With three little barkleys in the house, things are rarely dull. The dogs are usually in motion, so when I had the chance to snap this picture, I took full advantage!
Boxita, Jinx and Chance at rest—finally!
Restful Moment
Author Archives: ramblingsofaperforatedmind
Mourning
Driving to the closest Wal-Mart this evening gave me plenty of time to think. There’s a funeral tomorrow, and my heart is so heavy. I hurt for the family, especially the children. I realized as I drove that I have been grieving in increments—when I have some alone time, I ponder the unfairness of a family losing a husband and father in the prime of his life. When I am around others, I put my feelings in a box and shove it to the back of my mind.
People grieve in many different ways. Some openly cry and seek the company of others. I have always done my crying in private. I am a control freak, so I feel weak when others see me upset. I do my best to handle my business when I’m alone. Keep in mind that just because someone isn’t being demonstrative, that doesn’t indicate that the person lacks emotion.
Another Storm!
A storm warning went out, so this time I decided to go looking for trouble. My daughter didn’t want to head out storm chasing, so I called Stacey to see if Gen, Bela’s best friend, wanted to go. No sooner than the words left Stacey’s mouth, Gen was moving! I picked her up, and away we went!
This was a fast-moving storm, but we did get hail in the half hour we were out. The clouds were amazing.
Gen always tilts the camera….
I took this one.
Gen took this pic of the rainbow that followed the hail and rain.
Life and Beyond in a Small Town
One thing we know about life is that nobody gets out alive. Our rural community has been rocked by deaths in the last few months. Two awesome family men are being mourned. The community has been completely stunned by the losses.
The main question we have asked is, “Why?” We may never understand. I hate that feeling of helplessness that follows the news. How can we help the grieving family members? All that comes to mind is pray and “help them cry.”
The scariest part is that both men were seemingly healthy fellows. That just goes to show when death comes for us, we can’t say, “Can you come back later? I have some things to wrap up first.” Mourning our losses has brought us all closer to our own feelings about mortality. We have been forcefully reminded that when it’s our time to go, nothing can stop it. I plan to make every day count.
Tertulia!
Today was a very productive day for my Spanish 2 students. Their assignment was to be able to discuss their favorite actors or actresses in Spanish (of course) and ask questions or comment on their classmates’ statements. They were expected to look up any necessary vocabulary, ask me for help as needed and speak in the target language.
I have to say that they exceeded my expectations. One class went to the local coffee shop, ordered their drinks and started talking. I asked questions and made comments as well, so they had to think on their feet and keep up! A few students were really hesitant at first. Normal under the circumstances, right? After all, this ole, mean teacher was demanding something scary from them! They had to move out of their comfort zone. YEA!!!!!
Both classes were interacting so quickly that I could barely register who was speaking to add checks by the names! They made me proud.
Stand Down or Speak Up?
We all send our kids to school hoping they will be safe, nurtured and integrated into a learning atmosphere where they are not teased, bullied or made uncomfortable. Now let’s examine what actually happens in the real world.
Our kids enter kindergarten. What happens? They learn, yes. Some learn to tease and bully. If it is tolerated, it continues. Others learn to either fight back or withdraw and try to escape notice. These behaviors become habits, and we all know how hard habits are to break. Many times the bullying and/or teasing follows the victims all the way into high school. Is it right? No. Should people speak out instead of silently abetting the bullies? Yes. Does it always work out that way? No.
Talk to your children about bullying and harassment at school. Let them know it’s ok to complain about it. Tell an adult and don’t stop speaking up until the bad behavior stops. They may end up being someone’s hero. Doing the right thing is not easy, but the self-respect earned is priceless.
#Ricebucketchallenge
I accidently found an idea I super like: instead of the ice bucket challenge, it’s something called the RICE BUCKET challenge. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for having a good time and raising awareness, but the idea of dumping a bucket of ice water on myself holds little appeal. According to the news, the ice bucket challenge has been responsible for increased donations to fund research and treat ALS. That’s certainly a wonderful thing.
The thing I never thought about was how obscene wasting water would seem to people in countries without a steady supply of clean drinking water or suffering from drought. With so many hungry people in India and many other places in the world, another idea was born—that of the rice bucket challenge.
Visit the links below to find out all the details. I’m sure you’ll like the idea as much as I do!
https://www.facebook.com/ricebucketchallenge
State Fair
Our county has a wonderful 4H leader, and I appreciate all the work Sue does on behalf of our children. She helps the kids learn new things, schedules workshops to create projects for fair, and transports projects to state fair and sets them up. She is an amazing lady. She even took this picture for me since I couldn’t get to state fair myself! Thank you, Sue, for all you do for us.
Thanks to Sue, I have a picture of Bela’s project!
Baklava
Miss J made this last year for my 7th graders. It was excellent!
A Lofty Goal?
I spent all summer stressing over finishing classes, work and all the other daily responsibilities like cooking dinner and having meaningful conversations with my teen and more. I tried hard to fit in the important things, but too often I got sidetracked by tiny details that don’t really matter in the long run.
Your opinion of what matters might very well be different from mine, but I have a goal—I have started writing a book, and I want to finish it. I’m only 13 pages into it, but all writers begin with a sentence, right?
I am ashamed to say that I didn’t add one word to my rough draft over the summer. Since my work and study schedules are lighter this year, I think it’s time to remedy that. Maybe I will have a completed manuscript by the end of the school year.
Ramblings of a Perforated Mind 