Getting Things Done...

Thing 1 took the last test he needed for his GED today. He thinks he did fine and is now faced with "being done." He's put in his application for WWOOF (see previous post), but he still has myriad things to be done before he can head out.
I sat in the parking lot of LBCC for 2 hours waiting for him to finish his test. LB is just far enough away that I really didn't feel like driving all the way back home to turn around in a half an hour to head back. So, I rolled down the windows and crawled into the back of the wagon, put on my headphones and listened to podcasts and fell asleep. When I woke up, there were cars parked all around me : ) I'm still sleepy.

I'm working on losing weight and now belong to Weight Watchers. So far it's been an easy transition, but today... I'm hungry. I've eaten, but have stayed well within my points, but I'm still hungry. I think the steroids I'm taking have a something to do with this and I will overcome.

This evening is another concert in the park. My husband will be playing, so I think I'll walk down there and catch a ride back with him. That will help me feel a little better about wanting to eat so much today!!

That's it for the blog today.

~ch

WWOOF ~ World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms... Does Anyone Know Anything About this Group?

My son, who is almost 18 and will be completing his GED tomorrow wants to have a plan for his future...this is good. He is very interested in WWOOF and wishes to go to an Asian country and work in the fields in exchange for food and housing. The more I think about it, the more I like it. Our son has really never "known" hard work and this would be a challenge for him, but I also really like the picture of him adapting to Asian culture and putting in a hard days work.
It comes down to this... We buy the airline ticket, plus pay a $50 (5,500 yen) application fee. He leaves the country feeling like he's not just hanging out in Corvallis spinning his wheels and we have a bit of peace. Also, with his room vacant there's a whole new possibility of a rec room.
My husband, who is more level-headed and less of a romantic adventurer thinks we would be paying for a two week vacation for our son. I think my husband is a brilliant man, but I also think he could do with lightening up a bit. It would be better for his health... physically and mentally. I'd like our son to be gone a minimum of 6 months. I need a break from the teenage insanity.
Has anyone out there worked with this organization? Would you share your insights with me? Any information is appreciated.
~ch

poison oak

I'm covered with it... my skin is swollen and hot to the touch. This is an effin' nasty plant that needs to be eliminated off the face of the Earth.
I've been given a shot of steroids and a prescription for some potent antihistamines... I hope they make a difference soon.
I came home (after teaching and going to the drs) and started to work on the kitchen. Garbage is left out and I even found a bag of rotten cherries on the kitchen island. Where did these come from??
Thing 1 has taken to sleeping on the couch...why? He's got a great room, with a comfortable bed. He seems to be turning another room into a junk pile. I worry that he's got transient tendencies.
My mood is poor.
ch

Home again

I came home this evening covered in poison oak. Blisters are everywhere and I hurt badly.
Met with my husband and talked about finances. I don't know if I can manage to feel any more guilt than I already do about doing anything.
Thing 2 is crying because she wants her own horse. Yep, I'm home.

Going to See my Mom!

I'm heading down to California to see my mom. I miss her and look forward to my visits with her. I get down there about once a year, stay for a couple of nights, then I'm ready to be home : )

This is the first time I've ever gone on my own. We usually travel as a family, but as the kids get older and have jobs, it's not easy to do.

Soon, I'll be like Boggywoggy and have an empty nest and my husband and I can go together : )

I'm going to take my time. Drive the speed limit and get maximum gas mileage (my hope.) This will be a two part trip that will go about 5 hours on day 1 and 6 the next. I didn't want my knee to be in a chair for 11 hours... ouch. So, I'll geocache (which my husband only tolerates, so it's best I do it now) and mosey.

I'll take pictures and hopefully post while I'm on the road. If not, I'll post when I get to Pacific Grove.

Night,
~ch

On GED's, Geocaching, Traveling and my Husband!

Quesadilla man?

This week was a busy one for the hippy family. Thing 1 and 2 have been enjoying their summer and I've been wrangling.

