The kids in my class had to have a 10 minute timeout yesterday so that I could have 5 minutes of PEACE and QUIET! And, yes, they had to put their heads down!
After our math lesson, which we did together, they had to solve 2 problems on their own. Now, granted they were WORD PROBLEMS, but they were similiar to the 4 we just did. Most couldn't do them. They had not a clue. They didn't read their "cheat sheet" of word problem strategies which we just did yesterday. They sat, then they started talking. Not whispering, mind you, but talking loudly. Then they got up to go chat with their friends....hmmmm...not a good sign.
I mean, if a teacher goes over the strategies CONSTANTLY, does 4 problems with the class, wouldn't you THINK they could try 2 problems on their own?
Apparently not.
It got so loud I couldn't think straight! :-(
I don't feel too badly...we went to dinner with our son and his family and NONE of us could figure out the kindergarten math homework! I mean, how do you show 1-0 with counters? OYE VEI! Do you cross one out? Do you put a 0? He couldn't explain it either, so his mom will ask the teacher this morning!
...kindergarten math....(shaking head)...
4 adults in the room, all with college degrees couldn't figure it out...
!!!
:-(
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Got a surprise at the horse ranch yesterday!!! :-(
So, I had enough energy yesterday (thank goodness!) to drive up to the horse ranch. I was wiped out last weekend and didn't even make it up there for a visit with the herd. I hate it when that happens, but when you are 62 and you've fought kids DAILY for 5 days at school, by most Saturdays, I'm totally exhausted! However, I'm feeling pretty dang good right now and my energy level is pretty high.
So, up I went. But, first I dropped off a load of some of the palo verde wood from the dead palo verde by our driveway and some acacia wood for my friend Barb, who lives in Pinyon. Boy, I thought I was having a rough time! She looks extremely tired and she is already worn out. That's what happens when you have a computer lab for 27 kids and only 1 computer works! I took her a care package from Whole Foods: some nice scented foaming hand soap, a couple of boxes of organic Risotto, and some oatmeal/raisin cookies. I'm worried about her. I'm not sure she is going to survive the school year. Remember, she was out ALL last year because of a back injury when she borrowed the janitor's golf cart and it overturned on her before school. She had back surgery, but this is something different. She's tired. She's overwhelmed. She's getting NO support from admin...some of you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Anyway, she needed more wood for her wood-burning stove, which is her only source of heat. I stopped there for an hour, then continued up to the horse ranch.
It was a breezy autumn day...perfect weather. UNfortunately, the battery in my camera was DEAD. KAPUT. ZERO. NADA. ZILCH. (Al, you know how frustrating that can be, right?) So, I took a few pics with my cell phone. Trouble is, when I'm out in the sun with that dang thing, I can't SEE a thing!
Anyway, I let Gigondas, my big red thoroughbred mare, out into the arena, since it has been a couple of weeks since ANY of them have had a turnout. Oh, and I fired my trainer. She really wasn't doing anything new and wasn't pushing the horses to learn new things. She was just collecting a check. How disappointing. So, I'm going to have to do it now. Oh, boy!
Anyway, when Gigondas is done with her R&R, she always stands quietly next to the gate (see what a GOOD GIRL she is!) So, I looked over and there she was, standing by the gate quietly. I'd given the rest of the herd some pellets and she knew she would get some, too, if she came OUT of the arena! I took her for a short walk and discovered a snake skin over by the hay stack, so I called the owner over for a look. It wasn't a little snake skin, either! I was LONG! ACK! With 4 dogs on the ranch, SNAKES are NOT ALLOWED! I've had a couple of gopher snakes come out of the water faucet hole and the first time, I SCREAMED and the ranch owner came running over with a shovel to kill the snake. Oops. Now I just put my hand over my mouth. I mean, it makes no sense to kill a non-venomous snake right? Especially one that will eat the damn mice that chew on my saddles!
Next, I let Quad out for a romp while I unloaded 5 bags of pellets. It was much too windy to take out Sunni and maybe today I can drive back and do Scout, Lucille, and Sunni...(I'm hoping, at least!)...
