Wednesday Hodgepodge…August 31

Goodbye August, hello Hodgepodge. Here are this week’s questions. Thanks to Joyce for providing another great set of questions, even in the aftermath of hurricane Irene!

1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or did we just become more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?  I think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, because the attacks were successful.  I think the success of those 911 attacks will encourage more plans for future attacks on our country and its citizens.  As far as how that day affected me, it’s made me less trusting, and more fearful.  I feel a loss of innocence.

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?  My parents weren’t strict at all.  They trusted me, and as a result they let me date at the ripe old age of 14!  Fortunately, I was a responsible teenager, with a strong conscience, which kept me out of trouble.  In hindsight, I realize just how young 14 really is…

3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.  I’m a very transparent person.  My face usually reveals whatever I am thinking or how I am feeling.

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated? Well, I just asked him, and he says I’m simple.  After all these years together he knows me pretty well.  With me, what you see is what you get!

5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?  Without a doubt, it’s candy apples!  Love ’em!  Cotton candy is a close second.

6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake…how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which event do you think would be the scariest?  I experienced a small tornado when I was pregnant with our second child in 1982. I was home alone at the time, and I was scared to death!  I went in the smallest room in our house, sat in a rocking chair and prayed as the tornado passed through our back yard.  The house shook, the roll-out windows of the house, which I’d cracked, lifted completely up by themselves, and the tornado sounded like a train rumbling through.  When it was over, thankfully, the only damage we suffered was a large uprooted tree in the backyard.

Another memorable tornado happened a few years earlier when a tornado destroyed three mobile homes, just two miles down the road from where we live.  Thankfully, nobody was killed, but several people were injured, as their homes were literally ripped to shreds.  I was remembering this as the tornado passed through our yard in 1982.

We also experienced the effects of hurricane David many years ago.  We live about 80 miles inland, but we  got  A LOT of wind and rain.  Thankfully, we didn’t lose power like many people did.

I think an earthquake would be the scariest of these three, because there is no warning at all before it happens.

7. Labor Day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores? If you’re a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?

Yes, my parents did assign chores.  I had to help clean the house on weekends, and I had to clean up the kitchen every night!  I’m not sure if I received a regular allowance, but I was given money when I wanted to buy something.

Our children had to clean their rooms, and clean up the kitchen each night.  I can’t remember if we gave them a regular allowance or not, but they were always given money when they needed some.

Random:  Yesterday I celebrated my 57th birthday!  It was an especially happy birthday this year.  Aside from the fact that I was treated to a beach trip, and then showered with cards, flowers, cake, gifts, family visits, and much love–I discovered that I am a year younger than I thought I was!  Ha!

I don’t know how or when I decided that I was going to be 58 on my birthday, but somehow I did!  When my granddaughter, Madison, asked me how old I was, I said “I’m 58.”  My daughter spoke up and said, “Well Facebook says you are 57.”  I quickly did the math, and determined, that indeed, I am only 57!  Now that’s a happy birthday!

Sharing Some Photos…Of My Favorite Newlyweds

Hey guys!  If it’s Monday, then I’m most likely traveling back home today.  I hate the idea of not having a Monday post, so I’m preparing something ahead of time.

My favorite newlywed couple celebrated their two month anniversary while on a memorable road trip last Thursday.  Jennifer’s three month’s checkup in North Carolina was on Wednesday.  It’s always a 7 hour drive–one way–to this appointment, so they usually spend the night on the road.

You may recall that Wednesday was the day of the earthquake on the east coast.  The couple missed feeling the quake because apparently they were traveling when the quake occurred.  However, they did experience other excitement later, when they locked their keys in the car at the motel!

The following day, Brad and Jennifer experienced more excitement while dining at Zaxby’s for lunch.  Apparently, one of the waitresses slipped down on the wet floor just outside the kitchen, and injured herself badly.   911 had to be called!  Brad says Jennifer went into “nurse mode” while they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive!  Oddly enough, the girl who fell had just taken Brad and Jennifer’s order a few moments earlier!

