Strangers in the Night

So, I live in a secure building, which means we have interior hallways and locked exterior doors. I like it because I feel really safe. We have other safety measures in our individual apartments as well. For example, we have these awesome, loud, super annoying fire alarms.

I have had several opportunities to be assured of the usefulness of these detectors and alarms in the three and a half years I've lived here. One night, I was yanked from bed to the shrill siren only to find that some "idiot teenagers down the hall" thought it was funny to pull the alarm, as my neighbor said.

The good thing about these late night drills is that I get to meet my neighbors. No, I have not been interested in knocking on doors and making friends...though, that would be less jarring I think! Pretty much the only time I talk with the three neighbors I recognize as living in my building (which has something like 42 apartments) is when we are standing bewildered in the parking lot looking for smoke and flames.

About a week ago, I was in my living room (luckily wearing shorts and a t-shirt, not just my bed clothes like last time!). I had just finished Skyping with my dad when the alarm sounded. As with all things like that, my heart started pumping and I went into panic mode. I grabbed Zuzu and a sweatshirt and took off for the door. I figured it wouldn't be anything, but when I opened my door to step out, the hallway was filled with white smoke. I gasped out loud, locked my door, and hauled it down the stairs and outside.

Imagine my shock when I ran into the parking lot to find myself alone. Really? Our building was on fire! Though, when I walked around to the other entrance someone asked me if it smelled like smoke inside. As I thought about it, I realized that it had not in fact had any smokey scent. My next thought was "If this was a movie, that white cloud in the hallway would be COCAINE!" Of course, I knew it wasn't a movie and couldn't possibly be thousands of dollars worth of drugs floating around in there. Though, that would have made this story infinitely cooler.

After 20 minutes and three calls to the fire department, a truck finally arrived. Here's the best part... Remember those key required exterior doors? Yeah, fireman don't have keys. They had to ask one of the displaced evacuees to let them in. We were finally cleared to back in to find the powdery "smoke" all over the carpeted hallway. Zu was very interested in it, but some very opinionated neighbors informed me (and anyone in a two block radius) that the "smoke" had been residue from the employment of a fire extinguisher. Who knew?

I realized after this traumatic(ish) event that I am not good in high stress life or death situations. I mean, I was wearing shorts and flip flops! Also, I totaly missed taking my 72 hour kit sitting inside the doorway, my car keys, or...my cell phone. So, aside from the very delayed reaction time of the fire department and my own scatter-brainedness, I am back to feeling safe and drug free in my apartment.

Groceries Gone Wrong

There are several reasons why I shop at my local Associated Grocer store. I will now list a few.

1. I was standing in line waiting to pay for my groceries when a man in his late fifties in a big, puffy coat and a stocking cap sort of hobbled quickly out the door. Another customer rushed up to the register and said "Hey, that guy just went out with a bunch of meat under his coat!" The bagger, who is an older, nervous but nice man, who doesn't speak a lot of English. He jetted out the door to follow the man as the cashier called for the manager.

Sadly, I did not see the confrontation. The manager came back in a minute later carrying five BIG packages of meat. I'm not talking fatty ground beef, these were big, nice cuts of meat. We're talking probably, like, $100 plus. Yeah, that isn't super impressive...but it was the most exciting thing to happen at the grocery store in a long time.

2. Another time I was waiting to pay (yes, the lines are long and the checkers few) when I saw a little girl chewing on a sucker. She was maybe like 3 or 4. Anyways, she had this wrapped sucker she was chewing on as she went down the isle touching things. Then, she pulled the slimy sucker out of the mouth and put it on the shelf. Yeah, gross. She then put her all licked up fingers on a bunch of other candy as she toddled along. I wanted to tell her dad to control her, but then I just decided to never buy candy, or anything on the bottom shelf, there again.

