Another week has flown by. I was chatting with my former assistant principal yesterday, telling him a little about the past week and how tempted I am to tell some stories on my blog that unfortunately would violate the confidentiality rules I am bound by. Perhaps some day far in the future after I will retire I will write a book incorporating some of these stories and embellishing them slightly, so I can put the disclaimer at the front of the book saying any resemblance to any event or person living or dead is pure coincidence. Human nature is so fascinating and life can be such a comedy of errors. I have also noticed a couple of times recently that working in a school office sometimes resembles the job I held in my early twenties in a police dispatch center, as staff members go on foot pursuit of a runaway child and other various suspicious activities occur. But really, the vast majority of our student population is quite law abiding!
Add to that the soap opera of staff relationships and interactions and life is full of drama. I woke up yesterday morning and turned off my alarm, thinking it was Saturday. I previewed the joys of the relaxing day I anticipated, going off with my husband to look at 5th wheels, and went back to sleep. Nearly an hour later I woke up to Will's alarm and realized it was Friday. I was so annoyed, I just couldn't get up for a few minutes. Will was asking why I was still in bed and I groaned, "I have to frame my mind right." "What are you going to frame it around?!" he asked. Of course I meant I had to get back into the right frame of mind for a Friday before I could even get out of bed, and it was difficult after having my mind set for Saturday. I have received a few cracks from Will since then about my mind being framed, but oh well!
We did have an enjoyable time RV shopping today, but fortunately we did not find any 5th wheel that we couldn't live without. We always plan and anticipate this type of purchase for a long time. Not one salesman looked at Will and exclaimed, "Wow, you're a big one" as one did last year. We did have one who we feared we would have to either pry his hand off the pickup door or drag him out of the parking lot with us, but he finally let go!
When we got home, Will got to sit at the table and eat fresh veggies -carrots, green peppers, and broccoli, while I broiled some turkey burgers (from Costco) to serve with melted fat-free cheese slices on whole wheat bread. I counted it quite successful because although Nick was whining before dinner about needing real meat, he liked the turkey burgers. Will might have liked his better if I hadn't slightly overcooked it, but he would never complain. It's such a virtuous feeling to eat a healthy meal! I put lots of lettuce, some onions, green peppers and light ranch dressing with mine and it was delicious! A turkey burger has 5 grams of fat versus the 22 grams in Costco's lowest fat sirloin burger. Our arteries are thanking us right now! It's time for me to stop!!
The big red stuffed dog and balloons that were delivered for a student on Valentine's Day are still in our office. I personally showed it to the child on Wednesday when he finally returned to school, but he has never come back to pick it up! Perhaps I need to threaten him that I will put it on the Lost and Found table....
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Reviewing Valentines Week
Here I am at home without my husband again on a Saturday night. We were supposed to go to dinner at a friend's house but he got called to work this afternoon. He got a camera on his last trip to Idaho. It came with a cool program which he used to frame a picture of himself with his dad.
What a week it has been. Much stress at work, with my dear office co-worker suffering the effects of her first chemo treatment, trying to work as much as possible but not able to be there as much as she wanted. Something happened that I have never seen before at school - a girl bit another girl's arm in anger, and felt it was an acceptable thing to do under the circumstances. I got yelled at by the victim's mother. During a break in her ranting, I requested a second time that she please take a seat until the principal could be with her. She turned to her daughter and said, "Is she stupid? I already told her I did not want to sit down." I almost laughed.
Then came Valentine's Day, always fun at our school, with parents and friends dropping off balloons, flowers, candy, stuffed animals, etc. for us to deliver to their darlings. A church youth worker even brought gifts for nine students and seemed annoyed when I respectfully requested that they not bring their valentines to us to distribute next year. (Note to church youth leaders: Please I beg of you don't ever do that to a school.) With about 40 extra note deliveries and then passing out the valentines as students came to the office at the end of the day added to our normal busy office duties, somehow one child did not receive the notification that there was something in the office for her. I was fortunate enough to answer the phone call from the parent who called shortly after school was out, demanding to know why her child wasn't notified, what kind of office do we run, who should have taken care of this, she and her daughter were so disappointed, her daughter was crying, she was so disappointed in us, how could we fail to do such an important thing, she was extremely disappointed, etc. I was also fortunate enough to get a lecture from the girl's father the next morning when he brought her to pick up her flower and balloon. "I'm very sorry" just wasn't good enough for them. My advice is, celebrate Valentine's Day with your child at home, it has nothing to do with school.