Thing 1 has decided that school is not for him and that the GED is the route to go. I agree with him that school is not a fit for him... after 11 years of arguing and struggling through the school years, I'm ready to let it go. Although, there's a huge part of me that just wishes he would conform to the norm.... and then then there's another huge part of me that would be soooo sad if he did (I can have two huge parts.) He has one final test to take and then he's done! He's passed all four sections with scores that are higher than 80% of graduating seniors. I know he's retained the information and he knows how to apply it.

Successful GED obtainers include...

Conductor, Zubin Mehta

ABC news anchor, Peter Jennings

Microsoft's Bill Gates

Actors,Bill Cosby and Michael J. Fox

Unsuccessful GED obtainers...

uh, I dunno.

I started Weight Watchers last week. We'll see how this goes... I'm diggin' counting points. I've turned it into a game. How much can I eat and still have a boat-load of points left over?

Da Vinci Day's was this last weekend in Corvallis. I didn't think I'd be available, so I didn't volunteer... but as it turns out, somehow I volunteered and didn't know about it : ) I helped out in the Geocaching booth. These people are great...and funny! Friday night was set up and very few people actually came to the booth. Friday night's usually all about the head liner band. Last year it was Pink Martini (SO MUCH FUN!) This year was Beau Soleil, (sleepier than I prefer, but I think many people enjoyed themselves) I left after the third tune.

I wasn't available Saturday, but was there for Sunday morning... the kickoff of the Geocaching Competition. I signed people in along with one of the organizers, Matt. We gave them rules, a gps and a start time... and then, sent them on their way!

My wonderful husband had two concerts to play in yesterday. I played in the first one (in Corvallis) then we headed down to Eugene where he played with the Eugene Symphonic Band. They were OUTSTANDING and I was so proud to be his wife... especially when he played the tuba solo on "If I Only had a Brain" from the Wizard of OZ. Those of you who know us will understand why that was particularly ironic.

We came back to town and the night sky was beautiful! Best of all, both (BOTH I tells ya!) children were going on sleepovers....Oh happy day!!

My plan is to leave for California on Wednesday morning with my gps, palm, iPod and handheld PC and drive slowly down to Cali while geocaching all the way. I wish my husband had some time to take off, but it's not going to happen this summer. He went to Chicago last week for a couple of days for work... that's not any fun, but he was able to spend some time with his mom and that was good. Maybe, we can go on a weekend to the coast before summer's out.

Boggywoggy wants to spend her day at home getting things done. That's what I should do, but I hear the satellites calling....

I hope to start blogging more, I like it once I get going!

~ch

Didn't Catch One...

But had a great time!
So sore today... I don't know why, because there wasn't a lot of exercise involved.
Played golf this morning to try and work out the kinks... ooooh, I didn't play well.
I'm looking forward to two packages that will hopefully come this week...
One is a data transfer cord for my gps. I want to download waypoints without having to do it manually.
The other is a bike mount for my gps. This way I can search for caches and have BOTH hands on the handlebars...yipeee!
Summer is moving by way to fast for me. I need to work the last week of this month and I don't want to. I really wish I could just have a complete summer, but whine, whine, whine... I know!
c'est la vie,
~ch

Goin' Stergeon Fishin'

in the morning... why am I up now??

I'm excited. I hope I catch one this time!

Wishing We Were Wealthy

If we were wealthy, we could have summer all year long... no school, no extra jobs to earn greens fees, no saying... we really shouldn't go out tonight.
We could follow the sun (insert Beatles song here.) Just as soon as it starts to be continual rain, we'd head South and East to warm up a bit. Maybe we'd go to Spain, Southern Italy, Greece, Australia.
We would have a boat (power and sail.)
I would have nice golf clubs.
We would have a gaming room where the kids and their friends could come over and play. There would be enough space for them to stay... but being wealthy would not give me calm.
I would have a "Sven" who would be a personal trainer and chef... you know, kind of what Oprah has.
I would keep all of my current friends and have infinite fun.
I would get a tattoo... not that it costs a lot, but I would feel I have the freedom to do what I wanted.
My husband and I could take up some hobby together and date more. I think having separate hobbies is good too.
I would drive convertible European sports car and have a Vespa and a Harley Davidson.
I would have clothes that fit me well.
I would have super cool jewelry.
I would have manicures and pedicures without a second thought.
My post has changed from a "we" to an "I" wish list...
I'll have to check in with my man to see what he would want and how different our wish lists would be... hmmm.... maybe it's a good thing we're not wealthy.
~ch

This Past Week...

