Pet Peeve

In Bloggy Land I see so many stunningly appointed tables, usually in someone's private home.

I have been to restaurants with a captain and white gloved waiters that lay my napkin in my lap; waiters who describe a menu item (rather than a few lately who have never even tried the food); and who also will take the time to teach a customer the proper way to eat a particular item without looking down his nose.

I teach Foods including how to set a table and some simple etiquette and manners.

(photo :my classroom)

Maybe it's the teacher in me that wants things just so, or always tries to make everyday life a learning experience!

(photo: Washington Post)

But I have begun to notice an irritating trend in the restaurant business.

Has anyone else noticed?

(photo: at Olive Garden)

They no longer "SET" a table for customers.

(photo: at Olive Garden)

The napkin wrapped flatware is just slung on the table in a pile as you are handed your menu.
Do you feel slighted?

I do.

It's lunchtime somewhere!

This morning Nicolee asked Tif what time it was.
Tif informed her that it was 10:00 am.
Nicolee asked what time is it at home in New York?
Tif told her that it was 11:00 at home.
To which Nicolee replied, "It's gotta be lunchtime SOMEWHERE!!! I'm hungry!"

Eleven Thousand Five Hundred Days!

Today that's what it says on the heart widget on my computer's desktop! Sweet Hubby and I have been married for 11,500 days! (31 and a half years to you).

C-C-C-C-C!

H LOVES to play school! She craves learning....

So, not too long ago, upon recommendation by Ree, I bought this book for H.

H already recognizes and has a good grasp of the sounds of letters and is moving right along with the lessons.
After covering the vowels, they are already at the letter "C"!
Somebody else is learning too!!!

Momma Christy reports that Baby J was walking around the house today saying,
"Cuh Cuh Cuh Cuh Cuh Cuh Cuh".

Jay says that Baby J is gonna be READing before she bothers to talk!!!

Cheesy!

A walk around town

Today I took my Personal Finance classes on a walk around our small town. We are studying paychecks and taxes. It is important for students to "see" what their tax dollars pay for and also gain new appreciation for the things around them that are for the greater good. Here are just a few of the types of things that we saw or talked about.

Local schools and Universities:

Libraries:

Sewer, roads and other public works.

Local, state and national parks.

City, County, State and National government:

Street lights, highways and other safety features:

Emergency services, public agencies and servants:

Phew, 3 times I walked around our town. We visited the School District Central Office, City Hall and the local paper (they took the students' picture). We walked over bridges and walked by the schools and talked about a lot of things that are not paid for by tax money.

I don't know about you, but even in this horrid economy with unethical public officials and the like, I still think we have it pretty good in these United States! God Bless America!

My personal theme for this year is Eat Less Move More. Today I succeeded! I've walked over 14,000 steps/6.5 miles. Not bad for a "day in the classroom."

Note: this is not an all inclusive list of things our taxes pay for. Just a few of the things we talked about.

Look Who's Comin'!!!

It's my girls from New York!


and
!
I wonder if she'll have any teeth left when she arrives????

Thursday can't come soon enough!!!

A True Beauty!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

This is my foster mom. Look closely... how old do you think she is? Years as an Avon rep and never letting water touch her face, cleansers and moisturizers regimen only!


I have an older foster brother, who teaches in the seminary at Liberty U, and a foster sister, who is in management at a Rodeo Drive hotel. These are her real children. One day my foster dad told my foster mom after 2 kids that if she had another he would go jump in a lake. She took him literally and applied for a foster license instead!

When my parents were going through their divorce, I was and infant and made a ward of the court and put in foster care. This sweet family took me in. My foster parents lost their license because of me. After my mom was granted custody, my foster parents continued to provide babysitting and often 24/7 care. Their house was listed as my permenant address for school. Social Services frowned upon that. Y'see as my mom went to work, often 2 or 3 jobs at once as well as attending college, if it were not for these giving, caring folks, my mom would have had a hard time pursuing her dreams as a single parent. My mom graduated from UCLA when I was in 8th grade! Took her a long time, but she succeeded!

My foster parents treated me as one of their own (in the discipline dept as well as the love dept). Some people at church would not bother to know my real last name and that infuriated my real dad when he came to Sunday School programs and the like. But they never usurped my parents' place. Instead they made their own special place in my heart.

My foster dad passed away in 2000, just 6 months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary!!!!! My foster mom still lives in the home in Santa Monica they bought together in 1946. It is because of visiting the midwest with them on family vacations that we relocated here. It is her example as a Godly woman that gave me my family values and love of my Jesus.

I love you Mom!!! Happy Birthday!

PS: She is 91! Can you believe it? (shhhh, it was years before anyone was allowed to know)
PSS: I learned early that February SECOND is Groundhog's Day, the FIRST is Mom's birthday!