BOOM!

After school the world shared many joys with us. The mouse trap was effective. Now a reset is in order. The navy was testing my nerves w/ a quick flyover BOOOM! Shook the whole school. I thought it was an earthquake. Nope apparently my nerves haven't been tested enough with fire alarms and late night visits from the sheriff's department. We have sonic booms to add to the mix! I guess it is a fairly common occurrence here. So I guess I won't jump quite as high the next round.

I was so happy to see the mouse-trap was effective. Although I am not a fan of being the one to empty the trap. It was a pretty healthy mouse. I was just glad I wasn't around when it snapped. I hate that noise. UGGH! Well little feet scurrying around isn't so great either. We are resetting a trap so hopefully he doesn't have any friends running about.

I am soo pooped from this first week I feel like my brain needs a kick start... the sonic boom didn't work though.... so Perhaps I just need a good nights sleep.

Air-Conditioning

The stuff dreams are made of! The Math/ Shop teacher installed an A.C. In my room this afternoon!! I may have to make brownies or something. The kids couldn't drink enough water yesterday. I had the first day of Kinders! I am very overwhelmed right now the amount of curriculum I need to think of is quite overwhelming. I need to change the way I think about school and organization. It just won't work the way I am attempting to do it! Thank goodness I have experienced people to call upon. When you think about 5 grades and 20 students and the standards that must be covered. I go HEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPP! This is survivor week. I need to put more time into planning next week. Especially now that I know the students a little more and can see their needs.

2 White Rocks, a Marker, and 30 cents

I survived... I think! You know how they say you can never be too prepared? They are right...and I don't think I was. We made it through the day. Everyone survived! Whooo hooo Anyhow, I came home to cool off... I don't know how hot it was in the school this afternoon... but we were all melting. Brains don't work well in those kinds of temperatures. One 2nd grader sat up and told me Miss C. my chair is sweating. Hee hee... I just said "ooh man".

I came home to cool off get a bit of dinner and go plan and re-plan the plan! No air conditioning in our school. The sun hits my room perfectly for maximum sun exposure. yay. The secretary has a plan to get a window a.c. in my room. Here is hoping she is successful!

We still can't access e-mail, or our software programs. I am thinking we are probably not going to be able to do our assessments before the first round of state testing. That is just plain ridiculous! GRRRR..

So today I had 15 kiddos and tomorrow I have the little ones. My post title is what was in my pocket when I came home today.


P.S. We have an unwanted, unwelcome classroom pet. A mouse. A trap has been set. UGGH I only screeched a little when I saw it. These kids have been known to stomp them on the playground. I apparently wore the wrong shoes to school.

P.P.S: MISERABLY HOT TODAY 96 outside I don't even want to know what it was inside. NO AIR-CONDITIONING!

Technology!

I am ready to throw the school technology out the window! To start with we cannot log on to any computer because the Tech Guy hasn't entered us into the network. So we log in under an old teachers name. Then we can't log into our school e-mail because that has not been set up yet. We can't log into the software program where all of our student information is stored because that isn't set up yet. Our students won't be able to get online to do assessments because we can't log in yet. I can only get on one computer with the previous teachers name. Then the printer that was hooked up to that computer died. The previous teacher told me that it didn't work and she didn't know why but she never bothered to tell anyone. So I can't print. I couldn't install another printer on that computer because there isn't enough memory to install the driver. I can print to the Secretary's printer....if it decides to work. Its feed isn't picking up the papers too often these days. I am irritated! Our brand new Teacher computers are still sitting in boxes unopened. UGGH! Even if I could print the computer is soooooo slow it is torture! It is like being on Dial-up. It is like the early 90's technology. It is miserable.

The fire alarm went off at school again today. I jumped but not as high :)! Now I know how to silence it. The power went off because of thunderstorms we had today which triggered the fire alarm. If they don't get that fixed it could be an entertaining first few weeks of school.

Tonight I met a local who does "garbage service" WOOT WOOT! Everyone has been telling me that they aren't sure my care would make it to the dump in the winter. It would save me time as well. Tomorrow they start building a geo-thermal plant here it has brought in quite a few temporary laborers. So that is good for the town. Well I had better go I have a lot to do tomorrow.

ALARMED!!!!

