Survival Skills Continued

As I may have mentioned once or twice, it is the last full week of school. I have been rather close-mouthed on this issue since I don't like to complain. I'm really rather selfless and hate for others to be burdened with the minutiae of my life. I just sit back and suffer quietly.

One day they will write songs about me. The long kind that bring a tear to the eye of even the most hardhearted souls...

To add to the overall sturm and drang of the week, today was the day that both my staff were scheduled to be out. Actually, they were scheduled to be out tomorrow but both suddenly found themselves having to change their plans at the exact same time. I knew about this well in advance so I was deep into the denial phase by the time today rolled around. My staff and I don't get subs when we are out. We could. But it's more of a pain than a plan to have to teach someone how to teach these kids...so we don't. It was looking like a long day. It was also an "A" day on the schedule which meant that lunch and specials were coming late in the afternoon. This is an exercise in bladder control...

I was not completely without resources, though. The band was scheduled to perform first thing in the morning so that killed an hour. Then I broke out the new hot glue gun and some craft sticks because there is nothing they like more than searing things. To round out the morning, I broke out a brand new copy of Wall-E and everyone was suddenly transfixed.

It was like summer camp. Or as The Kid Who Has Worn The Same Hoodie Every Day Since September said, "All we're missing is the macaroni art..."

It occurred to me later that I probably could have been knitting while the kids were burning their fingers and dozing in front of the movie. I still have that sock in my bag. But, for some reason, I decided to do paperwork instead. I don't know what I was thinking.

Knitting or no, it was a really nice day with the kidlets. I treasure those days at this time of the year. By now, we are sort of like a family who has been on one of those horrifically long driving vacations that always seem like such a great idea when you start out. We are tired of each other and I, the mother figure of the brood, know that I should love them. But I don't any more and no amount of telling myself that a better person would still find them delightful will change that. Proximity can trump affection after a fashion. You know it's true.

Parents always have the same look when they drop their kids off at the school in September. It's an odd mixture of guilt and relief.

Three and a half more days, for those of you who are counting along. I'm sure that most of you aren't, though. You probably didn't even know it was that close. Like I said...

I'm really quite reserved on these matters.

SA