Thanksgiving Run Down -

Why does gravy make everything better.

Wold Peace could be achieved with my father's gravy I'm sure of it.

So I had a week off of school. Which was wonderful. I didn't get enough grading done. But when do I ever get enough grading done. Really though... 160 - 4+ essays.

I did get a class set done and made it through part of another class. It was a good showing really. I wanted to get 10 done every day. But it just didn't happen.

I spent too much time with family and friends. And really when is that ever a bad thing.

Tomorrow I begin teaching the business letter. To my sophomores. I'm also going to be teaching them how to grade on a rubric. That way they can self grade their own paper - well - them and a partner in class. We'll see how it goes. I've done peer grading but it should be interesting to see how this turns out. I'm going to make a VERY detailed rubric for them to go over. That way all I have to do is spot check to see if they have done it right.

Personally I think it's hard to mess up a business letter once you have learned the format. But looking over the MLA on some of these research papers. I don't think these kids listen to a thing I say.

Maybe if i cover their papers in gravy they'll all get A's...

It's a thought!

10,000+

I know I say it often - but I love where I work.

The kids are great - staff is great - it's just great.

Every year we hold a canned food drive. This year our ASB director (Award Winning - by the way) set a goal of 10,000 cans.

We have a school of 3,400+ students and a staff of over 150.

Over two weeks we added to the growing pile of cans. I offered my 5th period a deal. If they gave me money I would go to Winco and by cans. Well they were more than generous with their donations. I made three trips to the store and purchased over 500 cans. All together with the cans students brought from home we donated 598 cans.

The entire school raised 10,378 cans. The food pantry had to bring three trucks to take all of the food back.

It was a great day to be a bronco.

Not all Caramel is like that Caramel

So I had this plan. It was a great plan.

I love going to check out Creation Corner she has a link party every Friday and I saw this project

and I thought - I can totally make that happen for my book club.

We read - Water for Elephants. Which by the way is a super fun book. It's a quick read and a little saucy in some places. I am looking forward to seeing how it's going to be adapted for the big screen - but not super excited that "Edward" is going to be playing the main role.

So because our book was about the circus I thought it would be fun to have food themed around the book. Who doesn't love food on a stick.

And so there was a plan to go to our friend Ellen's house for a good ol' time. Well Ellen's daughter got sick and so we had to make a quick change and our very generous friend Jess offered to host at her house.

She was awesome and put together a party in a matter of minutes - full on with food on a stick. I planned to bring caramel apple bites.

Sadly my caramel apples did not look like this:I had a little issue.

I couldn't find the same caramel bits that had been used in the recipe. So I thought that it would be okay to use branch's caramel pieces. I put them in a sauce pan and started to melt them down.

I used my melon baller to cut out my little mini apples. I was on my way to mini apple greatness.

Or so I thought...

I set out my parchment paper and was ahead of schedule. I was able to see that the caramel set and thought people were going to be amazed by my crafty-goodness. I went to bed dreaming of my delicious treats.

I got up in the morning and this is what I found:
Here was the problem. The apples were very juicy which is typically a good thing. But in my case it was bad. My caramel melted right off my apples.

But I had to bring some treat to book club. I was determined not to show up empty handed.

So thank goodness for supermarkets.

I tried - and that's what counts right?

Book Club

Today I am meeting with my friends to discuss the quirky novel Water for Elephants.

I am looking forward to an afternoon of fun, laughter, some good food, and a great discussion about a fun book.

True Story

Tonight I went out with a couple of my teacher friends for dinner.

As you know My Car is out of commission. And my friend Jess offered to take me home. She asked if I wanted to come out to dinner with her and our friends.

So we went over to Panera for dinner.*

My Friend Jess is dating Mike - Mike is Dave's brother - Dave is married to Nicole - Nicole is also my friend. It all comes together in the end. And feels a bit like 6 degrees of separation. Somehow I now feel the need to mention Kevin Bacon in this post.

Anyway... I was enjoying a delicious half roast beef sandwich and small bowl of tomato soup. We were all having a normal conversation when Mike (Who was also enjoying a roast beef sandwich) mentioned that he would like some horse radish sauce - I said I would go get some for the table.

I walked up to the counter and there was a man sitting near where I was standing. I ask the girl behind the counter for the horse radish sauce and see one of my former students. I say hello to E - tell the girl behind the counter that I know him because, he was a former student. Then the man sitting near the counter says strikes up this conversation -

Random Guy - So you're a teacher
Me - Yes
RG - You teach around here
Me - Yes
RG - High school teacher (nods his head in a weird way) - so does he get extra credit if he gives you extra sauce?
Me - No, he's a former student... (Please imagine the awkward silence that then took place)

I get back to the table and share that I think that a strange guy just tried to flirt with me. We all laugh at the table and continue on with our meal. Then the strange thing happened. Mike was trying to pour some of the horse-radish sauce on his sandwich when the tiny plastic cup holding the sauce flew out of his hand and went flying across the table. All. Over. Me.

I was laughing so hard that I couldn't speak. It was like it happened in slow motion. I saw it headed towards me and I couldn't react in time. Jess had to help clean me off. I don't even know how it was possible but I had horse-radish in my pocket, on my shirt, on the collar of my shirt, in my hair, on my leg. I was spicy and awesome.

The moral of this story is - well... I'm not sure what the moral of the story is.

So........ Happy Friday tomorrow!

*Stop what you're doing and go there for dinner or lunch or brunch or linner** ASAP - your brain will overflow with joy at the deliciousness.

**Linner is the meal to be eaten between Lunch and Dinner.