Retirement?

Thursday was a 2-hour delay day for both Plainfield and my school district. Friday was, too, except I had already arranged for a sub so that I could meet with the Teachers Retirment Fund folks in order to look at the numbers. Got the children situated, then went to IUPUI to hook up with Meg so she could go with me.

The whole retirement deal is confusing and somewhat overwhelming. There are known numbers and unknown numbers. The unknown ones include how much money is left in the account that was established to pay for my health insurance between retirement and Medicare, and how much money Uncle Sam will claim out of my benefits each year. Beyond that, it's all pretty much cut and dried. Will make THE decision sometime in the next few days.

Granddaughter Robin had a fever on Thursday night and again on Friday morning, so she got to stay home from school. Last night, she made the decision to stay home from Muncie. (Meg did take Ryan, however.) She worked on making Valentines for awhile, then we had a sleepover in Grandma's bedroom. She liked that. Today, no fever (of course!) so she accompanied us on a Wal-Mart grocery-and-other-things shopping trip for over two hours. The difference between taking Robin places and taking Ryan is like night and day. She is civilized; Ryan is a heathen! (A cute heathen, though...) In any case, we have shot a big chunk of the day doing "have-to" things instead of "need-to". 'Tis ever thus!

Our Day Snowed In

Along about 8:00 this morning, I heard doors opening and closing. Meg had gone back to bed after she got the "snow day" ruling for IUPUI. (She's been sick with a cold.) I think the children got up and went in to snuggle with her. Somehow, they missed that it was light out and no one had gotten them up. I was fixing breakfast when Robin appeared and said she "thought there was a possibility" of a snow day. When I announced that she was home for the day, she was so excited that she didn't stop talking for 30 minutes. I thought, "Well, here we go. It's going to be a LONG day."

Here is the litany:
1. Breakfast.
2. Meg and kids went out to shovel snow. They were out for at least an hour...with Robin and Ryan fussing with each other. Ryan came to the door in one boot and one sock. Lost his boot in the snow somewhere out near the mailbox. (Hasn't been found yet.) I put him in MY boots and sent him back out. He came back in awhile later complaining that there were hard rocks in the boots. (Actually packed snow.) I declared that he was in to stay. He dropped big clods of snow all over the house.
3. Shortly, Robin came in. Same story, only she didn't lose a boot. Both got hot chocolate.
4. Meg came in a bit later...face red...sweating from working so hard. She didn't want chocolate...just water. I looked out and discovered that, even after all they'd done, we were still snowed in. Ack!
5. We created and printed out menus for the children to decide what they wanted for lunch, just to make it fun. Fortunately, everyone wanted the same thing, mostly. Robin really got into it.
6. After lunch, Meg went back out to shovel more while the children and I played school. (I was the teacher.) We started with the Pledge of Allegiance, then went on to age-appropriate activities. (We have lots of workbooks, etc.) Ryan surprised me with his ability to sound out words (at the pre-school level), and Robin surprised me with her creativity. I'll bet we were at the table more than an hour with no one getting bored.
7. At one point, I got concerned that Meg hadn't been heard from, so I went out to check on her. Her vehicle was gone. She managed to dig out enough to go for a quick spin. Came back saying that the whole world was out shoveling.
8. We decided to go back out, just for grins, to see the snow. We had a total of 12 1/2 inches here. Mountains of snow everywhere! Roads weren't all that good at 2:30 this afternoon, but at least the sun was shining.
9. Then it was Movie Time! The children made nests in the living room to watch Toy Story 2. I popped popcorn. (Ryan ate three bowls.) Another movie was put in while I started supper...which is now.
10. How did the day go? Not bad! It isn't often that can all eat breakfast together. (On week days, everyone is in a hurry to get to work. The children eat breakfast with the Heffelman grandparents. On the weekends when we are all free, the children are in Muncie.) I somewhat dreaded all those hours with cooped-up kids, but Meg's being here made a huge difference. We basically suspended everything but digging out and being together. It made for a nice day--mostly because I didn't do any of the digging out! Meg may feel some muscles tomorrow...

Aside from cleaning up the kitchen a couple of times, the only other non-regular thing I got done was clean the microwave. Sounds stupid, huh? But the last time it was cleaned was before Meg and the children came to live here...which is almost two years ago! When I put the popcorn in to nuke, I shocked myself by seeing a clean 'wave. Wow...and whoop-de-doo!

