I swear I'm still here!

I seem to be saying this a lot lately, but thanks to everyone who is still checking in during these prolonged absences.

Things are hectic at work, I've been a little under the weather, and I've been busting my tail doing farm work during my free time!

...but I am still here!

Unless something really unexpected happens this week, I will be headed to Vermont on Thursday night. I'm very excited about seeing my old buddies and maybe doing a little bit of hiking...

By the way, it's been a while since I've posted any pictures. If I do end up hiking next weekend, I'll be sure to post the views for you.

...My beloved Buffalo Bills still stink (0-3), but I don't hold it against them.

...My wife's beloved Penn State Nittany Lions lost to Michigan, blowing their chance at a national title.

...As you can read at Croit Coille na Dragan, the weather has been bloody awful.

...I've been listening to Sean Hannity on the way home from work. Can anyone say Rush, Jr.? They both drive me insane. There is a major void in American politics. I do not know of a party or candidate that represents middle class, anti-immigration, anti-runaway-development, gun-loving, tax-hating Americans. The G.O.P. represents big business, globalization, and illegal aliens. The Democrats represent those who wish to control us, minorities, urbanites, "progressives" (synonym for socialists), and a variety of other "colorful" groups. It's rather frustrating.

Wow, I have a million other things to talk about, but I really need to get to bed. Quickly:

I went to the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival two weeks ago. It was wonderful, as usual.

I saw this super cool magazine called "Wild Fibers." You can check out their website here.

The Canadian dollar (CAN$) began trading equal the U.S. dollar (US$) on Friday morning, even exceding it at midday. I don't know if the Canadian dollar has strengthened, the American dollar has weakened, or a little of both. I also heard that the U.S. dollar hit a new low against the Euro. Probably not a good sign for the United States of America...

Okay, time to hit the sack. I will try to shorten the time between posts, but I make not guarantees. I wish everyone in the blogsphere well. Until next time!

A Trip to Vermont???

My best friend is supposed to get leave from the Army in a couple of weeks, at which time he'll go home to Vermont to visit his family. I wanted to go, but my wife wasn't keen on the idea. (It's a 7-8 hour drive to his place) I last saw him in January when he was headed out west to his new station.

It's very very odd, but I've been thinking about high school a lot the past week. It obviously has to do with the fact that I'm in a high school all day, but I didn't think about it back when I was student- or substitute teaching.

I'm seriously considering going to Vermont - despite my wife's objections - and spending a day with my friend. I really haven't had any male companionship since he went into the Army, and that was three years ago. I'm thinking that sometimes you just need someone that knows where you're coming from - someone who isn't your wife. I feel guilty about it, but there are some things that I don't feel comfortable discussing with her. They aren't important things, just stupid things from my younger days.

It's been one week since you looked at me...

Wow, it's been a week since I've visited the old web log. Teaching sure has cut down on my posting, not to mention my blog reading.

Things are going well at work. It's awesome to be back in the classroom; I feel like a new man-child.

Things at home are well...but hectic. I think that our oldest pup had a stroke tonight. (She's 14.5 years old) She was fine, and then all of a sudden she jumped up (she hasn't jumped in about 2 years) and started running around the house, peeing all over everything, and barking her head off. Aside from the peeing all over everything, it was way out of character. We let her out, figuring that if she was going to let everything go we'd rather it be in the yard. Well, she proceeded to run around one of the barns - in a gear that I'd thought she'd lost - five consecutive times. Then she decided to run away, and I had to chase her down before she could make the brush. I was able to catch her and calm her down, but she was still a little nuts. I brought her back inside where she trotted around the house until we put some food in front of her... She seems "okay" now, but she obviously experienced something major.

I'm thinking stroke because one of her ears looked "paralyzed" in a position farther back than usual, but I'm certainly not a veterinarian and it could have been anything.

I had already made peace with her inevitable departure (she had a very different, but equally frightening episode more than a year ago), but the whole thing is REALLY hard on my wife. The two of them have been together since Lady was born, and my wife was only 10.

The Weather Outside

Somehow it managed to get really dry without me even realizing it. I'll chalk it up to the fact that I've been preoccupied preparing for September 05 (tomorrow!). Even though it felt like it rained half of the days in August, we never got more than a couple of millimeters at a time. Combine that with the fact that we had a number of days above 32 degrees Celsius (about 90 degrees Fahrenheit) and all of a sudden it's really dry...

We're up to 27 days at or above 30 degrees Celsius. This Thursday and Friday are supposed to be about 32, and Saturday is going to be right on that 29/30 divide. If the weathermen are proven correct, we will get to at least 29 days at or above 30. If Saturday makes it to 30 we will have been a full heat zone warmer than normal this summer. As it is, we've already had about 50% more days at or above 30 than usual...

...Global Warming? It depends on who you ask.