Eek!

I guess I'm just a nervous nellie.  I get all skittish when I think about that which may come to pass.  For example, as I was readying myself for school today got to thinking about how I have been out of the classroom for days and days.  Thursday: Sent home early.  Friday: Told to stay home due to massive icing.  Weekend:  Well, staying home is just what we do.  Monday:  Still home due to rampant power outages.  It's been a while.

And there are two types of people in a school:  Those who are there by choice and those who aren't.  The ones who aren't are herded onto buses and forcibly marched into classrooms.  They outnumber us.  By a whole lot.  They were not going to be happy about having to come back.  And I somehow needed to appease them while slipping a bit of education in there.  

Let us not even discuss the fact that the holiday break is rapidly approaching and that most of the kids haven't gotten around to understanding that this is not our last week before that happy time.  We have two days to go next week.  They are going to find out soon, though.  And then...well it doesn't bear discussing.

I quickly began reviewing and revising my day's lesson plan.  I didn't want to do anything to startle They Who Outnumber Us.  I wanted them nice and calm.  I wanted to avoid any unpleasantness.  I wanted to live to teach another day.  Things were tweaked.  Adjustments were made.  They were going to need to be eased back into this...

Basically, I chickened out.  I do that sometimes.  I worry.

The same thing happened with those mittens I was knitting.  As I watched the second of the pair progress and the skein of yarn dwindle, I got nervous.  Deep down, I knew that I had enough yarn.  It was going to be close, but I knew it was going to be OK.  

Then I got to thinking about how math and knitting don't always have a working relationship and that my yarn calculations could easily be off.  I got all nervous.  In fact, I morphed into a veritable Victorian lady and practically hyperventilated myself into the vapors.  Which is a problem since I don't own a fainting couch and it is my understanding that swooning Victorian ladies need that particular piece of furniture if they are going to proceed with their planned passing out gracefully.

Instead, I chickened out.  I knit the mitten a bit shorter than I knew I should.  I just hoped that the whole thing would work out.  Now I have a short mitten. Nothing wrong with that.  Some people (like me) need a shorter mitten.  What is a problem, however, is the fact that its mate is not quite so diminutive.  

Now, thanks to my utter lack of courage, I must make a decision.  I will have to either rip back mitten #2 and use the ample leftover yarn to knit it up to par or soak it and stretch it until it begs for mercy.  Neither choice is very appealing to me.  In fact, the options are so unappealing to me that I have tossed both mittens into the time-out basket and started another pair.  

This is why I don't have a mitten picture for you today.  I need to think on this.  The fact that I am a-skairt of my own knitting is just shameful, really.  The fact that I avoid it due to my squeamishness is beyond embarrassing.

While I deal with this mitten quandary and try to find a way to face my fears, I suppose I should show something.  Why don't you all enjoy a picture of the Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty that I took last month but for which I could find no use:

The only thing he is scared of is an empty food bowl...

Last I heard, another storm was moving in tonight.  Who knows?  I may get a little more time to deal with the mitten issues.  There was a great deal of talk about a delayed start to the school day tomorrow if the roads are bad enough.  I don't think this one is going to lead to a full day off, but you never know.

Wait...that would mean They Who Outnumber Us would have another day off.  We only just got them back into the routine!  This is a tenuous thing!  They could turn at any moment!!!

I'll just be cowering under the bed if you need me.  Don't tell the mittens.  Or my students...

SA