The Devils…Fantasy Football and Irrational Parents

First, I want to apologize to my loyal readers (thanks, mom!) for my departure from posting in awhile.  Working full time is a lot of work, especially since this year I’ve already had two whiny parents complaining about things.  We’ve only had 17 days of school!  One was upset that I wasn’t more comforting to her child who cried when they had to come to my class for instruction.  The parent is a staff member and instead of coming to me, a co-worker overheard her badmouthing me to another co-worker who has never liked me.

The second parent wrote me a nasty note saying, and I quote, “Just because my child is advanced doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be challenged…You’re limiting her potential.”  Her child is very smart, but she is very young and socially immature.  As far as being challenged, I know of very few teachers in my building that try to match their lessons and associated work to children’s needs as much as I do.  I’m not sure when education turned into parents “Have It Your Way” like Burger King, but it is always irritating to think I had to get bachelor’s and master’s degrees, only to be told how to do my job. Luckily, my principal is behind me and this parent will not get to tell me how to be an educator.

And then there’s fantasy football.  I thought I would really enjoy this activity, but it has left me depressed the past two weeks.  I feel like I have a good team and I am constantly monitoring my players and making good trades, all to no avail.  It looks like I will now go 1-3 this week and even worse, I may lose my second string quarterback to injury after losing Tom Brady (my first round draft pick, by the way) to injury for the season.

So, all in all, it hasn’t been a banner month for Holly.  Add the floating bridge and flooding, and it could be classified as down-right miserable. I can only hope the incoming fall weather will bring better luck for me in football and with the parents in my classroom.

I did have a good laugh this past Friday after the debates–Ben helped me look up one of the funniest videos ever, from the 2004 election.  I was crying I was laughing so hard–raccoon eyes and all.  Enjoy!


 

Another Visit With Troubled Water

Well, the inevitable happened–the basement experienced mild flooding.  This time, it was not due to the creek but massive amounts of water.  The water basically began coming in at the foundation due to the super-saturation of the soil and luckily, the largest amount of water pooled in the bedroom with the nicest carpet (I am of course being sarcastic).  We have all of the areas dried out now after the purchase of two new box fans and massive efforts to suck water out with our steam cleaner.  I was really upset until I talked with friends at school and found out that virtually everyone in the area with a basement had water in it.  That gave me some comfort–maybe someday I will be able to sell this house!

For those interested, we did rescue the bridge on Sunday night.  It was down a steep bank pinned perpendicular to the creek, on its back, smeared with dirt and weeds.  It was a charming little adventure to pull it out of the creek.  We were both very dirty and I know I pulled at least two muscles carrying the thing.  Some of the boards were knocked loose, but due to its massive weight, it survived it’s vacation white water bridging down our little creek.  Currently, the dirty mess rests in the back of the Silverado.  Good times.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

I swear, I don’t think it’s ever going to quit raining.  I cannot believe how hard and constant the rain has been over the past 36 hours.  Of course, hard and/or large amounts of rain always raise concern at Casa Del Rapin because of the “serene” creek that turns into the beast that once flooded our basement.  Last July, we had a really big scare when we got 4.5 inches of rain in 7 hours–we thought we lost all the bushes and the garden we planted on the other side of the creek, not to mention that the flood waters neared our basement yet once again.  The creek that is normally about 4 inches deep and 5 feet wide turned into a 30 foot wide, 3 foot deep wall of water that brought me to tears as it neared my walkout basement sliding door.

So, when the rain began yesterday, I naturally wondered if this rain event would pass by without incident.  OF COURSE NOT!!!!  What kind of idiot am I?!

As the rain poured down yesterday, I kept a watchful eye on the creek.  Ben, of course, is up north building some sort of man cave for hunting–I always seem to be alone when weather crises arise.  The creek did get quite full, but it was not topping the banks nor was it hitting the bridge Ben built across the creek so he could easily access the garden.  I knew it was going to rain overnight, but when I put Bailey out around 11pm, the creek was under control and flowing very well, so I went to bed feeling alright about the whole situation.  After all, we only received 2.12 inches of rain yesterday–nothing like the 4.5″ in July.