3. It is cheaper than Safeway or QFC.

lady pains and midnight rains

I feel like my whole lower left mid section could be cut off of my body and it would hurt less than it does right now. Seriously. I was trying to talk to students today about their essays, and any time I turned or stretched the wrong way...ZING! I yelped in pain several times, but luckily sixth graders are so self involved that none of them noticed.

The only thing that made this affliction tolerable today was that we had a two hour late start. Yes, wind and thunderstorms scare us in Maple Valley, so we start cancelling things. This is Washington after all, and we don't handle adverse weather well.

In the middle of the night, I was awoken by the horizontal rain pelting my window. My poor pup was crying in her crate, but I just stayed in bed. Right as I started to fall asleep, bright, bright lightening lit up my whole room. About four seconds later, BOOM. That only happened about twice. Both the dog and I seem to have been relatively unscathed. It's hard to tell with the dog, though.

Happy Birthday, grandpa!

My maternal grandfather died about nine months before I was born. Today is his birthday, and I find myself thinking about him and missing him, even though I never knew him in person.

I bear his namesake as a middle name, and I've always fancied myself close to him because of it.

When I was little, someone told me that maybe he and I passed each other on our separate journeys to and from the spirit world. Since my mom says the first time she really felt me kick was in April, it could very well be. Wouldn't that have been something? I can imagine him saying "Take care of my family, okay? See you soon!" How grateful I am for belief in a world beyond this mortal realm where I will be able to meet him again face to face and feel his arms around me. I hope he'll be proud of me. I hope he'll smile and tell me how much I look like my mom, how much he wanted to be a part of my life, how much he has been a part of my life through the veil.


I love seeing old pictures of him and hearing stories about him from my parents. My grandma once told me that he loved children so much. She said he must be so sad to have missed out on all the grand kids that came after he died. She patted my head and told me "He would have loved to know you." Especially today, I would have loved to know him. I find myself occasionally thinking of a phrase he used to use with his children "I have a bone to pick with you." And for a moment, my frustration with the person (usually a student) is lessened by my tender memory of a man I never knew. Thanks, grandpa!

So, happy birthday, Don True! I hope you have found joy, peace, and happiness in the next life. I can't wait to meet you!

The bumpy road to Open House 2010

There are a few events each year for teachers that add unneeded stress. One of those is Open House. In my district, we have Open House in October. Didn't we just meet parents at Orientation in September? Yes, we did. Aren't we going to meet with them again for Parent Teacher Conferences in November? Yes, we are. Why are we having Open House in October? No reply…and then "That's just the way it works out."

So, since I am ridiculous, I decide that I will put my new cake pan to use and bake/decorate and Open House cake for the staff. Yeah, not really a big deal, I mean, it's only like two and half hours the night before, and let's be honest, I have nothing else going on in the evening. Plus, I really enjoy decorating cakes, and the staff loves it. The only thing this narcissist likes more than telling myself how amazing I am is hearing it from others.

I make and decorate the cake while watching The Lightening Thief and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (thank you Red Box). I got a lot more work done during the second movie since it was…how do I put this lightly? LAME. Sorry, I just couldn't get into it. I LOVED the Lightening Thief though.

Anyhow, while putting on the finishing touches, I realized that the house was starting to lean. That was a bad thing. I started shoving the extra cut off parts under the back of the house. This, I believe, is a common practice in actual house building. The problem then became the lean in the other direction. Let's just leave it with saying that the cake and I had several abrupt conversations about foundational integrity and time.

In order to look more grown up and professional, I chose a very nice outfit and laid it out the night before. I also had great plans for my hair and make-up. When I got dressed that morning, I hated what I was wearing. So I changed. Twice. Finally satisfied, I started on my hair. Since I was in amped up and speedy mode, my little dog was running around jumping on my legs. This usually isn't a problem, until she jumps on something important. Like the cord to my flat iron. As it started to fall, I grabbed it, around the plate. Luckily, it was only a minor burn on one finger.

