Here is a story I followed a lot right before the holidays. Orphan Annie was shot twice and left for dead in a snowbank in Minnesota. Good will and love for animals saved her though...a good samaritan found her, she ended up at the University Animal Hospital, and sponsers from around the world helped pay her bills. The clip below is a party that was thrown for Annie and her well-wishers. She is now in animal foster care and will soon be adopted out. More information for anyone who wants to check out this "feel good" story can be found at www.ragom.org It's certainly a story that brought me tears and smiles. Way to go Annie!
Annie Says Thank You from DevonTT on Vimeo.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Times Change
And boy am I glad. I don't think I would love my job if this were the current job description!
Monday, January 19, 2009
What to say
Today is inservice day at school. So is tomorrow. That means no students and prepare for second semester. But the students didn't have school Thursday or Friday (which I didn't find out about until I'd made the drive) so their horns have been locked in and no one has been able to practice for a week. Yuck. I keep my grades up daily because with so many students in lessons I'd be screwed if I didn't. As a result, I'm writing this to you while I'm already completely prepared for "next semester" and procrastinating on the few things I really could be doing. I thought I'd use this time to update you on that to-do list I posted after the cruise.
1. Knitting: I'm teaching myself. It's been fun. Haven't made anything yet, just unraveled and un-knotted lots of yarn and played around with some different stitches. When I have something interesting, for better or worse, I'll share.
2. Football: Don't remember what was going through my mind at that time...but for now, Go Cards! What a story!
3. Carlos Mencia and Jack Black: Was going to see if either one had free podcasts I could put on my Zune. They don't. Not free anyway...and I don't want to pay.
4. Zune: Needed to update it. Done.
5. Grocery: Picked lots of good recipes and got our refrigerator re-stocked.
6. Pep Band: Don't remember then, but now...hoping the kids remember that they have a show tomorrow night even though they don't have school...it's been on the schedule and I did send reminder emails.
7. JCP: Glad I'm not working so many hours any more. Glad I'm keeping the job for the summer and the discount. Wondering why I got scheduled for 20 hours next week. Hoping to give some of those hours to the kids who work their to pay their rent.
8. House Cleaning: Done. Top to bottom. Easy to keep up on now. Was a mess when we unpacked from cruise.
9. Resorts: We LOVED the cruise, but we would also love to stay in one place longer...so maybe an all inclusive resort somewhere so we can better explore the area. Or maybe a cruise with fewer kids...supposedly some of the other lines are geared more towards adults. Worth looking into.
10. New Moon: Do I want to read it? Still haven't decided. Didn't mean to get into the series but needed something to read and it was at hand. Story line is decent but very young with a high school mentality...hmm...
NEW STUFF:
1. I now have a proper battery for my little camera so I'll be able to take new pictures and do better adding them into to blog. Hopefully this dull little blog will be more interesting.
2. What I really should be doing is working on revising my lesson curriculum so there is a more advanced version. The young ones (6-7th graders) are asking for more depth. I LOVE IT!
3. What is really running through my head is wonder about the project Duane and I working on but I really can't say more about here just now. It's a "don't get your hopes up to high" thing for us.
Sorry to bore you...but thanks for passing time with me!
1. Knitting: I'm teaching myself. It's been fun. Haven't made anything yet, just unraveled and un-knotted lots of yarn and played around with some different stitches. When I have something interesting, for better or worse, I'll share.
2. Football: Don't remember what was going through my mind at that time...but for now, Go Cards! What a story!
3. Carlos Mencia and Jack Black: Was going to see if either one had free podcasts I could put on my Zune. They don't. Not free anyway...and I don't want to pay.
4. Zune: Needed to update it. Done.
5. Grocery: Picked lots of good recipes and got our refrigerator re-stocked.
6. Pep Band: Don't remember then, but now...hoping the kids remember that they have a show tomorrow night even though they don't have school...it's been on the schedule and I did send reminder emails.
7. JCP: Glad I'm not working so many hours any more. Glad I'm keeping the job for the summer and the discount. Wondering why I got scheduled for 20 hours next week. Hoping to give some of those hours to the kids who work their to pay their rent.
