I Wasn't Going to Post Today, But...

...Owen had a wild spell, and I was able to snap this picture. His eyes are wild - the tongue - getting ready to strike. He's such a good pet with an abundance of personality. Just what I needed after a somewhat trying day.
~MET

Home Again

I picked my dad up at the airport, and moved back in with my wife and pets. My mom had a bit of a setback today as her treatments caused her to feel sick, she didn't drink enough, and became dehydrated. She is fine now but it's a reminder that it's a developmental process. I like spending time with Murph, and Fatcat loves me - but I miss my wife and pets. Owen is THE man:

And Burt is just too friendly:

It will be good to sleep in my own bed, and settle back into a more normal routine. So...M-S are not "dating" anymore.

~MET

Hee..He..Hee..Fire!

I wish I had my camera tonight...but Beavis & Butt-Head will have to do. M-S and Burt came to my parents' for the afternoon, and after a nice walk with the dogs we had a fabulous dinner. After my wife and dog left, on a whim I decided to take advantage of the relatively mild weather and built the first fire of the season. Tut has a great pit in the back, and I enjoyed a fantastic pyre. Murph came out for a while, but decided to watch from the patio doors for most of it. It was wonderful - it reminded me that spring is on the way - camping is right around the corner - and that nature is beginning to call to me. I can still smell it on my clothes as I write this, and my thoughts gravitate to the woods.
~MET

Top Ten List

Time for another top ten list - and with so many liberals in my family, this one seemed appropriate:

The Top 10 Signs You're Married to a Liberal:
10. In your wedding vows, "love, honor, and cherish" were replaced with "legitimize, empower, and respect her reproductive freedom."
9. Supported Al Gore for President in 2000, but has no idea why.
8. After a poor performance in the bedroom you find yourself enrolled in a federal program to correct your shortcomings.
7. Misses your funeral to protest the harsh sentence given your killer.
6. You casually mention your "Euthanize the Homeless" idea and -- BANG! -- no sex for a month.
5. What, the family budget is *BALANCED*? Quick, let's get to the mall and buy something!
4. Insists his socks are not mismatched, they're "diverse."
3. At the height of passion, cries out, "Tax me!!!"
2. Constantly pelts your cats with ketchup, screeching, "Fur is murder!"
and the Number 1 Sign You're Married to a Liberal...
1. She's got the kids playing "Barbaric Imperialists and Innocent Native Americans" again.

~MET

Dating Again

While I stay at my mom and dad's I do a lot of running around, and its weird to sleep away from my house, but there is one aspect of this arrangement that has been kinda fun. My regular afternoon and evening look like this: I leave work and go to Augusta to spend time with Fatcat and Murph. Then I go to my house and make supper in time for M-S arriving home at 6:30 or so. It kind of feels like a date - we cram a bunch of conversation into the hour or so that I spend with her, we enjoy a meal, we tease each other without mercy, and when I leave I give her a very date-like kiss goodbye. Then, when I get to my parents' I usually spend some time thinking about her, and how lucky I am...just like when we were dating. M-S is my best friend, a great wife, and I love living with her. She is also still a great date - even after the thousands of "dates" we have shared.
~MET

Mom Update

I talked to my brother and mother today. She fly over our bus on her way to NIH as we were driving home. Today she got a couple of tests done to see if the treatments are doing anything, and received some encouraging results. Her lung capacity has improved, which is certainly a help in her quality of life. Her CAT scan showed no change in the size of her cancer, but it had been growing in the two previous tests. The doctors didn't think there would have been any shrinkage in the tumor until after the 4th or 5th round (she has completed 2). She has chemo and antibodies on Wednesday, and I'm bringing Dad to the airport tomorrow...and shacking up with Murph and Fatcat for about 5 days. I was very glad to get today's news. Keep fighting, Ma...I actually wonder if its the antibodies or the black pudding from the Irish breakfast that is combating the cancer.
~MET

Good to Be Home

Yesterday we went to Arlington in the morning and then went to NYC. The pics from above and below are from dinner at the Center Stage Cafe in Times Square. As usual the chaperones I brought did a great job:

The Lion King was awesome again, and I've already decided we'll do Shrek the Musical next year. It was a good trip - I'm already planning some changes for next year - and I need some sleep.

