Storm Pictures

These aren't very good. We just drove through without stopping. They were starting to work and we didn't want to be in the way. We are cutting up our tree today, which is a comparatively small job compared to what you see in these pictures.
                                                                      

Clearing after the storm, from our backyard

The following are Ohatchee. There used to be houses here.

Ohatchee, what remains of houses along Hwy 77

Ohatchee, clean up including burning debris

Ohatchee

Ohatchee, along Hwy 77

Horse barn--horses were in the field, I can't remember how many were killed in the storm

Church set up with recovery items--food, clothes

These are near Glencoe

There used to be a church here

There are fields of trucks ready to head out. This was taken early in the morning, as they were arriving to begin work for the day.

Some Stories

One of the most memorable photographs I have ever seen was taken on 9/11. It is of a mother feeding her infant who is sitting in one of those infant bouncy seats. They are on a rooftop and in the background you can see the twin towers burning. To me it is such a profound statement that even in the midsts of the worst tragedies, life goes on.

This morning started early, as the girls and I woke up to watch the royal wedding. It felt so good to be watching something so joyful after all the horror of the past two days (has it really only been two days?!). And then we were back to school after being out yesterday. I was happy to return to the routine to get my mind on something other than the tornadoes.

However at school there were several stories. Some were hopeful: the cousin of one of the teachers who was sucked up out of his apartment, but fell into his bathtub (which was no longer in the bathroom) and a piece of the roof fell on top of him forming a safe "cocoon". Some were heartbreaking: the grandmother of one of my students who was crushed by a falling car. Some are going to give me nightmares: the co-worker of one of the teacher's son who received a call from his wife telling him she was laying on top of their three children in the bathtub and the tornado was coming. He raced home (which took 4 hours because of the damage) and found his children scattered outside (the house was gone) with various broken bones and such. It took rescuers a long time to find his wife, who had been killed. That was in Fort Payne--which hasn't even been mentioned on the news.

No one at our school was hurt. One of the first graders lost her home though. A few of the students have lake homes which were destroyed. While it is sad, at least those are just secondary homes which can be replaced.

Many of the students had stories of debris they have found in their yards. One had a picture with a name on the back. I encouraged her to try to find who it belongs to and return it. Someone in Mr. C's class found a hundred dollar bill. Mr. C  found a five dollar bill. Several people found checks and financial papers. Can you imagine on top of everything else to have to worry about having your financial papers land in some stranger's yard? One of M's friends found a Milo's cup with a receipt taped to it which showed it came from Tuscaloosa. One of my students found a pair of jeans in their yard. I think everyone has found some insulation.

We are all suffering from minor inconveniences. Hubby has been without power since Wednesday morning. We had to cancel Serendipity Day at our school. (Serendipity Day is only the coolest thing that any school I've ever been to does.) The most disturbing thing (for our family) is that due to Huntsville not having any power, Space Camp has been cancelled for next week. They may reschedule it, but they will probably just refund the money. Mr. C is devastated, but... I remind him that we are all in one piece and that is more important.

At least I haven't been worrying about the house (not) selling this week. And I've completely gotten over the garage door being shot out by the neighbor. Oh, I didn't post about that did I? Well, I'm over it.

Sorry for such a long, rambling, somewhat depressing post. I'm too tired to proofread this or reword the awkward sentences.

Numb

We just got our power back and I could see the news from overnight. Numb is the only word to explain how I feel right now. We are all safe, thank God. When everything turned white--it went from dark gray, to pale green, to white (like looking through a massive bunch of whirling bubbles)-- out the window we went to the laundry room. More of our tree fell, but that was all of our damage.

We ventured out far enough to see how extensive the power outage was, so I could get an idea if there would be school Thursday. We saw several emergency vehicles racing south. Today I saw this in the local news. O'Hatchee is maybe 5 miles from us. All I can tell from the article is that there were "several" deaths there.

We were very lucky last night. Sorry I don't have any pictures. A little too shaken to get out and gawk.

Prayer Request

Our damage--hopefully this will be all

Just requesting prayers for us and everyone else in Alabama/Tennessee/Georgia tonight. We just watched, on TV, a massive tornado rip through Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama). I've never seen anything like it in real life.  WJSU probably has footage of it. Debris from Tuscaloosa is falling in Birmingham and they said it may fall as far away as Chattanooga.

We have heard of several deaths today. Some in the county right next to us. Right now it is just popping up all around us.

