Duke is on a bus headed to Dallas tonight.  He and 20-some other kids from Shattuck will then fly to Orlando, FL for the national TSA contest. Tammy, Kela and Tammy’s mother are already in Orlando waiting on this crew and the Arnett TSA kids to get there.  Tammy has two nieces from Arnett that qualified.  All of this means that I am stuck at home…alone.  They will be home next month.

     I have never operated this stove, washer, drier or dishwasher.  These were all bought new when we moved and fortunately, I haven’t had to use them.  There is salami in the fridge, ravioli in the pantry and Charlie’s will be open.  I don’t think that I will starve.

     It amazes me how many kids qualified for the national contest.  I’m not going to down play the tech ed program.  It doesn’t matter where a kid finds success, as long as they find it.  It doesn’t matter if it is showing, judging, 4-H/FFA,  sports, music, home ec, or tech ed, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to find success.  It just takes a teacher/coach to motivate the kids and show them the opportunities.  Sometimes, the kids just need an adult to say “Here is when the contest is and This is when we are leaving to go” and the kids and their families will do the rest. As an ex-ag teacher, I would rather Duke be at a livestock judging camp/contests this summer, but a kid has to do what is available to them.  I can’t take off work to haul him to camps and contests and the ag program at Shattuck is basically inactive, so he needs to be involved in something.   If he finds success and can build goals from this tech ed program, than I am a fan.  I’m proud of him and hope he does well.  I know that he will have a large time.  

     Meanwhile, I’ll hold down the fort.  Sasha is just hoping that I remember to feed her.