Evening, everybody.

Summer: Thanks. I hope it sticks in that downward mode! It'd be soooooo nice!!!!
Robyn: Did I tell you that I love your sig file? The swoopy curly purple thingy.
Ginny: Hiding from the heat? Trying to make plane reservations and blanket the place with me resume? That's what I was doing yesterday... Today I had the joys of figuring out HOW exactly, the school was going to spell my name wrong (there are apparently infinite versions of how to spell my real name... even though my last name is NOT what they keep calling me!)... which caused havoc when I tried to log in to the network.

Okay... good news again... I had an interview with a middle school in the other county today, and one with a high school on Wednesday afternoon.
I have sent my resume to two other schools, although I've not heard anything.
I FOUND A PLANE FARE I COULD AFFORD!!! SO I AM GOING TO CAMP! YES! The daughter of one of the parents who helped found the camp is going to pick me up at the airport on Thursday morning and then take me to the camp, and bring me back. A really good friend locally is picking me up at my apartment thursday morning (at 4:30 in the morning!!!!) to take me to the airport... and when I get back Sunday night, I'll take a Super Shuttle back ($12). I hope I can cram all the stuff I need into my suitcase... driving would have been so much easier, because I could take more stuff...

I seriously need ideas for food I can take with me that I can eat that will fit in the suitcase. My local friend already reminded me that I can buy the iced tea packets since I can't take my splenda-sodas... they'll depressurize in the airplane and explode. But the iced tea tubes should be okay. Other ideas for food? I'll take some little cans of tuna, maybe peanut butter? I want to make sure there are things I can eat at camp since I am pretty sure that breakfast will be the only meal I'm really able to eat at, and maybe lunch if they do cold-cuts.
I have a mega suitcase from when I went to Europe in 1989, and I know my sleeping bag fits in that. I only need clothes for 4 days, and it can be grubby shorts and t-shirts... And the airline says since I have a laptop, I'm also allowed one other carry-on (like a purse), but it can be up to the size of a back-pack, so I'm going to use my Red Cross backpack. All my purse stuff fits in my laptop case so I won't need to bring my purse (I have a really small purse anyway).
Batteries are a must, those will have to go in the laptop case or the backpack, and I think I will buy an audiobook for the flight out or maybe buy one for my PDA... that way I don't have to carry a book too. I'll have to think on that one.
I'm disappointed that I have to leave some of my games at home, because I was looking forward to teaching the kids how to play Scattergories. That is an AWESOME communication game (I don't make the kids write or I partner them with somebody who can write)... so they can use their aug. comm devices to come up with words that fit. I used to have a travel version, so I might be able to find that one.
I'm glad I can still go...

Hey guys!
I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET UP TOMORROW MORNING AND GO TO WORK! OMIGOD WHAT IS UP WITH THAT????????UGHHHHHHH, I'M NOT READY!
I can't possibly respond to everyone, cause I really can't remember who said what. Here is the latest run down.......
Went to the beach Saturday, no rain, just burned my face and nothing else. It was great....
Son started college yesterday. I'm so proud. We'll see how it goes. I have absolutely no fish left in my pond and still have not been able to find the renegade fat boy residing there. He did jump in this morning. He's really pissing me off......
I managed to lose a couple of the pounds I gained back this week. I'm ready to start being strict about dieting. I'm even gonna take my lunch tomorrow.......
So, I'll update later. Want to enjoy the rest of my last day off........
I'm crying now.............

Pam

Pam, please accept my heartfelt sympathies. I'm not anywhere near ready yet either. I'll be right behind you officially on the 29th. Right now I am sick with DD's cold from last week. The partying in the thunderstorm caught up with me. Yesterday I didn't move off of the couch. Today, I'm taking it slowly, but I am doing some stuff that needs to be done around the house. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will have the energy to do some errands out of the house. Thursday is our last summer tricklet play date. Friday is laundry and packing for Maine. Saturday-Monday is our official farewell to the summer in Maine. Tuesday is dentist appointment and then the first time I set foot in my classroom to see what damage the Nimrod (my inept custodian) has done to my room. Once they see me, it is all over. Registration will recommence, and my secretary and all the parents won't give me a minute of peace as I survey the damage most likely done by Nimrod. I am awaiting a large shipment of supplies and furniture (an $8000 grant!), and I FEAR my things are either missing, have been distributed to other teachers, or who knows what Nimrod may have done with it all. I know he will want to hide my stuff since he knows there is furniture waiting for "His Ineptness" to assemble. So, even though the 29th is my official day back, don't let that fool you. I will be up to my elbows in deep sh*t on the 23rd. Hope all goes well on your first day back!