I awoke around 8am this morning and decided I’d put Bailey out, feed both he and Lucy, and go back to bed for some prime rainy weather extended sleep.  From the top floor of the house, I looked at the creek and was surprised.  The water levels were fairly low, but I could see from the smashing of the weeds around the banks that the water had gotten very high overnight–high enough to be flowing on the other side of the creek.  Eek!  I went downstairs, put Bailey out, and put on my crocs to survey the creek.  That’s when I realized that something looked wrong–something was missing.  I realized it almost instantly–our bridge was gone!  Ben built this bridge to be very solid–2×6 planks and braces, it was at least 6 feet long and heavy as a bear.  I ran to the edge of the creek to see if it was stuck somewhere down the creek, but as far as I could see, it was not visible.  Since the yards downstream turn and twist, I couldn’t see far.  I went back inside and feeling a sense of urgency (I didn’t want it blocking water downstream!), I quickly threw on my clothes, pulled my nasty hair back, ditched my glasses and grabbed a waterproof coat–because of course it’s still raining–and decided to walk down a few houses and look in their backyards. 

I must’ve been a sight, I’m sure, and people probably thought I was crazy as I walked through their yards looking for a 6 foot bridge.  I knew that even if I found it, I wouldn’t be able to move it until Ben got home, but I also knew Ben was going to have a COW that it was gone so I wanted a location at least where it was.  I walked down to the house with the culvert, thinking it wasn’t likely that it could get past that.  I didn’t see it anywhere, so I decided I better walk the creek back to our house and check the wooded areas to look for it there.  Two of the houses between our home and the culvert have fenced backyards, so I knew it could only be in the woods.  Praying no one was watching, I hopped into the creek and began walking upstream toward our yard.  I wore my crocs, thank God, because the creek was a murky, muddy, rocky mess of brown water.  I forced myself not to think of snakes or leeches or anything else that could be in the water and carefully proceeded forward.  The water at it’s highest was only below my knees, so I felt comfortable walking.  I carefully waded back to our house to no avail.  Where in the world was that stinkin’ bridge???

I should stop here and say that in July, Ben had the foresight to pull the bridge out of the water and tie it to a tree in our yard.  We have never lost the bridge before, and since this mishap was on my watch, I knew the first thing Ben was going to say to me was, “Why didn’t you pull it out of the creek???”  I honestly don’t think I could’ve done it by myself it’s so heavy, but I guess I could’ve called my friends Kim and Robyn and they would’ve helped me.  So, you can now see that my reputation as a thinking woman is at stake and it is driving me to continue to look for this damn bridge despite the rain. 

Thinking I might have missed some clue (what, I don’t know), I walked back downstream to the culvert.  No bridge.  As I walked, the woman who lives at the culvert house came out and asked me what I was looking for.  I explained the situation and we both pondered it a bit–there is a grate on the culvert (the culvert has a diameter of at least 4 feet) so even though the bridge could’ve fit through the culvert, it couldn’t have gotten through the grate.  We both concluded that it must be in the woods, we exchanged names (she is Adele), and I walked back AGAIN to my house via the creek.  I did not fall in, which is amazing, considering how slippery and wet it was and what a total klutz I am in life.

I resigned to the fact that Ben would just have to help me look when he got home.  I would just grin and bear the anger and disappointment he’d inevitably express when I told him his precious bridge was gone.  About 30 minutes later, the doorbell rang and Adele was at my door.  She had found our bridge!!!  She had gone down past her house and found it in a neighbor’s yard, about seven houses further downstream from our own home.  She told me that she had learned after we talked that the grate that covers the culvert does open–inward, so our little bridge sailed right through and cruised further downstream.  I now know where our bridge is, so I’m waiting for Ben to get home so we can drag it back–there is NO WAY I could move it that far without some help.

Sadly, she also told me that the house where our bridge is has a flooded basement–about 2 inches of standing water.  Adele told me that their basement flooded due to some drainage problem they have, there’s nothing they can do about it.  I almost cried for them.  It sounds so crazy even when I say it, but our basement flood was one of the most devastating things that have ever happened to me, and I feel like I have experienced a fair amount of devastation in my life thus far.  It literally makes me nauseous and panicky to even think about it happening again–to see things you’ve worked SO hard to save for and buy just floating or covered with dirty mud water is not a moment you can ever prepare for.  It certainly makes me feel for those struck by other natural disasters; there’s simply nothing you can do to prevent it from happening. 

We will have to make some decisions about what to do in the future with the bridge over troubled water.  I am not adding creek walking to my exercise regiment anytime soon–my neighbors must think I’m a total whack job.  I have had more than my fair share of bizarre experiences in life, I do not need to go looking for them! (Ever had a squirrel clog your toilet?  Ever dumped a gallon of paint on yourself in a paint store?  Yep!  That’d be me!)

God Bless Fantasy Football!

