Random With A Side Of Whine

I'm feeling rather fussy tonight. You know, all grumpy and tired-like. And since there's nothing like a Wednesday Night Bullet post for listing all the ways in which the universe has done me wrong, let's have at it!

*Today was "Records Day" for the sixth grade teachers in my school. This does not mean that they try to build the world's biggest house of cards or have hot dog eating contests. It means that they hand over their students to teachers who don't have "regular" classrooms in order that they might finish up their paperwork for the year. Ignoring the fact that I have a self-contained class of fifth and sixth graders as well as students that I need to support in their regular education classes, the powers-that-be signed my staff and me up for babysitting duty. This meant cancelling all classes or support times for the fifth grade in order that we might assist in the running of games and activities for sixth graders. This is a very long day. Especially since the students on my caseload don't always have complete control over their behaviors under the best of circumstances. A wild and crazy day of fun with unfamiliar staff people is a recipe for disaster. I was still expected to supervise them while I was wrangling two groups of twenty five kids at their extra recess.

*It rained today. The extra recess that I mentioned and the one for which I was providing coverage needed to be of the "indoor" variety. It was grueling...and I had to do it for two hours. I shouldn't complain, really. My teaching assistants were signed up to supervise activities for five hours.

*While I was supervising the extra recesses and my staff were manning the volleyball courts, the fifth grade students were left to their regular classroom teachers. The regular classroom teachers have many, many students to which they must attend. Is it really such a surprise that one of my Sheepless charges allegedly decided to help himself to some ingredients from the science lab?

*For the record, the answer to the previous question is: Why no. It is not surprising at all. What is surprising is that they didn't steal your truck, your purse and the school's flagpole, Sheepie!

*For an added element of fun on this, the day of dubious blessings, I was informed that I will need to present myself for a CT scan to get a better picture of the Monkey Pox that lingers in my right lung. No worries...there is some old scarring in there and things tend to clump up around that general area. It's happened before. It's that or there are really monkey's in there. Either way, I'm going to have to have a CT scan with "contrast." Which is not how I wanted to spend an afternoon.

*I finally tracked down the school nurse and had her look at my icky rash. She became concerned about cellulitis. I've had cellulitis before. It is, for all intents and purposes, a super-sized infection. It requires a great deal of antibiotics. She sent me to Dr. Judy. Fast.

*I went to Dr. Judy. Fast. Then things slowed down a bit. My 4:45 appointment turned into an hour wait before making it into the examination room. It was another twenty minutes before she could see me. And it is not cellulitis. It is a reaction of some sort. Probably to the antibiotics. She wants me to take Benedryl. Benedryl keeps me awake at night. I have to drink coffee to counteract the effects of the antihistamine. It is a delicate balancing act. And I still may be up all night because I probably won't get the amounts right. Frankly, it's all better than having cellulitis. But I'm not looking forward to being up all night with the jitters.

*I am not looking forward to being up all night because tomorrow is Field Day at school. I haven't a clue what activities I will have to supervise for that, however I suspect they will all require at least three hours of sleep.

*But, all of the above can be negated by two simple things. Thing one: there was one black and white cookie left in the bakery section at the grocery store (if you don't count the broken one) and I got it! Thing two: When Susan sends out a gift order for you, she sends you a beautiful, signature chocolate with your receipt.

*I'd show you a picture of the chocolate, but I ate it. I ate it before I even put my bags down upon arriving home. I ate it before greeting the cats. I ate it with one hand while I tried to take my rain-soaked sweatshirt off with the other. Wanna make something of it????? I thought not...

So there you go: Whining in bullet-post form! It's an art, really. One I have taken to a level that most whiners only dream of. I'll probably be out of practice soon, though. I have but one more full day of school with which to cope then a half day that must be survived.

Summer vacation is right around the corner!!!! Check your whining at the door, Sheepie!!! And maybe consider posting about knitting or something...that's what you're here for, right?

SA