Sunday, January 24, 2010

The HUMOR of it all

So, sometimes it doesn't feel like there is much to laugh at; especially in the middle of a cold, icy winter with little heat and even less sunshine. Sometimes the events of daily life are just plain mundane, and you want something different. Then there are those few days that feel a little bit better because the humor of it all rises to the surface.

Last weekend was one of those times.

On Thursday morning - the last day of the Semester - Tacey was complaining that next semester she would have to take P.E. Normally I think 'HA HA! EVERYONE has to take stupid Junior High P.E. I did it, your Dad did it, it is just something we ALL have to do.' But after she left for the school day, I got to thinking about the amount of physical activity she already has in her schedule. Then I thought about how much I worry about keeping her healthy; getting her to eat and whatnot. I decided that it wasn't just that she thought the class was going to be stupid, but that there really was a good reason for her not to take the class. In addition, her Dad had been a visual art major for a time and is definitely talented in that area. Tacey had taken her first Art Class last semester and really enjoyed it and I was thinking that she needed more opportunity to explore Art and see if it is something she not only enjoys, but also excels at. So on Friday when the kids were off but the teachers were working (finishing grades and things like that), I went to the school and talked to the Art Teacher to see what class she had the same hour Tacey was supposed to have P.E. She had a 7th grade Art Class, which was a good thing because Tacey had already had the 8th Grade curriculum, so the 7th Grade curriculum would give her a chance to do different things. The teacher agreed to let her in, so then I went to the counsellor and talked to her.

I told her I was fearing for Tacey's physical health with the amount of things she did after school, and asked if there was a way she could use those for a P.E. credit. If I perhaps Home Schooled her in P.E. and had her dance teachers, basketball coach and boss sign papers giving her credit for everything else she did. She agreed that Tacey didn't need any additional exercise, and I learned that in the State of Idaho I can legally home school my child in any subject I want to. We then talked to the Principal, and the only requirement in Junior High for Home Schooling a kid in a subject is just to write a letter stating that I am doing just that!

When Tacey found out that she wouldn't have to take P.E. she was extremely excited. Then when I told her she was officially a Home Schooled child now she stopped, looked thoughtful for a brief part of a second then said;

"Wow, I hope being Home Schooled doesn't make me socially awkward!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That was Fridays funny.

Saturday's funny came in the form of that young man with his tongue stuck to the frozen pole. You can look at last weeks post for that one. It is a classic.

Sunday's funny was all me.

I have to say AGAIN that I am Mexican, and therefore not responsible or the fact I cannot make bread! Mexicans make tortillas, not things with yeast. I won't mention the fact that I am not very good at tortillas either; but bread is DEFINITELY a thing I can't do; not even in a breadmaker.

I do attempt though. I am determined to get it at some point. I have a breadmaker; which is supposed to be idiot proof. I don't know if the fact i can't make bread in it is a reflection on me or the breadmaker or both. It had been quite awhile since I had attempted this feat, and church is late in the day, so I put the ingredients in the breadmaker, in the proper order, and set the timer. I was excited when I got home from church because it SMELLED SO GOOD! I thought maybe I had been lucky. I looked in the breadmaker and all I saw was a cooked ball of very dense bread - it had not risen AT ALL. I sent my Mom a picture as proof of my inability, and she laughingly asked me if I had remembered to put the yeast in. Of course I did! I have a Master's Degree! I can read a silly recipe! On closer inspection I found out that not only should my yeast have been kept in the fridge or freezer, it had expired in 2003. So, even though I had out the yeast in there, it didn't do any good as it was dead. Go me. I have to say it tasted awesome and the little teeny loaf gave us all a good laugh.

I tried to make bread again today, it must have looked good at some point, but by the time I got home, the top had 'deflated' and the bubbles in the bread were really big. I am not sure what that means other than what I said before;

If a product requires yeast, I probably can't make it - even with a machine that does all the work for me.

Danielle