~MET

DC Day Three

Began the day at the National Zoo, and the famous panda's did not disappoint. The students always have a good time here, getting to be little kids again.

There was a gorilla birth in January, but I couldn't get a picture of her...only her dad:
From there we went to the wax museum:
Students had a good time - but I think this will be the last time we'll do this one. Its not big enough, and I'm afraid the kids do gross things to get pictures.
We went to the National Museum of health and medicine in the late afternoon:
This one we will do again. Lots of interesting exhibits, including many real preserved bodies and body parts. After that it was off to Potomac Mills for dinner and shopping at the mega-mall. A very full and fun day.

~MET

DC Day Two

We began today with a picture stop at the White House, and then a tour of the Capitol:

The new Capitol Visitor Center is open, and there are things I like and dislike about the new way of doing things. It is much more organized, and the tour guides are better...but its a shorter tour and there is less of a chance of seeing members of Congress. Then it was LOTS of museum hopping. Here are some students in front of the American History Museum:

I took some time to check out the Newseum:

I might want to add this to next year's trip. Its brand new, and has some very interactive stuff. Tonight we saw Shear Madness at the Kennedy Center - which was a riot, as usual. A fun day, and I'm bushed.

DC Day One

The picture above symbolizes the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG day that was my birthday. 48 students, and 12 hours on a bus. This is a great group, and they were fine on the trip down. We had one minor mishap...we had a flat tire. Luckily we got it 10 seconds from the hotel in Virginia. Pieces of it were flying around the roadside. Here is what it looked like when they got it off:

Don, our bus driver for many years, made the calls to get it fixed and we didn't have to change any of our plans:

After eating at Pentagon City Mall we toured all of the major monuments last night:

The highlight for me was that I got to see the fountains at WWII memorial for the first time. Usually they are not turned on in March:

What a big difference it makes in the appearance of the memorial. The weather last night was awesome, and I think everyone got off to a good start. We have a very full day today, and I hope I'll be able to post tonight.

~MET

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wick and I sported the same outfit for St. Paddy's Day. We bought the clover ties at the Kennedy Museum a few years ago while visiting with students. And everyone has a blue blazer and khakis. We even had the same lapel pin. It was funny to see the student reactions during the day. I don't know if I will be able to post while in DC, hotels tend to change their internet policies. If not, I'll touch base with everyone on Sunday. Have a great week.
~MET

Do You Miss Him?

I mean, seriously...do you miss him? I disagree with President Obama on some significant issues, but I wouldn't turn back the clock for anything. I leave for DC on Wednesday, and I know its going to feel very different to stand outside the White House on Thursday morning. America is a great country for many reasons, but one of the best is that we get to remake ourselves over and over. Thank God.
~MET

Monthly Meal - An Irish Breakfast

Mom and Dad came home from DC yesterday, and were out today for the monthly meal. I liked this one because it was very authentic, and easy to make. I ordered much of it from an Irish import company - and it was delicious.

Above, are the makings for a big Irish morning meal. If you start at the can of beans at the top of the picture it is as follows: the beans are from Ireland, and I think the big difference is tomato sauce, and maybe some spices. M-S liked them a lot. The tomatoes, potatoes, and eggs are mine - but they sent a recipe booklet with instructions on how to make them. Essentially you fry all of them in the grease from the meats. To the right of the beans is a package of Irish butter - very good on the toast. Just below that is Dubliner cheese. After the home frys are done you shred the cheese on them. Working around you come to the bacon, which was awesome - very wide and flavorful. In the lower left are the white and black puddings. I was worried about these. Its sausage without a casing mixed with oats. The black one has beef blood added. I liked them both, and the 1/2 inch slices cook really fast. They taste a little like liverwurst. Just above those to the right is a loaf of wheaton bread - GREAT toast. To the left are the breakfast bangers. They are very mild, especially when compared to the puddings. Finally we come to the tea, especially prepared for a breakfast like this one. Here is what it looks like on the plate:

I can't imagine this is an everyday morning meal in Ireland...unless the average lifespan is around 40. We listened to Irish music and had a nice visit. I can feel the Irish blood inside me singing a "Rovers" tune.

