On the Road Again

tractor,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

Good to be back on the road again. I got road shoes for my "tractor." That's what I call my cyclo-cross bike, because it gets the job done. The engine is gas right now (just ask Kristi) but I'm working on making it a diesel. I actually went and did my fav-o-rite thing to do on the bike today. I went exploring. Of course I was just across Trickum in the neighborhood there, but I had fun. Gotta go shopping for supper fixins. Bye

Latest Veggies

LatestVeggies,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

On a happier note would ya look at these veggies. The maters still haven't turned yet; a few may get sacrificed soon to the southern breakfast gods (fried green tomatoes). I still need to take a out a few chipmunks that absolutely love my veggies. Well, anyhoo this is the latest update on the garden. RAIN, pray for RAIN.

A Sad Day

Musashi has taken that last long dive. He succumbed to injuries sustained at the hands of our former algae eater (Squeegee). Musashi battled on for a few days after Squeegee was "removed from the bowl," but he just couldn't make it with half a tail and the numerous sores all along his body. He will be missed greatly, not least by Hiroshige who remained untouched by the evil Squeegee.

Musashi and Hiroshige

MusashiHiroshige,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

I forgot these guys earlier. They are my desk buddies. That is Musashi on the left and Hiroshige on the right. If you look down on the bottom of the bowl you'll see what looks like a plant. It is. I put that dwarf waterlily bulb in there a month and a half ago. Finally, it has put out shoots. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Later

Aren't We Cute

Aren'tWeCute,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

I'd forgotten this picture. We were at Kim and Rob's for our engagement party. Isn't that Pig window just beautiful. Yes, it hangs right over the dinner table. I personally like it. Well, the big day is getting closer and closer. I just can't wait.

Ummm... Tastes Like Dirt

Has anyone seen the US national soccer team? Somebody said they were in Germany, but I haven't seen them there. I saw a really good junior college team get the stuffing beat out of them by the Czech Republic. They were even wearing US jerseys. I swear it even looked like they only play on repainted football fields. Disgusting.

Hope the real team shows up by Saturday. Its a long way to walk back home.

zuchinibloom

zuchinibloom,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

Would ya look at these vegies. There's a new bloom every day. This so rocks. I hope the beans do some serious beaning before the end of August. I'll be severely displeased if I have to yank those bad boys up without getting anything off them. I think I'll have a pretty good haul from everything else. I'm pretty stoked about the garden. The beans have some itty bitty pods popping out. They were too small to get a good picture of so they'll probably make it into the next photo shoot. Make sure to check out the whole photo group when you click on that beautiful bloom.

Zuchini

Zuchini,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

This is my summer occupation, and these are the first fruits. I have started a garden in the backyard of my townhouse. Nothing gets the wheels moving for a relocation like planting a garden. About the time the zuchini and cucumbers and beans and maters started showing real promise I get the job offer from Rome. Now that we're definitely moving everything is busting out with produce. I hope to get a good bit of stuff off the veggies before I have to take them up. Make sure to take a look at the whole garden I'll be adding more pictures as more veggies develop.

Rosenmuller Studenten-Music #1 Paduan a3

This is the End My Friends

8.22 This is it. My last day with the behemoth that is Fulton County. I should probably go sign in so there is no mistake on my final pay check. Life is so good. I got payed and can pay bills again yipee.

10.02 Well, this is a busy day. Took a request for a certificate of attendance and guided a mother to the counselors office. Played some backgammon. Went to Target with Moss. Now I got to check the communications and move some equipment to storage. Busy, busy, busy.

1.05 Done and done! I have been fed my "last supper" (really lunch). I have moved what needed moving and stored what needed storing, found my former department head a new tape dispenser since hers had grown legs, and last but not least I faxed my documents off to mortgage company and signed out at the office. I'm no longer employed by Fulton County.

Well, I'm off to be a house wife for a few weeks.

Weird, Just Weird

I can't believe it I have less than one whole day left as a Fulton County BOE employee. All my life I wanted to be a teacher in Fulton County (OK for the past 10 years) and now I'm leaving it behind. Well, that's what they get for shunning me. I'm gone. I'm moving on up. Some time tomorrow I'll walk into Roswell High School for the last time as an employee. I'll have to pay for football tickets again. If I ever make to a game again. Rome is a bit of a drive just to reminisce.

Some good things: there will be a Slope's BBQ in Cartersville by the time I move and one in Adairsville within a year and one in Rome possibly within 18 months. How blessed can one man be?

You know what the weirdest thing is? I won't miss Roswell one bit. One or two people maybe but the place, the staff, and the job? NAH!

Which Way Does the Hood Go?

fortegrad06,
originally uploaded by ralknz.

Well, it has finally gotten here and passed. The 2006 graduation ceremony is over and done with. It was a phenomenal bit of planning and execution. What with the programs in our seats and the cooler full of water for the teachers. NOT. Well with the perfect planning of the procession. In all fairness the procession hoo ha was all about being clueless as to what we should be doing and making the best of the situation. A lack of administrative communication.

