backyard friends

We have a big yard with many trees. We have this year a pair of chicadees that decided to make their home in one of our many bird houses. They are working hard to keep them fed. I was lucky enough to get this picture this AM.

Auction

Well the store auction was the 13th. We attended until 2:00 and had to leave as my back was giving me fits. I cried a lot when things sold for too little. Oh well it is over and done. The auctioneer called me at 7:20 and said he just ended. WOW it started at 10:00. When we found out the total we were pleased. I plan on putting on the pictures of the room filled with the stuff.

Many of our friends were surprised that we attended the auction. So what did I do on Sunday but drive across the state for an auction that had some great fiesta. The bonus is I got to visit with Chuck and his wife. There were some good things there. Check out the hunt of fiesta blog to see the good stuff.

Andy and Jane

Counting down

Hate to say it but I am finally excited about summer coming. Friday is my last day of this school year. The first three weeks of the break will be getting ready for the big auction of the business on June 13th. I have to box up the shop and the one mall we are in. The auctioneer will be doing the actually picking up of the boxes as I can't lift anything that heavy.

Will have to get a whole lot of banana boxes for doing this.

Keep posted

Our Newest Antique

We finished cleaning up the country site and brought home our newest addition to the antiques. This is an very old hitching post. You tied up your horse and then used the steps to get on. This thing weighs a ton. It took a large backhoe to bring it into the yard.

Jane the Farmer

With my bum back and not being able to do much Jane has been a great help with my yard work. We went out to Dad's to get his tiller. She ran the thing and did a great job. This last weekend we planted our tomatoes. Now we get plant okra, lots of zinnias, basil sweet and thai, and some squash. Jane and I love fried squash blossoms. YUM.

New Blog

Jane and I thought it would be fun to do a blog about our search for Fiesta. Check it out.

Thanks
Andy and Jane

Busy

Thought I better blog something. Jane and I have been very busy. The contractor is finished clearing the property we own. This is the place where my father grew up. The place was so rundown and falling down so it was time to get it done. Well the acres is finished and we are not real happy with the job but we so much rain in the last 2 weeks the place was so wet and now we have large clots of dirt.

Then the kitchen should be started in about 2 weeks. The money is getting spent like we have it. I guess it is American to help simulate the economy. Will post some pictures when we get the new notebook up and going as the old one's card reader is not working so no pictures can be uploaded.

Also the property thing the people next door are getting upset as the contractors dozier tore up some thier property. Now we are having to deal with that. I guess I need to contact the contractor and bitch.

Oh well school is about over.

I have been trying to do something with facebook so take a look.

My back is better and not so much pain. This is a good thing but I am really trying not to lift and do much of anything.

Later
Andy and Jane

free dishes

Here is a change to get some free Fiesta.

Go to this blog.

http://justdishesdinnerware.blogspot.com/

Good Luck
Andy and Jane

Good Friend

It was about 12 years ago I met one of the best friends Jane and I have ever had. I was walking out of our garage and out ran a little black and white kitten. I had never really been very fond of cats but there was something about this one. Maybe it was the fact that our dachshund had died about a month before and I was longing for the love of a pet. Well the little bugger hung around but would always give you a wide path and would not come to you. So that summer I made it my task to see if I could get the little thing to eat from my hand. I used hot dogs to get his attention. I broke off a small piece and threw it to him. My aim wasn't very good as he would not get within 25 feet of me. He noticed the morsel and ate it. It took me a good two weeks but I finally got him to eat from my hand. We thought an outside cat wouldn't be that bad. So he lived under the back porch and when Jane and I would sit in the hot tub he would walk the edge around it. One night he came bearing a gift a dead mouse. He laid it on the deck next to the hot tub and looked as it to say aren't you proud of me. Then he played with it throwing it in the air. Finally one day he disappeared and we thought oh well he found a better place to live. It was about a week later and our daughter, Heather yelled out when we were eating dinner the cat is back. Sure enough looking through the dinning room window the that face. A couple of days later he must have met the local tom cat as he was beat up pretty good. It was then we decided he was to become an inside cat. We brought him in and we did not know if he was going to make it. He slept for two days but he pulled through. He went to the vet and was fixed and had his front claws taken care of. He became Kitty, I know not much of a name but that is what I named him. He adapted to the house like a fish takes to water. He had a few health scares but pulled through. I guess this last bought was too much as his kidneys. He went to the vet on Thursday and everything went down hill. The vet thought he was going to pull through until last night. Today we rubbed his ears and scratched his back and told him good bye. You could see it in his eyes as he looked at me as to say please dad make the suffering stop. It wasn't a hard decision after we visited with him. The vet agreed that it was time but when it came time for it to end Jane and I thought we could stay with him but we just couldn't do it. So he died without us there to rub his ears and scratch his back for one last time. It will be hard with him being around and sleeping on my lap while I watch TV. We know he is in a better place without the pain and suffering. I know God must have a place for loyal pets as how can they not have a special place when they bring such joy and happiness to people. Jane and I have some time to decide if we want to bury him here in the garden or out at our country property. I know he is gone and will it really help closure for Jane and I? The other option is to have the vet bury him out on a farm in the country. Either way we will have a memorial for him on the patio.

