The Husband, The Truck, TV, and More

Wow--I didn't really mean to go this long without posting. I don't have a ton of news to write of, but I do have a few things that might be of interest:

The Return of Darryl
I didn't "advertise" this on my blog at the time, but Darryl was gone for 3-1/2 weeks to Capetown, South Africa, to do some work for the company he works for. Now, I'm a person who likes to have my "me time," (I completely chalk that up to my only-childness and the fact that I could entertain myself for HOURS with reading or playing with Barbie dolls when I was a kid), but three weeks is a little too much me time. Anyway, although I'm glad he had the opportunity to travel somewhere interesting and have some cool experiences, I'm really, really glad he's back.

Darryl's New Truck
It would be a really cool story if this truck had been sitting in the driveway when Darryl came home from his trip, but that isn't what happened. I'm not that good of a wife, I guess. :) Darryl had been wanting a truck for a while, and his CRV that we bought about 8 years go was starting to cause more problems than it was worth. We went back and forth about what kind of truck to get for probably six months--all the trucks Darryl liked were too big and very possibly wouldn't have fit in our garage--but this Ford Explorer Sport Trac was something we both liked. It's a good size for hauling things like mulch, plants, fishing stuff, etc., but it isn't so massive that it feels like a big rig. And both vehicles fit in the garage. What I like most about it, though, is the 6-month free satellite radio that comes with the truck; the 80's station ROCKS, y'all. It also has a jack that allows for an iPod to be plugged in straight through to the radio. Awesome.

My Dad's Retirement
After being a working man for over forty years, my dad retired. What I think is cool about this is HOW he retired. Now anyone who knows my dad knows he isn't known for his spontaneity. He likes to plan things in advance and be very, very certain before he takes any kind of action. Well, one day a couple of weeks ago, he just decided he was done. Things were taking a bad turn at his job, and he just decided it was enough. You know how we all have those days when we fantasize about telling the boss that we're "outta here"? Well, my dad pretty much lived that fantasy. He and his boss ended on good terms, but now my dad is enjoying doing what HE wants to do instead of--in his words--"working for the man." It's about time, I say. Good for him.

My Parents' Visit
While Darryl was gone, my parents came up for a visit. We went to the Apple Festival in Ellijay, and my mom and I did some shopping. I had to do something with all the apples I bought, so I've made apple crisp, Paula Deen's Caramel Apple Cake, and apple pie over the past couple of weeks. Anyway, it was good seeing them, and we all had a fun time.

My New TV Obsession
I'm hooked on ABC Family reruns of Everwood. Man, I love that show.

Teaching Highlight of the Week
My seniors are reading Much Ado about Nothing. These seniors really fought against reading Shakespeare, but what can I say? Not only is he "curriculum," but I think he is a must-read as well. Anyway, most of the students are getting a little more into the play now, and the other day, one of my students went as far as to say (and he was being serious), "Wow--Shakespeare is awesome." Smile.

On another school note...while my seniors give me sympathy laughs for many of my attempts at humor, my 10th Grade Honors (Pre-AP) students think I'm hilarious. I think I've found my audience. Who knew? (And what does that say about me?)