8. House Cleaning: Done. Top to bottom. Easy to keep up on now. Was a mess when we unpacked from cruise.
9. Resorts: We LOVED the cruise, but we would also love to stay in one place longer...so maybe an all inclusive resort somewhere so we can better explore the area. Or maybe a cruise with fewer kids...supposedly some of the other lines are geared more towards adults. Worth looking into.
10. New Moon: Do I want to read it? Still haven't decided. Didn't mean to get into the series but needed something to read and it was at hand. Story line is decent but very young with a high school mentality...hmm...
NEW STUFF:
1. I now have a proper battery for my little camera so I'll be able to take new pictures and do better adding them into to blog. Hopefully this dull little blog will be more interesting.
2. What I really should be doing is working on revising my lesson curriculum so there is a more advanced version. The young ones (6-7th graders) are asking for more depth. I LOVE IT!
3. What is really running through my head is wonder about the project Duane and I working on but I really can't say more about here just now. It's a "don't get your hopes up to high" thing for us.
Sorry to bore you...but thanks for passing time with me!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Going and Coming
A cruise is a cruise is a cruise. We had a wonderful time and we would (and will) do it again. However, there is nothing real out of the ordinary to share with you. I LOVED snorkeling, Duane LOVED scuba diving (I want to get certified so I can go with him next time). We both enjoyed the waterfall and the tree canopy in Jamaica. New Year's on the ship was a beautiful thing but neither of us are real party people so we didn't stay up too long after midnight...that being said the real stories of any unusual interest on our vacation occurred the day we left and the day we came home.
Going (to the cruise)
We left for Madison on Saturday because our flight left very early Sunday. The trip there was uneventful and we got our trip started with dinner at Texas Roadhouse that night. The food was awesome BUT my burger or fries must have been done on the same grill or in the same vat as fish. For those who don't know, I can't eat fish or seafood without getting ill. It wasn't bad Saturday night because it's not like I ate it directly but it WAS uncomfortable sleeping. Sunday was the day of travel and I was SICK. Made it through the first flight and lost everything I'd eaten (seemingly) in the last decade at the airport. It didn't get better on the second flight, or on the cruise ship that night. Once we had embarked on the ship I was pretty much confined to mom's cabin (so I could listen to the ocean anyway) while Duane, Mom, and Dale enjoyed exploring the ship and the first night of a cruise dinner. Duane did go out of his way to get me some anti-sick pills that helped and they did bring me some cheese and fruit before they all helped me back to the cabin Duane and I were inhabiting. Come the next morning I started out shaky and week, but it got better once I got fluids and food in me...the terrible ickys had passed.
Coming (home)
Although no illnesses were hitting, Duane was keeping us updated on the weather. We were leaving 85 degree Fort Lauderdale for 22 degree Wisconsin, with freezing rain on the way. The cruise had us to the airport by 11:00, but our flight wasn't until 5:45...and we couldn't check in until 3 hours prior. We also couldn't go through security to the restaurants while we waited to check in so we sat outside on the cement for a couple of hours. Yuck. We didn't have to wait until 2:45 though because by 1:00ish we discovered if we tipped the curbside guy enough, he'd take our luggage early. The flights were pretty uneventful and mostly on time. We were late getting out of Minneapolis on the last leg because they were de-icing the plane but it didn't cause any issues. We got to Madison about 12:45 a.m. on Sunday and Dale went to get the car while the rest of us waited for luggage. After a minor time where we thought Dale's luggage didn't make it (it actually beat us home) we finally got on the road (in the promised freezing rain) around 1:30ish I think (I was sleeping). So now, it's freezing rain, we're home in the dead of the night (somewhere between 2:30-3:00am) and the van can't make it up the hill to the house due to ice. Dale let us out where it stopped about 3/4 way up, and he slid back down backwards with it (he's practiced at this so it wasn't tough). We ended our trip by HIKING up an ice covered hill at around 3:00 in foul weather. As upset as we could have been, it was actually quite humorous. Thankfully the wind was minimal so we didn't really feel the bone chilling cold. Also, the dogs were outside and heard us coming so they met us and walked with us. It WAS scary seeing Leo (160+ Newfie) running at you while you're walking on ice...but we all lived to tell the story.