A great big red stuffed dog with a Happy Birthday balloon and a Valentine balloon was also not picked up. I called the home of the child, fearing that he also had not received a note. His mom said, "He just walked in the door and said he forgot to pick it up. No big deal." I was so relieved. The student was absent the next day. His gift is still sitting in our conference room.
I did enjoy going out to dinner on Wednesday night with my husband and attending the Valentine's Banquet at church with him last night. Valentine's Day is not ALL bad.
And today - what a happy day. Beautiful blue skies and sunshine - and I went to the wedding of a friend who was on her deathbed a couple of years ago, with cancer in her bones and liver. She got better and has felt great for the past couple of years. Her doctors are mystified. God is amazing! I was her daycare provider for her youngest, and it was fun to reminisce with him about the good old days when he and Eric made action figure movies together!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Not Bored Anymore
It's great to have my husband back home. We were quite social over the weekend, attending the sheriff's office awards dessert on Friday night (where we were privileged to preview a foretaste of Will's next career as a "soft rock singer" after he retires, his first music video - "I'm So Ronery") It made me laugh til tears flowed. Saturday was the monthly pinochle party, where I won a prize for having the lowest score. Good times. Sunday Doug, Anisa and Duane came to visit. Nick and Uncle Doug engaged in a rousing thumb wrestling match. They both started on the couch, but Doug thumb wrestled him to the ground. I love the look on Duane's face. What you can't see is that he is wearing one of Nick's enormous size 13 shoes, exclaiming, "It's so roomy!"
You will notice Nick got a haircut. His hair had been quite big and disorderly. He came home one day and said he needed a haircut right away. I asked what changed his mind. "I caught a glimpse of myself in the window when I was walking into school, and I just looked goofy!" was his reply. I wasted no time getting out the scissors.
You will notice Nick got a haircut. His hair had been quite big and disorderly. He came home one day and said he needed a haircut right away. I asked what changed his mind. "I caught a glimpse of myself in the window when I was walking into school, and I just looked goofy!" was his reply. I wasted no time getting out the scissors.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
A Dull Week
A whole week since I have posted anything and nothing comes to mind that I must share. The highlight of the past week was going to see Santiam Christian's middle school drama in which my charming nephew Duane starred quite convincingly as "King Dum". Will, Nick and I, as well as the rest of the audience had some good laughs. I believe dramatic talent is a strong Troyer trait. As well as good looks and charm. And brains and beauty. But one of our greatest gifts, a deeply ingrained humility, precludes me from sharing any more of our outstanding family attributes.
There are several reasons for the lack of activity in this household. One is that Will is missing. He was gone for a whole week, returning home last Thursday. He left again Saturday morning, battling blowing snow and icy roads en route for Idaho to be with his Dad, who had surgery yesterday. His dad was released from the hospital today, and hopefully Will will be home soon. Without him the sun doesn't shine, food tastes bland, and there is less to laugh at.
Another problem is that I'm still recovering from "the bug". I went to the doctor yesterday and he broke the bad news to me. "Your lungs are full of junk." Hopefully the antibiotics he prescribed will help.
Tonight I hit a new low. I worked three hours late, arriving home around 7:30. Exhausted, I heated up some soup and read the paper. Eagerly looking forward to relaxing on the couch with the newest Robin Cook medical thriller ("a ripped-from-the-headlines tale of an innovative doctor's dangerous downward spiral"!), I entered my living room. To my horror, there was a pile of cat poop in the middle of the floor. I speed dialed Eric, who was hanging out at a friend's, to request that he immediately dispose of this problem his cat had left for me. He said he would call Nick (who was at church) and offer him $5 to clean it up because he didn't want to make a special trip home to do it. Nick returned home a short time later with a big smile on his face. He went right to the drawer and put a plastic baggie over his hand, saying he was getting $10 from Eric to clean up the cat poop!
In the meantime, I was forced to read in the family room, where it was difficult to feel relaxed and happy because Nick had left a plate with dried ketchup, a plate with remnants of a melted ice cream bar, and two wrappers lying about. I was not happy with him. He had to clean that mess up for free. And it took quite a little scrubbing for him to remove the dried ketchup. Where have I gone wrong? Why is he such a slob?
It's time for me to take my exciting book upstairs and read in bed for a bit. One must get one's beauty rest.
