Follow Up

Yesterday wasn't the best of days for me.  At least it didn't start that way.  I had a lot on my plate and an itchy, numb, spider bit hand.  My annual observation was scheduled, and it was supposed to be horrible weather.  Well, it all turned out all right.  I ended up not taking the benadryl, I just used cream.  I really needed to be awake when the principal observed.  It went pretty well.  I got some really good feed back, and some areas to improve upon.  She said I need to be more detail oriented.  Well that is no surprise to anyone who knows me.  I am totally NOT a detail person.  I have always been a big picture, let the chips fall where they may sort of person.  She was right though, I do need to be more detailed in my planning for my classroom.   I will be moving grade levels again next year, so I will be learning a whole new curriculum again.  It will be really important to focus on the details when I plan.  I volunteered for the move, there are 4 second grades at my school and 6 third grades.  I may not be a detail person, and math isn't my best subject but I can figure that math out.  Someone is going to need to move.  We also have 5 first grade classes and 5 fourth grade classes right now.  In any case, there will be some shifting in our building.  I wanted to have some sense of control (you know me, I have to be in control) of what I was doing.  I wanted to know early where I would be.  Switching in August was not easy for me.  Thankfully I have been blessed with the most amazing team of coworkers anyone could ask for.  They have helped me all year and made the transition so much better for me.  Now it is just a little while till I find out where I will be next year.  Oh, and I am sure I will get to relocate my classroom yet again- That will make 4 moves in 2 years.  I am getting to know lots of new parts of the school building this way!

The spider bite is much better.  My hand has been hurting but it finally dawned on me that in my panic to get the spider off my hand (even though it was thouroughly smashed at that point)  I whacked it on the garbage can.  I think I bruised it and that is why it is sore.  It isn't red, itchy, swollen, or anything else but sort of sore.  I am a total mess about bugs and I tried to be calm, but I really freaked out about it.  In any case I think that it is good. 

Belle did get to Med Express.  She was diagnosed with a mild  case of pink eye and given drops.  They do not offer frequent flyer miles, but they do recognize us when we come in now.  I am not sure if that is good or bad.

Moose said his knee was better last night.  We got his FAFSA and financial aid app. for VMI finished and turned in.  Not that it matters, according to the government I can afford to pay $35,000 a year for tuition.  I guess they don't think we need to eat, wear clothes, or pay the mortgage.  Thankfully he will qualify for a small loan and we are still holding out hope for some football scholarship money.

I did have somewhat of a repeat of last week where I got excited about tomorrow being Thursday and then realized that today is only Tuesday so I have a ways to go.  I don't know why I do that every week now.  I also thought that it was going to April tomorrow, that doesn't happen until Friday.  I am dreading Friday, it is the last school day before Spring Break, it is April Fool's Day, and the Librarian told me my class all wanted to check out books about pranks and practical jokes.  I think I am in trouble.  If I had any sick leave left I would call in sick, but the flu and all of Belle's appointments this year have wiped it out.  Think of me and wish me luck.  Maybe I need to think of a really good prank for them.  Google here I come!

You Interrupted Work For This?!

Thursday is my really, really long day.  I work all day and then I have 3 children that I tutor.  It keeps me going until late.  Just as I was finishing my first tutoring session yesterday my phone rang.  It was my son.  As I was still talking with the lovely lady who pays me for my time I declined to answer at that moment.  So that just means call back, right?  The issue is that for some wierd reason his phone doesn't receive any calls at VMI.  It works when he is home, in fact as soon as we get about 20 miles from VMI it will ring, but it doesn't there.  So now I start worrying.  He never calls on a weekday before 8 at night unless something is wrong.  I dialed back, knowing there would be no answer.  1 voicemail and text later and just as I pulled into the driveway of my next tutoring client my phone rang.  Thankfully it was him.  I immediately checked to see if he was allright.  "Yeah, but where's Dad?" was his response.  Sadly, Dad had managed to throw out his back at work and had been sent home with muscle relaxers.  Dad was blissfully sleeping in a comfortable, warm bed.  He was oblivious to the world.  "What do you need?"  I continued, anticipating some problem, hoping it wasn't a male related thing I couldn't deal with.  "The Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins....."  At this point  he began a bit of a rant.  When he finally paused to breathe I wasn't sure how to respond.  On the one hand I never want to discourage conversation, he is not a particularly conversational kid.  However, I was now sitting in the driveway of my next client's house and I needed to be inside.  Plus, I was a little peeved that I was worried something was really wrong.  I told him that Dad was down for the count, I was tutoring and I was sorry the Celtics management were idiots.  Then I also told him to please not call and send me into a panic, especially when it was just about the Celtics, during my workday again and told him I loved him.  I am glad he wanted to talk, but this was definitely a Dad conversation.  I am not a totally insane sports Mom.  Later I felt guilty that I hadn't reacted differently, it was really important to him.  I think it was a really dumb trade, but what do I know.  When I tried to explain it all to Dad later (he is okay, and went back to work today) I couldn't even remember the names of the players that were traded.   

Interestingly, I started this post before school today and sure enough my phone rang at 3:30.  "Where's Dad?"  It was like deja vu.  This time I was able to explain that since it was still the middle of the work day for normal people Dad was at work.  He called 2 more times, but happily he finally reached Dad.  They had a great conversation.  Now if I can just get him to remove the lovely words from his facebook page...