"Behold the chariot of the Fairy Queen!"

We're starting to settle into a routine of sorts, which is comforting on the one hand, and unnerving on the other. Routines become ruts, and I've been stuck in plenty enough to know that they sometimes breed tension and unrest, especially when one person's rut conflicts with another's.

No word back from my husband's supervisor on how his friend reacted to my notes. Either the author of the essays was pleased and needed no more help, or she was so offended, it's best not to tell me. Whatever...

Interesting tidbits last week: my 2-year-old niece fell off the toilet and smacked her ear on the bathtub, busting open the side of it. Luckily, she didn't bust her eardrum. Damian tried to use his pillow as a sled in the kitchen last Friday and smacked his face on the floor, breaking one of his front teeth in half before school.

Last semester, between reading for 609 and 658, I often found myself reading The Odyssey with Alex and helping her understand it. Now we're on to Romeo and Juliet. I'm against 14 and 15-year-olds reading about a "pair of star-cross'd lovers [taking] their life." I was hoping she would get to read about Odysseus again. My favorite part is Mercutio speaking of the fairy queen. Mab is said to come from the Celtic goddess, Medb (a.k.a. Maeve or Maebh), a fertility goddess who was demoted to a mere queen.

Well, I'm off to look online for some houses for sale in the area, then perhaps play some WoW. I hope you're both doing fabulous. Fi, I hope you're feeling better.

Ciao,
So

So, far away....da da da...get it?

"So, far away. (that would be our "So") Doesnt anybody stay in one place anymore?" la la la. Oh never mind...my feeble attempt at humour is always a little crap. But the crappier the funnier I always say. Here's one. How do you sell a deaf man a rabbit? WANNA BUY A RABBIT? he hee hoho. Anyway...So, its so weird to think of you in Memphis twiddling your thumbs. The Dutch episode was some what funny...for me...I'm sure not for you. I thought you were going to finish your MA there...betta do it.

Let's see, what am I doin' ...Oh yes, Im tits up AGAIN...this time a suspected hearniated disc in my lower back. Im going for an MRI on Sunday...I think its something much less dramatic because when I take lots of drugs the pain goes away!! Ha ha. No really, one trip to the chiropractor would surely heal all...but the doc says 'No!' So, instead Im hobbling around like a granny while all my friends are out geting drunk and dancing on the table while I look on, wearing 'sensible' shoes. sigh.

My thesis beckons...oh dear. Perhaps I'll be one of those folks who takes 2 years to write it...I've actually given myself two quarters. In the meantime, I'm reviewing a hilarious book for the Sun Valley mag. Its called "The Mystery Guest" by Gregoire Bouillier. Its basically all inner dialogue and its great. Young man gets called, unexpectedly, by the woman who dumped him without explanation 5 years before. He thinks she wants a rematch but instead she is merely calling to invite him to a party to be "the mystery guest" for a photographer friend of hers. And that's all I'm going to say about that....

oh by the by...the photo is of me hiking in Hawaii ,before I went 'lame' (as we say in the horse biz)
okeydoke, better go
Fi

How do you spell relief? Not having to work would be my guess. Or in my case, not being able to find work, which may or may not be considered relieving. In my case, it kind of is, though I'm itching to get back into education, whether it be helping others or continuing my own. Michael (really, he is special) brought not one, but two essays home for me to "correct" two nights ago. He waited till yesterday morning, 10 minutes before he had to leave for work, and asked me if I could "proofread" them real quick. Now, these were not his essays (he doesn't write much) and I didn't get paid for it. It was a favor for his supervisor, and they weren't his supervisor's essays either. No, no...they were essays written by a friend of his supervisor. Oy! I read the first sentence of the first essay, looked at my sweetie pie, and asked, "You need to take these back this morning? And what country is the author from?" I assumed Sweden; I was wrong...he told me yesterday evening that she is Dutch. I spent most of yesterday morning trying to help someone I'd never met, typed an email letting my husband and his supervisor know that I would have felt more comfortable sitting down face to face with the author, but I did what I could to help. The point to all this? I need to start tutoring again, or take a high school teaching position through a fellowship that will place me in a high risk "urban" high school, which Michael and my folks are dead-set against because it's...how'd they put it? Oh, yeah, too risky and dangerous.