Fortunately, the fallen waitress was the last of Brad and Jennifer’s excitement, and they arrived safely home.  As promised, they brought their disc of wedding photos to share with us that evening.  I’d been waiting patiently for several days to see those photos–all 698 of them!  Here are a few interesting photos that I like…

Aww…that’s my baby!  He’s 26, but he’ll always be the “my baby”.   I’d give a penny for his thoughts right about here…

Now here is a sight rarely seen!  Hubby and me on a dance floor!  He and I are second and third people from the left of the photo, and we are doing–the twist!  Hubby wasn’t thrilled when I asked him to dance!  Ha!  Check out our little granddaughter, sitting at the table watching us!  I wonder what she was thinking!  Madison’s Aunt Sarah appears to covering her eyes…Perhaps we were just too painful to watch!  Or it could be because we were wearing our “old people shoes” with our wedding clothes!

I call this one “Men In Black”.  All these guys need are a couple of machine guns!  They look like men on a mission!

This was an interesting shot.  The photographer photographed me, while I was photographing the bride.  Funny!

The lighting of the unity candle.  The preacher talked so long, the tapers were very short!  Thankfully, we didn’t have any burned fingertips!

Presenting…the leaning tower of cake!  You couldn’t really tell that the cake was leaning this much from the front view, but from this angle…oh, my goodness!  The southern heat was taking its toll…  Jennifer and Brad cut the cake shortly after this picture was taken!

See, the cake still looked good from this angle.

Finally, here’s a shot of my entire family–our children, their spouses, the grandchildren, and Ed’s mother, and  I think this is a great place to end this post, don’t you?  Have a great Monday!

Six Word Saturday…August 27

My six words for today:  Praying for those in “Irene’s” path.

Hurricane Irene…I’ve had my eye on her all week.  For a while,  it looked as if Irene might come ashore close to where we live.  Fortunately for us, she took a turn. 

However, Irene still managed to wreak a little havoc with our weekend beach plans.  Irene caused us to delay our beach trip for a day,  to avoid rough waters and windy conditions,  as she passed by the Florida/Georgia coastline.  A minor inconvenience for us, while scores of other people were being forced to board up and flee their homes or businesses.

As we enjoy our time at the beach, I will be praying for those who live in the projected path of Hurricane Irene.  I pray that everyone will safely weather the storm, with minimal damage.  May Irene’s bark be worse than her bite…

 Thanks to Cate for hosting this fun meme.  Come on!  Post your own six words, and play along!

Tales From A Retirement Home…

This month marks the one-year anniversary of my MIL living in an assisted living facility.  Making the choice to move her  there was one of the most difficult decisions our family has ever had to face, but we know in our hearts it was the right decision.  She’s settled in nicely, and although she’s had some health issues over the past year, all is well with her at the moment. 

Recent visits with my MIL have uncovered some interesting developments at the home, as well as brought to mind some past experiences with my own mother that I’d like to share…

First of all, just because these folks are in a retirement home, doesn’t mean they are dead!  Life goes on.  My MIL  recently shared with me that Mr. Russell, the only male resident at the home, now has a girlfriend!  She says the two of them hold hands during the day, and can be seen “smooching” in the hall at night.  My MIL is appalled by this, but I think it’s sort of sweet.  I say, where there’s life, there’s love…  When my MIL told me about this incident, it made me recall an incident concerning my own mom, which happened a few years ago.

My parents were both nursing home residents for a couple of years before daddy died.  Both suffered major illness(at the same time) which resulted in very poor health.  They roomed together up until daddy’s death.  A couple of years after daddy had passed away, another male resident of the nursing “took a liking” to mama.  His name was “Mr. Red”, and he was a little crazy–literally.

Mama was flattered, but not really interested.  One evening “Mr. Red” decided he wanted to give my mama some flowers.  So just what does a male resident of a nursing home do when he desires to give a lady some flowers?  He’s on a limited budget, you know.  Why he goes out to the front porch of the home, and steals a hanging basket of flowers off of a hook, then takes it to his lady friend!  Oh the laughs we had over that one!  “Mr. Red” never did kindle a romance with mama, even after he brought her flowers!

Another funny incident concerning my MIL happened a few weeks back.  Occasionally, she has out-of-town doctor’s appointments.  Whenever this occurs, my husband takes her car to the home and leaves it.  The lady administrator then drives my MIL to her out-of-town appointments. My MIL enjoys riding in her own car on these trips.

My MIL’s car had been parked at the home for a couple of days when another one of the residents, Ms. Jean, asked her, “Is that your car parked out there?”  My MIL answered, “Yes, it is.”  Ms. Jean  went on to say, “Well why don’t I go and pack my things, and you go and pack up yours, and let’s get the heck out of here?!”  We got a few laughs out of that story, too! 

