Overcoming Reader/Writer/Noter Block

I don’t know why I am having such a hard time coming back here to read/write/note.  I think about OD and all of my faves nearly every day.  That’s really lame, I know.  If one of my students were to say that to me….I’d tell them that thinking isn’t doing, is it? 

So much has been going on that I am physically and mentally wiped out every day.  My body has decided to make it plain to me, in no uncertain terms, that the big 5-0 is coming up.  Yep – time to pay the piper for the previous 49 years… high blood pressure, headaches, hot flashes and cranky teeth….yippee!

I never thought I’d have to live with a pregnant woman.  All the ups and downs….ugh!  AND it is somehow compounded by the fact that I am a mother myself, and therefor stupid and entirely unknowledgeable about the processes of pregnance and childbirth.  Can’t wait until we get to the actual child rearing portion of the program – ha!

This year has been particularly difficult at school.  Fortunately, it’s not just me.  The majority of the faculty/staff at school feel the same about this year.  I wonder, what makes some years harder than others???

Sometimes I start to write – and all that comes out is school-related stories – and I think I am becoming "Suzie One-note" and getting a bit boring.  Sigh.

That being said – here come the school-related stories!

Our garden is (mostly) thriving.  We have picked banana peppers, collards, lettuce, and spinach galore.  Bell peppers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplant and strawberries are ripening.  We have made and served to the faculty/staff a yumalicious soup using our greens – twice! 

I spent the night with 30 students at the local zoo – slept in the Manatee building.  (er – I use the word "sleep" loosely)

The school year is winding down – just 3 more weeks to go.  And then a really LONG summer, since the POWERSTHATBE decided to more the start of our school year out 3 weeks this year.  That means 3 more weeks without pay….and a wolfie who will be chasing her tail trying to keep food on the table!  No, I refuse to take the downward spiral into a rant on this one.

I was nominated as HTCAA (That’s the career and tech ed teacher association) middle school teacher of the year.  No, I didn’t win – but considering that this is my 4th year teaching – I was pretty darn pleased just to be recognized county-wide.

There is a student who has been trying my patience this semester.  She is not "bad", just doesn’t do much but talk.  She seems very needy and a bit immature yet too mature at the same time.  That may not make sense, but it really is an accurate description of her.  The other day I made myself stop and listen to her.  She just moved back "home" with her aunt…because her mother called Child Protective Services on the aunt to make her take the child back.  Seems auntie had kicked her out because she thought the child had taken something from her.  The child was living with a friend.  Why was mom calling CPS on auntie?  Well…..mom is in a halfway house where she is preparing to re-enter the world after a drug conviction.  Sigh.  Once again, I was reminded that I need to be patient – who knows what kinds of crap these kids have to deal with at home?  Can you imagine having to cope with all that at age 13? 

But I digress.  One of the language arts teachers here always has her students write an essay on their favorite teacher.  She then delivers that essay to said teacher.  I got one written by – you guessed it – this child, described above, who has sorely tested my patience.  She said she could laugh in my class – and I listen to my students.  Sounds small, doesn’t it?  Yet, to her, it is very big.  It’s true…. little things mean a lot.

And a short daddy story.  I stressed and stressed and stressed over telling Daddy-dearest that Chickie was pregnant.  I wasn’t trying to shield Chickie from the wrath of Grandpa.  Nope. See, he wouldn’t be angry at her.  He would shovel all that animosity towards me.  That’s just the way it is.  So…I dragged my feet and worried and hid and stressed myself out.  Then I just HAD to tell him.  So I did.  And he looked at me and grumbled a minute.  Then – he told me what he had done that day and we went to the store and bought baby clothes.  Just goes to show what I know, doesn’t it?  LOL.  Seems that the truth is that Daddy-dearest is so happy to be a great-grandpa that he really doesn’t give a fig about all the other issues – unwed mother, bi-racial child, not enough money….hah!  All of that pales in comparison to the fact that a GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER is on the way!  Oy!

Now I need to go take a round of the various pills and supplements I am enthusiastically inhaling to stave off the natural order of aging… but I do believe the wolf is back!