Tuesday, June 17, 2008

How Many Times Has it Been?

Twenty.  The answer is twenty.

That's right.  This afternoon, I packed up the final items in the classroom.  I waved goodbye to the fleeing backs of children as they set new land speed records for going from a door to a bus.  I attended a lackluster staff luncheon and wandered around the building looking for something to do to kill the rest of the time I had to be there.  (last days of school are notorious for being half-days for students, but full ones for staff)  I spent more time than is good for me tormenting those poor people who haven't yet finished up all their paperwork or who still need to find a safe place to store the flag for the summer.  

I returned the abandoned report cards to the office and checked to make sure that I hadn't left the coffee pot plugged in because that would be an utter disaster for the custodians.  I washed the board for the first and last time all year.  

I stealthily made my way to the door well before the actual dismissal time and don't feel badly about that one little bit since everyone else had already done it before me.  The principal looked the other way, just as principals have been doing since the dawn of time.

I have been doing these things each and every June for exactly twenty years.  You'd think it would get old.  That the monotony might get to me after the first five, ten or fifteen years.

But it doesn't.  It is still a very, very good kind of day.  

Stick a fork in my Twenty Year Veteran Teacher Tushie.  I'm done, folks.  Summer vacation is upon me.  The buses have all exited the parking lot and the custodians are probably doing a dance of joy right now because they are as happy to see the teachers get out of their way as we were to see the kids head out for the summer.  It is done.

If you need me, I'll be here.  I'll be the one knitting the oddly shaped scarf and telling everyone repeatedly and with agonizing regularity that I am now on vacation until September.  Feel free to say, "hi!"

But don't be too surprised if I hug you for just a little bit too long and tell you all about how I won't be getting up tomorrow morning...

SA

16 comments:

Mia said...

CONGRATULATIONS for surviving it. You're gonna enjoy this summer. I can tell *grin*

Ronni said...

Yea! A whole summer off! Wow, I vaguely remember what that was like as a kid. Color me envious.

Lorraine said...

Woot! CHA CHA CHA! Added your school year exodus to my happy dancing/whooping festival for tonight. Step, ball, change, gliiiide!

Lazuli said...

Congrats on making it to summertime!! Enjoy the time away!

Anonymous said...

Yea!!! You made it!!! Now you can relax and spin. Do you need more index cards? :)

Jeanne said...

Happy Summer!

Kath said...

Happy happy joy joy happy happy joy joy...doin' a little booty shakin' dance for ya! Jump in any time - kitties find it very entertaining, 'specially if you hold the greenies bag while you do it!

Have a great summer - you've more than earned it!

Anonymous said...

Yay! Congratulations! Enjoy your summer!

Anonymous said...

Even though I give you grief, you know I truly believe you deserve your VERY LONG vacation (VERY, VERY LONG VACATION). Besides, if you didn't have summers off, I wouldn't get to see you every Tuesday night for OVER TWO MONTHS!

p.s. I didn't think your scarf was oddly shaped at all :-)

missemilysmom said...

Yeah!! We are out!! Have a GREAT Summer!!

Cursing Mama said...

Congratulations! Have you prepped the index cards of summer yet or can we expect those to replace the children as a source of angst?

Anne said...

Yay! congratulations -- what's blasting on your car radio as you head down the road to the LYS?

Knitting Linguist said...

Congratulations! You made it! (And congrats on the 20 years; there should be some kind of serious reward for making it that long.) Hooray for summer :)

Yarnhog said...

Whoopie!

20 years, huh? I need a nap after an hour helping out in the kindergarten class.

April said...

Hooray for summer vacation! Hooray for Sheepie!

Have a good one. If you need yarn, let me know. :)

Donna Lee said...

What? Is it over already? I know the custodians are just frothing at the bit to get started on cleaning all the kid/teacher grime off their buildings.