~MET

Not Real Sure About...

...Obama's Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, or about the direction the president wants to take our public schools. So far the Obama plan seems to focus on two initiatives: merit pay and charter schools.
On the surface it looks as though I should be in favor of merit pay. The idea is to pay hard-working teachers more money, and act as a catalyst for those who may not work as hard. I've wanted to be a teacher since I was a child, and I actually try to outwork everyone else. However, I am very much opposed to this idea for a couple of important reasons. Number one: how is the "merit" decided? If it is tied to a test score, then that sucks. Teaching to the test is not even close to good education, but if my salary depends on it...that's what everyone will do. And more importantly, public education is not a level playing field. Lets compare two math teachers. Teacher One works in Lubec. The students who walk into her room may come from poverty, difficult family situations, and a history of de-emphasising education. This teacher will have to work very hard to get her students to grade-level. Teacher two works in Yarmouth. His situation is the opposite, and he won't have to break a sweat to get his students exceed the standard. So...Lubec's teachers who are working harder and quite possibly achieving more - and who are already getting much less pay than in Yarmouth - will be punished for their hard work. Meanwhile in Yarmouth the rich just keep getting richer. What would happen if we paid dentists this way? The dentist in Hollywood does cleanings, but because all the teeth are healthy and white he gets merit pay. The dentist in the Ozarks rebuilds decaying mouths, but still lags behind. We teach the hand we are dealt. If merit pay is based on things like committees served on, leadership positions, conferences attended, workshops you run at school, etc - then that's different.
Charter schools give me reason to think. There are some very good ones, and some that simply stink. A charter school is a public school that usually has a more singular focus. I think they may in fact serve to stimulate a student's interest in school. I believe that all public charter schools should be open to anyone and free. There are actually some public high schools that are experimenting with "career academies" within one school, which is an interesting concept. I think charter schools will continue to be a trend, and may well be worth exploring.
I don't really think the Department of Education is going to reform America's public schools until presidents stop picking big city superintendents as the secretary. I have no faith in Arne Duncan's ability to really reform schools. What has perhaps worked in Chicago simply will not translate to the vast majority of the schools in the United States. That's how we got No Child Left Behind, and my guess is that he will do little to change it, except perhaps in name only. The fact that Sec. Duncan has never been a teacher is also a bit disconcerting. The Dept. of Ed should not be ramming "one-size-fits-all" metropolitan ideas down the throats of public schools. Does it even make sense that the solution to Detroit's school problems will also work with the problems in Rangeley? Do Los Angeles and Bingham have the same problems??
The Dept. of Ed should instead devote itself to what really matters in education: insuring that we have effective teachers working with students. They should be offering a clearing house of professional development opportunities to school districts, and districts should be able to decide which ones make the most sense for them. Instead of teachers doing nothing but learning how to prep students for high stakes tests, wouldn't you rather have your child's teacher working on the craft of teaching? Working with the latest trends that would fit with your school and community? I attended a meeting two summers ago, and there were two teachers there from the two largest high schools in America. There are 540 students at my school. I was at this meeting talking to a teacher from New Jersey who worked in a school with 5,550 students, and a teacher from LA who worked in a school with 5,800! Are we really going to pretend, Arne, that a single plan will save us all? Give us the resources to tailor our own plan that will reach our own students - both in Winslow and Chicago. Then, and only then, will no child be left behind.
~MET

Chillin' With Chris

Chris is joining me tonight to watch some basketball and catch up. With so many people around me expecting or parenting young children its hard not to be a little nostalgic. Sarah and Chris are so independent now. I still worry about them, but in a different way. Chris can't wait to get back on campus...to...umm...study. he IS doing well in school, and enjoying the college life. This summer he's working at Camp Manitou, where he spent some summers in his youth. He's also helped out this week a couple of times with Murph, when I've had meetings. Today I met with our new AOS superintendent, which very well. Its going to be very hectic over the next several days: Mom and dad come home Saturday, Sunday is the monthly meal, I have 2 meetings Tuesday after school, and Wednesday its off to DC. Woohoo!
~MET

In Case You Can't Remember...

