Another Pool Build in Cypress, TX
- Thread starter SuzfromTexas
- Start date
I think Suz's baby is taking up too much of her time. She seems to be MIA on here 
I think Suz's baby is taking up too much of her time. She seems to be MIA on here
Yes, I feel neglected lol
Well, I decided to let my pool baby turn green, so I could take a break and catch up on my thread. How I will ever catch up on other peoples' threads, I have no idea! Already, at the top of this section, I see soooooo many thread titles and authors I've never heard of. And what has it been, only about a week???? Unbelievable! But I'd rather the forum be alive and busy than no activity at all.
You guys should know better than to get me started on education topics. OMG!!! I write too much anyway about things I don't even know about. Don't get me started on my passion of teaching and learning - I do know something about that.
No worries with me about discussing education on my thread. I don't know how the moderators or admins feel about it. Does it cost them space or something????
Ya'll can probably already guess how Suz feels about most of what you're saying regarding No Child Left Behind, etc. My boys (30 and 31) barely got out of high school in time before the effects could reach them. I feel like their education was so much better than now days. They know how to do cursive, spell (when they aren't too lazy), can write a complete sentence and know their multiplication facts. Being a math teacher, I nearly had strokes over the period from about 2002- to just recently when the elementary math curriculum head person (can't remember the position title) outlawed our elementary students having to memorize multiplication facts. If a teacher was caught (we often disobeyed that rule as long as we could get away with it) doing timed tests (not graded but fun and friendly competition - competing only with their own improvement) we would get called into the principal's office. Oh, and that's another point. It was getting so teachers were called into the principal's office more than the students - well, almost.
We had to stop grading homework for 2 reasons. One, the parents often did the work rather than help their child. Two, we teachers were spending too much time fielding complaints from parents about why their child didn't get a 100 on the grade (usually they were upset because they had done a problem and didn't understand why 'they' missed it!). When I retired, I did private tutoring for a while. One student who was weak in math due to lack of teaching and not lack of smarts, was so excited that I explained things to her. At first I thought maybe she had poor retention because surely the teachers had taught her such and such process. But no, she remembered very well from week to week whatever I taught her. The problem was that she had significant gaps (5th grader). She was the perfect student for private tutoring. The problem was her mother. She only cared that her daughter got a 100 on every homework set. At that time, it was graded but only counted 10% of the total grade. Because it took so long to go over the homework with the child (because of her gaps), I never could teach her processes in any cohesive unit to help her make the necessary connections and applications. To be a math thinker!!! The homework was always 5 'word' or process problems each from various skill sets (following the state testing format) so again, the poor girl didn't get to practice a skill long enough for any proficiency! Sooooooo, frustrating. Until the mother found out, I worked with her on her multiplication facts. The girl was so excited and could actually complete some problems with better speed and accuracy. But the mom found out what I was doing and said since the school didn't require her to know the facts, she wanted me to spend all of our time on homework. I lasted about a month longer and told her I had to stop. She was a yucky parent on top of everything. Aughhhhhhh!
Our district is a suburban district but far too large. Give me a rural district anytime! Our fall 2015 enrollment is projected to be 113,032 students; 53 elementaries (avg of 1100 students each); 18 middle schools; and 11 mega high schools (most around 3,500 students). I couldn't find data for the current number of teachers.
I sure wish the politicians would talk to us lowly teachers about what to do with our education system!!! There are no easy answers, I know that. But at this point, it wouldn't take too much to make it better!
Ok, I'm done beatin' that dead horse...... I'll get back to much happier topics!
Take care,
Suz.
You guys should know better than to get me started on education topics. OMG!!! I write too much anyway about things I don't even know about. Don't get me started on my passion of teaching and learning - I do know something about that.
No worries with me about discussing education on my thread. I don't know how the moderators or admins feel about it. Does it cost them space or something????
Ya'll can probably already guess how Suz feels about most of what you're saying regarding No Child Left Behind, etc. My boys (30 and 31) barely got out of high school in time before the effects could reach them. I feel like their education was so much better than now days. They know how to do cursive, spell (when they aren't too lazy), can write a complete sentence and know their multiplication facts. Being a math teacher, I nearly had strokes over the period from about 2002- to just recently when the elementary math curriculum head person (can't remember the position title) outlawed our elementary students having to memorize multiplication facts. If a teacher was caught (we often disobeyed that rule as long as we could get away with it) doing timed tests (not graded but fun and friendly competition - competing only with their own improvement) we would get called into the principal's office. Oh, and that's another point. It was getting so teachers were called into the principal's office more than the students - well, almost.
