spring fever

and some summer fever too.  Well right now it is hard to get into the spirit.  For most spring has already sprung and it is almost summer, but here it is just getting into swing.  Due to erratic weather and cold spells on top of sudden warm spells, I think nature was confused.  Like this morning for instance, it is 32 degrees.  Hostas have bloom and fern unfurled but Jack Frost just had to show up just one last time to put his curse on all of the happy plants.  I hope the hostas don't die.  I have been lucky so far since I have lived here.  Hostas have lived through freezes, drought, flood, and puppies.  This year to protect them a little more we put up a white picket fence.

Do you know how I have dreamed about a house with a nice flat yard and white picket fence? Some fields with cows, sheep, and maybe chickens, with plenty of room to move around.  Well this isnt quite that house.  I do have a good size yard with flat areas, but no huge picket fence until we found this one.  It is actually small but a good accent to all of the plant life and such.  Plus a bonus, it keeps dogs from rolling around destroying said plants.  Now I can have a guarded troll and Buddha Garden near the house.  

Buddha is an empowered object bought at a yard sale the summer I moved here.  He was placed in various areas around the yard but found his home near the rooted stump and fern, next to the house.  He guards and welcomes visitors up the entranceway.  I do love how excited he seems all the time with arms raised, like he is having his own little party.

I see the light

.........at the end of the tunnel. Finally, a small glimmer to end insanity, stress, and overwhelming sensations of doom. Well, for a moment at least. I still have plenty of grading and yes more "Paperwork", but I can see a small glimpse of rest, fun, and some relaxation with a little pinch of housecleaning, artwork, planning, and rearranging. And one of the many reasons a took a hiatus for a while from the blog.
I am empty, depleted. I do not think I have ever been so drained mentally, physically, and spiritually. Too many bad things and not enough good this year. I need to replenish my "glue" to keep everything and everyone together. I am thinking positive again, joking around, and trying not to get sick. My hopes, starting today, are to replenish my empty shell, be more productive, begin working on art work more seriously again, have fun, have adventures, spend quality time with Gabriel and Troy, and time with Ms. King. All in all, I hope all to be well with no more catastrophic events without some positive to even it all out. .....and of course little to no paperwork, at least for a while.

paperwork

not only is there stress of teaching, advising, family, homelife--- there is the dreaded-never ending-hell of paper work.  Something that seems to be devouring all parts of my waking time.  And, not as an excuse, one of the reasons I have not been diligent with my entries.  

Do not be fooled by the orderly attire and deceiving poetry of prose.  It is a disguise, a rouse, to catch the "uber workers" of the world and drag them into the demon underbelly of hell.  Once it takes hold there is no stopping it.  From creation of the innocent document, to the composition of passages with textbook accuracy, and then finally the metamorphosis.  The change from creation to "revision".  This, my friends, is the beginning of the end.  You might think you are strong enough to challenge the "revision beast" but you are no match for its cunning attacks.  When you swing one way, it blocks and brings you down with a sucker punch.  This beating is ever-lasting and cruel, until finally you give in to it's evil power.  Thinking you can change this demon into an angel, but in the end evil is ever-lasting.

Ok.... a little dramatic, but I swear once you start it is like an infestation of more and more and more.....   It's like a hive of angry bees or a pack of dogs.  It smells fear.

I   Hate   Paperwork.

watch out........

they are coming to get you.  This is an excerpt from the wonderful encyclopedias that Rebekah bought at auction.  The last of the box lots and all for $1.  I got to choose a few to bring with me.  The one about "The Beetle"  is a little ominous.  Actually there are many sections with ominous titles, Like "Insects the natural enemy of the human world".  This one reminds me of a wonderful friend.  I think I will have to come up with something awesome to use this in, for him.

a book about.......

me........Well not exactly, but my name at least.  My sister found me, on her way home, at the gas station and said she had something for me.  She went on to explain that, this something was $4, but the lady said it should have been in the bargain basket.  She gave it to her for a dime.  Whoo hoooo, BARGAIN.  It is a hardback, with the title "my name" on the top of every page.  

I hate to say this, I will covet this, but it will be used in Art.  Hopefully many many pieces of Art.  Before that happens, I plan on scanning in the book cover, erasing the authors name, and printing it for a t-shirt.

On top of the wonderful surprise from Michelle (my sister), I came home to see packages of purchases that I really didnt believe would come in.  I have been trying to find Ticonderoga core lock color pencils for the last 2 years.  They are the best color pencils I have EVER used, but like everything that I think is great, it gets discontinued.  I just happened to see some on the ********** (not going to reveal because I want more and I am greedy) website.  I put in cart and paid.  Usually I get that far and someone emails me 2 ays later that, "oh, I'm sorry.  That item has been discontinued.  We are sorry but we forgot to remove that item from the website."  But it didnt happen.  I receive an email stating the delivery date would be less than 24 hours.  So after i receive my "namesake book" gift and arrived home to see packages on the table.  I literally squealed, then that squealed turned into "Happy Melissa Dance" and cheering because when I open the packages, my elusive wonderous color pencil- that are discontinued- but rock the world compared to all others, were correct, perfect, and exactly what I wanted.

............I love days that start out "not so great" but end "perfectly".

boys and their toys

ok this is also cute.  I came into the living room after hard at work with powerpoints for class, to this scene.  Troy bought a DVD of Marvel cartoon something.....I am not sure.  He did not buy it for Gabriel, but himself.  Telling Gabriel he could watch it with him.  Of course notice that they are both in the "Mommy Throne" consumed by the action on the TV.  Sooooo cute.  It did not even disturb them, nor did they notice that I was happily snapping pictures.

My Boys..... gotta love 'em.

gabriel morning fun

This is cute, but not an example of a typical morning.  Gabriel sitting on the "Mommy Throne" (the chair everyone wants to sit in), eating a pop tart while both dogs surround him waiting patiently.  Of course unaware of possible tart stealing dogs, Gabriel is consumed by morning cartoons.  I think this was either a snow day or weekend day.  Most school mornings, he does not want to wake up and even though he has gone through this routine a bazillion times, he fights tooth and nail to stay in bed "just a little longer".  Usually with the excuse of "Im too cold, can I warm up a little bit longer" or "I heard you!" or "Im tooooooo tiiiiirrrreeeeedddd".  

When Grendel was little (Rebekah's son who is now in college), I remember that he would cry and sulk and complain falling asleep or (the best) crying then falling asleep while eating his morning cereal.  Goood times! Gooood times!  Gabriel is once again carrying on the sleepy -but not too sleepy to watch TV-morning grumpies.  Even big boys have that problem.