I will try to post a picture with this blog entry for all to see what a great friend he was to Jane and I.

Love to "Kitty" you are already so missed by Mommy and Daddy.

visit

While in St Louis visiting the doctor we made a special trip to Dillards to see is we can find some of the great buys people have been talking about. WELL we scored a big fat zero. Everything was not on sale. So decided to walk across the mall to Maceys. Same thing no great sales. We wanted some more cannisters to put on the new counters in the new kitchen.

Andy and Jane

The new Plastic Fiesta

All we can say is yuck!!!!!! It smells and looks completely gross. There will be none in our house.

Short post on the plastic fiesta at Dillards.

Andy and Jane

Teaching the Grandson

Having grandchildren is the greatest ever experience. Tonight we went our for Jane's birthday dinner. My mom and dad, our son John and his wife Kia was there along with the grandson. Papa has to teach him all the wrong things. I showed him how to hang his spoon of his nose. He did it after the 2nd try.

New Color

We know many of our friends like the new fiesta and get excited about the new colors. But for us they could make it in any color they want. Heavens how many colors or dishes does one need. If they would make something we could use like the bakers or cannisters then fine as we have purchased them and they do a great job. HLC must hope the people buying this stuff will not get tired of it. Personally the square stuff if a waste as the bowls do not stack and the only part of them that is squareish is the bottoms. I know squareish is not a word. From some of the posts I have read about the new fiesta the posters should be saying, "Hello, my name is _______ and I have an addiction."

Andy and Jane

Dr Visit

Well there is some much going on with my back I don't know where to start. Probably the worst is there is slippage of about 8mm between the S1 and L1 disc. The doctor told me it is not if I have surgery but when. There is about a 30 day lead time to get it done. I still want to see the Doctor at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis. This happens April 1st. I am thinking of putting this off until the middle of August as we have a long trip planned for the first part of August and then there is the Fiesta Conference. I know I shouldn't put it off that long but Jane has been looking forward to the trip. She tells me that it doesn't matter but I know she is just making me good. So I have to be a very good boy and not do something to cause any more problems with the discs.

Will keep everyone posted as to what St. Loius tells me. If you are a praying person say a prayer for me.

Thanks
Andy

health and a call for help

Well yesterday I got to see the report of the MRI from the neurosurgen. Basically I have stenosis which is where the bone around the spine shrinks and squeezes the spinal cord. I see a that Dr. on Tuesday and then from there to Barnes in St. Louis to see a specialists for a second opinion. The pain here lately has not been that bad. Getting out of bed is hard as it seems that is when I have the most pain. My primary care Dr. and the sports Medicine Dr. Tell me that I should put off surgery as long as possible. If I am not in sevre pain and don't have any weakness I should hold off. I will have to see what the two neurosurgens have to say. From there we will make a decession. If there is nothing else to be done but surgery then Jane and I will miss this year's conference.

When we go to the conference this year I will need help in getting things out of the van as I can not lift heavy items and heavens tubs of fiesta are not light. Any takers out there that might be going to the conference? I would then need some help in getting back to the van the stuff that does not sell. I am sure I could buy you a drink or two for helping Jane and I out.

We will have some good deals on items we are taking to this year's conference.

Thanks
Andy and Jane

boring

My blog must be very boring as no one comments anymore. ISAT testing will be over this week. Actually this week is makeups, but many of my students were gone last week so this week I am scrambling around getting students out of different classes to do the testing.

Not too much longer and we will be heading to Pittsburgh. We are still planning on attending.
Will not be there for the mixer as we will be coming in late on Thursday. We are setting up at the show and sale but not sure on how much stuff we will have. We will have some good deals as we are clearing out the inventory. Be sure to save your money as you can pick up the good deals.

Kind of like a fire sale.

Andy

Auction

It looks like we are looking towards the end of May for the antique shop auction. The person we want to use has an auction planned for the first weekend in May. Will post pictures and other news as it comes along.