Another Night... at School... allllll by myself. Luckily I went in to start the laminator and realized my co-teacher had forgotten to turn it off. That could've ended up a bad bad deal. So then I started Laminating, Laminating, Laminating... and more Laminating. Then I jammed up the Laminator. I kicked myself a couple of times... couldn't figure out how to fix it so decided to leave it till tomorrow until I had some help in fixing it. I only ended up losing two things to Lamination Hell. So that wasn't too bad. So I started cutting out what I finished laminating... cleaned up my classroom... started making another list of things I still need to get done! It is quite a list.

It had been a fairly quiet night at school. I had my fan running so I didn't hear any pack-rats, or wildlife of any sort. I felt like I was getting something done. Which is a very good thing.

Next thing I know...

there is a LOUD BUZZING NOISE GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOL... I JUMP OUT OF MY SKIN... HEART PALPITATIONS.... IT IS THE FIRE ALARM. WHAT HAVE I DONE???? AM I GOING TO MEET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TONIGHT?? WHO CAN I CALL???? I finally remember I have the secretaries number in my cell phone. I call her... and she comes down. We can't figure out what zone is setting the fire alarm off. She helps me un-jamb the laminator and I decided I've risked enough for the evening. No firefighters at school... just the secretary and I to figure it out. I calm down fairly slowly. I decide maybe I am not meant to be at school by myself at night.

Tomorrow is the beginning of three days of meetings. Happy Happy joy joy... NOT SO MUCH!! Hopefully, I learn some good stuff. Something other than how to turn off a fire-alarm and jam a laminator.

Big Dipper

Last night was dark and the stars were bright. I felt like I could reach out and grab one or two. That is the major upside to living in the boonies. There is no light pollution and the stargazing opportunities are spectacular.

Housing: well here is the good and the bad news. For now I get to stay where I am and and not move into a dump that the Landlord proclaimed was "CLEAN" I guess clean means spiders, bugs, cobwebs, and who knows what imbedded in the carpet. So as long as my current landlords do not lease the Saloon out to someone I am staying. Hopefully this will carry me through the school year. If I intend to stay next year... well I think I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

I've been working in my room a lot the past few days getting it organized and everything in its place. I am at war with the computers which are phenomenally old and sllllllooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww. They did get a new computer for each of us teachers but.... we have to wait upon the computer dude to make us a priority and set them up. I can't even look at the box. It is torture because I KNOW I CAN set up a computer. Policies and procedures... blah blah blah .... must be followed! Siggh. We often are playing the waiting game hoping that when our maintenance guys, computer dude, come down to see us we get done what we need done. I don't even have a school email and can't login to a computer under my name. So I have to use someone elses login but I can't print under their user name. I also can only login to one computer. That stuff just goes on and on. I am trying to be patient because the Computer dude is new. I think he is playing a lot of catch-up.

Sitting at my computer the other day while waiting for something to load, I looked out the window in front of me. There sat a jack-rabbit not even 3 feet away. That was kind of fun. I'd much rather gaze out upon that view of sagebrush, and jack-rabbits, than parking lots, and cars.

Things get kind of interesting at school, after dark, by yourself. I am not the type to get spooked very easily. (unless you come around a corner when I am not expecting you ha ha). Okay no really, I guess with all the house-sitting I've done and living other places... I just don't get spooked. Buildings make noises at night. So while cutting out a gazillion things to be laminated I decided to watch a "who-done-it" mystery program on my Smart Board. Maybe not the best Idea in a big building by oneself, without Brit or Carmen (the best of dogs those two) to alert me to possible intruders.I hear rattling..pause... more rattling...it goes on and on. I think well possibly it is a pack-rat. I guess not too long ago our secretary had to kill one that had moved into the building. (She is a woman of many talents). I kept hearing the rattling but refused to give into my fears and go check it out. I moved into the hallway then listening to my "who-done-it" more than watching it. I was hanging paper on a bulletin board when the back door handle is jiggled and someone knocks. My head pops up, heart skips a beat, I probably turned a whiter shade of pale, and......... it was one of our local sheriffs checking the building they make sure every door is locked. They do this every night I believe. Anyhow, so I met him and we had a nice chat. I didn't even wet my pants... just had a heart palpitation or five.

My neighbors are saloons. While I live over a saloon it is quiet because it is not in use right now. On each side of me, and across the street are more... saloons. So this can get a bit interesting coming home in the evening. I have very thick walls... so I rarely hear them. However, I do get invited for a drink quite often by interesting characters. Interesting might be too kind of a word. Oh well. When you live over a saloon and next to saloons... you're very glad to have a steep flight of stairs that the sloshed folks couldn't make their way up without personal injury.