I don't have a clue what tomorrow will bring. I'm pretty sure Plainfield will be in session, even though the roads weren't all that great. I'm NOT so sure that our district will be, but I have to plan as if it is. I'm more concerned that when we drove by the Heffelman grandparents' house at 2:30, they still weren't home... Phil has been in the hospital since Sunday for a nose bleed that wouldn't quit. I hope to God, for their sake, that he will get to come home today.

Tomorrow is another day!

Socked!!

Snow day! Even IUPUI, where Meg works, has closed its campus due to heavy snow. Unheard of! We will spend the day trying to dig out, once the snow stops (sometime after noon). I had to buy a new snow shovel yesterday because the children were playing with the old one and managed to lose it. Glad I did. We have anywhere from 7 to 9 inches out there...and it's still coming down as I type. I could be sleeping in!

God Works in Wondrous Ways

Grandma Judy called late last evening to say that Phil was still in the hospital but that she would stay around this morning to take Robin to school and take Ryan with her to help get Phil home. God bless her! Over and above the call of duty!

We got up to maybe an inch of snow here...but further south in the state got hit with more white stuff. By 5:30 AM, I had gotten the call that my district was on a 2-hour delay. That takes the stress out of the mornings. I could let the children sleep in; Meg could head to work without having to worry about getting them up, dressed, and delivered; and Grandma Judy is spared for two hours in the early morning. A little after 8:00, I had the car warming up when I got the call that my school had been canceled. Huh?? For what??

I'll tell you "for what": my not having to go to school today meant that I could deliver and pick-up Robin from school and keep Ryan with me...so that Judy could do what she had to do unencumbered. She's not feeling well, herself. God provided the day off for me so that everyone's needs (including mine) could be fulfilled.

It has snowed much of the day. Six to twelve inches of snow is forecast for here. Tomorrow's fate rests with the weather. We may have another day off. We'll see!

So Here We Go...

We are under a Winter Storm Advisory for the next 2-3 days. My sister in Springfield, IL, says they have three inches on the ground with more on the way. We have zero...so far. We shall see what transpires.

In the meantime, Meg got an unexpected day off today when Grandpa Phil was admitted to the hospital with a nose bleed yesterday. (They weren't available to babysit...obviously.) The doc had to do some kind of surgery to "tie off" the vessel that was bleeding, but went up to the location through an artery in the groin! Haven't heard what the prognosis is for tomorrow, so everything is up in the air. I've never heard of such serious surgery for a nose bleed but guess this one wouldn't stop. We are praying for a full recovery. Doesn't sound like fun!

Robin, being a Daisy Girl Scout, has been selling Girl Scout cookies. We had two order sheets going. As of yesterday, we could only locate one. Since the GS meeting was tonight, we started looking for the errant sheet yesterday. No go. I told Meg when I left this morning that her task for the day was to find the sheet. Couldn't have gone too far! When I got home this afternoon, it still was nowhere to be found. Meg looked. I looked. Then Meg had to leave to pick Robin up from school and I mumbled to Ryan that we had lost an important paper. "What important paper?" asked he. When I told him, he said, "I know where it is," and disappeared into his room. Yep, there it was in his toy box. (Gosh...I should have thought to look there!) Turns out, he absconded with the sheet because he wanted to order his own box of cookies. The lost was found, and we went on with the evening, as usual. Sheesh!

Meg discovered what I have known for years: when faced with an entire unexpected day off, one thinks one has unlimited time to get a lot done. Not so! The children had to get dressed and breakfasted, then delivered to school...first Robin, then Ryan. Meg decided, since she was home, to take McDonald's to Robin's school and eat lunch with her. (Made it just barely in time, due to a long line at McD's.) After that, she had to pick Ry up from pre-school, stopping at Wal-Mart on the way home. By this time, she needed a short nap so they snuggled for a bit. I got home not too long after that while she went to pick up Robin. Then it was homework supervision for Robin before supper, supper, then a bath for Ryan while I took Robin to Daisy's. The day was gone! 'Tis ever thus...

Awaiting whatever weather will befall us. "If winter come, can spring be far behind?"