So, the kids are settling into their new schools a bit. Did I mention Miss Alexandra's popularity? Within her first week attending a new school, ten classmates, approximately, nominated her for Homecoming queen for basketball. It was all so new to her, she freaked out and turned the nomination down. Poor kid; it was so embarrassing for her...so she said, anyway. I'm sure it boosted her up a little though. This week, her English teacher tried to encourage her to enter a creative writing contest after seeing a sample of her writing. She didn't think she'd do that well because all the other entries dealt with...what did she say? Something about: "they were all dark, and mine was fun and light." I told her that was why she should have entered, but she didn't. Grrr...how to get this girl to have more confidence and not so scared to do things when I can't even do that for myself?

While the kids are settling in, Michael is working on making his job more permanent with Pinnacle Airlines, the WoW expansion was released, and of course, I've been spending some time playing The Burning Crusade. I hear it's been getting some news coverage. Anyone check out Yahoo's article on it yesterday morning? Michael went out at 11:30 the night before to be at the store at midnight to pick up our copies. He's a pain sometimes, but then he does things like that.

My impression of living here so far...most people are nice and hospitable, it's a little slower (but I knew that already), the weather is as freaky here as it is there, I hate the elementary school and bus driver, but I really love being near my family. My baby brother and I are rediscovering the comfort in sibling rivalry...it's so much different when you're adults. Last week he threatened to come home from work and kick my ass when I wouldn't let him talk to Momma. I told him, "Bring it, Meat; let's go." He's such a chicken.

Peace, y'all.

Aloha!

Hello from Waikiki! Yes, Vic Oldham and I are are sunning our jammy selves in Hawaii baby... which is an instant cure for the winter blues. Vic is presenting at the arts and Humanities conference here and I simply tagged along for the ride. Way back in Sept when her proposal got accepted she casually mentioned I should come along... little did she know I would take her up on it! And here we are! Here we are at some waterfall or other..sigh. Life is definately looking up this weekend. Juan Columbi and Jan Hudson are also here... as is Holly Henry. We havent seen Jan or Doc Henry but Juan bought two adorable boys with him and we have all been downing fruity drinks in our fave hotspot which is handily located on the second floor of our hotel. Yesterday, Vic went snorkelling...she saw pink stripey fish and octopus. I opted to flop about on the beach and turn my fair brit skin a deep shade of pink...bring on the baby oil!! Brits love to burn the shit out of themselves because we have all grown up so deprived of sunshine. And, even thoough I live in sunny southern cal...I still feel the need to peel at every opportunity!

Anyway, we are coming home tomorrow although we all want to forget school and stay here forever.

I'll post more pictures as I get browner!
Hugs
Fi XXXXXXXXX

Good to see you back, Freddie. We missed you! I'm sorry you had a terrible holiday season. And, yes, I think if the counseling is helping you, then you should continue. I think it's always helpful to have someone on the outside to talk to. Get better soon!

Donna, I had Carlson for Amer. Lit. 1 and Native Amer. Lit. (both the same semester). He's all right. It was the second time I took Amer. Lit. 1, and he made it really interesting because he's really into it (I tolerated it the first time I took it). A good friend of mine took him for the same two classes a few semesters before me and didn't like him, and she and I usually have pretty much the same impression of instructors.

Yeah, the weather has been a little warmer here than normal, but last night it got cold and today is chilly enough to need sweaters and light jackets.

Okay, so, I finally got all three of the kids registered for school, and for the first time in their lives, they have to take a bus. To be completely honest, for the time being, they really don’t have to take the bus, but it’s good that they get used to it because when I start working, they’ll have to. When I registered them, I made it clear to the office personnel, the principal, and their teachers that they needed to sit together on the bus at least until they are familiar with riding a bus, what bus stop to get off at, and perhaps meet some friends who live nearby.