Last week I was lucky to go visit a cousin at a Lake a few hours away. It was really nice to get to see her, water, and tall trees. Really a cabin on a lake up in the mountains, I'm not sure it gets better than that. It was the perfect little break before going back to reality. I am very grateful I was invited and had a little time away.

Tomorrow is my last personal "prep" day. Wednesday we start with trainings then drive north Thursday morning for trainings the rest of the week. I am trying to decide if I have enough groceries for the first week of school, or if I need to drive to town this weekend. There was a few things I did not have room for the last trip. Speaking of that. Anyone know of a fantastic, amazing, spectacular, cooler?? I am going to make a serious investment in one. It will make those trips to Costco or the grocery store much more beneficial.

I have been to two of the grocery stores in the town 2 hours away. The selection wasn't fabulous. However, they did have green Kleenex. WHY???? I didn't even know they made colored Kleenex anymore. I didn't even realize that it was colored Kleenex till I brought it home and opened it. Yeah... I am taking that to school. The kids will probably love blowing their boogers into green Kleenex. You didn't want that mental image did you?

Okay well last but not least on the latest and greatest is......
I now have 19 students. YIKES!!! 19!!! This is good for the school... for me it is a bit more stressful. I started with 11 students... so this will be interesting. My co-teacher has 6 but she is going to take my 4th graders for Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies... at least some of the time. We are working that out still. Oh yeah... forgot to tell you. I ran out of student desks. Imagine running out of desks! They are hopefully bringing us some from our district headquarters.

Well, I'd better get off to bed. My Cricut (die-cutting machine) has been getting a work-out. Luckily last trip to WallyWorld they had some cartridges on sale for 20$! Oh one more thing. My co-teacher spent some time with a Teaching Coach from another district. She helped us with pacing.. and many other things. She also gave us a great idea. I have thought of doing this but not quite in this way. So what we are doing is a Focus Wall. On the focus wall, we have Language Arts and Math, the standard we are teaching, and the objective for the lesson. (other subjects will be integrated under those headings). So the students will know... this is what we are learning about to day. A parent, administrator, anyone can walk into the classroom and know what we are working on immediately. It will help me to maintain the objective of what I want the students to be learning as well. I think It is a great idea. After we have it up and running I will try to take a photo... maybe I am the only goof who finds that interesting though :).

I said "last but not least" a couple of paragraphs ago. Hmmmm... I think that means I am rambling... off to sleep.

Goodnight!

Expectations

Expectations are a funny thing. You think you've set the bar pretty low... you have it in your head that the bar couldn't be much lower than that. Then you're proven wrong. I had to take a look at the place I may have to move to. I wanted to cry. The work that would have to be done to make it liveable is simply overwhelming. The gas leak was an unexpected bonus... the trips to the dump required. I just keep thinking how can I do all of this and get ready for school. I haven't even prepared my classroom because I have been cleaning it. I need a plumber/electrician/carpenter all rolled into one who would work for peanuts... maybe even peanut M & M's. You know you've hit that wall when your brain can't come up with a plausible solution. Most of my solutions in my head right now are totally unrealistic. REALITY on the other hand is OVERWHELMING!

Expectations... bite you in the behind

Urge to Curse!

