One Quarter to Go 'Til Halftime...

One quarter down...3 to go!

Those of you who took a gander at yesterday's post know that the first quarter ended yesterday at Our Humble High School. We have so many cherubs out sick with the flu (no official diagnosis of the swine variety, yet) that I had to take the 3 last assignments in AP English and move them to next quarter.

Let's just say that it'll be a hot time in the old town next week when all those kiddos come in for make up work. But for now, I'ma gonna hang out with My Peeps, enjoy the what remains of the Wisconsin fall foliage & watch the 2nd iteration of the Vikings-Packers matchup.

Six-Word Saturday is pretty awesome, ain't it? Oh, and I'm eschewing a Halloween theme today 'cause I can, I guess. Always gotta be different...

SkyWatch, OBX-Style...

This time last year, I was here. Uncovering shells that looked like this. Watching sunrises that crested over the dunes & the beach grass. Totally immersed in nothing.

Today, to celebrate the end of the 1st Quarter, I'm journeying to Wisconsin. I'll be in the Badger State to see My Peeps & to commune with a couple of bratwurst. Perhaps a lager, or two.

Happy TGIF, y'all. Cheers!

Driving Miss Daisy

Mama Kat's prompt today? Describe a favorite Halloween costume

or moment you wish you had on video.

We were young. I was hot. Not much older than my chicas are, now. Smokin'...

We DC Types get invited to a lot of fundraisers. For political parties. For causes. To meet authors. To hang out with the high & mighty muckety-mucks who run this town.

Yes, I'm sure taxpayer funds were involved, somehow. They always are. The lobbyists pay for these "affairs" with private funds, but someone always gets squeezed. Fancy party. Sky-high bill. Corporation picks up the tab. Passes costs along to the consumer. What do economists call this? Throughput, perhaps? I think so.

This Gatsby soirée took place on Halloween weekend one year. As you can see, we went all out. And, no, that's not our car. We posed for pix, along with all the other party-goers, at an area of the hotel ballroom set aside for such janx.

I wish we'd captured this moment, or the evening, or the pre-party preparations, on video. I'd love to see footage of my former self. Wouldn't you?

When my youngest looks at this Superior Snap, she says, "Mom, you were hot!" Smokin', in fact.

Witch Princess Are You?

Please visit Angie for Ghosts of Halloweens Past...

Book Him, Danno?

This just in, from the police blotter at the station near Our Humble High School.

A man was standing inside his house, alone. Naked. A woman strolled by with her son. She was walking the kid to school.

Those facts are not in dispute. But here's where the stories diverge:

Man says he was relaxing in the privacy of his own home. Woman says he was flashing her.

Police showed up, took him down to the station house. The story has gone viral & is making news around the globe, even as we speak. I'm surprised there isn't a YouTube video out there yet.

Man appeared before a local judge yesterday in handcuffs. Told His Honor that one of the arresting cops called him a "pervert."

So, I guess my question is this: When, if ever, is it appropriate to hang out in your own home?

A Recipe to Warm the Soul & Clear the Sinuses

Since the weather's turning toward winter & the Snot Monster tackled me about a week ago, I've been thinking of something soothing & spicy, to warm both the soul & clear out the sinuses. I whipped up a batch of Lost River Chili last night, which certainly did the trick.

This Mrs. Scribe "Original," as with most of my recipes, came from an amalgamation of several different sources. I perfected it one chilly October, when the world was very young; Mr. Fairway & I spent a week in an unheated, woodsy cabin at Lost River State Park in the mountains of West Virginia. Let's just say we needed more than snuggling to keep us warm!

And on a Tejana kind of note: Yes, I know...Texas chili isn't supposed to have beans. Whatever. I reckon this hybrid would represent in any chili cook-off in the Lone Star State.

Lost River Chili

1/2-lb. bacon
4.5 lbs. ground beef
2 onions
1 green pepper
2 cans Rotel-diced tomatoes & green chilis
1 package taco mix
6 tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. thyme
sprinkle each of oregano, black pepper
2+ cloves garlic, depending on your tastebuds
16 oz. (or 2 small cans) tomato sauce
2 cans pinto beans
1 tbs. cumin.
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 beer

Cut up the bacon & start frying it up in the bottom of a deep chili pot. When the bacon looks about ready, add the ground beef gradually, so it can brown, too. In the meantime, cut up the veggies & add them to the pot, stirring the whole mixture up several times. Then add the canned goods and the spices. Stir everything together. Finally, add the beer (if you don't drink, don't worry; the alcohol burns off in the cooking process) and about 4 Rotel cans of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 3 hours. If you want to cook it longer, just keep adding water. But not too much...there's nothing worse than watery chili! Serve with chopped onions & shredded cheese on top, accompanied by a mean mess o' corn bread.