I am so pumped–for the first time ever, I was invited to join a fantasy football league.  I have always loved football and I often spend most of Sunday watching the games (I’m mainly a NFL junkie), but fantasy football takes it to a whole new level!  I can hardly wait to see how I do–I think I drafted a decent team; it’ll be a work in progress.  Sadly, I spent my first draft pick on Tom Brady and he has already gotten hurt, so I’m bummed my “sure thing” has already failed me.  Here’s the rest of my team for those who care…

QB’s–Tom Brady (NE), Aaron Rodgers (GB)

WR’s–Wes Welker (NE), Donald Driver (GB), David Patten (NO), Antwan Randel-El (WA)

RB’s–Willie Parker (Pit), Adrian Peterson (Chi), Kevin Faulk (NE)

Kicker–Jason Hanson (Det), Rackers (Ariz)

TE–Bubba Franks (NYJ), M. Lewis (Jacksonville)

Defense–Chicago, Indianapolis

So far today, I’m getting beat but I’m still hopeful some of my folks will pull through for me.  I’ll keep you updated, don’t you fret!

Perfect Breakdown

I have officially survived my first week back in school!  I spent one day in an inservice, one day prepping my room, one evening hosting an open house, and two whole days with my new class.  I have 24 students–a nice, even number, two more students than I had last year.  I hate to jinx myself early, but I think I have a really good class for the third year in a row!  I have two students who have some special needs, but the bulk of my students are well-mannered and eager to be at school.  I also have a perfect breakdown of students for the first time ever–exactly twelve 1st graders, twelve 2nd graders, twelve boys and twelve girls.  It’s awfully ironic.

I can’t remember if I mentioned previously that I also have a student teacher this year…she is awesome!  She is only spending half her day in my room because to earn her degree, she must also spend part of her student teaching experience in a kindergarten room.  We are having so much fun–she seems to really be enjoying herself and even though it is more work, I am enjoying teaching her.  All in all, I am very positive about this year in school.

Personally, I am whipped.  I have no problem filling my days with activities in the summer, so it is always a major adjustment to adapt to a full time job again.  I have the migraine and short temper to attest to my lack of sleep!  It also seems that my home/personal life always tends to get increasingly more complicated when school starts too–I am enjoying work, but I have so many things going on outside of work, I still don’t think I’ve got my A game going on in the classroom.  I’m sure a little R&R this weekend will help as I prep for next week…

Cookoff

For those who also check out Ben’s blog, Ben made a recipe for Blue marlin steaks a few days ago that he was extremely proud of (to say the LEAST).  He was trying to make it look so professional, you would’ve thought Emeril was coming to dinner.  Of course, I noted that he chose to serve his signature dish on one of the most beat up dinner plates we own and that Emeril would never use celery leaves as garnish.  But, I digress…as I laughed my way through this whole episode, I also decided to create a dish of my own.

Anyone who knows me even remotely well understands that I don’t cook.  I hate cooking and Ben loves it, so we have a good arrangement.  But I love baking–especially desserts, my specialty.  I have made some spectacular desserts this summer, including a delicious chocolate zucchini cake and carrot cake from scratch, not to mention some of my old standards including chocolate peanut butter cake.  So the same night of the marlin meal, after I saw Ben’s blog post, I decided to do some baking of my own.  I really wish I had taken pictures of some of my other creations–I will do that from now on–but I set to work with Betty Crocker making snickerdoodles and oatmeal cookies.  Not terribly impressive, I know, but they were scrumptious and to compete with Ben, I naturally photographed my creations.  Here they are, tucked neatly in their Tupperware homes…

Now that Ben and I photographing food (what has this come to?), I’m sure I will have to up the ante and get more creative with my desserts.  Before long, I’ll be making five-tiered wedding cakes and french pastries!

Updates!

I forgot I had a few updates for my dedicated readers!

1.  The farmer’s market (aka my wonderful mother-in-law) came to Grand Rapids last week to move in my youngest sister-in-law at Aquinas College.  She also brought a SINK FULL of carrots, which I washed and peeled, and the three of us (Ben, his mom, myself) made an assembly line to shred them.  Using the food processor, we shredded, bagged, and froze 24 cups of carrots.  I will be making carrot desserts until the end of time.  That’s okay, though, I love them and Ben will grow to love them. 

2.  I have officially finished my master’s program.  I got an A on my research project, bringing my master’s GPA to a perfect 4.0.  Go me!  I will get the official papers after graduation in December.

3.  I went to visit the “old” dorms at GVSU while visiting with my mother-in-law last week.  They were smaller than I remembered, but I felt wistful nevertheless.  What a fun time in life that was…

Stay tuned!  More interesting info to be posted soon as Ben and I embark on a trip to the Shack In The Woods for Labor Day that includes renovation!  Yippee!

Moving Back In…

I have officially committed to being a teacher again.  Not that I’d thought about quitting or anything, I have just mentally resumed my teacher mindset and have begun thinking like a teacher again.  I have been to my classroom only three times thus far (a new record for me at this time of year), though I know I have at least two more trips planned before kicking off the year with an inservice.  In short, I’ve unpacked and moved back in.