Andy and Jane

rambling

Today I really don't have much to blog about. The big push for the big state test at school is causing many of us to panic. I am not just talking about teachers here. The students are also beginning to look stressed. There is so much push to do well on the test that is about all that is being talked about by teachers and administration. Yesterday I received my NEA magazine and there was an article about some school districts that were doing any with recess times in the lower grades as the district felt that this time could be put to better use to work on test prep. I think holding schools accountable is fine but at what costs. Several months ago this same publication wrote an article on a district that decided to change the local test to measure student growth. The students were doing well on the test but the administration decided to change the test. On the new test the students did terrible but on the other test they did great. Is it right to teach to one test? I personally think not as there are other things in education that are more important.

To get students pumped up we give away I-Pods and $100.00 gift cards. This seems to be a good idea but then again I wonder if it is effective.

Then you come to the students I work with. They have a hard time doing well on the tests. Many of them have difficulties with reading but we expect them to read the test on their own. No Child Left Behind says all schools will have 100% of the students meeting standards by 2012. What about the student that comes to school not feeling well that day or his or her dog died the night before. I am sure they will feel like doing their best on the test. I amazes me that people say it was something good from the Bush administration. When he was governor of Texas their education system was one of the worst in the Union. I would like to hear what others have to say about NCLB or the testing your student takes in school.

Then again there is talk about tieing teacher pay to how well your students do on the test. Not every class is the same and from year to year each is different. The of course there are students that really don't care about the tests as they do not get a grade on it.

Slum Dog Millionaire

We treked out to see the movie Slum Dog Millionaire. I really liked it as a good story of good overcomes evil. Jane thinks it was different but she liked. I would tell you to go see it. The movie does show how poor people suffer through out the world.

King Cakes

Today decided to give the Mardi Gras thing a try and made a couple cream cheese filled King Cakes. This is my first try at making them. The smelled good baking in the oven. Couldn't find the springles so did the colored icing. Will have to try them tommorow. I made one for each of our work places. Will post tommorow to see how they turned out. We did not have the baby to put in them.

High Stakes Testing

Next week we start the high stakes standard testing that goes with no child left behind. This is so important that we do nothing for 2 or so weeks before the test going over concepts we think will be on the test. It is madding that one thing can cause your school to completely shift and do things different. Now we are having a pep rally to pump the students up. I am not saying this is wrong but it sure does change the way things were. We even put the names of students that meet and excede on the tests names in for drawings for I-pods.

What really drives me crazy is that No Child Left Behind says all children should pass the test by 20012. Nothing 100%.

Just me ranting.

Andy and Jane

New Direction

We decided to end our career in the antiques and collectibles business. We are looking for an auctioneer to sell the inventory of the shop and the antiques malls we are in. The drive is not there and it is getting to be more than what we want to fool with. I will still sell a little on ebay. We are keeping the fiesta inventory and sell most of it at the conference this year. We have been selling in malls or at the shop for over 18 years and want to do something else. It will be nice to reclaim the garage and the basement. The building is one thing we haven't come to decision about what to do with it. Once it is empty we are thinking about renting it out. I guess we will decide once it is empty. There is also the possibility to sell it at auction but don't think we can get the price we want for it.

Grandson turns two

This last Sunday our grandson turned two. There was a large party and he received some great toys. Like the kid needs any more toys. Grandchildren are so great and a blast to be around. He calls us Papa and Monga. The wife is not too crazy about being known as Monga.

Our Valentines Day

Valentines Day is special to us as that was our first date 29 years ago. We went to the movies and out to eat at Sprouts Inn. To celebrate we stayed in and I cooked for her. She loves her fillet Mignon. So tonight we had fillets, baked potatoes, and roasted asparagus. For desert I fixed crepes filled with strawberries and covered with some dark chocolate. We were going to the show tonight but didn't see anything we want to see. I hope you and your lover had a great Valentines Day.


Happy Valentine's Day Glitter Graphics

Tonight

Oh Boy! Tonight I am here at school with the 7th and 8th grade for the Valentines Day Dance. I am the faculty sponsor for the student council. What a great way to spend you evening. I tried to get my wife to drive up and help with the dance. I wonder why she turned me down. I guess I should tell it would be worth a trip to the jewerly store, for those that know this should work. Oh well there is one more dance this year and I think I might try that with her. It should be a good time as there a many of the teachers that are coming to help with crowd control. I hope the force is with me.

Great American Wing Feast

Today in Quincy 18 restaurants came together at the convention center was a wing cook off. For $5.00 a person got you all the wings you could eat. There were wings from insane to mild and in between. A great bargain for lunch today. A couple of cold brews to go with it made a good afternoon. Jane and I had a good time. What was funny was Jane and I went to the gym after eating the wings. Walked for 40 minutes.

