Day 94

Staying up for a few minutes just to write this quick note. I want to say thank you to Google Video Chat. Being able to see my husband and talk to him in real time is absolutely fantastic. Nothing beats him being home, but this comes very close. I love gettin to see him. I can't imagine doing this way bakc in the day without all this technology.

If you ever want to video chat, just get on google and all the miles will disappear.

Only 9 more months.

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Day 93

Well, we are closing on 100 days.  We are nearing the 1/3 of the deployment mark (120 days) - about the end of the month.

There are seven more weeks of classes left.  I am sure it will fly by quickly.  As of today, I think I have everything squared away.  My 25 page paper is turned in, my lessons are written, my materials are all ready to be made into copies, my finals are created and ready to be printed.  I think I have one last evaluation visit.  Thank god.  I have been evaluated/observed more times than I care to remember.  I know it is there to make sure that I am a good teacher.  I know there are a bunch of cool activities that I could have done - but I will roll those into next year.  If there is a next year.  Not even sure what sort of classes I will be teaching.  But I have not gotten a pink slip yet.  I guess that is a good sign.  Then again, the budget and the negotiation process is not completed yet.  I think I might go to the special budget meeting this week.  We will see.

This weekend I also spent part of my time doing yard work.  This was mainly Andy's department.  I rarely did work outside unless it was to water plants, or plant some plants.  I did nothing dealing with dirt moving because of drainage issues, mowing or yeah...nothing outside.  I spent part of the afternoon laying down patch seed in some of our larger grass-less areas. (Needless to say, today I noticed a whole bunch of other grass less areas I could have worked on.)  I still ache today.  My legs and my back are slow moving today.  I was going to attack some of the taller grass by getting out the weed wacker - but I think that will need to wait for another day - next weekend or something like that.  I think though that I will get Blueville to do most of the yard work for the season - because there is no way that I can handle it myself without breaking the lawn mower or the weed wacker.  I am also thinking about having a pest management company come in and lay out some coverage.  Has anyone done this before (outside of having their apartment complex do pest control)?  I have no idea what sort of prices would be appropriate.

I have finished Song of Susannah (Book 6 of Dark Tower).  It's a good story.  I don't think it has captured me like some other stories, but it is entertaining.  So I am on to the final book.  It's weird - I think the story might have really latched on more if - say I had to wait for the next books in the series - like Harry Potter.  Then it would be better.  But I got in - after the epic had ended.  We will see how it ends.  A note:  King's like of Harry Potter did make it into this series.  The Wolves of Calla had Sneetches (Harry Potter model) in them.  So I thought that was interesting.

I am entertaining the thought of getting an Ipad.  I am thinking about 3G version.  Then I could work it on the road trip.  I wouldn't have to carry around a load of paperback books.  They would all be in one spot.  I could watch movies, write email, or work on school things without having to bring the laptop with me.  Not sure.  I am going to give a little while longer before deciding on it.  I would like to play around with one as well.  

Wrapping it up here - I have some other little tasks I want to finish today.  I am so looking forward to a week where I all need to do is grade papers.  Excited because GLEE will come back on this week - I've missed having a singfest once a week.

Day 90

3 months over. 9 more months left to go on this deployment. 7 more weeks left of school. The board decided to end 1 day early on May 27. 34 days of class left.

I can not wait for the first weekend where I will not have to prepare some lesson plans. I hope to get all of that squared away this weekend.

My road trip seems to have the green light. I am so lucky to have such fantastic friends. I am totally looking forward to seeing everyone and their dogs.

Well- it's a bit late and I should sign off. Need to be prepared for quiz day= Friday. Hope to get another post in this weekend.

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Day 86

First, Happy Easter everyone.  It was an absolutely beautiful day today.  Silvio and I took a nice long walk out this afternoon.  It was such a good walk that it got Silvio panting.  Crazy I know.

I am glad this past week is over.  I still feel a bit down in the dumps but definitely better than last Monday (although I almost had a moment today during dinner).  Andrew is "safely" (ha ha ha) back downrange.  It looks like he will have a bunch of different things to keep him busy over the next couple of months.  There is some rumor that some select few might get to come home early.  With how our luck has been landing, I am guessing we will not fit into that rumor even if it is true.  The cookie just does not crumble that way for us.

This past week was nuts.  My students were....nuts.   I felt like poop.  To top it all off, I was observed - 3 times (by the same administrator).  But that turned out alright.  The vibe I got - I could be a really great math teacher.  It's just year 1 but once it is under my belt and I can get a chance to expand my ideas and activities things will look up.  They (administration) would really like me to stick around barring any budget issues.  But we all have budget issues.  We will see what happens come the end of May.

