Friday, May 8, 2009
Oh! Forgot to Mention...
Meg was in a Biggest Loser contest at work. She and her team won, with her as The Biggest Loser! She has lost 30-some-odd pounds since my birthday in early March, and it really begins to show. The contest is over, but she continues her intake vigilance. When Meg puts her mind on something, results happen!
So Much to Do...
So little time!
Another week down...and what a week it was! The kids at school have been terrible. I had to write up two of them today in two separate incidents. Another of my young Lochinvars is on a 5-day out-of-school suspension for "mooning" the opposing team at a track meet yesterday. Then there is the trouble that is brewing between a couple of our young "ladies"--over a guy, of course. Stupidity abounds! I didn't get to teach much today. Was spending too much time stamping out brush fires among students!
By my calculations, if I count out the two days I will take off for the Dayton Hamvention, I have 11 more days with students and one more day to finish with grades and cleaning out my classroom. I can do this! I've started giving things away. Have takers for some of my big items--refrigerator, desktop organizer shelves, etc. Still have to find someone who will take the big television that I traded a radio for a number of years ago (before the district got rid of cable TV in the classrooms). It goes to the trash if no one wants it. The rest goes to that big Dumpster in the Sky. I have stepped up my cleaning efforts because, just like packing to move, I think I've made progress when, in fact, there is a ton more to do.
This has been a particularly wicked week for me because there has been no break in grandkid care in the evenings. Megan's coursework, as of today, is officially done for the summer...but because I was helping out so she could get everything completed, I haven't had time to regroup and rejuvenate for the week. Had the Girl Scout campout last weekend, homework supervision all week, the Young Author's Workshop with the children on Wednesday evening, supervision of both kids after Ry's soccer game last evening...plus baths. Laundry is piled high. Toys are everywhere. Dishes aren't done. (Meals have suffered this week, too.) Tonight, Meg took the children to Muncie and is on her way home as I type. The silence in this messy house is wonderful! I even took a nap! (Meg says Kendra--Daddy Nathan's fiancee--has a friend from Chicago visiting with her four children this weekend...plus their three. That makes seven Munchkins running around the house. She called as she left for home saying she couldn't get out of there fast enough!)
Meg will be gone tomorrow so it's just me and the laundry and the spiders here. Robin asked me to clean her room and spray everything while she was gone. Bless her heart. I do so remember the years visiting at my grandparents' farm, watching crickets hop across the living room floor... I was scared too...just not brave enough to let anyone know I was. Robin was promised a Webkinz if she could get through the week going to bed okay. I know she has had to talk to herself about not getting up (because she told me so), and bedtime has been better. Ryan is largely a trouper, unafraid of the dark or bugs.
Life goes on, with or without me. I am really just holding my breath to get the school year over with. It's a bad approach, I know...but the year is two weeks too long this year!
Another week down...and what a week it was! The kids at school have been terrible. I had to write up two of them today in two separate incidents. Another of my young Lochinvars is on a 5-day out-of-school suspension for "mooning" the opposing team at a track meet yesterday. Then there is the trouble that is brewing between a couple of our young "ladies"--over a guy, of course. Stupidity abounds! I didn't get to teach much today. Was spending too much time stamping out brush fires among students!
By my calculations, if I count out the two days I will take off for the Dayton Hamvention, I have 11 more days with students and one more day to finish with grades and cleaning out my classroom. I can do this! I've started giving things away. Have takers for some of my big items--refrigerator, desktop organizer shelves, etc. Still have to find someone who will take the big television that I traded a radio for a number of years ago (before the district got rid of cable TV in the classrooms). It goes to the trash if no one wants it. The rest goes to that big Dumpster in the Sky. I have stepped up my cleaning efforts because, just like packing to move, I think I've made progress when, in fact, there is a ton more to do.
This has been a particularly wicked week for me because there has been no break in grandkid care in the evenings. Megan's coursework, as of today, is officially done for the summer...but because I was helping out so she could get everything completed, I haven't had time to regroup and rejuvenate for the week. Had the Girl Scout campout last weekend, homework supervision all week, the Young Author's Workshop with the children on Wednesday evening, supervision of both kids after Ry's soccer game last evening...plus baths. Laundry is piled high. Toys are everywhere. Dishes aren't done. (Meals have suffered this week, too.) Tonight, Meg took the children to Muncie and is on her way home as I type. The silence in this messy house is wonderful! I even took a nap! (Meg says Kendra--Daddy Nathan's fiancee--has a friend from Chicago visiting with her four children this weekend...plus their three. That makes seven Munchkins running around the house. She called as she left for home saying she couldn't get out of there fast enough!)