Hubby called from Chattanooga. No power. He had to drive off-road to get back to his apartment. Several trees down. When he got home, the golfball size hail started. We will have to pay the deductible to fix his car, but at least he is safe.

Please pray for us. Thanks.

Welcome to the Family, Nathaniel

Someone's dad brought twelve of these to school today. They came out of the river. Mr. C was one of the "lucky" ones who brought one home. He immediately named it Nathaniel, but said we may call him Pint-Size until he grows up.

I was working the car line when one of my 4th graders told me that Mr. C was in the classroom looking for someplace to put a turtle. My first reaction was "No way!" But during the 15 minutes of car duty I thought about how fast they are all growing up. In a few years he won't care about turtles, but for now it is a huge deal. So he is researching what to feed it and then we'll head out to find something better than an old butter tub to put it in.

Secret Powers

You can't see me

Mom: It's after 9. Get in bed.
Mr. C: I'm an invisible ninja.
Mom: I'm an invisible ninja mama. Now get your little invisible butt in bed.

Date Night, Kind Of

Every Wednesday night the girls go to church and then out to eat at El Tap (Mexican restaurant). Or M goes and S goes to work. So Mr. C and I are on our own. We somehow started a tradition of going to McDonald's to get two cheeseburgers, two fries, and two apple pies on Wednesdays. Then we sit on the couch and watch The Middle and Modern Family. So how's that for a cliche American family dinner and entertainment?

But you know what. I look forward to it each week. Because no matter how much Mr. C pretends like he doesn't know me in public, I know that every Wednesday night he'll sit next to me on the sofa and lean up against my shoulder as we laugh at some cheesy TV.

Some Rain

We had some rain on Friday. School let out at 1:30 in anticipation of some big storms, but other than the down pour we had from about 1:45-2:30 as we were loading kids into cars, we didn't have any bad weather. I know it could have been worse, based on how many tornadoes there were that day.

A week or so ago I posted a picture of Noccalula Falls nearly dried up. I thought it would be interesting to post some pictures of the falls with and without water.

Before: Mr. C looks for the water in the creek above the falls

After: Some kids feed the ducks swimming in the creek

Before: M walks on the rock bed toward the bridge

After: M watches the water rush under the bridge

Before: There is a trickle of water, if you look closely

After: Now you can feel the spray rising up from the rocks below



It's amazing what some rain can do!

Some Things I Like About the South

Live oaks & Spanish moss, Hot days & cool drinks, These are a few of my favorite things (imagine Julie Andrews singing here)

Going along with the theme of my trip to Montgomery I thought I would list some of the things I like about the South.
I like that when someone doesn't hear what you say they ask, "Ma'am?" or "Sir?" It grates on my nerves to hear kids say "What?"
I like that when someone answers they say, "Yes, ma'am" or "No, sir." I know they do this to be polite, but it helps me to hear what they are saying more clearly. I have a hard time differentiating between "Ya" and "Na".
I like the mild weather and short winters.
I like the l-o-n-g springs. The flowers bloom forever here!
I like being only a day's drive to the beach. Even if you don't go very often, you know that you could.
I like that people who work the cash registers, drive-thrus, and wait tables are usually genuinely friendly.
I like that I can get sweet tea at any restaurant I go to, and even in the school cafeteria.
I like that when I have problems, small or large, people say they'll be praying for me, and mean it.
I like the pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw on top--Carolina style. Yummy!
There really are a lot of things that are nice about living in the South. I'm glad we're moving to a more metropolitan area, but I'm glad we'll still be in this region of the country.

Montgomery, Continued

I thought it would be easier to answer Lady Jane's questions with another post. The capital of the South was not Atlanta. See this plaque that is in one of the balcony rooms of the Capitol. I also found this on Wikipedia

Montgomery, Alabama served as the capital of the Confederate States of America from February 4 until May 29, 1861. The naming of Richmond, Virginia as the new capital took place on May 30, 1861. Shortly before the end of the war, the Confederate government evacuated Richmond, planning to relocate farther south. Little came of these plans before Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Danville, Virginia, served as the last capital of the Confederate States of America, from April 3 to April 10, 1865.

Some other interesting facts that I have learned. Montgomery is the fifth capital of Alabama. St. Stephen's was the first capital (of the Alabama Territory). Huntsville was the first "state" capital. Cahaba was third and it had to be moved because of severe seasonal flooding. The representatives were known to enter the second floor meeting rooms by paddling canoes through the windows. The fourth capital was Tuscaloosa, followed byMontgomery. If you want to know more you can join us every afternoon from 2:15-2:45 at school.

