Trip to Mejier Gardens in Grand Rapids with Paul

Here is a frog that Paul noticed and told me to get a good picture of him. I like frogs. He was very cute.

So many butterflies and then tiny birds.
I swear the momma bird (I think they are quail) was only as big as my hand - not even. Then the babies were even smaller.
The people who worked there, said the mom usualy keeps the babies hidden most of the day as they could easily be stepped on or grabbed by little kids.
We went mostly to see the butterflies.
The area was really big and had a waterfall and lots of trees and it was amazing.

Tom didn't go, I guess he figured it was like the one on Mackinaw - small.
I was amazed.
We had missed the extra special - more expesive butterflies. Although we saw a couple really awsome moths and the blue backed ones. Paul knows the names - not me.

Enjoy

Finally some pictures

OK,

First we have the new dog.

Brando

Then I got the new to ME car - Blue Honda Civic -2003

It got 40 miles to the gallon on the first tank of gas.

And lastly -

We picked up Lenny Pig's new girlfriend today.

She is very soft, very sweet and VERY Calm.

Sammie Pig.

Happy first 60 degree day of the year!!!!!!

OH MY -
Can it get any busier around here??????

OK, so we start with my job. Meetings after school wear me out. The most recent is how are we going to get the kids to follow the rules as we get to the end of the year??? JOY

Two, - We now own a Dog. Yep, English Bull Dog. He has been here for a over a week now. I'm sure Brando (it was Rambo - give the poor thing a break) is very happy to be in one place for more than 3 days. His old owners left him locked up for up to 10 hours at a time and wondered why the poor guy kept peeing on the floor.
(I can't hold it that long can you???)

Tom was rather happy up until yesterday. Brando has been rather good until we went to work yesterday. Tom came home to find smarty dog had chewed up a wood chair. Not the whole thing, and you can't tell unless you look at the other chairs and go - Oh something is missing. But man was Tom an unhappy fellow. (I have theories on why - but doesn't really matter.)

Next, I finally gave up the grand marquis. Yes the giant boat car has sailed away. Between the gas and getting it fixed - I think we were in a losing battle.
I kept saying I wanted a Honda (Hybrid) well, I got 1/2 way there. I got a Low emmission (maybe came here from Cali) Honda Civic lx. Not a bad car, but an '03 and well - as long as I get more than 30 miles to the gallon for a couple years, It should be worth it.

Yes, I know - post pictures. I have to go out today and wash the car and then I can take pictures.
My happiness comes from - I can now use my new floor mats that match the steering wheel cover and I can finally get my seat covers out again. I have seat covers that I bought my first trip to Hawaii and they only go on Bucket seats, PARTY.

Well, off to get Lenny's stitches out. (Poor boy lost a few parts.... lol) I have heard that a little girl pig is coming to a shelter near me. I hope to hear something this weekend. I don't want to go buy a pig. I want to rescue one.

Happy first 60 degree day of the year - ok if they didn't lie....

I have my weekends back

Look at all the silly stuff I can get into now that I have my weekends back.

We are doing a "Flat Stanely" type thing with the guinea pig people I talk to. Someone found a beanie baby guinea pig and we are shipping it around the country, with Canada and the UK too.

Everyone is taking pictures and posting them and what did I do? I took a bunch of pictures and Tom and I basically did a quick stop action thing.

Its a couple different little things, and it looks cute.
You will probably not be impressed in any way shape or form, but it was fun and I can use it as an example for the kids.

Waldo Adventures

First Day at School

So how much of the new kid on campus did I feel today?????

It was pretty bad. I was all pyched out that I was going to have to go into the classroom and PERFORM like RIGHT NOW.
That is what it is like to teach, you are Performing!!!!!!!

