LEARNING! Bearded Dragons are so Amazing.

 My cats are just simply in awe at the sight of my Bearded Dragon.  I'll say dragon, I'll say Beardie, I'll call her Issy or Isabella, but you will understand who it is that I'm talking about. She is my new love! I can't get enough of her, and I am just too interested in learning as much as I can. I have been a reptile person for many years, but I have never owned a Beardie even though I really really wanted to. I have always thought they look like larger Horny Toads and for that reason alone I should have raised them in the past. Most of my reptile ownership has been through adopting, fostering, rehoming, and/or rehab. With this as a backdrop, I could have and should have come across a few dragons in the past, and I guess I did, but I didn't have the setup at the times they were available. That's the only reason I can think of as to why it is that just now I am able to have one in my life. I am so happy.

    A pet store associate friend and/or acquaintance gave me her Bearded Dragon when she was no longer able to care for it. The animal was sick, getting sicker, not eating, not pooping, and for all the young girl knew, the dragon was about to die. This broke her heart, as she didn't have the money to care for it should the animal need medical attention (which the owner thought was possible).  I accepted the challenge, fully knowing that it may come down to taking her (Issy) to the vet.  I prayed about it, as I do everything, and Jesus is just so wonderful sometimes, even to the little creatures He makes.  Issy is definitely getting so much better in just a few days' time. WOO HOO!!

    To begin with, I didn't really know all the ins and outs of setting up the cage or enclosure. I knew it was going to be different than that of an iguana. It has to be different as the animals are from different parts of the world!  Iguanas are very tropical, while dragons are from arid deserts in Australia.  Arid deserts can go on for miles and miles without water sources, and the animals rely on their food for that precious few drops of water they hope to find; whereas iguanas are literally soaking in the waters that surround their natural habitats. Deserts also don't provide the same sort of lush food sources that one might feed an iguana, so where to start is a good question; one that demands the attention of an expert. 

    Lucky for all of us, there is no shortage of experts online!! The problem is that everyone who has ever owned a Bearded Dragon feels that they are in fact certified experts, and I really wanted to do this correctly!  I found about three really good sources online to follow.  I found Clint's Reptiles on YouTube. He's fun. I found Cookie's Creatures. He's from Australia and is a breeder, and he is literally there in the deserts with the animals. He has a lot of knowledge. I also found a dad and daughter team a bit closer to my neck of the woods. They are in southern Georgia, not Oklahoma, but it's much closer than say, Brisbane!  I watched video after video on subjects such as setting up the cage for the Beardies, and what to feed and when to feed, as the babies are very different from the adults in that matter.  I found these three experts to agree in most cases, and that makes a giant difference to me.

    From watching the experts I learned I was flat wrong on about six different levels. This information did not discourage me, it strengthened my resolve to get it right and to do right by the lizard! I had a water source in the tank.  The experts explained that my tank would become too humid. It's not very humid in the deserts and the animal will become sick. They explained to me why I needed the light sources to have both UVA and UVB "rays" and that was a huge deal! I had tiny heat emitters but nothing like I was supposed to have.  I didn't have a background on my tank, and though it's not 100% necessary it sure makes it nicer for the overall environment for my new baby girl. The desert background of Tucson, Arizona is pretty in the evening and I bought a nice drop for the tank. I may switch them out periodically just to be that pet owner who really tries to over-try!

    My tank, though a 40-gallon, is too small. It's literally the smallest size any of the experts recommended. I didn't even think to ask about a bigger tank, thinking the 40 was good, but I guess I sort of knew because my Blue Tongue Skink (when I had one) required a much larger tank. I'll end up buying an 80-gallon tank soon, but for now, the 40 will have to work. I don't have space to really set up an 80-gallon in my room (which is where she is for now until I do move to another place).  She's OK, but I will have to take trips to the backyard with her so she can scoot about. I'll have an outdoor enclosure made so I can do just that. It may be only 11-14" wide, but it will be much longer and I'll soon have a backyard I can use.  Just waiting! It will happen. They don't stay out too long anyway, as the humidity has to be under 35% and the heat needs to be above 80; it's a summer thing. 

    Lizards, like bears and rodents, go into a type of hibernation. I didn't realize that was true. I knew my snakes did; it only makes sense that my Beardie will too. It will happen around the end of November, and she'll probably rarely eat and rarely move. She may end up staying in her hide rather than basking. She may decide to keep things private and never even speak to me, which would really be sad, but I would understand. It doesn't mean I won't play Celtic music for her, I will. She will probably wonder about my sanity; there is very very little Celtic activity in the scenic deserts of Australia - - very very little. She is possibly the only Bearded Dragon who understands Gaelic.

    Lastly, if you get a Bearded Dragon, and you should, and you only want one not two for breeding, the experts all agree that having a male is easier and sometimes better than having a female. Females can produce eggs without being fertilized. If they form and she can't pass them she may need surgery to remove them. It is not something that happens all the time, it's even uncommon, but it never happens with males.  Despite what some may believe, the female of any species is the only sex or gender that can become pregnant. I know, that's terribly controversial, but the facts are facts, and girly girl dragons are not excluded from this fact.  Be comforted by knowing they never thought otherwise. We're the idiots, not the dragons!

    Sidenote: I took Issy's water bowl out of her cage and she stared at me. She's not happy about it, but it's for her health! I promise. I'll spritz her in the mornings and give her spritzed food too. She can be bathed for 15 minutes two times a week, and if she's thirty she'll drink then. I was really surprised to hear about the water thing, but remember, camels go weeks without having to drink too. We just don't think about these things because we can't go that long. They aren't us. They are tiny dinosaurs. Literally.

    

Dragons are Expensive! (But Worth It)

 If you keep up with my posts you know I recently adopted (or was the recipient of) a 2.5 year old female Bearded Dragon.  She is gorgeous!  If you're not into reptiles you may not appreciate that last statement, but she is just genuinely beautiful both as a creature and as a lizard! God was really very attentive when he made these guys!

    When I was a kid we played outside far more than the kids play outside today. We rarely stayed inside and that was even during the worst winters. We found places to hide that were warm, but we didn't want to be home. Mom found us work to do if we were home. Home was not really an option.  

    While we were out and about, and most likely this would be in the summer months, we found lizards to play with outside. Oklahoma is a uniquely situated state for a lot of things including the various species of reptiles. We have snakes, skinks, geckos, really cool lizards, and of course turtles. we have a lot of different species in and around the lakes, but there are many many lizards in the residential areas too because of the green patches of grass and sand.  Growing up, one of the main staples as far as lizards go, was the "Horny Toad", officially called the Texas Brown Horned Lizard.  They weren't all from Texas, mind you.  Any of the spikey babies we found were Sooner born and Sooner bred; I'm sure of it.

    The Horny Toad was my favorite to play with even if they did pee on you immediately, and you could kind of gauge it and hold their butts out a bit to lessen the impact.  They looked like little armored dinosaurs, and they probably are. They were sweet, gentle, and never bit, and they fared well with us kids dragging them all over the place. They were secretly hoping we'd drop them so they could skedaddle off and never be seen again, but that rarely happened with me. I had a grip!

