Playing Hooky.....

I had to play hooky from classes today....not willingly.

We have been having issues with our car for a week now. We thought the alternator was going out on it last week. It started having some whining issues but eventually stopped. The other day, the battery light on the dash started coming on and going out. Kevin came in that evening from work and took it to a local parts supplier and had them check it out....alternator- charging, and battery-good to go! Mmmkay so what's the deal? Kevin tells me that he thinks it will be ok til this weekend, when we would have the funds to replace it (if it indeed was the culprit) and he would have the time.

I made it to school all week just fine and even made it to and from my astronomy class last night. I prayed the whole way home.....nothing was happening but I didn't think it would hurt to ask the good Lord above to help me make it home safely.

This morning, Megan asked to ride the bus to school so we all got ready to go. Kevin was already gone, as he had to leave at 4:30am. We pulled out of the drive and made it to the bus stop, then I realized the driver probably had already been by. I decided to just meet up with the bus, drop off Megan, and continue on to school. That's when it happened! The radio, which was off, began to flicker, the battery light came back on, followed by a light that read "ABS", then the brake light, then the engine light, then a light that reads "traction off". When that light comes on, it means you are almost screwed. The gas pedal apparently does nothing then except cause your motor to rev. The car is still in motion but at a turtle's pace. Thank goodness, and by the Grace of God, I got Megan on the bus. I decided right then and there that I was NOT going to school today. I would rather miss then get halfway and end up stranded.

I made it home and called my instructor. She was more than sympathetic, considering I never miss class unless my kids have to go to the doctor or come down with something that does not permit my attendance. I tell ya it sucks not to be able to go to class. It almost made me cry. I know to some I may sound stupid, "I would be jumping up and down if I had to miss.", but not me. I take pride in knowing that I am bettering myself for me and my family and I do not take it for granite. The degree I am pursuing has a purpose.....and its purpose I will full-fill upon graduation.

One good thing did occur this week. We took our daily exam in astronomy yesterday evening.....I scored a 94. We took a break and resumed with notes and math problems. Wow! I never knew I would ever be doing math like that....EVER! I totally sucked at math in school. I barely passed high school algebra with a D. Those exponents and such meant nothing to me. Now, they do. Mr. Nowicki does a GREAT job at explaining the process. I could have made better grades in high school if he had been one of my instructors. He never goes on if you don't understand it. Questions? Ask away.....he LOVES it! Now that is an instructor whom I can and do show respect. After a few notes and math calculations, we all gathered outside and Mr. N showed us Venus. Ever gazed up at the stars and wondered what that extremely bright one was? It's actually the planet Venus. I learned that Venus has phases exactly like the moon. The phases are: New(which you cannot see since it happens only during the day), crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full. Venus was in the gibbous phase last night. Gibbous is when almost all of the moon, or planet, is lit....like there is a slight bit left untouched by light. It was very cool to observe. The next thing we saw was Orion's Nebulae. This is below the 'belt' in Orion. LOL It's actually the sheath or spot where the sword would go, if in his belt. If you have a good pair of binoculars or a telescope, you could actually see it. It looks like a cluster of stars surrounded by a blue-ish(sometimes green-ish) gas. You can't tell it with the naked eye. Fascinating!! I am so ready for next Thursday to get here!

I have got to go sometime this weekend and get things for a project. I also need a protractor for astronomy. I keep forgetting it! I have a nursery rhyme (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) on a regular sheet of printer paper that I have to take to Staples and have blown up to poster size. Thank the Heavens above that they only charge $3 for this. I have a ''rainstick'' to decorate and homework to complete as well. It looks as if this will be a busy, busy weekend.

Hope everyone's weekend goes well! Over and out!

Easy, but exhausting, first day....

My classes started at 9 this morning. I have two classes that meet back to back on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, one that meets on Tuesdays, one that meets on Thursdays, and one that meets Thursday evenings. Five classes....19 hours credit. This morning, we went over the rules, as usual, and listened to our instructor talk about things and activities we will be doing over the course of the next 4 and half months. We got out 20 minutes early so I decided to head over to the college bookstore and pick up a portion of the books I would need. Some books are not in yet. I think I may try to find them elsewhere if they don't get them in soon.

At the bookstore, I got the books I could find, a grey hoodie with the college name in red on the front, a t-shirt/cap combo (also embellished with the college name), exam scantrons, and an academic planner. I walked about a mile back to my car....good education plus a workout all in one!! Ahahaha! Man, my arms hurt holding those books and things in the checkout line. Took me an hour to get in, checkout, and walk to my car. Oh yeah, dumb me left the headlights on this morning. I got to school at 8:20 and didn't get back to my car til around 11:30. I didn't realize it til I was walking to the car. I happen to glance at the tail lights and it looked as if they were lit. I remember thinking to myself "Oh dear God, please tell me I didn't!!" Then when I discovered I had, I grit my teeth, turned the key and prayed "Please let this car crank for me!" Thank goodness it did!! I don't know who I would have called, other than campus police. I believe I had an angel with me. Leaving the headlights on for over 3 hours.....that should have drained that battery down so low that it could not have cranked. But it did. *wipes sweat from brow* I made it to pick up Chris at the sitter's. He had just fallen asleep for a nap so the sitter told me to let him sleep while I ran to Wal-mart to pick up a few items for supper.

Now I am sitting here at home waiting til it is time to meet Megan's bus. Tomorrow I will have to drive back after my first class in order to pick Megan up from school and drop her off at the baby-sitter's, where Chris will already be, then drive back to school for my Astronomy class. I know he will be glad to see her too. He so wanted her to stay with him at the sitter today. Poor kiddo! We have gotten out of our routine so bad that he cried this morning as I was dropping him off. Oh well, next semester I hope to have him enrolled in the early childhood center at the college I attend. I think it will help him prepare for kindergarten.

Ok well I need to go. Ciao!