There is only a certain amount of time that going through 30 years of educational materials can be considered fun,entertaining, or at least interesting. I passed that allotted time days ago. I am sooooo over it. Today I found a bag of baby bottles in the back of the cupboard. While others wanted to speculate as to the "why" of it all. I wanted to say a few bad words... LOUDLY!! Has ANYONE EVER ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN HOUSE?? Uggh! I really want to be done with purging my room of junk and move on to organizing my class for the year! Maybe even do a little scheduling, lesson planning, or reading of curriculum! I doubt the backs of these cupboards have been seen in years!!! I have 3 filing cabinets and 2 cupboards to go. Cupboards isn't the right word either. They are probably 7 feet tall and 2 feet deep. They were PACKED FULL! At a certain point I think I am going to just have to stop and hope to go through it later. I do know where the important stuff is. I also have a handle on what curriculum is available. I also know where to find every math manipulative ever made. I also have pretty much every educational game, flash card, and resource made. I may be exaggerating slightly. I am at the point I am downright unmerciful on throwing stuff out.
My co-teacher came in and was like oh look at this cool stuff.... etc etc. I was at the point that I couldn't see anything "cool" about any of it. JUST because you CAN purchase something. Doesn't mean you SHOULD purchase something. Oh yikes!! We also need Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to come in and give us new computers! This school is neglected in the computer area. We do have Smart Boards. Yee Haw. The computers are pretty sad though. I think they are still running Windows XP. Anyhow, while I continue to kill spiders and eliminate dust, I am quite irritated with the continuing purging of my classroom. It is headache inducing to see how money was wasted. There was someone at some point who was buying without researching. So that is where I am at. I am sick and tired of cleaning out junk.
Okay in more exciting news. I may be moving out of my apartment over the saloon soon and into a real apartment...! I met the lady who cleans the apartments... and I am a bit scared. I may have some serious cleaning to do there as well. Anyhow, I get to go see it this weekend and perhaps it will be better than I think! I can only hope! Also we are getting a delightful preview of Hot August Nights with old cars going through town. That is a nice change from Harleys. Alrighty. That's what is new... or maybe it is the same ole same ole. It is what is happening though. Ooh and I get to go see my cousin(s) at the lake soon! It will be my last time to chill before school madness begins. Whoo HOO!

Progress

I am getting more done in my classroom. I have scared spiders and eradicated dust. I could have made a fascinating Diorama of education in the last 30 years. I have filled trash bags and moved stuff to storage. I've found brand new packages of never opened curriculum, books, materials, consumables, manipulatives, and more. I feel like I've made A LOT of progress but then there is much much more to go. This classroom needed some serious purging. I do have concerns about where there are gaps. For instance I have no assessments for kindergarten. I will have to figure this out so I can level them and check them for progress. I don't have a writing curriculum for all grades. What are they supposed to start writing in 5th grade and magically know how?? Sheesh. Anyhow. I am also STILL leveling and labeling books. I think that may never end! It all seems a bit daunting at times. Then I make more progress and think I can do this!! Our student numbers keep changing. I was at 11 then 15 then 16 then today maybe 14 so I don't know till I know :). I have two, four drawer filing cabinets to go through and four or five tall two door cabinets to go through. Oh yes and my desk. I also haven't un-boxed any of my own teaching supplies. I told our secretary if I came asking her to buy math manipulatives she needed to tell me to go and look again. If there is a math manipulative to be had... I have it!

So I've learned we have Self-garbage service.. you haul it to the dump. Our Special Education Aide is also the lunch lady, a classroom aide, a fill in secretary, school nurse, and much much more! Amazing. Let's see what else. Some of our kids have a 45 minute drive to school on good roads. Oh and guess what... our school does NOT HAVE.... AIR CONDITIONING! Gasp!!! Well I had better go.

Saturday Night and the town is HOPPIN' ...... NOT

We got quite a few things out of storage so now I can dress a bit more professionally at work! It was steamy in the storage unit, but it was fairly cool in comparison to just a day or two before. So could've been much much worse. I am going to have to go back to the grocery store soon. I forgot a few things and didn't really plan very well. That's what happens when you don't make a list. Oh well. We got to town here and probably a third of it noted our arrival.. and that was just the obvious ones. I told Ma & Pa I didn't want to unload everything because notes would be taken on what I arrived with. Well the self proclaimed "Village Idiot" came to "help". He said he was in the running for it last year but thought he'd probably make it this year. I'd been warned about Mr. Curiosity. He sits at another saloon alllllllll dayyyyyy lonnnnng. Watching the world go by. He told me I don't do nuthing. I just live behind the saloon. He does not live behind "my" saloon but another saloon up the street. Anyhow, He's a good reason to look forward to cooler weather. Unless he has a table by the window. Hmmmmm

Other than that it is veryyyyy quiet. Occasionally a truck drives up or down the road. That's about all you hear in the evening. Certain times of year I am told this place is "hoppin". I didn't get anything more done at school this weekend. Maybe tomorrow after Ma & Pa head back north of the border. This state can be down right unpleasant with heat this time of year. I am glad to be at a higher elevation.

Totally off topic but today Pa asked me what a " Kway-so-dill-a" is. I then had to explain what a Quesadilla is. I had a good laugh over that one! Well goodnight

In my new pad!