I have to meet out daughter up at the Living Desert Reserve this morning. She wants to go for a walk (with the stroller and little Ellie), so I'll take photos up there and then see how my energy level is after that.
So, up I went. But, first I dropped off a load of some of the palo verde wood from the dead palo verde by our driveway and some acacia wood for my friend Barb, who lives in Pinyon. Boy, I thought I was having a rough time! She looks extremely tired and she is already worn out. That's what happens when you have a computer lab for 27 kids and only 1 computer works! I took her a care package from Whole Foods: some nice scented foaming hand soap, a couple of boxes of organic Risotto, and some oatmeal/raisin cookies. I'm worried about her. I'm not sure she is going to survive the school year. Remember, she was out ALL last year because of a back injury when she borrowed the janitor's golf cart and it overturned on her before school. She had back surgery, but this is something different. She's tired. She's overwhelmed. She's getting NO support from admin...some of you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Anyway, she needed more wood for her wood-burning stove, which is her only source of heat. I stopped there for an hour, then continued up to the horse ranch.
It was a breezy autumn day...perfect weather. UNfortunately, the battery in my camera was DEAD. KAPUT. ZERO. NADA. ZILCH. (Al, you know how frustrating that can be, right?) So, I took a few pics with my cell phone. Trouble is, when I'm out in the sun with that dang thing, I can't SEE a thing!
Anyway, I let Gigondas, my big red thoroughbred mare, out into the arena, since it has been a couple of weeks since ANY of them have had a turnout. Oh, and I fired my trainer. She really wasn't doing anything new and wasn't pushing the horses to learn new things. She was just collecting a check. How disappointing. So, I'm going to have to do it now. Oh, boy!
Anyway, when Gigondas is done with her R&R, she always stands quietly next to the gate (see what a GOOD GIRL she is!) So, I looked over and there she was, standing by the gate quietly. I'd given the rest of the herd some pellets and she knew she would get some, too, if she came OUT of the arena! I took her for a short walk and discovered a snake skin over by the hay stack, so I called the owner over for a look. It wasn't a little snake skin, either! I was LONG! ACK! With 4 dogs on the ranch, SNAKES are NOT ALLOWED! I've had a couple of gopher snakes come out of the water faucet hole and the first time, I SCREAMED and the ranch owner came running over with a shovel to kill the snake. Oops. Now I just put my hand over my mouth. I mean, it makes no sense to kill a non-venomous snake right? Especially one that will eat the damn mice that chew on my saddles!
Next, I let Quad out for a romp while I unloaded 5 bags of pellets. It was much too windy to take out Sunni and maybe today I can drive back and do Scout, Lucille, and Sunni...(I'm hoping, at least!)...
I have to meet out daughter up at the Living Desert Reserve this morning. She wants to go for a walk (with the stroller and little Ellie), so I'll take photos up there and then see how my energy level is after that.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
IS the desert roasting?
I saw an article on FACEBOOK today about oceans rising, climate changing, and deserts roasting and I got to thinking, "IS the desert roasting?"
Well, if this summer is any indication...YES, it is!
This wasn't the hottest summer on record, but (at least to me), it has been the LONGEST spell of days over 100 degrees. It started in May and we STILL have days now (in October) of over 100 degrees. This week, it has been in the high 90's. By Saturday, once again, it will be 100 degrees. That's 6 MONTHS of heat. In the 40 years hubby and I have lived here in the desert, I don't EVER remember having 6 months of 100+ degree days. It is nearly UNBEARABLE! I sweat, I am TIRED, and constantly thirsty. My energy level is way down because my body is fighting the heat.
Oh, and at school yesterday, we had a 15 minute fire drill. We had to park the kids on the BASKETBALL COURTS in nearly 100 degree weather ON THE ASPHALT!!! Some nearly fainted. I was wiped out for the rest of the day!!!
Isn't that child abuse? No shade. NO water. It was unbearable. Oh, and we have another one next week!