    The Bearded Dragon resembles the Horny Toad in many ways. Where the Horny Toad is endangered now, the Beardies are not! You can literally buy them, rescue them, adopt them, and/or find them in the right places if you're traveling abroad. They aren't indigenous to Oklahoma.  My Beardie girl is a captive born Sooner, but her "peeps" are (as most Beardie) from Australia.  The vast majority of these lizards are found in the arid dry lands down under; Issy (Isabel de Brugh) is about two and a half years old. She'll live to be about 15-16 years old. She's in transition at the moment, having come from a fairly neglective situation.

    The kids that had her before me are quite young. I'm not an expert on Beardies, by any means, but they didn't do anywhere near the basic research it seems and now I'm having to undo most of the damage.  It's not a bad thing, and I don't mean any ill-will toward the kids. They are just young and couldn't afford the needed supplies and must-have devices that it takes to run a make-shift desert in your home. If you're going to have a Beardie, you'll need a tiny desert as well.  In most cases, a 40-gallon glass enclosure tank with a well-secured lid is sufficient for the needed size. I'll upgrade to an 80-gallon tank once I move to a house/apartment that has an extra room that I can dedicate to the care of at least this reptile, but possibly more.

    You'll need a heat source that is going to help the enclosure maintain a higher temperature, somewhere around 105 degrees, so that the animal can bask and feel comfortable. The source must have both UVA and UVB bulbs, and they do make one that has both.  I opted for the dual lamp dome and have a 75w bulb for the UVA and a 10 for the UVB.  If I need the 100w bulb I'll do that. I just want to see what the dome will do for now.  She has been lumbering around 40w and both the bulbs were ceramic, not even with the needed UVA or UVB. Ceramic is good for heating only and should be used in a separate dome on the other side of the cage. She was in a very cold cage for too long. She's not eating now, she has been obese from having too many super worms (protein) and she's impacted, not pooping, and most likely due to the lack of heat in her enclosure. They really really need that heat to do any and all things bodily functional. They are cold-blooded. If they are hot they will hide. My girl has been really cool. Poor baby.

    To do right by the animal you'll need to have two spots in the enclosure that are at different temps; one to bask on and one to hang out in if it's needing to cool or hide. You'll need a little hammock for them to chill on because they really love suspending themselves, and of course, you'll need water bowls and other things such as a food dish (optional but best) and little branches that they can climb on and/or scratch themselves when they are molting.  They will need warm baths from time to time, belly rubs, lots of attention, and if you're really into spoiling the heck out of your lizards, as I am, you can put on some Celtic instrumental music for them to listen to throughout the day.  I also play Italian Cafe type music and watch her stare at me! I think she prefers Celtic music if I'm honest.

    What does a Bearded Dragon eat? In the wild when they are really young, they'll scarf down all the live bugs offered to them. You can pour crickets into the enclosure and watch them disappear quickly.  As they get older the protein source is lessened and replaced with vegetation. I use green leaf salad, but not spinach. I also cut up butter squash, blueberries, strawberries, and carrots.  She's been really stubborn since I've received her, so she's not eaten much that I can see. She can have an occasional super worm, but this one is way too heavy for that right now. When she is healthy I can reintroduce them and give them to her once a week maybe. She'll be on a salad diet for a while. (of course, you'll need to add calcium from time to time as you will with all reptiles.)

    With any animal that is not a typical domesticated animal, you should do all the necessary research you can.  Like any other group of people, those who raise and keep reptiles are picky and opinionated. You'll get dozens of folks telling you how very wrong you are, and it takes a rather tough skin to ignore their poor advice and fish out the good advice among them. For the most part, those who love dragons are good souls, but they can be rather prickly -- pun intended.

    If you were to just go out and buy all the things you needed to get started with the Bearded Dragon, the first questions you would ask yourself is what age are you wanting, as the enclosures, heating source, food source, and other supplies will change as the animal grows. If you start with a cheaper smaller lizard, you'll need to add the bigger tank later, the bigger light sources, the better food, the hides will be larger, etc.  Let me run down what it would have cost if I didn't have connections in the reptile world. Admittedly, I saved myself a little cash by adopting and by going to the stores I know about where I can purchase used supplies. Think Craigslist if you don't know any specific stores.

• Adult Bearded Dragon (male or female)  $300
• 40-gallon tank with lid (new $150) $80 used
• Zoo Med dual 5.5" light source with lamps ($82 at store $47 online)
• Large hide ($65 in-store $30 used)
• Branches to climb (You'll need two, so $30 each at the store $30 for two used)
• Water dish (big enough to climb in) $45 at the store $20 used
• Bamboo hammock ($16.00 at store $10 used)
• Enclosure thermostat ($32.00 at store $10 used)
• Food (I cut mine from salad, but the dry food is $10 a bag)

So you can see, that it can become rather expensive to set up the enclosure and buy the lizard. The problem with buying an adult is that they may or may not have been handled. They may or may not have an attitude. The babies are best if you can get the smaller tanks and heat sources, then pass them to someone else raising a baby, or sell them and use the money to put down on your new stuff. Either way it will be a bit of an expensive at first. Baby Beardies eat about 5 crickets every other day, so 15-18 a week at 12 cents per cricket. That can run into money as well depending on how far you live from your cricket source. These are just a few things to think about. If you need help - - ASK.  There is NO SHORTAGE of "experts" online. Most of the PetCo and PetSmart associates know a bit about Beardies too.  You'll be OK as long as you think with your brain and not your wallet. Horny Toad (Wikipedia) top

Bearded Dragon (bottom photo)

    

    

A Little Excitement Today!

 From time to time things will happen to and with us and though we are absolutely given a choice, most of the time we choose to help or assist if we can.  I am so proud of my kids for always (and I do mean always) stepping up when called upon to do so. They are first responders!  It just warms a mother's heart to see things that remind us how short life can be, and how well prepared our kids are in crisis situations.

    Today, I was walking Ginger around the complex while Laura was doing her laundry.  We don't have a washer and dryer in the unit (don't get me started) so we have to take the laundry for a little stroll down the sidewalk to the community laundromat on the premises.  There, Laura was just adding the detergent packs when she heard the distinct sound of an older man screaming as if he were in trouble. Like a dart, without even thinking about it, Laura flew from the small room to the exterior of the building to indeed find a gentleman well into his 80s, who had fallen just about 100 feet from where she was.  

    Right outside the laundromat is a sidewalk, then a blacktop parking lot, but then a rather steep easement of about 5-6 feet wide that angles up to another parking lot for the medical centers that we gaze at when we look out from our windows! It's the not best scenery, but they are nice buildings with modern designs, bigger windows, and lighting.  At the base of the easement lay the man Laura heard, and the man she would then be assisting up to his feet.  As she helped him another man came around the corner in an SUV, and he seemed to have been watching the older man for a while. The man in the SUV (Pat) quickly assisted Laura and the older man. We found out the older man is named Lonnie.  Lonnie is, as I stated, well over the age of 80, probably much closer to 90 years.

