Tuesday, December 17, 2024

What happened in Madison weighs on my heart today. Yesterday I read how the 3rd graders in one class were all holding their scissors. Babies preparing to defend themselves from a gun with scissors. I cried and cried when I read that. Thinking of them holding their little craft scissors.

We have a very sophisticated system in our school. I have ballistic panels I can swing out to create a safe room of sorts. I have a big police button I can push, and it will lock my door, turn off the card reader, call the police, and cause a blue light to go off in every other room to alert the staff something is going down. If my blue light goes off, I know I should also push my police button to secure my door. My windows to the outside and in the door are bullet resistant. But still, anybody with a hoodie and a backpack could walk in with 1,700 kids pouring into the building every morning. Metal detectors? Not yet, but I guess that could be next. Imagine if all the money spent on this could have gone to smaller class sizes or mental health services. I don't have any answers, I only know I don't want to hand out my scissors while we huddle behind ballistic panels.

I am ready for break! But there is work yet to be done before break starts. I am actually geeking out on a one day lesson plan involving the song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I like to practice finding literary terms in song lyrics (metaphors, similes, hyperbole, personification etc). I thought we'd try one related to our Minnesota heritage.

Time for dinner, loaded baked potatoes and as my MIL used to say, a nice salad.

So sad about the kids all holding their scissors.

Loaded baked potatoes sound awesome!

Yummy dinner!

214.8 Skipped 215s altogether! Feeling very positive about managing my weight over the holidays. Only 3 schools to go for this week and then a lovely 2 week break!

Diane S., don't feel bad about Christmas preparations. We have done absolutely NOTHING here. Ron started to stress about it last night. I just can't. So, no judgement there.

HA! As I was typing the paragraph above, Ron interrupted me and suggested we get the tree up. So, the tree is up. Undecorated, but up and lit. BFF (who is having some minor issues with heart palpitations and therefore an absolute mess) is coming over tonight to help "Fluff" the tree. I had to come up with a good excuse to get him over here and out of his house. This one did the trick! So, we did have to get the tree up!

As for presents, most are purchased. Just a few more to pick up. Nothing is wrapped. Again, I'm okay with that. I don't think I'm going to go overboard decorating the house, either. I'll throw a few nutcrackers out, some candles and call it a day. I already forbid garland to be hung because Bug is too young! She just turned 8 months and though turning into a very good puppy, she is still a puppy and not to be trusted.

Had a very good workout yesterday. I'm feeling confident about choreographing my own workouts these days. It still takes some thought, but I was careful to hit all areas of the back - even the little muscles just below the arm pits to the outside of the upper lats! I think one of the things I'd like to do is take a class in anatomy and physiology next fall. Out of the fry pan and into the fire???? Teacher to student in the blink of an eye!

Tuneful Tuesday! Turn up those Xmas songs!

I do have to give Kirby kudos for totally leaving the tree alone. I don't dare put the presents under it as the paper and bows would be very enticing and I did have to chase him through the house today to get back a pair of underwear he stole from the hamper, but by and large, he's a good puppy!

Underwear and socks are treasures! It's actually quite complimentary when a dog takes one of those personal clothing items for himself. Most dogs will not destroy those items, but chew them gently and carry them from place to place.

Our Labrador was always stealing our daughters bras! If she left them drying on the towel bar in her bathroom, Bella would stealthily go get one. Somehow she smuggled one outside and it ended up in a shrub by the deck. Or so daughter claims! We teased her about that for a bit, but it indeed was the dog.

Sounds like you aren't doing too badly in the Christmas readiness department. There is another week! Though I decorated here early, there is obviously nothing up north. I had gifts for people there sent to SIL's home and will pick them up tomorrow. So lots of wrapping to be done Friday in preparation for Christmas celebration #2 with DH's family Saturday.