When those boys get home from school in the afternoons, they are HUNGRY!
Tuesday afternoon, I set out some of the cookies Anne had bought (soft cookies so Austen can eat them with his braces!), and Parker devoured the whole plateful along with a couple of glasses of milk. When Austen got home (about an hour later), I set out the rest of those cookies, and he ate almost all those plus a few glasses of orange juice! Yesterday -- same thing -- except I had baked some brownies around noon so they'd be all cooled off and ready by 3:30 (and later!). They didn't disappear quite so fast, but they were gobbled up!
The school days are much longer for these kids than for the kids in California. Parker's school starts at 8:15 am and ends at 3:15 pm. Austen's starts at 9:03 am and ends at 3:55 pm. No wonder these guys are learning lots and well -- they're in the classrooms for longer periods of time.
Kira can't wait to start kindergarten, but that won't be until Aug 30th. I'll have to have my camera well charged and ready!
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
School days start up again
The boys start the 2005-06 school year this morning, but Kira's school doesn't start for another two weeks. Simultaneously, Anne has started her new job ... so I'll be there to take care of Kira (we'll come back here so she can play with Indy or something), and I'll be there when the boys get home from school. If Anne's hours change, mine will change, too!We went to Parker's school last night (filled with portables, not much recess/PE space left open) to check on his teacher and classroom assignment. That school ought to turn into a real zoo in about 10 minutes. Buses are unloading now (7:50 am) and parents can start their parade of dropping kids off at 8:00. What a nightmare!
On to get ready ... I'll be there a bit early in case Austen's bus driver forgets that bus stop, as happened last year! We'll see ...
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Repair needed!
One of the most fragile items that made the move from CA to TX safely is the 83-year-old child's rocking chair. It was my mother's when she was a toddler and they lived in Nevada. It's a wicker rocking chair. Now my granddaughter wants to use it, and she should. It's really wonderful to see this little 5-year-old enjoying her GG's childhood chair. But I really DO have to find someplace to get it fixed. At its age, we can easily see the wear and tear ... literally!
Sunday, August 07, 2005
To be done...
There are lots of things to be done around here, as is true with any new house. It'll take months, if not years to get it all done, and who knows? It may never be truly "done."I have enough furniture for a living room, dining room, bedroom, and office. That's it! So I put my living room furniture into the family room, except for the bookshelves. They are in the "living room" which I plan to turn into a sitting/reading room. All I want to add to this room are a couple of rocker-recliners and another lamp or two.
In this picture of the living room area (it's not really a wholly separate room), it's easy to see that Indy loves her wide open spaces. It's also easy to see that there's not much in there!! Yet!
Monday, August 01, 2005
New month
August 1st already. Wow! Time is just zipping right along. Thank heaven I'm here, though, and won't miss any more school programs or special moments with these kids!!
We were talking yesterday about naming the new planet that's been found, and talk came around to Pluto -- my other long-lived cat who was named after the planet Pluto.
What fun he was! And he had more than "a bit of the devil" in him sometimes. He just wanted to play, but not Indy. She was too dignified for that! (Now, however, she virtually begs me to play with her and her feathers in the evenings.) He seemed to know when she was going to come around a corner or something, and he'd be ready to pounce and play. She'd hiss and swat and growl, and couldn't wait to get away from him. In their 12-year life-in-common, she never changed -- and neither did he!
Pluto was a big boy, never weighing in at less than 16 pounds until he started getting sick. He varied between 16 and 18 pounds most of his 12-year life. Almost right up to the end, he was running and playful. I have a picture of him when he was down to about 8 pounds, but it's too painful to look at, knowing the grand creature he was in his prime!
We were talking yesterday about naming the new planet that's been found, and talk came around to Pluto -- my other long-lived cat who was named after the planet Pluto.