There are several reasons for the lack of activity in this household. One is that Will is missing. He was gone for a whole week, returning home last Thursday. He left again Saturday morning, battling blowing snow and icy roads en route for Idaho to be with his Dad, who had surgery yesterday. His dad was released from the hospital today, and hopefully Will will be home soon. Without him the sun doesn't shine, food tastes bland, and there is less to laugh at.
Another problem is that I'm still recovering from "the bug". I went to the doctor yesterday and he broke the bad news to me. "Your lungs are full of junk." Hopefully the antibiotics he prescribed will help.
Tonight I hit a new low. I worked three hours late, arriving home around 7:30. Exhausted, I heated up some soup and read the paper. Eagerly looking forward to relaxing on the couch with the newest Robin Cook medical thriller ("a ripped-from-the-headlines tale of an innovative doctor's dangerous downward spiral"!), I entered my living room. To my horror, there was a pile of cat poop in the middle of the floor. I speed dialed Eric, who was hanging out at a friend's, to request that he immediately dispose of this problem his cat had left for me. He said he would call Nick (who was at church) and offer him $5 to clean it up because he didn't want to make a special trip home to do it. Nick returned home a short time later with a big smile on his face. He went right to the drawer and put a plastic baggie over his hand, saying he was getting $10 from Eric to clean up the cat poop!
In the meantime, I was forced to read in the family room, where it was difficult to feel relaxed and happy because Nick had left a plate with dried ketchup, a plate with remnants of a melted ice cream bar, and two wrappers lying about. I was not happy with him. He had to clean that mess up for free. And it took quite a little scrubbing for him to remove the dried ketchup. Where have I gone wrong? Why is he such a slob?
It's time for me to take my exciting book upstairs and read in bed for a bit. One must get one's beauty rest.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Good Grief!
The snow is gone and I am glad. Sure, it's exciting and beautiful when it's coming down, but it brings out the stupidity of people in many ways. I really like to think I am one of the smart ones. We received a fair amount of snow on Sunday, and Nick was eagerly anticipating that schools would be closed the next day. So Sunday evening I was looking at the school district's webpage "Delays/Closures" segment. It had a link to sign up for "Flash Alert" which would email and/or text message you any time there were delays or closures. What was a great idea! Nick and I both signed up. The next morning my alarm went off at 5:15 as usual, and about a minute later as I was still lying abed, I received a text message from Flash Alert saying "Greater Albany Closed". I did not even have to rise out of my bed or turn on the TV. I was able to just roll over and go peacfully back to sleep.
I slept in, still in need of a little medicinal sleep, and later in the day I enjoyed scrapbooking Nick's birth and early infanthood. In fact, I discovered that the newspaper birth announcement, listed under his was the granddaughter of my fellow secretary Helen! I smiled as I looked at a picture of cute little Eric and Craig with their mouths stuffed with M&Ms that someone had brought when they visited the hospital, and recalled that when Eric's preschool class went on a field trip to the hospital a year or so later, he inquired where they kept the M&Ms, because he believed that hospitals kept a supply of them to give to people!
Tuesday morning school started on time in spite of a bit of snow still on the ground. Sadly, the rest of the world doesn't seem to be acquainted with Flash Alert. The phone was ringing off the hook in the hour before school started with people calling to ask if there was really school. Today we had a two hour delay, which I also conveniently learned when my friend, Flash Alert, texted me. But the phone calls after I arrived at school were unbelievable. "Is it true there's a two hour delay?" I wanted to say, "Yes, that's why all the TV stations and radio stations have been reporting it for the last three hours. It really is true." But I just politely say, "Yes, it's true." And then they ask, "SO WHAT TIME DOES SCHOOL START?" I ask you, how hard is it to figure this out? After I was asked this many times, politely replying, "9:50" , I just snapped. I enunciated very slowly to the caller, "Well, since school normally start at 7:50, if you add two hours to that, what time would you think school would start? Yes, 9:50, very good." But I was pretty proud of my self control. I was rude to only that one person. I guess it's not their fault if they are unable to add 7 plus 2 equals 9. I need to feel compassion for them.
