2 am with coffee, dogs and the Great American Novel

Another 2 am with the dogs but at least Zenji isn't throwing up anymore.  I think it was the canned pumpkin I had been mixing into her food.  Pure pumpkin can help with constipation and settle a dog's stomach but needs to be given in accordance with the dog's tolerance level. I believe I had been giving her too much and it was making her sick. So, that's one problem solved (I think).  Now to figure out this 2 am stuff.  I'm starting to feel like the TNG Enterprise crew in the episode Night Terrors.  Lack of REM sleep caused by a Tyken's Rift created mental instability.  Maybe I should change Zenji's name to Tyken.

While all of my dogs (past and present) have had the ability to drive me completely insane, their presence did allow me to fulfill a 'before I turn 50' goal.  My love of dogs led me to volunteer at  Hope Animal Shelter in Tucson Arizona and that opportunity was the inspiration for my Great American Novel.  Just kidding about the great American novel part, in reality it was just a paperback kid's book called Midnight at the Shelter of Hope.  

Midnight at the Shelter of Hope is a tale about Marlowe, the Red Pit Bull pup who has to face his greatest fears and rescue a human cub.  The cover, both front and back were designed by a wonderful illustrator named Donna Murillo who also designed the black and white images in the book.

I know it's never going to win a Pulitzer but I am rather proud of it.  The book is available on Amazon if you're interested.  Just click on the image.  The hardcover sells for $5.99 and the Kindle for $0.99. Also, if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, the Kindle version is free.

Take care and keep on reading, 

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

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My fashion sense as a 60 year old

Am I the only one who thinks ladies fashion should include cutoff camo pants, a floppy hat and a fishing pole?

Bass fishing at Arivaca Lake Arizona

Canoeing and fishing at Patrick Henry Reservoir (Warriors Path State Park, Kingsport Tennessee)

 2 am with coffee and dogs

Sundays are my only full day off and I make an effort to get in as much R&R as possible.  I try to sleep in or at least sleep until 4 am but, right on cue, Zenji's alarm clock went off again at 2 am.  We've fallen into a crazy sleep pattern and I'm not sure how to undo it.  Suggestions are welcome.

Yesterday's (Saturday) 4:30 am ESL reading class was with only one student and she is already proficient in speaking English.  So I had planned to focus on reading comprehension and writing during our session.  However, the student refused to participate in the lesson.  This sort of thing happens on occasion, but when it happens at 4:30 in the morning on one cup of coffee, it is frustrating.  In this situation, being an online teacher, there is very little I can do, so I improvised and began to write sentences on the white board which pertained to the lesson.  I knew the student had a cat named Mr. Tickles so I wrote 'Mr. Tickles learned that construction on the Empire State building began in 1930'.  Miraculously that sentence peaked the student's interest and she began reading the sentences on the board. Even though we only accomplished a small portion of the assignment, it was better than nothing.

Becoming TEFL certified and picking up ESL students wasn't something I had planned when I began working with kids but I'm glad it is part of my routine.  The kids are great and a lot of fun to work with. For those who are interested, acquiring a TEFL or TESOL certificate can get expensive and that played a part in which online company I selected.  I ended up going with International TEFL and TESOL, mostly because of the price ($150 for a level 5 TEFL certificate) but they did have decent reviews.  Overall the course is okay and it does provide the basics for classroom management and lesson planning.  But if you are looking into becoming an ESL teacher there are a lot of options out there so choose what feels right for you.  I would like to say that including a TEFL or TESOL certificate on your resume will add value to any teaching or tutoring credentials.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 

 3 am with coffee and dogs

Zenji is a bit better this morning though she is still stiff in her hips.  I gave her carprofen for pain yesterday and that seemed to help.  We sat outside and enjoyed a cool evening watching it not rain again at our house.  CeeCee seems to understand that Zenji isn't feeling well and is content to lay nearby and doesn't try to initiate play activity.

Online reading classes went well yesterday and the kids were great.  They are settling in for the fall semester and working hard.  The first graders are the most challenging so far and one has just learned to change the background on his tablet.  It can be distracting watching his background change constantly during the lesson but as long as he participates I'm okay with it.  Besides, there is very little I can do about it anyway so I try to turn it into a learning opportunity.  The beach background is his favorite so to get him involved in the lesson I include words and sentences that relate to beach activities.  It's a compromise but at least he's interested and he's learning.

Happy Friday,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

P.S.

If anyone has suggestions or remedies to help an older dog with hip issues, please let me know. 

Thanks