Mouse, congrats on going to camp!!! Can you eat protein bars? They are very packable.

Kerry, glad you were able to do something nice for yourself.

I'm still pissed at the vice principal for doubletalking me and refusing to switch DD's teacher. Once again, the responsibility of DD improving her reading skills will fall upon me. Meanwhile, more than half of DD's classmates from last year are receiving private tutoring at $50-$60 an hour with the hope they can catch up. Many of them are repeating first grade. It is not right that the school gets away with this. What the heck do we pay taxes for? Her school certainly isn't sweating NCLB like mine is. We bust our humps to make sure these kids are ready.

DD wants lunch, so I'd better move on.

Another drive thru visit here......busy today going to see my Dm, who is doing fine for someone who had the surgery she did.

Mouse- wonderful about the weight loss!!!! Long time comin' girl, and I am so happy for you.
Robyn- drink that water........congrats on making it thru day 4 or 5 of WW. How are you feeling?? Doing flex or core?
Kerry- glad you got pampered......bet it felt great!!!!!! (I am jealous ).
Summer- gee, the new church sounds good.....we could find ourselves in the same boat shopping for a new one.
Pam- my condolences.
Gotta go
Ginny

Good evening everybody.

I had another interview today, and I think I liked the principal. I'm never sure, but this guy invited the teaching assistant from the classroom to come in because this is a new program for the school (they have only had it for one year), and he wants to make sure they get a good person. That is unique to me. I've never even been invited to sit in on interviews for my own classroom assistant when they've hired somebody during the year.
I spent the day in an EIGHT HOUR IEP TRAINING. Oh, geez... and some of the stuff they want us to do really made me raise my eyebrows. Like, putting quarterly dates on all the objectives (we're not even supposed to write objectives, we're supposed to do benchmarks!). And there was a whole discussion about extended school year: their legal person (not a lawyer though) said that if the student gets a free appropriate public education (FAPE), they automatically do NOT qualify for extended school year. That is just so wrong! What they do with the kinds of kids I teach apparently is to say they are NOT receiving FAPE in one area (that they will lose skills and take more than 6 weeks to recover). I think that would open them up to a lawsuit. But that was 10 minutes, because the legal person totally said that if they received FAPE, they didn't get extended school year.
My eating was helped today by the fact that they ran out of food during lunch. I had to make a phone call, so I was dead last.... they had no more rice, no more green beans, and a tiny piece of the meatloaf. I didn't care about the rice, but green beans are my favorite vegetable after steamed broccoli or bok choy!
I found sheets for camp at Target: they had twin sheet sets on sale for $8... its the whole set, fitted sheet, top sheet, and pillow case. Cotton. That is a GOOD price for those of you that need sheets. I wish I had a little household money: I could use some full sized sheets for my bed at home, and those were $15.
What else... hmm...

Summer: I can't eat most of the protein bars because they either have chocolate coating, or they have too many carbs. I did like the cinnamon south beach diet ones, but I can't find them down here. The Body for Life ones I tried were pretty good too, but the only ones of those I have found are the chocolate ones.
I did pick up some peanut butter at Target, and the iced tea.... and some sugar-free wintergreen mints. I figure if they have salad, we will have ranch dressing or mayonnaise which I can mix into the tuna. And they usually do some kind of meat and pancakes or eggs for breakfast. I know there are some kids on a soft diet there, so I expect I'll find a few things I can eat.... like, I could eat some tomato sauce if it had meat in it and just not eat the pasta.
I'm going to go pack now... hopefully everything will fit in the suitcase. I had bought one of those "pill week strips", to put my meds in, but since I'm going on the airline now, I have to leave everything in the prescription bottles.
The only things I'm worried about with the airlines are seats: Southwest certainly made the news when they started doing the seat assignment thing based on weight and size... And letting their gate attendants make that decision. I hate the thought of that. I can believe there are other airlines doing the same thing.
I'm also a little worried about my technology, but enough people have laptops now (as opposed to 5 years ago, when I last flew) that it shouldn't be too big of an issue.
I've done the security checks at airports since 9/11, because I've gone out to Baltimore-Washington International for the Red Cross, so I'm not worried about that. In fact, my Red Cross ID badge got me pulled aside for an extra thorough check the last time!