Yes, those are all my kids! I see all of them at some point during the day.

Montgomery

Some of you might not know that Montgomery is the capital of Alabama. When we moved here I wasn't sure if it was Birmingham or Montgomery. Birmingham makes more sense because it's in the middle of the state and has a larger population. Well, Montgomery is the current capital, so that is where we went on our field trip today.

First we went to the House of Representatives where they got to participate in a mock vote. The bill up for vote was whether to extend the summer vacation to six months. You can see from their final vote that it passed, 67-8, with 2 abstaining. I have a feeling that there were 10 who were confused about where to find the Yea button on their desk.

They got to meet the new governor and our representative. This picture is taken on the steps of the Capitol. This is the same spot that Jeff Davis took the oath of office of President of the Confederate States.

Then we went inside the Capitol. It was beautiful, I'm sure. There were lots of beautiful paintings and stuff. But everywhere we turned there were effing balconies. Remember me with my irrational fears of people leaning over railings? All I heard of the guide's monologue was, "Blah, blah, blah, Because we are a historic building we don't have to adhere to modern safety standards, or else our railings would have to be 42 inches high. Blah, blah, blah" I ask you, is that any way for our state capitol to set a good example for the rest of us?

For an hour we toured the Capitol. No matter how high or low we climbed there were more of those damn balconies. Even when we got down to ground level to look at the replica of the Helen Keller statue, there were balconies overlooking the basement. Really? Enough with the balconies and railings. By the way, two of the parents and several of the students commented on the queasiness of all those balconies, so I'm not the only one with this affliction. The floor is also uneven and bouncy.

More Good News

I wish I could title every post "More Good News". The good news today is that S received word that our expected family contribution to her college education dropped about $9000. Yippee!

(This is due to me filling out a Dependent Student Re-Evaluation Form to update our financial information, not because some fairy waved a magic wand and declared it to be.)

Mr. C's Baptism

Coming out of the water

Mr. C has been going through a confirmation class at church. They ended last week and this week several of them were baptised. We had been discussing this for awhile (years) with Mr. C, but were waiting for him to make a commitment in his own time. A couple of weeks ago he said he was ready to be baptised, but wanted to be immersed, not sprinkled. Usually the Methodist Church does sprinkling. However most of the kids in the class also wanted to be immersed, so our pastor found a church that has a portable baptismal. How convenient!

Mr. C with his mentor

During the confirmation class the kids were paired with a mentor. This was great because it totally removed the parents from the process. That doesn't sound like I want it to. What I'm trying to say is that the kids were not overly influenced by the parents to make any decisions they might not be ready for. Also Mr. C tends to be more of "himself" when he doesn't have us standing right there by his side. That's probably my fault. I still see him as a baby and treat him as such, answering for him and completing tasks for him when he's perfectly capable. Anyway, this was a big step and I'm so proud of him!

Another Birthday

Our romantic walk

So light and fluffy, like clouds flanking our front step

I couldn't find any pictures of me on any previous birthdays to go along with this. So I took some pictures of the flowers. The red azaleas on the side of the house aren't out as much as the white ones.

Another birthday has come and gone. It was somewhat quiet. Hubby was, of course, out of town. S had to work and M had a game. Mr. C and I had sloppy joes and then went out for milkshakes. No cake or ice cream. It didn't seem worth it for just two of us. It sounds depressing to see it in writing, but I really had an okay day.

The best gift I received wasn't even for me. It was a $1500 scholarship for S. Every little bit helps!

When I was little I thought everybody had a birthday in April. Quite a few of my friends did have birthdays in April, or at least in the spring. And all the baby animals are born in the spring. This is my favorite time of year. I love all the green coming on,  the flowers blooming, and the days getting longer.

Possessed Doughboy

We were all standing around in the girls' room talking when the doughboy started laughing in a deep, demonic voice: hwa, hwa, hwa. It quickly deteriorated into a motorized rrr, rrr, rrr. The girls were freaked out by it. Mr. C thought it was funny. We decided to take the batteries out to get it to stop. The batteries turned out to be so corroded that they were stuck in the doll and I had to whack it on the counter several times to dislodge them. Finally the doughboy went silent.