Well... It has a nice size living room/ dining area kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom with a shower and claw foot tub! It is long and narrow just as you would imagine an old western style building being built. Balcony on the front overlooking the highway/ main street. It is nice and cool despite the hot day so either it is well insulated or that thermostat I haven't figured out yet is actually regulating the temperature! The entrance is in the front via a long narrow flight of stairs! Out the back is a small patio/ deck with the hill rising behind it and then a street and more homes. The hill is high enough there is quite a bit of privacy back there. The main bedroom has sky lights which is pretty cool. I am glad to have landed for a bit. Hopefully my next place will be less temporary.

I am testing out my wireless broadband. Found one place that I can get two bars on it. I will tweak and see if I can up that. It is just enough to get on the internet though! So that is what I wanted. I will finish unloading my car this afternoon/evening and then tomorrow will head down to the school for some more cleaning. I did go visit my storage unit today and was able to find my step ladder and a couple of my totes of clothing. My wardrobe has expanded. I went to the grocery store before heading back here and I realized in the store I was getting a little carried away. The car was pretty full... and I was optimistic about what I could fit. So I got the basics managed to get it all in there (creatively) and left for home.

I found out that 2 of the people we interviewed were the spouses of the other teachers. yikeseroni. We did not end up hiring them so hopefully there are not hurt feelings. Small town life. Somebody ain't gonna be happy!!! I have found more that is missing from the curriculum... need to decide what to do about this. Hopefully my principal will work this out for me. I don't think I have ever had a secretary as educated as our current secretary. The secretary is always the squeaky wheel but this one is phenomenal. She has educated herself so if she gets education related questions, concerns, etc. she can answer them. She also took a course on how to do standards based report cards. I am just amazed at the extra MILES... she goes to be of service to the school, students, and families. It is awesome!

Well I'd better go
Have a great day

Uh Oh...

It sounds like the previous teacher is having a hard time letting go. She was there for a few decades so that is understandable. I am trying to be optimistic but I am worried about her interference. Luckily my co-teacher is new as well and I think between the two of us we can combat her negativity. There are going to be a lot of changes it is highly likely she won't approve.... such is life right?? I worked with people last year who only saw the problems without offering, seeking, or asking for solutions. I've learned to deal with that. It isn't fun... at all... but I can deal with it. She sees it as her school, her room (nope it's mine). I am thinking I may need to make some drastic changes quickly so it doesn't resemble what was "hers" anymore. She is still part of the community so that could be difficult... even though during the week she will be 1 1/2 hours away. I am hoping she decides to get really involved with her child's sporting events. (wishful thinking) Anyhow, Like I said before my co-teacher and I so far have been on the same page as far as changes and what we would like to see. So that is good. I also think we are both strong enough to implement those changes. The kids will adapt... no problem... it is what kids do... they adapt. It is when we get older we are less and less fond of change.
Seeing her kind of stuck in what was made me realize how positive professional change can be. Working with new people, new environments, new programs. It keeps you fresh professionally. I think it might be a good idea after I have more experience... to find one new thing to learn about every year. One new thing sounds maybe a little small huh? Well If it is a professional focus 1 new thing could be quite time consuming. Anyhow, I also must remember to reach out to other professionals who have great ideas and are willing to share. Sharing is good. Teachers must share it makes us all better teachers.

Anyhow I leave soon to head south and see how many spiders have taken over my classroom... and hope to find more info on my possible home! :)

A lot to think about.

I am glad for those people I have around me that can share their wisdom. My cousin for reminding me how simple it is to create boundaries for yourself so you can continue to do what is right. My Aunt for teaching me the difference between spoiled and nurtured. That is something I want to remember. She said somethings spoiled is left on the shelf and is neglected. Something nurtured is given everything it needs to thrive. If a plant is neglected even in one area lets say sunlight. You can give it an abundance of water and it will not thrive. It needs water, sun, and nourishment. Same with a child. If you give it material goods... it is never enough because the child needs time, love, and attention. So I am grateful I get to spend time at least chatting with people I can learn from. This past week also brought attention to how short life can be. We think we have time to make plans, to do this or that. Sometimes it is cut short. So what plans are really important to make?

So I am still waiting on the news of my future abode. It could be one of five things. I still don't know which one :). I am driving down there possibly this week to attend some interviews we are having for an aide. I want to be part of that process. Maybe seeing my homeless face will be inspirational :)! Hee hee. Who knows... I am really wanting to dig in... but apparently I am learning patience as well. So I leave you to contemplate if my possible room over the saloon comes with a dumb waiter...

