Yes, today was as busy as expected.  Maybe even busier.  We have over 110 kids in ag classes.  That makes for a lot of fair entries when we assign it as a project.  Some of the older kids didn’t have their projects done.  My fault, not theirs.  I try to buy most everything in Shattuck but can’t get everything.  So, I have to journey to Woodward at times for parts.   I made that journey today and back when football practice got over.  Worked at the ag shop with kids until 7:30.  Couldn’t hear my phone ring—grinders, welders, crap talking and music.  Actually real cool deal.  Projects done–zero.  But they are close to finishing.

We have every 8th grader–all 26 of them.  This class will be the end of my teaching career or I will go another 5 years to finish this job.  (If need be, I can put odds on which it is and we can start a pool.)  Great kids but WHOAAA Nelly!!  They are a handful.  The middle school teachers didn’t adore this class.  And we have them all 1st hour.  Yes sir!   Let’s get the day rolling.

Three of these 8th graders competed in the hog calling contest.  One of them also competed in the hot dog eating contest.  He held his own with the senior boys.  I warned the upper classmen about this group.  I warned the community.  Let’s just say that it is a diverse class.

We have the BEST custodian that takes care of the ag building.  She is wicked, bad ass good at her job.  I mean one of the best at cleaning that I have ever witnessed.  Her personal pickup shines.  Our room stays clean.  She even mops part of the shop.  Did I mention she also makes some bad ass tamales?

She was mopping before 1st hour started.  An 8th grade boy looked in the front door and said “Missed a spot.”  She went to looking for the missed spot.  Mrs. Abbey said, “You did not miss a spot.  Don’t listen to that little terrorist.”

She said, “Ever since he come to middle school, he tell me that I miss a spot no matter where I am mopping–bathroom, classroom, everywhere.  I always have to remop to make sure I no miss a spot.”

Mrs. Abbey then said, “That turd is pulling your leg.  You can hit him with the mop.  His parents will back you up.”  I agreed.  I like that kid but he is just being a turd.  And yes, his parents will back you up.

Fast forward to the next day.   All the 8th graders trolled into class.  All except one.   I asked where is he.  One of the girls said, “He went into the bathroom in the middle school right as the bell rang.  He said something like “You missed a spot.”  Then he slipped, squalled and was flat on his back whining for help.”

Oh yeah!   I was laughing.  It was that kid that had been teasing the custodian for years about missing a spot, when she hadn’t and he slipped and busted his ass.  Where did he slip?  On a spot that she had NOT missed, right next to the wet floor sign.  Yes, I laughed hard.  The 8th grade girls acted shocked.  “Aren’t you worried?”

NOOOOO!  People, that is what you call KARMA!   And guess who came marching into class at that point.  I looked at him, shook my head and said, “Dude, you had it coming didn’t ya?”  He looked at me, shook his head and said, “Yeppers.  I had that one coming.”  I only wish she would have hit him with the mop instead of him just busting his ass.

This summer, I visited an Amish greenhouse in Stillwater.  I grabbed a wood box near the checkout stand.   I slid the lid open and then…..HOLY EFFING, SON OF GOD, SACK OF MONKEY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Yeah, I came uncorked with the spider that came out of the lid and hits you in the hand.  No, those were not the words that I used.  I felt obligated to buy that crappy little box (which I thought held SEEDS)  after I blasphemed their entire business.

So, I put it in the classroom and have had some fun.  But not as much fun as one of the kids that labeled the box as CANDY.  He took it across the street to an older female teacher and asked her “Do you want to see the candy box that I built for the county fair?”  She said yes and WOW!!  Thankfully another student videoed this deal.  Way fewer cuss words than what I used in the Amish greenhouse.  I think it is safe to say that I have gotten my $14.95 worth of entertainment out of that dang box.  I have heard talk that the kids have a list of possible targets.  However, I do not think that it is my duty to stop them.

We get a lot of work done, more than most.  But there always needs to be time for some laughter.  For a decade and a half, I had fun at most goat shows.  The last couple of years have not been as much fun as I think that they should have been.  Maybe, just maybe, I’m old.  Nope.  I am older, wiser and been around a bit.  They weren’t as much fun as they should have been.  I can’t fix everything that is not right in the goat world, but I can dang sure control my end.  Time to have fun.