Yesterday was their first day riding the bus, and was apparently traumatic for Gabby. So much so that she begged me, crying, not to make her ride it. When I asked what happened, she said she and her brother were not allowed to sit together and the bus driver was mean to the kids. This morning I spoke with the driver and explained the situation. Her rude reply was that she determines where the kids sit and my kids are old enough to handle the change. What?

It seems that I missed the bulletin about school faculty and staff knowing what the children can handle better than the parents. This especially applies to children who are new to the area. I was not aware of this before this morning. In any case, I pointed out that if my kids came home more upset today than yesterday, I would have no choice but to phone the district. She told me, “Go ahead and do that.” Yeah…see? Now, why would she go and say something like that? It was just the triple dog dare that I needed.

I came home, phoned the school, got the bus coordinator out of a meeting with the principal and proceeded to explain the facts of life. She promised to talk to the driver, who I was informed is not supposed to do that. I also learned that it’s the school’s policy to seat siblings, especially those new to the school, together. This afternoon, Gabby seemed much happier, and although they’re not sitting together on the same seat, they are right across the aisle from each other, which, I suppose, is as good as it’s going to get. Unlike his big sister, Damian is super excited to be riding a bus to and from school and didn’t let the incident bother him too much.

A boy in Damian’s class knew that they were supposed to sit together and when the driver separated them, he firmly told her that they were supposed to sit together because the teacher said so. We found out that he lives across the street, and his mother provides daycare to my niece and nephew. And, as it turns out, what freaked Gabby out was the bus driver yelling at him for persistently arguing the case for my kids. It only added to the anxiety she already felt about making sure to get off at the right bus stop. Did that all make sense? This whole experience with Gabby and Damian starting a new school has been horrific enough to make me wish for their old school.

Maybe now I can concentrate more on securing my own job and getting my own transfer done. I still have to take that stinkin’ GRE. Did I mention that if the tutoring doesn’t workout, I can get a special permit and teach high school English? The catch is that I have to be enrolled in education classes, which could potentially interrupt my getting a Master’s in Composition or my MFA in Creative Writing. If things work out, I'll be going to the University of Memphis.

Hmmm…

I think I’ll sign Damian up for Little League this spring and try to find tennis lessons for Gabby.

So

Welcome back Fi!

I'm sorry you aren't feeling well, make yourself a cup of really hot and sweet tea, you'll feel better for sure! As for the difficult holiday, I'm not the one to give advice (since I've been in the same relationship for 37 years now) , but even if you go to counseling yourself, if it helps-do it! What classes are you taking? or are you just doing the thesis work? I need to see Prof. Pigeon and work out this end of the program/thesis thing as well. I hope I can do the praxis in the summer. Do either of you know anything about that? Thank goodness I checked my email before I left for class this afternoon, classes cancelled because of wind! Woohoo! I wasn't ready to start today. Prof. Carlson sent an email, we still have a reading assignment (Part 1 of treatise 1 by Hutcheson). Have either of you taken any classes with him? This will be my first and last.

So, tell me about the left hand not knowing what the right is doing when it comes to transferring schools! Once the kids start back, when and where will you be going? Just where exactly are you living (city, state Tennessee?) At least it won't be quite as hard to adjust, with all the above normal temperatures back east. What was that about no such thing as global warming????

Keep smiling,
Do

I'm BACK!!!

I am so sorry girls, I have missed you so much. I just got back from the vacation from hell. Russ and I went to Idaho nearly three weeks ago. My laptop charger died and I had to wait til my loans came in to get a new one because I ran out of money doing christmas shopping. I had no internet at home and then I was struck down with the shittiest bout of the flu you can ever imagine. All my bones are aching and I still have to take codiene medicine to make it through the night. Wah wah wah. Worst of all, Russ and I are barely hanging on by a thread...he has pulled the "break up" card at least three times...I have a lot of soul searching to do. Couselling hasn't seemed to help us much, Im hoping it will help me though as I feel I will be doing a lot of it by myself.
All in all, a bad christmas which is a shame because I love the holidays.
Anyway, Im back now and a new quarter is starting today. I have to get my shit together and work some stuff out...but really Im kinda flying blind. Anyway, Im so sorry I havent been posting...I just didnt have the means to.
I'll stay in touch now
Loads of hugs
Freddie

Good evening...how's the weekend going so far? How was the past week?