Evening,
Sounds like we are all trying to cram in stuff into the last few days of our summer vacations. I went to TOPS tonight and lost 1/4 pound. So hopefully the scales will start falling again in my favor.
Mouse great news about the scales for you. Way to go girl!! Hope the interview today turns out in your favor. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Summer sounds like you are going to have a lot of work ahead of you when you go back to school. But knowing you, you will bust through it without any problems.
Robyn how is WW going for you? Feeling okay. That is great news about the birthday party and not eating anything. You have the willpower!
Ginny did you enjoy your movie the other night? My dh and I went to see Four Brothers. It was good. We hadn't been to a movie in a long time. I think the last movie we went to see together was Ladder 49. It is nice to just go out to the movies every once in awhile. Feels like a date.
Pam, I will be in the same boat as you next week. We have an inservice on Monday and the kids start back on Tuesday. So I know what you are going through. Keep your chin up and we will make it through together.
Sue how was the golf tournment? The only golf I have ever done is putt=putt and I am not very good at that.
Well I better go and grab the tv before my dh comes home and puts it on sports. Talk to you all later.
Kerry

Howdeeee,
Day 4's Food and Water intake have come to a close! Whooohooo! Can you believe that I'm sitting here feeling a tad stuffed...all the while I'm under points yet again! Since I'm doing the WW Flex Point thingy I am not supposed to be under 20 points...but GEESH! What do I do when I don't want to eat anything else? OR I feel like I don't want to graze around the kitchen with the whole attitude of eating something just for the points?! Who would have thought I'd have this problem!

Gin, Attilla's brother got yet another letter re: yet another co. who are not interested in hiring him. I feel so horrible. He went thru 3 interviews with this company before this letter... progress, I guess! BUT who wants to come live with this man while he recovers from this "progress"?! ARGGH!

Mouse, glad to hear that you're getting things lined up for camp! Fingers crossed for you regarding the interview! I visited our ds's middle school today... just dropped in. I've been trying to call... DO not ignore me! Found out that the whole 8th grade has been restructured and after 2 years...DS has been reassigned to a new ...to the school..to the division...to the STATE!..casemanager. I'm trying not to bugg out...but I'm having a horrible time with this...and I'm afraid that my panties are gonna be ALL bunched up over this for sometime! I need to go take a pill! (just kidding!)

Summer, hope that you're feeling better! Being sick in the summer is a HUGE bummer! No airconditioning?! OMG! You'd die around here in any building with no air! The heat and humidity has been horrible here..... Remind me of how sticky and icky I felt..and my hair looked come February, please! I spent a few hours at school moving krap around.... Get this one... we are all getting new teacher's desks... they are in the gym as they haven't been assembled... we are all due back officially on the 29th...and we have no idea of how big / small these new things are...although we've been told that they are large and l shaped. I'm about 2 days from having done all I can do in my room until the desks are put together and put in the room... The custodial staff has no idea of WHEN they will get to the teacher's desks... ::sigh:: They also seem to have lost one of the CPU's of one of my brand new computers........ at least the seemed worried about where the computer ended up! (How about the pick up truck of one of the 100000 construction workers still tearing...I mean renovating the building...) OH and I nearly collapsed today when I pulled into my school...that has been having huge HUGE HUUUUGGGEEEE problems with the NEW and IMPROVED roof leaking like some sort of seive.... The roofers were packing up their tools and loading them into their truck... Get this...they are WaterTight Roofing Company... HOLY SMOLY is THAT a HOOT! ARGGH!!!

gotta run...the storm is coming fast...and I've got to get some stuff off the porch! I"m sorry I didn't talk to everyone!

take care,
Robyn

Quickie message for Robyn... just before I go to work.

Is your son's new case manager a brand-new teacher, or just new to the state and building? Could it be somebody like me who keeps hopping around school districts?

