You Gotta Have A Plan

OK. This is the time to get serious. Things could get ugly without a good plan in place. Sure, it would be easy to sit back and let the last full week of school cruise by with nary a firm scheduling thought in mind. I could let it slide and hope for the best. I could pretend I am an optimist.

But I'm not. I see danger around every corner. These are the times that try Sheep's souls. It could all go wrong and could do so in the time it takes to tell it. I need to be serious.

I'm not talking about planning for the teaching part of the week. That's a lost cause anyway. Grades have closed, report cards were printed today and all we can do is make sure the students don't find out about this. Once they know that little detail, we are done for. You can't plan for the last full week of school. You can only survive it.

What you can plan for is the emotional toll the week will take. And I think I have a handle on that, thank-you-very-much. I've been doing this for 21 years. I have a system.

I lost some time yesterday, what with the maybe-migraine. I didn't really give much thought to the plan. However, I have been pondering this situation since I first figured out that we would be in school until June 22nd and realized that it might get a bit dicey. Even with yesterday's down time, I still think I have it all under control Here's where we are with things:

*A full supply of Over The Counter remedies for anything that might befall me courtesy of the children this week has been assembled. I've got tummy medicine. I've got headache remedies. I couldn't convince my doctor to prescribe high-test antidepressants without my first coming in to discuss the matter so that didn't pan out. Otherwise, I think I've got it under control.

*The Not-Sleeve is within three inches of completion and will be ready for its union with The Thing That Is Most Certainly Not A Sweater by the time the final bell rings next Monday afternoon. I will have something to do once I have nothing to do.

*A sock awaits in the knitting bag. I will have something to do when I start up my Summer Of Compensatory Knitting Socialization sessions next Tuesday. S.O.C.K.S is a favorite part of being on summer vacation and I'd hate to be unprepared.

*The Index Cards Of Summer Organization have been located and are awaiting the doing of stuff. I have a new system for organizing the summer goals this year. More on that later. But the practice run during Spring Break went rather well and I think it will be a good year for Index Cards!

*Spinning skills were revisited. Yup. I still remember how. Now I know I will have yarn for summer knitting projects.

*A new Kitty Distracter has been procured. When the Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty came to live with me last year, he very much enjoyed the battery operated feather on a string toy I had for the amusement of the resident felines. He enjoyed it so much he trashed it. Totally. I wasn't going to pony up the same amount of cash this time, but I did feel he would need something to keep him out from under foot this summer. I found a ten dollar version which, while not as fun as the expensive one, should hold his attention for a few minutes so I can walk without calamity.

Although I have to admit I felt like I was doing a favor for someone who didn't necessarily deserve it. He wasn't particularly sympathetic yesterday while I was dealing with my headache. In fact, I think he found my difficulties with light, sound and trying to see around that stupid halo thingie kind of amusing...

Hee-hee! I can haz face like Mama!!!! Iz funneez!!!!

*Cash has been collected and secreted away in the depths of the wallet for next Wednesday's trip to the farmer's market. Last summer I scheduled in a time each week to visit with the vegetables and rather enjoyed it. Although I still have no love for the veggies and will never be the type to get all excited at the arrival of summer produce, I felt rather sophisti-ma-cated shopping for my meals like a grown-up. I was this close to being almost European and whatnot. Maybe this year I will even manage to eat the stuff...

*Summer television schedules have been reviewed. I believe I know what I will be watching.

*Summer workout schedules have been determined. Maybe I'll even stick to them a little bit...

As you can see, I have been quite forward thinking. While I may have four and a half more days left of school, I think that the summer vacation waiting at the end of it is ready to go. This, and this alone, is what stands between me and a possible emotional break down. It is the thing which will give me hope while I try to convince middle school students that I still have some power over them and that they need to not burn me in effigy (or for reals) at the flag pole. I am only human and only capable of watching so many movies, attending assemblies and gathering field trip permission slips. There is a limit to my endurance. The planning helps.

Maybe not so much as the OTC pharmaceuticals, but still helpful...

SA