Party Girl

Meg got home about 9:30 this morning...not hung over, but tired. Guess they closed the night club last night...then there was the ride back to Avon. Apparently, the host of the get-together had rented the stretch Hummer for the whole night and had made arrangements so their party could get right in, past the line at the door. (The chauffeured ride both ways was a great idea so no one had to be a designated driver, but it sounds expensive!) Since they were out really late, Meg decided to crash in Avon rather than drive back to Plainfield, which was also a good idea. When she did get home, she started on some homework and realized that she needed a nap...which is where she is, currently.

Stephanie (Meg's half-sister from their father's first marriage) is not a shy thing! When she talks, she babbles (or bubbles...I'm not sure which). She can talk to anyone--and does! Back when I was married to their father, I always loved having Steph and her brother around. We got along well. Stephanie was eight years old when Meg was born and was truly the only person who could get Meg to giggle when she was a toddler. Megan adored her. Then the kids graduated from high school and began to pursue college, jobs, and relationships...and their father decided to "cut bait" in our marriage, so we saw less and less of them. Meg grew up, got married, had kids, and got divorced. Eric lives in Detroit--married with no children; Stephanie, who had moved to Phoenix a number of years ago, is back in Indiana now...Hammond, near Chicago...never married. She has always been a free spirit. Thus, there is a duke's mixture of marital and family status within the fandamily. I am no longer officially related to Steph or her brother, but I will always be their friend. We had a great visit yesterday!

Stephanie invited Meg to go along on the big birthday celebration last night. (I wonder what the host thought of that?!) She had to do some talking--especially since the whole visit was last-minute, unplanned. Meg never goes out and uses the weekends sans-kids to do homework for her courses. This morning, she told me that, in twenty years, no one is going to care about her homework, but missing out on an opportunity to be with her sister would count. Good reasoning, I thought. At least she has her priorities in the right place!

It is cold here. Have had a dusting of snow. Have I mentioned that I hate winter? (Guess you thought I'd not do that mantra this season? Silly you!)

Surprise Visit

On Friday evening, while Meg was taking the children to Muncie, we got a call from Stephanie--Meg's half-sister--visiting here from Hammond for her birthday weekend. She was in Avon, a scant five miles from here. We quickly arranged to go for a late lunch. Haven't seen Steph in a few years. She was living in Phoenix. Too far for short visits!

Steph looks more and more like her mother! She'll be 38 tomorrow. (I'm thinking all of us females begin to look like our mothers the older we get. I know I do!) ANYWAY, we had a fun visit at On the Border for Mexican cuisine. Steph talked Meg into going out with her and her friends last night. I guess they were to be delivered to a club in a stretch Hummer. Meg was reluctant since she isn't much of a drinker and has homework to do...and I understand that. But she never goes out...and how often does she get to party with her sister?? Meg must have crashed with the party-goers in Avon because she hasn't come home yet! I'll be interested to hear her stories. She's going to be a tired baby!

Ugh!

The custodian in question (see previous post) denies the allegations and the head of maintenance believes her. I have no reason not to and can't prove anything about the errant student papers, so the mystery continues.

I am hot on the retirement trail. I only have a couple of weeks to make up my mind for this year, so I have meetings... I'm not at all convinced that I'm ready, financially, but I certainly am ready emotionally!

The gap between my students and me widens daily. On Monday, we read Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech". The last line reads something like..."we can live out the words of that old Negro spiritual 'Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!'" I asked my kids what a "Negro spiritual" is. Not a single one knew! One student asked when African Americans were free...."I mean, before the speech or after?" I tried to explain that they were free since Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation...but that there was discrimination a hundred years later. I'm not at all sure that they "got" it. I LIVED the experiences that they are trying to learn. They will have their own history, I guess. When my students get to be my age, they will know how I feel.

I don't know what the future will bring, but I've been laying the foundation for that (albeit flawed) for many years. I made a ton of decisions about my life based on my former husband's career, etc. ('Tis the reason I'm in Indiana.) Post-divorce, I learned that no one was going to take care of me--and Meg--but me. Now it is crunch time. Meg and I are together...and that is the best it can be, for now. My baby and my baby's babies are all under "my" roof...and I couldn't be happier about it. I would not trade one second of being with them for all of the independence in the world! When I die, I can say that I have no regrets.

To bed with me. Nightie!