God, the end of May.  Eight more weeks - non stop.  I might take a sick day or a personal day or something.  I honestly think they should redo this whole calendar deal.  I'd much rather have a long weekend every other 2 weeks.  Then I can recharge my batteries.  Alas, that will never happen, I'm sure.

I spent most of today getting two weeks of materials ready for both algebra and geometry.  This is a good thing - except I still need to write my actual lessons out.  The way I have things scheduled - I only have about 2 more weeks worth of materials that I need to make up.  The rest of the time I need to prep for finals, and make sure that I have the final exams all ready to go.  I think I can manage squaring all of this away during April.  Too ambitious?  I hope not.

Other than that I am looking forward to summer just as much as the students are.

Oh wait - I had to kill a huge spider today - inside the house.  So I got my gardening gloves and a huge container of pest control and sprayed everywhere.  In the house by the grates, in the basement where all the pipes and things come into the house, all the doors, all the windows, outside along all the doors and the windows.  Ugh, bugs.  How I despise you so!

Day 80

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As of 7:30 this morning, R&R is over and I am a mess.

It was wonderful to have Andy home.  We went to Kansas City for 2 days (Silvio spent time at the Puppy Resort).  We went to the art museum, shopping, and ate some really good food.  We had a couple of days to ourselves with the puppy-man before Andy’s parents showed up.  I begrudgingly managed to work through last week.  But they checked out Eisenhower’s museum, Council Grove, and the Oz Museum.  It was nice to see them.

Today I have already worked myself into such a frenzy that I feel violently sick to my stomach.  Barely munched on a piece of bagel for breakfast.  I have no desire to eat anything.  I am trying desperately to do things but my brain is scattered.  Needless to say I have taken a sick day.

I feel so lost.  Silvio at the moment seems fine.  He is sitting on the back of the couch basking in the sun and looking out the window.  Maybe all the talk of getting him a puppy pal when Andy returns for good has sunk into his head.  Who knows…

It is now back to days and nights of routine, routine, routine.  Not to mention all of the frozen microwaveable meals I will eat.  It bothers me that we purchased all this great cookware…and who do I have around to share the fun of making a meal?  No one.  So what is the point of cooking?  Maybe it will come back in about 9 weeks once the semester is over.  Just need to make it through April and May, then some serious relaxation time.

Note:  I am planning a large road trip this summer (end of June to beginning of July).  I want to visit a whole bunch of people.  Probably should send an email out to everyone to warn them.

Crazy note:  One of my favorite bands – Something Corporate is having a reunion.  I’m excited (as much as I can be at the moment)!!

Evening note:  I tried to keep busy: uploaded my very large teacher work sample.  Not even going to think about it anymore.  Spoke with the landscapers, hopefully they can put down some chemicals to help with the weeds.  Did two loads of laundry and some ironing.  I should have worked on some lessons, but I now have all the time in the world.  Excepting those times I need to be at school or walking Silvio.

Day 63

No Focaccia bread in the making today.  I did not even look up the recipe in the book.  I am slacker.  But I did clean my whiteboard, all of the desks in my classroom, and made the room smell generally like Clorox.  Probably the first time it has smelled that way since the beginning of the school year.

I came home only to vacuum some more.  Felt like I should take a nap instead.  Alas, I did not.  But I did make some fried rice for dinner.  Not a bad Friday Lenten sort of meal.  Pretty quick too.

More impressively, I enrolled in my last education course. Barring any major malfunctions with my TWS, I should be done with all this alternate route work on June 16th.  I think that is wonderful.  Downer is that the last week of that class falls right when I jet off to Disney.  Maybe if I am really an overachiever I could be done with all of the work before I even head out there.

Booked a flight to Disney and for a wedding at the end of July.  I need to work out how to get up to Maine the following weekend.  Also, I am excited to be on the back 10 weeks of the semester.  How cool is that?!?!

But that only eclipses the fact that Andrew will be here in 24 hours.  yey!  I booked us a little get away...to Kansas City.  Should be relaxing.  Plus, I don't have any work to do.  I just can't contain myself.

Day 62

Only 2 more days until Andy comes home.  I am sooo excited.  For some reason I am also really tense about everything.  Not sure why - but sure as heck my shoulders are tense all day long.