We had to stop grading homework for 2 reasons. One, the parents often did the work rather than help their child. Two, we teachers were spending too much time fielding complaints from parents about why their child didn't get a 100 on the grade (usually they were upset because they had done a problem and didn't understand why 'they' missed it!). When I retired, I did private tutoring for a while. One student who was weak in math due to lack of teaching and not lack of smarts, was so excited that I explained things to her. At first I thought maybe she had poor retention because surely the teachers had taught her such and such process. But no, she remembered very well from week to week whatever I taught her. The problem was that she had significant gaps (5th grader). She was the perfect student for private tutoring. The problem was her mother. She only cared that her daughter got a 100 on every homework set. At that time, it was graded but only counted 10% of the total grade. Because it took so long to go over the homework with the child (because of her gaps), I never could teach her processes in any cohesive unit to help her make the necessary connections and applications. To be a math thinker!!! The homework was always 5 'word' or process problems each from various skill sets (following the state testing format) so again, the poor girl didn't get to practice a skill long enough for any proficiency! Sooooooo, frustrating. Until the mother found out, I worked with her on her multiplication facts. The girl was so excited and could actually complete some problems with better speed and accuracy. But the mom found out what I was doing and said since the school didn't require her to know the facts, she wanted me to spend all of our time on homework. I lasted about a month longer and told her I had to stop. She was a yucky parent on top of everything. Aughhhhhhh!
Our district is a suburban district but far too large. Give me a rural district anytime! Our fall 2015 enrollment is projected to be 113,032 students; 53 elementaries (avg of 1100 students each); 18 middle schools; and 11 mega high schools (most around 3,500 students). I couldn't find data for the current number of teachers.
I sure wish the politicians would talk to us lowly teachers about what to do with our education system!!! There are no easy answers, I know that. But at this point, it wouldn't take too much to make it better!
Ok, I'm done beatin' that dead horse...... I'll get back to much happier topics!
Take care,
Suz.
Don't even get me started Suz! Our son attends in Fairfax Co, VA. Supposedly one of the best in the country. They have taken a definite nose dive in the last 2 years. I partially believe it is due to having a new superintendent - from Lubbock. Prior to that, she was with Houston. (Karen Gaza.)
There's been so much to do with the new pool and new plants. They both demand a lot of attention at the same time! Maybe like twins. And I'm a single parent, so to speak. It's fabulous fun, but I just may be a little too old for this much demand. I think it will get better - there's so much to get used to. There's the testing, the brushing, watering and watering the new plants (and I think I'm still going to lose a patch of grass), the feeding of chlorine (she's a hungry and greedy girl for chlorine) and CYA (oops, it's almost time to go squish the socks again and test the chlorine again). And..... I'm trying to catch up on so many things that were put aside during the 4 months of pool craziness - 6 months if I count when I started searching for a PB and researching everything under the sun about pools. I finally made an appointment to get rid of my gray hair and get a cut - it's awful! I look like an old hag but with teeth. And my friend who does my hair can't get to me for TWO weeks!!!! (Aughhhhhhh, freak show here!) We finally got Killer in for his yearly checkup and shots which were 6 weeks overdue (don't report me to SPCA). For 11 years old, the vet says Killer is in very good shape. But, next week he has to have a tooth extracted that broke off at the gum line. We feel so bad about that - we hadn't even noticed. (again with the SPCA thing). Our kitchen ceiling fan went out a month ago, so I have to get a handyman out for that and for the toilet that needs a new flush kit or whatever you call it. Yes, I COULD do that myself, but the last time I did it, it took me HOURS. So I'll pay to save myself hours to use to enjoy the pool. We still aren't fully stocked with groceries. And then we're still working on getting all the previous yard stuff back into the yard and out of the garage. Nick has begun power washing our driveway which seems almost runway length. Paying bills - OMG, I can't believe creditors haven't come after me yet! What else...... I guess I'm trying to justify being absent. Either you understand from when your pool was built or you WILL understand when your pool is completed - get ready!!!!
Pictures..... ya'll want more pictures? What of? I thought I had done a pretty thorough job of pictures. I'm not sure what else to take pictures of.....
And this morning I woke up with robot cleaners on my mind. I'm built out for a Polaris, but it hasn't been delivered/installed yet. So I did quick research (no more months of deciding like on the pebble finish) and ordered a dolphin M500. I will pick it up tomorrow or the next day. With the new finish, I can't put a cleaner in until Saturday. I decided it would be worth having the robot that cleans more than the Polaris. With as much time as I'm spending now on getting this starship fully ready for duty, I don't need more scrubbing and cleaning work.