The Gum Ball Machines of Life

So....when I went to pick the children up from Grandma Judy's this afternoon, I determined that we'd stop at the grocery store on the way home. I mentioned it while we were still at Judy's thinking it would create some interest and maybe some good behavior. Uh...no. Okay, so how about a bribe? I happened to have two quarters in my pocket and told the children they could each have one to use in the gum ball machines at the door of the grocery. Ryan took Robin's to be mean...so I gave Robin the other one...then she got into a piggy bank she has at Grandma Judy's and got herself another one. That meant that Robin had two and Ryan only had one. On the way to the store, that became an issue. "I don't have two quarters," whined Ryan, "and Robin does." No problem, says I. I'll just get $5.00 in change from my debit card and ask that one of those dollars be in quarters so Ryan can also have TWO quarters like his sister.

The children behaved semi-miserably in the store and not much better in the check-out line, so I was distracted. I punched the numbers in the card machine and waited for my change. The cashier took out a $20 bill and a $10 bill and was reaching for more to give me...and looked at me somewhat askance when I protested that I had only asked for $5.00. In my distraction, I had punched in $50 for change. Ack!

Oh, well! I mean, I can always use the cash in my pocket. I should have rescinded the kids' ability to use the machines, however, because they shouldn't have been rewarded for bad behavior, but I hadn't stipulated that in the beginning...so, true to my word, we stopped at the gum ball machines. I made it clear that they were NOT to use the machines without my supervision. (There have been too many occasions when the gum ended up on the floor because the children didn't have their hands under the dispenser door when they opened it.) I pointed out which machines took one quarter and which used two. Robin used both of hers in short order. Ryan got a gum ball for a quarter, then hedged on the other. Time was a-wastin'. I stood on one foot and then on the other waiting for him to make up his mind how to use his remaining quarter--the one that he got at from some effort from me. I hadn't started supper yet, and Meg was going to be headed home soon. Finally, I said, "We have to hurry, Ryan. What are you going to do with your second quarter?" His response: "Keep it..."

I was tempted to launch into a tirade about "Why did I go to the trouble to get you a second quarter if you weren't going to use it?"--but thought better of it. We pushed the cart to the parking lot and came home, with Grandma Peggy mumbling under her breath. Ugh!

And speaking of the gum ball machines of life, I had another "incident" today that taught me that life is a crap-shoot. Yesterday was Writing Across the Curriculum day, which meant that my last period class, besides the quiz that they took on their homework assignment, had to write an essay based on a prompt that I gave them. (Practice for the next ISTEP test in March.) I had the kids turn in their papers in two stacks on a student desk near mine at the back of the room. Then the bell rang and the day was over. I left them on the desk, turned out the lights and locked my door...and headed for home. This morning, first thing on my docket was to tend to those papers. They were gone--nowhere to be found!

Okay...so what would YOU think?
We have had an issue with a particular custodian who has left nasty-grams on teachers' desks in our hall about broken pencils and things on the floor. I taught both of her sons, way back when, and never received a note on my desk. I figured I was special!
There was a dictionary on the floor that was left there...but the papers on the desk had been removed--my guess is "thrown away". I can't prove a thing, but I consulted with the principal who then called the head of maintenance. (That meeting hasn't happened yet.) IF she, indeed, threw away student papers from a desk, she could very well lose her job...but if she did, she deserves to lose it! I had to face my 7th period class with the news that their papers were gone. Some were probably relieved...but the couple that I read before the end of the day had done a good job, and I feel bad for them.
I have never had anything like this happen before, and I am upset. It will be the first time in my career that I haven't had the faith that things would be as I left them the next day...

Anyone for bubble gum? Got a quarter??

And So It Goes...

I was somewhat under the weather over the weekend. Belly problems again. Thus, Saturday was nearly a do-nothing day. Hey...I deserve one of those every once in awhile! Meg worked on homework.

Yesterday, I got a little more done...but not a lot. Some laundry...some cleaning...but wasn't under the usual Sunday afternoon stresses. Why? The children and Meg had the day off for MLK Day today. That meant that I didn't have to be in a hurry with the laundry to make sure everyone has something to wear, or lunches to take, and knowing that I wouldn't have to do the Monday morning rushing around. I had just ME to take care of this morning, and I didn't have to pick the children up this afternoon. Wow! It has taught me something about self-imposed stress. No one has asked me to do laundry or make lunches. I just do it. The children can learn to get themselves up and dressed. We just have to find a way to make it all work...and we will. The days and evenings don't have to be so stressful. We just need fresh perspective, sometimes.

If I am to retire this year, I have to make the decision by Feb. 1st...which is only a few days away...and I'm not ready. Have to get proactive here in a hurry!