No more students.  They checked out last Friday come to think of it.  They have only been here because well we ask them to be here.  All of my grades are done.  I might spend my teacher work day cleaning my classroom.  (Sometimes I think my students live in a barn.)  Maybe I will do some redecoration too.  I found some Gorilla Tape that works fantastically on cinder block.  Then I will work on some lesson writing.  Just found out that there is a Forensics tournament tomorrow.  They need my room at 3pm - I guess that means I should be out of there by 2, right?  Good, I did not want to stay until 3 anyway.

I have an urge to make focaccia bread.  Actually I have an urge to make all sorts of breads.  Not sure why.  Bread is untouched territory for me.  I do not really make dough unless it is pizza dough.  What is life all about except for trying something different - maybe I will pick up the ingredients on the way home from school tomorrow.

It's 8 pm - and I am beat.  I think I must have something wrong with me.  Come to think of it - I am tired at 4 pm when I get home from school.  Not like ugh, that was a rough day tired, but I feel sleepy tired.  Weird, I know.

Going to find something relaxing - no knitting, I feel to sleep to keep track of my knit and purls at the moment.   But early to bed is appropriate I think.

Day 60

We have hit the 2 month mark.  How wacky is that?  I can not believe it has gone by so quickly.  Well maybe I can.  Teaching really makes the time fly by.

Speaking of teaching - we are pretty much at the end of the 3rd quarter.  Grade reports will go out - and most likely, they will ruin some of my students' spring break.  I don't really mind though (is that a heartless thing to say?).  This week is going to the dogs though.  They smell break and do not want to do anything.  I keep reminding them of their quiz right before break, though.  We'll see how that turns out.

Also on the teaching front, rumors fly.  The high school is going to take the brunt of the cuts.  Why?  Because the budget committee is filled with a bunch of elementary school teachers.  Not that I do not see their job as important but why not make the cuts across all the schools?  Even more rumors - two of the four first round cuts will be math teachers.  Funny, the math department has not grown in size over the past 6-9 years.   Cheers to bigger class sizes, no overloads, and less math teachers.  Oh well.

More teaching, I finished the 25 page teacher work sample paper for my alternate route certification.  It is not due until April 26th.  I guess I am an over achiever but I did not want to worry about it while Andy was home.  It took me nearly 15 hours to complete all the writing.  I still feel it is totally useless.  But by summer's end I should have an honest to goodness real license.  Job - who knows...

I am just about 3/4 of the way done with book 4 of the Dark Tower.  Stupid paper took up most of my weekend - thus less reading.  I also took up knitting again. Going to try to make another blanket.  I made up my own pattern of swatches that I will sew together at the end.  I watched a whole bunch of movies - Julie and Julia (I really liked it), The Mummy - Tomb of the Dragon Emporer (silly flick but entertaining), I Love You Man (awww Paul Rudd), and something else I am sure.  I have added more of the oscar nominated films to the netflix queue so I am excited about that.

Only 2-3 more days and I get some Andy time.  Only 2 more days of school.  Goodness I could use this break!

Day 55

State Testing has been really draining.  Watching students test for 6 hours out of the day is really mind numbing. 

Upside - I have about 3 pages written for my Teacher Work Sample.  That covers the majority of one factor of the unit I did last semester.  I still have 6 more factors to churn out.  I hope I can manage to get a sizable amount (maybe 3 - 4 more factors) done over the weekend.  Then I do not have to worry about spending all the time of spring break worrying about the paper.  I really want to enjoy Andy's time home.

Only a week to go.

Day 52

Only 8 more days and we will hit the 2 month mark for this deployment.  How quick did that move.  I am glad February is over.  The month was totally useless.

Today was day one of state assessment testing.  I think if you had asked me to watch paint dry or proctor state assessments - I would have a seriously difficult decision on my hands.  I guess the upside is that I am not really teaching anything for a couple of days.  But the days are wasted - I am trying to get myself going on this Teacher Work Sample but it is jerky.  Jerky as in start and stop, not jerky like an a hole is jerky.  I can type a little bit.  But then I have to get up to check students, at which point I have forgotten what the heck I was typing about.

As for reading news - I am about halfway through Dark Tower 4.  I am in the midst of when Roland tells his backstory.  I was much more intrigued as they passed through Topeka.  King does a pretty good job of describing Gage Park, the zoo, rose garden, and the train.  It was part of the story that I could really visualize.  See - being sent to Kansas hasn't been all that bad.  At least I can say I have been somewhere that Stephen King wrote about.

I think I will make this the end of the post.  I want to catch 24, take out Silvio, and then go to bed.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that for the first time in a while I will actually go to bed when I say I am going to bed.  Anyone want to take any bets?