Summer: Golden Days

Summer. Not every summer is easy and refreshing, but this one has started out perfectly. A nice mix of catching up with errands and jobs and time to unwind. A balance of visitors, those to be visited and time alone.

Lots of sleep the first couple of days and a trip to the local bookstore to prepare for summer reading. Then mom came to visit. It was the kind of visit that golden memories stem from. We laughed almost non-stop. Time to enjoy the eagles and there were many!!! Time for gardens, books, shade and sun. Time for me to learn to play pinochle...the basics anyway and time for a drive to Bellingham on Chuckanut Drive. The views were spectacular. The lunch was yummy. The toy store entertaining and the nursery inspiring. WE HAD FUN.

And now, daily chores and a run on the beach. Visiting local friends and talking with my cat. Hooray. Time to be happy, to let worries and stress disappear. Summer is great.

Me9(g)

June

It's nearing the end of June. My middle school classroom is packed and ready to be moved. The portable is emptied of all traces of life...kids, teachers and their stories. It's ready to receive me and my version of a school year.

Once the portable is cleaned and the multitude of boxes moved, I'll settle in and make it mine. Like moving into a new house. What posters will I hang? How will the furniture be arranged? Where will the kids' work be hung?

School fills my mind even if it is summer. That's the life of a teacher!

For awhile this morning there was room for other thoughts as well. Eagles! One, two, three? No more! Five, six, seven, eight? More! Nine, ten, eleven, twelve? Keep going! We made it to eighteen. They were diving for fish, scanning the sea from the sky, drifting in the thermals, and playing tag. Mom is visiting so we gasped and pointed, oohed and ahhd together. Now a bit of rain has arrived, so its tea and talk. Isn't vacation great???!!!

More talk later! Love ya'll. Me(g)

OMG Here we go again!

I am the queen of job changers! Every few years I get a new challenge. Up until now I've initiated the process, but this time it's the economy and budgets starting it all up. No, I haven't lost my job. But I am being moved back to elementary!

It was a bit of a shock and surprise and some tears were shed with my team at North Whidbey, but they need some middle school staff to move to elementary. Our district isn't firing staff this year, but they do need to reduce staff size by 22 over the next year or two. That means any openings that come up have to be filled by current staff. I'm filling a 3/4 job at Crescent Harbor.

Fortunately I learned of the possibility a day before they told me, so I had time to think about it. The Math teacher I work most closely with was told on Thursday of the change and why. We were pretty sure I'd be next. I didn't want to move, but oh well.

I've decided to just dive in and love it and I'm finding it easy to be excited.

I love those little kiddos and my mind is exploding with ideas. I love the creating part of this job.

I stopped by to tell my friends at CHE that I'd be there next year and I received an amazingly joyful reception. I know more people than I realized and it was non-stop hugs for quite awhile.

I'll be in a portable that has a really nice feeling to it and windows from which you can see the Olympic Mountains when they are out!!!

Anyway, I'm moving again and starting over again. And its OK, I love change and I'll have new little kid stories to share!!!

Love you all, Me(g)