First azaleas

Feb. 23: I went to bed at 8:00 last night and slept for 12 hours. I meant it last night when I said I was tired. The aftermath of the flu has also done a number on my tastebuds. I haven't been hungry all week, and the little I've eaten has tasted like sawdust. The biggest disappointment is my coffee. We usually buy flavored types, such as vanilla nut or chocolate decadence, and use vanilla flavored creamer. This morning, I couldn't smell it or taste it.

L. and I went out this morning to do the income taxes. My head was still in a fog due to a lengthy sleep and general stuffiness, but I noticed right away that the sky had that "just washed" clarity that comes after a night of rain. A few azaleas had blossomed in the front bedding. Spring time has dawned in Georgia. As for the taxes, L. decided we should stop going to the same accountant that we've been going to for 17 years because, says L., his price has crept up. As he gets older, L. seems to get more and more fiscally conservative. Mr. G's price is up to $450 this year, plus $75 for scanning, for $525, so very well, we would go to H.R. Block. I liked the previous accountant because he's nice, he knows our financial business, going back to every special bonus such as MMW, every job change, every nuance of the family money, and gosh, I just like him. What else can I say. "How do you know they'll be cheaper?" I asked. Last year, I called H & R for an estimate, and they were very vague and would certainly not give a straight answer. "Oh, it won't be more than $100 or $150," he said with certainty. "Well, you get what you pay for," I said. But we did go to H& R and okay, the cost of $308 was a little more than L. expected, but a little less than we'd been paying before, and we didn't have to wait two weeks for Mr. G. to tally the final result and call us with the news, good or bad. H & R told us right awat the amount of the refunds (thank God), and filed electronically. We got that business accomplised and drove around, watching the flowers bursting out everywhere.

At the last stop, the grocery store just to pick up a few crucial items (cat food!)until we could get to Wal-Mart, I was so tired, I couldn't stop yawning. When we got home, I fell into bed and took a nap.

Call me insane, but as I've mulled over which schools in the area to apply to for transfer next year, the middle school that P. attended popped into my mind. Yes, yes, I know, middle school students are hormonal and bratty and cruel, and I must be totally out of my mind BUT...here are the possible positives: 1) this school is an upscale one, which means that they have actual money, yes M-O-N-E-Y, for books, supplies,computers and the extras 2)the place is newer and cleaner 3)the students are young enough not to be felons or juvies yet 4) the middle-class parents stand behind the teachers by making sure the students do their homework or come to school with their supplies, and 5) I may be able to catch them in their budding literacy development before it's too late. Consider especially Point 1: Imagine a place where computers are reasonably available for the students, or class sets of novels, or parents who are willing to buy an extra novel at a teacher's request. The other points speak for themselves. I also want to try for P's former high school. Let's see what happens. There may be no openings, or it may be that no principals want me. I think many secondary school teachers and administrators feel that former college professors are useless. Also, I may be standing in line behind 100 other teachers who have many years' experience in the system and have priority.

The sight of today's azaleas all over town was a heartening reminder that the end of the school year is within sight.