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say "Banana"?

Homecoming Week at Our Humble High School is always a hectic affair, what with spirit days, a special assembly, the game, the court & the dance. Teachers learn early in their careers not to plan anything that might hurt their cherubs' heads too much ~ during this special week, not a lot is going to get done but fun...

Thought I'd share this shot from our last Homecoming, snapped in Senior Hall near a very crowded intersection we call Hollywood & Vine. Notice that the life of high school still goes on, even though there's a gorilla posing with his buddy the lion right in the middle of the hallway.

You know what to do, correctamundo? Take a good gander at this Superior Snap. Then conjure a caption for said snap, & tippy-type it, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

And there you have it, Scribe Fans! No fuss, no muss. You'll win nothing tangible for your trouble ~ just the knowledge that you've given all of us a good giggle. And what could be better than that?

I'm a writer, not a fighter...

Lots of action around Scribe Land this week, y'all. First I went back to work after a delightful 4-day reprieve. When I returned to the trenches at Our Humble High School,

did all hell break loose? Yup!

Newspaper deadline? Check! Yearbook deadline? Check! Oodles of AP English papers to grade? Checkeroo! End of the first quarter rapidly approaching? Check, check & double-check!

And, oh, BTW...the Snot Monster paid a visit to mi casa, too. So I've been a tad under the weather all week.

You know, I'm a writer, not a fighter. But Your Humble Scribe also passed some Merry Milestones. I'd like to recognize these today in this post, which is brought to you by Cate, at Show My Face. It's 6-Word Saturday, you know.

The Scholastic Scribe, as it were, hit the 50,000 hit mark a couple of days ago. And I couldn't let the week fly by without acknowledging that The Superior Scribbler Award entered toddlerhood. As of press time, 1,156 Superior Scribblers currently roam the planet. That's a heckuva lot of scribbling in one year's time!

So, to honor both of these amazing occurences, methinks it's time to bestow The Award on 5 more Superior Scribblers. We write because we love to, not because we have to. And as we hurtle thru the universe on this spinning orb called Earth, we're trying to make our mark~one syllable at a time.

I created The Superior Scribber Award last October to honor those who share my passion for the written word. As with all awards, there are a few rules, so we probably should dispense with those, first:

• Each Superior Scribbler I name today should in turn pass The Award along to 5 most-deserving bloggy friends.
• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award. In this case, that would be moi.
• Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on her/his blog, and link to this post, which explains its origins.
• Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to Mr. Linky. That way, we'll be able to keep track on everyone who receives this prestigious honor.
• Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on her/his blog when passing along the award.

Well, here goes...hope y'all enjoy your bling, will use it wisely & will cherish it always!

• When Did I Become My Mom?
• Secret Agent Mama
• Knit 1 Kids 4
• Magical Mystery Teacher
• Mama's Losin' It

Here Comes the Sun

The last time I snapped a shot like this, I aimed the camera thru busted blinds & captured a snowy parking lot. This Superior Snap illustrates one of the perks (there are few, let me assure you) of getting to work at Oh, Dark Thirty. And, as you can see, I have two reasons to be a Very Happy Camper...New blinds adorn my windows, as well!

Enjoy this shot of the student parking lot at Our Humble High School, circa 6:58 a.m. yesterday. Technically, not Oh, Dark Thirty, 'cause the sun was on its way up. But an unGodly hour, by any definition!

I've Never Posed for Playboy...

I Am Not...

June Cleaver.

I look good in heels & pearls,

but never while vacuuming.

And definitely not

while cooking dinner.

Martha Stewart.

Yes, I cook.

Yes, I entertain.

Yes, I garden.

No, I Decidedly Do Not

paint with glitter

nor have I ever worn

an electronic monitoring device

on my ankle.

Clair Huxtable.

I'm a teacher, Madame Prosecutor.

But my chica is studying

the law.

I don't do sweater sets.

I hang out

with teenagers.

All. Day. Long.

Maude.

Though I share her birthday.

And I'm outspoken,

with a dash of class.

I don't think

I have the fortitude.

Marge Simpson.

I do have funky hair,

but not of the blue beehive variety.

And I've

Never

Posed

for

Playboy.