Meg will be gone tomorrow so it's just me and the laundry and the spiders here. Robin asked me to clean her room and spray everything while she was gone. Bless her heart. I do so remember the years visiting at my grandparents' farm, watching crickets hop across the living room floor... I was scared too...just not brave enough to let anyone know I was. Robin was promised a Webkinz if she could get through the week going to bed okay. I know she has had to talk to herself about not getting up (because she told me so), and bedtime has been better. Ryan is largely a trouper, unafraid of the dark or bugs.
Life goes on, with or without me. I am really just holding my breath to get the school year over with. It's a bad approach, I know...but the year is two weeks too long this year!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Rain Again
And lots of it. I do so much better when the sun is shining...
Once again, my last two classes of the day got me wound up. I'm just slapping work on them to keep them quiet. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. I gave away some things today. Much more of that to do...
When I picked the children up this afternoon, it was raining. (No playing outside with Jack.) Since Meg had an online final exam to take (and is still working on that as I type), I decided we could make it "movie night" if Robin got her homework done. She started working on that...but then she remembered a joint venture between Van Buren Elementary and St. Susanna's School--Young Writer's Workshop--and begged for us to go. Ugh! It started at 6:00, and dinner doesn't usually occur until then. Okay...so we shifted gears. I took both kids...and they were both good. They had a little fun and saw some friends. (Ryan almost saw more soccer and preschool friends than Robin did as a school-age kid. I also am meeting a lot of Plainfield people via Robin's Girl Scouts and Ryan's soccer...but they are all Meg's age!) We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things...then home and bed for the kids. Ryan goes so much easier than Robin does, these days. Spiders, you know...
It is time for me to gear up for Dayton. The Dayton Hamvention is a yearly convention that is the granddaddy of all hamfests. I need to prepare two days' worth of lesson plans so I can attend. I haven't even started to LOOK for the things that I will need to take. Will start on that this weekend, I guess. Amid laundry and retirement paperwork...and a house full of trash. It is like I'm holding my breath until this is all over and I can breathe again. I'll be fine once I get there. Just have to get there!!
Tomorrow, I have Grandma duty again in the evening because Meg has an appointment. I love my grandchildren. Really! I just don't do real well with dealing with 8th graders all day and my primary children all night. Meg tells me that I cursed her and that it's MY fault. What was my curse when she was younger? "I hope you have ten kids, and I hopeat they are all just like you!" Heh heh. Little did I know that I would have deja vu "all over again"!
Hitting the sack.
Once again, my last two classes of the day got me wound up. I'm just slapping work on them to keep them quiet. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. I gave away some things today. Much more of that to do...
When I picked the children up this afternoon, it was raining. (No playing outside with Jack.) Since Meg had an online final exam to take (and is still working on that as I type), I decided we could make it "movie night" if Robin got her homework done. She started working on that...but then she remembered a joint venture between Van Buren Elementary and St. Susanna's School--Young Writer's Workshop--and begged for us to go. Ugh! It started at 6:00, and dinner doesn't usually occur until then. Okay...so we shifted gears. I took both kids...and they were both good. They had a little fun and saw some friends. (Ryan almost saw more soccer and preschool friends than Robin did as a school-age kid. I also am meeting a lot of Plainfield people via Robin's Girl Scouts and Ryan's soccer...but they are all Meg's age!) We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things...then home and bed for the kids. Ryan goes so much easier than Robin does, these days. Spiders, you know...
It is time for me to gear up for Dayton. The Dayton Hamvention is a yearly convention that is the granddaddy of all hamfests. I need to prepare two days' worth of lesson plans so I can attend. I haven't even started to LOOK for the things that I will need to take. Will start on that this weekend, I guess. Amid laundry and retirement paperwork...and a house full of trash. It is like I'm holding my breath until this is all over and I can breathe again. I'll be fine once I get there. Just have to get there!!
Tomorrow, I have Grandma duty again in the evening because Meg has an appointment. I love my grandchildren. Really! I just don't do real well with dealing with 8th graders all day and my primary children all night. Meg tells me that I cursed her and that it's MY fault. What was my curse when she was younger? "I hope you have ten kids, and I hopeat they are all just like you!" Heh heh. Little did I know that I would have deja vu "all over again"!