    Laura asked Pat where he had come from since she knew that neither he nor Lonnie lived in the complex.  While the medical centers are to the north of our complex, there is another nice office building to the west. Pat is a CPA and was working a little over the weekend. He glanced out his window and actually saw Lonnie fall. Getting into his SUV he drove around to help.  I hadn't come across either of them at this point, but as I walked Ginger around the corner and saw them I was a bit taken back. It's not every day I see my daughter propping up an older man in the parking lot!  Naturally, I decided to assist as well.  Since no one had had the time to call 9-1-1, I did that!

    They walked Lonnie to the complex, to the apartment next to the laundry.  A friend lives there, another older gentleman, but he was out this morning as it is Sunday and he had driven himself to church. Thankfully, he had left his gate unlocked and we were able to help Lonnie sit on the bench Charlie has outside on the porch.  With Pat and Laura watching Lonnie, I stood guard in the parking lot waiting for the ambulance. Instead of an ambulance, the City sent the rescue fire engine that has a couple of paramedics on board.  They were able to stabilize Lonnie long enough to gather all the necessary information they needed, and they went ahead and called for an ambo or bus.  

    I was at first a bit upset that the entire thing seemed to take much longer than I thought was considered a good response time. From the time I called to the time the firemen arrived, it was a good nine minutes. I didn't ask any questions, I was quite grateful they had arrived.  Later I called the non-emergency number and found out that the way I had initially answered questions about Lonnie led the dispatch to not add urgency to the call since Lonnie wasn't unconscious and he was mobile even with assistance.  I was not quite happy about it, as he could have struck his head! It could have been that he was ambling about but without knowledge. Next time I'll ask them to put in an urgent call - - gosh, I hope there's not a next time!

    All in all six able-bodied handsome and completely professional firemen came to assist Lonnie, and then two EMSA or ambo crewmen came as well. He was 100% in good company with people helping to get him loaded onto the gurney, answering questions, and being able to find out as much as they could about how it came to be that he ended up on the concrete outside the complex when he doesn't live there, and the medical buildings are closed on Sunday!  Seems Lonnie thought today was Monday.  That makes sense.  He had been fasting too; so he was tired and he was a bit disoriented. The one thing I found incredibly scary about it all was that Lonnie drove himself from about 15-20 miles north to be at the clinic today! If he had been driving on a Monday it would have or could have been so much worse because of the amount of traffic!  He was dehydrated and hungry and nearly 90 years old!

    After they took Lonnie away I cleaned up the paper tid-bit trash left on Charlie's porch from the firemen. There were pads that had wrapping and bandage coverings. Laura had brought Lonnie some bottled water, and I didn't want Charlie to come home from church and wonder what had happened in and to his pristine porch! I was just so thankful that Charlie hadn't locked the gate!  When she picked up her laundry a bit later, Laura ran into Charlie. She told him all about the morning's excitement on and around his porch!  How wonderful to think that by not locking the gate (on accident) that the Lord was able to use the area at a time when He knew Lonnie would be driving from Edmond, Pat would be working from the office, Laura would be doing her laundry, and I would be walking the dog.  God knows.

    As they wheeled Lonnie to the ambo, I told him I was going to pray for him. He put his hands up in the "prayer" gesture and nodded. He said, "Oh, thank you. I need that".  It's great to see and know that God has so many angels in this world and around each of us; we're never alone.  Laura said Lonnie reminded her of Pop and she would have done anything for him.  Somewhere out there, there are grandkids of Lonnie who may never meet Laura, but they'll know she was there for their Pop! It's a good day when God is praised.

Photo Credit: Me

Isabella de Brugh has Arrived!!

 It is NEVER safe to leave my daughter Laura or myself alone in a pet store for more than a minute or two. When we do tend to wander off from each other, we often meet others with animals who are really very friendly and there are times when we do end up coming home with one of those animals if the person bringing it to the store is looking to rehome it!  This is the case of the Queen!  I'll explain. 

    Laura and I go to various pet stores at least 2 or 3 times a week to pick up crickets for the lizards, or other gizmos and gadgets that we feel one of our animals need or will feel great if they had it in their possession. Laura often spoils her dog Yuuki with extremely expensive little cans of dog food; I personally never spend that much on Ginger, but then again Ginger eats about half of whatever I'm eating. She's only a little spoiled herself.  Today, Laura and I headed into PetSmart to pick up a new wire cage for her newly adopted rats (rescued really from becoming feeders). She named them (all female) Freya, Eden, and Lyric.  Oh, my goodness, they are adorable.  We went into PetSmart because I thought I remembered a cage that was out of the box. I saw it the last time we were in, and if it was still there, being out of the box often means that it may be a return, and therefore about 30-40% reduced in price! YEA!

    I was correct!  Laura did in fact pick up the really nice "apartment" for the rats, and saved herself about $30!  You just can't beat that - - unless you count leaving the store knowing you're about to adopt a two-year-old (adult) Bearded Dragon that needed to be rehomed due to her not being so happy where she was living. Even lizards get depressed folks, it's a fact.  They start to dim in color, they stop eating, they just hang out in their hides and don't want to be social. It's a very sad thing really.  I asked the lady (a store associate) who owned her what she needed and how I could be of assistance. Turns out the lizard needed to be rehomed, not just given a play date. I bet you didn't realize that lizards very much like to interact and be given human attention. They do.  Beardies can live to be about 15-16 years, so she's still young, but she's over the juvenile stage. This is important for her diet.

    If you know us, know me, know Laura, (or really any of us, Caity and/or Reuben could be counted on to do the same things Laura and I do) you'd know that I can't turn down a good looking healthy (even if it's depressed) lizard! They are so freaking adorable!  Did I have a big enough tank or enclosure? No! Did I know where to get one in the next 30 minutes? Yes!  I found a nice 40-gallon tank and the lady was super happy.  She didn't want to part with the enclosure she had been keeping the lizard in as it was rather expensive ($1000) and it was handcrafted. I don't blame her. I ran over to Alligator Alley (Oklahoma's Reptile Store) and I picked up a 40-gallon tank for $85.00 with a great lid (with locks).  The owner gave me the lizard for free, and I purchased the needed accessories such as the lamp, heating rock, heating source (for the corner) ground covering, hides, water and food dishes, even some climbs, and a really cool bamboo hammock from the owner.  The minute I set it up the lady pulled into the drive and we made the rehoming happen! Perfect!