My MIL went on to explain to Ms. Jean that they couldn’t just run away.  This particular lady, happens to have Alzheimer’s, and has been on a quest to run away for several months now.  She’s made several escape attempts, bless her heart.

Recently, a cousin of my MIL’s moved into the home.  At first, I thought, this will be great!  Well, I think I was wrong!  This lady has Alzheimer’s, too.  She has it stuck in her mind that her husband is coming back from Mexico,  to rescue her from the home!  She’s driving my MIL crazy about this!  I don’t know if the lady has a husband, or if so, why he’s in Mexico, but she’s adamant that he’s coming to rescue her!  Which brings to mind another story about my mom…

At one point, after my daddy passed away, my mom had a complete mental breakdown.  The doctor explained to us that sometimes when reality is just too painful to deal with, our minds will create a type of “fantasy world”.  For a time, in my mama’s “fantasy world”, she  thought she had won the lottery– and that “Walker, Texas Ranger”, aka Chuck Norris, was coming to rescue her from the nursing home!  She was totally convinced about all of this, so we didn’t try to argue much with her about it.  Fortunately, she eventually came out of her “fantasy world”, but occasionally she would still say “odd” things right up until she passed away a few years later.  Mama kept us on our toes, right up until the end. 

 And I used to think life in a retirement home was boring…

  

Wednesday Hodgepodge…August 24

Here it is folks, nearly the last Hodgepodge for the month of August! Can you believe it? Many thanks to the hostess, Joyce, for doing such a fantastic job of coming up with these questions–even while she’s on the go!  Now– to provide some answers to her burning questions…because inquiring minds want to know.

1. What is something that bothers you if it’s not done perfectly?   One thing that sticks out in my mind is school bulletin boards!  I’ve decorated more than a few bulletin boards in my time, since I used to work at school.  I was always a stickler for getting the letters straight and even, as well as getting the rest of the things on the board spaced evenly. ( I always used a yardstick!)  It took me forever to do a bulletin board, but it looked nice when I finished!

2. Do you think a 6th sense exists? Explain.  Yes, I think a type of 6th sense does exist.  Sometimes people get a strong “feeling” about something.  This is what I refer to as the 6th sense.    For instance, I had a strong “feeling” that my second baby was a boy.  I was so sure, we went ahead and bought a boy outfit to bring the baby home in.  My “6th sense” was correct, and he wore his little sailor suit home from the hospital.

3. Do you say your goodbyes slowly, quickly, or not at all?  I say my goodbyes quickly.  No need to drag the agony out!

4. On a scale of 1-10, with ten being hot hot hot, what level of spice do you like in your food? What’s your favorite ‘spicy’ dish?   I don’t like spicy foods much, so I’ll say  “3”.  Chili is my favorite spicy dish, but I prefer it to be on the mild side.

5. What is one of your all time favorite commercial jingles?  I still love “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke”, a jingle from the seventies.

6. Plane, train, boat or auto…your preferred method of travel?  I’ve only traveled by auto.  I’d sure like to try traveling on a train, or cruising on ship!  I don’t really have much of a desire to fly.

7. What is something you take for granted?  I don’t take it for granted anymore, but for 39 years I took good health for granted.  I used to complain about paying those health insurance premiums, because I never used my insurance!  Once I became chronically ill, I realized what wonderful gift I’d had for those 39 years!

Random:  Hubby and I have a beach trip planned for this weekend, but hurricane Irene has our plans up in the air. We’re watching the weather, and trying to decide what to do.  It looks like Irene will miss our coastline, but may still cause some high tides, wind, and possible rain…To go or postpone, that is the question.

We Shopped ‘Till We Dropped…

I used to purchase almost everything at Wal-mart, but in recent years, I’ve become a fan of the dollar stores. The Dollar General Store and Fred’s are my favorites. I buy the bulk of my supplies at these stores, then I go to the local grocery store or Wal-mart for the rest of the groceries that I need. Dollar store prices are comparable to Wal-mart, and I love not having to fight the crowds.

A few months back, my husband and I decided to build an “emergency supply” of groceries. Prior to this time, I would never buy extra supplies, even when an item was on sale.  I would only purchase what I would use immediately. Well, with age comes wisdom!  I finally realized it’s always a good idea to have at least a few days worth of extra food on hand, in case of an emergency–or in these days, in case of a failed economy!

