I hope you’re chasing lizards and squirrel intruders in that afterlife of yours.
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28
April
Goodbye, Harley
19
March
*whew!*
I ran away from school before 3P–I couldn’t take it any more. (Of course, I went straight to Michael’s from there and bought stuff for school, so maybe it’s all about being stuck in a classroom for weeks and weeks.)
But tonight is about relaxation. I am going to the opening night of Hair.
Let the festivities begin!
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6
March
Bonus
After many, many gallons of beer brewed at this house, the spouse has finally created a beer that I will drink.
If you know me, this will come as no surprise–it’s a Guinness variety. D’oh. (Don’t know why it took him so long to get there.)
This should make the next few days of report cards and conferences almost bearable.
Also, my 15YO nephew landed another cinematic coup–his latest was chosen for the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. (Go, kid! But who even knew that SLO had an international film festival?) His younger sister is dancing with the New York City Ballet again this summer. (Both of these children are driven by themselves. My brother and sister-in-law are simply along for the ride.)
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25
January
On the other side…
and sleepy, at the moment. Good drugs are good.
The crutches are not as bad as I thought, now that I really need to use them, the machine that keeps my ice pad cold and the swelling down–not that you can tell, because the knee is twice the size as the other, is working well.
Now rest and relaxation, and bed in a bit when I can get myself up the stairs.
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25
January
Overheard, the morning of surgery
Spouse: Did you remember to bring the tiara and boa for the photos when she comes out of anesthesia?
Daughter: I told you that was your job!!
(I swear, this family. I told them no photos of me drooling, but I have little confidence. The daughter has already told me she is SO watching my operation–which the surgeon thoughtfully provides for take-home viewing. I, however, will NOT.)
Time to join the traffic slugfest on the 101 and inch toward Van Nuys.
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13
January
Release the brides!
So the young nephews left yesterday a little after 2P. I promptly collapsed, but that was due more to the scratchy throat and the sense that my little kinder germ carriers had passed on something. With love, of course.
I fell in bed early. Good thing. Today was our first foray into bridal couture. Four hours later we left the first store. Lots of gowns, lots of narrowing down styles. The daughter-in-law was definitely interested in a trumpet-shaped gown, the daughter more inclined to a ballgown with a wide skirt.
We took lots of photos and purchased nothing.
Then it was off to the second shop–a much smaller place, for one thing. The daughter-in-law fell in love with the very first gown I pulled out for her. Nothing else came close.
She’ll go back next weekend with her mother and decide for certain, but chances are good she’s ordering it. Lots of tuxedo tuck zigzagging down the bodice and hips, then spilling into a wide satin skirt, which I can cheerfully say had finished edges. (Not so a similar gown of something else at a larger chain, but then the price was not the same. So.)
The daughter found two dresses, one in the strapless ballgown style with lace insets for the midsection and chiffon above and below, and the second with a v-neck, more of an a-line with a wide skirt. In lace. And a train that went forever.
Guess which one she loves the most. (The $1600 number, only three times her budget price.)
Guess if either dress goes with those cowboy boots she’d love to wear under the dress. (Neither. D’oh.)
She wasn’t happy about leaving the store without her favorite dress, but she does have a style she likes, and if we could find a similar gown with a more casual feel and a significantly lighter price, we’d be good with it. Both of us.
But wow. Bridal gowns.
Good thing we went today. It takes six months to order the dress and eight weeks to get it fitted. Which puts us pretty close to the wedding if it’s held at the end of October.
I am not sure I am going to survive these weddings. And this is just the very first day of wedding planning. :P
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28
October
What we have here is a failure to communicate
Me: I’m taking the dog for a walk.
What Harley hears: Sniff and pee time! Sniff and pee! Woot!
What it means: a 15-minute walk turns into a 30-minute sniff-and-pee wander.
Daughter at noon: I’m still babysitting. Could you start my costume for me?
Me: Sure. How soon will you be home?
Daughter: 3 o’clock.
What she really means: Will you please sew my entire skirt because I can’t now.
End result: Bonnie and Clyde come to life, and the skirt, thankfully a simple yoked A-line, is finished on time.
Me? I am running late to our dinner engagement, although the double tomato bruschetta turn out lovely.
School–let’s just not go there, shall we? I’m back in the classroom today to finish everything I didn’t get done on Friday. Bleh.
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2
September
So.
Harley’s back from the vet.
He’s got congestive heart failure and most likely 3-4 months with the meds he was given today.
The Daughter is having a hard time, and I’m remembering Muffy who died when I was 16, and why I never wanted another dog.
On the good side, the pills will kick in right away and he should be feeling better soon. But the diagnosis does explain our recent morning drags.
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30
May
So.
The good news is that I am not switching sites. While I’m not 100% certain I’m staying at grade level, I would be shocked if they moved me to any other grade. I have to wait until tomorrow to be sure.
The bad news?
One of my kinder partners–the one who’s taught with me for twenty-one of my twenty-two years–is moving to another school.
I don’t know who is replacing her yet.
Today was traumatic. Most of us have taught at the same site for at least ten years–and that’s long enough to create a family.
Today our family was ripped apart.
Shock. Tears. Hugs.
Mourning.
Staying doesn’t mean it will be all right. I’m just hoping that the fused teams get to the same level of partnership we had before.
And that’s not going to happen overnight.
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30
May
Doom-de-doom-doom
Today’s the day we find out our classroom placement for next year.
We have a roving sub, and if the roving sub appears at your door, it pretty much means you’re moving somewhere else (either grade, site, or both) and you’re off to chat with the principal to find out just where.
The leadership team (and I’m a member) are working together on next year’s schedule and an easy target to hit. Since we already have a sub for the day, we’ll be easy to yank.
But I’m not sure how you go back and teach the remainder of the day normally if you’re horrified by the news. At least if I fall apart, I’m with the team and away from kids.
I also would not want to be my principal. (This is giving me second (and third! and fourth!) thoughts about the one-year administrative credential program through Pepperdine, let me just say.)
Think good thoughts, please.
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