Tomorrow is a big day in the history of our country. I will pray every day that America lives up to its promises and that the crazies of the world are kept at bay. Politics be damned!

Colder Than a Witch's You-Know-What!

Hmmm....I probably shouldn't have used that title...

We have been in survival mode today. School was delayed two hours. Many schools were closed. We had a Homecoming pep rally this afternoon even though the big basketball Homecoming game scheduled for tonight was canceled because the team we were to play was not in session today, due to cold.

At -12 degrees this morning, my car grumbled a bit when I told it to start...but start it did, bless it's little aging heart! The roads are mostly dry and salty. Even the walks around the house are in pretty good shape because little Ryan went out the other day with his kid's snow shovel and dug in. The closer one gets to pavement, the easier it is for the sun's radiance to melt off the stuff, even when nasty cold...

On these 2-hour delay days, I let the children sleep in a bit and send Meg off to work without having to deliver them to Grandma Judy. My morning routine is more relaxed; the children have an easier wake-up routine; Grandma Judy gets an extra couple of morning hours; and Meg doesn't have to leave so early. Everybody wins! Meg and the children get a 3-day weekend with the MLK holiday. Unfortunately, I don't. Our district throws MLK in with the presidents for Great Americans Day--which used to be known as President's Day--in February. I'll really be ready for a 3-day weekend by then!

I took the kids to Chick-fil-A for supper. Meg met us. We generally go out for Friday supper in preparation for the weekly trip to Muncie. I like it that I don't have to cook but get tired of the fast food fare. It isn't good for us--ANY of us. The children are suffering from too much energy and no good outlets in the cold temps. (Truth be known, when the children suffer from repressed energy, the rest of us suffer, too...if you catch my drift!) This spring/summer, I would like to focus on getting the yard more kid-friendly. They have such a nice big back yard in Muncie, and our back yard has a nice patio but not all that much room... If any of the readers of this blog have landscaping vision and/or talent, give me a call. We need a plan!

I'm just blathering here...

Yesterday morning, when I attempted to get Ryan out of bed, I was coaxing him with, "What would you like for breakfast? Cereal? French toast sticks? Eggs?" With eyes still closed, he muttered, "Do you have any tacos?"

This morning, Ry was telling me that you can go underwater in a "sumberine". And he is always looking for the "constructions" for putting things together. He is such a cute little bugger.

Friday. Time to give it up for the night!

Thanksgiving in January

I personally think that having Thanksgiving after the fall harvest is the wrong time. It needs to be NOW. We have so much to be thankful for in the dead of winter! It will be ten degrees below zero tonight, with a horrific wind chill. We had a 2-hour delay at school today due to temperatures, with yet another one tomorrow. Why be thankful for that?? We are so blessed that this little bungalow is cozy and warm. The furnace is working. In fact (for now) EVERYTHING is working. Our cars are starting without difficulty. We have good food to eat, a bedroom for everyone, wherewithall to pay the bills, and plenty of love and supervision for the children. There was a time when life was different for both Meg and me. Things could be a lot worse! I give thanks to God for His grace and mercy when the rest of the world is falling apart!

And speaking of the dead of winter, it is my bro-in-law's birthday today. I won't mention how old he is...but he is OLD. Heh heh. (I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this blog, so I can talk about him!) Roger has been my bro-in-law for pert near 47 years. (I was a mere babe when they married!) As with all OLD married folks, Shari and Roger have had their ups and downs...and Roger an *I* have had our ups and downs through the years. But the upside is that we are family. I'm quite sure he doesn't understand what he probably sees as my Bohemian ways, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't understand how much I envy what he and Shari have, but they have worked hard for their lifestyle--their gorgeous home in the country, their fun vehicles, their pool and garden--impeccable!--and not by accident. I am also reminded that not quite two years ago, I was airlifted from Springfield, IL (where they live) to Peoria, due to a ruptured aneurysm in my brain. They rushed not once, but three times, to Peoria to be with me. (Shari yet another time to stay overnight.) I was well looked-after! God bless Roger for taking care of my sister (and me) by supplying the niceties of life! And Happy Birthday, you old dude!

There is a flock of robins that has wintered over in Plainfield. I can hear them in the trees, and my "elmer"<---radio term--has sent me pix of about 100 of them in his yard just over a mile from here. I worry about the little birdies. I hope they survive these temps. Heck...I hope WE survive these temps!

