Congrats to the team, Laura, but what a sad and scary situation.

I spent the afternoon at an interesting training and then got a nice email from my big boss! So I had a good afternoon, anyway.

Timelies all!

We had a two hour arrival leeway at work today, though I got there basically at my usual time.

Congrats to the team, Laura, but what a sad and scary situation.

Both schools are very large schools in very rough areas. Homeless kids, kids with drug addict parents, incarcerated parents, living by couch surfing with friends or through one charity group or another. DH has headed out at early hours to drive kids to school that end up staying somewhere where they don't have a way to school, but they won't be able to play ball if they miss school. Sports is a way out for so many kids, but they can't play college ball unless they have grades. There is nothing that destroys DH more than when one of his kids just gives up and takes the easy route of selling drugs. It is hard to resist when your parents and all the people with the nice cars are doing it.

These kids, many immigrants, that fight through such conditions, get great grades, practice their sports skills relentlessly, and go forward with college scholarships inspire me every day. Mentors like Brendon give back so much. Some of the kids he coached now are college graduates giving back to their communities.

Tom, from way back, Kat G and her wife are both part of LAUSD. I think the only other LA K-12 Buffista teachers here are Kat Perez and me, and we are both in private schools.

Ack, I hate when stuff like this happens: I just went to turn on the back porch light, and the back porch door had been open all day. Not just unlocked, but standing ajar. That's freaky.

Our house is so small, I would have heard if someone came in the back door. I didn't, so I assume all is well, unless we have the world's quietest trespasser. It's still freaky, though.

Here's what I mean by the Czech Skoda LT-38 being a cute little tank.

[link]

Now I know what you are thinking, if it's a Czech tank, why does it have German markings? After Germany annexed Czechoslovakia before WWII, they added the Czech LT-38 (even kept producing them) to their forces as the Panzer 38t and it made up a good portion of the tanks used in the invasions of Poland, France, and the USSR. The Germans didn't really have that impressive array of tanks for the invasion of France and those Czech tanks were pretty essential. Ironically, it was France breaking its alliance with Czechoslovakia which allowed the annexation to take place in the first place. Maybe they believed Hitler when he proclaimed that annexing the Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia would be the last territorial demand he had to make in Europe.

Eek, that is freaky Teppy!!

Yay Laura's team, though sad for the circumstances.

Shrift, your job is affected by British elections now? Goodness!

I had an awful headache all day but finally got rid of it. Not sure if the migraine meds took extra long to kick in or if it was the Sudafed or the extra Tylenol. But finally something worked.

Sorry about the headache, meara, but glad it's finally gone.

I've had a kinda terrible day, but I can't say why. It's annoying not being able to say what is going on.

Shrift, your job is affected by British elections now?

Yes, for reasons that do not need explaining at this juncture. France also is making my life interesting.

I've had a kinda terrible day, but I can't say why. It's annoying not being able to say what is going on.

Shrift, your job is affected by British elections now?

Yes, for reasons that do not need explaining at this juncture. France also is making my life interesting.

Gud and shrift, I am now making up wildly improbable stories about your jobs since you can't tell us what's going on. It's more entertaining than TV.