Summer

Well... I am still on vacation but honestly I wish I were working. I imagine I will get back to work and wish I were on vacation. Anyhow I am finding out a bit more about the curriculum we have available. Some of it I feel is very out-dated and I hope we can move on from that. We shall see. The handwriting book used is....D-nealian handwriting. Designed to be a scaffold between print and cursive. We have a typical basal reader but it is seriously old and bits and pieces and this and that are missing. UGGH. Then we have Saxxon math A math program heavy on worksheets. VOWAC is the phonics/spelling program. The more I found out about the curriculum the more I realized that this teacher does WORKSHEETS FOR EVERYTHING! YIKES!! I am not saying these programs are poor quality.. there is just TOO MANY WORKSHEETS!!! How can SCIENCE be fun if it is done on a WORKSHEET!!! I can't take the WORKSHEET MADNESS! Okay you get the idea... Anyhow It will be interesting to see what we can change and improve upon.

I won't be there but the Principal is coming down for a meeting with the staff to discuss next year. Sounds like they have not found a 4th teacher. So I am not sure how they will arrange that. So my co-teacher is addressing the major questions I have. I know I will have more. I am madly trying to read through my Teacher's Survival Guide To help me think about things I may have forgotten or never thought of. I have another book a bit different than that one I will look at next. I get brain overload and overwhelmed. So we shall see what we shall have and make do. :)

Trying to think...

You know when you have one of those days where you've done, seen, and heard so much it barely processes?? Well When I think about today and where I started and ended my day I can't believe it. I was a little sad to be leaving my last town. I made some good friends there. I learned so much from the town, students, etc. It was a little bittersweet. Knowing I have a job for next year helped overcome that. I would really really love to not have a U-haul in my future for a couple of years at least. I want to be settled in for a bit.

I was able to visit my new job site and see my future classroom. It was bigger than I expected the school has a gym, locker rooms, weight room, computer labs, home economics room, library, a mini-cafeteria, and office. I was surprised by the size. I met 2 of my future colleagues, the school janitor, a school board member, the volley ball coach, and many others. I was able to start to see some of the challenges associated with this new job. If I can maintain the students as my priority I will do great. I realized I desperately need a classroom library. I will be doing some shopping while back home and some garage sales as well.

Loading and unloading a U-haul uggh. It is not fun. Despite getting rid of sooo much I still have sooo much. I told mom I can't get anything new unless I get rid of 10 other things :). It is downsized from my last move so there was progress but it isn't easy. Now I just have to hope they find me a wonderful mice free, smoke free, safe, and warm place to rest my head.

Moving ...Again..... Yippeee

Don't get me wrong, I am excited about the change and the new job part of moving. It is the actual moving process that is uggghhhhh! Every time I move I think I will do better this time, pack better, get rid of more, etc etc. I did get rid of a lot my garbage-can will attest to that and I gave some stuff to put in a friends yard sale and I have a lot more to donate. The fact is though... by the time you are near the "end" of packing you just don't care anymore. You throw it in a box and say I will go through that after I move (sometime in the next millennium)So it goes. I do know that I have gotten rid of a lot even though as we pack the dreaded (U-haul) It doesn't feel like much. If I were better about throwing one thing out as I brought one thing in :) that might help. I have some wonderful friends I made here that came and helped move the PIANO and move the heavy stuff onto the u-haul. Too bad I can't throw them in the back with my stuff to help us unload on the other end. They also made us dinner tonight so we didn't have to. That was fantastic. Saved us. Dad got to watch their 3-D TV for a bit which he found very exciting. They were watching an undersea exploration. Probably the only way he can experience the ocean without getting sea sick. So that was fun.

Dad and Mom scored this mothers and fathers day with brand new KINDLE's. So that helped ease the pain of moving maybe a tad bit. I helped Dad download free Zane Grey books So he is happily reading that while mom reads some mystery thriller. I don't know why I am so surprised how much they love their Kindle's but they really really do. I didn't think they would adapt to the technology, but they have. I know I love mine.. but it is fun to watch them enjoy theirs. You can even upload the BIBLE King James Version. I haven't tried that yet but I will have to see how it works. Anyhow I really need to go shower and hit the sack. One more day of packing... woot woot. Followed by a day of errands... followed by a day of traveling and unpacking....followed by traveling.... followed by quality time with a pillow. Sleep is good.

