Grandson, Day Two

I woke up this morning to a little dude beside me in bed.  Dawn was just showing up, so I figured it was about 8:00.  I rolled over, and he did, too.  The end result was that we cat-napped until 9:00.

The only highlights of the day were returning Ryan Holly's "big brue van" and eating dinner at Chick-fil-A...which has a play place.  Ryan Heffelman was an angel through it all.

Efforts to find a place for Frodo the Wonder Dog have failed.  Places want her to have a shot for Kennel Cough.  That would requre a trip to my favorite vet before even taking her elsewhere.  The cheapest boarding I could find was $17 a day, but they would  be closed to exits and entrances from Saturday thru Monday.  The next best boarding was $23 a day,  Not good.  So,,,I am looking at leaving the pooch at home and asking the neighbors across the street to check on her twice a day.  Frodo deserves better than I can give her.  She won't be happy, but she will survive.

Ryan conked out on the couch again.  I took him to bed, still in his clothes.  He is such a sweetheart, with a little devil in him.  It appears that, without sibling stimulation, he can keep regular hours!

I honked off a dear friend tonight by suggesting that he read this blog to catch up on my escapades.  He was offended that I was passing him off to another venue.  I'm sorry for that...just am too tired to make it right.  I tried...

Talked to Meg via cell phone a few minutes ago.  They are in Tennessee, on their way to Florida.  Wish I were!

Taking the garbage out.  Does that count as vacation??

 

Heavenly Peace!

This has been a marathon few days for me.  Drove to Muncie last Thursday to deliver a day bed for Robin, and gathered up 8 baskets/tubs/garbage bags full of laundry.  (Meg's washing machine is on the fritz.)  Came back the same day.  Delivered half of the laundry to Nate's parents on Friday morning.  Did laundry like crazy.  Collected the laundered things from Nate's folks and drove back to Muncie on Saturday evening. 

IN THE MEANTIME, before leaving on Saturday, I noticed that I didn't have any hot water.  The pilot light on the gas water heater was out.  Got it re-lit and the burner going, but noticed a couple of hours later that the water wasn't hot.  Pilot was out again.  What to do?  I could go to Muncie and worry about it when I got back, but the holidays and timing were going to work against me.  Ryan Holly, KB9RAF, suggested that it was probably the thermocouple...so the two of us drove to Lowe's, got the part, and Ryan installed it.  Voila!  Hot water!  THEN I left for Muncie.

Sunday (Christmas Eve), Meg and Nathan took the children to see Santa arrive on a fire truck at a local fire station, while I did last minute shopping.  At 7:00 PM, we went to their church's Candlelight Service, which was very nice...then home to put the children to bed and wrap some presents.  (Believe it or not, the children were in bed and asleep by 9:30, more because of fatigue than lack of excitement!)

Guess what?  Santa came to their house!  Christmas morning, we opened our presents and ate Meg's yummy breakfast casserole, then made preparations to head to Plainfield for Christmas dinner with Nate's family, including his brother and sister-in-law.  The drive was lousy due to the rain and road spray which made visibility difficult, but we got there only 15 minutes past the ETA.  More presents!  More excitement!   Good food and fellowship, but then came the time to head back to Muncie.  (7:00 PM)  Meg wanted to drive around Monument Circle to show the children the World's Tallest Christmas "Tree", "since we have to go that way, anyway".  So we did.  We even stopped so they could get out and take a look.  Ryan got up on the steps of the monument and got scared, thinking the tree would fall over on him.  (It has to be pretty scary for a little guy to see something that tall!)  Back on the road, we encountered rain mixed with snow most of the way home. I was silently praying that the rain STAYED rain until we could make it back.  We encountered salt trucks around the Anderson area, which frightened me--but the snow held off until an hour or two after we arrived.  It snowed about 1 1/2 inches of really wet stuff.  A white Christmas, if you stayed up long enough!

Tuesday, we didn't do anything too exciting.  I kept the children's clothing separate from the rest so I could pack for them to come with me back with me to Plainfield to begin their respective adventures: Meg and Nate to leave for Florida, Robin on a flight to Atlanta with her other grandmother, and Ryan to stay with me to trek to Illinois.  I had a suitcase with Robin's things, and put Ryan's in a tub.  In an effort to find more children's clothing, I went to the garage (where the laundry room is) and sorted through some more unlaundered clothes.  I had a load of towels and a load of children's clothes to take home with me, along with presents, etc. 