    She had been named "Smaug" for the smaller dragon in the Lord of the Rings. I don't really like that name, sorry.  I thought about it, and she's a Queen!  I decided she should be Queen Isabella de Brugh of Scotland! I can call her Issy.  She's really a nice-sized lizard, about 16" long from tip to tail.  She's lighter in color and has amazing orange and darker tan striping. She's just so sweet, but she's not really friendly yet. She'll be OK, and after a week or two of becoming familiar with us, I'm sure she'll be lapping water out of our hands and eating super worms from our fingers.  I don't mind giving her all the time she needs.  In my room (where she's kept) I have a white noise machine that is on constant "Ocean" sounds.  I also play sweet Celtic instrumental music most of the day and keep the lights dim until the evening.  She'll find it very relaxing and she'll enjoy my company I hope. I spend a great deal of time at the computer and she can look out of her enclosure to watch me. She's staring at me now, probably wondering what that wonderful smell is - - it's a Butter Rum and Caramel candle from Michaels!! (Ah...Autumn in August)

    That's about it. News from the Home of the Stringfellows. New rats this week, and now a new Bearded Dragon. You just have to keep up if you can. Since we sold the horses it has become nicer in that on the weekends and evenings we're no longer at the barn. We're home-loving on critters that we can fit in our hands. She's a big big lizard for sure, probably about 5 pounds if I had to guess.  Right now, she's literally lounging on her hammock in the corner under the heat source, listening to the ocean waves and smelling the candles.  I think she's already feeling a bit more chill than she was at her other place. I don't know the situation, but I can tell you this, she's one chill lady at the moment!

Queen Isabella de Brugh.  Photo Credit: Me

Time to Get Real (By Pretending)

 We do it all the time, we fantasize, play mind games, make-believe, and/or pretend that something is in some way different,  or somehow we're more than what we are. It's always fun to be famous and have the best of times in our dreams, isn't it? Most of the time we do this, it's harmless and it doesn't come to anything. I know that for me, often times I'll play out a possible conversation I'm thinking of having with someone. I'll say what I'm going to say, then pretend that they say something. I work out all the ways it could go, and I usually (always) win the prize! C'mon, it's my fantasy, right?

    I found out last week that a friend of mine was given crushing news when he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  I think he was diagnosed last year with what they thought may be diabetes, but now he was told it was confirmed. He at least has the symptoms of pre-diabetes and he's been instructed to change his diet drastically in order to remain non-insulin-dependent. Wow! I would not even begin to know how to take that information. I cried with him, I prayed for him, and I think I have decided to do more. I can't do anything for him really, not unless we were in a different set of circumstances, but I can at least empathize. I can try to understand what it is that he's experiencing so that I can better understand our conversations going forward.

    As my friend is a proud man, and won't ask for help, he won't need to worry about how he would be treated at my home. I've decided to do a bit of pretending but in a good way, in a more constructive (adult) way. I've decided to live, for a while, as if I have been given that same diagnosis. Why? Why would I do that? Well, for one, it's got to be scary doing this sort of thing all by oneself. If he (or anyone else) wanted to talk to me about it, I would have some knowledge of what it was like because I would be taking on the diet, the exercise program, and the researching into the condition(s) to know what to expect both mentally and physically. It can't be just a body thing; with a diagnosis such as that, it would be all-encompassing and it would affect the body, the mind, and the spirit as well.  It is time to get thinking!

    First, I know my friend said he realized that he had some issues (physically) a few years back when his feet became numb. He went to the doctors and found out he had an issue with his veins not getting enough oxygen and though he was tested for diabetes at that time, nothing was found. I think there is some diabetes in his family, but I'm told depression and anxiety as well as a history of alcoholism can and do often lead to Type 2 Diabetes in the middle to later years of life. I don't drink, and I've never had issues with blood transmission, but I can find out what I would need to do if it were to happen. I don't need to wear the compression socks if it could lead to other issues, but I can think about the need to do so. I wear compression yoga pants when I work out and I would assume the socks one would wear for the legs would feel something like that. 

    As for the diet part of my journey, I went through my kitchen cupboards just about an hour ago and I was shocked at how many things I have in my cupboard right now that would need to be thrown out if I were considered a diabetic! My daughter lives with me, so I won't throw out her things, but I am going to start buying those foods I should and would eat if I actually had diabetes. To be 100% open and honest about it, I think this is going to be really good for me. I do avoid most of the sugary things my daughter has sitting about in the cupboards, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't nibble a bit on some of it now and again every day. I don't eat a lot of it, but according to the research I've done I'd be overdoing it if I just do what I do now.  That stops tomorrow. (I will miss the ice cream)

    Since about August 2020, I've been really pretty firm with myself when it comes to dieting, but I do have my cheat days. You can't really cheat with diabetes. You can't fad-diet, you can't binge diet, it's a life change. It's a life challenge! I think I'm up for it. I can't say that I'll continue the process long-term, but I would if someone I loved (who lived with me) was diabetic. I would be that person who surrendered completely to showing my loved one that I was fighting this fight with them so they didn't have to open a cupboard to see a chocolate bar, a bag of cookies, or even crisps or chips that have too many carbs! I had NO IDEA that as a diabetic you can't have more than about 100 carbs a day, and you shouldn't have more than about 30 at each meal. It's not just the amount on a daily basis, but on a meal basis. I'm learning. I have about six friends that come to mind who have been living with diabetes. Some are insulin-dependent, and some are not.

    I already eat good meats, good vegetables, only the lower carb fruits, and fewer carbs.  I need to work on lowering the carbs further, giving up rice, pasta, again, sadly, ice cream, and I'll need to think about the fruits. I put raisins and cranberries in things, but I see they have more concentrated carbs than their original fruit due to the hydration stage. A raisin has 4 times as many carbs as a grape! OMG! I didn't know that. I'm learning. It hurts, it really sucks, but I'm learning. I think the end result of this experiment and journey will be that I will probably lose some weight, which is great, but I'll gain empathy for my friends and perhaps not be so careless when I offer them a piece of cake or something. 

    Many of you know that I don't eat refined sugar. I've used Stevia in all of my baking since about 2020, even before I was "dieting".  I just thought sugar makes people edgy, so I stopped using it for the most part. Now, I'm thinking I'll need to find other food subs for pasta, bread, and of course rice. Noodles are a no-go, and for someone who loves noodles, that's really a slash to the heart! I keep thinking to myself that in Heaven there will be all the things we wanted and couldn't eat, and they won't make us fat. Now, I have to think that there will be all the things we wanted to eat that didn't kill us! Then again, if it killed me I'd then be in Heaven...wait, that's not quite how it works. I will have to wait until the Rapture for my new body, so I'll just hold off on the going-to-Heaven-to-eat plan for now.

    For my friends who may be experiencing anything remotely like numb feet, numb hands, spots on the body that you can't feel, or if you're legs swell (or turn darker in color); you need to see your doctor!  Don't wait, and please don't say it's a family thing and will pass. I know it's really scary to find out things you don't want to find out. I know that some are worried about insurance not covering it, or they don't know how they'll manage to pay for it. Your health is too important to let slide.  Jesus will help you find a way to cover the cost; ask! There are programs out there. At the very very very least, you can do a bit of research on how to diet and exercise and get that part of it going. Maybe a bit more oxygen to the veins can help more than you expected it to. Losing weight is KEY to keeping your body healthy and with the body in better condition, the mind and spirit will follow. (Prayer helps. Meditation on His words and prayers.)

