Adjusting...

The first official day of Summer Vacation is always a little bit disorienting. Now, before I lose ten of my thirty readers to utter disgust over what they perceive to be my complaining about having a summer vacation, please understand that I am not fussing about it. I'm just explaining is all.

It doesn't really matter how much time I devote to counting down the days or marking the calendar. That first day always goes a little something like this:

Step one: Wake up sometime between 6:00 and 7:00 in the morning. (Yes. I am one of those disgusting Early Risers that you hear so much about). Think to self, "How nice that I can just lay here in bed for a bit longer! I think I'll just snuggle with the nearest kitty and plan my day..."

Step two: Begin to doubt. What if I've made a mistake? What if today was really the last day of school and I should have actually gotten up and been on my way by now? Can they fire me if I don't show up on the last day? Do I have some sort of medical claim here, what with my inability to read a calendar? Should I actually be on disability for this? If I did that, I could sleep in every day...

Step three: Painstakingly review the events of the last few days and confirm that this is, in fact, the first official day of summer vacation.

Step four: Suddenly realize that I have a whole day ahead of me and that I am slothfully lying abed rather than enjoying it.

Step five: Rocket from the bed leaving a plethora of startled kitties in my wake. I still don't have a clear plan or anything...but that isn't going to stop me from racing around trying to get ready for whatever the heck it is that I should be doing...

From there, I always sort of alternate between frantic activity of the cleaning and creating varieties then sitting whilst assuming a rather alarming vacant stare. Little gets done.

This year seemed worse, though. I know that I've been talking about this day for a while now, but I was really rather unprepared, it seems. I know that part of the problem here was that I left school last Friday in something of a hurry. I needed to grab a quick shower then leave for the Relay For Life event. That took some planning beforehand and resting afterhand. I didn't really have much time for thinking about Monday morning.

And the last day at school was somewhat overshadowed by a rather unfortunate comment made to me by a colleague once the students were gone. I'll preface this by saying that this individual is not really a bad guy...he means well most of the time. I honestly think he was trying to be witty. And, under other circumstances, it might have been a chuckle-maker. Had we been in a bar, the Playboy Mansion or a Crude Convention, it would have actually been highly appropriate.

It was not so appropriate at the staff luncheon. It was less appropriate given that it was said while the entire staff was standing in line to partake of the delightful cafeteria fare that was being laid out for our enjoyment. I made a good effort at responding in a snappy and equally witty manner. But, I was so taken aback, that I really didn't do a very good job. Once we had all retreated to our tables, my teaching assistant ( a very kind and gentle young man) said, "That was really uncomfortable for you, wasn't it? Doesn't he have daughters, for crying out loud?"

It was awkward...and it sort of cast a pall over the whole end of school thing for several people. Fortunately, this individual has transferred to another school for next year so I will be spared any further thoughts from him with regard to my...well, why don't we just leave it at that? God help me and the rest of the female half of the race because I honestly think he was trying to be complimentary. But it wasn't and it was the cause of a bit of angst as we all packed up our teacherly wares for the summer.

So, with all that going on, it took me a while to find my groove today as far as the whole Sheepie Of Leisure thing went. I did a little of the spinning, a wee bit of knitting and even started crocheting myself a scarf just in case the winter snows should return to this hemisphere in July. I also stained a shelf. That wasn't even on the list of things I wanted to get done this summer! I have no idea why I wanted to stain a shelf. It looks rather nice...but it isn't on the index cards. And the index cards are the things I said I would use as the guide for all projects this summer. I checked them several times. There were no shelf staining directives writ upon them anywhere.

It took me a while to get a handle on this whole vacation thing. I finally settled myself down to one project and made sure that it was one of which the index cards would approve. I relaxed and allowed myself to breathe normally for the first time all day. Summer is the time to relax and finish things at a reasonable pace. There is ample time to get a great deal done and no need to frantically flit from project to project trying to get it all finished. The school year is really over, tomorrow is yet another day of vacation and time is plentiful now. I actually felt the muscles in my neck creak as they relaxed into this new found knowledge.

I then realized that I was going to be late for a meeting at job #2...the pulse rate went back up, suitable shoes were located and I shot out the door, once again leaving startled kitties trembling behind me.

I'll get the hang of this eventually. I'm going to practice again tomorrow.

SA