It's been almost a year since I have written. In the past year, so much has happened that I gave up on writing. Lately, I have been feeling ready to write again. I don't promise that it will be pretty. So, up early this morning (as I have been for the past 3-4 weeks), I decided to hop on and see what's what.
I almost woke my family up with my laughter bark. The last post I wrote here, except for the date, would fit today. Everything has changed and nothing.
It is true that we are actively grappling again with the stay or go question. Some things are different this year - I am working FT at the school (with a PT teaching load); the kids are older and (maybe?) one year off from a "better" transition year - if we stay one more year, Asher will finish 8th grade and Elia will finish 5th grade. Both these grades are transition points to the higher school - high school for Asher (that's just plain weird) and middle school for Elia; we have a new and quieter apartment with a pool; there are many changes in Admin at the school and it will take time to discover what ideas and excitement these new folks will move forward.
And, it's been a rough start for us this year. Starting a new job is just plain hard and busy. With my new teaching duties this year, there are a lot of systems that I interact with now that I didn't necessarily as a substitute. Not to mention the sheer volume of planning and grading - almost more for a PT load - at least if I had more classes, not only would the pay be more commensurate, but the planning would be more useful - if I taught the same subjects anyway. Ah - the life of the sub - breeze in, breeze out! :)
In addition, Asher was struck by a motorbike one morning while riding his bike to school; I got a persistent flu-like disease that has me totally feeling like I've been to hell and not-quite-back again; our apartment's hot water heater burst - all over our closet, leaving us for (4) days with very little to wear and a soon-to-arrive large electricity and water bill; we have the Invasion of the Ants and, now, if the last two days are any indication, a burgeoning cockroach population is making itself known; and, finally (we can hope), our washing machine broke.
"What do you think is the message?", said a friend to me one day.
Ummmmmmmmm..........