Later on Mr. C came to my room and said he had pushed on the doughboy and that's what started it all. Still, he shouldn't have gone on and on in such a menacing way.

Here is a comic that Grandma sent M shortly after giving her the doughboy for Christmas.

You've really gotta watch out for those doughboys!

On a side note: Happy Birthday to me!!!

This Pisses Me Off More Than If A Hulking Escalade Cut Me Off On The Interstate On Purpose And Caused Me To Crash Causing Great Bodily Harm To Myself And Children

When I received the email with this announcement I thought such bad curses that there aren't even words invented to translate them into print.

ACEA also presented **Name Blanked** with the "Northern Region Principal of the Year." She also received "State Principal of the Year." She was selected because of her strong support and belief in community education. **Name Blanked** sets the tone and provides an example for her students, faculty and parents to follow. She is a shining example of how strong leadership builds an effective school. The students at **Name Blanked** Elementary know they can always count on **Name Blanked**'s support during the regular school hours and the after-school program. She isn’t afraid to challenge students to become the absolute best they can be, and she dares them to step out and be something of “great stature!” Some would say, she is a “hands on”, very involved leader, this is what makes her a success in her school and our after-school programs.

This is the same principal who did not even call to inform me that I had a job last year. When I finally received the call I was told that I would probably not get paid for the first day, since I didn't show up until lunch-time (the call came at 11:30). This is the same principal who burst into my room to yell at a student who had his head down on his desk. He was sick and was waiting for a parent to pick him up. This is the same principal who paddled at least one of my first graders every week. This is the same principal who almost hit me with a paddle when I was standing too close to a student she was getting ready to hit. This is the same principal who would frequently say  (imagine an old, black lady with attitude here) "It is on" to my first graders to keep them in line. This is the same principal who told me that she wanted the last three weeks of Dibels results, but had never given me the materials or instructions up to that time. This is the same principal who barged into my classroom one morning as the students were arriving to chew me out because I didn't do my morning duty and in the same breath she informed me that she hadn't told me that I had morning duty, but I was still expected to have been there. This is the same principal who told us at a faculty meeting that we should find and take all the on-line classes we could to get ahead so that we could go to paid conferences all over the country and world instead of having to spend time in the school. This is the same principal who left for a week or more at a time to attend those conferences without giving the secretary or teachers any notice that she would be out of the building. This is the same principal who...

I know that things haven't changed this year because I was talking to the Gifted teachers at lunch today about this school and principal. They occasionally have to go there. They both were amazed that I taught there for a year. Both of them agreed that they could never work there. One of them even said she would stand in the soup kitchen line before she would work there.

So who  comes up with these awards? Probably someone who thinks it looks good for the state to have a black woman succeeding. If she is the best black woman they could come up with, then the state is in worse shape than I could have ever imagined.

Yes she is "hands on"--if you mean that she beats children with a big paddle every day. And yes she does "set the tone"--if you mean by yelling and berating those around her. So yeah for you Alabama. What a wonderful "State Principal of the Year" you have.

Saturday Night Snafu

I love Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer

I always watch my Brit comedies on Saturday night. As Time Goes By is my current favorite. Tonight PBS changed the line-up and took it off. UGG! I can get it on Netflix, but I like to use my TV. After all I do pay a monthly fee to get programming.

One thing I did see tonight was the Butler game. Yeah Bulldogs! They are one of my original picks. So is UConn, so we'll see how they do tonight. I will be so proud of myself if both of my teams are in the championship game.

Worn Out

We finished testing this week! The past two weeks have been almost surreal. One of the most bizarre questions a student asked me was, "If I look at the right answer, but I mark the wrong answer, will I get it wrong?" This was after taking three tests already. It was truly a WTF moment. The schedule at school has been off, due to the testing. It's been so hard to remember what day of the week it even is. Last week we forgot to go to guitar lessons, because Mr. C and I both forgot it was Wednesday. Oops. It is wonderful to think that on Monday we are going back to our routine.

Most teachers don't give homework during testing, so Mr. C had time to do other things. Like build this awesome tower out of marble-run pieces.

Marvelous posted a note with her schedule for this weekend so I would know where to find her. I posted my own note.

Smarty went to Auburn to spend Thursday night and Friday. She will be home this evening. I only worried about her a little. She went with one of our church youth leaders, whose sister is getting ready to graduate from Auburn. They stayed at the place Smarty will probably live next year. We (Hubby and I) have to find out more about it and smooth out all the details (how to pay for it).