Saturday, May 19, 2007

Some creativity & hard work....



Well, the first picture there is of some aloe plants I have just repotted this morning. The biggest leafed in the terracotta planter is the Mother Aloe DH gave me on my first Mother's Day, 10 years ago. I pulled and cut a good 20 leaves off of that, to trim it back to where it is now. It has been cut back 5 times now. I don't have the heart to kill it off, though DH wishes I'd get rid of it and keep one of the babies. The other 3 aloes in the plastic pots are 3 of the 4 most recent "babie aloes" that have spung up in the last year. The 4th was too small and broke before I even got it out of the big pot. Those three will probably survive. The first "baby aloe" to ever spring from my Mother Aloe is in my kitchen window, and is now actually bigger than my now-cut-back Mother Aloe. DH was wanting me to keep that one, and get rid of my Mother Aloe. Hopefully he will not flip when he finds out I've simply cut my Mother Aloe back and replanted it. Oh well, if he does. Anyway, so I now have these 3 baby-aloe to find homes for. My MIL wants one, a coworker wants a second of them.... Now to find somebody to take the third off my hands. *wink*
Anyway, I woke up this morning, saw that it was already 60+ degrees out and sunny, and decided today would be a good day to get this repotting done. By the time I'd finished these 4 pots, it was 70 deg. And it's now REALLY REALLY warm outside and I'm glad I did this when I did instead of waiting till later in the day. As it is, I've watered these plants well, and now they're sitting soaking up the sun & hopefully recuperating. As hard as it is to believe, Aloes are a hardy species of plant, and as long as one gives them good drainage & plenty of sun, they'll come back from some pretty serious damage. Some plants wouldn't survive the way I cut back my Mother Aloe. I didn't get to leave ANY of the origional root, but instead peeled off the huge leaves & cut the stem back to where it'd fit in the pot. It'll look shitty for a while, but it'll start putting roots out from the stem and will gain strength and in the next couple of year's I'll have to be cutting it back massively again. Probably have more babies to transplant in the next 2 or 3 summers, as well.
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The second pic is of the 7 cotton-net grocery bags I've made to sell (not including the previously pictured red one, which is already sold). The red, white & blue one on the upper right side is actually as good as sold to a woman who's in Jury Duty with me. The other 6 are going to go to that local gift shop, unless I get somebody to buy them before I take them down. I've got yarn for 1 more bag, before I must buy more yarn, but I'm going to take a few days off from crocheting. I've done so much crocheting in the last couple of days that my left shoulder is bugging me again. Not as bad as it has in the past, but enough to remind me that I need to let it rest for a few days. Besides, if I get that next bag made NOW, I won't have anything to crochet on during Jury Duty on Wed. & Thursday.
What isn't pictured is the bread I made yesterday. 2 loaves of yummy "Golden Egg Bread". Half of one loaf is already gone. The other loaf is in the freezer for later. *grin* I also didn't take any pictures of my bacon & pancake breakfast I made this morning. That didn't last long enough for pictures. *wink*
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Thanks again for all the support y'all have given me over the decision whether or not to hold DD back. Yesterday as I picked DD up after her last day of school for the 2006-2007 school year, the principal told me that DD's standerdized test scores came back in the "proficient range" on all 3 categories: reading, writing & math. The principal commented that with those scores, even if I was certain I didn't want her passed on to 4th grade, they wouldn't let me hold her back. They'd pass her on to 4th whether or not I gave my consent. Which kind of pisses me off, that the school will actually go over the parent's head in regards to the child's education. And, seeing as how the teacher evidently didn't have a single child in class who didn't pass on all 3 categories, I have to wonder at the strenuousness of this test. Has it been created to be SO easy that all the kids will pass, or is the teacher just that good of a teacher??? I don't think she's a BAD teacher, but I do know that in her normal math tests, DD hasn't scored very well (S-minus, as previously mentioned). And I know that there is one student who has been suspended 5 times during the school year, and one would wonder how this child has managed to score proficently when he's spent most of his time in detention or suspended. (For every 3 times I was at the school, he was in the principal's office one of those times.) Again, makes me wonder if the test has been created to be so easy to pass in order to prevent the school from losing governmental funding.
I hope every one of my friends is having a similarly sunny & warm day.
Have a Blessed Day!

