Enough Already!

It's cold outside, 46*, April 28th. This is nuts. Usually at this time of year we get the 60* weather, but not this year. I know I shouldn't complain; I have chosen to live in Western Washington, the Evergreen State - green because of all the rain that keeps things growing. I don't live in Kansas or Alabama or Tennessee or any of the other eastern states that are being destroyed by the twisters. I remember promising God that if He would keep us safe, I would go to Kansas City so my husband could complete his master's degree and then, when he was done, I would leave and NOT return to live there again. The four years we lived in KC, no tornadoes touched down in our county until two days before we moved. I remember looking to the heavens and shouting, "We're not gone yet!" It really doesn't matter where you live, there will be some potential for deadly natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina passed directly over our house when we lived in Miami. The good news for us was she had not yet attained stage 2 status! Now, in Washington, we think about earthquakes. There are a lot of them hitting different parts of the world. We'll have one at some point in time. I just hope it's deep enough that it doesn't destroy our lives and property the way it has in Haiti and Japan. Maybe God is trying to get our attention. Pay attention world! Enough already!

Grading

Due to the creeping crud that both my hubby and I had last week, I didn't get a set of 7th grade autobiographical essays finished until this weekend. I should have had them ready to hand back a week ago but it just didn't happen. I was really feeling awful, and as I told the students, they certainly didn't want me grading their papers while I felt that terrible. Who knows what kind of grade they would have received!

Well, I'm going to be busy this week. Tomorrow I will collect persuasive essays on Positive Thinking (based on Hatchet) and my Writers' Workshop students will turn in their fourth short story. I watched one of these stories come off the printer - 9 pages - oh my! The next day, I have research papers due from my 8th graders who have been reading A Single Shard. These papers all have something to do with Korea, but since I didn't want huge papers to grade (5-7 pages required), I provided the list of possible topics. So I will be occupied with about 90 essays/research papers. I really need to plan this month better!

However, I do know it could be much worse. The junior high teacher at the public school across the street has 30-35 kids in each of her classes. Imagine... That would mean at least 180 essays to grade. Normally, I read each student's paper three times, and depending on the paper, this can take from three to fifteen minutes each. That's 4.5 to 22.5 hours. Just think, it could be 9 to 45 hours! That's a lot of grading!

Round Two

After a week of the crud, it looks like I should prepare for week #2. My hubby is starting week #3! This thing is nuts: congestion, coughing, extreme fatigue! I can't wait to be finished with this. All that said, I haven't quit. I taught school every day, sometimes with very little voice. I worked in my garden for 30 minutes at a time, and we enjoyed the Easter Classic, the new annual wiffle-ball game at our son's house. Great group of people, tons of little kids, fabulous food, and beautiful sunshine. I'm sure our pastor was glad to see the rain come back today since sunny days around here are tough on church attendance!

Sharing

My hubby stayed home from school for three days last week. He has a hyper-vigilant sense of responsibility toward work so everyone knew he was really sick. Plus he went to the doctor - need I say more! We have really tried to keep his cooties confined to him, used Clorox wipes on the phone and TV remote, sprayed with Lysol, cleaned constantly, coughed and sneezed into Kleenex (or his sleeve), and washed our hands until they are peeling... but... Saturday I developed a serious sore throat and started sneezing. Guess who didn't go to church today? Yep... and I love Palm Sunday. We always have the little toddlers come in with their palm branches - it's so sweet - and we missed it. Oh well... at this point, I'm not near as sick as he was so we are hoping that our preventative measures will help me out to some degree. That and all the meds I'm taking to control symptoms, something T doesn't like to do. Anyway, we shared and shouldn't have; hopefully my students won't get it!

Mélange

I have been reading several blogs lately and have noted how some people are so well organized, topically. I mean, if she is a teacher - she follows other teachers. If he is reviewing books - he lists other blogs that do the same. If they live in Haiti - they have other Haiti blogs noted. If it's all about the family - there are other kid-oriented blogs listed.

I am not organized like that. My life is a jumble, having lived in Haiti, teaching junior high English, loving books, and enjoying life with my little adorables. So my blog follows a random group of people, undefined, just like my life. I think I like it that way.

My Commute

A friend of mine just started working from home. It feels a little strange to her because she's always been a part of an office culture but with one little boy who's two and another little person on the way, I think she's going to appreciate the advantages that this change will bring her. I started thinking about my commute. I live 3.5 miles from my school, and in traffic, it takes me seven minutes to get to school. I never get on the freeway and I only have three traffic lights that are of any significance. There are two others but they're always green, very little cross-traffic. As far as commutes go, it is ideal! I always listen to the local radio station both going to school and coming home, and I feel so sorry for those who are stuck on I-5 in the mess that exists between Seattle and Olympia. I am so glad I don't have to do that!

Randomness

I haven't written here for ages; somehow I am just not inspired. I have topics in my head but I need to take pictures in order to do those topics justice. And it is Spring Break. I seriously love Spring Break, always have. It arrives as old man winter is hitting us with fierce rains and we get to sit all cosy and warm inside by the fire. Then the sun peeks out for a moment here and there and I scoot outside to pull weeds, prune overgrown shrubs, and plant pretty flowers. It's also the time I go to the dentist. I know, that's a dumb thing to do, but I really don't like getting a sub for something like that so I always schedule my cleaning at the beginning of break so I will have time for dental work if I need it... which I don't! Yes!

This Spring Break we are going to watch our three local adorables for three days! Their parents are heading to the beach this afternoon for a much needed rest and we get to play with the kids. We'll stay at their house, much easier than staying here. Did I mention they have a German Shorthair? yeah... not my favorite part of hanging with the kiddos but it's okay as long as we are at their place. So, I need to get dressed and get going. Time is moving on and I'd much rather be doing than writing.