Stubborn

Mule- watercolor in sketchbook on top of other drawing

Summer is, for the most part, over... it's back to school now, officially on Thursday but I've started a few days a week the first of August.  I work to hard, but "that's how I roll" ...seriously, I do love to work/have my career.  Even though I fantasize about staying home and just doing art, I know that isn't what I'm meant to do- even if we didn't starve to death on that income- I like to teach, to plan, to think up new things and interact.  I have horrible doubts sometimes because I am *not* a good technical teacher- my classes (with few exceptions- and I totally credit the kids) do not turn out those amazing drawings/paintings/designs that make everyone go ooooooo and awwwwwww. nope.  The usual reaction is 'huh' or 'gee....you have, uh, improved?'  but I *do* teach them how to think, be curious, experimental and - hopefully- tolerant of difference/new ideas.  (ironically, the one thing that I cannot tolerate is intolerant people. I am to well mannered to voice it- unless they are being outright abusive- so when people rant about politics, race, sexuality, religion whathaveyou from the point of 'my way or the highway' I just space out and ignore them. yeah...you are entitled to voicing your views, but seriously, don't make me try to adopt them.  Who's ranting now? ...I did say 'irony')

Ok- off the mark there, but I'm gearing up for my gentle war (which mainly consists of saying 'new adjective', this is the room of tolerance and love -that is more sarcastic than it sounds-, and something else that I can't remember right now, but it rhymes and makes the kids laugh)  For grownups, the teachers I supposedly lead, my tagline for this year is "Learn to Love the Change" (we are changing the curriculum across the board and for arty people they can be very reluctant dragons...so I am being all positive, and need to figure out bribes for music teachers.  I can bribe art with frames, theater/dance with costume-stuff and auction props, but I haven't a clue music wise.  What do they like? do tell).

Totally veered sideways from my original topic here I'm thinking, but that is ok as well. Flexibility. Change. Growth. 

Last night was an auction night, and for the first time ever the manz missed the auction because he was sick with a stomach bug.  He is still on the couch, sound asleep with the heating pad on the belly and the remote control within easy reach.  He did wake up long enough to tell me "you didn't shut the door and the cat got in here and woke me up clawing the couch, grrrrrr" then back to sleep which is the best thing for sick grouchy men.  (The cat is now securely locked up in the bedroom, safe away from all tempting couches.)

Anyhoo, I took total advantage last night and watched an entire disk of Warehouse 13 (I think he made it through 1 1/2 episodes), and went way off diet for some end of summer treats: Thai-style ramen (peanut curry- yum), a couple of 'Salty Doggs' (grapefruit juice, sharp ginger ale, vodka...the rim is supposed to be salted but I'm out of sea salt and don't know how to regardless...) and the most marvelous ice cream ever:  Ben and Jerry's Carrot cake.  I know, it doesn't sound like an ice cream, but they do it oh-so-well.  Caramel ice cream- lightly sweet, very cinnamony not the heavy caramel- with this wonderful band of creamcheese and bits of just a little chewy carrot cake.  The cake is in just the right size- not big bready chunks, not just tiny crumbs- just nuggets of goodness with what looks to be possibly candied carrots? and (YAY) no nuts!  A slight nutty flavor, but no hard bits.  I'm not fond of hard bits in my ice cream, unless it is pistachio.  Wonderous stuff- almost more savory than sweet sweet... I've been craving this all summer since I heard about it the first of June, and I am so happy I caved in at last.  It was well worth it.

Night of decadence over, today I have a kabillion tons of organizational paperwork to do- again, more leadership stuff.  Tomorrow I will go to school and finish setting up the room (the plan of setting it up with Grendel on Friday was happily interrupted by a phone call, job interview and resulting Grendel job. Yay!)  Then two days at home for 'writing days' where I will work on my classes...then school starts.  First day meetings, convocation with workshops (the aforementioned reluctant dragon workshops- just the start. This is a year-long process). ..a weekend, then the year begins again.  Students........

My natural cycle.  And of course, after all summer, I finally have the inspiration for a new altered book project, so I want to work on that.  And I'm reading the first Game of Thrones book which is addictive....but I'm excited.  Today is a good day, and I'm gonna make the best out of it that I can!

El Diablito!

Yesterday was a day of the devil...after the icecream incident I went on a cleaning binge in the bedroom.  Every trunk, closet, drawer, suitcase and box was gone through.  Items were reduced to 'save' 'toss' 'donate' piles just like in hoarders....and I tossed lots of stuff that I had been saving for no apparent reason.  (Sheets for twin beds?  Why?  we haven't had one in years...since Grendel moved out and we sold his.  The sleeper couch is a double, our bed is a queen, and I see no twin beds in our future..and same goes for misc. tablecloths, mostly with stains, that were acquired along with box lots and saved for 'in case'.  I don't use table cloths- I use my quilt tops for that, and I do have a plain white one... so again, why?)

