Warm Fuzzies

I just want to say thank you to everyone who left me such amazingly sweet, sincere, and uplifting messages during my freak out session over Bible Chick bailing.  It gave my heart warm fuzzies (thus the picture) and I felt I needed to come out of my hiding corner and say thanks.

In other news, my favorite holiday (Groundhog Day) is just around the corner and I have done something ONLY I would do in our school.  I have convinced my students that the holiday is A-mazing (which it is) and they are stoked for it to get here.  I mean, they are wanting to wear costumes, make cards, see if we can watch anything on a live-streaming video, etc.  Not only am I doing my best to impart positive attitudes towards all people on the next generation who will make/break laws, I'm also single-handedly trying to revive the best American holiday.  I'll let you know how it goes, but in the meantime...who is hoping for a shadow and who isn't?  Just wondering because the class is split right down the middle.  

I leave you with a story from today created by D (A little boy who I have a love/hate/love relationship with-he loves to interrupt me and I hate it, but I love what he has to say):

Me: So, yeah.  That's Groundhog Day.  Thoughts, opinions, feelings?

D: (emphatically) I hate the groundhog.

Me: (over-dramatically shocked) I'm sorry what?  What was that exactly?  Did you just say you HATE the groundhog?

D: Yes.  I'm tired of winter.  So if he sees his shadow, we are going to have some issues.

Me: What if he doesn't see his shadow and spring is coming?

D: Then I will love him.  I might even make him a song.

Me: Oh, I see.  You have conditional love for the groundhog.  I see the game you're playing.

D: I mean, I like winter, but I'm tired of being cold.  I want to play outside.  I know it's not his fault and I shouldn't blame him, but, but.  (Sigh) My relationship with the groundhog is..........complicated.

Yes people, he went there.

Did we just break up?

So Bible Chick peaced again.  I know, I know, you're thinking, "Why are you friends with her?"  We go way back people, don't judge.  We have been friends since 2001 and have been through a lot together, the good-we laughed, the bad-we cried, the ugly-we judged, the fabulous-we got souvenirs, but through it all we have stayed friends.  Through distance, bad relationships, work, life, etc. we have always made it work.  

So here's the situation: I checked my phone after work and there was a sniffly, scratchy, broken message that said, "Hey girl it's me.  I'm SOOOOO sorry, but I can't meet tonight.  It's not you.  Honest.  It's me.  I'll call and explain when I can talk.  Again, I'm SOOO SOOO sorry, but I'm just not in a good place right now.  Alright, love you.  Bye."

Ok, is it me, or does it sound like we just broke up?  (You were thinking it too, admit it.)  For serious, who leaves a message canceling dinner with, "It's not you, it's me" and "I'm just not in a good place right now"?  That's the sh*t you say to someone when it IS them.   Really though, she had to leave a mildy-cryptic message like that, because I would develop a complex and a detailed story about how it totally was me if she didn't.  That I had done something, that my roommate outing me to her was an issue, that I was an ass, etc.  The truly scary thing is, she's not the only one who has ever left me a message like that.  Soooo, maybe it is me?  That I need freakish reassurance from those close to me when they cancel...that I'm not being abandoned or something?  I feel like now I'm sharing too much, it went from being funny to being personal.  Ok, I'm done.

Now I'm in a conundrum.  I've looked and looked and looked and tried to rework it in my head, but nothing feels right.  I can't erase all that about me at the end because if I do it's not being true to myself, and honesty is what it's all about.  But leaving it makes me feel all naked and exposed.  Grrr, I hope you are happy readers....this post is for you (cue me hiding in the corner waiting for the next post to reveal itself)

Too funny NOT to share

Seriously, this is ridiculous and I feel like I am living in an episode of The Twilight Zone.  I have been gluten free for just over three years now after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so essentially I have kept a diet completely free of all wheat, rye, spelt, MSG, gluten, and just recently began eating oats-certified GF of course-and loving them.

I know, none of this is especially interesting, I'm getting there, I'm getting there-you needed this background information!  Well my dog, as many of you know sheds like a MoFo...and for those of you who don't know, it's bad y'all.  My mom calls him a walking christmas tree because he sheds like a real tree sheds needles.  You can tell where he has been by the trail of fur he leaves behind.  She was talking with one of her friends about him and they suggested I add fish oil to his diet.

Me, being me, started Googling about dog food brands, shedding, etc. until I found a brand of food that they sell at the local tree-hugger-pet-friendly-we-carry-a-little-bit-of-everything-store which I have never been to because I didn't know they sold pet food (their front sign is misleading, and they have furniture in the window, so really, not all my fault.)  Off I went with my list in hand, ready to get food until I got to the isle.  Holy overwhelming.  I stood there like a kid asked to read Mandarin in front of the school until the dog food guy came over to my rescue.  He was super helpful and we talked about his shedding issue, what I had found online, etc.  Here is a paraphrased conversation that followed:

Me: Well he sheds a lot.  Like, a whole lot and brushing doesn't seem to help.

DFG: What breed is he?  Is he supposed to shed?

Me: A terrier mutt.  Nothing that should shed like he does.

DFG: Does he scratch a lot?

Me: Yeah, I mean not constantly but he scratches.

DFG: Is his belly always really pink.  Not like pale pink, but really pink?

Me: Um, yes.

DFG: Does he sneeze often?

Me: Um, yes. (feeling slightly creeped out that the DFG has got to be spying on my house)

DFG: It sounds like he has allergies.

Me: Allergies?  What kind of allergies?

DFG: Most likely to his food.  Odds are he's allergic to corn...and probably wheat...but definitely corn.  It's actually very common in dogs, and changing his food should help a lot.

[end conversation]

Now, I inappropriately started laughing, which just made me look like an ass but I couldn't help it.  No worries, I explained it to DFG and he laughed too.  My dog is allergic to his food.  Specifically he is allergic to corn and (probably) wheat.  I told my roommate this when I got home, she also inappropriately laughed and said, "Could your dog be any more perfect for you?"  I called my mom and she too laughed inappropriately.  I overheard her tell my dad-who is apparently the only person I know with a heart because he didn't laugh and said, "Poor little guy!"

So now we are trying out two samples-it will come down to Lamb and Rice or Venison and Sweet Potato...stay tuned to the riveting ending of this story, hopefully with less shedding, sneezing and scratching!