Hitting the sack.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Just Two More Mondays
The last Monday of my teaching career is a holiday...so just two more to go!
Last night was a lot of fun--NOT.
Robin was too scared to sleep in her bed. (Spiders, you know.) So we put her on the couch...but then she said she was too scared to sleep there, as well. This, I think, was a bid to sleep in my bed...but honestly, I needed some uninterrupted sleep, myself...so Meg and I both refused. In the ensuing nonsense, Robin got a spanking and was ordered to her own bed where she cried herself to sleep. (She had to be dead tired.) Meg snarled at me; I took offense. We all retired to our own corners of the house for the night. And so it went.
This morning, Meg took the children to school...not sure why. That cut down a little on my morning stress. I got their lunches made and laid out clothes but was instructed not to wake them yet. That meant I just had to get myself ready for school and go. Which I did. After school, Robin (who had early release today) went to her Scout leader's house to play (and do homework). Thanks, Sandy! I picked up Ryan from Grandma Judy's, got home in time for Robin to be delivered home, made supper, and got Ryan ready for soccer. Robin was being a pill, so she was "grounded" from Jack's. (You will recall that Jack is the new neighbor boy.) Meg got home in time to go to soccer. I stayed home.
In the time that they were gone, I emptied the dryer, did a load of dishes, washed and dried another couple of loads of laundry, and baked some fat-free brownies. I don't like to miss his games, but since I was gone most of the weekend, I really needed to get a better handle on things at home. (Do I have a handle on things at home? I don't think so!)
Slowly--VERY slowly--I am cleaning out things at school. I have a taker for my refrigerator and my desktop organizer. (Wish I had room for that at home...but noooo...) I am shipping some of my materials to the Department Chair so she will have it for the next person. A lot of stuff is just going in the trash. Years and years of "stuff" that no one is going to want. I still have to talk with the technology people to determine if my computer files can be/should be saved for my replacement. A LOT of work represented there!
We have been given permission to dress "casual" this week since it is Teacher Appreciation Week. Whoop-de-doo! Actually, I never dress any other way. I don't do jeans very well, and shorts are out of the question due to the fairly new emergence of varicose veins that are embarrassingly ugly. So there you are!
Time for me to unload the dishwasher and do something with the clothes in the washer and dryer. And, of course, Robin is still awake. Sheesh!
Last night was a lot of fun--NOT.
Robin was too scared to sleep in her bed. (Spiders, you know.) So we put her on the couch...but then she said she was too scared to sleep there, as well. This, I think, was a bid to sleep in my bed...but honestly, I needed some uninterrupted sleep, myself...so Meg and I both refused. In the ensuing nonsense, Robin got a spanking and was ordered to her own bed where she cried herself to sleep. (She had to be dead tired.) Meg snarled at me; I took offense. We all retired to our own corners of the house for the night. And so it went.
This morning, Meg took the children to school...not sure why. That cut down a little on my morning stress. I got their lunches made and laid out clothes but was instructed not to wake them yet. That meant I just had to get myself ready for school and go. Which I did. After school, Robin (who had early release today) went to her Scout leader's house to play (and do homework). Thanks, Sandy! I picked up Ryan from Grandma Judy's, got home in time for Robin to be delivered home, made supper, and got Ryan ready for soccer. Robin was being a pill, so she was "grounded" from Jack's. (You will recall that Jack is the new neighbor boy.) Meg got home in time to go to soccer. I stayed home.
In the time that they were gone, I emptied the dryer, did a load of dishes, washed and dried another couple of loads of laundry, and baked some fat-free brownies. I don't like to miss his games, but since I was gone most of the weekend, I really needed to get a better handle on things at home. (Do I have a handle on things at home? I don't think so!)
Slowly--VERY slowly--I am cleaning out things at school. I have a taker for my refrigerator and my desktop organizer. (Wish I had room for that at home...but noooo...) I am shipping some of my materials to the Department Chair so she will have it for the next person. A lot of stuff is just going in the trash. Years and years of "stuff" that no one is going to want. I still have to talk with the technology people to determine if my computer files can be/should be saved for my replacement. A LOT of work represented there!
We have been given permission to dress "casual" this week since it is Teacher Appreciation Week. Whoop-de-doo! Actually, I never dress any other way. I don't do jeans very well, and shorts are out of the question due to the fairly new emergence of varicose veins that are embarrassingly ugly. So there you are!