Anyway, after all this major cleaning and lint and dust, I have been congested and sneezing.   Happy, but noisy and drippy-nosed.  When the manz came come from work, he brought me a treat- you guessed it- ice cream.  I confessed my sin with the Mocha Mudslide...he was astonished.  I don't think he has ever met anyone who could eat so much icecream in one go..... so anyway, I put my treat aside.

Now this ice cream isn't regular stuff, he brought me a La Barisa Diablito, which is a Mexican ice pop- apricot, tamarind and chili.  It's lovely stuff, sweet and spicy and salty all at once. Later on, after dinner, he made me a surprise to help with my stuffy nose.  He let the icepop melt mostly, then mushed it up like a slushy....to this he added a bit (quite a bit) of vodka, and mixed it up.  It was strong and hot and wonderful- not for the faint of heart because the chili intensifies as it melts.  My eyes were watering as I drank it, then in a few minutes I got all giddy, but boy did it clear out the sinuses!  After much deliberation, we have named this (the unpolitically correct name) of  Sneaking Hot Commie.   Name came because both the hot and the booze sneaks up on you- at first taste it is sweet/salt, then *pow* the hot kicks in, then *pow* giddy.  Commie because of the Vodka, of course.  I think this falls into the category of 'kill or cure', but it's my new favorite drink!

Confess! Repent! Hellbent!

Satan.

Soooooo....as you know, I have been trying to diet.  Unsuspectingly for some reason even though I have stayed under 1500 calories per day for most of summer, have not had fast food, ice cream, soda, beer, Mexican bakery, Chinese, or any of the other thousands of food items I lust after.  I have eaten bran every morning.  and yogurt.  I live on salads, the occasional salad sandwich, lots of pickles.  I even drink my coffee black (ultimate sacrifice).   For a big treat, I eat a 100 cal bag of popcorn...and still......

What happened, my personal train wreck, is that it is the end of summer.  I had to work yesterday, have to work tomorrow and Friday at school, and do the roadshow Thursday and Saturday.  Facing into the long tunnel of constant work I am pushing to get the house all clean and organized before I have to be at school everyday (where my teaching schedule for Fall is all screwed up- 4 preps, with planning during lunch when I have endless duties.  Not a happy camper, but a camper none-the-less).  So anyway, manz had to be at work early this morning for the day, and I thought giddily, 'Yay!  Cleaning day!' and started to get to work.  But then.... out of nowhere came this Mocha Mudslide.  Well, out of the freezer.  Manz asked for ice cream the last time I went to the store- his favorite is chocolate, plain chocolate, which they were out of.  I substituted mocha thinking coffee + chocolate ribbon of goodness = ok substitution.  I didn't know- I swear- that it had chewy brownie bits in it.   He had like two bites, then said, "well, it's ok.  It's got something in it.  I haven't tried it with peanut butter yet...that might help."   and put it in the freezer where it has lurked for days and days...... So, this morning I thought- in a passing weak moment- let me see how bad it is.  Just one quick bite before cleaning.  Yeah.  Addict.

15 minutes later I had eaten the WHOLE CARTON!  I was so cold I had to put a sweater on (it's like 100 outside)....but is my tummy upset?  no, of course not.  I could eat a horse and have room for dessert.  I am a true food addict, and any- any touch of temptation leads me into a full out blow out.  There is no such thing as moderation in my world.... only cutting it out 'cold turkey' works.

hum..... I wonder how cold turkey ice cream would taste?  I don't know, but I bet sweet potato pie ice cream- with toasted marshmallow bits- would be awesome....see?  There I go again!  Addict!

My SillyHillyBilly

Charles is a ham...and not afraid to get into character at the auction-  This weeks highlights included him riding a unicycle (seriously- wasn't quick enough to get a picture of that gem), and assuming the hillbilly pose for the auctioning of assorted guns.  Cap on backward, goofy...our friend told me to register him for screen gems- he could have a career as an extra, easy!  Just might do that~

Lots of pretty things at this auction, but didn't end up with them.  I did get one pretty thing (it's for Miss Ball's birthday!) and a collection of "cootie club" Shriner outfits- shirts, sashes, purple fezzes (what is the plural of fez?) and other Shriner stuff.  That will make my theater teachers happy campers! Am collecting my beginning of the year bribes for all the county arts folks....every one is so much more cooperative with my schemes when I bribe them with fezzes.  Yay!  (and picture frames. I never know what to bribe the music people with tho- )

Anyhoo, it's back to school today- not officially yet, but have a few days this week of county work to do, and have to be at Topsail weds. so am easing back into the school year.  3 days each week...then the work weekish/kids come back.  Summer goes by so fast, but this one was fairly good- took lots of naps, sold some paintings, painted a bunch, got to go to the mountains-  I miss going to Texas, but we need a new car before that happens (had to replace the battery now on Traveler car, and the back windows don't roll down right- plus no ac and it has been hot, hot, hot here).  With some luck, we will be able to get a new-to-us car at years end, and keep traveler for a work car, limit Esmeralda to just roadshows and pickups (she is a hungry, hungry van.) I like having a plan and a goal.....and now I have to get started!