The Progeny
Q and A with Ma
Q: So, Ma, you've been doing a bit of running around of late...what gives?
A: Well, I took Kendra down to Cedar Rapids to take the SAT...or I should say, I sat as she did all the driving. She managed pretty well, including following my bad directions.
Then this past week I drove Derek in to Ackley to take a practice PSAT test. He'll take it for real next year when he's a junior.
Q: I'll bet you're glad that's out of the way, eh?
A: Yes, except Derek has to take the ITED's (Iowa Test of Educational Development) in November--the yearly test required by Iowa for high schoolers--and then in December there is the PLAN test. That's a warm-up for the ACT test he'll take the spring of his junior year. Then there will be a break until April, when I take the 2nd-8th graders in to Waterloo for the yearly ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)
Say....are you yawning.....?!
Q: No, no.....but my, that sounds like a lot of testing!
A: Oh yeah. The kids complain a bit, but they have no idea what it's like for ME...the driving, the waiting for scores.....it's brutal, man. I really have to get psyched up....*sigh*....but no one said life was gonna be easy.
Q: And aside from the rigors of testing, what is the hardest thing in your life right now, Ma? Is there anything that scares you?
A: Well sure. There are the usual things with a big family and young kids....seeing someone do something that could get them hurt is pretty scary. But I'd have to say one of the most frightening experiences is being at work on your computer and then suddenly seeing the screen turn an appalling shade of blue.....and...and then those horrible words pop up, "Dumping memory to disk...."
Q: Whoa! I guess that explains the sight of your lap-top unfolded..."
A: Oh yeah....you know, you're pretty perceptive, for a reporter.
Q: And you're displaying amazing calm through all of this, I must say. Anything else in the works?
A: Well, I recently cleaned out the freezer in preparation for making applesauce. It was quite a job, let me tell you. A LOT of containers of applesauce from the fall of 2004 were thrown away.
Q: I don't think I understand, Ma...
A: It all stems back to a twelve day trip our family took in 2005. There was a bad electrical storm that passed through soon after we left, and we think a breaker switch might have gotten flipped.....but when we returned, it was clear the large chest freezer had been in the "off" position for QUITE a while.
Q: Not a pretty sight, I take it?
A: Or smell. I had the usual unpacking and laundry to catch up on, so I just refroze everything, intending to get to it "later."
Q: So, like....we're talkin' eighteen months later?
A: Yeah, well, it's not as if it was written into the prenups or anything.
Q: Oh.....you mean you and your husband have a prenuptial agreement?
A: Well no....but if we'd had one, I'd had made sure a lot of flex-time was included for cleaning out freezers.
Q: Right...and just what is your method for cleaning out a freezer in that condition?
A: The usual.....turn everything off and start the unpacking and burying process.
Q: Did you say burying?
A: Uh-huh. See....I figured the stuff had to be disposed of some way. And I wanted to use all those containers again...so, I carted it out to where the compost pile used to be and gave it a decent burial. I'm not inhumane, after all.
And then there was sub-stan-tial frost build up on the sides and bottom. At least an inch or two of liquid on the floor of the freezer had refrozen. It was somewhat disturbing. And being short was a big disadvantage. I was practically standing on my head.
And my glasses.....they were ALL fogged up. But hey....I'm not one to complain.
Q: Certainly not. Now I'm sure we're all wondering just how you managed to dislodge that ice. What is your tool of choice?
A: I finally settled on a hammer. I fooled around with a table knife and a spatula, but once I started whacking away with that hammer, I got a-MAZ-ing results. And you really don't notice much when the door is closed.
Now I just have to wash out about a gazillion freezer containers and we'll be all set to start making applesauce next week.
So....how abouts we roll up our sleeves and get started....
Q: Wha....?
A: Don't hassle me, son. I've got a lotta room in that freezer now...
Tweet
A: Well, I took Kendra down to Cedar Rapids to take the SAT...or I should say, I sat as she did all the driving. She managed pretty well, including following my bad directions.
Then this past week I drove Derek in to Ackley to take a practice PSAT test. He'll take it for real next year when he's a junior.
Q: I'll bet you're glad that's out of the way, eh?
A: Yes, except Derek has to take the ITED's (Iowa Test of Educational Development) in November--the yearly test required by Iowa for high schoolers--and then in December there is the PLAN test. That's a warm-up for the ACT test he'll take the spring of his junior year. Then there will be a break until April, when I take the 2nd-8th graders in to Waterloo for the yearly ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)
Say....are you yawning.....?!
Q: No, no.....but my, that sounds like a lot of testing!
A: Oh yeah. The kids complain a bit, but they have no idea what it's like for ME...the driving, the waiting for scores.....it's brutal, man. I really have to get psyched up....*sigh*....but no one said life was gonna be easy.
Q: And aside from the rigors of testing, what is the hardest thing in your life right now, Ma? Is there anything that scares you?
A: Well sure. There are the usual things with a big family and young kids....seeing someone do something that could get them hurt is pretty scary. But I'd have to say one of the most frightening experiences is being at work on your computer and then suddenly seeing the screen turn an appalling shade of blue.....and...and then those horrible words pop up, "Dumping memory to disk...."
Q: Whoa! I guess that explains the sight of your lap-top unfolded..."
A: Oh yeah....you know, you're pretty perceptive, for a reporter.
Q: And you're displaying amazing calm through all of this, I must say. Anything else in the works?
A: Well, I recently cleaned out the freezer in preparation for making applesauce. It was quite a job, let me tell you. A LOT of containers of applesauce from the fall of 2004 were thrown away.
Q: I don't think I understand, Ma...
A: It all stems back to a twelve day trip our family took in 2005. There was a bad electrical storm that passed through soon after we left, and we think a breaker switch might have gotten flipped.....but when we returned, it was clear the large chest freezer had been in the "off" position for QUITE a while.
Q: Not a pretty sight, I take it?
A: Or smell. I had the usual unpacking and laundry to catch up on, so I just refroze everything, intending to get to it "later."
Q: So, like....we're talkin' eighteen months later?
A: Yeah, well, it's not as if it was written into the prenups or anything.
Q: Oh.....you mean you and your husband have a prenuptial agreement?
A: Well no....but if we'd had one, I'd had made sure a lot of flex-time was included for cleaning out freezers.
Q: Right...and just what is your method for cleaning out a freezer in that condition?
A: The usual.....turn everything off and start the unpacking and burying process.
Q: Did you say burying?
A: Uh-huh. See....I figured the stuff had to be disposed of some way. And I wanted to use all those containers again...so, I carted it out to where the compost pile used to be and gave it a decent burial. I'm not inhumane, after all.
And then there was sub-stan-tial frost build up on the sides and bottom. At least an inch or two of liquid on the floor of the freezer had refrozen. It was somewhat disturbing. And being short was a big disadvantage. I was practically standing on my head.
And my glasses.....they were ALL fogged up. But hey....I'm not one to complain.
Q: Certainly not. Now I'm sure we're all wondering just how you managed to dislodge that ice. What is your tool of choice?
A: I finally settled on a hammer. I fooled around with a table knife and a spatula, but once I started whacking away with that hammer, I got a-MAZ-ing results. And you really don't notice much when the door is closed.
Now I just have to wash out about a gazillion freezer containers and we'll be all set to start making applesauce next week.
So....how abouts we roll up our sleeves and get started....
Q: Wha....?
A: Don't hassle me, son. I've got a lotta room in that freezer now...
Tweet
posted by Ma Hoyt | 1:57 PM
2 Comments:
I liked that story about the applesauce.
Hey, when the reporter is done helping you he can come take a vacation in CA and help me!?!?
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