Aspen and fences~Friday's Fences~101813

Our local mountains are having their fall peak right now and last weekend I drove around Garner Valley.  Aren't the aspen gorgeous?  I can't wait to see them this weekend!  And, the white fence sets off their color!  Friday's Fences for October 18, 2013.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Hummingbird at the Living Desert~Wild Bird Wednesday~101613

Last Friday, after an especially L-O-N-G week at school, I drove home, grabbed my camera, and headed up to the Living Desert Reserve for an afternoon walk.  I really needed some quiet time!  This little fella was buzzing around the flowers at the butterfly plant area and I hoped he would stick around long enough for me to click off a couple of photos of him.  And, he did!  Isn't he adorable?  Look at his little feet in the bottom photo!~  Wild Bird Wednesday for October 16, 2013.  To visit WBW, please go to:  http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/

Ocotillo in the morning~SkyWatch Friday~101113

Ocotillo at the Living Desert Reserve in Palm Desert, CA.  I was there with my family for the members' breakfast.  It was delightful and we got to go into the park at 7:00 a.m.  SkyWatch Friday for October 11, 2013.  To visit SWF, please go to:   http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Fence and bicycle~Friday's Fences~101113

This little house and yard is just so relaxing.  I love to drive by it.  It is located up in Garner Valley, in the little community there.  So peaceful... Friday's Fences for October 11, 2013.  To visit FF, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Internet issues now resolved (at least for now...)

We've been in Internet HE%%. We've had 2 techs out to fix the problem.  One was on the phone with his girlfriend the whole time and did NOTHING.  The second guy was here 5 minutes and then ran home to dinner.  In the meantime, our Internet has been cutting out.  I've had to reboot my desktop umpteen times a day, to the point that I was just too frustrated to even deal with it.  My husband thought I was nuts because HE could get a signal.  Well, my desktop is OLD and it runs slowly...I don't have the latest gadgets that he has.  I couldn't even post a photo on Facebook because the Internet connection would time out before I could get a photo posted!  That's BAD!  So, FINALLY yesterday the original tech came back (the one who had been on the phone)...I noticed this time (after a call to Time Warner) he wasn't on the phone and he actually installed a new modem (our other one heated up too fast) and checked the wires and GUESS WHAT?  He found that our signal is "intermittent".  Well, DUH!  BUT...a maintenance guy won't come out for 3 weeks.  SAY WHAT?  Another 3 weeks of this and I'll be completely nuts! (...pulling out hair...) At least we have it for a few days, right?

So, here are some pics from the last couple of weeks...We took both grandkids to the Living Desert Reserve on Saturday and wore out the little one.  She fell asleep at 4:00 p.m. and slept ALL NIGHT!  Our grandson always loves the miniature trains there and this time he enjoyed the Discovery Room, with his mom and dad!

Internet is now running and I'm BACK!

Phew!  It's been a hectic two weeks.  I had back to school night, I was sick with bronchitis (already), and we had MAJOR Internet issues.  We've had two techs out, but the problem seems to be that Time Warner is PUNISHING customers who dropped their cable, but kept their high-speed (HA!) Internet.  We've had two techs out in two weeks because we kept getting dropped while using our Internet.  Then, it slowed down to a C-R-A-W-L.  Remember the first computers that came out years ago...Yup...THAT SLOW!  Finally, yesterday afternoon, hubby did some troubleshooting on his own and VOILA!  Everything is now running like it should.  Seems the last tech forgot to tell hubby the final step in rebooting the entire system.  And, YES, we think he did it on purpose.  PPPPFFFFFTTTTTTTT to Time Warner!

Anyway, it's good to be back.

This school year is going to be a difficult one because, out of 28 kids, 19 of them are below basic or FAR below basic.  I have 5 kids who don't even know the letter sounds.  Did you know that smile begins with an "l"?  Well, I didn't know that either...sigh...I'm going to have to work with my low, low, low group on intensive phonics and keep the above-average kids busy!  HOW in tarnation does a kid get into third grade without knowing his or her beginning letter sounds?  My grandson, who is 4, already knows those sounds...It is going to be a L-O-N-G school year!

I went up to the horse ranch last weekend, but nobody was there.  The owners were away at a horse show.  I did let out a couple of my horses (individually) in the arena for some R&R.  They are always happy to get some play weed-eating time!  Here are some photos from the ranch last weekend.  That's my big gelding, Sunni, and then Lucille, my half Tennessee Walker, half draft mare that I bought from the ranch owner when the other boarder defaulted on her board.  Neither one of us wanted Lucille to end up in a bad place, so I bought her.  She's WONDERFULLY calm and I have ridden her twice now.  And, she's gaited!   :-)  She is a real doll!

I've been AWOL, but I'm BACK!

Well, I BARELY survived the first two weeks of school.  My bronchitis kicked in over Labor Day and I had to stay home Tuesday and REST.  I didn't get out at all that weekend.  Just stayed home and rested.  I straggled into school on Wednesday, locked my keys in the classroom, and had to run to the office to get a master key.  OYE VEI!  I honestly don't remember much about that day.  By Thursday, I was feeling better, and by last Friday, I was EXHAUSTED.  Our daughter and I did go to the Palm Springs certified organic famers' market yesterday so buy fresh produce.  It was our first time there and I really enjoyed all the pesticide-free items!  I bought a shot of wheatgrass, chugged it, and carried on for the rest of the day.  Oh, then I bought my VITAMIX at COSTCO.  I had attended classes over the summer, so that paycheck went for the VITAMIX, but I'm so happy I bought one!  I made my first smoothie yesterday and I've been making one every day now.  We are FINALLY done with nearly 3 weeks of thunderstorms here in the desert and we are drying out.  But, our mountains are very green right now!