    I don't know how long I can go on this journey. It may be a few weeks, it may last longer. If I can do it, and it's benefiting me, I'm going to try to keep doing it. It can't hurt me. We all know that much. I think they make sugar-free ice cream at Braum's! If they don't, someone else will make it. I'm determined to be the best long-distanced friend and supporter to a would-be friend that I can be. He may not have anyone else to support him through this; and since I'm willing and available, maybe he'll reach out to give me a few tips on how I can improve my experience(s). That would be great. I'm all about learning and taking in new thoughts.  If you have tips and/or suggestions for me you can join me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/judestringfellowauthor/  and message me. I don't "chat" to date people or get to know them, but if you want to chat about diabetes, health, diet, exercise, and all that, I'll be happy to respond - - right up to the time when you (if you) try to flirt....I don't tolerate it. NOPE.

    Be of good cheer! Jesus is returning soon!!  This will not matter!! (Smiles)

YEA!! Bryers makes it!!

Photo Credit:  Bryers.com

Tha Gàidhlig spòrsail

    I was about six or so when I realized that people lived outside of the United States. Believe me when I tell you that I thought the end of Texas collided with the ocean. I saw maps and heard about French people, Israelis, Germans, and so forth, but I just thought they all lived right here in the U.S.  Wasn't the U.S. the world? Well, needless to say, I had a great deal of learning to do!  In the 3rd grade, when I was about nine years old, my teacher assigned us countries to study and report on.  I don't know how I ended up having to report on Scotland, but I did.  Because they had black wiry-haired dogs and pretty purple flowers, I was hooked!

    I went home and promptly told my mom that I was given Scotland to study. She promptly told me that we were English, but Scotland was close enough. I don't think she fully understood the assignment. We didn't get to pick the country that our ancestors came from, we were assigned countries to study. Nevertheless, over the next few days, it really bothered me that we were actually English. I had been reading about what the English did to the Scots and I have to tell you, I started crying! My dad was there in the living room, and he saw me struggling with the situation. He wasn't much for words, my dad, but this time he decided to sit on the floor with me and go over a few things that I don't even know if my mom knew!

    

    Dad told me that we may very well be English on my mom's side of the family, but as far as he was concerned, Stringfellows were Scottish!  He said he would agree that there were some English Stringfellows too, but that the land between the two countries was mostly owned or occupied by the Scots for many years until they were overtaken by the English. The bordering lands were where the Stringfellows lived; therefore, in his mind and in his heart, he said that he would rightly consider all Stringfellows to be Scottish!  He didn't walk me to the library to verify that bit of information. He didn't need to. I knew the way. I had been walking myself the mile-long road from 2212 N. Mueller to 3500 N. Mueller for years by that time. I think I was four almost five when I first journeyed that path!

   

    Scottish we are!  Mom can be English is she wants to be. She's an Edwards, and her mother's maiden name was Free, there are some Hagues in there and so forth. My dad's family the Stringfellows all originated in the Scottish borders from 760-1660 and before that they were more or less Scandanavian.  His mother is another story. She was a Bullington. We won't go there; it only adds sorrow to my spirit to have to admit that she too was primarily English!  When I got older I did the whole DNA thing and found out that I'm 47% Scottish and slightly more you know what, but that the good news is, we are on both sides of my family, CELTIC vs. Angleo Saxon. That fact made me jump with glee in my soul!  If I can't be fully Scots at least I know I am more than 94% Celt! 

    What did the Celtics speak? Well, they spoke a number of Proto-Celtic languages of which one which has survived these thousands of years, is Scots Gaelic. I'm not Irish so I won't try to learn Irish Gaelic. They are similar of course, having only a few miles of sea between the two countries, and there was a time (many times) when the peoples of both areas intermarried, intermixed, and inter-everything. My people are who my people are, and I love them even if I don't know them really. I'm learning more now of course, than I did when I was 9, but that's another blog. I'm blogging today about learning how to speak Scots Gaelic. 

    This has been a very long journey for me really. About five years ago I decided to learn to speak Scots Gaelic, and again, I have no reason for it other than it was the language of my ancestors. Literally, only 5% or less of all living Scots still speak it, and less than 1% on a daily or usual basis. It could be one of those things I do so I can speak about someone I don't like and say what I really want to say, but that would be so rude; wouldn't it? (Still fun, but really rude)  The lessons began as they usually do, with me going to the library to find books.  The books are good, but with the invention of the internet, I found YouTube videos, CDs I can buy on Amazon, and so much more. I'm not anywhere near where I want to be. I think I can read Scots Gaelic at the 1st-grade level, but I can't confidently speak it to non-Scots let alone try my best in front of a real one! (Agony!)

    The best thing happened to me in the form of a man named Jason Bond. I'll give you a link to his sites at the bottom of the blog.  Jason is fun! He is cute! He is adorable in his mannerisms! You will fall in love with him as your Scots Gaelic teacher; and hopefully, you'll want to take all of his courses. He's a certified language instructor and teaches online now at the University of Dundee (remotely).  He's been to Scotland many times and has taught there as well.  He's full of surprises and makes learning easy.  He helps with my confidence for sure. Let me tell you, I'm not an introvert. I am the biggest extrovert I know, but even I was and am apprehensive about speaking Scots Gaelic out loud. Now, within the confines of my office at home, I am speaking it to my dog and to Jason online (but he can't hear me since he's inside a YouTube video) and I'm doing the hand gestures he suggests to get my brain wrapped around the words for memory! LOVE IT.

    I'm finding that the language is so much more difficult than it should be. I've been quoted as saying that men must have put the letters and rules together for Scots Gaelic because it just does NOT make sense to put a letter in front of the letter "h" and then that front letter does not have a sound! Just don't put it there! It's not even the same as our "ph" making the "f" sound; the freaking letters in front of the "h" don't have a sound!  Oftentimes, in Scots Gaelic, if there is an "fh" or "mh" or "bh" in the middle or end of a word the sound is that of an "oo" or "v" and that could be regional, and it could be just because that's the way the person was first taught it. It's not easy, but nothing worth doing is usually easy - - this is a love quest and I'm going to make it happen!

    There you have it, or "Sin agad e", if you will permit me.  That last statement was not pronounced as it is written. It's more like "Shin gat a".  The way I remember the SH sound on those words is to remember that the name SEAN is pronounced SHAUN.  You have to do a lot of reminding in this language and there are some really cool researches going on as well to help with the understanding of where to put that one inside my brain, churn it around a bit, and spit it back out to make a bit of sense.  Jason has a few books he has written too, and they are easy to obtain through Amazon.  I'm halfway through the first (it's only taken 6 months) and I'm about to start over to see how far I can read without stopping and looking something up online! VICTORY!!! You have to take them where you can!

    Gus an ath thuras, beannachd leat agus tha mi an dòchas gum bi beatha bheannaichte agad.  (Until next time, goodbye and I hope you have a blessed life.)