Time for me to unload the dishwasher and do something with the clothes in the washer and dryer. And, of course, Robin is still awake. Sheesh!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Afterglow
When we got home from camp, since the weather was good, I decided (finallly) to clean out my car. I don't think it has been cleaned out since my brain deal almost two years ago. I cleaned out the floors/surfaces. Didn't even get to the windows. Filled up an entire garbage bag...found a few treasures...and did a superfluous shampoo of floors and seats. It's a start. Took all afternoon!
Time to check on the grandkids and go to bed.
Ahm tard, as we say in Indiana.
Time to check on the grandkids and go to bed.
Ahm tard, as we say in Indiana.
Home Are the Campers...
Robin and I got home around 10:30 this morning from our overnight campout at Girl Scout Camp Ada. It's near Spiceland, IN...but you can't get there from here. Seriously! I got within a quarter mile of the place and got lost. Had to stop at a farmhouse. The occupant might as well have just stayed on his porch answering questions. "You looking for the Girl Scout camp? It's right down there" <--pointing to a narrow gravel road going through a canopy of trees. Hmmm...nothing marked. (Apparently, that is for safety reasons.)
It was my intention to be up yesterday at 5:30 in order to finish the SWAPS, pack, and launch by 8:30. I woke up at 7:45. Ack! I had already made a list of things to take and had planned some in my head. In spite of our late start, we were on the road only 30 minutes later than planned...and still arrived at the camp before the opening "ceremonies". Spiceland is about an hour away.
There were lots of activities and Scout things. Robin refuses to participate in anything competitive. (Shades of her mother. If she can't do it perfectly, she won't do it.) She spent quite a bit of time hiding behind me, wanting to go off to do other things on her own, which I wouldn't allow. This even extended to the campfire. She pouted through 90% of it, but I didn't pay any attention to her pouting, and eventually, she came around. They had a gal leading songs...an hour's worth...and she was good! Got everyone involved in silly ways, etc. So typical of my own scouting days as a kid. (I don't think there were any Scouts over 10 at this camp, so it wasn't quite as fun as when I was a pup. If I live long enough, I might be able to be a part of another campout of the ilk of my generation.)
We stayed in what was called "pods". They were more like dormitories with multiple beds and a kitchenette. (I say "beds" with tongue in cheek. They were cots with mattresses, but they leaned every which way. I didn't sleep well...and my new sleeping bag made me sweat. Ugh!)
Savannah's mother, Julie, slept next to the restroom door. Then there was Savannah, Robin, Mariah...then me. Sometime around 4:00-4:30 AM, Julie heard a slippery noise, like the sound of a sleeping bag shifting. She thought it was Savannah...but no...Savannah was still in bed. She looked at Robin's bed and found it empty. Robin had fallen out of bed and was curled up on the floor, unaware. Julie picked Robin up and put her back on her cot. Robin remembers none of it!
This morning, Robin and I had a power struggle over socks. (!) She slept in yesterday's socks. I gave her a clean pair to put on, but she decided to be obstinate. I got one clean sock on her, then tickled her and played it along, but she still refused to put on the one remaining sock . Finally, I announced that she couldn't leave the room without clean socks on. I made a big deal about it. Said, loudly, "I am the boss! I am a teacher! I am Grandma! In the absence of your mother, I am Mom! I win! Yay!" Then I left the room to do something. When I came back, Robin had escaped...but in clean socks! *Asterisk is paragraph break. Glitch again!!. *We had a good time...or at least I did. The campfire song director was great. Robin was pouting then, but I ignored it and she finally came around. Tonight, she is dead tired but won't admit it. Ryan was just delivered about 45 minutes ago.
I, of course, am ready for bed!
It was my intention to be up yesterday at 5:30 in order to finish the SWAPS, pack, and launch by 8:30. I woke up at 7:45. Ack! I had already made a list of things to take and had planned some in my head. In spite of our late start, we were on the road only 30 minutes later than planned...and still arrived at the camp before the opening "ceremonies". Spiceland is about an hour away.
There were lots of activities and Scout things. Robin refuses to participate in anything competitive. (Shades of her mother. If she can't do it perfectly, she won't do it.) She spent quite a bit of time hiding behind me, wanting to go off to do other things on her own, which I wouldn't allow. This even extended to the campfire. She pouted through 90% of it, but I didn't pay any attention to her pouting, and eventually, she came around. They had a gal leading songs...an hour's worth...and she was good! Got everyone involved in silly ways, etc. So typical of my own scouting days as a kid. (I don't think there were any Scouts over 10 at this camp, so it wasn't quite as fun as when I was a pup. If I live long enough, I might be able to be a part of another campout of the ilk of my generation.)
