Got my A

I'm glad that class is done. I got my A and a week of vacation! Yay!

Research Paper Due

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

It's not that I haven't written these things before (I've written no less than 14 since last September), but this one is just different.

I think I can.

fishy on the loose

This morning, as I was on the porch trying to fix the railing that got busted by the slamming screen door in the raging wind the other night, I saw a large orange tail fin flip out of the stream behind my house. It's the second time I've seen this and I just couldn't resist tromping through the wet grass, dodging my neighbor's doggie's poo, and risking life and limb from duck attacks just to get a better glimpse of this fish. At first, I couldn't find it. But I waited a few seconds and there it was--the biggest goldfish I have ever seen! Brenna, too, thought the sight was worth facing the obstacle course that is our yard and joined me by the side of the stream. She was not disappointed. The fish flipped and flopped joyously in the water. What a fun and beautiful sight!

32 presentations

From 9 a.m. until 3:20 p.m. I gave more than 30 mini presentations about being a freelance writer to grade schoolers. My name is Brenna's Mom and I'm the writer lady. I am going to write on the blackboard now in hopes that this message will sink into my brain:

I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.
I will never do that again. I will never do that again. I will never do that again.

Career Day

I am scheduled to go to my daughter's school tomorrow and talk about freelance writing. All day long. From kindergarten through fifth grade. What was I thinking when I signed up for this? Oh, boy. I actually agreed to be a back-up, but as luck would have it, it didn't work out that way. They put me in the roster from the get-go. It'll be good experience, though. If nothing else, it will be an adventure of sorts. Speaking of adventures, I almost forgot about the one I had the other day...

I bought this large bookshelf from Salvation Army last week. I dutifully brought my tape measure to the store and made sure the shelf would fit in the back of my Rendezvous. My mom accompanied me, either for support or a good laugh. I think I nearly gave her a heart attack instead. So, the shelf did not fit in the SUV wannabe. I measured the inside of the car but not mouth of the hatch and the opening was roughly half an inch shy of four feet wide. And yes, the bookshelf is exactly four feet wide. No way, no how was this shelf going in that vehicle.

We set our eyes upon the luggage rack atop the car. Well, we thought, we brought three small bungee cords ... We had to drag this six-foot by four-foot monster through the store and out the door by ourselves (more about this later), and I was not about to leave the store without the shelf. A lady who had been watching us struggle with our dilemma decided to lend her man to us, you know, for brute strength purposes. The man and I hoisted this thing on top of my car; it straddled the luggage rack and took the entire length of the roof. I scrounged through the trunk compartments and found an adjustable tether. My mom and I used it and the wimpy bungee cords to strap the shelf to the inside handles of the car. And then we drove down 20 miles per hour down Grand River, detoured by Lake Chemung, came round by Latson by way of Golf Club, and ended at her house, where thankfully, my dad was able to better secure the load.

"I can't believe you did that," Mom said. See, I'm still a little unpredictable...