Cha Ching

POP! Clink, clink, clink, putt, putt, putt...............that is the sound of $1,300.00 being pulled right out of my purse to repair my car from a blown spark plug. Now it doesn't cost 1,300.00 to replace a spark plug, but if you are going to replace one, then you might as well replace all 7 and save yourself another trip. Add to that, an oil change and new rear brake pads. Auto shops.....you gotta love em'.

I can think of at least a hundred other things I would rather do with $1,300.00 dollars. So instead of boiling in my anger over loosing $1,300.00 to my automobile........Help me come up with 100 "other things" I could have done with $1,300.00. I'll start it off with.............keep it in my account.

By the way......what is it today with chivalry or a little decency? I was broken down, on the side of a busy road, with my 15 year old daughter and not one person stopped to ask if we needed help? I wasn't expecting anyone to diagnose or fix the problem, but maybe an offer to call someone or ask if we were okay or in need of assistance. Two men even walked right by us while walking their dogs. Lesson here is......be sure you have the number of a reliable tow service and your cell phone is well charged because you will be stuck there until you're 80 before someone offers help and even then I'm not so sure.

Favorite Phrase Friday

These are some of my favorite phrases that I love to use.

1. Right Foul Git
2. Sweet Fancy Moses
3. Holy Hannah
4. Good Night Nurse
5. He'd Be Handy On A Camping Trip (there's more to this quote, but I never say it.....it's understood)
6. What The Heck
7. Bloody Hell (Yes, I know. This is not very attractive, but I say it under extreme anger and it is usually to myself, but I thought I'd include it for honesty)

I'VE SEEN IT ALL

We are obviously living in a "TOO FAST PACED" world if we have to resort to microwaveable, instant, mashed potatoes.

Give Me A Break!

We need to get from here
to here


I realize we live in an ever changing and advancing world. I know all to well the term "there just isn't enough time in the day". I realize the need and importance of an education. I get all those things....I get it. However, when is enough enough? What am I ranting about you might ask? It's homework...........endless, impossible, pages and pages of torture.

My 8 year old, 3rd grader Jack was out sick from school on Monday, so understandably he had some make up work to do. Here is what Jack was facing last night on top of a one hour church program.

1. Math (5 pages)

2. Fluency packet (couple of pages)

3. Handwriting (4 pages)

4. Finish Spelling words

5. study for eye exam

6. 20 minutes of reading

What is this? College? I was doing this ammount of homework late in high school and possibly college. We are talking about a 3rd grader here. My children are in school for 7 hours a day. I understand that part of that day is not actual instruction time, but lets say 5 to 6 hours of that is instruction time. Why then, is it necessary for children to come home facing another 3 to sometimes 4 or 5 additional hours of homework? Assuming children get home from school around 4:00-4:30, do not have any outside/extracurricular activities and will not be playing with their friends or taking a break, eating dinner and going to bed at 9:00 pm, there is not enough time in the day to do another several hours of homework. Let's just assume a child has piano or soccer or something after school. That lasts about 2 hours (including driving time). That gives the family one hour to sit down together, eat dinner, that was more than likely thrown together quickly and not very yummy looking (assuming you haven't given up on home cooking for your family at this point), and another 30 minutes to have a bath or shower. Forgive me, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that something is not going to get done, that 1 plus 1 is not going to equal 2 in this case. Where does that leave us? When kids are so tired that they fall asleep IN their dinner plate or at the table with their head in a book then something is not right.

It's no wonder why so many children get involved in drugs, drop out of school and have depression and emotional issues. Look at the expectations being placed on them. So I'm asking...when is enough enough? What is enough?

Word Up Wednesday

My newest favorite words........

1. Quagmire (kwag'mire) n. wet, boggy ground

2. Conundrum (ke nun'drem) n. 1. a riddle whose answer is a pun 2. any puzzling problem

3. Convoluted (kan've loot'id) adj. 1. coiled 2. complicated; involved

Okay...your turn. What is your favorite word/words and why?

Longboards and Longboards

I love this longboard and

I love these longboards

You can't go wrong choosing either longboard. You can ride a wave on one and eat the other while riding that wave. If you haven't tried the Longboards Ice Cream (http://www.longboardsicecream.com/) do yourself a flavor favor.

Birth Control Poster Child

If you are single or newly married you might not want to watch this if you plan on having children. It will chase every notion from your head. For the rest of you parents....have a good laugh.