I thought I had everything under control.  Got the children going and loaded the remainder of the stuff that hadn't been put in the van last night.  The grandchildren and I were on the road just a little after 10:00 and arrived in Plainfield about noon, after two short stops.  Started doing laundry instantly...and discovered, to my dismay...that I had left the tub with Ryan's clothing in it behind!!!  A quick sort through the children's laundry showed me that there were enough clothes for him for the week, even without what I had left behind.  Whew!  Got the laundry done.  Got the children fed and somewhat entertained.  Got Robin packed, and delivered her to her Heffelman grandparents for the trip to Indianapolis International.  Ryan and I went to McDonald's (with a Play Place) and ate fast food, and let him blow off some energy. 

On our way back to the house, I told him I thought I would just plunk him in the bathtub.  He was agreeable to that.  After his bath, I got him all dried and powdered and jammied, then let him curl up on the couch under Grandma's sleeping bag.  He asked for a "moozie," so I put in a Dora video, and he munched on black olives.  A few minutes later, I went back to check on him, and he was fast asleep.  God bless the little boy!  It was only 7:30!   If he stays asleep for the night, it will give me a much-needed chance to just sit back and breathe.  There is still laundry to do, and some things I have to accomplish tomorrow before I can leave for Illinois, but right now, all is calm; all is bright!

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas.  The time just flies.  It will be 2007 in just a few days.  Hard to believe!

 

Whew!

The last time I attempted to post on here, it didn't save...and I clicked off too soon, so all was lost.  There is more to write now, so I will try again!

Last Sunday, I went to Muncie to attend the kids' church's Christmas pageant.  They go to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie, had re-written How the Grinch Stole Christmas to make the Whos of Whoville to be the UUs of UUville.  The whole thing was pretty cute.  As with most churches, they find ways to include even the youngest children of the church, and my grandchildren were no exception.  They came in, at the appropriate time (with adults) with elf hats on their heads, looking quite adorable--but having no clue what was going on.  Ryan had a drum in his hands and kept beating on it at various times.  (I'm positive that wasn't in the script!)  The children all made their appropriate appearances, then were called back for their "curtain call," at which time the narrator called for a special guest to come in.  From where I sat, I could see Santa Claus stashed in a coat closet where the kids couldn't see him.  Ryan was standing right in front, and when Santa came in, his jaw dropped and his eyes got big in an amazed expression that he held for a few seconds.  It was so darned cute that the people all around us were chuckling at him.  It was funny!  Megan, of course, cried.  The appropriate Mommy response!

Monday was a full day.  Taught, then had school radio club right after school (with the good news that the Morse Code requirement for licensure has been dropped), then had to return that evening for a School Board meeting in order to show support for our bargaining team.  We accepted next to nothing over the last two years...

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were a blur.  We stamp out brush fires.  One student is suspended for stealing a cell phone from another student, changing the voice mail and calling her boyfriend...and thought no one would notice.  Another was suspended for smoking in the restroom.  It took exactly two minutes to catch her.  Once the smoke was smelled, a student stuck his head through a door and snitched...and the rest was history.  Another student was suspended for copping an attitude with a sub.  We have worked really hard to keep this kid in school, but he sabotages himself!  And lastly, another has been suspended for sucker-punching another kid at the buses at dismissal.  The kid that got punched has been diagnosed with a form of autism, so it doesn't go well...

So...at the end of Wednesday, when we were trying to provide fun activities for the kids, it got interesting.  Seventh and 8th graders were to sign up for one of five movies, or a basketball tournament.  I volunteered to help by showing a video in my room.  The 7th graders in attendance were good as gold, but my very own 8th graders were rotten.  It kind of tainted the occasion for me!  I hauled a couple of my young ladies out to the corridor and "helped" them.  It was better after that, but I'm thinking that we need to change things next year.

I was so tired last night that I went to bed and died.  Early this morning, I got up and prepared to head to Indy for an appointment with an attorney over old divorce matters.  Had to park in a parking garage...and soon found out that I had to stop and remove the antennas.  The were being scraped on the ceiling!  Okay...got that done.  Had the appointment.  Saw that the parking garage would take cash or check only...but the lawyer thought I might be hassled about a check...and I didn't have enough cash on me!  Okay...there was an ATM in the front of the building...but I soon figured out that my debit card was still in the car.  Damn!  I went up to the car in the garage, got the card, went back to the building, found the ATM machine, got money, went back to the antenna-less car, and found my way out.  Paid the attendant in cash.  Six $$ for an hour. 