Andy and Jane

Wonderful suprise

Jane and I was sitting in church this morning waiting for mass to start. The mass started and then all of a sudden a person was pushing us further into the pew. I looked over if was our son, daughter-inlaw, and the grandson. Jane and I were really shocked. We have been praying they would start bringing him to mass. He was great during the entire mass and that has to be hard for a little boy that will be two in 14 days. He got a little vocal once or twice but he did quiet down. He saw the candles over by one alter and that got him going. The group of us headed over to a pancake and sausage at one of the other Catholic Churches. We had a great breakfast and that prompted me to post this picture. Some great maple syrup coming out of these syrups would be great. Enjoy the pictures.

6 kids plus 8 more

What the heck why would someone with 6 children want 8 more? Then to have them all at once. The person who had the octuplets already had 6 children. This person lives with her parents and her 6 children. I wonder if there was any fertility drugs? Sounds like yours and my money is paying for this one with increased insurance premiums. Maybe not. I have 2 children and this is plenty. I guess if you can afford it then fine but this sounds crazy to me.

Not Suprised

Guess not to many people are shocked about the Governor losing this office. The thing that suprises me is that all 69 of the state senate voted to remove him from office. I guess the thought that this vote might be held against them in the next general election. Now, we are not against him being removed. I don't know if this will help Illinois much as the problems lie deeper than the Governor. When times were good the state spent the money and did not save for a rainy day. Did anyone see the cabbage patch doll of our kicked out of office governor? Looks very much like him.

Spring not too FAR?

Yes the seed catalogs are coming in the mail. Could spring not to far off. It is fun going through and planning what to plant. This year I will not go crazy like last year. I planted heirloom tomatoes all from Kentucky. We had 35 plants and more fruit then we knew what to do with. This year I think we will have 8 plants and plenty of basil. We like the sweet basil and the thai varities. The rest of the garden will be planted with flowers. We like zinnias for cut flowers and they don't need much care. If we can get someone to plow some ground at our country place then we will plant a lot of the zinnias and then sell them at the farmer's market. Also we will plant a large crop of sweet corn. We also have planned to redo several of the flower beds. Pictures will be coming later this year.

2009 HLCCA Conference

If you are going to the conference ask your person on the board to keep the Friday night auction. There might be a chance that they will not have it this year. I don't know about you but we enjoy the auction. I know that sometimes the people that consign don't get the prices they want for their items.

Andy and Jane

Too darn COLD

Tonight into the AM we are looking at -27 degrees with the windchill. This is Illinois not the North Pole. I hear about the warm weather in Arizonia and California and Jane and I think when retirement comes we might have to winter in some other place. Who knows what will be happening when that times comes. But it is a nice thought to hope for. Well I guess I will go off to the gym and brave the cold. Jane is not going with me as she thinks I am crazy. School has not been called off here yet but I would think with the windchill being around 27 degrees below they would think of it. I guess it will take one superintent to get brave and make the call and the others might follow. Of course if we do not use any more snow days we will be out of school on May 15th which sounds really great. So I hope if you are reading this you are some place warm.

If not be safe and stay warm

Andy and Jane

What now in Illinois

Wow, the whole Illinois house except one member voted to impeach our Governor. Talk about feeling not being wanted. I have to say is it can't happen fast enough for getting the crook from office. Probably the best thing this looser has complete is to name the person to replace Obama. As many people he has pissed off in both houses in the Illinois government our governor probably should be looking for some other type of employment. Then there is his other problem with the Feds. The job of con will fit him. Leave it to Illinois politics but from what I have read Illinois is not the worse for political problems, Louisiana is supposed to be worse. I did not vote for him in the last election, one of the few times I voted against the Democrat running for office. Would like to see what others think?

Andy and Jane

NBCs Momma's Boy

Thought I would check this show out. From the hype on the show we thought what the heck. I can not believe that NBC has not pulled the plug on this show. It is a total waste of time and money. That one mom is so crazy where in the hell they dig her up. I think the girls of color on the show ought to take her out to the closest tree and tar and feather her just before put the rope around her neck.

I wonder what the ratings on this mess is?

A pisssed off Andy

Back to Work

Man what was that sound at 6:00 am? Back to the real world and back to school. I am sure I am not the only teacher dreading the back to work. One good thing is that the school year is half over. Only 75 school days to go until the end of the school year. So next school year will be my 20th year of teaching. The world of special education is changing and the next school year will probably look different. I hope it is a change for the good. Education has a tendency to swing from one extreme to the other.

I guess it is not so much of dreading going back to teaching but getting back into the routine.

The New Year

Finally the Christmas season is about over. Many people really get into the season but so much has been lost from the true meaning of Christmas. So many people are in need and I see so much waste. I am greatful for my for my family and are so proud of them. The New Year is an exciting time in our country. Hopefully the new adminstration can turn the country around.

I guess I am just bumed out and just wanting to get back into the swing of things.