I am excited for a new adventure this year…I will have a student teacher!  This is my 8th year teaching, so I feel ready for it, but I’m not sure if I really know what I’m getting myself into.  I am sharing her with one of the kindergarten rooms because she is seeking an early childhood endorsement and must have experience in both settings, so it will not be all day, every day for half the year.  A little more subdued, I suppose, though I wish I didn’t have to share her.  Scheduling with the other teacher will be interesting to say the least–we get along well, but sharing any person between two teachers always gets sticky.  At any rate, I am sure it will be extra work and I will undoubtedly have to choke on my Type A personality more than once, but I am eager for the challenge and excited to think I might help shape a prospective teacher! 

The class list is in, letters are being mailed out, the school engine has officially begun turning.  We’ll see how blogging and I survive a school year…

Cadillac v. Pinto

Today, I was a good alumnus and volunteered to help freshman move in at my Alma mater, Grand Valley State University.  In previous years, I have not been able to help with this adventure, so I made room in my “busy” schedule to accommodate this activity.  I was selected to help freshman move in to the brand new Neimeyer Honors housing.  The housing was INCREDIBLE.  The students were in air conditioned rooms with either 2 or 4 students–regardless of the number of students, each student had their own bedroom, complete with bed, desk, dresser, closet, and at least one (two if you were lucky) large windows overlooking various parts of campus.  Then, these students had a common area with a living room (including four more large windows overlooking campus) and fully equipped kitchen, including a full size fridge AND DISHWASHER.  These “dorms” were nicer than the first apartment Ben and I lived in when we got married–and it was a decent apartment!

Naturally, I flashed back to my freshman dorm at GVSU, which I lived in 12 years ago. My residence hall room had permanently affixed bunk beds, countertops with drawers that functioned as my desk, dresser, and kitchen cupboards, a fan, closets with a paper “door”, and a tiny window which overlooked the ravine.  And, oh yeah, COMMUNITY BATHROOMS.  These kids have to share a kitchen, I had to share a 4 toilets, 4 showers, and 6 sinks with 63 other girls.  Times sure have changed–I had a Pinto compared to the Cadillacs now being offered!

In all fairness, those kids moving in today had to earn a place into that building–it is honors housing, and they will have to work very hard to maintain their place in that gorgeous building.  Also, in talking with one of my former “residence hall” alumni, I learned that those dorms have also been remodeled to include furniture that moves around, more private, updated community bathrooms, and real closets.  Still, I found it amazing to see what kind of housing is now being offered to college freshman, in what I can only image as an attempt to get those students to choose GVSU over another college.  It will be interesting in the coming years, if I choose to volunteer again, to see what these students will be enticed with next.  Maybe…a new car?????

Click to see the Neimeyer Honors Housing Floor Plans and compare to GVSU’s “Updated” Residence Halls

 

Nightmares

All of those who analyze dreams, I need some advice.  I have been having some really disturbing dreams as of late and while I’ve tried to analyze them using dream books, etc, I am getting nowhere fast.  I have had several dreams, none of which are the same, but all involve the same concept–death.  I had a dream two weeks ago in which somebody shot my beloved dog in the skull right in front of me.  I was so upset in this dream that Ben had to wake me up because I was moaning and shaking.  During my vacation in Wisconsin, I had a dream that a tornado killed my dad, brother, and sister, leaving only my mother and I alive.  I know I’ve also had a dream in the past two weeks that someone shot me in the chest, although I can remember little about the dream other than that.   About three weeks ago, I had a dream that I was driving to school with my carpool buddy Kim, and we slid off a snowy curve into a deep ravine lined with massive trees.  I was the driver and while we ended up okay, but it was still traumatic.

The only conclusion I’ve come to is that all of these dreams leave me feeling very out of control in each situation–no matter how hard I try to keep people, my dog, and even myself out of harms way, I continually fail.  In the past few weeks, I’ve dealt with some pretty severe fertility issues.  I have come to accept that I will likely never experience pregnancy or give birth to my own children, so is that the “death” of a dream?  My mom told me I need to discuss these unsettling dreams with a professional (namely, my counselor), but I thought I’d bring it to the blog to see if anyone has any ideas.  Those of you who may know me more closely may have deeper insight than a stranger, but I’m welcoming all takers.  I have never had a history of nightmares and I never repeat dreams over and over–while themes tend to sometimes repeat, the dream is always different.  I always dream in color, which I guess has some significance when analyzing dreams. 

Please help the moderately insane with some advice!!!!