Until Next Blog of My Life.......  “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that’s all” ~ Oscar Wilde~


Carla









Monday, August 5, 2013

Hasenpfeffer Stew Anyone.

So it all started in the middle of July when David and I were sitting on the patio enjoying the evening and watching nature when we saw something move just outside the fence line. It was dark and we just figured it was a cat but then we saw another object and they both came into our yard. It was then we realized it was rabbits. We have lived here 2 years and never seen a rabbit but now we have 2. Then there were 4 hopping all over, in and out our fence and hanging out under our oak tree inside the fence. They were so much fun to watch.
Now my crazy husband says "They're having bunny sex". Of course I said "NO THEY'RE NOT! Stop it!" They were running around too much to be making bunnies.... Right?

Nope because at sometime that week Momma bunny made a nest and deposited 5 little baby bunnies. David was mowing the yard and all of a sudden these little grey objects went scurring every which way. He thought it was rats and then he got closer. He immediately came and got me and of course I was enamoured with them. David had on gloves and carefully shooed them or picked them up and placed them back in their nest. They were so cute! 

So the Kennedy Bird Habitat became the Kennedy Wild Life Habitat. About 10 days old.

I went out everyday to check on them. . 

I also manage to pet 3 of them between their little ears. The articles say Momma wouldn't abandon them if I touched them so I couldn't resist and it said that within an hour after giving birth Momma bunny is fertile again. Ahh hence the saying Multiplying like Bunnies. 
The gestation period is only 28-30 days.. 
That could add up to lots of bunnies. 


Only 2 can fit in the nest now.
Here they're about 15-20 days old.



They hid in the grass so we had to be careful where we stepped because you never knew it one might be under foot.
While we went to Brenham to stay the night our little bunnies left the nest. Just like kids they grow up and leave home. ;0(

So NO we didn't really make Hasenpfeffer Stew. Wouldn't have even if I could have.

Speaking of Brenham... During the month of July they have Hot Nights and Cool Tunes every Saturday on the town square. So they we made up to the last Saturday of the month to listen to a group called Suede. They played music from the 70's, 80's
and 90's. They were good. 
Brenham blocked off the streets and set up a stage for a band and they even had a car show. What more could you ask for? 
















We gave our friends who live now in the country around here a call to see if they'd like to join us. 
Surprisingly the evening weather was very pleasant and so was the company. Thanks for joining us Mark and Kathy. Had David take a picture of us at the end of the night but something happen to the quality. I think the lens fogged up.

We stayed at The Ant Street Inn. What a cool place! It was built in 1899-1900 as a grocery store but now it's a bed and breakfast. With 15 great rooms to chose from, atmosphere, and yummy food. It's also a great place to have a wedding if you're looking. If you want a quick and close get-away I would definitely recommend this place. One word of warning the rooms are on the 2nd floor and there's no elevator. Just adds to the ambiance of the hotel.

 David and I sat out on the veranda that over looked a beautiful spot they use for parties and weddings.
This is our room 



This is the hallway. There was ice, water, coke and.....Blue Bell ice cream in the fridge compliments of the hotel for all guests. Free... 

The next morning we had a great breakfast and took off though the country side. It was Sunday so pretty much everything was closed up but it was fun site seeing the area. We went through Bellville, Roundtop and Fayettesville. While driving into Roundtop we saw this sign saying Roundtop Music Festival Institute so we turned in. We found a beautiful area with a concert hall, a church, and we think cabins for retreats.

 
 

 
More adventures to share later. I don't want to bore you all at once.

So until next Blog....“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present” ~ B. Olatunji~

Carla