Defining "Good School"
 

Hit with a paddle? What are you, 60?

Defining "Good School"
 

No. Obviously, either I had a throwback teacher, or we grew up in different areas. Or both.

Defining "Good School"
 

Yeah, me too. I got the paddle twice. The first offense was making a paper airplane (I consider this legitimate, even though I'm not in favor of corporal punishment). The second offense was reopenning the supply cabinet in art class to get out a pair of sissors I had forgetten a moment before (albeit on a day where several kids were completely out of control). This offence got me rounded up into the troublemakers, and then we were all marched down en masse to the principal's* office for THREE wacks each. I believe this incident is the root of my lifelong suspicion of authority figures and the justice system.


* Every time I write this word, I am reminded of the mnemonic we were taught in school, I think in second or third grade: "It's a principle that the PRINCIPAL is your principal PAL." This taught me not only how to spell each homophone, but also the concept of irony.

Defining "Good School"
 

No, Atticus went to that school he always mentions on PB. You know where 11th grade history taught him the failings of the Marshall Plan and how the Dresdan bombing was unnecessary. Meanwhile you and I were coloring maps and getting hit.

I would bring in funny patents to my kids school for a talk every other year when they were in elementary school. One was a diaper for your parakeet, one was a lady on a roller for dance practice, syringe with a bunny head so its not scary....

One was a paddle with a break-away connector in it. If you hit someone too hard it'd break. So I show them and say "It'd be nice if your principal had one of these huh?

Blank stares all around. They don't hit anymore.

Defining "Good School"
 

Correlation, but not causation.

Did they laugh your descriptions of the other patents?

Defining "Good School"
 

Oh. I forgot. Your boss told you I'm not funny.
I know, ask him if it's okay for you to laugh outside of Fashion.

Defining "Good School"
 

Now now, Hank. Remember, I like your posts -- interventions are only performed by those who care.

Defining "Good School"
 

okay. sorry. The kids like the funny inventions very much. then I read them

http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn...darip&type=hw7

http://catalog.darien.lib.ct.us/search/o?=94879569

it was all very well received- except the paddle- they just didn't get it- in either sense.

When Oh When!!!
 

....can I put out my over 100 Halloween decorations in and outside the house, including flying witches and annoying motion sensored ghouls. Today's Oct. 1 -- can't I do it now? Nary a decoration on even one house on the street.

http://www.thegreatestgift.com/Merch...ack_01_200.jpghttp://www.illuminations.com/images/...kn_lntrn_p.jpg http://www.lyonpuppets.com/zombie1.jpg http://www.yankeehalloween.com/plane...n/witch-lg.jpg http://www.leskincaid.com/Halloween/pumpkin%20patch.jpg

When Oh When!!!
 

I think once October is here the decorations can come out.

We carved a pumpkin last weekend. I know it's a bit early for it but the kids and I really enjoyed it. I imagine once this Jack-o-lantern rots we'll replace it. I'm sure I'll end up carving at least four or five pumpkins this year.

When Oh When!!!
 

Magnus had a field trip to a farm on Thursday, and we came home with several pumpkins which are now beautifully arranged at the top of the porch steps (thanks to architect fil, who is visiting). We haven't put the Indian corn or the gourds on the tables yet, but I'm waiting until the dahlias I also bought at the farm ($2 for a bunch of about a dozen 3-4" blooms) kick the bucket. That and I'm still in denial about summer being over. Today it was in the upper 70s and I wore tshirt, flipflops and capris.

tm

Upper 70s??? I would kill for that - it was 92 with sauna-like humidity here yesterday. We've been promised a cold front, but no sign of it yet. At soon as the temps drop below 80, I'm going pumpkin shopping. I love Halloween - I already have the Lexling's costume. He's going to be a little scarecrow (and go beg for chocolate for mommy).

Lockdown
 

Has anyone ever had a problem with those little Allen keys that are supposed to open a door locked from the inside? Vietbabe locked herself in the bathroom this morning and I was awfully proud that I had put the key in a special spot and remembered where they were. But I could not for the life of me get it to work.

So I removed the doorknob with a screwdriver which only made things worse because I still couldn't get all the metal "stuff" out of the hole (I longed for a miniature chain saw) and so the only good it did was it allowed me to see in enough to watch Vietbabe: (1) attempt to flush down the toilet the doorknob from her end of the door; and (2) climb in the bathtub and take a dump (yelling "Mommy!! I DID IT!!!")

I ended up calling 911. Any tips on how to prevent a recurrence?

Thanks.

Lockdown
 

Keep her on a short leash.

Lockdown
 

Crap that's funny. For a while the baltspawn liked to close the self-locking front door behind people and managed to lock out Mommy/Daddy/Babysitter several times. Now four different neighbors have spare keys.

Our house has circa 1975 era interior door knobs that have a slightly different mechanism. Instead of an allen wrench like key, the lock is set on the inside by pushing in the handle (which has the side effect of making it easier to set by accident, even for little kids), and it unlocks by inserting something in the outside hole (piece of coathanger works well) and pushing until the inside handle disengages. You might look for something like that, especially now that you've already got the knob off and could replace it easily.

But it sounds like part of your problem is that you may have paniced. Just remember it's going to be okay. She wasn't hurt, and sounds like she wasn't even particularly bothered. After the first time the baltspawn locked the babysitter out, they would immediately race to the back sliding glass door to bang on it and smile and wave when whomever was locked out went around to check. They thought it great fun.