This hawk has shade, food, AND WATER! No wonder he keeps returning!
Well, if this summer is any indication...YES, it is!
This wasn't the hottest summer on record, but (at least to me), it has been the LONGEST spell of days over 100 degrees. It started in May and we STILL have days now (in October) of over 100 degrees. This week, it has been in the high 90's. By Saturday, once again, it will be 100 degrees. That's 6 MONTHS of heat. In the 40 years hubby and I have lived here in the desert, I don't EVER remember having 6 months of 100+ degree days. It is nearly UNBEARABLE! I sweat, I am TIRED, and constantly thirsty. My energy level is way down because my body is fighting the heat.
Oh, and at school yesterday, we had a 15 minute fire drill. We had to park the kids on the BASKETBALL COURTS in nearly 100 degree weather ON THE ASPHALT!!! Some nearly fainted. I was wiped out for the rest of the day!!!
Isn't that child abuse? No shade. NO water. It was unbearable. Oh, and we have another one next week!
This hawk has shade, food, AND WATER! No wonder he keeps returning!
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Guess I overdid it yesterday!!!
Our daughter and son-in-law's complex had their biannual yard sale event yesterday, so I packed up my Honda CRV and off I went. The car was FULL of stuff: books, clothes, coffee mugs, childrens' books, pencils, aprons, kids aprons, boots (none sold)...
It started out as a nice morning, but by 9:00, it was HOT. And, I mean, HOT. We started setting up about 7:15 and basically, by 9:00, we were DONE. I sold some books and 2 jackets and made about $35.00 TOTAL. It was just too hot for people and they were haggling over every price! I had bar soap for $1.00 and only got $0.50 each. Books? Books that I paid $20 for went for $0.50!
I ended up just donating the leftovers (except the boots and aprons) to a local charity. I need my car cleaned out today as I have to buy horse pellets!
Anyway, by 10:30, I was extremely thirsty and shaky. I drank 2 glasses of water and passed out on our daughter's couch for an hour! TOO MUCH HEAT! And, I didn't drink water all morning....I should know better!
That was it for the rest of the day. I came home, turned the air conditioner on, and stayed inside.
It started out as a nice morning, but by 9:00, it was HOT. And, I mean, HOT. We started setting up about 7:15 and basically, by 9:00, we were DONE. I sold some books and 2 jackets and made about $35.00 TOTAL. It was just too hot for people and they were haggling over every price! I had bar soap for $1.00 and only got $0.50 each. Books? Books that I paid $20 for went for $0.50!
I ended up just donating the leftovers (except the boots and aprons) to a local charity. I need my car cleaned out today as I have to buy horse pellets!
Anyway, by 10:30, I was extremely thirsty and shaky. I drank 2 glasses of water and passed out on our daughter's couch for an hour! TOO MUCH HEAT! And, I didn't drink water all morning....I should know better!
That was it for the rest of the day. I came home, turned the air conditioner on, and stayed inside.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Desert monsoon sunset~SkyWatch Friday~100314
Desert fence~Good Fences~100314
Monday, September 29, 2014
More Living Desert pics
As of October 1, the Living Desert will return to its normal daytime schedule, not the summer one. During the hot summer months, they open at 8:00 a.m. and CLOSE at 1:00 p.m. During the normal season, they open at 9:00 and the last admission is at 4:00 p.m. I used to stop there after school and walk the 1 mile Eisenhower inner loop, which went up by Eisenhower mountain, through the washes. I don't do that anymore. First, my school gets out 20 minutes later this year, and second, well, I honestly haven't had the energy! I'm hoping to be able to do that on the weekends this year, however.
We always buy the family pass. That way, we can enter an hour before the park opens, and before there are strollers all over the place! HA! Our daughter and son-in-law had their stroller with us on Saturday for the little one.
We always buy the family pass. That way, we can enter an hour before the park opens, and before there are strollers all over the place! HA! Our daughter and son-in-law had their stroller with us on Saturday for the little one.
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