On another note, I am very worried. When I came home tonight, I found a big pile of hair in the downstairs bathroom garbage can. I fear that Eric shaved his head. It is not my favorite look for Eric. And just how ridiculous does a guy with a huge bushy beard look with a bald head? I will not be likely to post any pictures of such a disaster. I just texted him and he tells me no, he just cut his hair. He cut his own hair? That ought to look really good too. I hope it's not a mullet. One mullet in a month is enough for a family to endure. Craig cut himself a mullet earlier this month and shared ridiculous pictures of it, but fortunately he got rid of it after a few days. I believe he found that people don't take you seriously with such a haircut. I'm going to stop rambling now and get a good night's rest so I can be smarter than all the people I talk to on the phone tomorrow!
I slept in, still in need of a little medicinal sleep, and later in the day I enjoyed scrapbooking Nick's birth and early infanthood. In fact, I discovered that the newspaper birth announcement, listed under his was the granddaughter of my fellow secretary Helen! I smiled as I looked at a picture of cute little Eric and Craig with their mouths stuffed with M&Ms that someone had brought when they visited the hospital, and recalled that when Eric's preschool class went on a field trip to the hospital a year or so later, he inquired where they kept the M&Ms, because he believed that hospitals kept a supply of them to give to people!
Tuesday morning school started on time in spite of a bit of snow still on the ground. Sadly, the rest of the world doesn't seem to be acquainted with Flash Alert. The phone was ringing off the hook in the hour before school started with people calling to ask if there was really school. Today we had a two hour delay, which I also conveniently learned when my friend, Flash Alert, texted me. But the phone calls after I arrived at school were unbelievable. "Is it true there's a two hour delay?" I wanted to say, "Yes, that's why all the TV stations and radio stations have been reporting it for the last three hours. It really is true." But I just politely say, "Yes, it's true." And then they ask, "SO WHAT TIME DOES SCHOOL START?" I ask you, how hard is it to figure this out? After I was asked this many times, politely replying, "9:50" , I just snapped. I enunciated very slowly to the caller, "Well, since school normally start at 7:50, if you add two hours to that, what time would you think school would start? Yes, 9:50, very good." But I was pretty proud of my self control. I was rude to only that one person. I guess it's not their fault if they are unable to add 7 plus 2 equals 9. I need to feel compassion for them.
On another note, I am very worried. When I came home tonight, I found a big pile of hair in the downstairs bathroom garbage can. I fear that Eric shaved his head. It is not my favorite look for Eric. And just how ridiculous does a guy with a huge bushy beard look with a bald head? I will not be likely to post any pictures of such a disaster. I just texted him and he tells me no, he just cut his hair. He cut his own hair? That ought to look really good too. I hope it's not a mullet. One mullet in a month is enough for a family to endure. Craig cut himself a mullet earlier this month and shared ridiculous pictures of it, but fortunately he got rid of it after a few days. I believe he found that people don't take you seriously with such a haircut. I'm going to stop rambling now and get a good night's rest so I can be smarter than all the people I talk to on the phone tomorrow!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What is More Important, Meat or Good Manners?
As I previously mentioned, Will is away at a training in Baker City. After I read the following email which he sent me this evening, I immediately called and received his permission to share it here so you could all commiserate with his misfortunes.
Will wrote: "I went to the restaurant and ordered a Prime Rib, I even asked for an end cut. The waitress was very late getting to me and it appears there was some confusion about whose section I was in. The girl that drew the short straw most likely has not been working very long so when I asked for an end cut she asked me how I wanted it. Now that should have been a clue right there. I told her as best I could if a guy asks for an end cut he probably doesn’t want it rare. I did this in the most polite of ways because you people tell me I intimidate others.
Well she came back with a steak and told me they didn’t have end cuts for that kind of meat, and then asked me if I wanted any steak sauce. Oh boy do you suppose there is going to be something wrong with the order. I told her in the most polite way I could I didn’t think many people use steak sauce on prime rib. Then she told me she thought I ordered a rib eye. I am beginning to forget the polite ways to tell waitresses that I have never heard a person ask for an end cut on a rib eye. I didn’t fall for the temptation however. I just stared at her like she must have been raised in a vacuum and never allowed to get out.
Well you would be proud of me, my politeness paid off. I didn’t get thrown out of the restaurant and got 20% off the meal. She told me it was not her night. No kidding it was not her night. It is still snowing and I still haven’t had prime rib, but I am full and warm and dry. What else could matter? I wonder if I could have gotten the steak for free if I had intimidated and shouted and made a scene. "
Well, when I read this I got to laughing pretty hard. I'm still recovering from severe bronchial congestion, so laughing leads to some very peculiar wheezing sounds. Eric and Nick laugh at me every time I laugh. Well, this time the wheezing sounds I was making were so funny I just couldn't stop laughing. I'm just glad no one recorded the strange wheezing, shrieking laughing that I just couldn't stop for a long time! But I have wiped my eyes and am all better now. When I called Will he thought my cough still sounded bad. I had to tell him I was only coughing as a result of laughing so much.