Free Verse courtesy of Mama Kat's Prompt #3.

From Ninja Turtles to Pasta Sauce Raphael

When the chicas were younger, they favored Barbies. Their 4 boy cousins wereTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans. When the kids got together, they played "Teenage Mutant Ninja Barbies." No joke. The Barbies, being larger "action figures," served as airplanes; sometimes their removable heads doubled as bombs.

Raphael was my favorite Turtle, for more reasons than one. First off, he's not afraid to show his softer Ninja side. Second, his Italian namesake, the High Renaissance painter, was quite the talented dude. And, of course, Raphael the Turtle is also the Rebellious One.

One other reason, which has nothing to do with action figures or art: I've been to Italy several times, and my favorite trattoria sauce? Pasta Sauce Raphael.

I guess this is the round-about way of exclaiming over a recipe that is a Scribe Family standby. I favor the recipe made famous by Silver Palate Cookbook authors Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins. Lukins, who with her partner tried to bring gourmet meals to the masses, like me, died a couple of months ago. I publish this as a tribute to her bravery in the face of brain cancer & in hopes that as the weather changes for the worse this October, you, too will take comfort in this delightful comfort food.

The Silver Palate's Pasta Sauce Raphael

2 jars (6 oz. each) marinated artichoke hearts in oil
1/4-cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 tbs. minced garlic
1/2-tsp. dried oregano
1/2-teaspoon dried basil
1 tbs. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2-tsp. salt
Pinch red pepper flakes (we use more than a pinch)
1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes, with their juice
1/4-cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4-cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf variety) parsley

Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving the marinade.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, oregano, basil, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and reserved artichoke marinade. Saute over medium-low heat until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent, 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan, and parsley. Stir gently, and simmer another 5 minutes.
6 portions; enough for 1 pound of pasta. Many favor tortellini with this sauce; the Scribes adore it with linguini or fettucini!

Just Do It!

To remind one & all that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the I *Heart* Faces proprietresses are sponsoring a Pink Week Photo Challenge. We've just finished Homecoming Week at Our Humble High School. This member of the HC Court & her escort seem to be making a statement about beauty, tradition & comfort.

I'm not sure if I prefer the Birkies with the suit or the Nikes with the gown. What say y'all?

Mrs. Scribe Reviews: The Return

I've long been a fan of historical fiction. But the twist, for me, has always meant that the history had to be of the ethnic variety. In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, is one of my favorites. For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway, does not ring my chimes one bit.

Hence, I approached The Return, by Victoria Hislop, with no small amount of trepidation. I must say, however, that I was pleasantly surprised. Although the initial premise is a tad shaky, Hislop ends up manipulating her story successfully amid the backdrop of the gruesome Spanish Civil War and, I'm pleased to report, she pulls it off.

The interwoven stories of the British PR exec Sonia, who travels to Granada, Spain, to discover herself in the traditions of the area, and the Ramirez family, who lived through the tragedies of the war, speak of politics, kin and the reasons these themes often suffer a fragile coexistence.

Although I'm not a student of Spanish history, Hislop's research, and most of her story, ring true to me. Take one part romance, two parts conflict, and set the tale between generations in the shadow of the Alhambra, Granada's Moorish cornerstone, and you have The Return, quite a viable read.

The story, especially once it jumps to the tale of La Familia Ramirez, is both believable and beautiful. I found myself immersed both in the literal, bloody conflict and the main characters' emotional upheavals.

The Return is Hislop's second foray into the publishing world. Now I'm looking forward to checking out The Island, her freshman effort. That 2007 novel, set in Crete, became an international bestseller. After reading The Return, it's not difficult to understand why.

Editor's Note: Mrs. Scribe reviewed The Return at the behest of TLC Book Tours. While she received a gratis copy of the novel, her opinions are her own.

All It's Cracked Up to Be?

I just HAD to recycle this shot from Friday. Couldn't let such a Superior Snap go to waste. This thang had Silly Sunday Sweepstakes written all over it, don'tcha think?

Y'all know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at the aforementioned snap. Then conjure a caption for said snap. Tippy type your caption in the comments section of this post. And that's all there is to it!

You'll win nothing tangible, but of course, for all your efforts. Just the knowledge that you've made a whole herd of us giggle. And what could be more groovy than that?

I Left My Heart...in SFO

Please Visit Miss Jo's San Francisco!