So there it is. I promised to fill you in, do I did. I don't have any pictures to post right now...but...well...oh well. Until next time. Goodnight.
Going (to the cruise)
We left for Madison on Saturday because our flight left very early Sunday. The trip there was uneventful and we got our trip started with dinner at Texas Roadhouse that night. The food was awesome BUT my burger or fries must have been done on the same grill or in the same vat as fish. For those who don't know, I can't eat fish or seafood without getting ill. It wasn't bad Saturday night because it's not like I ate it directly but it WAS uncomfortable sleeping. Sunday was the day of travel and I was SICK. Made it through the first flight and lost everything I'd eaten (seemingly) in the last decade at the airport. It didn't get better on the second flight, or on the cruise ship that night. Once we had embarked on the ship I was pretty much confined to mom's cabin (so I could listen to the ocean anyway) while Duane, Mom, and Dale enjoyed exploring the ship and the first night of a cruise dinner. Duane did go out of his way to get me some anti-sick pills that helped and they did bring me some cheese and fruit before they all helped me back to the cabin Duane and I were inhabiting. Come the next morning I started out shaky and week, but it got better once I got fluids and food in me...the terrible ickys had passed.
Coming (home)
Although no illnesses were hitting, Duane was keeping us updated on the weather. We were leaving 85 degree Fort Lauderdale for 22 degree Wisconsin, with freezing rain on the way. The cruise had us to the airport by 11:00, but our flight wasn't until 5:45...and we couldn't check in until 3 hours prior. We also couldn't go through security to the restaurants while we waited to check in so we sat outside on the cement for a couple of hours. Yuck. We didn't have to wait until 2:45 though because by 1:00ish we discovered if we tipped the curbside guy enough, he'd take our luggage early. The flights were pretty uneventful and mostly on time. We were late getting out of Minneapolis on the last leg because they were de-icing the plane but it didn't cause any issues. We got to Madison about 12:45 a.m. on Sunday and Dale went to get the car while the rest of us waited for luggage. After a minor time where we thought Dale's luggage didn't make it (it actually beat us home) we finally got on the road (in the promised freezing rain) around 1:30ish I think (I was sleeping). So now, it's freezing rain, we're home in the dead of the night (somewhere between 2:30-3:00am) and the van can't make it up the hill to the house due to ice. Dale let us out where it stopped about 3/4 way up, and he slid back down backwards with it (he's practiced at this so it wasn't tough). We ended our trip by HIKING up an ice covered hill at around 3:00 in foul weather. As upset as we could have been, it was actually quite humorous. Thankfully the wind was minimal so we didn't really feel the bone chilling cold. Also, the dogs were outside and heard us coming so they met us and walked with us. It WAS scary seeing Leo (160+ Newfie) running at you while you're walking on ice...but we all lived to tell the story.
So there it is. I promised to fill you in, do I did. I don't have any pictures to post right now...but...well...oh well. Until next time. Goodnight.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
We are home
...and tired, so I'll fill you in later. Right now, just a few things to think about...so I don't forget.
1. Knitting
2. Football
3. Carlos Mencia and Jack Black
4. Zune
5. Grocery shopping
6. Pep Band
7. JCP
8. House cleaning
9. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Sandals, Etc....
10. New Moon
Yeah, sure that doesn't mean anything to you...and it really shouldn't. All I have to say (as many of you already know) is that my mind sometimes works in weird ways. You don't have to try and decipher it.
Happy New Year All!
1. Knitting
2. Football
3. Carlos Mencia and Jack Black
4. Zune
5. Grocery shopping
6. Pep Band
7. JCP
8. House cleaning
9. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Sandals, Etc....
10. New Moon
Yeah, sure that doesn't mean anything to you...and it really shouldn't. All I have to say (as many of you already know) is that my mind sometimes works in weird ways. You don't have to try and decipher it.
Happy New Year All!
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