Checking a kindergartener out this afternoon, I stop him before he scans his book.
Me: “The computer says you still have a book out.”
Him: “Uh-huh.”
Me: “Do you know where it is?”
Him: “At my house.”
Me: “Do you know where it is at your house?”
Him: “On my toaster.”
I’ve been teaching them to keep books away from food and drink; I just didn’t think it was necessary to teach them to keep from treating books as food and drink.
The kindergarteners were throwing lunchboxes in the cafeteria. My fifth grade announcement anchors decided they were comedians. First graders had a pencil fight. Second grade trashed the library.
Camel, I’m really glad to see you!
Sorry for the week-long absence from cyberspace here. Feeling a little like the old woman who lived in a shoe. We had 700 students at school last year and jumped to 850 this year. With a daily half-hour lunch duty added to my routine and less time at the end of the school day to wrap things up before bus duty I’ve been a little rushed and overwhelmed. (Also I am, as always, suffering the beginning of the year re-entry shock of kindergarteners.) However, I do not like being away from my keyboard, so look for more frequent posts from here on out.
Onward!
I do not appear to be getting much accomplished this last week of summer vacation.
I have NEVER IN MY LIFE spent over $100 on a pair of shoes. Until today. When I did it TWICE.
They are Danskos. Everyone from teachers to podiatrists and nurses swear by them for being on your feet all day. And for lasting up to five years. They’d better.
Meanwhile, I have Paolo Nutini in my head now.
My fearless friend Michelle having all the fun – she got to hold a real, live bald eagle on her trip to Poland!
Oh summer, where are you going so quickly?
Family gathering today, to send off a couple of the youngest cousins into the wide world. One’s headed to the Navy and the other to Disney World (a job, not a vacation).
Fair winds and following seas to you both.
Now I’ve just come home. At the start of the day I was all fired up to do a retrospective blog about my recent travels; now I’m so tired I just want to collapse on the bed.
Perhaps I should have eased back into things a little more after two weeks away followed by four long days on the road.
I got home about 3:30 this afternoon.
Someone has been a little clingy and attention-seeking.
This is a fairly unknown book, but one of my favorites. Ursula, an eleven-year-old girl on the Swedish island of Gotland in the 1800s, lives with her aunt and uncle after her parents’ deaths. Although everyone on the island knits items to sell (men and children included) Ursula finds the craft frustrating and beyond her abilities. When her aunt’s ship goes missing on a trip to Stockholm, Ursula teaches herself to knit as a sort of promise to keep believing in her aunt’s return, even though others on the island give up hope. Ursula’s struggle to knit as a metaphor for keeping hope alive and the lore of the traditional knitting pattern she uses are appealing. This novel is based on a true incident in the island’s past.
365 Daybook 