Miscellany Monday

WOW. I haven't posted one of these in ages. But, here it goes

Hippity-Hoppity

Last night, the hubs and I return from a birthday dinner for his grandmother to discover an adorable, pudgy, wart-covered visitor quite literally at our door.
I call him "Toad Friend." He was playing sentry to keep the bugs out.
At least, that's what I tell myself.



The first couple nights we were here, Chris and I kept finding this toad in our garage/laundry room. I, in my loving of all things amphibian, quickly ushered him outside in an attempt to save him from death by garage entrapment.
But, night after night, I would go out into the garage, arms full of laundry, and find a toad sitting with great entitlement. I soon realized that if he could get in, he could get out. He was probably rather peeved those nights I "rescued" him. He likes to chill in the garage and eat unmentionables . . . like roaches. Last week, he brought his girlfriend over for a date. Next time, Toad Friend, bring all the buddies. Have a kegger or something . . . or whatever kind of parties toads have. You can even bring the frogs around, if you want. Anything that will eat the nasties.

Now I just have to make sure we don't run him over.

Furballs

My cats make me laugh.
I think it's just a fact of life that, if you don't have young kids running around, the animals are the babies. And so you take pictures, because, really, let's admit it, a good "parent" takes pics of her "kids." Especially when they're remotely amusing.
Maybe.
It could just be me.

Navi is an active, adamant member of the neighborhood watch  . . . .

Every morning, I wake up to this little face in the window above our bed

One of these things is not like the other . . .

And, in six weeks, we'll ad a pup to these pics. :]
At least until we have kids . . . then there will be pics of that . . .

New! Sort of!

The in-laws/landlords just redid their kitchen. New counters, new cabinets, new floors, new appliances, the WORKS. First off, it looks fabulous. Secondly, they gave us their old appliances . . . which were bigger and newer than the ones we already had.
So I now have a glass top stove (HALLELUJAH!!!) and a bigger fridge . . . and our old fridge is going out on our large screened back porch for extra freezer room.
The domestic house wife in me is doing a happy dance.

Educational

Sometimes, the comments I receive from students and parents make me wonder.
For instance, a mom came up to me and said, "I just want you to know that my boys LOVE your class, but, of course, they love pretty girls."
I thanked for the compliment . . . then wondered if they like the class for the content, my teaching style . . . or the fact that I look like I'm sixteen.
Case and point: Friday, one of the boys in the front row started giggling (yes GIGGLING) and another blurted from the back, "Good grief! She's married! Forget it!"
"I'm laughing because I know how old she is!"
Uuuuuuuuh . . . . ???

In one of my periods, I have a group of four boys who remind me of multiples of the heckling Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets. And the giggles . . . good grief . . . So much GIGGLING.

In case you were wondering, no, I'm not being harassed by boys with newly acquired hormones. For the most part, they're very polite and the exact opposite of flirty. They're just preteen boys, and that means too much energy and everything is hysterical. At least they have joy. Or something.

On a happy note, I impressed one of the parents by updating her via email what her son had missed in class one day after an absence. She expressed tremendous gratitude by giving me a card, a gift card to Olive Garden, and stroopwafels.
Oh, the stroopwafel . . .  Nom nom NOM!!! Perfect compliment to my morning chai.

And now, a quick workout and some grading.
I am so swamped.
There has to be a way to grade for 78 students and not be drowning in paperwork . . . right?