Always on My Mind
In Memorium: Floyd Eldon Mitsven 8/1/15-5/19/04. I miss you.

This is kind of a sad week. I am also thinking of Paul Miller whom I think about daily as well.

Millie
Millie is the name of my new, thoroughly modern Matrix. We picked her up this evening, and after all of the wait, she's totally worth it. It's amazing to drive a car that does not handle like a Mac truck or sound like a steam engine struggling to make it up the hill. In fact, I started to rev the engine to start it like I usually do, and the salesman looked at me like I was nuts.
My students have been giving their final speeches, and I am so proud of them! It's amazing to see the progress they have made since the beginning of the year. I think that's probably the best part of the whole teaching thing. I almost got teary-eyed in class, and then someone started throwing pens, and I forgot that nonsense.
The 8th graders got me good today. One of the students' reports was on the history of metal music, and he brought a Metallica cd to demonstrate speed metal. Anyway, I put on the cd, and we were kinda rocking out, throwing up the devil horns and everything, me included. All of a sudden one of the kids screams "Hi, Mr. Bludau" (the principal). I almost died, and the class cracked up. I almost told them to measure my crack again!

Waco Part Deux
I just got back from another exciting trip to Waco. Actually i took some students up there because the Scholastic Factory was having a 50% off sale on everything in their warehouse. Their stuff is alreay ridiculously cheap, so I cleaned up. Very excellent booky goodness. I did realize one thing, though. I was never meant to be a bus driver. Driving with 5 teenagers is tantamount to torture.
Tomorrow is my big homage to Norway. I hope I inspire some Vikings.

Bum
I am such a flaky bum. I was supposed to go out to dinner with some people tonight, but it would mean a series of 6 dinner dates in a row, and I decided going to the gym and having time to myself were more important. I feel really bad, but I also think that unless I have a little off time and take care of my body I cannot be an effective teacher, friend, wife ect. Anyway, I have chosen to remain home while Eric is off bowling. I am tempted to do something girlie--paint my toes or exfoliate or something. More likely I will curl up with something vaguely trashy like Entertainment Weekly. I need a good read, any suggestions?
I am also in desparate need of some sort of food to bring to represent Norway. In positive news, I did buy my Viking helmet today, and a student brought me a pelt shirt to wear, so I now look the part. I also finished painting my fjords. It's funny the things they never tell you might come up when training to be a teacher.
I feel a sandalwood sented bath coming on.

Hey guys...this is a webmaster's note (from Eric). CommentThis.com seems to have stopped offering comments services, so we are changing over to Bloggers comments functionality.

Regretfully, it seems the previous posts aren't available any more. I (Eric) will try to see if it's possible to recover them, but not sure if that will happen...So if you remember any of your past comments...feel free to post them again :-} - Eric

Have You Driven a Fjord Lately?
For our school's Read Around the World event this Friday I boldly offered to represent Norway and the other Scandanivan cultures. Little did I know it is turning out to be major odeal. This ordeal will end with me dressed in a blond braided wig and a horned helmet playing Wagner in front of hand painted signs. My legs are blue from painting fjords, and I have to bake Lingenberry cookies.
It was teacher appreciation night tonight at a BBQ place, so I'm still starving. The upside of the night was we got $50 gift cards to Dillards and a $25 one to Bath and Body Works, so all is good. I need to do some shopping.
The car will hopefully come in this weekend. I will not wait on baited breath.
All the Svens, Brunhildes and Olafs of the world unite!

Of White Water and Waco
Weekend was fun yet completely exhausting. I won't be rested until next weekend when it all starts over again. Sometimes I think I need to drop out for awhile until I catch up. Yet does anyone ever really catch up on sleep and all they need to do.
Enough kvetching. Went rafting for N's birthday down the freezing cold Guadalupe. They convinced me to jump off a rope swing which took some doing. I don't have much else to say except I will never touch box wine again. This really is no loss.
On mom's day we went up to Waco to meet Mom and Dad which was really nice. I definately do not get to see them as much as I would like--I would also have perfered not seeing them with the rest of Waco and their mom's however.
Supposedly I will finally get my car this weekend, but I am not holding my breath. Rusty is currently doing his swan song. You can't really go between gears without a major freak out on his part. He grinds and whines and carries on; getting above 55 is an ordeal. Then if you dare slip back below 55, he pops out of gear and sends the car lurching forward. Yep, good times are had by all. It would be a great car for a roller coaster enthuasist. Not so good for someone who cares about living. Did I mention the brakes have gone soft?
Last night I was talking on the phone with my sister, and I happened to stroll by Clementine's water dish. I looked down and dropped the phone. Floating in her water dish was a small snake which I guess she had killed by drowning. Ah the mighty huntress. Then she knocked over a glass flower Eric gave me, and while trying to pick something up, I got glass embedded in my hands. She has not had a stellar few days. It is lucky that her cuteness knows no bounds.

End Times
Every time we have a faculty meeting, I get scenes from Revelations in my head. Today we got lucky and were done by 4:30, but we have a 1/2 day meeting on Friday, and I do not think I am strong enough to get through it.
Our trip to Iowa was lovely. I may be prejudiced, but I think I have the cutest niece and nephew in the world. I will post pics later. I wish we had just sucked it up and bought a plane ticket though, because it will be awhile before I recover from the trip. I find myself hunching over, and when I close my eyes I can still feel the car moving down the road. Still, it was worth the effort. It was very family affirming.
Clementine brought in a huge moth this morning, and then she and Eric fought over it. Clem launched herself at him at full speed in order to throw him off the trail. Since I am not the one with marks on his arms and legs, I find it really funny. She also has gross kitty acne. Is it wrong to want to pop your cat's zits?