Gas Craze

Has anyone been out in town today?? I think everyone has gone mad! I am always the last to know big news...I really should watch the news more but oh well!

I am so shocked that I worked today and no one mentioned anything. I did have a friend send me a text last night but I didn't get it until 1pm today. What am I talking about? Surely you can guess...I am referring to everyone panicking over gas prices and running to the pumps.

We all know my poor luck and Duffer and I were both on EMPTY today so yes...I had to join the madness...but we would have had to fill up today anyway. Here is where the story goes crazy...

Duffer and I went to see Davis' teacher...I will come back to that after my gas story...and we saw people lined out to the road at the gas station at Wal*Mart. We wondered what was going on and then the next two stations were $3.99 already. We both assumed gas was getting jacked up like it always does and so we needed to fill up.

We were in a rush to pick up the kids and for me to take Duffer back to work so I decided to get gas in Colonial Heights. I pulled in Food City and there were at least 8 - 10 cars lined up at each pump!!! They were out of the two lower grades and only had Premium left but it was $3.75. I decided to wait in line and fill up.

This wait was not pleasant...Davis and Jett were arguing, Rylee unbuckled (against my strict instructions NOT to) and was climbing around the back and then she even threw a cup out the window!

Davis' dad called...who was at work at Food City just different location...and said they were predicted to run OUT of gas within the hour and the next delivery was Monday...or later depending on IKE.

Duffer was gonna get gas after work at 5:30 so I called him and told him the story. We both decided I needed to get him some gas.

So after about 30 minutes I get my tank filled up (which the station conveniently took off that $75 limit they always have when you use a debit or credit card at the pump...very nice!) and head out $85 poorer.

I ran through Mickey D's to feed the kids...but not myself...and then headed to Eastman to get Duffer's Suburban. You can imagine the fun I had parking...getting all 4 of us in the other vehicle...pulling out and then pulling my car in his spot (that he just had to keep) and then heading BACK to Food City.

This time the line wasn't too long...7 cars in front of me...and $100 poorer we both have full tanks. Then I take his vehicle back to Eastman...switch again...sweating just a bit by now...and then we head home. BTW does anyone besides me think that paying $184 for gas in one day is just absurd?? What is this world coming to?????

On the radio they said that Gate City only had 2 stations who still had gas and the Morristown had already went up to $5.10! I have never in my 33 years of life witnessed anything like this.

You know...our yard needs to be mowed this weekend and I just wonder if Duffer has gas for the mower??? We may have to siphon some from our vehicles!!! :o)

The parent / teacher conference went as I expected. I didn't meet with Davis' math teacher but she did fill out a conference form letting us know that Davis was NOT meeting expectations and that he wasn't focusing, appeared to have just given up, not being accountable for his work, and several other things.

Mrs. Cook...his home base teacher...suggested that we consider tutoring (when the budget gets straightened out and it is available again). She did say that his spelling had improved from 3% (last year) to 80% (this year). She said he was very well behaved, had good morals, nice to everyone, and was very respectful.

Another interesting thing was that Davis isn't the only one struggling in math. She said it had a lot to do with the new math program they started this year. The program has steered away from the traditional way of teaching math...one way to solve a problem...and it is making you think outside the box and know 2-3 different ways to solve them.

Davis is very much like me in that he wants to know the straightforward method and nothing else. I did very poor with word problems that took reasoning and thinking about the big picture and he is the same way. The bad thing is that is what the new math program is all about. Another negative is that this program is only for K - 5 (for now) so they are doing all this only for the kids to get into 6th grade and go right back to the old method! Doesn't make much sense to me but I am not making the decisions, am I??

Mrs. Cook did say that he would definitely be ready for middle school and that he just needed some extra help for a little while.

Well, I am off my soap box for today. ;) We are going to go look at a few houses now and hope we fall in love with one of them! Then I have to tackle this messy house of mine. I swear by the end of the busy week, I am jumping over dirty clothes and living in filth! What I wouldn't give to have a maid...