Jason's link to learning Scots Gaelic: https://gaelicwithjason.thinkific.com/

   

Photo Credit: Jason Bond (Best Gaelic teacher EVER)

Diabetes (The Silent Killer)

     Did you know that being prone to depression and/or anxiety can lead to Type 2 Diabetes? That's one of the strangest things (one of many) I've discovered recently, after finding out that a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with the disease.  To my knowledge, though he does have obesity in his immediate family, and he himself was considered obese at the time of the diagnosis, he didn't have a family history of Type 2 Diabetes. I was also rather surprised to find out that more than 90% of those diagnosed with Diabetes do in fact have Type 2.  This is NOT a medical blog. If you feel you may have, or if you do have Diabetes, do NOT take my blog as being a replacement for you to contact and/or consult a medical professional. Please, the best advice I could ever give anyone with even the slightest suspicion that you may have it, is to see professional medical help, and do all that you are told to do! It matters. YOU matter.

    My first experience with knowing someone with the disease was not exactly in my family, as my uncle was married to my mom's sister, and therefore, he was not in my family per se. I didn't count his medical history as being a part of my own bloodline and biological makeup.  I did however learn a great deal from him, and though he was diagnosed in the 1980s he lived into the later part of the 20th century.  He was in fact, my very favorite uncle ever ever, and to see him go meant that I was losing not only a friend but a protector. He was the one who would grab me out of the reach of his wife Wilma when it came time for my disciplining...which happened a great deal more than I think I want to remember. I had a mom, a Granny, and an Aunt Wilma, and let me tell you, I'd rather face a hoard of Grannys than one Aunt Wilma! Viva la Marvin!

    Diabetes is a disease that was so deadly for so long because people just didn't understand it, but now we have modernized medicines and our researchers have researched it to the hilt!  Turns out, and don't take this to be a replacement, that you can live with Diabetes (not cure it) by changing your diet, watching your diet, exercising, getting enough rest, and basically doing what you KNEW you were supposed to be doing all along. I'm not saying that we knew this to be a fact, but we dang sure suspected it to be one. I remember my uncle doing exactly what his doctors told him, and he lived a great deal longer than most would have. He didn't encounter the disease until he was in his 60s; most Type 2 onsets happen in the 40s and 50s. He was lucky in that sense, but you're never lucky when you get that sort of news.

   When I was raising my kids (when they were really little) there was a man at our church whose voice was right up there with the angels. He played guitar, he was an amazing Christian soul. He was married to a beautiful woman I had gone to high school with. She and I had been bridesmaids together for a wedding, and soon after that, her husband sang at my wedding!  Stan was also diagnosed with Diabetes, but to my sorrow and heartbreak, he didn't follow the doctor's advice, and over a period of time when he could have been losing weight, eating correctly, and giving up things that caused his good cholestrol to rise; he chose to "be happy" until he died. It didn't take very long for that to happen.  I miss my friend.

    My new friend, who really isn't a friend but someone I know, who has recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, has done EXACTLY as he has been told.   Thank you, Jesus! He too, is a wonderful singer, a man of God, and like Stan, he plays musical instruments for weddings, churches, and worship meetings, and he records.  It warms my soul to think that he is not only following the doctor's advice, but I know he is in meditation and prayer over it as well.  About a year ago this man weighed about 260-270 pounds and again, around 5'11" or so.  He has lost about 50 pounds so far through diet and lots of good steady exercise. It's not easy to get out there and run, ride your bike, or go to the gym to work out, lift weights if you're not into it, or if you're not used to it! I am SO PROUD of him for his decision and dedication. 

    Like Stan. my new friend is in his 40s and he has suffered from depression, anxiety, and chronic leg issues for years.  That makes sense when I think about it, and through the research, I have done,  it makes a great deal of sense.  My uncle complained of leg cramps and I knew his veins were puckering and seemed to gather rather than flow in straighter lines.  I researched it.  Stan complained of leg issues too. About two years ago my new friend posted that he was having chronic leg pains and joked about having to wear stockings for it, but when they came in the post they were women's hosiery!  OOPS!  That's a return waiting to happen! (Can't tell you how often I've ordered something from Etsy or even Amazon and what was delivered was NOT what I asked for.  I love Prime.  I can return anything I need for free.)

    Finding out you have Diabetes does NOT need to be a death sentence. It is no longer considered a one-way ticket off this planet. You can, if you choose to, do what you are told to do. Most patients, according to the research I've done online, are candidates for being diagnosed if they have immediate family with Diabetes, they smoke, drink heavily, are obese, have chronic depression or their immune system has been compromised. MILLIONS of people fit into this category, and MILLIONS of people go undiagnosed every year!  If we could get a grip on our health before it gets out of hand that would be best, but we're so busy with LIFE. We're go bogged down, we're so something. Some people are anxious, others are sad, and others are just too heavy, to begin with, and feel that there is no way to start the process! This is NOT TRUE in most cases.

    One thing I did today, and I'm going to see if I can get more of my actual friends and family to do it too, is to buy a cheap recipe book for those with Diabetes. The first thing to learn is how to maintain your good health while working on the bad habits that have left you (any of us) with riddled blood and cells that really just don't want to do what they were designed to do.  Damage from alcohol in the past can be something that leads to Type 2 Diabetes, especially if the alcohol was hard or harsh; give it up!  Giving up anything based on sugar is the first thing you'll likely be told to do. Give up smoking too. Begin soaking in a hot bath with white vinegar and baking soda.  Take activated charcoal. These are just good suggestions that take out toxins and assist the oxygen to flow again into your bloodstream. The cookbook will help me not only to plan meals without added carbs and sugar count, but it will give me great new ideas (ways and means) of preparing meals I hadn't thought of before.

    Nothing says "I love you" like cooking for someone you know has an issue and you take the time to show them you'll help them become more healthy, as you eat exactly what they are eating too.  If your loved one has Diabetes, please don't eat sugar-filled treats in front of them.  Buy Stevia, Truvia, or other sugar substitutes and give up anything alcoholic (in the house or even out to dinner) because they need your strong will and your strong heartfelt love to keep them going! It's tough being alone in this world as it is; if you have a loved one that needs you to be there for them through everything - - make it EVERYTHING.  Like I said, most people who have Diabetes are never even diagnosed and then the disease leads to failure(s) of organs, strokes, and even full cardiac arrest.  In many cases, it can be controlled.

    I hope my words have helped someone. I will post a really cool article I found about what you can do if someone you love has been recently diagnosed. Remember, you may never be told YOU have the disease, but if someone you love and live with daily has been, you need to be their rock from this point forward. They need you to help get them through this.  Who knows, maybe changing your diet, getting some good exercise, better rest, meditation, and hot baths can change a few more things; it may even save your relationship if you agree to be partners (again).

ARTICLE: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/help-loved-one

Photo Credit: Andy Hannah (Buy it on Amazon!)

Animal House For Sure!

