Tuesday, December 11, 2007

To Clarify...

It wasn't all that long ago that I was rhapsodizing about the joy that is a Snow Day.  Teaching is full of all sorts of nifty perks like daily opportunities to learn about how mean and uncool you are or all the water you can drink from the fountain in the hall.  Pretty sweet...if you don't think about how many kids have had their germy little lips on that water supply, anyway.

But the Snow Days are better than all those fine benefits combined.  There is really nothing like getting up, watching the news, then going back to bed.

However...

I may have overstated my love of the Snow Day.  Getting one every so often is quite a delight.  Getting one before Christmas rolls around is actually kind of helpful.  Getting one after weeks and weeks of endless toil is sheer bliss.  But this does not mean that we want them all the time.  Well...I kind of do want them all the time.  However, I think that this is the definition of "unemployed" and I'm not really ready for that right now.  There are one or two rather nasty bills coming up and all.  And then there is the part where we have to make up the snow days.  You don't just get them for free.  They come with strings, most notably an extra day in June when the humidity is high and the kids hate you more than spinach and educational television combined.

To recap:  Snow Days=Good.  Too Many Snow Days=Bad.  Are we all on the same page?

I am rather nonplussed by the weather reports of late.  It seems that, having decided to drop the white stuff early this year, Mother Nature is feeling the love for the whole process.  There is a great deal more of it, along with a little of the ice and whatnot, scheduled for our morning commutes in the next few days.  Now, the reports have adjusted themselves a bit and it is not looking quite so challenging for tomorrow's slide into work as I'd feared, but the long range forecasts keep telling me that there will be more snow for me to play in soon.  

This poses several problems, not the least of which being that I do not play in the snow.  I do not care for the snow unless it gives me a Snow Day and, as I have already mentioned, we can't be having too many of those or there are consequences.  

It's a conundrum.  

My Cheerful Teaching Assistant (who did not have to go to her other job tonight as the weather conditions were looking bad for driving and who gave "cheerful" a new definition as a result) was chatting with me this afternoon about this 'n that as colleagues are wont to do.  I queried as to how her first knitting project was coming along.  She beamed proudly and spoke of the progress she'd made last night after getting home from work.  I do love having a knitter in the room.  I'd forgotten just how much I like to talk about the knitting.  But, she is new at it and I wasn't really sure if we were truly on the same page.  I decided to put a little test out there.  I said:

Boy, a snow day sure would come in handy...

She brightened.  Her eyes lit up.  She began to chatter eagerly about how much she could get done on a snowy winter's day when the schools were closed and the hours were her own.

She's got it.  She's really, really got it.  She used to go outside and do things like snowshoe or ski.  I like to think we've put a stop to all that.  I cannot help but feel a little twinge of pride.

Now I'll have to teach her about silk and cotton.  I think we are going to have quite a few Snow Days to make up come the end of the school year.  It fear that we will be knitting together right up until The Fourth Of July and wool isn't going to be quite as comforting at that point.

SA

13 comments:

Donna Lee said...

That's the killer of snow days. They are not free. But how about that cta? Knitting on her snow day? Whoot! I have two colleagues who are making purchases that will allow me to teach them to make socks. They want to learn to make socks. I feel so proud.

Kath said...

So I have to ask - what's the Cheerful Teaching Assistant's position on black & white cookies? (Double Stuff - closer to heaven or too much of a good thing?) And on multiple cats? (same question)

I'm just wondering how far to the dark side she has traveled (mwa hah hah!) Great job on converting the young and impressionable! Kudos! :)

Anonymous said...

Soon you will be able to have a knit along with your CTA. :)

Amy Boogie said...

I always say I like snow and people immediately think I like to ski or whatnot. Little do they know it has another purpose. I may have grown up and work at home but my mind is still firmly planted in - "Snow days are for doing what I want to do." --Amy Boogie

Anonymous said...

Wait until the teacher who hates knitting discovers you have converted the Cheerful Teaching Assistant.
Karen
http://nothingbutknit.blog-city.com/

Teri S. said...

Good for the CTA and good for you for "osmoting" your love of knitting to her. We've got rain in the forecast for the next day or so, and then the National Weather Service says "A more significant winter storm could impact this region this weekend." Time to don the snowflake earrings!

Mia said...

Wellllll... if she used to snowshoe and ski, and is now staying in to reap the benefits and joy befitting a brand new knitter.. maybe you ought to sit her down gently and reveal to her the wonder that is elastic waist pants ::laughing::

Cursing Mama said...

The winter has come early to MN also. I am quite glad that I spent a lot of hours sitting on the couch, enjoying the air conditioning, and watching Ice Road Truckers this summer. Certainly I've learned some new driving skills.

Anonymous said...

My brain is traveling the same route as Mia's in the comment right above mine. Sedentary hobbies lead to sedentary bodies. I've always been drawn to sedentary hobbies -- reading, handwork, surfing the net -- and my *figure* shows it.

All that aside, Yay! for CTA!

PICAdrienne said...

My children (native Washingtonians that they are) found out about the consequences of too many snow days last year. They are being far more careful with their snow wishes this year. Weekends, perfect, Winter break, great, one actual missed day, would be a good thing (we have a make up day built into the schedule.) Last school year's 5 (or more, it is a blur) days tacked on at the end of the year, not so great.

Cotton is good for face cloth knitting, nice assortment of face cloths, good for humid weather.

debsnm said...

I want to be a weather-person! Imagine having a job where you don't have to be right even half the time, and still get paid for it! We were supposed to have the mother of all storms beginning last Monday. It rained. The mountains got snow, and I think they might still be getting some, but where I live (now in the Big City), only rain. But, this is why I moved here, right? So I wouldn't have so many snow days? So I could scoot on into work on days with others had to stay home watching TV? What the heck was I thinking??????

sheep#100 said...

Oh, my, yes! It is time to teach her the ways of the cotton and the silk. Soon, she will be ready for you to teach her the ways of the spindle.

On second thought, scratch that last: you two might never get another lesson planned and executed again.

Of course, knitting as a behavioral intervention technique also has possibilities. You might be able to conquer your problem children by teaching them the ways of the wool.

Carrie K said...

Quit whining about Snow Days. At least you get them. The most we get? Earthquake days, and that's only if your house/place of employment falls into the gaping maw.