Maggie the Guard Dog Reporting For Duty...SIR!

Maggie is our 2 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback that Tracey rescued from an animal shelter 2 years ago. She is a big girl in that she is tall and she weighs I think somewhere around 90 pounds but she is a sweetheart. Because of her size people who don’t know her are very careful around her and we consider this a good thing.
At night Maggie has free roaming privileges in the house. Here lately she has chosen to sleep in our room on the floor by Tracey. If you get up for any reason she will usually follow you to your destination then return with you to the bed. Once you get covered up pet Maggie on the head and scratch her ear. She will then return to her bed and go back to sleep.
The other night we were getting ready for bed and Maggie was not in our room. I asked Tracey where Maggie was and I was informed that she was probably with Caroline. They have really been bonding lately but that is another post. I knew Caroline was going to sleep on the couch that evening so I went into the den and sure enough there was Maggie. Caroline was almost asleep but not quite. Maggie was sitting up in front of the couch. As I walked through the den Maggie never moved from her spot. She followed me with her eyes but that was it. It was almost like one of those British guards that never move!
Some time during the middle of the night I got up to get a drink. As I entered the den there was Maggie. Still in front of Caroline but she was now lying on the floor. I did notice she was awake and was following me with her eyes but again she did not move!
If you got into our house you were not going to get to Caroline without somehow getting through Maggie.
The next morning Tracey went through the den and she started laughing. You walk into the den and there is Caroline and Maggie asleep. Sometime in the middle of the night however they switched positions. Caroline was on the floor asleep and Maggie was ON THE COUCH asleep! A major NO for Maggie but it was so cute we let it pass.
Maggie the Guard Dog- Reporting for DUTY!

When A Woman or Man Is Not Touchable

For a few weeks now we have been hearing about how John from John and Kate plus 8 has been linked to another woman..alledgedly. Well now the mom is fighting possible affair rumors.

Here is a little revelation for both John and Kate!

YOU ARE NOT TOUCHABLE! WHY YOU HAVE TO ASK?

You have EIGHT FREAKING KIDS!

What woman is going to date or marry a man who is on the bill for child support for EIGHT FREAKING KIDS?

And Kate... Sorry but no man is going to take on EIGHT FREAKING KIDS.

Neither one of you is touchable. You better figure this out because it is about to get LONELY

At Peace!

The past 8 weeks have been a little trying financially for Tracey and I. I know ....who has it NOT been taxing on? I am not going to go into great detail because it does not matter for this post. Besides like I mentioned is there anyone who reads this that has not felt the pinch?

Due to my illnesses of the late fall and early spring Tracey and I were hit with some big medical bills. Add to that this month and last month I am clearing about 2/3 of my salary to make up all of the days I missed from work. So the combo of added bills with less money gets a little taxing.

Again I know many people who have it MUCH worse than us so I am not trying to get sympathy.

The good news is we have a plan and at the end of July we will have all medical bills paid off so that is awesome!! At the end of THIS MONTH I will have repaid my debt to the district and I will be back on full salary. Add to that we refinanced our house and our house payment went down 200 dollars and we won't have a payment at all in JUNE. The light is getting brighter at the end of the tunnel.

NOW THE REASON FOR THE POST

A cool thing happened to me tonight. I was straightening one of the rooms in the house and I had the stereo playing a CD that I have not listened to in a while and a song came on that I had not heard in a long time.

The song really related to me and the situation. The song hit so close to home that I found myself not straightening at all. I was just standing there listening to the song. I then hit replay and I turned off the lights to the room and sat down and leaned my head back, closed my eyes, and listened to the music.

When the song was over I felt as if I was cleansed in some way. Another way of putting it might be a burden was being lifted. I don't know how to say it or put it in a way that does not sound corny!

How about At Peace?

Funny Sign

I am not a gun carrying, card holding member of the NHRA. I do have "a few" select weapons locked up in a gun cabinet. This sign did make me giggle.

Random Blogging Here!

Well Mrs. Jdhteach had her summative today. She had been dreading it I know because she started talking about it last Thursday. Last year her principal did her wrong in my opinion and Mrs. Jdhteach was afraid something would be pulled out of thin air and she would be done wrong again.

Thankfully all went well today and Mrs JDHTeach is moving forward.

Big Sigh of Relief!

Funny Quotes I Heard Today That Make Me Laugh!

- I have to have the only son who is a GT Redneck!

- Yeah, my son wants to go into the military and get into the special forces. He
wants to pop out of the snow and shoot people......It's good to have a goal !

Did I miss it?

I learned today that the principal of our Junior High principal is retiring. This guy is awesome! He has been recognized as an outstanding educator at both the state and national level. He has been in the education business for 29 years! When I was a campus administrator I often picked his brain. I am really going to miss not only his knowledge but his humor. He has a knack for telling a joke and you don’t realize he is joking until he gets to the punch line.
I have mixed thoughts about this for other reasons. Part of me thinks “DANG” I missed an opportunity here. I have had talks with my superintendant in the past that I would be interested in the Junior High job if it ever came open. Not that I stood a chance if I ran against someone like the current principal but I would like to at least come in and talk about it. If after the conversation it was determined I was not ready FINE! Interviews with my superintendant are a conversation. I have never felt more comfortable in an interview.
Obviously at this point I am not in the race. With me recovering from a bout of ECOLI and pneumonia it will be at least Christmas before I am back to pre-bout energy and strength levels. Add to that I am recovering from Leukemia. The long hours it takes to be a principal I cannot do day in and day out.
So my first thought was DANG! Then I got to thinking about it and I thought….would I even WANT to do that job? True it would be a salary increase for me but at what cost. There are a TON of evening activities to cover. It is a 12 month contract. No extended time off.
There are many things I enjoy being a principal. If done properly it is by far the hardest job in education. Sorry teachers it is. I enjoy working with the kids. I enjoy organizing the school. I enjoy working with the teachers. In general I feel I have a very even keel personality and I am the type of person someone will follow and work well with. I respect other opinions and am not afraid to admit that I am wrong.
Right now is not a fun time to be a principal. Everyone is tired (kids and teachers) subs don’t even want to come in. You are starting to have to plan for next year and are in meetings discussing said topic when all you are trying to do is close down this year. At this time of year there are some LONG LONG days for principals. I remember last year going quite a few days without seeing my kids awake.
So I don’t think I really miss it right now. I lose energy just thinking about it. Never say never though. You never know. I might dip my toe back in that pool some day.

Do You Hear What You Are Saying?

The piggy virus has got everyone up in arms. School districts are shutting down schools and sometimes entire districts. Being in the education field myself I am starting to see a side of some people that is a bit on the sorry side. That sorry side is wishing someone illness.

I have seen or heard on more than one occasion someone say or type on Face book this statement.

WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO GET SICK! I NEED A BREAK!!

So because you want to stay home you are wishing someone the flu. In addition to that that someone is most likely going to be a CHILD.

Wishing ill will on someone so you can have a day or days off is just sorry. I have heard people joke about it and that is different. But when people are typing "When is it going to be MY turn. That is just sorry.

Would your attitude be different if YOU were the one that had flu and everyone else stayed home?