 If you know me, or you know Laura, you know that we are both such animal lovers. We had horses for years and years, but with the lockdown, and not being able to fully work our full-time jobs, it became increasingly difficult on our finances to continue keeping them as pets. We still love them, over the top mind you, but we just can't justify spending the money we were spending. Believe it or not, during the lockdown it was more expensive to keep the horses due to the lack of supplies coming into the stores and barns.  We were literally paying an additional fee not only to get the feed and hay but to have it delivered and unloaded. It was a nightmare really, unnecessary, and in my opinion, needless!  We survived, but we did give up our heart habit.

    Because we already had a few dogs and cats lying about the house, Laura decided she had to have something else to fill in the extra time she normally would spend at the barn.  She found that raising and rescuing lizards was fun! I like snakes, I like lizards, and I like other reptiles such as turtles and tortoises. I'm good with just about any pet.  I have had spiders, millipedes, and even a pet oscar! (He was aptly named Oscar before I got him, and since I didn't believe he could or would know his name, I changed it to Brian for no reason whatsoever other than I could do it!)

    Today, at last count, and I do have to say that because the day is young, we have three cats, two dogs, three rats, 1 uromastyx 1 crested gecko, 1 leopard gecko and my millipede "Falkirk". I rehomed my ball python. She was a rescue. We take them in and love them, fatten them up and find them good homes after we have been chosen for their foster parents. We don't mind the revolving door on the lizards and reptiles, but I could never rehome a dog or cat that I fostered. Nope. It would never happen.  The rats were supposed to be a pair, they came nearly glued together with a bond so incredibly adorable, there was simply no way I could allow Laura to separate any of them from one another. We won't rehome them. They're staying until they all pass.

    My daughter Caity is my wild animal rescue and rehabber.  She literally finds them outside her door, in her garage, in her garden, in her trees, just wherever God decides to put them for her to find.  She's brought in raccoons, rats, mice, squirrels, possum, and a wild bird or two. Laura will pick up the stray Canada goose or Wood Duck from our pond if she thinks it won't get on with the others well enough to survive. Caity goes out of her way to drag the creature into the house to force an enormous amount of love, pampering, care, and sheer family bonding.  She is now on the call list for the wild animal vets. They call her and ask her if she can house or foster from time to time, at least until the animal(s) heal and can be released. That's how she came to have a blackbird without one of its legs!  He was kept.

    Reuben is a collector rather than a rescuing sort.  He has either three or four dogs now, and by now I mean today.  He has five cats that I know of, and he may or may not increase or decrease that number in the near future. He really can't be counted on to blog or post about these events in his life. I find out when I go to visit or when he comes up to visit and discusses their arrival or departure. He's not nearly as sentimental or ceremonial as the girls are. Fact.  He's a man. He's a good man. He loves animals, won't kill the spiders in his house, releases field mice, and such. When he does release a field mouse he first calls Caity to see if she's in the area so she can pick it up, but that's been a minute. I think he just doesn't tell her now. He just lets them out and she'll never really know! (or does she?)

    It is what it is, (Sin agad 'e if you speak Scots Gaelic). We will probably not buy or adopt any more horses for a while. We are finding that having the extra income in our bank accounts helps with buying actual food and paying actual bills for us humans. It's amazing how you find these things out after years of wondering where the money goes. Could we live without fur on our clothes? I would have no idea, we've never done that. I can't imagine thinking about doing that, and if I had to think about it I would cry. I know I've lost "friends" over it; I don't remember who or what their names were/are. That tells you how important they were in my life. If you don't like my dogs, my cats, my rats, pigs (I don't have pigs), and/or whatever finds its way to my house, you'll welcome to stay home and call me, text me, Facebook Message me, or just you know, don't.  If you don't like animals, I may not like you!

    That last paragraph, so you know, was written with a millipede on my head and a dog in my lap. In case you're wondering if having a millipede in your hair actually tickles, it does.  They make great pets really; they never complain, but they don't guard the house, and they won't keep your feet warm. Dogs are good for that sort of thing. Ginger knows.

The Uromastyx (ours is lighter colored)

Photo Credit: FineArtAmerica.com

Clothes Clothes Clothes

     It's really weird, but whenever I type out a word several times in a row, the word doesn't look like it should look that way. I felt that way when I was typing out the title of the blog.  Clothes, clothes, clothes. I thought maybe the h seemed odd just sort of hanging out in the middle of the word without making a sound. Is it just me or do you think that way as well?  What I did notice about that word, the word "clothes", is that in the Scots Gaelic language to have a "th" or an "mh" or "bh" in the middle of a word, there is either no sound or a "v" sound. Much of our English language is influenced by the Celts; so yeah, that makes sense.  (See what I did there with the "h" on the end of "yeah"?)

    I have too many clothes. I have way too many clothes. I have no one to blame but myself, and I just blamed myself. I have far too many clothes, therefore, I am going back through the closet another time in order to dwindle down the unused, unworn, not worn often, and just those I had no idea were even in the small space I pretend is large enough for all of my clothes.  By this time tomorrow, I will have a smaller wardrobe, and the local Goodwill store will be that much better off. I will wash the clothes of course (probably in a little vinegar and bleach) to make sure all of the pet hair and the family smells are no longer present.  That will feel really great! It's not spring, but I need to do a bit of giving away and why not start in the closet?

    I also decided today to iron all of my dress shirts to be prepared for going to my new job.  I haven't been hired yet! I thought it would be today, but that didn't happen. That doesn't mean I can't mentally prepare. You may already know this, but when I plan I often preplan. My plans have outlines and footnotes. I get into it, friend. I am one heck of a planner; let me just say that out loud!  I pulled out the ironing board and set it up. When I did, it made that familiar metallic sort of scream that they make.  I don't think the cats were ready for that. It's been a minute or two since I last ironed anything.

    When I say it's been a minute since I  last ironed anything, that's because I wore mostly t-shirts and/or class polos when I taught from last August to October. I haven't worked since October, and before last August when I started back to the classroom, I hadn't worked in over 18 months; not out of the house.  I have some of the prettiest dress blouses ever made, but I've not been able to wear any of them for over two years and really three or four because I was teaching before that, and you may wear one nice blouse if the parents are coming to the school for conferences. What do you do with all those wonderful dress blouses just hanging in your closet? I'll tell you what I did; I gave 80% of them to Goodwill because I lost so much weight between 2020 and now that I can't wear them. BOO-YAH! Someone's gonna be happy!

    I hit up Amazon and ordered 15 new shirts that do fit and they are really close to the same type, style, and even colors as the XXL that I'm giving away. It feels too good to say goodbye to them, and I am too happy that I am able to do so.  My friend told me to have them altered, but no, you know what, they've been in the back of the closet for years and someone else will think they hit the jackpot when they roll up to Goodwill and find these gorgeous blouses for fantastic prices! That's the best gig out there!  If the particular place I shop on Amazon wasn't as reasonable as it is, I wouldn't do it, but they are really great. The brand that I typically buy is usually there and as long as they're made in the U.S. or by one of our allies, I'm good with that.

