It's a jungle out there...literally

So I never go out into my backyard. It's L-shaped and the back door leads to the side yard. To see the back part, I would have to go outside and peak around the corner of my house. But what reason do I have to do that? Well, I got one this weekend.
Our backyard serves one sole purpose: Ruby's toilet. So last week, when I let her out, I noticed she started going in the side yard and I didn't want to have to go on Poo Patrol in that area, too. So I poked my head around the corner of the yard to see why she stopped going back there.
Behold! A literal jungle of weeds. Weeds that were in full bloom. There was no flat area to step anywhere. If you wanted to walk back there, your feet would have disappeared. There were weeds that came up past my stomach. Now that's a tall weed.
Apparently Ruby decided that it was undesirable to use a potty that had morphed into a jungle. So I conceded and cut the grass - I mean, weeds - this weekend. Ugh. The poor mower was groaning at me.
In my feeble defense, yard upkeep is Kevin's job. So it's not my fault that our backyard (and slowly, unfortunately, our front yard as well) no longer looks like people live in the house. When the yard man and chef are gone, the household residents make do with as little effort as possible.

A do-able New Year's Resolution

After much chagrin, I have finally identified a New Year's resolution that, so far, I have been able to keep. So, without further ado...

(ahem)....

I resolve to start and finish grading papers and record them in my gradebook the day my students complete the assignment.

No more staring at piles of papers to grade wondering if they would perhaps look better in the nearest trash can...

So far, I'm 2 for 2! I feel so proud. :)~

Are you kidding me?

Now my garage door won't work right.

Damn it.

Damn Murphy's Law

After 5 long days, Kevin has finally made it to his final destination, Camp Dubbs. He says it's an extremely small base with about 50ish American troops and 120ish French troops. He said he's talked with the 5 people he'll be working with and the base is very safe (although I must say I'm taking that with a large grain - more like a chunk the size of a lick - of salt). His travels took him from Ft. Riley, Kansas to Topeka to Ireland to Romania to Kyrgyzstan to a main camp in Afghanistan and FINALLY to his camp. That's alotta travelling in 5 days. He said he'll be working 12-hour shifts 7 days a week and his living conditions are livable. He also said that all the people he works with are dog-lovers so he will have much opportunity to have many philosophical discussions about Cesar Milan and his dog whispering.

Meanwhile I'm getting ready to leave for my parents' house in S.C. I was planning on leaving on Monday, but alas, the once and ONLY time in my life that my car decides to have its battery die while I'm not at my house is while I was out doing last minute errands on Saturday and of course this happens when Kevin is half a globe away. Damn Murphy's Law (hence the title of this posting). Fortunately, I was in the parking lot of Cahall's Deli (world's best chicken salad sandwich for anyone who wants to eat a piece of heaven) and the owner was super nice and offered to jump me - uh, I mean my car (wow - in writing that definitely comes off not how I meant it to). Luckily, my heroic friends Josh and Tina were able to rescue me and jump my car so I could get home. And even more luckily, my very wonderful mechanic (Kevin Iferd for those of you in Panama City who may need a reliable, honest car fixer) said he'd come fix my car on Sunday night or Monday morning as soon as he got in from being out of town.

So I guess the moral of this post is (aside from the general information sharing of Kevin's deployment status) Murphy may strike unexpectedly and inconveniently, but good friends will always triumph over him.