I began my “stash” about a year ago, by purchasing a couple of extra sale items each week. Before long, I had a week’s worth of supplies, then I just kept adding to it. These days I think it would be safe to assume that we could survive on our “stash” for several weeks, perhaps even months.

I purchased four plastic storage tubs, and filled them with the extra groceries.  I use a sharpie pen to label each item with its expiration date, so I can easily read it.  Every month or so, I rotate the older groceries to my pantry.  Larger items, like paper goods, I keep in the laundry room, or in my husband’s storage shed.

In addition to buying extra sale items each week, I have built my “stash” by using coupons from the Dollar General Store. Every few weeks Dollar General offers $5.00 coupons, good off of a purchase of $25.00, or more. That’s a twenty percent savings. Hey, I’ll take it!  The catch is, the coupon is only good for one specific day.  I am so dedicated to using these coupons, that I took some coupons on vacation with me last month–and used them at the Dollar General Store at the beach!  I couldn’t miss that “one day only sale”!

This past Saturday my husband and I participated in what can only be described as a Marathon Shopping Trip.  We left home at 9:30 a.m. headed for the nearest Wal-mart, over 30 miles away, to buy our monthly supply of pet foods.

Earlier in the week, my husband and I had collected five of those  $5.00 off coupons for Dollar General.  The coupons were only good for one day–Saturday, August 20!  So, on our way to Wal-mart, we stopped at three different Dollar General Stores along the way! At every Dollar General Store, we each bought  $25 worth of groceries, which ended up only costing us $20 with the coupon.  We found two more coupons wadded up in our shopping carts, so we used those, too–at different stores!

By the time we got home, the trunk and backseat of my car was over-flowing!  After we got the car unloaded, we both needed a nap, but we were proud of our savings–and our stash.  I spent the rest of the afternoon putting the groceries away, and rotating stock.  Let’s just say, if the economy goes “bust”, I will have more than enough sugar, paper goods, laundry detergent, and bath soap to last us a while!  My next Dollar General shopping excursion will be for personal care items.  Gotta’ stock up on deotorant, shampoo, mouthwash, and toothpaste!  Can’t wait for the next “one day only sale”!

Miscellaneous Weekend News…

My weekend began with a home project on Friday.  I bought myself a new hobby table–you know, one of those small plastic folding tables, like we use at church.  My previous hobby table was a metal folding camping table, and it wasn’t very sturdy or steady.

Well, what should have been a quick and easy project–to swap out two tables–turned into an all afternoon deal, and I’m not finished yet!  You know how those home projects have a way of growing…this one grew, big time!  I’m still working on getting everything put back in its place.  Believe me, if you saw my work area, you’d understand.

All of that work on my home project made me hungry, so I went in the kitchen to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  There is a picture window over the counter in the kitchen, and I always enjoy watching the birds at the bird feeder while I’m in the kitchen.  On Friday, I saw a precious sight.  I looked up to see a bunch of brown birds walking out of the woods, coming toward the bird feeder.  They turned out to be quail!  I haven’t seen a covey of quail in years, although I’ve heard them calling each other this year.

Then I spotted Bobs the cat, crouched down beside the fountain, which is near the bird feeder!  Suddenly, I remembered why I don’t see many quail anymore!  We have cats, lots of cats!  I quickly grabbed my camera and managed to snap one picture before the quail spotted Bobs, and took a u-turn back to the woods.  They didn’t really leave in a hurry though, they just turned around and calmly walked away.  I counted fifteen of them as they walked out of the yard!  Fortunately, Bobs just sat and watched–probably because they calmly walked away.

Saturday, I published my SWS blog post early, then my hubby and I went shopping–to Wal-mart, among other places.  My SWS post contained a funny video about people watching at Wal-mart.  If you missed seeing the video, you missed a treat, and you can view it here.  Anyway, Wal-mart didn’t disappoint, and I saw a couple of sights comparable to those on the video!  Ewwwww…  We also went to some dollar stores, and bought a lot of stuff, but I’ll tell you more about that tomorrow…

I finally turned on my computer on Saturday evening to read comments and return visits.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I’d been chosen to win a $25.00 Wal-mart gift card from NanaThena’s blog giveaway, at Patiently Waiting!  Thanks NanaThena!  To enter, I had to write a comment about the products that I buy to clip Box Tops for Education.  Easy as pie!  I’ve been clipping Box Tops and giving them to our local elementary school for years.  It’s easy to do, and it helps our children.