Winter! Bleah!

No snow materialized. We had heavy flurries, but that's it...and the winter weather advisory was canceled. HOWEVER, we are now in line for the deep freeze! (As I typed that, I was reminded that "deep freeze" was what my parents called the freezer. Where is the meat? In the deep freeze. Oh, well!) Our temps are going into single digits and negative digits for the next few days, with wind chills in the 20+ below because of wind. With many apologies to childhood sweetheart Jim, who was born and raised in northern Wisconsin and woefully transplanted in Alabama for the life of his adult career without real winters, I AM ALREADY TIRED OF COLD! We are now under a watch for a couple of inches of snow, then bitter cold for several days. The children would really like to see snow--and I did, too, when I was a young'un. I just hate having to worry about scraping and driving in the dark to school every day. Ugh!

I Guess It's Winter...

Although we haven't had any real measurable snow, there have been several "freezing rain" events here...the biggest of which we missed while in Florida. The season ain't over yet! We are expecting a couple of inches of snow in the next few hours. Hasn't started yet. We'll see...

Weekend Fun

Did I say fun? Yeah, I did... Silly me!

My sister tells me I haven't updated my blog this week, so here 'tis, Sister Dear!

Got through the school week without too much difficulty, except that my principal asked me to call a parent to describe something that supposedly happened in my classroom...but didn't. I'm not worried about this one because I have the whole class as witness to that! The MHS class of 2013 has many "enabling" parents!

After school yesterday (Friday), I took the children to McD's for supper prior to Meg's driving them to Muncie for the weekend. (Our fast food dinner choices are always Burger King, McDonald's, or Chick-fil-A. Care to guess why??) The winter weather advisory for our area predicted freezing rain, then 1-3 inches of snow but not until after midnight, so she was safe. The weather didn't happen at all, but I always wait up for her anyway. (I'm a mom!)

It felt good to sleep in a bit this morning. I will have the week's laundry done today, and the house isn't so totally messy that I have to spend much time working on that. So what's a red-blooded American woman to do in that case? Make more messes, of course! Back in March, during spring break, I started scraping wallpaper off the walls in the main bathroom, but I got side-tracked and the project never got done. (I mean, I even have the paint that will go on after the scraping deal is over!) We have lived all these months with the bathroom looking raggedy while the four-bedroom remodeling project went on. (And on and on and on...) So, along with laundry, I have been scraping wallpaper and working--a little at a time--on my bedroom/radio shack. (I still have piles of things to sort through there.) With wallpaper scraping comes little shreds of moist paper backing on the floor, down the heat vent, etc. Weekend fun!

When Meg dropped out of college (IUPUI) a couple of years post-high school, she was on academic probation--largely because she was in a course of study that didn't match with her dreams and talents. Now she works for IUPUI and can get a degree partially discounted with something called Fee Courtesy. This past year, she has been enrolled in four classes, two per semester, and is on the Dean's List! One mere "A" and three "A+'s"! She is no longer on academic probation and has received scholarship and grant moneys to keep doing what she is doing. I am so proud of her! There is a price, of course. While the children are visiting their father in Muncie on the weekends, Meg is doing homework. I do the housework, as best I can. It's a trade that has paid off for her, so far, and I'm happy to help. We both always feel under the gun, but that's what family is for!

Ha! Have to laugh! Meg has been recording video tapes onto DVDs for family and friends. The ones she is doing this weekend are for a colleague at IUPUI. We have seen the gal's family videos on the TV while the recording was going on. I walked into the living room a bit ago and saw a man "nekkid" putting on his pants and wondered if that was from the videos. No...it was from the TV show "Man Versus Wild". Whew! (Just FYI, my grandson LOVES that show. He calls it "Manderson Wild".)

Back to the chores here. The weekend ain't over yet!
And Shari, hope your President's bash was a total success!

Back to the Grind--Indiana Style

Yesterday was Records Day at school--teachers only, getting our grades in and preparing for the new grading period. No stresses. No big deal.