Incoming from Alcatraz

California Redwood Skylight

Fisherman's Wharf Tanning Salon

The Long & Winding Road

Other than a shameless plug, much like yesterday, for my Lil Sis's Blog, I'm also part of Cate's 6-Word Saturday, over at Show My Face. These snaps are of a different ilk than yesterday's, so let me explain, forthwith...

Alcatraz Island, out in San Francisco Bay, is the site of the long-time Federal Prison. Scary stuff went on there. Alcatraz is also Spanish for Pelican...

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge & head north just a little ways & you'll come to Redwoods National Park. A cathedral could not be more majestic...

There's been a sea lion invasion, of late, down at Pier 39 (also known as Fisherman's Wharf) at the foot of Hyde Street. This time of year, the pier usually hosts about 300 of the 1,000-pound critters. The Harbormaster recently counted close to 1,500. One sea lion observer said, "The problem isn't sea lions, but that the planet is infested with humans"...

And finally, San Franciscans & tourists alike crowd to Lombard Street, known as the crookedest street in the world. Of course, only one block of this roadway features hairpin turns & that's the block that everyone flocks to. In this Superior Snap, notice Ella Numera Una riding shotgun & gabbing on her cellie in the car at the bottom of the shot...

California, Here We Come!

Y'all already know that My Lil Sis y familia reside in San Francisco. They trekked clear across the country in 2005 & never looked back, unless it was from 30,000 feet. We visit from time to time. It's a beautiful part of the country & the city never grows old.

My Lil Sis, in fact, recently started a blog devoted to All Things San Fran. You really should visit Miss Jo's San Francisco. You'll learn a lot & be totally awed at the same time.

While sorting thru extraneous Superior Snaps last nite, I came upon these gems. Hey, I'm an English teacher. We do character studies. I'd love to trace the family trees of these NoCali characters, wouldn't you?

Please join Better in Bulk for Give Me Your Best Shot.

Candid Carrie, of course, throws her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta today.

California Tin Man

Pretty in Pink

The San Francisco Treat!

Crack in the Sidewalk

Question Authority

For today's Writer's Workshop, I've tried to riff off Prompt #5: Write a Poem for Your Mama.

Question Authority

Always baked the cake
I wanted for my birthday.
"Banana suits you," she said.
Beatles cranked on the car radio,
when other mothers listened to Sinatra.
A different drum is better.

Long summers in the sun
Coppertone & graham crackers
and the Mommy who made 3 p.m. snacks
for all the strays in the neighborhood.
Swim against the tide if you can.

Worked before she married,
but not behind the counter at the local Five & Dime.
Flew the friendly skies
across the Pacific and then Down South.
Find your cloud, then claim it.

They called her "stewardess," and "Hey, Miss!"
way before "politically correct" was born.
Navigated the aisles of DC-4s; relics circling several times
to shoo the cattle off the grassy runways.
Nights in Tegucigalpa.
Focus on what's ahead; never glance behind.

Met Daddy in Venezuela;
Married in Trinidad.
Stumbled into suburban life;
raised 2 young women
and several cats.
Pour your heart into everything you do.

Went back to work to pay for college.
A new chapter opened.
Again on the road; to Buenos Aires & Berlin.
An afternoon nosh on the Thames, perhaps,
but High Tea instead of Hi-C.
Feed your soul, not your face.

Retired and moved to the city.
Always push back.
Don't let them fool you.
Question authority.

Editor's Note: My youngest just posted something about Mom for Writer's Workshop, too.

Cookie Monster & Company

Climbing The Hill Again: Red & Black Attack!

Ella Numera Dos has been slathering herself in summer swim team warpaint since she was 4. She became immersed in this tradition ~ which involves sticky, semi-permanent, hard-as-heck-to-remove, damaging-you betcha-to-my-towels & washrags ~ when she picked it up from the older kids on the team.

I know just who to blame ~ a high-schooler named Erin, who did the 50-backstroke in a flash, & gave Ella Dos her first dose of team spirit.

Well, now my kid's doin' the dirty deed. As a summer coach & all, one of her jobs is Spirit. With a capital "S." And she takes that job seriously, y'all! That's the way things are, after all, at Ye Olde Swimming Hole.

Here she is at the 4th of July Relays with 2 younger charges. Claire is 10, Caroline is 8. Just the proper age. Let's just say their mom was more than quite chagrined to see her chicas decked out this way. And I'll bet the sheets at their house didn't come clean for a week!

The I *Heart* Faces theme this week is "Excited!" And that's what The Hill is all about.