The interview from yesterday said I'll definitely hear by Friday, but I might hear by Thursday. I'll hear by Friday from the middle school I was at Monday also. I feel bad for her because she asked if I'd interviewed anywhere else, and when I talked to her the answer was no... the other two interviews were on my answering machine yesterday and that evening.

I'm nervous, because I feel like I should say something to the principal at the school I'm going to today, but I'm afraid to do that because then I might not get one of the other positions. It is helping that I don't have a contract yet. I thought I did... but it wasn't my contract. It was just other paperwork from them... So I can't sign it!

Morning!!!
I thought this was going to be a quiet day, then a neighbor asked if her spoiled brat daughter could hang here for the day. Oh she is not that bad......just obnoxious and way, way too impressed with herself. Nuff bellyachin from me. I goofed, tomorrow really is route selection for me (not today) so tomorrow I get to find out how insane my life will be and if I get my monsters back or not. Yes, believe it or not, I want my monsters back.

Mouse-when it rains it pours. Glad that you have so many positions to choose from- or at least the possibility of so many. I think most people interview better when they know they have choices. Good luck. Hope all goes well for you!

Robyn- Water tight roofing company eh? Guess I won't be hiring them for anything!!!!
Great for you on day 4 of WW. Enjoy!!!!! What I have heard from most WW leaders is that if you are full and still not used all your points is that you should try to get all your points in. They are pretty insistant that you nutritionally need all those points....and the lowest you should go is 20 points per day. Hope you are taking a vitamin (they suggest that). But isn't WW wonderful! It is so easy to follow- and you can still have pretty much all foods, within reason. Can't wait to see how your first WI goes! Sorry about Atilla's brother.....this must be equally hard on you too, having to keep the fragile male ego as afloat as possible with all this rejection going on.
I'll be praying for you......and him.

Kerry- hope you got to the TV before the sports came on!!!! Did you like Four Brothers? Actually- guess it almost did not matter- you got out on a "date" and that is the most important. Hope you had a nice time with Dh. We went to see Cinderella Man (and I can't remember the last movie we saw before that!). It was very good.....we both enjoyed it a lot. The movie is almost 2 1/2 hours long, and seemed only an hour.....it has been a long time that I felt that way about a movie. Congrats on the scale going down!
Pam- well........how did it go???? You still alive out there?

Got my 4 mile walk (3.8 to be exact) in. It was nice and cool out......felt pretty good.
Today I am trying to get this pig sty of a house cleaned up. I refuse to leave a dirty house.....and with tomorrow being route selection and dry run (mandated by the state even if I get my old route back) and then on Friday is the mandatory 3 hour safety meeting - I had better get my butt in gear and get this house cleaned. Oh what fun.
Complete with the neighborhood snot nose coming over........
Gotta go clean!
See ya!
Ginny

Evening Ladies,
I went to school for a little bit today. I got all my posters up and things are looking good for Tuesday when the lovely little angels come back. I just now need to think about my lesson plans for the first week. Maybe I will work on that tomorrow evening or on Friday. I just got home from going out to dinner with my workout buddy. We went to Dakota's Roadhouse. It was very good. But now I could sure use a walk. Will get one in when the hubby comes home from football practice. Hopefully it will cool off by than. I am going clothes shopping tomorrow with my mil. So that should be fun. The only bad part about it is getting up at 7 to be out the door by 8. Oh well guess those days are coming to a screeching halt. LOL.
Mouse,how did your interview go today? Are you all packed to go to camp tomorrow? Have a safe and fun time.
Ginny, once you get your house cleaned. Mind coming to Ohio to clean mine. My dh asked if I would please give our house a final good cleaning before I go back to school next week. I haven't done it yet. LOL So I guess on Sunday that is what I will be doing.
Hey to Robyn, Pam , Summer and Sue! Hope all is well with you ladies.
Talk to you all later.
Have the house to myself for a few hours and I plan on enjoying it.
Kerry

Hey!
I survived my first day back. We had a THREE HOUR faculty meeting this morning. The principal couldn't get to everything on the agenda, so to be to continued......
A lot of changes this year. I am a little nervous because I am getting a blind student this year. I have never taught a blind student before. I know there is a braillist(sp?) who is going to be in my room. I also have a student with a traumatic brain injury. So, should be interesting. My numbers look good though. So far, only twentyfive in each class.

