Continued

If this is a vacation, I don't ever want to be sentenced to hard labor. It's 9:35 and I've already had a soak and am ready for bed. Long day! Picked Tyler out of bed this morning with a blow out diaper full of sweet potatoes. It was everywhere. To clean up meant stripping a double bed, laundering the sheets.
Between laundry loads NaiNai came and it took both of us to manage our two small grandchildren. They are little, but busy.
Brenda arrived this afternoon, she has been I'll and hadn't seen the children since December, I don't know how she stood it so long.
We didn't have a lot of luck with Tyler napping, so we played hard. Inside and out, pretend and games and telling stories. No videos all day, that's a miracle.
I have mo idea where I was headed with this, nut I'm never going to make it....I've already fallen asleep three times while typing. The only thing left to say is goodnight.

I'm in Big D, My Oh Yes

Drove to Dallas today. I'm exhausted and have dog hair and spit up milk all over my favorite black Chico's skirt! This is a non-stop operation. Sloan is still going through s period of adjustment. Tyler was in the swing for the first time today and it brought her to tears. I'm too tired for the details tonight. More tomorrow.

Monday, Monday

Getting ready for Tuesday's departure. Started at Kohl's looking for bras and panties. Nothing fancy, I'm interested in comfort and back fat control. Any company that can make no wedgie panties has my business locked up.
Also on my list size six months clothes for my main man Tyler. He has outgrown all his little baby clothes. Found a couple of cute things, but I would have had more choice if I needed twelve or eighteen months.
Sloan got the big haul. Palais Royal had cute sundresses forty percent off.
I got her three adorable summer frocks. She also got a living room suite for the calico critters house. She'll be thrilled.
Ssh! Don't look! The sun is out. Drought survivors shouldn't wish away rain, I know, but all the gray skies and muddy yards are a dreary sight and not a nice background for all the azaleas and everything else that is in full bloom.
Heading in to pack. Tomorrow is hugs and kisses day.

Spring break

Another rainy day. Finally made it to the Kroger before we ran out of coffee and t.p.
That's when you can 't put it off any longer. So far this vacation has been cold and wet. Tomorrow is day three and we're hoping to have a break in the clouds. I'm not doing anything outdoorsy, but I think I might get motivated to get off the couch if the sun comes out. So far I've made it to the Toyota dealership for an oil change, to Michael's for yarn and to the grocery for Bluebell.
Tuesday I head to Dallas to help take care of the Grands while their mom works. WRSN has spring break too. Ty weighs eighteen pounds at five months. If he grows to those feet, he'll be a whopper! I can't imagine how I'll carry him up the stairs. I've been enjoying my leisure time with a good book and some carbolicios snacks. I'm in no shape to do this job.
Finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. It took me a long time to get around to it, but it was my favorite book of the three.
I love being able to stay up "past my bedtime". Going on daylight savings time during vacation will be a huge help. I can read or watch a movie all evening without being a gritch the morning after.
So it's no tropical island or ski lodge kind of spring break, but there's a great sense of time to relax and enjoy.

TGIF

Lunch time on Friday. I've taught all classes except one. The kids were fine until fourth period and they were barely alive. Heads down, glazed over and nothing exciting for me to wake them with...we have to know about amending the Constitution. Try making that fun!!
Tonight is fajita night at Las Palomas. I'm so ready for an icy cold Mexican beer with salt and lime. It helps to have a regular kick off for Friday night so you have something to look forward to all day.
Let the weekend begin, come on 3:05!

School Day

Thursdays are my most favorite days this semester. I have Professional Learning Community from 7:15 until 9:00. Mostly that involves the other government teacher and me planning whatever project we are mutually assigning to our students. Today it was about putting grades in the grade book for the interim progress reporting period.
When school actually does begin, I have one AP class, one level class, lunch and a conference period. What a day! It isn't really a problem subsisting on my salary when one day a week is practically a day off.
My AP kids had to watch the State of the Union address Tuesday night, so I gave them bingo cards to play SOTU Bingo! They did a fabulous job of actually watching and noting what the Prez said. We had outstanding discussions in my odd numbered classes yesterday and 2nd period today. The only class that let me down was 7th and they were what has been described as "snarky". They wound up hunting through the Constitution for sources for the answers to twenty hypotheticals. Serves 'em right, smart-ass kids!
I made the final payment on buying the good behavior of the problem kid in my level class today. I've been trying to kill him with kindness for three weeks. Today he needed pen, paper, and an excuse to go for a drink. I gave him a pen, an entire legal pad and a bottle of Ozarka and made a situation comedy of the whole thing. I heard one kid say, "She's such a grandma."And that was okay because what she meant was caretaker.
I got an email from Herr German Professor a few minutes ago. It seems the Republicans in Congress are now against preventing drop-outs from leaving school because the Prez has asked all states to adopt a policy keeping kids in school until they're eighteen. God forbid, the Republicans should support 'big government' intrusions into the lives of the people and interfere with the prerogatives of the states. Rather than admit that the Other could have a good idea, it's better to let drop-out rates soar and damn the consequences for society.
One of the AP teachers posted on the group listserve yesterday that a parent of one of her students forbid him to watch the SOTU address because "nothing Obama related" was allowed in his house. The reaction from the teachers wasn't as strong as I would have predicted. Some said that they had had similar experiences and most just offered suggestions for alternatie assignments. The acrimony seems particuarly sharp presently. Campaign season is clearly upon us.
I took a quiz to the copy room a short while ago, and chances are it's ready to be picked up. If I go and get it now, my work here is actually done for today. I can go and do some errands and head home.

Reading List

Currently on the bedside table reading list:

Start Where You Are, A Guide to Compassionate Living ~ Pema Chodron

One Minute Mindfulness ~ Donald Altman

Re-reading:

A New Earth ~ Eckhart Tolle

I am my own authority, I love and approve myself, life is good. A friend who has a good insight to my struggles gave me that affirmation recently. Seems to be having an effect.

Things I've accomplished this week:

Saw the doctor about my wrist; it's only a ganglion cyst, not the return of the godawful joint inflammation.

Scheduled appointment for next week to have this century's version of a pelvic exam.

Found something to wear to LeeLee and Keef's wedding. Thank You God. You created black pants for the fuller figure.

Took said pants to Honorable Asian Tailor for slight shortening. He was in a cheerful mood.

Bravely ventured into Kodak store and learned to print out digital pictures. How accomplished I feel, and I finally have a picture of Tyler in a frame!

Went to breakfast at Cafe du Bois with Sarah. Poached egg en croustade and fresh fruit. Beautiful morning for restoring friendship.

Emailed bridge group to be here for November on the 30th...better late than never. By that time we'll have Thanksgiving to report on and there will be two new babies.

Only half a class of document based questions left to grade and I'll be finished for this grading period. Hooray!

Long day, short night, off to read in bed.