Anyway, I got really lucky. The principal wanted me to have a couple days to get a feel for the place. I spent today on the Editor.
Ok, it does lots of stuff, but really any machine I have used does what it does.
I did the whole tutorial that shows you how to edit. But the two things it lacked in the tutorial is HOW DO YOU GET THE VIDEO INTO THE MACHINE, and HOW DO YOU GET IT OUT??????
I have a bit of an idea, and My friend is coming tomorrow to help me figure it out. We are going to focus on the studio and see what we can get out of there. I think everything works, but we'll have to try it all, to be able to do anything in there soon.

I get the students on Monday. We'll see how that goes.
Everyone keeps telling me to come in crazy mean, and then you can chill out later.
Wish me luck.

MSU Orchid show 08

Dad, Paul, and I went to the MSU Orchid show. Pictures by Tom Frederick

Hey sorry, Valentine pictures......

Wonder of Wonders

It seems that there will be a new job in my future.

THE VERY NEAR FUTURE......

Ok, basically they offered it to me - I just have to pass muster with the board of education.
Did you catch that? I knew you would.

Yes, I have been offered a teaching job in Ecorse, MI. It is basically off 75 and a little north of Southfield road. ALL the way over by the water. They have the steel plant down on West Jefferson there.

I should start next week. At least I would guess that is the story.
I saw the TV studio - oh yeah - did I mention - I'll be teaching Television production.......

They have some MAJOR equipment in there. I am amazed at what they spent to make this studio. Well, you can't say the kids won't be prepared if they really learn to use it.
They could almost skip Specs Howard with the equipment we have.

The people I have met are REALLY nice.

I should have lots more to tell you next week.
Tammy

OH MY - Really it's 2008

Hi all, Sorry I have been on in FOREVER.
Not that anyone complains to me.

Things I can quickly say - then add pictures later.

1. Got a girl Piggy in the fall. Fiona - She and Winslow get along great. (Remember Winslow was fixed forever ago.)
2. Work was murder over the holidays.
3. Hence I was very sick...
4. New Years I slept.
5. Work is slow - good for my sanity.
6. Car go mush, I am fine.
7. Cost way too much to fix, but can't afford another car, so we will pay it.

Ok, you are caught up.
Pictures to come, although I forgot to take pictures of the car...

Time for Wedding Pictures.

Well, I know it has almost been a whole month. I actually had the pictures done weeks ago, I just hadn't gotten all the indexes and cd's made to ship out. I can do that today.
Here are some shots from Trina's wedding. Everyone had a great time. And you have to admit that we all looked good.

New Position

Well, Many of you probably know that I switched stores in the last week.
I am now working in Grosse Point.

The store is much bigger, the business if mostly finishing - that just keeps going up. And it is a little messed up.
They have been having problems with associates that were giving schedules that were just not useable to the store. Certain days of the week you need more people and when everyone is in class or something - that makes it impossible.

I was allowed to hire someone this last week and I think it will work out ok.
Everyone there is friendly, they just need to get a little more organized. My boss is helping me with my part of the organization, and I'm working on the others now.

Too much to do. Really I am not kidding. I feel like I am running the entire time I am there.
Well, hopefully I can get a few things under control before Christmas. OH MY, that will be crazy.

This also means I work 6 days a week and have no life. I think I'm working 9 days straight the next 2 weeks. OUCH
So, try not to be upset when I am not available.
I barely have time to take care of piggies. Which is just WRONG.. Take care, hopefully I'll have something interesting to share soon.

Pirates - Talk like a Pirate day was this week.

My pirate name is:

Captain Mary Kidd

Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Career test. HA HA

OK, so I took the career question test on the site Naarah dragged up.
I saw one question that had to do with sales and since I nicked it, of course retail did not hit the list really.
I forget to look at the bottom..
I'll have to go back after I finish this.

HMMM, not surprising at all considering the number of things I have done with my life....

