The Fat Lady Sang!

Today (yesterday now) was my last day of school...forever. The days have been fraught with hugs and "we'll miss you"...and even a tear or two. After 39 years of teaching, I heard the fat lady sing!

Thursday was the last day for students. In the afternoon, I worked on my room some, cleaning out a zillion years of "stuff" from the cabinets and files and drawers. When I got home and picked up the grandchildren, I found out that they were going to Muncie that evening for the weekend, which freed me up to work on my room late on Friday, if needed. (It also gave the other grandparents a break.) I didn't want to cook, so we went out for dinner thanks to a gift certificate from one of my school friends, then Meg met Kendra for the kid trade.

I got a chuckle out of the children at supper. We play a game. "I'm thinking of something that begins with a (choose letter) and lives in (choose habitat). Then we all guess what it is...frequently erroneously, but the kids like it. At the table, Ryan said, "I'm thinking of something that begins with an A and lives in the water." We guessed alligator and a couple of other obvious things, but we were wrong. Then Robin guessed angler fish. "That's it!" Huh??

Friday, I didn't have to be at school until 8:00, but without having to make lunches or help to get the children ready to go anywhere, I was up and ready early, so I left early. (And the walls didn't even fall in!) The custodians have been out for several days putting new mulch down, cleaning up around the outside of the school in order to make it pretty for Commencement. It was a pretty day. The place looked nice.

When I got to my classroom, the principal came in with an impatiens plant in a perfectly charming pot that had a chalk "board" on the front. She had written "Peg's Garden" on it. Lovely! Even lovelier: the other radio operator in my building (WW9JD) stopped by at the same time with a handmade gift. But first, an explanation. Rick and I restarted the Bulldogs Amateur Radio Club at school a few years ago. During that time, we have helped eight kids pass the FCC test in order to get their radio licenses and have begged, borrowed, and stolen to get radios in their hands. It's been a bit of a tough year for Rick and family. He has been working a second job in order to help make ends meet. He underwent gastric bypass surgery in the late fall, and his wife has had some major health problems. Still, he has kept up with school and maintained his Positive Mental Attitude. He often teased me at lunch because I carry my own Tupperware salt shaker to the lunchtable. (Hey...I bought disposable salt shakers for the lounge, but they disappeared!) Back to this morning. Rick produced a tall, lathe-turned walnut salt shaker that he hand-made just for me. When turned sideways, the ridges and spacing shows Morse Code. Dah-dah-dih-dih-dit; dih-dih-dit-dah-dah. 73. Morse code for "best wishes". Awww!
I showed it (with explanation) to the rest of the staff at our morning meeting. Probably embarrassed Rick...but they need to see the OTHER side of Mr. Dubbs. What a sweetie! No one ever made me a salt shaker before, and I have my very own, one-of-a-kind treasure, with the salt joke behind it!! I would NEVER have thought to do something like that. That makes it all the more special!

After our meeting, I worked on my room again. Of course, there was paperwork to do...grades had to be in and all of the technical little details that are so much a part of what we do in education. (Storing textbooks in numerical order in the cabinets, assessing book damage and writing down who is responsible for what fees, turning in grade books and lesson plans, putting everything away so the custodians can do their summer thing, etc.) I got all of the "gimmes" done by the time the office gals left at 3:00. I really thought I would be able to go home by then, myself...but, as with moving, there is always a lot of last-minute minutia to do. At 4:30, I was ALMOST ready to leave. When I locked my classroom door for the last time, I didn't look back. By this time, I was hot, dirty, hungry, thirsty...and ready to party!

I love amateur radio! On my way to school in the morning, I mentioned on the air that my radio friends and I should meet for a drinkie-poo in the afternoon. At the end of the day--a whole lot later than I thought it would be--it no longer seemed like such a good idea, but there were a couple who were free at that time and had already arranged to kidnap me so I wouldn't have to drive home. We went to the Claddagh Irish Pub for drinks and supper, and that was all I needed. Three glasses of wine and an Irish stew later, I came home to an empty and quiet house...and fell on my face on the bed for a nap (which is why I am still up at this awful wee hour).

At the front door to the house, there was a perfectly gorgeous planter, put there as a retirement gift by Judy and Phil (the other grandparents)! I was a little embarrassed since, in the swirl of this past week, the front of the house is littered with toys, etc. Still, there is a place for the planter, and I am overcome with their thoughtfulness. What a joy to have so many good friends!
I owe so much to so many!

And now, it is time to crash for the night, at last.
73. Best wishes. Thank you. God bless. Amen!