We did enjoy ourselves once we got seated and the phones came out on silent. We learn well from our students. Picture of a picture taker. Games were played and people learned the intracacies of their phones.

This was my last official act as a Fulton County teacher. I must say I enjoyed it immensely. Two more days and the end will have been achieved.

School's Out ... Forever

Well, not exactly. In one way it is; Mom and I are leaving Fulton County BOE for good. She is retiring and I got hired away. So, school isn't really out for ever. I start in Rome about the middle of the summer. Gots to do all that new teacher orienting stuff and what not.

Tomorrow is really cool we get to dress up like Hogwarts and march around the stadium. OK, it's not really like Hogwarts, but we get to wear our robes and hoods. Of course mine will be for the correct degree, but the wrong school unless Mr Smith can pull a miracle. I'll even settle for a Georgia hood instead of the Ohio St. hood I'll be doomed to wear tomorrow night. I'm supposed to be in a blue and gold hood for Georgia Southwestern State Univ., but of course I waited till the last minute. Pictures will be forth coming.

More music soon also.

Chillin and Grillin

The busy season is upon us. Weekends are packed for the foreseeable future. This weekend we went to Calhoun for a going away party for Jen, one of Kristi's best buds, on Friday and cake testing on Saturday morning. After that we went to see Da Vinci Code, then rushed home for a wedding. We got home at 5.05 the wedding was at 6.05. We were out the door by 5.30 and in our seats by 5.57. O we are good. With the Lord's help.

Next weekend is Graduation at Roswell (my last), Saturday is a concert on the green with JMI, and Sunday is tux clarification day. The folks we're renting our tuxes from got things a little hinky jinky. Gotta straighten that out.

And it just goes on. Eventually we move into the girls only showers. The only thing about that is that I don't get to relax. I start with the new teacher orientation stuff up in Rome. I have a feeling we won't know what is going on until Mid-October.

About the grillin thing. I got home from Church today and fired up the grill and cooked some polish sausages outside. They were good. I'm slowly getting the hang of this grilling business.

Well, I'm gonna go for now

Leo the Hero

This is the little guy we gave to Kristi's Mom for mother's day. His name is Galileo, but he goes by Leo for short. We miss him already. We're saps. He only spent one night, but we were hooked from the get go.

10 Days, But Who's Counting

Well, in ten days the little angels will be cut loose and by the 31st of May my tenure with Fulton County will be over. I've got a lot to do in the next few months; moving, starting a new job, and getting married. When it rains it pours.

Oh, yeah, the weekend off! I am now a person with grilling experience. I've always been good at the socializing part of grilling, but never actually been in charge of the grill. I bought one and cooked out for friends on Friday and the parents and in-laws on Saturday. It was fun and I think there is a new grill monster in the world today.

Later

Rain Rain (don't) Go Away

Yesterday afternoon was kind of nice. It rained all afternoon so I couldn't go to work after school. I like it when I get to spend suprise time with Kristi. Did some cleaning around the house and after dinner made some foccacia [sic] bread from some left over pizza dough. Yum O! Foccacia bread and Orange Julius' what a night.

I've got a self induced four day weekend so maybe I can get caught up on the landscaping and getting the house organized(my part at least). Then I can start getting ready to move in a month or two. This is going to be a crazy summer.

Gotta Go

When In Rome ... Give Us A Ring

Well, I got a job offer from Rome City Schools. I will be working with severe and profound intellectually disabled students. I am on cloud nine. I have been working for nearly 10 years to get a teaching position. I give up my desires and there you go. If you give up what you want you just might get what you need.

O my lord there is so much to do between here and there. I'm gonna have to find a place for us to live. First off I'll have to decide where I'm gonna stay until the wedding. Do I go ahead and get look for a house, or find a something to stay in for two months while We look and get married.

I think I'll take baby steps.

TTFN

Where Am I...Am I Where...I Am Where?

I'm just a little confused today. I got up 15 minutes earlier and was 20 minutes later getting to work. Go figure. I'm bored with my job. I need to get a real one. One that I was actually trained for. Not feeling inspired to say much of anything except K is out of town tonight. I'll just have to work late and go to bed early. (I'll work late but I doubt I'll go to bed early). I'm gonna go do my job some more.

I Have No Idea

8.22 Well, the experiment went bust. Il forno only makes it to 1550 (good to know), glass used has low COE, and the mold broke in to a bunch of pieces. The glass melted enough to form a column from the pot to the mold. Kind of pathetic looking really. The pot is in excellent condition. I need to see if the glass is fused to it. I really haven't taken any time to look everything over yet. Just noticed the obvious. Later.

11.18 The pot was in excellent condition though useless with a six pack of Miller High Life and a bottle of salsa fused to it. That process won't be repeated until I have access to a better furnace and I figure out why the mold broke. Oh by the way I could go into diabetic shock from all the little bitty cheesecakes I found in the teacher's lounge about half an hour ago. Sometimes there are good things about being a teacher. Tomorrow I'll be returning to the time tested practices of actually placing the glass in the mold and heating it. So old fashioned. I may even put some pictures up to show my ineptitude.