What fun he was! And he had more than "a bit of the devil" in him sometimes. He just wanted to play, but not Indy. She was too dignified for that! (Now, however, she virtually begs me to play with her and her feathers in the evenings.) He seemed to know when she was going to come around a corner or something, and he'd be ready to pounce and play. She'd hiss and swat and growl, and couldn't wait to get away from him. In their 12-year life-in-common, she never changed -- and neither did he!
Pluto was a big boy, never weighing in at less than 16 pounds until he started getting sick. He varied between 16 and 18 pounds most of his 12-year life. Almost right up to the end, he was running and playful. I have a picture of him when he was down to about 8 pounds, but it's too painful to look at, knowing the grand creature he was in his prime!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Moving onward ...
I'm amazed. Everything went on schedule -- the walk-through, the paper-signing, the movers' arrival. Like clockwork!!
Then arranging for blinds, telephone, cable & Internet ... and some calls to the repairmen from the warranty book that the builder gave me -- all has gone well.
The big surprise was Anne's find: a gardener who can solve problems such as what plants to move where, what trees to plant where, how to drain the little lakes that were forming in my back yard (and stagnating water is perfect for mosquito breeding, of course, so that problem needed to be solved immediately), etc. He's a real find -- a gardener with a sense of design and balance, not just the ability to mow and edge lawns and trim shrubs!
The blinds are not here yet. I'm hoping for early next week, but if I haven't received a phone call by Monday, I'll call them to find out what's happening. Living in this house with all windows uncovered can be a bit eerie at times! And I need to keep watering the front lawn, moving the sprinkler around. But it'll start raining again some day, and sprinklers won't always be needed. I don't see the need for a sprinkler system. A garage-door opener is higher on my wish list! This getting out and opening the door and then driving in is getting old -- and when it does rain again, I'll probably skip that step and just let my car get a bath!
Indy is doing OK. She seems to have adjusted to becoming an indoor kitty pretty easily. The house is more than twice the size of the Indio house, and the garage (with the big door closed) seems to be close enough to "outdoors" to meet her needs. Between the size of this place, frequent visits from young children, and the fights with feathers every evening, she seems to be getting enough exercise! She has definitely discovered all the nice low windowsills in this house, and she sits and gazes out on the scenes frequently.
Then arranging for blinds, telephone, cable & Internet ... and some calls to the repairmen from the warranty book that the builder gave me -- all has gone well.
The big surprise was Anne's find: a gardener who can solve problems such as what plants to move where, what trees to plant where, how to drain the little lakes that were forming in my back yard (and stagnating water is perfect for mosquito breeding, of course, so that problem needed to be solved immediately), etc. He's a real find -- a gardener with a sense of design and balance, not just the ability to mow and edge lawns and trim shrubs!
The blinds are not here yet. I'm hoping for early next week, but if I haven't received a phone call by Monday, I'll call them to find out what's happening. Living in this house with all windows uncovered can be a bit eerie at times! And I need to keep watering the front lawn, moving the sprinkler around. But it'll start raining again some day, and sprinklers won't always be needed. I don't see the need for a sprinkler system. A garage-door opener is higher on my wish list! This getting out and opening the door and then driving in is getting old -- and when it does rain again, I'll probably skip that step and just let my car get a bath!
Indy is doing OK. She seems to have adjusted to becoming an indoor kitty pretty easily. The house is more than twice the size of the Indio house, and the garage (with the big door closed) seems to be close enough to "outdoors" to meet her needs. Between the size of this place, frequent visits from young children, and the fights with feathers every evening, she seems to be getting enough exercise! She has definitely discovered all the nice low windowsills in this house, and she sits and gazes out on the scenes frequently.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Ending and beginning...
The trip from SoCal to eastern Texas went pretty smoothly. It was a long trip, but not difficult. The deserts around Tucson are as pretty as I remembered from years ago, and in Texas from about Van Horn eastward is really beautiful, too. Lots of rolling hills, mesas, buttes, etc -- and GREEN. Very green! Lovely country.
