Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Looks like the official full moon is tonight. It was really beautiful over the ocean last night when we went with the sisters out to dinner.

Mike is golfing today so I will take the sisters to the beach club for their last full day. I think he needs a break LOL. Tonight is some sort of takeout. Last night I didn't do too badly for a night out having shrimp and a wedge salad. The ladies leave mid-afternoon tomorrow.

I want to do some sort of Christmas celebration with just Mike and I over the next week prior to flying north on 12/16. We will involved in family activities every day in Massachusetts and I don't want to bring my gifts for Mike with us.

Mike is going back to Albany from January 8-11 to stay with his grandchildren while his daughter is on a business trip. This is the 3rd trip since June that her siblings/parents had to cover. The ex-husband lives in the same town and knows she has work trips but doesn't offer to have them stay with him (nor does Mike's daughter ask). I just don't understand it - they are his children too.

Time for coffee number 2.

Have a winning Wednesday!

Back from a 22 hour trip to Seattle.... Luckily, the plane time isn't all that much. It's the pre/post-flight driving and waiting time that seems to take a long time. But, newborn puppies are always worth it!

Guess I kind of stirred the pot a bit on TT if even the Bonnies responded. Sorry about that. It was just meant to be a reminder that we don't have to feel guilty about not being in weight loss mode.... There seems to be something about using the word "disordered" that triggers people.

I am enjoying winter music with the students. I think one of my favorite things this year is getting to introduce the old Mitch Miller xmas song, "I wanna Hippopotamus for Christmas". The kids LOVE it and love that it's sung by a 10 year old. If you are unfamiliar, it's worth a look and listen. I wanna hippopotamus for christmas - gayla peevevy

Dog shows this weekend.

Best wishes for Chip and Diane S. Never an easy time.

Liz, homophobia is still alive and well all over the country. California has a very large population outside of the metropolitan areas that is right wing conservative and fundamentalist christian. Many people fear what they don't understand. Fear expresses itself in so many ways, but in homophobia, it's usually with hate and discrimination. I've lived with this my entire adult life. I am happy to report that in the 40 years I have been open about my orientation tolerance, kindness and acceptance is much more the norm than it was in the early 80s.

Love to think of kids discovering the Hippopotamus song. It still delights me.

I have hope for a better future for all of us. When I started teaching at high school about 20 years ago, I would have been so scared for any student of mine who would have decided to come out in high school. Scared for their physical safety. Scared for their emotional safety. Now I have students holding hands with their same gender love in the hallway, and, it's no big deal amongst the student body.

One kid's senior quote in the yearbook: Everyone says I dress so well, I should, I spent a lot of time in the closet! He was on my caseload in 9th grade. What a joy to see him find his voice. So the increasing tolerance and acceptance you experience Peps, I am seeing in our millennials and gen xers. Keep going kiddos! They teach me so much.

I think we can see why your DILs ex is an ex! Either he won't step up to parent his kids, or your DIL has reasons she doesn't want him around any more than visitation agreement requires. Its too bad. Lucky they have an awesome Grandpa so they know about how good men live.

Speaking of good men, mine is making pork chops and a "nice" salad for dinner. Its something his Mom used to say, and we're having a nice salad, so he enjoys telling me that.

School was busy, lots going on, including many illnesses. I'm hoping its all related to things I've already had so I have some immunity.

Tee hee, I think of a "nice" salad as one that: a) has ingredients besides ice berg lettuce and b) does not include jello.

DC

Greetings all

Today I did the big chop. Got my hair cut. I have a 7 inch long pony tail to donate to the cancer wigs. New hairdresser told me another place to do that. I like this hairdresser and shop. The old one made me feel like an old square.

DD thanks for putting my doctor visit report in perspective. Yeah I should be grateful there is nothing wrong with my heart etc instead of being *****y because I don't feel good and think there is a magic potion. I am old! Even so I still must find some kind of exercise. Perhaps shovel off the treadmill that has been the silent guardian in our living room for 20 years. I wonder if it still works.

Quick trip to the grocery. Salmon from the deli tonight and pot roast tomorrow. I also stopped into the studio and played with clay. Had to put on my grown up hat for a bit to assess the tax situation of the studio as the year end is approaching. All is well.

Old Chip is sleeping a lot. I don't think he has eaten much today. We shall see.

Liz, good on Mike regarding the grand kids. The ex sounds like a poop. Better for the kids to have grandpa as a role model.

Peps I so hear you about a flight taking less time than all the airport nonsense. Hope the puppies were fun (like how could they not be). And yeah, it is totally ok to not be trying to lose weight. So there.

And yeah northern California outside of SF is pretty much like any other rural area and there are homophobic red neck people. They seem to be emboldened these days. The bad actors at the gay pride event stopped just short of assault on my friend and he is sick of it. Today I heard an NPR program about attempts to remove library books from high school because they dealt with gay issues. The anger and venom of the objectors was so over the top. Also another program about sociology and hate and why it's sort of hard wired into people as a survival mechanism. Interesting but sad.

So DD are your students out howling at the moon since it is indeed full. Weirwolf vs vampire (tee tee).

Not much else. Time for me to see if I can get old Chip to eat something.

Diane S

The vitriol spewed at school board meetings over books people want banned and other culture war issues is stunning. I used to dread being asked to attend meetings to support a fellow teacher speaking on a union matter or curriculum issue etc because, BORING, now I dread it because it's ride on a mean train to crazy town.