Now, I live about 20 minutes from the school I work at. That means, in order to run home and let my dog out, I need at least 50 minutes of time. That was time I did not have. So, I decided to just take the dog to school and leave her in her crate in my trunk. I've done this before, and it isn't a big deal. Don't feel bad for the dog. This added a heightened sense of anxiety in the morning as I packed up the crate and food and dog. I was, of course, irritated about the burn it seemed like she caused, but at the same time not being mad at her since she's just a dog and didn't mean to do it.

It took several trips to get everything down to the car, but I was feeling good about the time frame. I put the cake in the backseat (which was down so there's be more room in the trunk) and the dog in the front seat. Now, as I was putting the dog in the front seat, she started to squirm and jump around. I finally dropped her in with the keys that were in my hand. Still not letting myself get angry, I closed the door and went over to the trunk to put the crate in. Oh, forgot to pop the trunk. Oh, the doors are locked. Oh, the keys are in the car, locked in the car, with the dog…and the cake.

Never before had I wished so strongly that my dog could do tricks, like unlock doors. Instead, she just started whining and running around. The one fortunate thing in this particular aspect was that her spastic episode wound her leash around the e-brake handle causing her to be just out of reach of the stupid cake.

So, I stop trying to get into the car, since there isn't even a possibility that I can at this point, and start trying to find a maintenance man. There are no less than three maintenance men smoking outside of my apartment window every morning. This morning, not a single one, anywhere. The light was on in their office, so I knocked and knocked on their door without success. I walk over to the office, which I see opens at 8. It is now 7:45. If I wait 15 minutes, I will most likely get caught in Renton and Maple Valley traffic, causing me to arrive at school 5 minutes after the final bell. As I figure all of this out in my head, it starts to very lightly drizzle. Remember that I have already burned my finger so I could have straight hair.

Just before the inevitable freak-out, and amidst feverish and fervent prayers, I realize that the maintenance guys are probably over at the other building, the one that is getting new paint that week. I dash across the parking lot and find them busily joking around and smoking with the painters. I explain that I'm locked out of the building and I need in. Finally, one comes with me back to my building. He puts in a code and the door pops open. Smiling, he tries to walk away. I assure him that his work is not done, and that I need into my apartment since my house keys are locked in my car with my car key, but my spare car keys are locked in my apartment.

The spare apartment keys are in the office, which I remind him is not open, but he reminds me that he has a key. Good, great, let's go! Only, while we are on the way to the office, he gets a call on the radio to go help someone in my building…AND HE DOES! I was less than happy. Finally, he goes to the office, gets the key, comes back, lets me into the building, and then into my apartment. I grab my spare key and have him relock my door.

I arrived at school just in time to remember that we had a mandatory staff meeting at 8:00. It was then 8:20am. I took a deep breath, started my computer, and in walked my students. The cake was a big hit, Open House was a breeze, and I now triple check where my dang keys are.

Blah blah blog.

I was reading Renae's blog and thinking, "Wow, aside from the tedious first person train of thought prose and blaring grammatical errors, that girl's got insight!" So I began wondering... What words of wisdom and insight do I add to the blogosphere? I mean, yes, my cakes are neat and my dog is cute, but I never pour out my soul like Renae does. Or, give helpful information and pictures about life like Colleen does. Or, even have super smart and witty posts like the Reichman-Blakes do.

Then I realized, my blog is about me being boring. BINGO! I don't have to be smart, or funny, or even valuable here. I just am. That made me smile.

Happy Birthday, Miranda!

Randi and Renae turned 21 this year. I thought, for a very brief moment, that the "coming of age" year would bring some refinement and maturity to my dear sisters. Not so.

"Bugs get mad, Bugs get strong! Arrrg!"

Randi and I celebrated her birth by going to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, then out to dinner in Tukwila at Azteca the weekend before her birthday.

Two of kind, that Randi and Renae. Though, Renae is looking a little hairy these days...

Meerkats: So Cute!

Ah yes, the hippos.

This guy came right up to the glass to give Randi a birthday wish.