Interestingly enough, as we were pulling into the driveway, it started to sprinkle ... then rain ... then pour! It was wonderful!! This country around here has needed some rain. I wonder how long it will take for TPTB to lift the water restrictions??
The walk-through on the new house took place yesterday (July 12), and everything went fine. Here's my newest pride and joy:
Interestingly enough, as we were pulling into the driveway, it started to sprinkle ... then rain ... then pour! It was wonderful!! This country around here has needed some rain. I wonder how long it will take for TPTB to lift the water restrictions??
The walk-through on the new house took place yesterday (July 12), and everything went fine. Here's my newest pride and joy:
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Waiting ...
Today a young man flies for the first time on his own -- from Houston to Ontario. Thank heaven for non-stop flights! They are such an improvement over having to change planes at other airports.
Indy is waiting for him ... feathers poised!
Indy is waiting for him ... feathers poised!
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Trip planning
By means of AAA maps and Mapquest and other devices, I learned that taking I-10 from La Quinta, CA, to the Houston area is about 1,500 miles, so three days of driving approximately 500 miles each day is perfect. That's about like driving a bit farther than Los Angeles to San Francisco. Not bad.
Taking along a cat, however, is the big unknown. Everything else I can plan for and envision, but how Indy will do ... anyone's guess!
Taking along a cat, however, is the big unknown. Everything else I can plan for and envision, but how Indy will do ... anyone's guess!
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
More "working" vacation
I'm here in Redwood City at my son's home. Danielle left for Hawaii this morning, and Robert returns from a business trip to the Dallas area, and he'll need to go to work the rest of the week. So I'll be here for Simone. She is enrolled in a sports day-camp at the local athletic club, and they swim and play different sports each day. She just loves it, but she's also pretty much exhausted by the time the day is over. I know she likes to stay after the day-camp itself, so I'll go and pick her up about 4 pm or so. The athletic club is near a shopping center, too, so if I need to pick up any items, that's easy to work in!
I think this afternoon we'll head over to Barnes and Noble. I know she loves that store and so do I. I want to get a couple of other books by Tracy Chevalier. I just finished The Lady and the Unicorn, so now I'll see what other titles of hers I can find. I know she is the author of The Girl with the Pearl Earring. And we'll see what other books in the first level of I Can Read books we can find.
My folks are visiting with the Coffeys in San Jose. Yesterday, they just went out for some sightseeing and shopping and then got in a walk. That's some doing -- lots of hills over there! Today Uncle Robert was there for lunch and a good visit. Tomorrow they will be golfing. And then on Friday, Annette is having a family get-together at her house for lunch and a swim. I will have to go by myself since Robert will be at work and Simone's day camp is going on a field trip.
Fun times!
I think this afternoon we'll head over to Barnes and Noble. I know she loves that store and so do I. I want to get a couple of other books by Tracy Chevalier. I just finished The Lady and the Unicorn, so now I'll see what other titles of hers I can find. I know she is the author of The Girl with the Pearl Earring. And we'll see what other books in the first level of I Can Read books we can find.
My folks are visiting with the Coffeys in San Jose. Yesterday, they just went out for some sightseeing and shopping and then got in a walk. That's some doing -- lots of hills over there! Today Uncle Robert was there for lunch and a good visit. Tomorrow they will be golfing. And then on Friday, Annette is having a family get-together at her house for lunch and a swim. I will have to go by myself since Robert will be at work and Simone's day camp is going on a field trip.
Fun times!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Different kind of "working vacation"
I know that's an oxymoron!
This vacation was spent doing mostly pleasant things, such as being with family, playing games (Mexican Train is such a hoot!) with grandkids, shopping, eating out, etc. It was also spent house-hunting ... and SUCCEEDING right off the bat!
http://www.gehanhomes.com -- The Oxford model in the Houston/Auburn Lakes area.
