DeadpanAnn (old blogger version)

Last week in the chat box I mentioned that one of my kids had used the word "foreplay" after being told to make a word using the prefix "fore-". Well, it turns out that many of my kids made the same word. When one put it on the board as an answer, I suggested we choose a word that was more appropriate for us to discuss. I thought they had been trying to get my goat, but after seeing how many kids used the word and how confused they were when I didn't want us to talk about that word, I honestly don't think they knew what it meant. And strangely, I found that more disturbing-- far more disturbing-- than the idea that they were trying to slip in slightly inappropriate words. Kids trying to say inappropriate things during class is something I can handle. One gave the answer "gayness" the other day when asked to give an example of an abstract noun. That kind of thing is to be expected, and I can take it in stride. But it bothers me that they were using the word "foreplay" without knowing what it meant. Why? Because it means they've heard this word used a lot. Who's out there using the word "foreplay" around middle schoolers???

Tim's off this weekend, and this morning we mowed the grass in record time. Dark clouds were swirling, and the wind was blowing, and we wanted to get the yard taken care of before Fay dumps tons of water on it. So he got on the lawnmower and I took out the weedeater, and we had it done in no time. I think we should do it that way every other weekend when he's home. Of course, it's usually a thousand degrees outside, which slows us down. It was easier today because it was cool and the wind was blowing.

I'm going up to my mother's house next weekend for a baby shower. I'm grateful for the shower, but not looking forward to spending a precious weekend running back and forth.

I can't sleep, and I'm grumpy. This shit's getting old.