A Trip to the Post Office

Today I took a load of books to mail to
the Post Office. When I walked in there was only
one postal clerk there. Fortunately she only had
one customer. Unfortunately before she had finished
waiting on him, seven other people walked in behind me.
She called for help from the back (but I know from past
experience just how quickly sometimes they are to
actually COME from the back) so I started telling
people to go ahead of me as I had a LOT of boxes and
none of them had much of anything - most wanted stamps.
After a couple, a new clerk came out and all moved to her
window....all but one little old lady. I looked at her and she
looked at me. She said, "I just need a stamp." So I said to
her, "Of course, please go ahead of me." So she hands Kay her
"envelope" and Kay puts a stamp on it and tells her, "41 cents".
The lady acts stunned. The little old lady says loudly, "But it's
a post card!" (It didn't appear to be a post card.). Kay tells her
it was folded over and thus needed a letter stamp. Lady fusses that
it SAYS it will mail for post card rate. Kay gives in and takes stamp
off and asks for 26 cents. I'm growing older by the minute waiting.
Lady then says, loudly, "I HAD stamps at home. But I didn't have
Post Card postage so I came to the Post Office to save money. If
I thought I had to pay full price I could have mailed it from home.".
(Now there are no houses near enough to the Post Office that she
could have walked...plus it was like 40 degrees outside and dropping
and raining. SO she had to DRIVE in a car to get TO the Post Office...)
And by now you HAVE to be thinking the same thing Kay and I both
were thinking...Right....

Chris

Spreading Germs

Today in the 6th Grade Science class I sprinkled the top of an iceberg head of lettuce with "germs" (actually glow in the dark powder). I then cut through the lettuce with a "dirty" knife (also sprinkled with powder). This was to demonstrate how easily the germs are spread into the lettuce and then when we eat the lettuce - into US. I may have turned the kids against salads which was NOT the point - I told them to make sure the veggies and fruits were washed well before cutting. (Of course they love the black light!). Chris

Alabama vs. Auburn Women's Basketball

Sunday Afternoon, Jan. 28th, Tuscaloosa AL
We took Jessica and two of her friends to T-town to
a women's basketball game. Amy met us there.
With tickets only $5.00 each we felt like this was a
College sport we could afford and there was a fairly
nice crowd. I even went dressed in red and white -a first
for me. It was hard to not really cheer for Auburn though
and sadly I didn't really succeed. Auburn's team is
very good (See final score). Our "point guard" - the tallest
woman on the team just about - is very good and
Bonner scored her highest score ever - 27 points
on Sunday. I thought she might want to apply for the
Auburn's men's team because they could use her help.
(See photo her shooting on my photo blog).

The girls had a lot of fun anyway and we ate at some local
"famous" wing place.

I tried to teach them a new cheer but they weren't
interested in learning, "It's great to be an Auburn Tiger.."

We tried to tell Amy she didn't have to come but she did
anyway. Photo is of her reading her book. She did look up
at the game now and then. I rather think she enjoyed it too.

The guy in front of me had the War Eagle shirt on.

Nice friendly crowd. Men's basketball is a lot rowdier.
(Is that a word??). It was nice to SIT for a game...
Chris

A Visit to Tuscaloosa

A Lesson on Motion

The Physical Science class had fun with the idea of "balloon powered cars" and Newton's 3rd law (for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction).

But I got a lot more action and QUICKLY in Chemistry. I had finished lecturing on

the quantum model of the atom and had dealt out cards to pairs of students

for them to try to duplicate how Mendeleev made the

original Periodic table. They were working hard to

figure it all out when one student looked outside

and noted with great exclamation that it was snowing!

Top photo is what happened next. I lost my class. All I

had left were cards on the table. (It didn't stick and it

didn't last but it IS cold here tonight. Maybe more

will fall tonight..)

Chris

Hitting a Sale

For the Book business. Boxes are getting to be a big expense.
Well, one of those office supply stores (I will withhold names) was
having a sale this week. Buy 2 boxes and get 1 free. So I bought 10
boxes of various sizes and got 5 free. Only when I got to the checkout
line with my 15 boxes the cashier was very concerned. She vowed I was
cheating myself. That at buy 2 get 1 free I should be getting an even number
of boxes. I assured her I was fine. She kept telling me to go get another box
of each size. I kept telling her I was fine. People were lining up fast behind
us. They were staring at me. I was trying not to laugh.
She called the store manager (I'm not making this up.)
The store manager comes over. She repeats - This lady is buying 2 and getting 1
free - shouldn't she be getting an even number of boxes? The store manager
agrees with her. I looked at them both and said, "Look, I'm happy. Can I go now?"

They let me go.

Should I have taken advantage of them or not? I wouldn't have been able to
live with my conscience. I know they made fun of me all day. On the other
hand I have another, "It's better to homeschool" story.
Chris

This and That

I babysat again the other day. I read "Madeline" to Darcy - five times.
She asked a LOT of questions. And I'm sure she will be asking her daddy
to put one of those nice cranks (old hospital bed cranks if you haven't read
the book in some time) on her bed as she thought that was a really neat idea.
"Why are all the other girls afraid of the lion?" "Are you afraid of lions, Darcy?"
"No - we need to go to the zoo" (Yes we do when it warms up).
"What did the doctor do with her appendix".
"He threw it away"
"In his doctor's trash can?"
"Yes, Darcy"
"Oh"

Not the sort of questions I would have thought of (like why is the nun dressed so
differently). I shall take more Madeline books next visit. This could be fun.

Later I went to the Thrift Store only to discover they had let the new book stocker
go (she actually "quit" but I'm sure it was under duress). I knew she wouldn't last.
She was much too intelligent for that store. Imagine wanting to keep the
educational books! That visit and once more yesterday are the only 2 times I've
been in since she's been gone. Both times the floor manager has come up to me
to express how great the new book stocker is. (They know I'm one of the best
book customers and they know I liked the former stocker.). Well, I've said
absolutely nothing to the floor managers each time but the cashiers say it all.
They've snorted each time the managers walk off.
I've met the new stocker (once). She's mexican. Now I have nothing against the
hispanics but she speaks no English. I'm wondering how on earth she is going
to stock English title books. Neatly I guess. And with no flack back to the
managers.

I shall be driving to Midfield where they actually care about books more often.
It's 30 miles but worth the drive.
Chris