Yo Kat

Thanks for checking out those test tube racks... considering how busy you are I'm pretty impressed ( and grateful) that you found them.

Thinking about you, want to wish you luck before bo bo is born, and damn, I'm going to miss you this spring!

You're beautiful you know!!!!

Roomy,

Flash

ps. Do you think Jane and I will look funny standing next to each other?

Darn you Danielle.

Have you been reading this the whole time? Remember how you could find me WHEREVER I was in the district subbing? I shouldn't have been surprised you've kept up with this...

One time, when I was subbing for Mr. Boatz waaaaaaaaaaaaaay up in the farthest corner of Tech's old wing a guy came into the classroom and said, "Are you Mary Housman Meyer " :yes:.. Do you have a daughter named Danielle? YESSSSSSSSSSSSS. " Well you have a phone call down the hall" ........... I'm sure that it was very important!

Love you Elsie..... everything about you....

Yo Ma ma:)

Danielle's blog.

I think that Danielle has forgotten about Snoidsville which is fine with me. She has a blog here and is selling some of her prints here.. And her Mama blogs here.

Is that weird?

Maply Syruping Weekend.

Cooking off the first 25 gallons. I'll be going out with him later to collect sap so will post another slide show later. Here is how it ( and many things work):

1) Dan comes up with plan.

2) Dan follows through with plan.

3) Mary documents plan.

4) Dan does all the work.

5) Mary reaps the benefits of the fruits of his labor ( is THAT in the bible?)

6) Mary stays healthy and brings home some money.

Mary is happy. Dan is happy. Buster is a wreck... as usual.

Interested in different points of view?

Check out this news blog from the right. I am not a sheep but was likely birthed as a lamb. Isn't there something in the bible about a something something in wools clothing? ***** grabs bible, fidgets through rice paper, savors the history of it all****

Flash:)

I would like to lodge a formal complaint.

In light of the objections against Cowboy Day and it's ensuing change to Western Day, and considering the demographics of our student body, I would like to protest the use of
the acronym P.I.R.A.T.E.S.for our upcoming test preparation. I fear that it might be an unjust suggestion of foul behavior by a specific group of people resulting in unwarranted tension between clans including the cowboys, the nerds and the wildcats.

Any suggestions? How about HTHBE - hope this has been enlightening or NTRU - Number Theory is Really Useful or SMART - Self-measurement for Assessment of the Response to Training or READ - Reach Excellent Academic Dreams

But but but but but then I wouldn't be able to wear my pirate accessories!!!! arrrrrrrrrg

Flash!

A few picts. from our Phoenix trip.

The botanical garden is second to none. We spent a day here . One of the perks of The Honey House is its central location & it is right along a canal where many people run & bike. Dan & I walked it every morning after breakfast. The Inn is at the foot of Camel Back Mountain & so as you walk you can see it and depending on the time of day & the shadows cast by the sun, it changes . It is strikingly beautiful.





The view from the guesthouse where we stayed. Before you book a stay here be sure to talk to me. It is a steal at $109/ night , but as they say, there is no free lunch ( just yummy breakfasts!)and so you sacrifice some typical luxuries at a traditional B&B but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.



Jeanette Irwin, the Inn keeper of Honey House was a jewel in the desert. I absolutely fell in love with her. She very much reminded me of my Grandma Puckett even though she is only 12 yrs. older than me. "Sweet" is the best adjective I can come up with to describe her.



After having checked out from the Honey House on Saturday morning we were on our way to South Mountain Park to do some hiking because our flight wasn't due out until 7pm. Just a block away we ran across these folks. They had a box of grapefruit labeled "free" & so we took two. We ate them after several hours of hiking while sitting in the shade on a green at a golf course right by where we had parked the car. Perfect!





A word to the wise. By far, the most expensive part of this trip was the car rental. I am so grateful that we didn't know the total cost until we returned the car because it truly would have ruined a wonderful week. The quoted estimated price for the car was just over $400. The daily cost was $31.00 a day. So we assumed the taxes were embedded in that estimate. Wrong. When we returned the car the total was nearly double at $773!!!

I was LIVID!!!! Fortunately we had enough time before our flight & all of the paperwork in hand and so I got into a long line of folks waiting to pick up their car to wait my turn to release my outrage. I wonder how many people don't have that luxury of time and just say "fuck it" and get on their plane & fly off.

I was very glad to see that the young woman who had rattled down the list of add- on options when we picked up the car including a lame sales pitch "well sir, you are a big man & perhaps could use more leg room. Would you like an upgrade in cars?" etc...

By the time it was my turn, my heart rate & flushed face had subsided, but barely. The biggest add on that we were contesting was an extra 29$ / day for additional insurance. Dan had told her when we picked up the car that we did not need it & even offered to show her our insurance card. Thank goodness she had remembered that.

They pulled her off the line at the counter at that point because I was getting a little loud I guess & there were many people waiting. She went in the back to get a manager. Of course he came out pointing to Dan's initals that had signified an agreement to the additional insurance. I ( and Dan... he suddenly appeared) explained that we did not know what we had agreed to especially since we explained that we intended to use our own insurance as coverage. Reluctantly the manager "met us half way" and reimbursed us about $100. Big whoop.

Before I was finished, I held up the paper and pointed to where it was quoted at an estimated cost of $400 with a daily fee of $31 & said, Sir, at the very least this is dishonest business practice and .... at which point Dan said, "Mary, it's settled. Let's go."

THAT was a bummer. But as I said, until the very last moment our trip was perfect & after an hour or so of simmering I got over it & Dan & I joked about it the whole way home.

F