Day Two

Once again I have returned home unscathed. I took my preventative Advil at about 2:30 today as the first twinge of headache emerged. And I am still headache free.

Our room was a snarky-free zone, so that was a relief. Only a few students were ready for conferences to be over before they even entered the room. Generally because they had a lengthy list of missing work. But even those went smoothly.

Half the family is showing more wear and tear from the last two days. Ducky is worn out from being an almost single dad the last two days. He got dumped on by clients while simultaneously keeping the boys out of mischief. SweetE lost it tonight when mommy grumped at him. He had dragged his chair over to where I was going to make garlic bread. And left it in such a way that I could not get the refrigerator open. Normally not a big deal, he would just get down and wait until I was ready. But two days without mommy and I looked over and oh boy. He was looking down, breathing hard and not making another noise. His shoulders started to shake and the ragged cries started. He was dripping tears and unable to talk, and he was just so sad. Ducky offered to take him, but I knew that would compound the problem.

So we spent a few minutes putting the world right again and then he helped me make the garlic bread. That also means that he wants me to take him to the 8 am soccer game in the morning. And I am so tired.

Ahhhh! A just double checked the soccer schedule and our game doesn't start until 9!!! Oh happy day!

Day One

Yahoo! I survived day one unscathed. No cranky parents, or at least the unhappiness was directed at the child. No splitting headache. I did take two Advil at 10 when I felt a twinge of headache starting.

So one more day. Then I just need to plan next week and I am almost home free. There is some grading to get done since I don't want to get behind again.

One day at a time. One project at a time. Can you tell the stress level alert has been reduced from severe to merely elevated? It is headed in the right direction.

High Wire Act

Tomorrow and Friday I get to perform my high wire act. The one where I simultaneously have to talk about how great each child is (and they are, each in their own way) while also laying it all on the line about the ways in which they need to improve.

Some will be easy. Some will be very hard. Some parents will be great and helpful and realistic. Some parents will be bewildered by the fact that we (my teaching partner and I) don't agree that their child is perfect.

It is a nerve wreaking couple of days. The worst part is having to be "on" for almost 10 hours straight tomorrow and then almost 8 hours on Friday. It requires a lot of energy. And by the end, we are barely coherent and lose all ability to think and speak clearly. At least I get to do conferences with someone, it makes it a lot easier.


I like meeting the parents. It tells us so much about the child. There are generally many "a-ha" moments. Puzzle pieces fall into place and it reminds the child that (mostly) we work together. So, I don't mind, except I get totally exhausted. And when I am totally exhausted, I usually get a big, bad headache. I already had one that started today. My medication cleared it up and I am okay for the moment. So I have fear for how well I will hold up physically the next few days.

It is on weeks like this that I am ever so thankful that I don't have to work full time all the time. I really don't know how people do it. I know I did it before, but I didn't have kids then.

The Car Wash

A while back I needed to fill up my car. So sweetE and I hurried things up and got out the door early on our way to preschool. The boys love going through the car was. And since the car was dirty and we had time I told him we could go.

Got gas, no problem. Drove around to the car wash, no problem.

We were guided in by a former student. There was a problem. I thought I heard a funny noise, but with the windows up and the radio on, I couldn't tell for sure.

I chit-chatted with my student. He was a reasonably smart kid who has made a series of poor choices. Which is why several years out of high school he is working at the car wash in February.

He scrubbed my car and off we went through the car wash. With a strange grinding noise the entire way. I turned off the radio and everything. We come out on the other side. SweetE wants to go through again. As we start to drive off, the scraping, grinding noise gets worse. I open the window to be sure. It is me.

Oh, crap. The previous summer, the belly pan on my car came loose and was scraping on the ground. So pull over and climb out to inspect. I am dressed for work. Lovely. And wouldn't you know it, but there it was again.

As I am trying to shove it back into place, I realize that it has been ripped in two. And seeing that it was a former student, I don't want to go rat him out for guiding me badly into place. And I assume that it will be less than $100 to get it replaced. It was loose anyway, so I don't go let them know. So I get it off the ground and get in the car. And immediately call the mechanic. They hate my car. Only because it is small and must be taken apart to do almost everything.

I need an oil change too, so I thought I would just schedule both. So I schedule the oil change and then mention that the "plastic thing on the underside of the car needs to be replaced." He isn't quite sure what plastic thing I was referring to. I want them to have it for when I come in at the end of the week, so I agree to swing by and let them have a look on the way to work.

I drop sweetE off at school and head off to the mechanic. Which means no coffee for me on the way in. Bummer. They take a look and ask if I have a minute and they will just take it off. Sure. This is why we stick with a mechanic, so they will help us out in a pinch.

He comes back out and tells me that it was a good thing they took it off, it was rubbing on some moving part on the engine.

A few days later, my car is at the shop and they call to say that it needs a belt and a filter. By the end of the day, my oil change has reached $600. A mere $250 is a new belly pan, installed.

I am leery of returning to the car wash. A car wash should not cost over $250, ever. I don't know if my former student is still there or not.

I've Survived

Grades were due at 3pm today. And at this moment in time, I have no grading to do. Until I get to work tomorrow.

Last week was really rough and I even pondered what I was thinking and wouldn't another line of work be better. And those thoughts haven't completely left. But today I did feel better. It felt like every sign in the universe was telling me that change was in order.

Tonight the grand plan was to finish the paperwork to renew my teaching license. As I was getting ready to write the final page of information, I realized that I was screwed. I had hoped to get it into the district office tomorrow. However, it needs a signature from my principal. The one who will be out of town for the rest of the week. And therefore, I can't get it in until next week at the earliest. It is due in the state office at the beginning of April. The district has to do something and then they send it back to me to get to the state office.

Is it another sign from the cosmos? Should I switch to a less stressful, less demanding job? I know that my head would appreciate the break from the steady stream of headaches that I have been having lately.

Should I just quit my whining and get on with making it to June, or at least spring break? Most likely, but at this moment in time with conferences looming in a few days, I am just too tired from the end of the trimester, jumping through bureaucratic hoops, dealing with the time change and life in general.

At least spring visited over the weekend, we'll be having rain all week.

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has made its way to my door. And I am so glad. We went for a walk. We played in the park. I drove with my window down. And spring break is only two weeks away.

On The Way to School

I know I'm not blogging this week, but I need to write this down before I forgot.

As we walked to school this morning, my sweetP was telling me that he had to take a math test at school. For his report card. And he felt that he did really well.

sweetP: I am the best at math.. the second best.

me: Who is the best?

sweetP: Albert I-en-stein.

me: Well, he is very good at math.

sweetP: I know, but I am really good too.

And off we went to school.