A tree grows

How did I miss reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn when I was in my teenage years.

My book club read it for our big summer read. Normally we go about 4 or 5 weeks in between books. But because people were going to be away for summer trips and none of us had work we chose to go for a longer gap as well as a longer book. We last read Angry Housewives Eating BonBons (a book about a book club - which we read for book club), and so we picked one of the books those women read as one of our books.

There are few books in my life that make me want to name children or pets after the characters - this book was one of them. I'm not crazy about naming a child Frances - but someday I will have a cat named Francie.

This was not a 'my life is now different because I read this book book' - It was a 'I could read this again after I finished the last page book' - the kind of book that makes you happy and sad, and as much as my friends tease me about being a fan of Oprah, I heard her say this once and it totally applies to this book.

"It's the kind of book that makes you think the characters are going on without you when you put the book down and go do something else"

Francie is the kind of girl who might just be the perfect character. She is witty and brave - sassy and loving. I adored every second of it. It reminded me a bit of Angela's Ashes. The idea of being so poor but still so alive and aware of the world.

I loved that she was always saying 'I wonder' - she was a lover of books and the page that describes her understanding words for the first time - and therefore was able to read - made me cry. It was so well put and really just what it feels like to read for the first time and really get it.

I love that I am here in Sydney while reading it. It always seems like there is time to read on vacation - that somehow doesn't really exist when I'm at home. I also love that it's cold here. It's nice to curl up with a cup of tea and a blanket and read.

No Teacher Left Behind

Now I know we have heard of NCLB. But this week it was N-T-LB around my neck of the woods.

178 were on "The List" - this became a curse word around our campus for the last month and a half or so. I was not on "The List" - but a lot of my friends were. 8 in my department alone. And let me tell you - the tone on my campus was "No way - No how" - we were not going to lose any of our amazing, fantastic, stupendous*, down right cool teachers.

So the district and the union 'battled' it out. (They didn't have swords or anything - but that may have been amazing to watch) And to our delight gave us the option to vote early this week. 95% of the teachers in the district voted to keep our 178! And so all is well in the land.

It felt so good to know that our department would stay intact. We will be taking 7 furlough days next year. 3 teacher and 4 student days. That does make me think - now how am I going to teach all of this in 4 less days - but then again, homework isn't always a bad thing.



*I feel like the word stupendous is not used enough. It really is a great word.

The tale of Lizards and Chili

But not Lizard Chili - cause that would just be gross.

Yesterday I go out to feed the pup and I notice something in her mouth. It looks like a dark piece of bark (which she has been known to treat like a toy), so I didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed that her piece of bark had a leg, and talons, and it was missing a tail. EWWW! I nearly dropped all of her food - because like a good dog she tried to give it to me. Her poor little face said "here mom I got it just for you, aren't you proud". No Tonka - I'm not proud - I'm slightly grossed out and do not want my day to start with Lizard guts all over my leg.

I went back in the house and she proceeded to run around the yard with the lizard and show it to every tree, piece of bark, and then sat on the top of her house with the lizard hanging out of her mouth like a prize.

At one point in the day I looked outside to see if she was still carrying it around. She didn't have it, so I figured she had buried it in the yard. All was well. She came in the house - had a nice little chew on her bone and off to bed we both went. She has an amazing dogloo that she loves and will only sleep in there - which is okay with me because I don't need a dog in my bed.

Again - I go to feed the Tonka-roo and after pouring out her doggy breakfast I see none other than the dead lizard. It's in her bed. She had taken it into her house and was cuddling with it like it was one of her babies. Again - I'm slightly grossed out. Not as much as the day prior because she was not trying to rub it on my leg. But there is the dead lizard - now what do I do - I proceed to go tell Bren that while I'm out today he needs to get rid of the lizard. Thank goodness I have a great hubby, because when I got home, the lizard was disposed of.

And now for the Chili portion of our tale. Tomorrow there is a Chili for Charity event. It's an annual event at school. I have entered for three years now - and never won. But I'm hoping that this is going to be my year! I'm calling it Parsons' Chuck Chipotle Chili - I got the most beautiful chuck roast yesterday at Henry's. And I will be adding three different types of beans. (Black, Pinto, Red Kidney)

I made a rub this morning and seared off the meat and then put it in the crock-pot. The rub was made up of the following - I eyeball everything, don't really measure, so I will never be able to duplicate this again.

Worcestershire - a couple of good glugs
Soy Sauce - twice around the bowl
Coriander - one and a half handfuls
Cumin - one and a half handfuls
Chili Powder - two handfuls
Tabasco - couple of good glugs
Honey - just a smidge
Cinnamon - even tinier smidge
Three chipotle peppers - it comes in adobo sauce - cut them up so they are in tiny pieces

Once the meat is in the pot - de-glaze the pan with a cup of water and then pour that all over the meat in the pot. Let cook for many many hours. Skim off the fat (chuck is a fatty meat - it makes it very tasty but there will be some skimming involved).

Add the beans and keep cooking away. If it's not thick enough take some of the warm cooking liquid and add some flour stir it up and add it back to the pot.

I really REALLY hope that I win, but only time will tell. And about 50 people who have tickets to the event tomorrow.