Believe it or not, on Sunday I felt compelled to cook a nice Sunday dinner for Ed and myself!  I don’t know how long it’s been since I actually wanted to cook a meal!  I made pot roast, with potatoes and carrots, along with some peas, corn, and fried squash.  For dessert I made fresh cobbler from the pears off one of our trees.  Sounds like a real southern, country meal, doesn’t it?  The pear cobbler turned out pretty good, and I took a photograph, see?
These pears are very special.  You may remember that my husband, aka Elmer Fudd, has been waging war with the squirrels over these pears for weeks!  Elmer–I mean, Ed, is still shooting at those squirrels with his BB gun.  Apparently, the squirrels don’t mind, they keep coming back!

I think that pretty much wraps up what’s been happening in our neck of the woods.  It was a nice weekend, it just ended too quickly.  So, what did you do over the weekend?

I’m joining a couple of Monday bloghops for the first time today.  I love meeting new friends.

Six Word Saturday…August 20

My six words:  People watching can be quite entertaining!

Yes, people watching can prove to be quite interesting these days, especially at Wal-mart.  If you don’t believe me, just take a look at this video!  Enjoy your weekend…

 

Every Picture Tells A Story…

You know, they say “every picture tells a story”–and they are right.  Today I’m sharing a picture from my collection–and  the story that goes along with it.  This is a motor scooter…a very tiny burned motor scooter!

A few years back, our oldest son, Brett, (who was grown at the time) decided that he wanted a motor scooter.  He found one that he liked at a place called Shady Grady’s.  Ha! Ha!  I already know what you’re thinking–because I was thinking the same thing!  He bought the motor scooter–not the one in the picture–but a larger one.  It was black, and looked exactly like a mini motorcycle.  Brett loved his scooter, and he rode the scooter around and about, until one day when it just stopped working!  They don’t call that guy “Shady Grady” for nothing…

Before too long, Brett found another motor scooter on the internet, for a price that seemed to good to be true.  I know what you’re thinking again–and you’re right!  When the scooter (in the photo) arrived, we all laughed hysterically because it was so tiny!  A motor scooter that appeared to be made for a midget!  I so wish I had a picture of Brett actually riding the thing–but I was too busy laughing to  take one!  Picture in your mind a young man over six feet tall riding on a  scooter that looked like it was made for a midget!  Brett almost covered the entire scooter when he sat on it!

Well, my Brett wasn’t going to be outdone, so he rode his tiny motor cycle anyway!  He rode the scooter over to a friend’s house, who happens to live nearby.  I can only imagine the stares that he must have gotten on the way!

I can’t remember exactly what happened, but the jest of the story is…the scooter malfunctioned while the friend was riding it, and  the thing caught on fire!  See that blackened area around the gas tank???  That must’ve been one hot ride!  Fortunately, the two guys got the fire put out, and there weren’t any injuries…just one messed up scooter!

I’d like to say that this incident ended the saga of motor scooters at our house, but it didn’t.  Remember the first black scooter that tore up so quickly?  Well, our youngest son, Brad, really liked it.  He bought a new motor for it, then paid someone to weld the motor on the frame for him.  All was well until Brad got the scooter home, cranked the it up, then discovered it would only travel in one direction– reverse!  (Something about the crank turning the wrong way…but nobody noticed!)   A scooter that won’t travel forward isn’t much good, so the little black scooter eventually ended up at the dump!

In the meantime, Brett sent photographs of the burned motor scooter to the company that he ordered it from, and explained what happened.  The company, in turn, sent him a replacement scooter.  I think he may have had to pay shipping.  In the end, he finally sold the new replacement scooter in an effort to recover some of his money.

However, our motor scooter adventures were not quite over yet!  Youngest son, Brad, was not happy that he had to scrap his motor scooter that would only run backwards!   He went back to Shady Grady’s (believe it or not) and bought himself an orange motor scooter–with red flames on it!

This one turned out to be a good little scooter, and Brad rode it until he eventually moved up to a full-sized motorcycle.  At this time, Brad sold the scooter– to his older brother, Brett, who rode it–until the tire went flat.  Apparently there was a problem finding a tube for the tire, so the scooter sat abandoned under our car shelter for several years…

Well,  guess who eventually fixed the motor scooter and is still ridin’  it today?  My husband!  Man, I just can’t seem to catch a break with these motor scooters!!!  Yep,  Ed’s cruisin’ all around on his orange scooter, with red flames shootin’ down the sides of the gas tank!  At least they’re fake flames, and not  real ones!

