Snow Daze...

Despite all the warnings, despite the fact that it took me an hour of careful driving to get home yesterday, despite the accumulation of snow that had already settled in by the time I got home, I did not think we would actually get a snow day. I figured all the snow had fallen and would be plowed and cleared by morning (although I was mentally preparing myself to leave extra early so I would arrive at school at a decent time).

This morning, when my alarm went off at 5 a.m., I did a quick check on one of our local weather stations to see if, by any chance, school was closed. No such luck. Still, I decided to snooze until 5:30... when I checked again, oh blessed day, school was cancelled!

A little later in the morning, I got a call telling me institute was also cancelled, and since I didn't fancy spending a long time in the car driving to the Music Man rehearsal we had agreed to have (snow day or not), I decided to ditch out (I'm pretty on top of things anyway)- meaning: A whole day of Freedom!!!!

A whole day to do oh so many things I have wanted time to do- very important, productive things. Yet, was I productive? Yeah, right. Here are the fruits of my labors of the day:


(Yes, I watched the whole thing and loved it!)




(I actually managed to defeat Diablo with one of my characters a couple of weeks ago, but I wasted a fair amount of time trying to beef up my other two characters...)




(Fun with my "Build a Castle" card set)




(And more fun with the "Hogwarts" set, made by the same company. In case you can't tell, the figurine is supposed to be Harry Potter...)


Lest you think I spent ALL my day indoors, here are some shots of the beautiful, glorious, pristine whiteness glittering behind our condo. I spent a delightful hour traipsing through the pseudo woods (the thin line of trees that separate our complex from the corporate developments springing up nearby). Sadly, I do not own a sled and do not know where there might be great hills for sledding nearby. (I may have to look into that for tomorrow). Still, I had a lot of fun (I even tried making a snow angel, but it didn't stay intact long enough for a photo)!


(An attempt to show how deep the snow got)







(Tonks' first time in the snow)



Happy Snow Day!

Stupid is as Stupid does...

Well, when you forget to pay attention to the car in front of you (especially as you are making a right turn), this is what can happen:



Yep. That's right. Yours truly, with her classic, scatter-brained idiocy, inadvertently banged into the back of a Chevy Tahoe last night. Good news: Air bags were not activated, no one was hurt--except poor Frankie (that's my car, for those of you who might be confused), I was still able to drive my car the rest of the way home (a mere few miles at that point). (Oh, good news for the Tahoe- only a relatively small dent in the back fender). Bad news: I have to get this fixed (who knows how much it will cost?), I will have to pay for a rental while my car is being fixed (who knows how long that will take?), my insurance rates will inevitably go up...
Alas. So, while I wait for the rest of the bad news to get here, get your morbid entertainment fix from these various shots of the damage:


(The exterior damage, from multiple sides)









(A couple of close-ups)








(Trying to get some shots of the interior (i.e. engine) damage)





Have a warm, safe week- may it start off better than mine ended!

Zip Gun Bop (Reloaded)

1. Put your iTunes (or Windows Media Player) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

(This could be interesting- I have a lot of instrumental music on my laptop, and the titles aren't ususually as funny/weird as vocal music... I guess we'll see what my WMP spits out!)

1.IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Happy Holiday (Still a rather appropriate response, I suppose)

2.WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Kathy's Song

3.WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Greensleeves (I do like the color green...)

4.HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Barbarian Horde (Well, after the craziness of the day, I could be feeling barbarically mutinous)

5.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Cover Girl (Apparently, I'm more shallow than I thought)

6.WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
You Give Love a Bad Name

7.WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
The Call (Not sure what this could even mean...)

8.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
What Shall We Give to the Babe in the Manger? (I should think about this more often than I do)

9.WHAT IS 2+2?
The Rain

10.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Just Before Dawn

11.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
In The Bleak Mid-Winter

12.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Girl in the Valley (Ozark valley? I don't think Missouri really has any actual valleys)

13.WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
A Shade Tree (Ironically, this isn't too far from the truth...ask me later if you don't understand)

14.WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Only When I Sleep

15.WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
The Three Kings (Split personality?)

16.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING?
I'll Be Home For Christmas

17.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Faces on a Fresco

18.WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Thanksgiving

19.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Zion's Camp

20.WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Neverland (Well, if we're talking about Jacko here, that just might be true)

21.HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars

22.WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Reminiscing with Grandma (Sad... )

23.WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Shelob's Lair (weird)

24.WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Bach Bouree

25.WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Lothlorien (Yeah, I got nothing on this one)

26.WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Mame (Well, she is rather freaky...)