    It's been a few weeks back, but when I decided to go through my t-shirts I think I gave away 84. That's saying something. It says I had way too many t-shirts. I see them and I buy them. This is an obvious addiction. I don't know if there's a rehabilitation program for someone like me, or if I'm just going to have to wing it on my own, but I do have to, and I do need to stop buying so many dang t-shirts.  It doesn't help that Six Dollar Shirts (6DS) is out there literally selling their tees for $6, or that TeePublic offers 40% discounts all the time. Then there's Amazon again. They have their own brand of cute tees and even if I just want one for a weekend party or something, I will go to these stores online and make it happen.  This isn't the worst habit I can think of, and unlike used drugs, I can offer someone free tee shirts whenever I get the urge to purge.

    If you're like me, and you have too many clothes, there is another thing you can do with them rather than take them to Goodwill and drop them off. You can, if you're really cool like that, shred them, dye them, (or dye them and shred them), and then weave them into rugs for dogs! Yes, that's the latest thing I've seen online. Some people don't even bother dying them, they just get out the weaver stuff and make these cute little beds for their dogs. I don't know that I'm going to do that since I am really sure I don't want my old clothes living with me in any capacity, but it is a really cool idea. I'll post a photo.  I suppose you could do the weaves and donate the beds to shelters. I bet someone sells them for $$$$ on Etsy! If I had nothing but time and energy I may consider that; God knows I have the material hanging around my house.  I don't think it was always this way, and I'm looking into ways to fix the problem.

    Have a blessed and cleaner day! I hope you find all the unwanted things and are able to donate them to make another person smile! That's always worth the time and effort if you ask me.

Photo Credit: Unknown Pinterest

    

God is GREAT All The Time

 Just to show you how very great God is (at all times) I decided to blog about what has happened to me on the employment front recently.  I typically go into my prayer closet, which is a literal closet in my room, and I take my dog Ginger with me. She likes to pray too. I take my rock, the same one I've held in my hands now for more than 28 years; there's nothing special about it other than it reminds me to pray with my heart.  In the Bible, God tells us that if we forget to praise Him the rocks will call out His name. I don't ever want to hear my rock speak! I want to remember to always call out to God and to praise Him for all of the tiny and big things He does for me.

    So about a month ago I decided to go back into the classroom if that was the way God was leading me. I sort of felt that it was since the doors seemed to be opening and I seemed to be hired immediately when I went on the first interview. The place I went was run by our government, it's not a typical school. I was hired, and I was excited about it because I work well with the "tough kids" or the kids that others seem to think don't need to help because people think these kids don't want help. They do. They have a hard time expressing that they need help, but they do need and they do want help.  

    Well, after I was hired, I was told I couldn't work there because the State of Oklahoma hadn't given me my teacher's license that I had renewed. The State said they were 8-12 weeks behind in processing those licenses. I thought it was ridiculous since I had renewed the license and had the receipt, but there they were rescinding my offer!  No worries, I thought, I can just use the same license receipt and go to a public school to apply. That is exactly what I did, and again, because of my experience and willingness to work in an urban setting, I was hired immediately. Sounds great right? Not so fast. The State has now decided that I need to take yet another test to be considered fully licensed.  It seems the tests I've taken in the past in other states aren't good enough for this state. I'm so sick I could spit about it, but it won't do me any good. I have more hoops to jump.

    Oklahoma is the LAST STATE in the rankings now for education. There are 50 states and we are NUMBER 50 folks.  For years we were ahead of Mississippi, Louisiana, and often Arkansas, but NOT NOW. We are dead last and they want to treat certified licensed and experienced teachers like this.  It's a shame just waiting to happen.  With more and more teachers literally walking out the door refusing to put up with administration, parents, and below-grade-level students, I don't blame the teachers for wanting smaller classes, more pay, and to separate students who can't speak English. We LOVE our foreign students, that's not the problem. The problem is that the State and the Nation throw in the restricted learners with all the others and they rank us!  Try teaching the REQUIRED Romeo and Juliet to 9th graders who come from another country and speak and/or read at the 2nd-grade level. Try teaching it to native learners who speak and read at the 3rd or 4th-grade levels because in Oklahoma that is what we have! My best 9th graders read at 8th-grade levels, I had 3 out 110 students who did that. The average of the native learners was 4.7 grade (4th-grade 7th month) and the foreign learners were hovering around 1.9 or 1st-grade last month.

    Well, today I was told by the district that they couldn't get the State to play ball by giving me an extension so I can get their requirements completed. Does the State expect a teacher to get those requirements without being in the classroom? It's impossible. This is the sort of thing we deal with in this state, and I am about to say it again - - NO ONE EVER ASKS ME to be in charge because if they did people would have to actually do their job! We have about 70% of our state workers at home NOT WORKING and they wonder why we have such a backlog! It's hard to get people to work when they are at home lounging about, bring them back to the office and make them do their work! That's just me being right, and I know I'm not going to be popular with some for saying it. TOO DAMN BAD. 

    So, this morning, after being told that I would not be returning to the class, I went to the closet to pray and ask God where He wanted me.  Not kidding, within an hour I had an interview lined up with a recruiting office that I work with from time to time. They needed an actual recruiter, so I went in with my resume and talked to the people who usually find me work when I need it and call upon an agency. I only use one agency in the city because they've always found me good connections.  I go into the interview and before we got started the recruiter said, "You know what, I do have an opening outside of this office that pays more and they'd love you! You're just what they need and want, I think!"  I asked her what that meant.  She said I had a bubbly personality, I got my work done, and I take over to make sure everyone else is on task as well - - Bingo! Hit the nail on the head with that one.

    Tomorrow I have an interview with the company the agency mentioned. The agency told their client they recommend they just hire me directly since I know the software and have had years of experience in both human resources and managing offices.  I think I'll get the job!  I'm not going to SAY I have it, I'll wait for them to say so first.  The thing is, I let God have it, and I didn't do much crying or worrying over it. I was upset, sure, who wouldn't be? I knew my worth and thought these school districts need not only reform, but they also need an OVERHAUL and it needs to start at the top! I really wouldn't mind if the state put me in charge of that particular assignment. I could get so much done, but I don't know how would look in Kevlar!

    God is good! God is GREAT. I am super excited and expectant. I think my hours will be something really crazy like 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and that's going to take a minute to get used to, but I can still do my trading and I can still wear my casual clothes, drink my coffee, and bake cookies for the team when I feel like it. I  hope they say yes - - I'll keep you posted. As for teaching? Well, if they can't figure out that they're throwing out the good educators, they get what they pay for; a bunch of young fluff-headed newbies who won't know what to do when a kid spits in their face or pushes them down a flight of stairs just because the teacher was stupid enough to walk in front of them. You learn these things as time goes by. Let them learn! Growing pains are called growing pains for a reason!

    Keep praying! It works. 

Photo Credit: The Chalk Shoppe!