Thursday, May 15: Well, 19 school days,not counting tomorrow, which is a half day. I had a lovely Mother's Day---was acknowledged by all three sons! L., P. and I went to IHOP for breakfast, then over to the mall to clothes-shop. I bought a couple of skirts and tops, and both L. and P. got some pants and shirts. As I was trying on a blouse in the dressing room, my cell phone rang, and it was S., in Arizona. He loves to talk, so I finished trying on the blouse, got dressed again, bought the items at the check-out, met L. and P. at the car, all with the cell phone pressed to my ear the whole time (I must get a Bluetooth!), then listened all the way home, and then sat on the front porch inhaling the fresh honeysuckle as S. continued for another half hour. D. called later, on the run as always, but managed to say a few words before he had to hang up due merging into the traffic. He and the family were on their way somewhere. We won't be going up there for Memorial Day this year because it falls on the day after my daughter-in-law's birthday on the 25th, rather than closer to grandson's birthday on the 31st. Apparently, they've got big plans for E's birthday, involving a trip somewhere, so it wouldn't be a good time to go. The weekend after Memorial Day weekend, which is N's 7th birthday, I don't have an extra holiday, and will still be in school, so that's not a good time.
As I was saying, there are 4 weeks left in the school year. And guess what? The word is out that the Supt. came to his senses and is probably going to go back to the previous 4/4 schedule next year!! Probably---it's not official---but the guidance counselors have let it leak that they've been given "the yellow light" to start scheduling students for a 4/4, four courses in the fall and four courses in the spring, rather than 8 at once, which was insane. For me, that means teaching a three-course load in the fall, rather than 6 at once!! You have no idea how awful that 6 course load has been for the past year. I think it's especially brutal on English teachers as opposed to, say, the math teachers. But I know all the teachers have suffered, and many have voted with their feet against the whole system.
Last week, I witnessed a teacher having what appeared to be a nervous breakdown right in class. The teacher's room is across the hall from mine. Several students had gone next door to the room of that guy who got fired a few months ago, to his replacement teacher, to tell her that Miss G. was sick, so I went across the hall too. Miss G. was sitting at her desk, sobbing, while the students sat at their desks, unsure what to do. Tears were streaming down her face. She said, "I feel so dizzy." Then she shook and cried harder. The other teacher and I phoned the front office, who sent one of the AP's, along with a floating substitute, and the school nurse. The odd thing, or maybe not so odd, is that Miss G. normally seems so mellow and in control. But who knows what's going on inside? I'd heard that her father had died about a week ago. I remember the months and years after my dad died, I didn't feel quite right for awhile, physically, as though my body was in mourning too. She seemed to recover and was back at work the next day. Maybe that was the root of Miss G's breakdown.
When I got home from work this afternoon, L's car was already in the driveway at 4:45, so I knew he must not feel well. Stretched out on the bed, he told me his muscles ache. He works long hours, as I do, but he feels it more because he doesn't ever sleep well, even with his breathing mask. He's just not a sleeper, just like my sister, who hasn't slept well in years. I'm very lucky that I sleep excellently almost all the time. Speaking of my sister, tomorrow is her 58th birthday. We talked on Mother's Day. She recently got a year-long contract job which she says doesn't pay enough and has no benefits, but it will last for a full year. The other contract jobs she's gotten are shorter and can end any time; the workers never know. But they pay more. Thus, she's struggling with whether to keep the safe job or take a chance with another contract job.
I've been grading SAT's this week, and had better get back to them. It's always fascinating to see what teenagers are capable of. Some of their essays blow me away. I like the topic for this reading: something like, "Is it beneficial to avoid technology or do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?"
Oh, and another bit of good news: my apple tree in the backyard has, for the first time, sprouted green berries that look like they'll grow into apples. This will be the first harvest of apples from My Own Homegrown Tree!
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