Touche

Oh touche, touche Nicholas Sparks!

You have yet again sucked me into one of your famously amazing books this summer.

It never fails. I am such a sucker for his southern romance writings. 

I remember when I was a teenager reading "The Notebook."

The first Nicky book I had ever read.

( I can call him Nicky because we are just that close )

I got so into it and then...

BAM

BOOM

BADDA BING

in the last 15 pages the whole tone of the book changed

and I was left boohooing into my pillow that night.

I remember going to tell my mom about the ending, still crying and all upset. She laughed and told me to stop reading his books if they make me cry.

You woulda thunk a girl would learn.

But no, nooooooooo

I guess I don't catch on quick.

I have read every single one of his twisted creations.

All his books are the same.

Right when you are getting sucked into the character, setting, and plot,

devastation strikes and the tears start pouring.

See now in case you haven't gotten it yet,

 me and Nicky aren't friends.

We have a love/ hate relationship.

As of right now since I just finished his latest book,

I don't like him anymore,

I don't like his stupid books, 

and I don't want to watch any of his stinkin' movie adaptations on tv.

It's an ongoing circle.

Right when I finish a book I hate him because I'm all sad and crying. 

Then time goes on and I forget about how sad I was after finishing his last book I read,

 and I get excited to read his next book. Then I read it and when I finish the new book, I hate him all over again.

So yesterday I went off to the public library, checking out some books for my up coming 4th grade class. Trying to get a head start on planning and such.

My feet start moving over to the 'S' section of the books separated by authors last name.

I don't know why I am over there but curiosity got the best of me.

I find ol' Nicks books just fine. 

I look over the familiar titles.

And lo and behold, I find one I haven't read yet.

One book I haven't even heard off.

Hum.. "The Best of Me"

it sounds nice enough with a little picture of a country front porch on the cover.

(by the way... ALMOST all of his books have a picture of a country front pouch on the cover)

Beep... it gets checked out.

and here I am. 

Writing about his stinking books.

Oh Nicky please forgive me, I lurve your books and hate them at the same time! I don't like crying at the sappy endings!

Buuuttt, 

Chances are, next summer, when I'm sure you will have yet another new book out, I will be reading that one too:)

Scaries!

In the past 2 weeks I have been up at my new school 3 times, and have finally got the desks, file cabinets, shelves, and posters everywhere I wanted them.

A HUGE shout out to my sweetest hubby for going one day up to school and being the muscle behind moving some of the heavy furniture and hanging items up high:)

Anyhoo... I have noticed this bucket from when I first came into my room.

Since it is a 5 gallon bucket I just thought that it was left in my room from when the custodians did their fabulous work on my shiny floor.

Finally the last time I was up there, right when I walking out the door,

I took the time to glance down at the bright yellow bucket sitting beside my door.

I admit, it is kinda super scaries to read!

(yes mother, I know scaries is not a real word. I just like saying it)

If you can't read the picture it says

EMERGENCY SURVIVAL SUPPLIES

This Unit Contains

Food, Water, Tools, Light, Radio, Shelter, Sanitation, First Aid

Life Support for ___ Persons

Since the bucket was already opened I looked inside.

Wowza! It is jam packed tight with all kinds of little plastic baggies!

All I could really see from the top was what looked like to be some type of little MRE's, a couple mini flash lights, and some ponchos. I know there is a LOT of more different things all shoved down in there.

Here's the kicker,

on the top of the bucket under the black lid is toilet seat.

Once you take out all the MILLIONS of tiny plastic pouches the bucket turns itself into a sanitation device.

Pretty nifty I guess:)

On my drive home I started thinking about that bucket.

I have never seen any other school OR building with these in every room before.

My school is located out in a very marshy area.

Now this is just what Chris and I think, but we very well may be wrong.

Of course this area was hit hard by Katrina, cause pretty much everywhere in the lower 9th and St. Bernard Parish were hit bad,

but the area this school was hit was not from the levees breaking.

It was damaged from the storm surge of the ocean.

This school is way out in a highly marshy area, that probably gets flooded a lot.

SO they keep these little babies in every classroom just in case.

Ok... major scaries! 

Noon Time, Down Time, Break Time, Summer Time..

I finished up my new classroom decorating today and had the radio bangin' in my classroom.

I listen to a station called Cajun Country, and that is exactly what it is.

I usually laugh hysterically to the guys who talk on this station for 2 reasons:

1. Their accents are thick that I can't understand what they are saying 

2. or they are talking about some weirdo Louisiana topic and I  have no idea what they are talking about:)

Anyway.. this song came on and I started blurting out the words.

Thank GOODNESS no other teachers were up at school today!

Only the principal, one of the secretaries, and some custodians,

hoping no one heard me!

Can you sing all the words?!