There Goes the Summer...

Had a summer school meeting with the principal at school yesterday, for planning purposes.  I'll be teaching both 7th and 8th grade language arts, and since summer school only lasts 10 days, I am trying to come up with a 10-day lesson plan that will cover a lot of skills in short order.  I notice that a number of the students who have been recommended are special needs kids.  That makes for more work from me!

Spent some time in my classroom.  It is pretty obvious that nothing has been done in there all summer.  Everything is exactly as I left it.  The paper towel dispenser still hasn't been put up, and the LCD projector still hasn't been turned to face the projection screen!  The classroom felt cooler than the hallway, but the longer I was in there, the warmer it felt.  I may have to come up with a fan.  The problem with that is that ALL of the electrical outlets in the classroom are on the back wall--at the BACK of the room, where the students aren't.  That means stringing extension cords, etc...which I really don't want to do.  Anyway, I am gearing up for that, while feeling discouraged about the summer...again. 

Every garbage day, I take more yard trimmings to the curb from the back yard.  I could have gotten the last of them tonight, but I didn't have any gloves and was down to the wild raspberry canes.  They have thorns!  Next week, I'll have it all gone, for sure!

I will go back to school tomorrow, briefly, then will head up to Muncie.  Meg was sick for a number of days last week, so she is behind in her online work.  I figure if I am there to help entertain the children, it will give her a little more time to catch up.  Will return to Plainfield by noon on Sunday.  (They are all going to Cloverdale, so I can escape!)

One of my ham friends and his wife are packing to move to a condo.  She called to ask for more help next week, so I will go over after school a day or two to lend a hand.  They have 30 years worth of "stuff" to clean up, pack up, or get rid of.  (She tells me they are on their second dumpster!)

The dog has a new trick.  Lately, she has been going to bed ahead of me, lying on MY side, sideways--and last night, she snored loudly.  It was like being married again!  Sheesh!

We are beginning to make plans for my granddaughter's fourth birthday.  Last year, we asked her what kind of cake she wanted, and she ordered strawberry cake, blueberry cake, and watermelon cake.  Guess what?  Her mother and I were up until the wee hours baking two of them.  (Watermelon cake recipes exist, but we were doing WAY too much as it was!)  This year, we will be more sensible.  (We will, won't we??)  Robin will be 4 on August 6th--a birthdate shared with my mother and another of my mother's granddaughters.  Pretty special!

I did very little today.  Had planned to go to school, but didn't get the job done.  I DID take the garbage out.  Does that count?  Daylight is already about 30 minutes shorter.  There goes the summer...