I am totally pooped out, have dinner in the oven so maybe I will get back on here later.

Take care!
Pam

Well this stupid cold went straight to my chest, so my asthma is giving me trouble. I can't believe it is day 3, and I still really feel like crap. I even fell asleep in the middle of the day...really unusual for me because I'm NOT a napper. Then some telemarketer woke me out of a dead sleep at 3pm, and I totally blasted her for waking me up...poor lady , I was overly harsh. Tomorrow, DD has a play date at the tricklets. I'm gonna see if the mom minds if I drop her off and go back home. If I feel well enough, I really need to do some errands before going to Maine. Otherwise, I'll do them on Friday. The only school-related activity I've done is order prizes for the prize box from Oriental Trading and edit and print out my 4-page welcome letter. I've decided to skip the welcome postcards because its time-consuming and pointless since so many of my students probably moved at least once during the summer. They will get their fat welcome letter on the first day of school. I'm not writing plans till my principal provides me with a specialist schedule. If she insists I have something, I'll use last year's plans. I'm so NOT motivated for this new year. I had more I wanted to fit in this summer. However, even though I don't feel done with summer, I have to admit, it was one of my better summers. I've had some real crappy ones, so, I am totally not complaining. I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO END...

Pam, again, I'm sorry you are back in the thick of it, but this may mean that your summer next year will begin sooner than mine.

Kerry, good for you starting to get ready for the little kiddles.

Gin, bellyache all you want...God knows I do. Maybe we should introduce your neighbor kid to snow-day girl. They'd either really hit it off or kill each other.

Mouse, have fun at camp!

Rob, we are going back to school on the same day. How cool! Whatever happened to starting after Labor Day? On our second day, the new stupidintendent is having a convocation at the arena where my DH works parttime. He is taking the day off his regular job so he can work at the arena for the convocation. Isn't that cool? It will give him a peek at my job, and me a peek at his.

Since I'm too sick to really leave the house, I've been polishing my mother's silver, and I'm now moving on to some copper. The silver was easy. The copper is a *****. I'm close to quitting. Well, I've got to find a sitter for a Luau I'm going to, so I'd better go. Take care one and all.

Evening.

I am mostly packed for camp: I need to stuff my bathing suit and a sweatshirt into the suitcase somewhere, and I'd like to squeeze in another pillow so I have two. I think I can squish a little one that came with the futon (like a sofa pillow) in the suitcase.
I have my huge suitcase: clothing, the food I can eat, sleeping bag, toiletries, towels. I have a backpack which is where I stuffed my first pillow, the digital camera, batteries, 4 cans of soda, my meds, a book and the iPod. I also have the computer case which has the computer and the PDA in it, plus wallet and such. I think I did GREAT getting all of that into 3 bags. The sleeping bag is what takes up most of the room.
The interview today went pretty well after I was finished being lost. And boy, was I lost! The school is brand-spanky new, and they don't have the signage up yet and the road outside the school is under major construction, so it was hard to find the entrance. Although its 20 miles from me (which around here can be far!), I think that is where I'd like to work. The department chair and assistant principal have a serious sense of humor... and its a brand new program, so I could shape it the way I want to. And finally, the TECHNOLOGY is to die for! Especially for somebody like me who really enjoys the benefits of technology integration... each classroom has a SmartBoard, and everything hooks in through that, so you don't have a TV, DVD player, etc... It all comes off the AV access through the SmartBoard. They have wireless laptop carts, and give the TEACHERS laptops so we can do our thing. The laptops dock at the school, but we're allowed to take them home. That is so awesome, because if I work there, I could put off buying a new laptop for myself for a few months...
I will hear something by Friday from them. So I guess Friday is D day... I'll know then whether or not I can stay in graduate school or if I'll have to quit.
My choices if I stay at the school I was placed at then become: 1). Quit the district now, altogether, and see if I can substitute in the county I'm living in, and take out a SERIOUS student loan... and then try to finish everything but the dissertation this year. 2). Quit the district at the end of the year, and either move back to Maryland, Pennsylvania (first choice if I have to move) or try again to get a job in the county I live in... and not take any classes this year. 3). Drop the program completely for 3 years, because I can't transfer to another school in the district that I'm in for 3 years.
I don't really like any of those choices to be honest with you, but 2 and 3 are completely inpalatable.
I think I know the reason behind the principal inflexibility, though. In part, it is district policy (who was it who had the 3 hour faculty meeting? We had an EIGHT HOUR one today!), because we're not allowed to leave even to buy lunch. If we don't pack a lunch or eat in the cafeteria, we have to have it delivered. The other reason seems to be that in years past, staff with last or first period planning have abused the privilege by coming in late or leaving early. This school doesn't do homeroom until like 10:30... after first period, so it is possible for staff with first block off to do that.
But that inflexibility is either going to make me seriously unhappy, or going to cost her a special education teacher. Oh, and let me tell you, there is some absolutely stupid stuff that the teachers in this school used to have to do or still do... including a working professional portfolio with pictures and plans and writing prompts!
Anyway, I must think about bed, as my flight leaves at 6:25 am... so I'll be leaving for the airport around 4.
I will see you when I get back Sunday night or Monday...

