The Back To School WNBP

It's hard to believe that a week ago I was writing a Summer Vacation Wednesday Night Bullet Post. Where did it all go? When did those lazy, hazy days slip away?

Oh yeah...that would be yesterday. I remember now.

But a Wednesday is still a Wednesday and that means it is time for the weekly bullet points. If nothing else, getting out of the house to spend time with teenagers is good for a few pithy observations. Here's this week's dose of random:

*I think I've got my morning routine down pat, even after a summer of not having a morning routine.

*It's the evening routine I can't seem to get a handle on. I forget things like putting the coffee on, laying out clothing that is school-friendly or making my lunch.

*This is screwing up an otherwise orderly morning routine.

*Yesterday we had workshops for the adults. Today we had actual students upon whom we could inflict our enthusiasm for education.

*"Inflict" is not an overstatement.

*At least that's what the kids told me.

*As far as First Days go, it was pretty quiet.

*But it isn't a First Day until a 7th grader panics and pukes under a teacher's desk.

*Not mine.

*I don't allow the kids in my office.

*It wasn't the one that belongs to The Teaching Assistant That Came Back From Last Year Just To Torture Me. I could have found some humor in that.

*It was The Cheerful Teaching Assistant's desk. The one who came back to me after a year away and who I missed more than words can begin to express.

*I cleaned it up before she got back from her lunch.

*She has a sensitive nose. Had she gotten a whiff, I would have had lots more tummy tumbles to mop up.

*The Teaching Assistant Who Came Back had hidden the bleach wipes on me.

*She'd probably describe it as "putting away the things certain teachers leave all over the place."

*It's a matter of perspective...

*I hurt my back picking up a pencil today.

*That is a bad sign. I should probably just put in for Workman's Compensation and stay on the couch until retirement.

*I was wiped out when I got home. And my back hurt.

*I did not work out. I am too old to work out.

*I hurt myself lifting a small piece of wood. I shouldn't be doing much of anything, really.

*I should probably spend some time on that sock, though. If I'm not going to work out, I should at least knit.

*The teaching schedule is really different from the summer schedule.

*You may hate your kid's teacher.

*You may even have good reason to hate her. She may be the worst teacher in the world.

*But you have to admire her bladder control. Give her that.

*I miss going to the bathroom when it is time to go.

*Now I go when there is time to go.

*There is a subtle difference between those two statements.

*But it is a significant one.

*On the first day of school, the buses are always wicked screwed up. If something goes wrong with the afternoon routes for the older kids, the little ones don't get dropped off until after dark.

*This causes great angst among the parents.

*The little kids don't care because they have gone to sleep by then.

*But it's bad. So we have early dismissals for the first two days of school to allow for any errors and still get the kindergartners home before breakfast.

*Today's dismissal began at 12:40.

*Tomorrow we will dismiss at 1:30.

*I have Friday off.

*I have Monday off.

*Daddy Sheep refers to this Back-To-School Schedule as "The soft start."

*I tell you this because I think that full disclosure is important.

* I still want lots of sympathy for having to go back to school. I hate being back at school because I am not the type who fears I will become bored upon retirement.

*I feel very strongly that I will handle retirement like a champ. I'm already really good at it.

*But I think it is only fair that you be given the opportunity to keep my sympathy rations in perspective.

*Two short days with kids and a four day weekend.

*You'd have figured it out at some point and I didn't want anyone to be caught by surprise.

*Or hate me for both whining and deceiving you.

*The AGK was in full Needy Mode this morning and the dollar store cat cave was required in order that he be distracted enough to let me out the door.

*But he was much better when I got home today. There was none of the pouting we saw yesterday.

*I think we are going to be OK with the new routine.

*That or he is planning some horrible revenge for my daring to have a life outside of the house...

Happy Wednesday, Folks. Hope yours was a good one. While I do miss the summer vacation days and the restful feeling that comes from being a lady of leisure, I can't help but think that a little structure will be a good thing for all of us.

Except for the vomiting part. I could probably do without that being a regularly scheduled event...

SA