What a blast!

The time spent today in the kindergarten classroom was just a hoot!!!! The class was recognizing their 100th day of learning and had the entire theme around this number. The kids had crowns with 100 stickers they had to apply, 100 balloons on the ceiling, or at least they began there. Just 100's everywhere and in every way. I took my camera along today so I could capture the moments and will load them another time onto the blog. They just LOVE to pose for pictures and they did that well today. We ate our lunch together as Ms. Laurie put up some of their work on the windows and walls for display. One of the little boys who belong to Laurie came right out and asked me, "Are you overweight?", very innocently. At first I denied it, calling it vicious rumors, but, of course, simply laughed it off. They were very interested in my tiny sandwich from Steak 'n Shake, a single slider with cheese. Laurie was all apologetic and said she never discusses that stuff around the kids but wonders if their grandma might have said something. It seems their granddad on Dad's side has health problems which may or may not be related to his weight. Anyway, we had some chuckles over it. "Are you overweight?"---that just sounds so much nicer than saying I am fat!

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Since it was pouring rain all day, the kids had to stay inside after lunch and really amused themselves with the balloons as they lost their grip on the ceiling and floated down. The kids took great pleasure in rubbing them on my sweater and then tried to get the balloons to the ceiling to stick again. Many more times than I expected the balloons stuck! One project they had to complete before the end of the day was to finish a sentence on a piece of paper---If I had $100 I would buy_____________, and then draw a picture of what they would buy. The sole girl in the class always chooses horses to draw, while the others chose snakes, puppies, a car, and a ball. I cannot recall the 6th child's sentence or drawing but he finished fast in order to go play with magnets. It is simply amazing what and how these children learn and am delighted I get to witness it first-hand!

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Before heading out this morning, I had the chance to talk twice with Justin on the phone. The first call came as he was grocery shopping at Publix, carrying me up and down the aisles with him. Besides his excitement about having a lovely free breakfast at Denny's this a.m., he also filled me in on his news since seeing him last as he read labels and prices to me while shopping. So funny! He just kept talking away and saying he did not want to be on the phone when he went to the check-out so just walked around the store a bit. He needed laundry soap because he fell into a rich supply of someone's castoff wardrobe, wanting to wash them all before wearing. Later he called again to ask me about proper procedures for washing darks (I am an expert, to be sure!) and told him it was fine to wash pants and shirts together. Since he chooses to use powdered soap because it is cheaper, I urged him to use a second rinse in order to get all the powder out of the garments. Justin told me his jeans cuffs roll and always have white residue in them---hence, the double rinse! He wondered if he needed to iron the shirts given to him if he dried them on a hanger but I said he would not know that until they are dried. Bet he will need to press them, and it was a good day for it today!l

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When I was talking with him, or rather, listening to him talk, I went into the kitchen to make some toast. Waiting for the toast to finish, I emptied the dishwasher while talking. Multitasking! At one point I looked into the sink with the disposal and gasped.....it looked as though someone threw up in there!!! It seems that the disposal had food in it and when the dishwasher ran, it coughed the undigested contents up into the sink. And then it slid back down again...(feel sick yet?). It was absolutely gross! Hot water and soap plus actually operating the disposal took care of the mess, but made me wonder if the dishes I had already put away were perfectly clean. Normally I would feel something on the exteriors of the glasses or dishes and felt none.

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I did a couple loads myself this a.m., as the ladies nicely stripped their beds for me and put the sheets and towels in the laundry room. Justin will make up the daybed again when he comes to clean but I will have him put the airbed away for now, as we face our "big project". We will be tackling the Timmy closet and repacking the boxes and bins. His job can be using the airbags to store the stuffed animals and clothes, plus stacking or restacking the closet. Martie will be here to help, mop tears and share some with me. It never fails to happen and I am sure that closet will be no exception. We need the room, it is as simple and practical as that.

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Linda sent me a chat early this a.m. on Facebook reporting she was home. It seems they got home at 1:45 after driving through some heavy snow near Port Washington. After that, smoother sailing. Fortunately Lynn did not need to attend her meeting in Madison this a.m. due to the snowstorm as her boss went last night to avoid the storm. That was a relief for Lynn and for Mom, too, as she would have worried. Jill sent me a message late this afternoon to report being safely home after driving in the wretched weather. Kerry, in Oshkosh, took a day of vacation since her coworker was sick and not driving today, and Kerry's truck does not handle well in a blizzard. Storms, storms, cold, and more storms....when is it going to be spring? We had rain today and cool temperatures but it sure beats snow hands down!

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This afternoon after getting home I worked on editing yet again the long-range plan for church to get back as soon as possible. I had a hard copy instead of the electronic one so had to type the old-fashioned way of reading and typing at the same time! A lost art for me, but it came back after a few boo boos were corrected. Thursday night I have an Outreach meeting and after that will have some more 'work' to do when I am in the office on Tuesdays. Good! That is exactly what I wanted!