Well, I really do have to go squish the CYA socks and test for the mid afternoon chlorine! One of these days, I will get to JUST SWIM in the pool and enjoy it!!!!
Take care,
Suz.
Pictures..... ya'll want more pictures? What of? I thought I had done a pretty thorough job of pictures. I'm not sure what else to take pictures of.....
And this morning I woke up with robot cleaners on my mind. I'm built out for a Polaris, but it hasn't been delivered/installed yet. So I did quick research (no more months of deciding like on the pebble finish) and ordered a dolphin M500. I will pick it up tomorrow or the next day. With the new finish, I can't put a cleaner in until Saturday. I decided it would be worth having the robot that cleans more than the Polaris. With as much time as I'm spending now on getting this starship fully ready for duty, I don't need more scrubbing and cleaning work.
Well, I really do have to go squish the CYA socks and test for the mid afternoon chlorine! One of these days, I will get to JUST SWIM in the pool and enjoy it!!!!
Take care,
Suz.
I am sooo sorry to hear that. I keep hoping there are still some places doing a great job in the public system. And I'm sorry it's a Texan letting you down. I know you didn't mean it that way, but it does make me sad that a Texan isn't using common sense which seems so simple to me. Maybe she wasn't born here!!! Ha Ha. No, even Texas has our rotten apples in many areas, and sadly education is one. I do think the rural districts get more of it right than the larger city/suburban districts.
I wonder what baloney she pulled up there to get hired?! Hopefully she won't be there long to do any lasting damage. Maybe the winters will run her off!!!
Suz.
Pictures of you in the pool. Pictures of Nick in the pool. Pictures of friends in the pool.
Pictures from on top of the house, from the Galaxy, from . . .
Pictures from on top of the house, from the Galaxy, from . . .
Ok, OK! No pictures of me in the pool, though. I don't have a wide-angle lens....
I did forget about getting Nick to take pictures from upstairs. And I should take pictures of the plants to remember them before they die from this scorching sun!
Lol! Thank goodness these are my worries these days. Life is sweet.
Suz.
I did forget about getting Nick to take pictures from upstairs. And I should take pictures of the plants to remember them before they die from this scorching sun!
Lol! Thank goodness these are my worries these days. Life is sweet.
Suz.
Ha!! You must be like me. I am usually the one behind the camera taking the pics, so everyone thinks my wife is a widow taking care of the poor fatherless children.
Killer by the pool????
We just want to see you enjoying your pool. Just tell us what you did that day.
Kim
(I am SO thankful for working in a very rural school where we can teach to each child as they need to be taught.)
We just want to see you enjoying your pool. Just tell us what you did that day.
Kim
(I am SO thankful for working in a very rural school where we can teach to each child as they need to be taught.)
I show up at my own house parties and people are like "Who are you?"
Just a guy that lives here.
Just a guy that lives here.
Ahhhh..... you and Kim understand!!! You know what most people these days call me? Nick's-Mom. That's like my name! "Who's that lady over there?" "Oh, that's Nick's-Mom!" "Oh, yeah, right. I never can remember her name!" (I'm copying you, Kim, on the quotes of other people talking - hope you don't mind!)
Nick is the popular one around here. I really am the boring one behind the scenes. You guys really don't know the true Suz.
One of these days, Clay, we'll have to come out from behind the camera!!!
Suz.
"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" I love it! I will live on in these threads. For good or bad LOL!
Well I sure do like the Suz we have come to know here at TFP and the Suz I have come to know on the phone so....keep being OUR SUZ!
kim
Well I sure do like the Suz we have come to know here at TFP and the Suz I have come to know on the phone so....keep being OUR SUZ!
kim
Sunbaby
LifeTime Supporter
- Feb 27, 2015
- 1,402
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Truclear / Ei
I want pics of the pool in every light! Tile with water and light splashing and glistening! More pics of everything!!
Suz and Paris,
As my son would say "EPICNESS!" Both of your pools are gorgeous!
Been so busy with real life this week, I have been dying to get on here and see the newest pics. So beautiful.
Suz,
Sorry to hear that you are so busy with the landscape and the pool, but, like others have said, it will get easier. Take care, and don't work too hard.
As my son would say "EPICNESS!" Both of your pools are gorgeous!
Been so busy with real life this week, I have been dying to get on here and see the newest pics. So beautiful.
Suz,
Sorry to hear that you are so busy with the landscape and the pool, but, like others have said, it will get easier. Take care, and don't work too hard.