27.DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Ave Maria

28.IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
My Heart is Always Moving

29.WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
White Christmas (Or the LACK thereof...)

30.WHERE WILL YOU TRAVEL TO?
Once, As I Remember

31.WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
This is It

32.WHAT DO YOU OFTEN FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO YELL AT PEOPLE?
Ash and Smoke

33.WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?
The Battle (More like, The Battle Axe)

34. WHAT DOES THE PERSON YOU LIKE THINK OF YOU?
For the Love of a Princess

35. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Zip Gun Bop (Reloaded)



Okay, so despite the potentially intriguing title, I am a little disappointed at what WMP gave me- with all the music I have loaded onto my computer (and the wide variety, too), I'm a little sad that this didn't turn out quite as quirky or funny as I had hoped. I guess the advantage of iTunes is that since downloading songs costs money, one is likely to be more selective of the music one chooses (and chances are, that music is likely to be more representative of that person's personality). Alas. Perhaps I will try this again and see if I get better results (or at least funnier answers).

O Christmas Tree

Recipe for a charming Christmas Tree (in 10 simple steps):

Ingredients: 1 Real Live Christmas Tree (either pre-cut or u-cut is fine, any variety- I chose
a Frasier Fir)
1 Christmas Tree Stand
Water
Christmas Tree Lights
Ornaments
Christmas Music

Step 1: Choose your tree. Ideally, u-cut farms are the best because they are usually the cheapest. Plus, it is a lot more fun to go traipsing through living trees, trying to find the most perfectly formed tree. However, time and means may not allow that. Thus, a pre-cut tree from a Christmas tree lot is also acceptable.

Step 2: Get the tree home. (Make sure the vehicle of transport has sufficient cargo space to convey the tree from one place to the other.)

Step 3: If you do not already have a Christmas tree stand, go out and buy one (simply leaning the tree against a wall is not going to be a very stable arrangement- it will most likely fall down within 24 hours).

Step 4: Fill the stand with the water.

Step 5: It is recommended that, before placing the tree in the water, you cut about 1 inch off the trunk to eliminate the "scab" on the bottom of the trunk. *WARNING:* If you do not have a saw to do this, you WILL want to go out and buy one. Otherwise, bad things can AND WILL happen. (If you really want to know, you'll just have to ask...)

Step 6: After cutting off the end of the trunk, quickly place tree in water and screw into place. You may want to try to make sure the tree is not crooked or leaning.

Step 7: Once the stress of putting the tree up is over, turn on your choice of Christmas music.

Step 8: While music is playing, wrap lights around the tree according to your desire.



Step 9: Hang ornaments on the tree as you please. (You may include some sort of tree-topper, like an angel or a star, if you wish)





Step 10: Sit back and enjoy!



(Sorry, this photo ended up a little dark...)


Of course, you could take the short cut with an artificial tree- a little less dangerous (especially the saw part), they don't require watering (which would keep overly curious cats from constantly trying to drink the tree's water supply), and they ultimately might be cheaper since you don't have to buy a new one every year. But then you have the hassle of having to actually store it...

Well, real tree or no, happy decorating!

Operation!

So, does anybody else remember when that word used to freak me out? (How's that for a random phobia, Stevie-boy? How many Spocks and Heart Attacks does the word "operation" get? ;)

Anyway, now it may become a word that freaks out Tonks, too. Okay, so maybe not really...
But she has finally had the big operation which technically changes her from a "she" to a "sterile she." (No, having a hysterectome does not make her an "it," contrary to popular belief- she still has all the machinery that characterizes a female--she just can't get preggers)
She made it through surgery just fine- in fact, she was ready to bounce off the walls again by the time I picked her up in the afternoon. Of course, she is now somewhat limited for the next little bit, thanks to the bright blue fashion statement you see around her neck (apparently, this is actually called an Elizabethan collar- Somehow, I don't think Queen Elizabeth ever wore anything quite that blue around her neck... but who am I to nitpick over such minor details?)
Still, she finds plenty of opportunities to provide wacky, hyperactive entertainment, which is now all the funnier because of the collar...

I promise a more substantive post soon (I have fallen so behind on life over the last month, it is really just tragic- but things will get better soon!) In the meantime, enjoy these pics of dear little Nymphadora!

Now I know my ABCs...but do YOU know them?

Thanks to Steven for "tagging" me for this list, and Thanks to Tamara for doing it first! So, let's get ready to have some ABC fun- and here we go!

A. Attached or Single? In terms of having a "significant other," I am still on the single side of things. However, I am quite attached to any number of things...both literally (i.e. the earth via gravity) and figuratively (i.e. my family, my kitten, etc.)

