Friday downpour

Friday: The week flew by. Liberto got back last Saturday night, right on time. I'd taken all day Saturday off from grading papers---too tired to do it even if I'd wanted to---so I did have to spend some time working on Sunday, but we still managed to hang out and enjoy each other's company. He was back to work on Monday, working long hours and going to several doctors' appointments this week for whatever is ailing his intestines. He seems to have a combination of problems, one of which is the old kidney-stones issue that he's had for over 20 years, added to inflammation of a section of the colon. He has very specific pain in one area. Next Wednesday, he's having another colonoscopy, as a follow-up to an MRI, which didn't show anything. Although you're only supposed to have colonoscopies every 10 years and he's had one in the last five, the pain is cause for further examination. I'll be taking my first day off from school to go with him.

Heavy rain today! I used the beautiful, colorful, frog-themed umbrella from my dear friend Sharon, and was so proud to inflate it to show off to everyone, as I walked into school this morning. It was raining heavily early this morning and still is now. I had to drive Paul's car to work because my car's battery is dead. Another errand to do this weekend, buy a new battery.

My two sets of wind chimes are swinging and ringing like crazy outside, as the rain swirls down, and the wind gusts. I can see the chimes through the window, hanging from a thick branch of the lemon tree. The set that rings the loudest was ordered from my darling grandson in Virginia, who was getting points at school for sales from a website store, and the other was purchased from a neighborhood child, also selling door to door for her school. Even before I bought these chimes, I had already ordered one from the child of a teacher at school, but it hasn't come in yet. Soon, I'll have a third set swinging from the tree branch.

I can already smell the end of the semester in the air. Next week is Halloween, followed soon by Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving break, and the End of Course test for my 9th graders. Then the holiday break, and a new semester.

I'm SO grateful that the principal of the school always smiles and says hello to me. That's a management style which is far more effective than icy stares, in my opinion!