Down a Man

There is no math teacher on my team right now. Last spring saw the exodus of three of the four sixth grade math teachers, and as of yet, with less than a week to the firs day of school, only two have been replaced.

Oh, never fear! There is a plan in place along with the promise that someone is definitely in the pipeline to start within a couple of weeks, but amidst the back-to-school bustle and buzz, the classroom across the hall from mine sits dark and empty. "What are you going to tell the kids and parents at the open house tomorrow?" a concerned somebody asked me today.

"I' just going to say that we're not offering math on our team this year," I shrugged. "If they want to take that class, they're going to have to switch to another team."

I thought it was funny.

Time Will Tell

Today I found out a couple of things I didn't even know I wanted to know.

1. What will happen when it's raining, and we're running late, and there's no parking lot at school?

It turns out, that so far, not many of our colleagues seem interested in parking on the street that adjoins the far side of our campus. Of course that may change in the next two years.

2. What would happen if the consultant who was hired to present an all day professional development to half the staff were to become violently ill with a stomach bug?

It turns out that we would be tasked with making all manner of gymnastic adjustments so that we could reschedule our PD for tomorrow and still meet, plan, and. Ollaborate with our colleagues who were in the other session which was not postponed.

Do I dare wonder what else I don't know I need to know?

Nah. 

Just No

Our little Lucy really is improving on the leash-- she's a good girl and she wants to do well, but at 6 months it's really hard sometimes. Fortunately, her fellow dogs are on our side. Oh, they know she's a puppy, but when she stands on her back legs and tries to tangle all the leashes, their patience is limited. Most of them turn and trot away to the far end of their own tethers, leaving their owners to shrug apologetically as Lucy turns her head in adorable confusion.

"I don't blame 'em!" we usually say as we continue on our krazy puppy walk.

Surplus

"I need to run to the garden," I told Heidi yesterday. "I think there may be some tomatoes and a few other things ready to pick."

Oh
my
golly!

Two half-bushel baskets later I staggered home. This morning? We canned 12 quarts of tomatoes! AND there are so many more in the garden that will be ready this week.

"How many tomato plants do you have anyway?" my brother asked when he saw

all
the
TOMATOES.

"A lot!" I answered.

Leader of the Pack

"They seem to be walking pretty well together," I said to Heidi, sweeping my arm at the three dogs ambling amiably by our sides. "Well, except that Sonic's a little ahead of me," I noted.

She nodded.

"Don't worry!" I assured her. "He's nearly 13-- I think I can outwalk him." And with that I picked up the pace a bit. But, so did he. Soon we trotting down the parking lot.

Heidi laughed. "Wow! I don't think I've seen him move that fast in years!"

Thank Goodness

How does it feel to be back to school? is a question many teachers hear at this time of the year.

For me it's never been an easy transition, no matter how much I love, or do not love, my job and workplace. Even so, there's nothing quite so sweet as Friday Night when you're just a workaday gal.

I'm With Her

Because of construction going on at and around our campus, parking is going to be at a premium for the next couple of years. Fortunately, the district secured spaces in some temporary lots; unfortunately, over half of them are about half a mile away. Oh, there is a shuttle, but, well, it's not very convenient.

In the interest of fairness and transparency, the administration did a double blind lottery right after our meeting the other day. I waited to see where my spot and those of my friends and teammates would be, silently considering the logistics of all the possibilities. When at last my name was called, I was assigned to the far garage. Rather than despair, though, I crossed my fingers for Heidi's luck, since her name had not yet been called.

When it was? She got a spot much closer to school. "Another plus for marriage!" texted our friend Mary.