10 comments:

whimsical brainpan said...

After all that agonizing the school makes the decision for you and says that you don't have a say in the matter? Unbelievable!

Kati said...

I know.... That does rather piss me off about public schools. The fact of the matter is that if I had an option (or the patience) she'd be in private school or homeschooled. But all the private schools in the area are strict christian schools which I will not subject my child to (I attended 2 of the 4 here in town, as a child). And I don't have the patience to homeschool.

So, it really comes down to being a serious pain in the school's arse. I'm going to have to nag & complain & harrass & monitor their every move with my daughter, in order for her to get the best education possible. Now to find the strength to do so. ;)

Anonymous said...

sending some "strength" energy your way. That principal needs to have his head examined! We are the parents and we are the ones who make the decisions concerning our children, not some pretend know it all, who has been sitting on their ass hiding in the office for way to long! Can you tell, I really don't like the public school system and I like you, are a major thorn in their side.

Brightest blessings

Heb

Unknown said...

The public schools in our area had some of the worst scores on the FCAT tests in the state this year, yet they say the are one of the best schools in the state. Scary....
Joy
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JNLANG/

Judy said...

Aloe children and human children... all of yours will have roots, and they'll thrive.

You have to be involved in your kids' schools. It's important to be a "pleasantly" insistent thorn.

Schools lately are annoying me. They have evolved to create a structured environment for the benefit of the teachers, administrators and State Boards of Education. There is far too much emphasis on trying to make all kids fit the same mold.

After having grown to hate school by the end of 3rd grade, our son was lucky enough to "win the lottery" and be a student in a lab school (run by a local State University with an education major). It wasn't Christian, it played fast and loose with the State curriculum, and he loved it I wish you had something like it in your area.

Don't let the turkeys get you down, Kati. In this life, the most important lessons will be those your daughter learns by watching you, and she's got a good role model.

Connie Peterson said...

It's unbelievable what schools (and governments) are doing now-a-days!!

I used to have an aloe plant but I DID manage to kill it. I think I'll get another one, some day!

Blessings

FoxTayle said...

After getting my degree in education, and doing my internships and subbing and all that fun stuff I have to say: I'm not too pleased by the public school system either, and I'm shocked at some of the people they allow to remain teachers (or principals for that matter!)

One positive thing I will say though in your daughter's teacher's defense: it may be that all of her students passed not necessarily because the standardized test is easy (although I'm not ruling it out), but it may be because she teaches and tests at a level or two higher than the tests so the kids are more prepared and confident??? Just a thought.

Congratulations with your aloes!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you have been busy!
I just wanted to let you know that no matter what the school says- you can always hold your kids back. They nearly always tell parents that they can't but as mom, you have the final say. If the principal says no, go to the superintendent of the school. A child's education is always up to the parents. Don't believe the school if they tell you anything different. If you choose to re-enroll her in the previous grade, they can't stop you.
Just in case you wanted to know that. Stand up for your kid and keep in mind that the schools can't force you to do anything~even though they will try and even lie to you. (Maybe it's a money thing?)
Bright Blessings and good luck,
stony

Aunt Jenny said...

Your bags are great Kati!! I like that style..is it your own design? I am working on making some up to have on hand..I have a few and I am trying a new bigger size than the ones I have done so far. I think they are such a perfect idea. I hate using the plastic bags! I liked reading your blog!!

Anonymous said...

Kati, I love your blog..The Bags are wonderful.....I would really be interested in one since I absolutely hate these 5000 plastic bags stuffed together under my sink.


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