Girded

I awoke this morning only a little bit later than I was supposed to.  And I managed to keep to the morning schedule almost to the point where it didn't put my timely arrival at work in dire jeopardy.  More importantly, I was careful to put on my newly knit socks.  This was the modern day equivalent of girding my loins.  The loins needed the girding.  Lots of girdagae.

For today, at 11:00 a.m., I was penciled in to meet with my director to discuss my job for next year.  Enrollment is down, budgets are being decimated and I enjoy making regular payments to the cable company.  After discussing the incoming fifth grade caseload with my counterpart at the primary school, it became apparent that I might just be experiencing a dearth of students come September.  Normally, I'm a gal who enjoys a little of the down-time.  But when it comes at taxpayer expense, I don't think that my coming in to sit around for seven or so hours per day is going to be a big hit with the administration.  I wanted a little clarification regarding just what I would be doing next year.

On the drive into work, I listened to the morning disc jockeys' usual "wacky banter" and was cheered enough by this to almost ignore the news report discussing the latest round of state budget cuts coming down on the schools.  I thought of happy dj's and new socks.  And well-girded loins.

I had it all broken down as follows:

Best case scenario, nothing would change and I'd stay in my current school with a caseload adjusted to include a more diverse population, thus accounting for the loss of the special ed. teacher whose job was cut.

A not-great, but livable scenario would involve being transferred to another school in the district and having to move all my stuff yet again.  I'm tired of moving my stuff.  I move my stuff a lot.  Usually, by choice.  But still...

Worst case scenario, I would be told that my services were no longer required given that the schools are now reduced to returning bottles for the deposit money and having the cafeteria ladies sell the leftover chili on weekends in order that they might have a working budget.  The Big, Fluffy Kitty and I could live in my truck and maybe scrounge some of the chili that didn't sell.

I suspected that the third possibility might really cut into the yarn budget.  Although that inconvenience pales in comparison to the thought of living in a truck with an old cat who is eating naught but leftover chili.

The happy news is that, at least for the time being, I remain employed.  I will, however, be packing up my stuff for another move.  I'm being reassigned to the middle school.  There is also a possibility that my position will be reduced to a 4/5ths version of the job.  That's fine.  I've done it before during budget cuts and said that I would take the reduced hours if it came to that.  Better me than someone with kids who needs the full time paycheck or who can't pick up something part time.  

Let's hear it for girded loins and the power of the socks!  They may not have given me exactly what I was hoping for, but we'll take a minor victory at this point.  

And speaking of victories, my latest dyeing experiment is dry and looking hot!  I sort of mean that literally:

Sorry about the burned retinas.  My bad...

This is 2 oz. of Corriedale that was part of the super-duper surprise goodie box that Susie sent me last spring.  I've been fiddling with all the different fibers that she sent my way and trying lots of different ways of making the pretty happen since it arrived.  This time, I wanted to try food coloring as a dye.  I know that I'm the last person in the free world to give this a shot.  What can I say?  I'm timid with the color.  But, I wanted some red and I don't have red dye so I had to work through my issues.  I love the color, although I have to say that this probably isn't the most cost-effective way to make it happen.  Still...you gotta love a nice, vivid red!  Once your rods and cones have stopped sizzling from the sensory overload, that is.  I'm adding this one to the "Victory" column.

Maybe I'll make some new socks with this fiber.  You never know when the loins will need a little extra girding in these troubling financial times...

SA