B. Best Friend? On this earth, Esther Morris.

C. Cake or Pie? Yes, please. To both. My mood determines my preference, as does the flavor of either. I'll take most any kind of cake (except red velvet- blech :P ), and enjoy a goodly number of pies, especially homemade pecan! (even with a gluten-free crust ;)

D. Day of choice? Tough- I'd have to say Sunday because it's the only day I really get to rest and sleep in...

E. Essential Item? My brain, scattered though it may often be...

F. Favorite Color? Green, though blue and many shades of purple come in close.

G. Gummy Bears or Worms? "Gummy Bears! Bouncing here and there and everywhere...!" Er...uh... (insert awkward cough here)

H. Hometown? Honestly, I claim Steven's CoBoCoMo as my hometown, even though I wasn't born there.

I. Indulgence? Food-wise, Private Selection pints (Mint Moose-tracks is my favorite); TV-wise, The Office; Otherwise, Bath and Bodyworks!

J. January or July? I like July because that is when my birthday is; however, my birthdays tend to be low-key and not very exciting... I like January well enough, but whereas July is often too hot, January tends to get too cold- Like most of my family, I tend to be more of an
autumn person.

K. Kids? Well, I have about 80 of them this year- kind-of a nice change from the 100+ I had last year (i.e. my classes are smaller!). Yeah, maybe someday I'll have some of my very own (if not, I've apparently wasted a lot of time coming up with my favorite names that I would bestow upon my offspring).

L. Life is not complete without? The gospel. Yeah, yeah, I know that's the cheesy answer. So sue me. Sue me for speaking the truth.

M. Marriage Date? It looks like you'll have to consult a psychic to get the answer to that one.

N. Number of Brothers and Sisters? Originally, by blood, I have 5 sisters and 1 bro... Through marriage, I now have an additional bro and sis... and through my blood bro, I have quite a few imaginary brothers... I'll let you do the actual math (beware, you may have to use imaginary numbers to do it!).

O. Oranges or Apples? Depends on the time of year. I really like both. Trying to compare them is like trying to compare apples to...oranges?

P. Phobias? NOT mirrors... How about the irrational fear that I will sneeze while driving over a bridge and that the muscle spasm will then force me over the side of the bridge and I will either crash or drown (depending on what is under the bridge)...

Q. Quotes? I use them all the time. I love them, because most of the time, someone somewhere has said it better than I could. Here's a quote I currently have posted in my classroom: "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them." (Mark Twain)

R. Reasons to smile? Autumn blue and blustery days and crunching leaves and Fall Break (which, sadly, is now over) and Noah (especially with the cat wand) and Tonks and the hilariously small Smart car (I saw one on my way home from church today) and even several of my students are good at making me smile!

S. Season of Choice? Um, I believe I already clarified that I am an autumn girl all the way.

T. Tag some peeps! Okay, I tag the yellow chick Peeps, the pink chick Peeps, (I think there are blue chick Peeps?), the purple bunny Peeps, and any other Peeps you guys know about.

U. Unknown Fact about Me? When I was about 10 years old, I saw The Lady in White at my cousin's house for the first time. I got so freaked out, imagining that the ghost girl was gliding through the windows that I finally had to go sleep in the bathroom, the only room in the house without any windows.

V. Vegetable? The only veggie I can honestly say I love is corn.

W. Worst Habits? Procrastinating, nail nibbling, interrupting, correcting, using big words... (well, I guess that's only a "bad" habit when I inadvertently make someone else feel dumb...)

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? I agree with Sarah- there's got to be a better X-- How about or X-Files or X-Men? Wait. That may be too hard to decide- I'd probably have to pick The X-Files, though I did enjoy the first two X-Men movies...

Y. Your favorite food? I suppose that "they" have asked for just one food in order to keep people from writing never-ending lists of what they love. So, if I have to pick just one, I'd probably say mom's classic BBQ wings (hot or cold!)

Z. Zodiac Sign? Cancer (hmmm...what do you think that says about me?); Sheep/Ram (depending on which Chinese calender you are using); Kark (Indian zodiac)

It's the Abominable...Pumpkin?

Yes, it is true. On my way to conference two weekends ago, I came across this horror. As if we didn't have enough to torment us with the yearly bombardment of snowglobes and Santas and Frostys and other hideously horrifying blow-up lawn ornaments. Now, they have to extend the terror to an already terrifying holiday. Kids will get sick from more than just overeating candy. If you haven't already thrown up in your mouth a little, you should come see it in real life. If you dare...




(P.S. Sorry for the rather shaky camera action...)