So...

Randomly speaking...

Hank is hunting.  Legare and Lorelai are at the Clemson UNC game in Chapel Hill, which is, here at half-time, being dominated by UNC 13-3.  I can't pick sides for this match up.  I love being a winner no matter what...it feels GOOD!  My friend Ted and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast this morning.  I love Cracker Barrel and not another livin' soul in my family ever wants to go there to eat.  Not even Ned...he's a Shoney's kind of guy.  Sometimes I can talk Mother into it because she likes the gift shop, but not very often. Ted and I used to see each other every day and have lunch most days.  Now that I'm school-based again, I don't get to go out to lunch.  Good for the budget and waistline but I miss the social time.

School is interesting as all get out.  I absolutely made the right move in pursuing my new position.  I so often have to bite my lip to keep from smiling at the students, even when I'm giving one of them what for.  One day last week, I walked into a classroom to find a student who'd apparently gone temporarily insane.  As I walked to the back of the room, I heard one young lady say to another, "See, you can tell she's mad because she's breathing heavy."

On Friday morning, a student came in all dissheveled and I invited him into the office to see what the matter was.  By the time I joined him, he'd hitched up his britches and tucked in his shirt and was sitting at the conference table waiting.  His eyes were bloodshot and he smelled to high heaven...not like any one thing in particular though.  After a short conversation, I was satisfied that he was sober, but asked, "Larry, what in the world is going on...you smell like a pool hall."  His reply...not at all sarcastic...just honest, "That's because I've BEEN in a pool hall...but I didn't drink because I was the driver."  So, I went into my mama speech about what is appropriate and what is not and how he needs to go to bed before three in the morning and wear clean clothes, blah blah blah.  To his credit, he kept nodding and saying "Yes ma'am, I'll do better."  As I sent him on his way, he turned and said, "But Mrs. Southern...you'll really be proud of me...I WON $275 playing pool."  God bless Larry!