Let's All Appreciate The WNBP!

It's been a big day for little things here in Sheepie Land. This is the perfect thing for a Wednesday Night Bullet Post! Let's get right down to it, why don't we?

*Good news on the Broiler Brownies from last night.

*Those of you who thought I was going to make another batch or whip up some frosting to cover up the bits affected by the inadvertent broiling are so sweet. They way you live in such a constant state of optimism! That is nothing short of adorable!!!

*I let the seared sweets cool, sliced 'em up and brought 'em in to school for Ed. Tech Appreciation day.

*I called them Burnt Offerings. No one seemed to mind...

*I really do appreciate the teaching assistants. Honest. I appreciate them enough that I worried a bit about bringing my sad brownies.

*One of my students got some of the leftovers when he went to his supplemental reading class this afternoon.

*That's the classroom where we had the potluck. His mom just had surgery so the teacher gave him some treats to take home to her.

*Clearly, he'd sampled.

*Exact quote: Wow, Ms. Sheep! Those were great brownies! How did you get them so fudgy?

*I didn't tell him the secret. We'll just keep that between us, 'kay?

*Ed. Tech Appreciation day was a success, if a little scary. The phone kept ringing for my assistant and people kept coming in with corsages for her to wear. She was starting to break under the aggressive appreciation by 10:00.

*Or, as she put it: I feel like they are stalking me!!!

*The CDC has lowered the level of panic regarding schools and the H1N1 virus. We no longer have to close if there is a suspected case.

*Which is good since we have two kids being tested at the moment.

*The new guidelines were confirmed at this afternoon's staff meeting. I already knew this, though.

*I monitor these sorts of things...

*This afternoon's staff meeting lasted 47 1/2 hours. I knit on my sock and didn't really pay much attention.

*I'll probably regret that later. I tend to miss lots of Very Important Information.

*See yesterday's post regarding teacher prep. periods this week and the lack thereof...

*Further Proof That I Should Be Quarantined Regardless Of Pandemic Flu Procedures:

Ms. Sheep: (standing outside the nurse's office) Hi, Favorite School Nurse!

FSN: I am the only school nurse. And I've already seen all your kids today. There is nothing more I can do for you.

MS: You are so funny! Although I noticed you didn't boil any of them like I asked in my note.

FSN: What can I do for you? (pointedly glances at her watch)

MS: I need tissues. We are all out of tissues up there!

FSN: Sorry. I'd like to help, but I just gave out the last box.

MS: What?! That can't be! We are going to have to wipe our noses on our sleeves!

FSN: I can give you a nice roll of toilet paper...

MS: No! I will not carry around a roll of TP!

FSN: Oh, fine. Wait here... (enters the nurse's bathroom and emerges with a half-used box of tissues) Here you go.

MS: (with a look of horror) But...those are from the bathroom!

FSN: Yup.

MS: They are Poo Tissues...

FSN: Yes. The children have been handling them with their poo-covered hands. Here you go. (thrusts the box at the trembling teacher before her)

MS: Um...

FSN: Take them.

MS: (sighs in a resigned fashion, takes the box with her elbows and proceeds to carry it all the way back up to the third floor in this manner)

*We are taking the entire school to the high school tomorrow to watch a play.

*Everyone. The entire middle school. On buses. For a theatrical production.

*I don't spend nearly enough time drinking. I should really clear some space on the calendar for that...

*Further Proof That I Should Be Quarantined Regardless Of What The Center For Disease Control Thinks:

Cute Little 6th Grader: Hey, Ms. Sheep! I got a cut. Can I get a band aid?

Ms. Sheep: Sure. Just let me check...oops! It looks like we are out of the school bandages. I'll just give you some from my private stock.

CL6G: (watches wide-eyed as his teacher extracts her gi-normous bag from her desk and begins rooting around in it) Wow. That's a really big purse.

MS: I carry a lot of stuff. You never know. Stuff is important. Anything could happen. (finds the bag she carries in her bag with all the medical-type stuff) Here's the band aids!

CL6G: Thanks!

MS: Is that one big enough? Do you want the larger size?

CL6G: Nope. I'm good.

MS: I've got other stuff. Do you need some rubber gloves?

CL6G: (giggling) No, silly!

MS: Antihistamines?

CL6G: (grinning) No.

MS: Ibuprofen?

CL6G: (smiling politely) Um...no?

MS: Do you have a tick or a splinter? I've got tweezers in here, too!

CL6G: (backing towards the door) I'm all set...gotta go!

(The CL6G then bolted from Ms. Sheep's office and into the classroom.)

*The next thing I heard was: Have you guys seen Ms. Sheep's purse? It's waaaaay too big!!!

*In between bouts of hysteria and sanitizing, I visited with my favorite librarian.

*Scored a copy of the fourth in the Percy Jackson And The Olympians series.

*Yay! It'll take my mind off things like flu and the theater.

*Did I mention that one of my teaching assistants was out today? Her kid was sick last night. Really sick.

*My other assistant and I bleached her desk today.

*Twice...

*And If You Still Don't Believe I Should Be Quarantined For My Own Good:

Ms. Sheep (to the school secretary when she went down to get the bleach wipes) I sort of like pandemics. They make me look almost...normal.

For the moment, though, I am simply enjoying the fact that it is Wednesday night and that the day is over. I have successfully managed to bring brownies to the teaching assistants and made them feel appreciated. I don't have to worry about five million middle schoolers at the theater until tomorrow. And who knows? I might have failed to sanitize my assistant's desk enough and still manage to get the flu before that trip happens, right?

Think positively...

SA