Miami has some flooded areas, but we have nothing to complain about compared to what's in store for New Orleans...

  

I hope this isn't the first in a long series of entries beginning with the word 'hurricane'....hmmm...

But, South Florida was spared again!  We had Open House at school on Wednesday night, the first night that forecasters said that the storm was going to make a direct hit on Ft. Lauderdale.  Over half of the parents came out, anyway, and the night went really well.

Thursday and Friday school was cancelled.  They said it was going to be a category 1 so I stayed home.  I have a contractor coming out in November to put up hurrican shutters but right now I have no protection, so I wouldn't have stayed if I thought it was going to be really bad.  Unfortunately my electricity went out when the storm had just begun to approach, and it got REALLY hot really fast!  I dug out the candles and flashlights and caught up on some reading.  The cats were terrified of he wind howling and all the things banging aroud!

The rain stopped after only a few hours and I thought maybe we were in the eye of the storm, but I called a friend on my cell phone and she said at the last minute, the storm moved south and was going over Miami instead of us.  We had already experienced the worst we would get!  I opened up the windows because the rain had almost stopped and the breeze keptme pretty cool that night.

Friday the heat was just too unbearable.  Five of my friends and I had a sleepover at the home of a friend who had power and celebrated two of their birthdays.  We played games, watched movies, and ate ice cream cake.  Two of us were to about 4 a.m. just talking.  It was so much fun!  I haven't had a sleepover for years.

The next day everyone else went home because they had power but I hung around, munching on leftovers, relaxing, and yakking some more.  My friends are so good to me!    We went to church Saturday night and then out to dinner, and when I called the gatehouse for my condo, I found out they had just restored the power so I was able to go home.  The place was nice and cool and everything in the frig and freezer was cold again, although I'm not sure how much of it needs to be tossed out.

So thank goodness the power outtage was the worst of it.  I'm afraid it's not going to be that simple for the people of New Orleans and surrounding areas.  A lot of them are stranded there because they can't afford to leave.  My heart really goes out to those who may be hit with the same storm that is now a category 5.  Of course, Katrina was first headed directly for Ft. Lauderdale and when the eye was only about 35 miles offshore it turned south, so anything is possible, and Lousiana and Mississippi may have much less damage than they expect.  Whatever happens, I'll be praying for comfort and peace for each person affected by this disaster.

Gridlocked trying to escape New Orleans...

Just stopping by to say hello. I hope the school year goes great for you and the kiddos!

I discovered your site about a month ago, and I've been meaning to post and let you know how wonderful I think it is. I'm so glad you've posted and that you're okay. I've been thinking about you so much and looking for news from Florida since the last hurricane went through your area.

I'm a third grade teacher from Michigan. I think your website is fabulous. You are doing a wonderful service, especially for teachers who are new. I think you are very dedicated and talented to have had such a great handle on things with so few years experience. Personally, I've been teaching for 14 years, but this is my 4th year in third grade and I've gotten some wonderful ideas from your website. How generous of you to give your personal time to create this for the benefit of others. You're right...college doesn't teach you most of what you need to know to be successful. It's the "school of hard knocks" that does it. I've often thought about writing a book myself or trying to offer seminars for new teachers on these subjects -- I think they would be very well received. I teach in a suburb of Detroit which has a very low-income and high ELL population. I have 27 students in my class, 10 of which are new to the building this year. I can't believe that some of them even went to 2nd grade they are so low academically. Most are from private schools (they must have played games and colored all day, I'm thinking) We are struggling to meet our new objectives set forth from NCLB and are going to begin our first round of mandatory testing in grades 3-8 for AYP beginning in one month. I am just sick about it. I'm sure we are going to get slammed because we are not going to meet AYP this year. I have found myself saying lately that I feel my students just suck the life out of me every day and I have nothing to take home for my family. :(

Anyway, I hope things are going well for you. We are all working long hours and staying up late at the beginning of the year....it will se