This weekend I had the unfortunate luck of getting food poisoning. I thought I was going to die. I'm on the mend, but still being very careful on what I'm eating. So, what caused it? The only thing I had that Thursday evening was miniature turkey burgers from Ruby Tuesdays. Even as I wrote the words of what I ate, I still get a little queasy. I'm sure it was the turkey burgers...

For something more uplifting...

Happy Mothers day! I don't know what I'll be doing today... my son was already at work by the time I awoke and my daughter's still asleep. The weather doesn't look like it's going to be great, but I think my husband and I will try to find something to do to get out of the house. Perhaps Costco? I like going to Costco, but I can't buy the stuff I want, because I'm apparently the only one who wants that stuff.

The husband will be changing jobs at the end of the month. He'll be with a different company and will take a pay cut. Hopefully, it's a one step back, two steps forward sort of a deal. It has me only slightly nervous. I know we'll be OK. I just hope I can be helpful and cut my spending... you see, I've always tried not too spend much. I buy most of my clothes at Goodwill, and Ross. I really don't know how I can cut down any further except to ride my bike more... which I can (and can't) do. I travel between schools for my job and sometimes it would be impossible to make it on time if I were to ride my bike. I've planted hanging salad baskets for the summer and it looks like we'll have lots of pasta and rice in the pantry.

We saw Iron Man yesterday afternoon, I liked it! Though, there were a few scenes in it that made me queasy (left over turkey burger feeling). It's a fun summer film... and now I'm excited to see the new Indiana Jones!

Ummm, that's it.

~ch

OSAA Band Champs

The kids are at La Sells Stewart Center today for OSAA State Band Championships. Corvallis High School has not been invited to state competitions in 23 years. Congratulations to the kids in Wind Ensemble who are performing today and to their teacher who has worked so hard to get them there!

What I'm thinking about today

Just trying to keep my head screwed on straight here... so many things going on in the last months of school.

My kids are keeping me busy and my patience is being tested daily. Seriously, how hard is it to be ready to go to school on time? Thing 2 has had a rough week in this regard. He doesn't do a whole heck of a lot to get ready and it's not like he's gathering all of his pages of homework he worked on from the night before... so what's up with this?? I've heard that it's natures law that your children start bothering you to the point of exhaustion, humiliation and what-have-you, that you are SO ready when it comes time for them to move out. Nature's working : ) Senior year is next year... can I handle it? I dunno.

On another note, the Marysville Ladies Golf Club has started up again and that makes me so happy! Last year, I was new to golf and didn't know if I'd stick it out. This year, I still suck, but I am so excited about playing! I have such a great time with these people, whom I only see on the golf course... and it doesn't hurt that I'm considered "young" in this group either.

I hope to one day be actually good enough to join a course that I can afford... wait, strike that.... I hope to one day have enough money to join any course I want and it won't matter how well I play... though, I still want to win.

As ever,

~ch

Trader Joes in Corvallis?

Why not? Took the drive down to Springfield this morning (close to an hours drive) to my favorite place to shop for groceries and wine... Trader Joes. I, like many others who live in Corvallis have written to TJs to see if we would ever be lucky enough to be able to shop in our own town. No such luck... It seems that the corporate offices feel that Springfield is a reasonable commute for groceries.

With gas prices up, our town growing, our university thriving... Placing a Trader Joes in Corvallis, Oregon would be a fiscally smart move.

What's the best way to go about getting a TJs here? Letter writing campaign? More blogs? A good barter? Common, work with us... and we'll buy lots of your stuff!!

If you build it, they will come!

~CH

A Picture I Haven't Seen in Years

Big Elementary Strings concert this weekend. Over 200 students!!

Guess who this little 4th grader is...

She's no longer in elementary school and she no longer plays the viola, but she blows a mean trumpet!