...the "David Letterman" look, here are the before and after pictures. Besides the obvious smile improvement, look at the top picture - you can't see my bottom teeth at all. That's why I had this done, to correct my bite.

I got my retainers today, and I have to wear them full time for three weeks. They are truly invisible, but tomorrow in class I'll be opening with something like, "Ok clash, lets comtinue our work on the Shupreme Court." I'm sure my students won't have fun with that. Sorry about the scary pictures...look at the pic in the upper right to see the nice smile.

~MET

Top Six Pets of All Time

I am about to turn 46 years old in a week or so, and after reading the Goldsmith's blog about how they are getting a new cat I began thinking back to the MANY animals who have been a part of my life. It's funny, though I have enjoyed the company of all of the pets who have shared a home with me - I have liked some better than others. In fact - and this was tough - I can tell you the top six:

# 6- Spike...a wonderful Siberian husky who just loved me to death. He was adventurous, and would eat anything (including soap), but had a hidden mean streak. He bit two people - including my brother - and we had to give him up, but I just loved him. He had different colored eyes and was just nuts. His full name was Spike James Linwood Thurston. I was in jr. high during this time. The other thing was that he was, for the most part, MY pet.

# 5 - Poochie - a big German Shepard that my parents' owned way back in the 60's. He is the first pet I remember as a child. We were in Aroostook County at the time, and we lived in a great old farm house. The two things I remember are that he loved to chase cars - and got hit twice - by the same car, and that when I ran around the yard he would chase me and very gently bite my ass. Good times.

# 4 - Maggie - A mutt that we had when Chris and Sarah were little. To be honest, Maggie was very high maintenance. She would hide behind things and wait for an opportunity to run out the door when you were not looking. It was aways a chore to get her back. And, she would wreck parts of the house when she got bored. But, there is one thing that I'll always remember about her: when we went to bed she slept in my bedroom...but before she would lie down each night she went into the kids' rooms to check on them. Every night. I loved her just for that.

# 3 - Opus - A grey cat that we had at about the time Sarah was born, in fact we have pictures of the two of them together. I loved this cat. He was mean - and would charge across the room to jump up on your back. If I moved my finger just a little on the chair he would come out of nowhere to attack it. He was to just a fun guy to have around. He got hit by a car, which is one of the reasons all of my cats will be of the "indoor" variety from now on.

# 2 - Burt - I know it will seem ridiculous to say that my current pets are the top two (picture of them to the right) - but they really are. Burt is the friendliest, lowest maintenance pet of all time. He's just nice. I don't even mind that he obviously likes M-S much more than me. I can't imagine a nicer being.

# 1 - Owen - My wife is my best friend, Fab is the man who I go to when I need some common sense advice, and Owen is my roommate. This cat loves me with all of my faults, hates pretty much everyone else, was really there for me at the toughest time of my life, and makes me feel good whenever I'm around him. I've had LOTS of pets, but he's the best.

Any favorite pets?
~MET

Looking Ahead at Monthly Meals

I just ordered some food for the next "monthly meal" for my parents - and I'm already excited to make it. This tradition shared with Mom and Dad is one of my favorite things. I like the planning, the prep, and the time spent with them. There are so many great web sites that have very traditional recipes. M-S and I had fun the other day planning ahead for the next few months, and the themes look like this:

• March - this month is always Irish, but this year I have ordered Irish breakfast foods directly from the emerald isle. That one will be a week from today.


• April - traditional Polish Easter dinner. I found a great site that includes prep instructions for a whole meal from appetizers to dessert.


• May - Cuban...M-S is really looking forward to this one.


• June - a traditional American picnic at Wolfe's Neck State Park with Burt and Murph.


• July - This is the big one - a luau complete with a pig roast - and we'd like our loyal readers to join us for this one...more details to come.
  

~MET

A Bit of Time at Home

It was VERY nice to spend some time with Owen, Burt, and M-S this afternoon and early evening. I am enjoying my time with Murph and Fat Cat - but its amazing how you rely on your spouse for so much of your interaction.

When it was time for me to head back to Augusta I brought Kori and her friend, Sandra, to a dance at Erskine. I think they are both nuts, but I guess they are having fun. Anyway, I had a nice meal with them, and got to sit and pat Owen for a while. Now I'm watching TV with Murphy and getting ready for the weekend.

