Below is a list of those articles catalogued by a NRH police officer after stopping our school seniors trying to pull of a "senior prank."


-Bucket of Quickrete Concrete Mix

-Truck bed full of building bricks

-Trampoline

-Trailer full of yard debris

-Several packages of raw Fish Filet's

-Several containers of Night Crawler Fishing Worms

-A large amount of live goldfish

-Plastic Wrap

-Hot Dogs and Buns

-Whipped Cream

-Four life size blow up female dolls in various stages of dress

Yesterday, I watched Oprah. We had it on our DVR. That is an unusual occurence.

But, I don't have time to write about Dr. Oz, the water through the nose, rolfing, etc.

Tonight, we go to home of the Waldrons. Dear friends. Dear. We will eat together. Our children will play together. We might play games together.

That's good.

Leslie, Jeb, and I went to the mall today for a short trip. I can report that no one was harmed.

That's good.

Between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. this morning I was in camo and exhibiting clandestine behavior in an attempt to thwart what I was certain would happen. A senior prank.

I was correct. However, through the combined efforts of an able security guard, the North Richland Hills police department and my own efforts, the school was safe and protected from intrusion and violation for the night.

I will go into more detail in a future post. Tonight, I am sleepy.

So, tonight it is storming. I was thinking that it is quite a technological step, in my feeble techno mind, that the dude on the tv can show me a picture of tonight's storm and then with a little line segment draw me a path. Even tell me that it will be in Keller, where we live, at 9:13 p.m., and the tv dude was right.

It seems that the electricity goes out less often now than it did when I was a kid. Nevertheless, I secured a flashlight, a lighting thingy, and a couple of candles. Told the kids to stay in bed if the lights went out, and I would come for them. I thought that one or more of our offspring would make their way to us and ask to sleep in our bed until the storm passed by. After all, is there a better place to be when scared? However, none did. But Erin called out to me. She was scared from the thunder and the flashes. I hugged her and rubbed her back and told her that I was already lying on the couch reading, and I surely wouldn't be doing that if it was bad outside. That seemed to satisfy although there are still some big bangs.

Another thing that seems to have diminished since I was a child - the number of cars that break down on the side of the road.

Tonight, rather in the early hours of tomorrow, I suspect that the seniors at school will attempt to pull off a "senior prank." I believe steps are in place to thwart any shot at success.

I will keep you posted.

The day.

This morning I welcomed Friday. Some Fridays are more anticipated than others. For different reasons.

Two events were on my agenda today that I was anticpating with some enjoyment.

A little history. Occasionally as a principal, I am requested to testify in court in certain types of cases involving family disputes. It has been very rare while at my current job, but there was an occasion a year ago. Then, I witnessed a judge who possessed what I thought was a wonderful mix of mercy and justice. At the time, I thought that it would be a good idea for some of our students to see her in action but also the see the result of relationships gone bad.

Today, really at the behest of one of our teachers, our seniors visited her courtroom. It was a sad and enlightening display of pain in marriage and in homes. Of bad choices. Of consequences that don't go away. Of consequences that reach beyond those directly involved.

The second event was more pleasant. For a couple of years now I, along with others, have been asked to read a book to an elementary class. Today, I read to two classes one of which was my daughter's fourth grade class. With staring eyes, they watched intently and listened to what was a great story. They were disappointed when I came to my stopping point, and honestly, I was disappointed, too. Disappointed because my time of reading was done and because I did not know how the story would end. The title of the book was "Dear Napoleon, I know you are dead, but..." by someone with the first name of Elvira. The last name might have been Woodruff.

On a totally different note. Peggy Noonan writes regularly for the Wall Street Journal. Her latest is worth your read. You might consider adding her to your regular reading digestion.

"Bumper crop"

That's what is coming out of north Texas this year regarding the upcoming wheat crop. It is still about eight weeks away, but it was green today. Green and prolific.

A friend and I drive an extended Chevy van to Wichita Falls, Vernon and Quanah, Texas, to pick up wheat samples during the wheat harvest, and this afternoon I was on Hwy 287 picking up about 28 samples.

The past two years there has been little wheat to pick up. Drought and hail took a heavy toll. This year, there has been plenty of rain so the hope now is that the rain will not be accompanied by hail.

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Two weeks ago I was on our school's senior trip to ski in Keystone, Colorado. 50+ seniors, five sponsors, and the end of the ski season with good snow still on the ground with nine or so new inches the last day, temperatures in the 40's, and slim crowds make for good times. The days and nights, Keystone has great night-skiing, were spent skiing and lazing around reading with most nights spent at a pizzeria and deli located across the street from our hotel. There we could while away some time since there were few people working the joint and watch NCAA basketball while eating pizza or a sub sandwich.

The students and two sponsors flew. Our athletic director, campus minister, and I drove a van so that we would have some sort of way to get around while we were up there. Going through Texas, New Mexico, into Colorado. Coming = Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, into Texas. Nearing home we entertained our weary minds with the "would you rather ______ or ______. For example, would you rather lose a finger or a toe? It wasn't intellectual or invigorating, but it helped the last miles go away.