Sunni, the energizer bunny!!!

As quiet as Scout was on Sunday, Sunni was the opposite. He stood by his gate, waiting for his turn to run in the arena. He walked quietly with me and when I turned him loose, he rolled three times. And, it was the first time I'd seem him roll completely over! Then, he got up, shook himself off, and ran around the arena six times! I guess he was self-exercising! It was funny to watch him! I just stood in the middle and took photos of him. I didn't urge him on at all. I'm glad he had this opportunity to get out and stretch his legs and brain!

Scout's progress

Scout is continuing to make progress and yesterday, after I opened her corral gate, she STOOD there and didn't barge out! What a little lady she is becoming! She walked with me down to the arena and quietly waited for me to unlatch the lead rope! Wow! What a difference! She quietly moved around the arena, didn't run or buck, and ate some weeds. That was it! Look at her stocky mustang feet!

Sunday morning sunrise

Sunday morning was a LOT cooler than Saturday and it is about 7 degrees cooler here in the desert. I had to drive hubby to work very early (6 a.m.) I decided to wander around the hotel (the Marriott) and take some early morning photos. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to get out that early. Look what I found! A sliver of a moon and a beautiful reflection on one of the lakes at the hotel. There was a flock of cattle eagrets there and they were flying overhead, but my camera's battery died and I didn't get any photos of them...maybe tomorrow?

High temps yesterday!!! 117 degrees

It was 117 on our front porch when I got home from school yesterday afternoon. That is NOT GOOD! Ugh. I'm going to run up to the ranch this morning, buy beet pulp and check on the horses. Then, back down to the desert because I need to get my car in for an oil change as hubby and I are switching cars next week. HE gets to go on a 5-day vacation up to the Sierras and northern California with our son (they are having some "male bonding" time...) I have to report for jury duty on Tuesday and I have NO IDEA how many days of school I'll be missing next week. It was 97 degrees up at the ranch yesteday and today should only be about 95, but still, that's pretty hot for the mountains! On my way home from school yesterday, I saw a brush fire right off the freeway and fire crews battling it...that's September in southern California. I saw this field getting watered yesterday morning on my way to school (I had my camera with me), so I stopped to take these photos. Believe me, my late afternoon, I was ready to just turn the hose on myself!!!

My day at school yesterday

Believe me, there is a BIG difference between having 19 bodies in my room and 28!!! While I was moving my moveable white boards on Wednesday, I turned around to answer a question from one of the little squirts and I caught my ring finger between the moving boards and WHAM! OUCH! I didn't get it out in time, my ring got caught, and I now have my index finger bandaged and it HURTS!!! I put in a 12 hour day yesterday, from 6:30 a.m. until 6:35 p.m. Today I'm leaving at 2:45 p.m. for the weekend and some photo time! Tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday will be "horse days". I'm ready for some FUN!!!

Looking forward to the weekend and some HORSE time!!!

Well, only two more days of school this week and then a 3-day weekend! Yippie! I FINALLY learned every student's name yesterday! Phew! It usually takes me 3 days! And, with 28 students, I'm surprised that I learned them all. Some people have a knack with names...I don't. I have to hear it over and over. Not surprising, it's the "behavior issues" that you learn RIGHT AWAY (hehehehehe!) It's the quiet ones that take longer, because you aren't yelling at them all day every day! HA! Anyway, they do seem like a nice bunch. We are busy, busy, busy working to learn our California standards while the threat of a 6% pay cut looms. Oh, joy! Anyway, I can't WAIT for some "horse time" and I have a friend coming up with me this weekend because she needs some "horse time", too! She wants to brush, and love, and snuggle! And, with 5 horses, that's plenty of brushing, loving, and snuggling!!!! (tee hee!) So, Susan, we'll get together THIS WEEKEND!

Shoes

for me, not the horses! I made the mistake of wearing a pair of flat shoes to school the first day and now I have BIG blisters all over my feet! Yesterday I wore an old pair of walking shoes (Reeboks) and socks and my feet didn't hurt, but the blisters are now big and red. Hmmm...we aren't allowed to wear "flip flops", so I guess I'll have to wear my walking shoes again today, but does anybody have any suggestions for the blisters? Is there anything I can put on them so that they don't hurt and go down? They hurt whenever ANYTHING touches them! OUCH! On a lighter note, I absolutely LOVE my class this year! They can write, they know how to SIT and do work, and they seem to be pretty good in math! YEAH! That makes my job so much easier when kidlets come to me PREPARED (unlike the previous year...sigh...)