My heart just breaks!

Many moons ago, I knew an amazing family, the Browns. The youngest daughter, Samantha, was is Darlin' Daughter's class. The mom, Pegeen, was a dynamic kindergarten-readiness teacher in our district. Peggen was also very involved with Girl Scouts, as was I at the time.

They moved to Delaware and started a new life.

On January 24, 2007, Samantha was killed in a freak car accident on her way to visit her old Shrewsbury buddies. We were so sad for Tom, Pegeen and her sister, Anne.

On February 24, 2007, Pegeen died of a brain aneurysm. A month, to the day, after Sam died. I am in such shock. How could this happen to such a wonderful family?

I talked to one of Pegeen's friends today and she said Pegeen was having difficulty accepting Sam's death. My only thought was, it was God's way of easing her pain. I just feel so sad for Tom and Anne.

Pegeen and Sam were two very bright shining stars in the little universe we called Southern School District. They will be forever loved and remembered!

Zoiks!

Starting to feel a little scared about a laser in my eye! Good thing they are gonna give me valium!

New Eyes, coming right up!

Thursday I get a new view on life! Yippeee!

Billion-dollar utility bills give customers a shock

By Emily Tsao
The Dallas Morning News
(MCT)
WEATHERFORD, Texas - Penny Dawson thought her utility bill was getting a bit high. But nothing prepared her for a $24 billion bill.
Dawson was one of about 1,300 Weatherford utility customers who received billion-dollar bills in the mail this week.
Weatherford City Manager Bill Davis said a printing company had sent out final notices instead of late notices, which created the erroneous bills. It was unclear where the large numbers came from, he said.
Printing company DataProse said it was embarrassed by the mistake.
"Obviously, this is not something we are pleased about," said Curtis Nelson, a DataProse vice president and general manager. The Irving, Texas-based company has a second location in California and processes about 5 million bills a month nationwide, he said.
Dawson said she opened her bill on Tuesday to find she had been charged $3.66, had a deposit of $71,222,200,601 and had a total amount due of $24,200,700,004.
"It's the funniest thing I have ever seen," she said. Her utility bills normally average $250.
"We would have had to flood the city over and over," she said. "And we probably would never get to (that amount)."
Customers who received the wrong bill will be able to pay the amount owed in the next billing cycle without penalty, Davis said. The city said it has accurate records of customer balances for utility services including water and electric.
Dawson, 33, said she planned to hold on to the large bill - and maybe even frame it.

(Perhaps this will help!)

Momma Bear and Imbecillin,

" A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

Arabian Proverb

Thanks for listening to my "school" anxieties!

Oh, Shit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look what happened today while I was at school!

I have a sad...

Darlin' Daughter is feeling the effects of growing-up. Tonight I got to hold her while she cried and talked about her disappointments in ballet. She was demoted this year from principle to demi-soloist, and then was promised she could go on pointe this spring...not going to happen. I gave her the choice to leave the company; she just loves to dance too much to go. Then we talked about "casting pearls before swine." I told her Jesus used this phrase to help his desciples "move on."

Now, it is up to her...is she going to dance for them or for herself. I told her, once it's "yours," they can't take your happiness away from you!

And then I told her she is still the best person I know and that it's too bad she isn't mean like me...I can think of a lot of dasterdly things to do to her ballet teacher for hurting her feelings! (Told her some really sly things on how to make someone's life REALLY miserable!!!) She started laughing through those tears, and then she seems more content!

Drum roll, please!

Tomorrow is the big chem test. My 8 am Bio lab was cancelled because we had our lab and the others didn't. God has given me such a grace for this test. (I am almost ready for it.) I have stopped studying for the night and will use my morning to go over the math and work sheets. I feel a bit more confident. I went on-line and started using the on-line text. Really filled in the gaps and I have a bit more of a grasp for what I am to know.

Today, he became a Boy Scout!

Lone Eagle held the arrow of light and retold the story of Akela. 15 boys received their Arrow of Light Award today. This is second Den, in Shrewsbury, in 2 years, to have ALL Den members receive Cub Scouting's highest honor. Troop 90 is now 15 members greater...hooo boy!

Now this is a winter storm!

Freakychica posted some photos of her home in up-state New York. This just amazes me!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Birthday, Sean!

I just can't believe he's 10! I just realized I met him when he was 4! Yikes! He has really grown!

Dang!!!

Well, I thought I did ok...but! I got a 70% on my algebra test. Momma Bear said it was ok, though; she knows a very smart math person who failed accounting...TWICE!

There is a God!

And he really, really likes me!

Once again, no chem test...I think I just might pass!

The day for lovers...?