Hi just flying by to say hello! Tonight I'm pooped! We're having a cold front locally. Today it didn't get above 95! Whoohoo! We went to Busch Gardens and walked and walked and walked.... The humidity was also low! But I managed to sweat and sweat and sweat! It was packed ....guess everyone was enjoying the near blizzard conditions! We rode several roller coasters and other rides! We returned home to dh's homemade pizza ...which I had figured points for! BUT... I did eat ALL of my points today!

Went to school for 3 hours and unpacked yet more boxes! Seems the WaterTightRoofers were called back there yet again! Seems their work AINT so watertight! The past two nights have been filled with long and loud AND wet thunder storms! I thought of you girls when I saw these guys!

*Summer, sorry to hear that you are still feeling icky! Hope that you get "over" it soon!
*Mouse, Have a great time at camp! (The teacher is new to Virginia....but not to teaching.)
*Pam, 3 hours?! OMG.... EWWWWWWW.... sorry!
*Gin, fingers crossed for positive results for route selection! Don't you LOVE kids like that?
*Kerry, hope you enjoyed having the house to yourself! I LONG to have an hour alone!
*Sue, Where are you?!

Off to the shower and bed...and it is ONLY 11pm! Early for me!
take care,
meeee

My DH has the same cold now. It went straight to his chest too, but since he doesn't have asthma, it is no biggie. His doctor told him to take Mucinex to break it up. I took it too, and it has helped. I'm much less wheezy. What a relief. I really didn't want to travel with my asthma acting up, especially since I wouldn't have my air purifier etc...

DD is at the tricklet's today while I get errands done. The poor kid entertained herself for three days. She is such a great kid. My DS and DB were married by the time I was her age, so I was a lot like an only child myself...only it seemed like I had too many people to boss me around. Anyway, I can remember making believe for hours and loving it. Well, she is just like me.

This am, we got the oil changed, new windshield wipers, and a new air filter. We returned a package at the post office and my x-rays. It was nice to be able to finally get out of the house and accomplish something.

My BIL, the computer geek, is kidnapping my computer today and keeping it while I'm in Maine to install a new hard drive...don't know why since he installed a new one two years ago when it crashed. What I want him to do is install a firewall and a new antivirus software. I also want him to get rid of all my AOL icons, fully install my DD's Disney game which my computer is rejecting, and get rid of a lot of files I downloaded and no longer need. How much you want to bet, he will spend the entire weekend doing what he thinks I need and skipping over what I want/need him to do? Beggars can't be choosers. I don't have the money to call, "Rent a Geek." Besides, BIL would probably be offended if I let someone else do the work.

So, this is my last post till he returns my computer which could be Monday night, but more likely, I will have to go pick it up, (He lives 30 minutes away) and with all I have to do next week, it may not happen till next weekend. So, just know that I will be in Maine drinking Mike's and swimming in the icey cold Atlantic while my baby is being disassembled and put back together again.

Robyn, glad you had fun at Busch Gardens. I've never been, but plan on going at some point. Try to stay warm during your cold front! I'll be way up north, so I may need my down jacket!!!

Mouse, choices, choices, choices. Yeesh!!! Sometimes listing the pros and cons helps. Sometimes just letting go and going with your gutt works the best.

Hope you all have a great weekend however you will be spending it!!! I will be back when my BIL is done with my baby.