~MET

The Fabs and More Fish

Last night Chris and Sarah came to keep me company - tonight it was the Fabbricatore's turn. They are expecting their first child in April, and are very excited. We dined on some more smelts, the last splake from ice-fishing, and haddock. We caught up a bit and talked for a couple of hours about the important things: houses, kids, my Mom, family, and baseball. I can't wait to see my wife tomorrow. M-S is working really hard right now, and I hope I can make her laugh this weekend. Hope all is well with everyone.
~MET

If Anyone is Interested...

...in my Mom's treatments in Washington DC, my sister has posted an exceptional explanation on her blog: http://lusciousfibers.typepad.com/lusciousfibers/ Check it out. My family is truly remarkable.
~MET

Time With the Children

Chris and Sarah came to Mom and Dad's for dinner tonight - a very nice change from just me me and the pets. (GOOD burgers!) They are on break, but working and spending lots of time with friends. In fact, Chris is having a couple of his friends by tonight to watch some TV. Its always awesome to have some time with my kids now. They are so...adult. Its happy and sad at the same time. (though Chris is trying hard in the picture to remain a child!) They will like staying here - all the rooms have TV's.

Above is the best picture I could get of Murphy tonight. He's such a spaz. My Mom went through her treatments today like the hero that she is. I wanted to get a good pic of Murph to cheer her up, but he's too foolish. We are all proud of you, Ma - keep up the good work!

~MET

I Took This Picture in the Front Yard Today...

...ok - not really. But, it feels like I could have. Lots of snow, no school, and we are just hunkered down here in the house. Tut will be leaving for DC tomorrow instead of today, and Chris will be taking him to the airport. I love Al Gore...but I'm beginning to wonder about the whole "global warming" thing. Tons of snow and very cold temps - where is the "warming"?
~MET

M-S the Goat Whisperer

Wow...multiple posts on this eventful weekend! While walking Burt this morning we were met in the middle of the Piper Road by two goats. We pass them every time we come this way - but they are always in their pen. We soon figured out that due to the snow and a bent piece of fence, that they can jump it.

They seemed to like M-S and followed her as she tried to let the people who live there know that the "kids" are loose:

Naturally, no one answered. M-S got them to hop into their pen and we finished our walk. When we went back to check on them they were out again, and you can see how close they live to Route 126. Below, M-S is trying to herd them back to the pen using a carrot...though one of them tried to have sex with my car:

We brought some stuff to try to repair the fence, but to no avail. The darker of the two would not even get back inside:

We knocked on the door several more times and left a note, but both were outside and eating berries off a bush when we left them. I'll check on them again later. Ahhh...rural Maine livin'. We did have an amazing country breakfast when we got home.

Seriously, how good does that bagel sandwich look?

~MET

Maine Fish Fry

M-S, Burt, and I went to my parents' last night to bring them dinner. Not a "monthly meal", just dinner to send them off to DC again for another round of treatments. You can see who the pets gravitate toward:

M-S made very thin crust pizza for an appetizer. She puts basil, pesto, and goat cheese on them - they are very good. Here, she is preparing them:

One of my students gave me a couple packages of smelts, which with some steak became the main course. None of us had had smelts for many years, so it was fun to try them again. I just put them through an egg wash, added some flour, and then cooked them with salt pork:

Here they are on the table:They were very good - though its not something I'd want all the time. I think its one of those "once-a-year" kind of dishes. M-S made baked potatoes and a delicious spinach salad to complement everything. My dad gave me a sweater that he never wears. Its one that he bought in Ireland many years ago, 100% wool and hand made by a little old lady:

So...it was a good night all-around. Mom leaves Sunday morning to get ahead of the storm, and I think my father still leaves Monday in the late afternoon. Hopefully the storm will have quieted down by then. Beginning tomorrow night I'll be rooming with Murph and Fat Cat for a couple of weeks. Chris and Sarah are both on break for two weeks, though Sarah will be on tour with the University Singers for the second week. They are at their mom's and both pretty busy, but I'm hoping to spend some time with them also.

~MET