Then, of course, there was all the paper-filling-out for various reasons, lists of the types of further paperwork the mortgage company wants, the preliminary walk-through with the builder's rep, the home inspection by my realtor's guy, measuring windows, mulling over ideas for the back yard, how to furnish the different rooms, and on and on.
The biggest quandry in my head right now is exactly HOW to make this move. Calling Bekins and giving them a delivery date is not a problem. Figuring out how to get Indy moved is my current thought-toss ... back and forth ...
This vacation was spent doing mostly pleasant things, such as being with family, playing games (Mexican Train is such a hoot!) with grandkids, shopping, eating out, etc. It was also spent house-hunting ... and SUCCEEDING right off the bat!
http://www.gehanhomes.com -- The Oxford model in the Houston/Auburn Lakes area.
Then, of course, there was all the paper-filling-out for various reasons, lists of the types of further paperwork the mortgage company wants, the preliminary walk-through with the builder's rep, the home inspection by my realtor's guy, measuring windows, mulling over ideas for the back yard, how to furnish the different rooms, and on and on.
The biggest quandry in my head right now is exactly HOW to make this move. Calling Bekins and giving them a delivery date is not a problem. Figuring out how to get Indy moved is my current thought-toss ... back and forth ...
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Vacation!
On the day when I collected final essays and portfolios from my students (May 23), I had information for them so that if they wanted their work back, they'd know where and when to get it. I do this both for them and for me -- this forces me to get those things graded and semester grades computed and posted within a week! Gotta have those deadlines to live up to!
As always, though, there are some who just cannot make it -- work schedules or whatever -- so they can call either my voice mail or the college itself to see about arranging a return. I've already done that for two students and will for at least one more, once I return from this little vacation of mine!
This vacation is being spent house- and child-sitting for my daughter and her husband (very enjoyable!) and then house-hunting for myself. After having spent LOTS of time looking through realtor.com, har.com, leldawill.com, and others, I am ending up buying the very first one I looked at -- the top of my priority list, as far as I could tell from the Internet views (Oxford model in Auburn Lakes). Now for the rest of the paperwork and then orchestrating the move itself. It should be fairly straightforward since almost everything I own is in storage already anyway, but there are always those lovely little things such as arranging for utilities, insurance, yard care, etc. It'll all get done, but it'll take time and some juggling!
As always, though, there are some who just cannot make it -- work schedules or whatever -- so they can call either my voice mail or the college itself to see about arranging a return. I've already done that for two students and will for at least one more, once I return from this little vacation of mine!
This vacation is being spent house- and child-sitting for my daughter and her husband (very enjoyable!) and then house-hunting for myself. After having spent LOTS of time looking through realtor.com, har.com, leldawill.com, and others, I am ending up buying the very first one I looked at -- the top of my priority list, as far as I could tell from the Internet views (Oxford model in Auburn Lakes). Now for the rest of the paperwork and then orchestrating the move itself. It should be fairly straightforward since almost everything I own is in storage already anyway, but there are always those lovely little things such as arranging for utilities, insurance, yard care, etc. It'll all get done, but it'll take time and some juggling!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Giving back work
I spent almost two hours at Just Java tonight, meeting students from both classes who wanted to retrieve their work ... and their grades! As usual, only about twelve or thirteen students came to get their work. That's OK, though, because I'd rather have all those other essays out of circulation!
Imagine: Another semester finished!
One student doesn't think it should be finished, though. He didn't let me know about his troubles until AFTER all the finals had been graded and all the grades were posted -- a visit to grandparents in Mexico, grandmother's death, funeral planning, etc. Now he wants an 'incomplete,' but that's not going to happen. I've written to two people at COD to let them know, just in case he complains. We'll see.
On to Texas on Wednesday.
Imagine: Another semester finished!
One student doesn't think it should be finished, though. He didn't let me know about his troubles until AFTER all the finals had been graded and all the grades were posted -- a visit to grandparents in Mexico, grandmother's death, funeral planning, etc. Now he wants an 'incomplete,' but that's not going to happen. I've written to two people at COD to let them know, just in case he complains. We'll see.
