Well, as the title says, a belated Merry Christmas to all! We had a wonderful time with my family Christmas day. I was able to see my sister & her family, my grandmother (91 years young!) and my parents. The aliens had a great time with their cousins. The time with Grandma, Sis & her family was way too short, as always. Don't think I'm leaving Mom & Dad out, I am blessed to get to see them much more often.
I hope everyone's Christmas was as blessed as mine.
Well, finals are done & came off without incident, thankfully. Many courses gave the option of taking you grade as it stood as your final grade for the semester. Other courses didn't give the option, they simply canceled the final exam - you get what you get. Still, most instructors opted to go on with final exams as scheduled for Tuesday - Thursday, it was only the Monday classes that got all messed up.
Now that finals are done, I can finally finish Christmas shopping. The aliens are in school for three more days so I have plenty of time to shop without worrying about what to do with them while I sneak presents into the house, I can boldly walk through the door & wrap like a crazy woman so it's all done before they arrive home.
I'm also babysitting a friend's dog while she's off visiting family & getting married. His new name is "Puddles". Puddles gets so excited every time he sees the aliens that he goes on my carpet! I now, thanks to my shampooer, have the cleanest carpet on the block. He's a little dauschaund/yorkey mix & is the cutest little thing. I'll have to post a picture. We really do love having him, at least the aliens & I do, the cats are still not sure about this "thing" that sits on their sofa with their people and gets attention that should be for them. It's kinda nice having a dog around the house again.
December 9, 2007
CAMPUS ALERT: POLICE INVESTIGATE ANONYMOUS THREAT IN RESIDENCE HALL
Details: University officials are investigating a threat posted late Saturday evening in a campus residence hall which included a racial slur and references to the Virginia Tech shootings.
Final exams were scheduled to begin on Monday 12/10 but due to - get this "weather conditions" - campus was closed & the dorms were in lockdown. First, the weather was fine, no ice, no snow, no rain, just clouds. Second, if they were only worried about weather, why were all the dorms in lockdown mode & only essential campus personnel here? One of the references to the Virginia Tech shootings was that they only had one shooter, implying there would be more shooters here.
Every dorm entrance had at least two police officers posted inside and there were patrol cars everywhere. I only stepped on campus long enough to check on a friend & give her a Christmas gift. Thought it was best I didn't hang around her dorm to study.
Exam schedule resumed as usual today but all of the Monday finals are rescheduled for Friday so many students won't be going home as early as they had planned.
Security has been increased all over campus for the duration of the week but I'm still a bit jumpy about being here any more than I need to be. However, here I sit in the library studying for final #2 tomorrow afternoon because school was closed for the aliens today (ice storm) and I'll get NOTHING done at home.
Feels like a comfort food night tonight - pour cream of mushroom soup & sliced fresh musrooms over chicken with rice & sprinkle on some onion soup mix. Bake for an hour & feast for a couple of days (don't have time to cook everyday so I cook about 3X a week & we eat leftovers).
Stay warm all!
I'm supposed to be spending my free time right now studying but have avoided it. I just can't seem to get motivated today.
I'm not really tired but I do have a lot to do... laundry, shopping, clean the house, study, unpacking (haven't done much with all the homework I've had).
My mind just keeps wandering off on random things.... Dad & his recent bout with cancer & heart problems ..... my cousin's son having health & substance abuse issues ........ missing my older sister...... wishing my younger sister lived closer ........... how I manage life with two kids having ADHD ............. how I manage my own ADHD .............. I really want a Boston Terrier (or any dog for that matter) ............ will Grandma still remember the boys & I from Thanksgiving or will she have forgotten who we are by Christmas? ............. wish Mom & Dad would move Grandma closer to us ........... a new kitten would be nice since I can't have a dog ................. what kind of curtains to you put in a teenage boys room?......... how do you decorate a kitchen with burnt red-orange appliances & hunter green cabinets? ................. will I be able to afford a washer & dryer soon, hate using the laundry-mat ........ What am I gonna cook for dinner? ........ still wondering where my older sister is & is she OK? .............
Feeling very melancholy I guess........ maybe chocolate will help (and a new kitten)
This is what Alien#2 now wants to do with his life, he wants to be a dolphin trainer.
Last Thursday his 5th grade class of aliens went to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago for a field trip. While visiting the dolphin area, the tour guide asked if anyone wanted to learn how to train a dolphin. My little alien raised his hand and did the required "Oh, me! Please, oh oh, me!" Next thing he knew, he was putting on a set of coveralls & dangling fish in front of dolphins!
He had a great time & couldn't stop talking about all the cool things he did.