Today was supposed to get up to 87 I don't know if it did the morning started out miserably hot. Then a breeze came through and even if it was 87 it did not feel like it. Very pleasant. Tomorrow is supposed to get up to 84 with some breezes. So this will be good. So new opportunities ahead, more learning, it is good!

Stilll..... going through stuff

Well going through stuff and packing, with breaks for unscheduled procrastination. I am good at it. I do have a couple of stacks of stacked and labeled boxes in the corner of my kitchen. So there is progress. I also have a donation box and two trash bags full of trash. Yay! So there is progress however if you looked at my house right now it wouldn't look anything like said progress. Looks more like a mini-tornado went through the house. sighhhh....

I found some pictures I took in January of my new home town. Although back then I didn't know it was my future home! So it will give you a teeny taste of where I am living next. This coming week I am taking a class during the day and packing in the evening. So I need to have the worse of it done. Uggh. UGGGH! UGGGGGHHHHH! The parents are driving down on Friday and the moving process will begin. It isn't as rushed as my last move thank goodness! That's all for now...

Waiting,Packing.Waiting.

So I am ever-so-patiently waiting to find out if they have found me a place to live! I want it too be soon. I don't think it is going to work out that way though! If I am not packed when the parents arrive there is going to be some MAJOR WHINING!! Anyhow it would be a lot easier if I knew that. I am glad they are finding me a place... I just wish I was part of the process. Anyhow we shall see what happens. It may be hard for some of you to imagine living in a town without a grocery store. Unless you think the mini-mart at the gas station counts :)! The closest grocery store is 90 miles the 2nd closest it 111 miles away. So grocery shopping is going to be a planned event. I may be heading north quite often to our district office... so in that case I will have to stop at the store.

The plan tomorrow is to compile all paper work and start filing it, burning it, or tossing it. So that is going to be dull. A few of us went out this evening to our favorite local restaurant. It will be missed. So will are snarky favorite waitress. Next week I am taking a class so packing will be an evening activity. I can't believe how quickly time has flown...

Got a Job! WHOO HOOO

I am thrilled to pieces! Yay! A job is a very good thing :)! I am in a district with an economy that is much more stable! So that is awesome! This is a long term position. Even more exciting at this teeny K-12 school...there is a Grand Total of 35 students. 35 students and 4 teachers. It will have its challenges with teaching multi-grades but the student to teacher ratio is Fantastic. At my interview I thought the principals and staff where very upbeat and positive. I feel like this is a place I can grow in skills and learn.

My biggest concern in this location is Housing. The population as of 2004 was 340 people! Yikes :) They are working on finding me a place to live so please think positive thoughts about that! It makes me a wee bit nervous!

The pollen is out and on attack right now. Since we had a very wet "spring" The pollinators are pollinating with a vengeance! If you think I am exaggerating.. you don't have allergies :)! It still isn't as bad as other places but I don't go outside without sunglasses to keep it out of my eyes, and my allergy pills. It is that time of year. soooo

I have a job, a job, a job, a job, a job!!! HURRAY

YAYYY!!!

So yesterday I was speaking to one of our kindergarten teachers. She mentioned how much her class loved science day. Some of her students were saying that they wanted to be scientists when they grew up!! YAY!!!!!!! This is the stuff the ooey gooey stuff that makes being a teacher fantastic!! It was the response I wanted, and hoped for. I helped broaden their horizons a little bit. I am thrilled. That made all the drama completely worth it. :)

In other good news I have an interview on Thursday. I don't know what position they will put me in I think they will just choose for me and then I will make it work :)! This position would definitely place me in an even smaller town. Then depending on what position they would choose for me I could be further in the "boonies". I am just thrilled. This whole thing is the result of my superintendent calling over there. I sent my resume and a letter of recommendation. I hadn't even filled out an application. I need all your positive thoughts on Thursday because this is the one I am hoping for. Dad is hoping for some really fine chukar hunting. If I remember Patrick F. McManus's description of chukar hunting correctly... there is no such thing as "really fine" chukar hunting.

So if this journey leads me further into the "boonies". I am buying a freezer and an elliptical. Interesting combo you might be thinking. Groceries are soooooo expensive in the "boonies" that a freezer of good size is simply a must! The elliptical is for working off those groceries. Unless you find swimming against the wind currents a form of exercise... well chukar hunting isn't year round and I'm not likely to participate. I told Dad I'd make sure I got a place with a nice lawn for him to put his tent on :)
hee hee