February 22,2011

Vacation! Hooray!! Sleeping past 5:30! Yeah! Finishing the last details to put the house on the market. Every time I tell my dear husband this is the last project, really…. one more thing turns up. Today we hung a new mirror over the bedroom dresser. The old one- dated and sad- ended up at the Blessing Barn on Saturday. This one looks lean and cool.

This really IS the last big project! Absolutley.

February 15,2011

Had the delightful pleasure of dining with 2 other principals tonight- both from other systems. I met the first through the Courage to Lead retreat cycle I completed in the summer. (If you have an opportunity to attend any Courage to Teach or Lead retreats, take it. You will be refreshed and renewed.)

We talked about schools in generally, families and how our children are navigating through their own lives. It heartened me to tackle the rest of this week. For those of us in the Northeast,  the February break seems more a necessity than the luxury it might appear. It always catches up with us in June- those of you who work through until April have an earlier end of year. However, Feb seems a particularly dismal time of year, and everyone- even parents- welcomes the break with a sigh of relief and a deep breath! Three more days. ( and this week  preceding break seems to be always peppered with the added spice of valentine’s day….. definitely a wild day in elementary school.)

On a personal note, we have just about completed our stark stripping away of ourselves in our home to peel away the personal and leave the bones for the buyers we hope will flock to purchase our well loved home. it will officially go on the market within the next week. We have painted, sanded, polished, stored, tossed and purchased to make the house as appealing as possible. Hopefully the right family will happen along quickly and appreciate the house for its qualities and once again create a warm and cozy home.

February 1, 2011

Today is the first day of spring according to the Celtic calendar. welcome spring! I wonder if that has anything to do with the tradition of Groundhog day on Feb 2? An ancient leftover ritual?

I needed spring today. I arrived at school at 7:00 to meet the custodian sprinkling sand on the accumulating snow. “We have a real problem. We have a water break in the recess area.” I headed into the office, put down my bag, put on my baseball cap and headed out again. Sure enough, we had a bubbling spring just under Florida on the playground map. Our own Bermuda triangle!

Soon the water dept was there shaking their heads and muttering. “Yup, you got a break.”

The Grounds guy talked to the Super  and they determined to have us stay in school for the duration. Meanwhile snow is collecting… parents are calling…”Is afternoon k cancelled? Will there be early dismissal? Is there school tomorrow? How are the roads?” (To the last one- seriously? how would we know? We’re stuck here at school!)

We had a ten minute warning for the water shut off. When they were about to shut off the water I announced that the bathrooms would be closed for a short time. If a student had a bathroom emergency they should go the nurse’s office. I dropped rapidly in the nurse’s book of favorites when ten kids immediately showed up at her door. Pardon me teachers- I am usually patient and so loving and supportive… BUT WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? they just had ten minutes. How many’emergencies’ can you have in one minute?

Well-  you know what happens next. The first grader with a nervous stomach… WARNING!!!! do not read further if you have never been in a primary class-has an emergency of the #2 type all over one of the 2 bathrooms in the nurse’s office. Of course, she cannot flush. Enter our heroic custodian. One hour later I get a frantic call…. the bathroom ‘emergencies’ have accumulated a cesspool of ill health and unsanitary condition.

Now I personally escort those few who cannot wait to the various bathrooms, repeating over and over, “Do NOT flush.” Give them a squirt of the gallon size hand sanitizer I am carrying and move on to the next. “Do NOT flush.” Do not FLush” I may be saying it tonight in my sleep.

When the water was just about to come on we had directions to turn on all the cold water faucets to lessen the gurgling and spurting of our antique plumbing system. The clogging sink in the adult bathroom starts to overflow onto the floor.

The cafeteria manager finds me to tell me the bad news that the pizza delivery isn’t here. It’s 11:00. First and second graders come to lunch at 11:05!!! More panic.

We call Papa and they try to find the delivery guy. As I’m mentally trying to rearrange recess and lunch a cheer goes up as the pizza arrives.  The toilets are flushing…. the faucets are running… we have survived!