On to Texas on Wednesday.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Afternoon class
Amazingly enough, I managed to get through the afternoon class's papers today and posted their grades at the college's website, too. Interesting mix: 2 A's, 7 B's, 12 C's, and 4 F's. Two of those F's were for students who had stopped attending class two or three months ago, but didn't bother to drop the class; I always find it strange that students manage to forget to do that.
Quite a semester -- with more success in this class than the one on campus, for a change. Very interesting.
Quite a semester -- with more success in this class than the one on campus, for a change. Very interesting.
Morning class
The morning class's grades are finished and posted on the college's website -- 3 A's, 7 B's, 4 C's, 5 D's, and 5 F's. Not a bell curve, for sure, but then I'm not aiming for that!
Now to finish the afternoon class's finals and grades.
Onward ...
Now to finish the afternoon class's finals and grades.
Onward ...
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Final essays
I'm in the middle of reading and grading final essays. Almost everyone managed to turn the work in -- not like last semester when several decided not to turn in the final! What idiots!! They all ended up with D's or F's.
So far I've read only about half of those turned in by the morning class, but the good ones are superb and the others are as expected -- a few which reflect almost nothing learned during the semester, and others which reflect having learned how to organize and develop content, but still need MUCH work on the mechanics.
It'll be interesting to see if the final grades change much as a result of these papers.
So far I've read only about half of those turned in by the morning class, but the good ones are superb and the others are as expected -- a few which reflect almost nothing learned during the semester, and others which reflect having learned how to organize and develop content, but still need MUCH work on the mechanics.
It'll be interesting to see if the final grades change much as a result of these papers.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
The best intentions ... !
Well, all my good intentions to use this as a vehicle for keeping track of one semester's actions in teaching English 1A (freshman composition) went bloo-ey! Between the sale of the house, the accreditation at Mountain Empire, moving, and grading tons of essays and quizzes, etc., I just didn't keep up with this.
My classes are down to 25 and 24 now, but there are two of the 25 who haven't shown up in weeks. So in reality, the classes are ending up with 23 and 24 -- better than past semesters, barely! But "better" is better than worse!!
I'm generally pleased with nearly all students' abilities to generate and develop a topic now -- a vast improvement over their abilities in this realm in February! There are still a few who have incredible problems in plain, old, ordinary standard English -- verb uses, plurals not possessives, word choice (especially prepositions) -- but overall, nearly all have come a long way. I can't claim full credit since I know that I can teach until I'm blue, but if a student doesn't work on learning what is taught, nothing happens for that student. This has been a more successful semester overall, I think.
We'll see how the final papers come out!
My classes are down to 25 and 24 now, but there are two of the 25 who haven't shown up in weeks. So in reality, the classes are ending up with 23 and 24 -- better than past semesters, barely! But "better" is better than worse!!
I'm generally pleased with nearly all students' abilities to generate and develop a topic now -- a vast improvement over their abilities in this realm in February! There are still a few who have incredible problems in plain, old, ordinary standard English -- verb uses, plurals not possessives, word choice (especially prepositions) -- but overall, nearly all have come a long way. I can't claim full credit since I know that I can teach until I'm blue, but if a student doesn't work on learning what is taught, nothing happens for that student. This has been a more successful semester overall, I think.
We'll see how the final papers come out!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Been a while - 2!
I know it's been a while since I last posted anything here. The house is now in escrow and this one looks as if it'll hold up. So I've been packing and sorting and throwing away and shredding and packing ...
So far the students' comparison/contrast papers look pretty good -- far better than their description papers anyway. We'll see if my impression holds up as I read more of them.
We're about to wind up the unit on The Awakening (novel by Kate Chopin, set in the New Orleans area around 1900 AD). It's a wonderful book, and they should have all kinds of information to use in their group presentations and on their midterm essays. They'll write those essays in class on the 6th. Then we will start in on Things Fall Apart (novel by Chinua Achebe, set in Nigeria around 1900 AD). It's quite different, and we will have to have a discussion about imperialism and colonization as they get started on it.