It has rained all day.  Went to Indy in the rain, then had to prepare to go to Muncie in the rain...in a borrowed van.  Long story.  I took a day bed that I acquired accidentally, for my granddaughter, for free from a friend's daughter, and he volunteered his van to take it there.  From all that generosity, I made a 4-year-old pretty happy today!  And so did her other grandmother, who went up to make Christmas cookies with her grandchildren, having stayed up until 1:00 last night to make the dough.  The two grandmothers, combined, drove 6 hours just to provide for the children.  I brought home multiple baskets of laundry because the kids' washing machine in on the fritz and the part has just now been ordered.  Everyone is going separate ways just after Christmas.  Clothing is needed!

Robin, age 4, is going with her other grandmother on a plane trip to Atlanta to visit her aunt and uncle, and cousins Joey and Jackson (ages 4 and 9 months).  Ryan, age 3, is going with me to Illinois to visit his great-aunt Shari and great-uncle Roger...and their great-grandchildren (slightly younger).  Their parents are going to Florida.  When it is all over, I will be going to the Psych Ward!  There is not one single day in this "vacation" that everyone tells me I have that will be unspoken for. 

But I digress.  Tomorrow and Saturday, I will be here working.  Later on Saturday, I will return to Muncie where I will stay until Christmas Day, when we will all return to Plainfield for dinner, then back to Muncie.  The next time I leave after that will be to take my granddaughter to her other grandparents' and start being mommy to my grandson for a week. 

This won't happen next year, but for now...that's the story. 

I wish I could be there for all of my single friends who will be alone on the holiday.  There but for the grace of God go I.  I also wish my house were big enough to stand my ground and have everyone here.  That also won't happen. Still, I want everyone reading this blog to understand that, in spite of my complaints, I am well aware that I am blessed with the best friends in the world. 

My childhood sweetheart--happily married yet mutual friends after all these years--called to tell me that his very new stepfather has passed away.  God bless his poor mother!  She lost her husband of 50+ years about 4 years ago, found another love and remarried in her 80's, and just 8 months later is a widow again.  I ache for them all, but more for me because the service for him will be tomorrow and I can't be there.  I have loved that woman and her family since I was in 8th grade.  And that was a LONG time ago!

And now, it is time for me to go to bed.  Tomorrow, I will be doing marathon laundry, wrapping presents, and doing some last minute shopping.  I feel that I owe presents of gratitude to so many who have helped me through the year.  For now, they will just have to accept my meager thanks. 

God Bless my friends!  And Merry Christmas!

Bah! Humbug!

Okay...so I had a small list of Christmas gift ideas, and decided (after the failed SATERN nets this morning) to head out to shop.  It was about 2:00.  I had to go maybe 5 miles to get to Target, Kohl's, and Wal-Mart.  It was EASILY after 2:30 before I was parked!  So much for the Plainfield small town feel!  I mean, I don't exactly live in Chicago.  What's up with that??  I don't know if it is the road construction on 267 that has created the problem, the new Metropolis mall, or all of the new traffic lights that aren't properly timed.  All I know is that I noticed the problem before the Christmas rush.  I finally parked my buggy in the Target lot and WALKED to all the stores in order to avoid having to wait longer in traffic lines.  I planned my exit route, and even that didn't work.  Ended up having to turn right in order to go left.  Nearly got run over by emergency vehicles leaving the Fire Department.  You get the picture...

I had minimal success in finding what I wanted.  I did get some things, but only my sister has been crossed off the list of people to buy for!

I am going to Muncie in the morning to be part of their church's Christmas pageant that will include my grandchildren.  Will also take my carpet shampooer up, and bring back things to be shipped to Atlanta for Robin and the family down there.  Busy, busy!

Thank goodness that the weather wise nice today.  At least I didn't have to fight snow and cold in order to shop! 

Job Action

For at least the last 9 weeks' grading period, our district has been involved in failed contract negotiations with the superintendent and school board.  We are at impasse, which requires a mediator.  The teacher's association decided to take some minor actions to express our solidarity:  We dress in black on Mondays (heretofore declared at "dress for success day" by the superintendent.)  We wear black and green ribbons on our clothing.  There was informational picketing outside the last board meeting.  Apparently all of this has not pleased our administration.  They don't even like our color of choice!

So...my agenda for next week includes:

Colts Day on Monday.  One of our former students is a Colt--recently re-signed to take the place of the injured Stokely.  (I have to buy a shirt!)  In the evening, we will wear black to the Board meeting.  We have been denied a position on the agenda that night, but will be there, in spades.

