It was a year ago last Friday, the 21st, that I started this blog. It's like having an in-house therapist. My brother's family always sends a Christmas newsletter of the family's doings for the past year. Well, this year, I'm going to compose one to them for the first time, now that I have a record of events. At this stage, life blurs by, so I can't remember the details of daily life six months or a year after they've happened, only the major occurrences.
Liberto's back is hurting almost all the time, and radiates around to the front. That's where we got the idea that it was a stomach ailment. That's been ruled out. He has another doctor's appointment tomorrow with the primary physician, to start the whole process over again. Spinal problems? Kidney problems? Hernia? Whatever it is, I hope the good doctor can send him to a specialist who can figure out the problem. He also broke a crown in August. I said, "No worries! I just signed on with Bryan County school system's dental insurance plan." (Our family motto: You can't have too much insurance!) But he timed the breaking of his crown just a little too early. The insurance did not begin until Oct. 1.
As we count down the last 17 school days, I have to admit that I am getting crabbier towards the students than I'd like to be. They seem to be getting increasingly restless and looking for diversion, viz a viz spit balls, facial signals across the room, punching someone's arm. Since I work hard trying to find projects that might capture their interest, I feel my crabbiness escalate in direct proportion to their waning interst. Imagine that! A 14-year-old who is more interested in conversing with a friend about make-up than hearing about literary devices! At the beginning of the school year at the faculty meeting, the principal reminded us all that the students "are 14 but think they're 25... you're the adult, so when they do stupid things, be the better person." He's right, but it's harder now than it was in August. Only 17 school days.
I hate to say it, but my dear husband is also crabby a lot these days, probably because of his pain. Understanding as I might be, I dislike being on the receiving end.
Yesterday, we cleaned out the guest room, creating piles for the landfill and for Goodwill. Isn't it horrifying how fast things pile up? You don't throw them away right away because they cost money and you might need them again. But finally you decide "That's it; if we need another one, we'll buy it." We culled much of the unwanted stuff. We drove to the landfill to dispose of it, and because we were in the vicinity, he suggested we stop at Wal-Mart to do the groceries. As we pulled in, the parking lot was so packed that the cars were backed up waiting for spaces. I suggested we skip it and come back later. I despise large crowds. I hate trying to push a buggy along stopping every two feet for bunches of people who are examining goods on shelves. He (crabbily) said we shouldn't waste an extra trip and gas to come back tomorrow! Once inside, it was hideously overcrowded. A few aisles later, his back began to hurt, and for the next hour, as we labored along through the crowds with the buggy, his face was a grimace. After Wal-Mart, we went to Publix because their t-bones are nice and the dog loves to chew the bones after we eat the steak. When we arrived home, P. put away the groceries, as always, L. sat down to relax, and I graded research papers.
I'm having lunch with Terry on Wednesday, which will be a nice outing. School is finished on Tuesday this week, and I have a five-day weekend. I'm ready for a girlfriend lunch, away from the house and the school. She's working on a fantastic book series, written through the point of view of one of her adopted dogs. I have a new creative project which I want to share with her, too.
Now I've got to go on-line and order a new power cord for the Toshiba. L is angry and says that it suddenly went dead when he was using it this afternoon because of the way P. uses the computer. He says P. twists the cord too much. I don't know for sure if that's why it's not working, but I'm more inclined to give P. the benefit of the doubt. Whenever something goes wrong with the computers, L. always concludes it's P's fault.
Starved for some fun reading, I started a new novel yesterday called Gone Tomorrow. I'm just at the scene where the College Provost has called the protagonist (a college professor) into the office to discuss his lack of publications and to ask for his voluntary resignation. But I can't continue because I have a stack of research papers and have to make sure there's a ton of activities ready for class tomorrow. I'm hooked and could finish the whole book this afternoon and evening if I had the time! It's pure torture to have to wait. 17 days...
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