I refuse to ride a motorcycle (or scooter) anymore, but as you can see from the above photo, my husband has found two other willing passengers!  Just how many people can fit on a scooter, anyway?  Happy trails…

Memorable Back-To-School Moments…

The back-to-school departments of our local stores have been ransacked.  It’s quiet and peaceful to shop around town once again.  These things signal only one thing–school is back in session! 

In honor of this time of year, this post will contain some memories forever engrained in my brain…from my fourteen years of being a school employee during back-to-school time.

Pre-planning…Those first crazy days of coming back to work after having a leisurely summer!  We used to have five days of pre-planning–and spent at least three of them sitting in meetings!  Due to budget cuts, teachers now get only two or three days of pre-planning.  Which leaves very little time to plan!  The classrooms are in disarray from their summer cleaning, supplies have to be put away, bulletin boards and walls need to decorated, classroom lists made, etc…and the teachers sit in endless meetings!  Which means…we all end up working after hours–for no pay.

Fist day of school…Oh my word!  So many crying children.  Children dropped off,  who don’t have a clue how they are getting home at the end of the day.  The relentless heat of August in the south.  Keeping twenty-plus small children interested, and participating in class.  And explaining rules, rules, and more rules.

School supplies…What to do with all of those supplies that parents have packed in their children’s book bags???  Where do you store 20-plus boxes of kleenex?  How about 20-plus boxes of zip lock bags?  Why does little Johnny have 54 pencils and a box of 64 crayons in his book bag?  Liquid glue?  Oh no, liquid glue is a disaster waiting to happen!

The lunchroom…Oh my!  The smell of that lunchroom food…It’s not always a good thing!  The noise level!  You can’t even imagine…  Waiting in line forever while each child punches in their “lunch number” into the computer–when some children haven’t even learned what a number is yet!  It takes so long to go through the line, there’s no time left to eat!  Put those trays up, finished or not!  Wait, little Susie just dropped her entire tray in the floor…No!  Tell me little Johnny isn’t throwing up in his tray!!!  Yes, he did.  Once little Johnny even threw up in the substitute teacher’s lap!  Sometimes little Johnny makes it just outside the lunchroom door before he loses his lunch in the school lobby–on the carpet.

The playground…It’s 110 degrees outside in the shade.  Which means every little boy and girl coming back in from the playground will smell exactly like Fido’s butt!  Really, is there anything more smelly than a hot, sweaty child?  I think not!  Try spending the rest of the day closed up in a classroom with twenty-plus smelly children!

Then of course,  somebody eventually ends up getting hurt, despite everyone’s best efforts to keep it from happening.  Little Suzie  quietly sitting on the Eagles Nest, when little Johnny falls on her from above, and breaks her leg!… then Johnny trips while walking in line–on his untied shoelace–and falls, suffering a concussion from the fall.  Yes, it happens.

Sick children…How do you determine who is sick and who is just sick of school?  So many headaches or tummy aches, especially the first few weeks of school.  A fever or throwing up is a certain ticket home–if the nurse can find a parent willing to come and pick the child up.  It’s amazing how many people do not have transportation to pick up their sick children!  Really?

Irate parents…Never mind that little Susie wasn’t paying attention to the lesson because she was playing with her headband.  How dare I take your child’s headband away from her?  Never mind that your child’s report card looked like the dog ate it when she returned it–I didn’t give her a sticker for bringing it back!  How dare I “diss” your child!  Yes, sadly, these are the types of issues which seem important to some parents.

School pictures…Nothing like 50 plus kids, waiting in line to get a photo made.  Trying to comb each head of hair–with a new comb–then throwing all of those combs away in an effort to prevent the spread head lice!  Fixing this one’s belt or that one’s sash, straighten those shirt collars…No recess or snack until after pictures!  Sorry kids, the photographer is running behind.  So much effort goes into those crazy school pictures, even if the end result doesn’t always show it!

Wow, I’m getting tired just remembering!  That’s not all, only the beginning, but I’m going to stop.  All of these things actually happen–year after year–and more!  Things never change.  Only the faces do.  Some years may be better than others, while some years may be worse, but for the most part, they are the same.

Best wishes to anyone who’s experiencing a new school year–as a student,  parent, or a school employee…and kudos to all of the dedicated people who put their hearts and souls into educating and taking care of our children.  There must be a special place in heaven for people like you!