Tuesday is "casual day".  I can legally wear jeans.  Wednesday, there is an activity or two that I will be expected to help supervise.  Just don't know what they are, yet!

Let's see...we have one who is suspended for stealing a cell phone.  She got on it and changed the voice mail, and called her boyfriend.  There are recordings.  Apparently, she didn't know she could be caught!

We have another who smoked in the girls bathroom just outside my classroom.  It took us probably two minutes to catch her.  She is also out until the new year.

Another youngster with whom we have worked forever just to keep in school copped an attitude with a sub today.  He is also gone until January.  Guess it's time for me to put my "No S. S." sign up again.  (S.S. = Stupid Stuff).  

And...tonight...the word has come down that the FCC has dropped Morse Code as a requirement for General and Extra class radio licensing.  This has been coming...and I am NOT looking forward to hearing the whining from the Good Ol' Boys.  I'm thinking that it will take them a few days to find out.  I'm going to lay low!!!!!!

Just Another Day in the Life...

Yesterday, my team of teachers (science, social studies, math, and me) had a planning day.  Subs were employed for us so we could get our heads together in order to plan for things such as incentives for academic achievement and behavior, and a cross-curricular unit, etc.  We spent the usual amount of time complaining about things and then got busy with the positive stuff.  Just after lunch, we were summoned to the principal's office.  It was clear there was something wrong, so we girded our loins for the meeting.  (I told the youngest of our team to get rid of his gum so he wouldn't get admonished AGAIN for his having contraband in his mouth!)  When the principal showed up, she closed the door.  (Not a good sign!)  Then she proceeded to reem us out for not supporting her on matters of discipline.  Clearly, one of us had crossed a line that she didn't like.  I knew it wasn't me...so I began to guess.  There was one person on the team that she didn't look at during the diatribe, so I knew it was he.  That was confirmed this morning.  Now I am trying to figure out ways to help him get over the obstacles in front of him...and there are several.  That's what team members do!

I am in survival mode to get through the next few days of school before I fall apart.  Typically, getting through final exams and the last days before Christmas break, is horrific, and the first couple of days of break are fraught with getting ready for Christmas and trying to come down from the stressed of teaching 8th grade.  This year is different.  I won't really have a break...so I am trying to make bargains with myself...finding ways to make it acceptable NOT to get things done.  I need to find babysitting for my grandson when I have to return to school...and someone to watch the dog so I can go to Illinois--if that is even possible.  Logistics are complicated. 

Yesterday, I got training in how to use the school's grade book software to calculate my grades.  I need to find a time when I am not so pooped at the end of the day to make it work.  I need to input the grades for it all to work.  There aren't enough hours in a day to get everything done!

Life goes on.  Just another day of life in the slow lane...

 

 

HCARS Christmas

My radio club had its annual Christmas dinner meeting tonight.  It's always good to see the families for the occasion.  Wives and kids usually come out for the dinner and for Field Day, and we don't see them much in between!

Tonight's meeting included our election of officers for 2007.  Same stuff, different day!  I will be President again for next year, but I have put everyone on notice that I won't do it another year.  I will never retire from the club, but I sure would like to retire from the responsibility! 

I stayed home this past weekend.  Went to dinner with a friend on Saturday evening, and another friend came over after his work on Sunday to clean out my gutters.  Thanks, Ryan!  I hadn't seen Ryan in a long time.  I really should have him and his wife over for supper some evening when we are all free.  (When is that????)  Meg wanted me to go up to Muncie for their church's Santa Lucia festival, but the gutters called...and I had been up there the previous two Sundays in a row.

I'm still trying to decide if I should finish decorating for Christmas.  I don't know if my family will even be here for the holiday.  I guess I will do it this week...just for my own traditions.  I do enjoy the beauty of a Christmas tree, even if I'm the only one here to see it!

School is just flying by.  Wish I could say I was ready for Christmas and ready for the semester to be over.  The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!

Happy Birthday, Dear Sister!

I called my sis this evening, who was on her way out to dinner with her family for her big day.  Medicare, meet Shari.  Shari, meet Medicare!  Seriously, I wish I were there to help her celebrate.  Haven't seen her in almost a year...