Today, however, WAS a big deal. Got up as usual. Prepared grandkid lunches. Then the sleet and freezing rain started at about 6:00. Hmmm... A few minutes later, Channel 13 showed that my district was under a 2-hour delay, although I hadn't received a call...and Channel 6 didn't have us listed yet. I made a couple of phone calls hoping to verify the delay, to no avail. Along about 6:20 (late!) the call came through. WE were under a 2-hour delay, but Plainfield wasn't. Since everyone was up and ready to go, but I just got an additional two hours added to my morning, I sent Meg packing to work while I fed the grandchildren and gave Grandma Judy another 1 1/2 hours to HER morning. By the time I hit the road, the freezing rain had turned to mere rain...and it was now daylight. Everyone arrived at their destinations safely. The 2-hour delay was a good call. Prior to our commute time, there were accidents everywhere.

My students had to report to their homerooms first off to receive their new semester schedules...then we had the shortened schedule...and the kids were happy to see each other again, so "order" was difficult to maintain. For a short day, it sure seemed long!

Here is why I miss my afternoon nap: I am up at 5:30 after not sleeping well. Leave for school about 6:50 after making lunches and helping to get the kids going. Teach all day. Leave school shortly before 3:00. Today, I stopped on the way home to gas the car. When I got to the house, I turned on Dr. Phil, emptied the dishwasher, set the table, started dinner, picked up the kids at 4:00, finished dinner, loaded the dishwasher and cleaned the table after dinner, ran to the grocery store to get milk, got back in time for the radio net, finished homework supervision with Robin while Meg put Ryan to bed, helped get Robin settled for the night. No baths tonight, so it was a relatively easy evening...

Meg was late getting home this evening. One of her workers--a gal who lives in Cloverdale but picked Meg up for work a couple of times before she had a reliable vehicle--discovered that her brakes weren't working as they were leaving work. The building was locked and everyone had departed. God bless her, Meg would not leave the gal alone there. She stayed, willing to drive her to Cloverdale, if need be. Before too long, the gal sent Meg home, saying that her husband was on the way, that she had a book and a blanket and could wait alone. The children and I ate without Meg, but it gave me an opportunity to tell the children the story of the Good Samaritan. Never too young to learn! Meg's gal called not too long later to say that her husband was there. Hey...I've been in situations at work when my car wouldn't start and I had to scrounge a way home. I totally respect Meg's determination to be there for a fellow female!

I'm rambling. Tomorrow is another day. Need to hit the sack!

Ahhh...The Luxury of Naps!

As my Christmas break comes rapidly to a close, so does my ability to take a snooze whenever I feel like it...so I celebrated this afternoon by taking one. So did Meg. I made no excuses. Just: "I'm going to go lie down for awhile." Bingo! Sometimes, a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do!

Ryan's room is all but done. I hope he likes it. We went to a lot of trouble to make the smallest bedroom in the house workable for the little dude...

I went back to WW this morning after a couple of months. I was down over six pounds from my last weigh-in, which brings my total loss, so far, to 19.2 pounds. Actually, I had lost more due to a persistent illness back in December, but that was a false loss that evened itself out once my body decided to rehydrate itself. Losing weight slowly makes it almost invisible...until I realize that I can bend over to pick up stuff and still breathe. Small victories!

Back to work here. Getting Christmas put away and laundry done. I guess we are going to have some snow this week. Oh, joy! <--saracasm intended.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

I don't think I mentioned that Santa brought me a published family scrapbook of the happenings of 2007. It is truly a treasure! Creative Memories now has an online function where pictures can be uploaded onto pages, etc....then copied and bound in a book. I'm sure it's expensive...but I love it! Meg's now working on a vacation book that will go along with 2008. She has asked me to do the journaling. I hope I'm up for it!

After Meg went to bed last night, after midnight, I laid down on my bed to watch some TV...and woke up at 6:30, on top of the covers and cold. Next to me on the bed, totally upright and unspilled, was half a glass of wine. How did I manage that?!?

Today...New Year's Day of 2009...Meg and I spent a quiet day at home. The furniture delivery guys showed up with Ryan's loft bed and put it together. After they left, Meg and I messed around with it to determine where it should go. (There are only two possibilities, so it wasn't a big deal. I like one way better than the other, but the "other" way gives us some wall space to work with...so that's where it is!) We also went shopping to pick up some things that the room needs. For instance, now that Ryan's noggin will be next to the ceiling, the ceiling fan has to go...at least temporarily...so we bought a light fixture. And so it went. We've spent some money making the little guy's room into a bigger guy's room, but I think he'll like it, and it will grow with him. He has very nearly outgrown the toddler bed he's been in...

I feel good about what was done today, but (of course) there is always more to do. I'll keep working on it. Seriously!