I spent last week discovering how hard it is to register a child for school in this county and the first thing (and only thing so far) that has made me miss living in sunny So. Cal. When I took my two youngest out of school, I was informed I wouldn't need anything; everything the new school needed could be sent for. NOT! Turns out, I did need that withdrawal slip, and wouldn't you know it! Their school out there is closed until Monday. On top of that, the proof of residency they require is a rental agreement or mortgage papers. What?! Last I knew, two utility bills were enough to prove residency. Since we're staying with my folks for now, not only did they have to request a copy of their rental agreement, but we also had to get a document notarized showing that we do indeed reside here for the time being. I'm ready to throw in the towel and homeschool. Grrr... And, I swear if we move out of this immediate area, I'm not telling the school that we moved. Here's hoping Gabby and Damian can start on Monday. They were upset they couldn't start last week (my kids are such nerds).

Miss Alex, however, was able to start school on Friday because Univeristy Prep was smart enough to give us her withdrawal form. She had a pretty good day. She was taking honors classes there at the very small University Preparatory. She's opted out of one of her honors classes here, which I'm okay with because she kept Honors English. That's my girl! This school is much bigger by comparison (UP was maybe 10 portables for three grades -- 7-9), but I think she'll be all right. When I asked her if she'd made any friends, I was informed that one "does not make friends on the first day." Apparently, I was not aware of this. Leave it to your teenagers to make you feel old; ya gotta love 'em though.

So I've lived in the same town as one of my best friends from high school for all of two weeks and still haven't arranged to see her. We've been in touch, but things just haven't worked out for us to grab lunch or coffee, or just hang out somewhere. Maybe I'll try for tomorrow.

I'm glad the link for the Chinese New Year was useful. And, yes, where has Freddie been lately?

I hope the new year is going well for you both. Later.

So

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year ladies! We spent a quiet evening home. Our daughter called just after 9pm (midnight on the east coast) and by the time it turned midnight here, we were both tired and really aggravated by the lack of live coverage for the west coast new year (CNN checked out at 10pm pacific time). A few years ago, the tv channels covered the Seattle, San Francisco, and Las Vegas celebrations, but no more. My daughter and I have started a Google document file
Basically, it is a word document that we can both revise. It's a list of what we want to do and see in Rome next month. We can actually both edit at the same time, or I can download the file and work on it off line, then just upload it again. Very cool. Well, after getting up with Vinnie at 4:30am! (he had a 6:50am flight to Austin Texas for business), I couldn't fall back asleep. Now I'm RRREEEAAALLLYYYYY tired and I should be grading essays-not gonna happen. Thank you for that link to the Chinese New Year site So, my best friend teacher is Chinese-American and every year I try to do something for him on the holiday. My birthday is in the year of the Dragon. Where oh where is Fi????

Ciao,
Do

HAPPY 2007

Happy New Year, chickies. The parade was...well...flowery. U of M's marching lines were a little bowed, but USC's were crooked too. Hopefully they'll look better during halftime. My favorite float: the fire-breathing dragons by Honda. My favorite attractions: Rocket Man and Medieval Times.

We'll probably have a houseful again, just with the five of us, my parents, my brother, sister-in-law, and their three rugrats (my parents live in a small house). The black-eyed peas are on, and dinner will be delicious. I plan to enjoy every bit of it because tomorrow I get to start eating healthy again.

I hope you both had a fun New Year's eve and made good resolutions. May the Year of the Pig (which starts Feb. 18th) be good to you. Take care.

So