It begins to look like little Robin is going to be taking her very first airplane flight.  Grandma Judy is going to Atlanta to visit her daughter and other two grandchildren, and Robin has been invited!  This is part of a plan to allow Meg and Nathan time to go to Florida with friends.  If they do go, Robin will go to Atlanta, and Ryan will come with me to Illinois.  I'm not sure I can entertain an active 3-year-old boy for a week, but I guess I will have to try, if everything happens.  He will miss his sister and his parents.  (So will I!)  He has cousins in Illinois that he can play with if we visit...but that won't be good for more than an evening.  The bigger challenge will be keeping him from crawling through the doggie door and keeping his hands off my sister's "pretties".  We'll see!  Truth be known, I am absolutely green with envy that I can't be there for Robbie's trip on the airplane.  What an experience for a 4-year-old!

I can't believe that another week is down and that we are only 1 1/2 weeks away from Christmas break.  I have been emailing parents fast and furiously, telling them about opportunities for bonus points for their kids' flagging grades.  Wonder if I will have any takers?

It's cold out tonight.  I start my car about 15 minutes early every morning, hoping that it will start.  Have I mentioned that I hate cold weather??  We had a light dusting of snow this morning--just enough to set rush hour in Indy on its ear.  Right now, it is about 12 degrees outside.  I am snug in my little bungalow, doing nothing to set myself up for the weekend.  Tomorrow night is Snack and Craft evening at the church.  I should go and work on a project...but am I ready?  Noooo...  I also haven't decorated the house for Christmas and am now wondering if it is even worth the effort.  The verdict is still out on that...

Paying bills tonight.  Now, that's depressing!  Bah!  Humbug!

:)

Depressed!

The weather was decent today, but the bottom is supposed to fall out over the next couple of days.

I am tired of students who don't give a big rip about anything...and answering emails from their concerned parents about what "we" can do to help their kids.

I am scared about a lot of things transpiring in my world.

'Tis the Christmas season, but worry about things takes away the joy.  My daughter has a medical condition that she is doctoring.  (Hang in, Meg!)  Dear friends of mine are suffering a horrible setback in their lives at the hands of the judicial system.  (I'm praying for you, Major!)  My niece and her extended family are suffering from her injury.  And tomorrow is my sister's birthday, but I didn't get a card sent out!  Other than that, things are just ducky!

I've been playing phone tag with a couple of attorneys over some things that have been hanging for awhile.  I am supposed to get an hour of free legal advice from my Indiana State Teacher's Association membership, and then a discounted rate after that.  Well!  One attorney told me yesterday that it would cost me--at the discounted rate--$450-600 to make out a will!  Nope, sorry!  My situation is very uncomplicated.  I'm not going to go there!  I can only imagine how the other, more complicated, deal will go!  There is an attorney in the family.  I'll try him!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I attended an educational workshop all day yesterday.  Was looking for something new and special--but ya know?  I've been teaching since 1969, and there just ISN'T anything new in education!  We put new words on old ideas and pretend that it's innovative.  Yeah, right!

It looks like I will be Prez. of my radio club a third year, but I am making it clear that this is my last.  Someone else must step up to the plate, or we will have to regroup.  I'm done!

Just got back from a grocery trip.  $110 worth of grub and supplies.  I knew the cupboard was bare!

Weather, Weather Everywhere

(With apologies to William Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner.)

The other weather "shoe" has dropped, and we are now paying for those joyously warm days at Thanksgiving and after.  Thursday, it rained ALL day, with rain gauges throughout the state showing 1/2-to-2 inches of wet stuff.  Friday, the rain stopped, but the winds were horrific.  With gusts reading in the category 1 hurricane range, it truly was treacherous.  Semis were blown over on interstates; trees and limbs and power lines came down; and the World's Tallest Christmas "Tree" on Monument Circle in Indy went dark.  (Still is.)  And when the temperatures plunged as they did all day, it was brutal.  The ONLY thing for which we can be thankful is that we didn't get any snow or ice out of the storm.  That part totally missed us!  Today dawns sunny, dry...and cold.  At this point, I'll take it!

Went to dinner in Avon last night with a friend.  'Tis always pleasant to break bread in a nice restaurant.  We ate Italian.  Next time, Chinese buffet at our radio club's Christmas dinner/meeting.

No word on Laurie.  I called my sister before I left for dinner last evening, but she wasn't home...and when I thought to call again, it was kind of late.  I could have called her cell phone, but since I was only looking for a Health and Welfare report on their daughter, I decided I could wait until today.  Since Illinois is an hour behind us (all year long, now), I will call when I think they are up.  (Retired folks get to sleep in, you know...)

My daughter and family are in Fort Wayne with friends.  I encouraged them not to drive in the awful weather yesterday.  I trust they are still there...

Will check into the SATERN nets this morning, then plan the rest of the day.  I need to be thinking about Christmas!