1. Recording Engineer
2. Power Plant Operator
3. Dry Cleaner
4. Printing Press Operator
5. Director
6. Film and TV Crew
7. Film Editor
8. Sound Technician
9. Automobile Assembler
10. Director of Photography
11. Production Woodworker

Too bad getting into a couple of those jobs are very few and far between here in Michigan..
ah well.
Go to Naarah's page to get the place to run your own test.

Camping - oh the joy

As I mentioned in the other post I went camping with Carrie and Matt. We had a good weekend. I was sort of group outing and we met some other cool people there.

Jo Ann is walking with Carrie - they were cleaning up the breakfast dishes.

I cooked and they cleaned, that was kind of nice. You can see the giant blue and white tent past the cars, that is my tent. Matt's is the solid blue that you can barely see.

Matt wandered over and I got a picture of him. Oh I have to find the funny picture of me that he took.

Ok, there is the picture of me. It was raining and I was getting into my tent, or his at the moment. I think his. Matt has a cute little camera and we had fun playing with it.

Once the rain started mine stayed safely in the jeep.

Down here is the picture of the tents up in the back yard. Well, I would try to go take another picture, but they are all over the deck and in the garage. Matt, Carrie - if you think we got wet Camping, You should have seen Tom and I last night. We were in Torrential rain last night taking stuff down, because the big tent tried to blow away. I have to go dig the rest of the stakes out of the ground. I need a bunch of those yellow stakes.

The food tent wasn't going anywhere till I pulled up the one Tom put in the front and back at the zippers.

Off to try and dry out tents again.... Now have to see if there is two tons of grass on them to get cleaned now. I guess I need to buy some tent seam sealer...

Where did the summer go?

Hi,
Time for a couple updates.

I would hazard a guess that I have had a pretty good summer. As my left foot now wears a post -op shoe for the next couple of weeks. I'm not really sure what I did - there is a possibility of brusitis (sp) from working on cement floors. OR I hurt my foot playing paintball and really didn't notice.

I did notice my foot this past weekend while camping. I have not gone camping in YEARS. I had a fairly good time. The giant tent Tom bought for me is a little too large for cool weather camping. Not that you expect cool weather in AUGUST, but what can I say. To save myself from the rain, I slept comfortably on my air mattress in the back of the jeep. Can we say - it's good to be short.

Piggies are doing well. Winslow had a URI in July - no surprise. But then Lenny broke one of his bottom insisors and was rather unhappy for 2 or so weeks. The broken one has since grown back and Dr. G clipped both bottom teeth so that they match. Lenny is a much happier pig now.

Tom is working his butt off. That is fairly normal. He has taken days off here and there and has grilled much meat for Tammy and friends this summer.
My job at the camera store is going ok. I have in essance taken this month off from sales. My numbers SUCK. Oh well. Everyone else in the store seems to be making up for me.

I applied to a couple teaching jobs, had one interview and alas things are going no where in that field. Now what to do?
I think I'm gonna start looking for a office type job. I could use some sitting down again.


Ah yes, and the end of the summer blast will be Trina's Wedding. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

Several friends turned 40 or 30 this year. Congrats to all. My 20 year high school reunion will be next fall I believe. OH BOY - watch out world.

Hope you enjoy the rest of August.

Did you have a good 4th????

Did you have a good Fourth of July?

I would have to say that we did.
Naarah and Rob came out after they close the store at Laurel park, Paul and Carrie came over and the 6 of us went to the fireworks at Kensington Metro Park off of 96, near Milford.


It turned out to be a great evening. We stopped at KFC on the way out there and we took our own pop and stuff.
I was prepared. We had blankets and chairs and bug spray and cameras and tripods.
I know Naarah got a few pictures with her S3is, so those will be cool to see also.
I had to crop a lot of my pictures as I turned on the noise reduction - STUPID.
Well, it would take to long to get ready for the next shot.






Then I missed a good portion of the finale, cause I bumped the camera and messed up the angel.
ANYWAY - no one seemed to lose anything - or I haven't heard yet and over all it was a great evening.