Plumb Tuckered Out? Here's Pie in Your Eye!

Meet Tucker. He's the Bichon Frise who belongs to my close friend, Carmen. Tucker's Mommy has breast cancer, & is recovering from surgery. That's where Mrs. Scribe comes in.

I've been trying to walk regularly. So why not walk the dog? Even though I'm a avowed Cat Woman & have an extreme aversion to picking up poop, I've been popping by Carmen's house several times a week to take Tucker for his evening constitutional.

As Carmen quite correctly pointed out when we started this janx a couple of weeks ago, Tucker's little. So his output is pretty much kitty-sized. ¡No problema, chica!

The little yapper & I have bonded. But I feel a little like a puppy moocher to come over empty-handed. So I've been baking for Carmen y familia. Specifically, pies.

I've tried 2 so far, & both have been hits. I'm sharing the recipe of the blueberry persuasion with y'all today, since for some strange reason, blueberries are still in season, even in October. This comes from my spectacular SIL, who is da bomb at all baked goods. I must confess, though ~ my crust comes from Pillsbury.

Aunt Julie's Blueberry Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine in a bowl:

6 cups blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tbsp. cinammon

1/4 cup tapioca

Pour blueberry mixture into a prepared pie crust.

Top with a lattice-style crust.

Sprinkle crust with sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes ~ cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes.

Cool.

Enjoy!

Dropping the Bomb

Meet Ed. He teaches Physics at Our Humble High School. Notice the lovely orange vest he's wearing. All teachers had to don this electric attire on Friday while shepherding students to the stadium, when the school was evacuated because of a bomb threat.

Ed looks like he has all he needs to stay comfy. He's even using our red Crisis Manual to quasi-cushion his head on the 50-yard line.

So, it's Sunday, right? And y'all know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Then conjure a cute caption for said snap, & tippy-type it real quick-like in the comments section of this post.

That's all there is to it, Scribe Fans. And what do you get for all your toil & trouble? The knowledge that you gave a few of us a good giggle today. And what could be better than that?

Yesterday's Lessons Were Just Da Bomb

BOMB THREATS MAKE

ME EXTREMELY UNEASY.

Our Humble High School was evacuated yesterday morning because of a bomb threat. Ever the Intrepid Scribe, I made sure to take a camera with me to the stadium, where they sent all 2,250-some-odd of us. Police surrounded the school with yellow crime-scene tape, & no one could come or go for about an hour-and-a-half.

Luckily, it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood ~ 85 degrees and sunny. Quite unseasonably lovely for October in the DC area.

Bomb-sniffing dogs searched every crevice of OHHS, and The Authorities surrounded OHHS with yellow crime-scene tape. Principal Man sounded the "All Clear" about 5 hours after our initial evacuation. We were all dismissed before that, though ~ about 11:30 a.m. ~ so got an early start on our long weekend.

The downside to this deal, however, is that a lot of kids & teachers left their stuff behind in the rush to get the hell out. This was my 3rd OHHS evac, so I knew to take my essentials. We evacuated pretty quickly, so Room 215 is a bit of a mess right now. I'll be up at school this morning to straight things up, hand over stray backpacks and give out missed assignments. Yes, a teacher's work is never done!

I got some Superior Snaps, one of which will run tomorrow in this space as part of my weekly Silly Sunday Sweepstakes. I failed to acquire a USB cord in the mad dash to get out of the building; I just added the above shot at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, after coming down to school & cleaning up the evacuation detrious. And, yes...even Mrs. Scribe was required to wear a dorky orange vest. By virtue of being one of the "adults" employed by OHHS, I was considered "in charge," for what that's worth.

My Intrepid Journalistas, but of course, were out in force during the evacuation, gathering info they'll need for a blockbuster story. They were pretty pumped that they could participate in some "breaking" news, for once.

The Big Question remains: My students were in the middle of a quiz when Principal Man ordered us out. My other class took the quiz the day before. Should I make the 4th-period kids take a makeup, or should I just render all scores null & void & move on?

This Question for the Ages is brought to you by Cate at ShowMyFace. 6-Word Saturday is her deal today.

Bring Me Ben & Jerry's, Please!

Our Humble High School: Ground Zero for Spelling Remediation

Room 215: Dusty Rose Sanctuary

Deadline Board: Chock Full O' Assignments!

Empty Deadline "In Box": Origin of the Ben & Jerry's Stressbusters Diet!

The preceding Superior Snaps brought to you by

Candid Carrie & her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. TGIF!