I miss you Will, but I'm glad you're not here right now to see the huge scrapbooking mess I have already made! I better go tidy up a bit....
...Now I'm back. I went downstairs and Nick said he'd hadn't heard me laugh for awhile. I let out a nearly soundless wheezing laugh that went on and on, and he got to laughing so hard he fell to the floor. We had another good long laugh. My stomach hurts and my cough is worse. I have to avoid Nick and not read any more emails from Will if I want to get better!
Will wrote: "I went to the restaurant and ordered a Prime Rib, I even asked for an end cut. The waitress was very late getting to me and it appears there was some confusion about whose section I was in. The girl that drew the short straw most likely has not been working very long so when I asked for an end cut she asked me how I wanted it. Now that should have been a clue right there. I told her as best I could if a guy asks for an end cut he probably doesn’t want it rare. I did this in the most polite of ways because you people tell me I intimidate others.
Well she came back with a steak and told me they didn’t have end cuts for that kind of meat, and then asked me if I wanted any steak sauce. Oh boy do you suppose there is going to be something wrong with the order. I told her in the most polite way I could I didn’t think many people use steak sauce on prime rib. Then she told me she thought I ordered a rib eye. I am beginning to forget the polite ways to tell waitresses that I have never heard a person ask for an end cut on a rib eye. I didn’t fall for the temptation however. I just stared at her like she must have been raised in a vacuum and never allowed to get out.
Well you would be proud of me, my politeness paid off. I didn’t get thrown out of the restaurant and got 20% off the meal. She told me it was not her night. No kidding it was not her night. It is still snowing and I still haven’t had prime rib, but I am full and warm and dry. What else could matter? I wonder if I could have gotten the steak for free if I had intimidated and shouted and made a scene. "
Well, when I read this I got to laughing pretty hard. I'm still recovering from severe bronchial congestion, so laughing leads to some very peculiar wheezing sounds. Eric and Nick laugh at me every time I laugh. Well, this time the wheezing sounds I was making were so funny I just couldn't stop laughing. I'm just glad no one recorded the strange wheezing, shrieking laughing that I just couldn't stop for a long time! But I have wiped my eyes and am all better now. When I called Will he thought my cough still sounded bad. I had to tell him I was only coughing as a result of laughing so much.
I miss you Will, but I'm glad you're not here right now to see the huge scrapbooking mess I have already made! I better go tidy up a bit....
...Now I'm back. I went downstairs and Nick said he'd hadn't heard me laugh for awhile. I let out a nearly soundless wheezing laugh that went on and on, and he got to laughing so hard he fell to the floor. We had another good long laugh. My stomach hurts and my cough is worse. I have to avoid Nick and not read any more emails from Will if I want to get better!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Basketball
I was just getting rid of some low quality photos and decided I had to share a little bit about Nick's basketball season this year. His last game was Monday night, where I took these photos. It wasn't a winning season, but the boys had a good time and Nick managed to score in the neighborhood of 20 points in the majority of the games. Although one would wonder how, looking at all the defenders blocking his shot below! 
I will miss going to basketball games and shouting encouraging words to my son. One night Will and I decided we were being too polite and it was time to act like the other parents and call out things that might embarrass our boy. Nick had the nerve to point us out to a ref and tell him we should be removed because he didn't know us and we were harassing him! The ref knew better. Good times!
Things often got a little aggressive, going down to the floor in the fight for the ball. It kind of looks like Nick is grabbing his opponents' shoulders but surely not. It's always even more fun to play your friends. I learned after the game that this particular friend was adding an unusual type of defense with some particularly odiferous flatulence for Nick's benefit.
This almost looks like Nick is trying to intimidate #33, but I'm sure it was just some friendly chatting among friends. I'm sure Nick would never do any trash talking....
I will miss going to basketball games and shouting encouraging words to my son. One night Will and I decided we were being too polite and it was time to act like the other parents and call out things that might embarrass our boy. Nick had the nerve to point us out to a ref and tell him we should be removed because he didn't know us and we were harassing him! The ref knew better. Good times!
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