Not at my house...Truevalueman is fast asleep and it's only 8:30!

Ahhh, Snow days!

The little ones will have another snow day tomorrow. I, on the other hand, will not have lab, but I will be takin' my chem exam. At this point, I know I am going to do so-so. It's an awful lot to know and I don't think I am going to get it all in by test time.

Exam Postponed!!!

Hooray!!!! I have 2 extra days to study chem!!!! By the way, I got an 85.5 on my Bio test. Momma Bear and Darlin Daughter say that's really good....ah gee! Thanx!

Can't I just get one for being great??

School is gonna kill me!!! Especially chemistry. It is taking forever to finish the homework on-line and it's really hard!!! I have an algebra test tomorrow...the big chem test is on Tuesday. Any chance that snow will get here a little earlier than prdicted????

To my best friend Bear...

Peace to you, my friend.

I love you and am always here for you.

The beauty of excel!

I am so swamped with work! I will have 4 tests in a row, starting Friday with Biology! My labs are quite labor intensive, as you can see by the chart above. This was my easy one! I am so worried about my chem test next Tuesday! It has started to kinda come together in my head, but I am really going to have to study. FYI: I have break at the end of the month...Imby are you up for breakfast one of those days? I miss you!

Update on Firecop

Haven't had a lot of time, but I have quite a bit of news. My uncle started chemotherapy this week. He is receiving treatments at Apple Hill. Unfortunately, during school hours for me. He spends 2 to 3 days a week, 6 hours a shot, receiving chemo. This has had an affect on his diabetes. Today his blood sugar was 447!!! He is now going on insulin for the rest of his course of chemo. He is tired and has blurry vision, this is normal. He also had to quit at the hardware store, as this is a pretty intense wave of treatment. The Cancer Center is just wonderful! He receives financial assistance throught the center which includes gas cards, utilities, rent and groceries! What a miracle! He so wanted to remain independent of us and now he can. I am worried that I cannot be there like I used to be; a side bar of having to go to classes when my kids do. But, as this routine settles in for me and the family, I am sure I will be able to attend a few chemo sesseions with him. Click the cells to see a short video on what chemotherapy does....

The Amazing Molecule!

Water, the very essence of life! How amazing this little molecule made from 2 Hydrogens and an Oxygen atom! By nature, hydrogen bonds are weak, so then why isn't water weak? Could it be the bonding ability of Hydrogen, or is it the greedy and selfish Oxygen that it is attracted to? H2O is a polar molecule. The oxygen atom carries the negative charge while the hydrogens have the positive charge. What makes H2O unique is hydrogen's ability to bond to 4 other H2O molecules...so if one atom is hanging onto 4 atoms and they are hanging onto 4 other atoms and so on and so on...then this wonderful little miracle is not so delicate anymore.

Another little side note on the water molecule, the hydrogen electrons (e-) don't float around the hydrogens like they should! They actually hang-out with the oxygen electons more-- appearently, O's have more fun!

She will be missed!

Some observations by columnist and author Molly Ivins:
On conservative presidential candidate Pat Buchanan: "Many people did not care for Pat Buchanan's speech; it probably sounded better in the original German." – published in The Nation, Sept. 14, 1992.
On politics: "You can't ignore politics, no matter how much you'd like to." – published in the Charleston Gazette, Oct. 21, 2002.
On humor: "There are two kinds of humor. One kind that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity – like what Garrison Keillor does. The other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule – that's what I do. Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful. I only aim at the powerful. When satire is aimed at the powerless, it is not only cruel – it's vulgar." – published in People, Dec. 9, 1991
On Americans: "I think there's more of us who still believe that Elvis is alive than understand the Theory of Relativity, but that's all right. It's fun to live in a country with some peculiar people. How boring it would be if everybody was quite sane." – from Defining Americans, on National Public Radio, July 3, 1997
On vegetarianism: "I know vegetarians don't like to hear this, but God made an awful lot of land that's good for nothing but grazing." – published in the Raleigh News and Observer, July 15, 2001
On gun control: "I am not anti-gun. I'm pro-knife. Consider the merits of the knife. In the first place, you have to catch up with someone in order to stab him. A general substitution of knives for guns would promote physical fitness. We'd turn into a whole nation of great runners. Plus, knives don't ricochet. And people are seldom killed while cleaning their knives." – published in the Charleston Gazette, July 19, 1994
On Texas: "I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults." – on CBS News' Sunday Morning, Jan. 5, 1992
Compiled by research librarian Darby Tober

Well, done, Bubba!!!!

Good news abounds at the Castle! Bubba Bear is gainfully empolyed ! Best Wishes and HOOORAY!