We stayed in what was called "pods". They were more like dormitories with multiple beds and a kitchenette. (I say "beds" with tongue in cheek. They were cots with mattresses, but they leaned every which way. I didn't sleep well...and my new sleeping bag made me sweat. Ugh!)
Savannah's mother, Julie, slept next to the restroom door. Then there was Savannah, Robin, Mariah...then me. Sometime around 4:00-4:30 AM, Julie heard a slippery noise, like the sound of a sleeping bag shifting. She thought it was Savannah...but no...Savannah was still in bed. She looked at Robin's bed and found it empty. Robin had fallen out of bed and was curled up on the floor, unaware. Julie picked Robin up and put her back on her cot. Robin remembers none of it!
This morning, Robin and I had a power struggle over socks. (!) She slept in yesterday's socks. I gave her a clean pair to put on, but she decided to be obstinate. I got one clean sock on her, then tickled her and played it along, but she still refused to put on the one remaining sock . Finally, I announced that she couldn't leave the room without clean socks on. I made a big deal about it. Said, loudly, "I am the boss! I am a teacher! I am Grandma! In the absence of your mother, I am Mom! I win! Yay!" Then I left the room to do something. When I came back, Robin had escaped...but in clean socks! *Asterisk is paragraph break. Glitch again!!. *We had a good time...or at least I did. The campfire song director was great. Robin was pouting then, but I ignored it and she finally came around. Tonight, she is dead tired but won't admit it. Ryan was just delivered about 45 minutes ago.
I, of course, am ready for bed!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
It's Late
I'm done for the night. Still have things to do before we launch for the camp at Spiceland early tomorrow, but I'm pooped. I managed to scrounge up a couple of outfits for Robin. Haven't figured out what I'm going to wear, yet. Wish my car were cleaned out. Wish the house were clean. Wish the packing was done and that I would be getting a good night's sleep...but that ain't happening this weekend!
At school today, we met with fallout from yesterday's Media Center experience. The 8th grade teachers were summoned to the principal's office to discuss the event. It was clear from the outset that other people didn't have the same perception about what went on as we did--and it was all blown out of proportion, with shock and some hurt feelings in the mix. We decided to change the venue for the Awards Day movie, just to keep feathers unruffled. The principal wasn't taking sides or admonishing us--just communicating that there was a difference of opinion of how things went. I guess it's a good thing that my backside is ample or I could have come out of the meeting with a little less of it! On second thought...maybe I should have stuck around for more!
The glue on Robin's SWAPS is drying. She helped paint the styrofoam balls--both the basic black of the bird and the red breast. (Thanks to Grandma Judy for helping get the breasts painted.) Robin also put in the beaks all by herself. Grandma Peggy did the messy feathers and glued on the eyes. Mommy Meg printed the labels (that aren't on the birds yet). It was a joint project. With a little help from our friends...
Meg tells me that I have 19 school days left. Funny...I don't feel that close to freedom. Too much to do!
Gotta hit the sack. I need to be up at 5:30 just to be ready to launch by 8:00. Ciao!
At school today, we met with fallout from yesterday's Media Center experience. The 8th grade teachers were summoned to the principal's office to discuss the event. It was clear from the outset that other people didn't have the same perception about what went on as we did--and it was all blown out of proportion, with shock and some hurt feelings in the mix. We decided to change the venue for the Awards Day movie, just to keep feathers unruffled. The principal wasn't taking sides or admonishing us--just communicating that there was a difference of opinion of how things went. I guess it's a good thing that my backside is ample or I could have come out of the meeting with a little less of it! On second thought...maybe I should have stuck around for more!
The glue on Robin's SWAPS is drying. She helped paint the styrofoam balls--both the basic black of the bird and the red breast. (Thanks to Grandma Judy for helping get the breasts painted.) Robin also put in the beaks all by herself. Grandma Peggy did the messy feathers and glued on the eyes. Mommy Meg printed the labels (that aren't on the birds yet). It was a joint project. With a little help from our friends...
Meg tells me that I have 19 school days left. Funny...I don't feel that close to freedom. Too much to do!
Gotta hit the sack. I need to be up at 5:30 just to be ready to launch by 8:00. Ciao!
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