Several students have decided to take their own spring break, even though COD's spring break was from March 21-25. They ask if they can; I tell them that it's their decision, not mine -- their grades, not mine. No one seems to change plans!! Two actually told me in advance, so they managed to turn their work in early. They have the syllabus; they can keep up with the reading assignments; they will return just in time to hear the group presentations on The Awakening questions and then take the midterm on Wednesday. Two will probably do fine. The rest? I just don't know.
Onward ... to read more comparison/contrast essays ...
So far the students' comparison/contrast papers look pretty good -- far better than their description papers anyway. We'll see if my impression holds up as I read more of them.
We're about to wind up the unit on The Awakening (novel by Kate Chopin, set in the New Orleans area around 1900 AD). It's a wonderful book, and they should have all kinds of information to use in their group presentations and on their midterm essays. They'll write those essays in class on the 6th. Then we will start in on Things Fall Apart (novel by Chinua Achebe, set in Nigeria around 1900 AD). It's quite different, and we will have to have a discussion about imperialism and colonization as they get started on it.
Several students have decided to take their own spring break, even though COD's spring break was from March 21-25. They ask if they can; I tell them that it's their decision, not mine -- their grades, not mine. No one seems to change plans!! Two actually told me in advance, so they managed to turn their work in early. They have the syllabus; they can keep up with the reading assignments; they will return just in time to hear the group presentations on The Awakening questions and then take the midterm on Wednesday. Two will probably do fine. The rest? I just don't know.
Onward ... to read more comparison/contrast essays ...
Friday, March 04, 2005
Essays
Boy, am I tired of grading essays! I really like teaching English -- both the composition side and the literature side. But I'm really TIRED of grading essays.
This current set I'm grading (which I should have been able to finish by this past Wednesday, but didn't) is really pretty good. The level of detail in the descriptions is generally higher than in previous semesters, and I mean in both classes.
There just has to be a better way than this. I don't know what it is, but there just has to be!!
This current set I'm grading (which I should have been able to finish by this past Wednesday, but didn't) is really pretty good. The level of detail in the descriptions is generally higher than in previous semesters, and I mean in both classes.
There just has to be a better way than this. I don't know what it is, but there just has to be!!
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Been a while!
That first set of essays came in on February 23rd, and (predictably!) about half of them are "ungradeable" for various reasons, mostly because they do not meet the minimum length requirement. I stressed that when I gave the assignment and during the class just before the papers were due: If a student cannot meet the minimum requirements stated, the paper won't even be read. Oh, well. It happens every time, whether I make this point several times beforehand or not.
The enrollments are down to 28 (morning) and 29 (afternoon) now. It still blows me away that people will spend over $200 on a class and its books and then drop it without seeming to try any of the work at all.
The library orientation sessions on the 28th went fine. As usual, one of the librarians made up a worksheet to take students through the various search processes in the different databases that the college has: http://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/Students/Services/Library/index.asp?id=354 It's an excellent worksheet, and I always make it an assignment. I had to rewrite number 4, though, since it involves InfoTrac, which is accessible only through the county's website -- and that site seems to be continually in flux! Oh, well, we all need to learn to adapt!
More later ...
The enrollments are down to 28 (morning) and 29 (afternoon) now. It still blows me away that people will spend over $200 on a class and its books and then drop it without seeming to try any of the work at all.
The library orientation sessions on the 28th went fine. As usual, one of the librarians made up a worksheet to take students through the various search processes in the different databases that the college has: http://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/Students/Services/Library/index.asp?id=354 It's an excellent worksheet, and I always make it an assignment. I had to rewrite number 4, though, since it involves InfoTrac, which is accessible only through the county's website -- and that site seems to be continually in flux! Oh, well, we all need to learn to adapt!
More later ...
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