The Latest List

Here's the run-down:

• School:
  
• Going well, still. My schedule is pretty nice. 4 classes a day (50 minutes), plus prep and something my principal invented that goes a long way towards acknowleding that we related arts teachers work through lunch for rehearsals, etc. Oh, and she also added "school projects" to our schedules, one period a week, to make up for all the extra crap we're asked to do for the school, like run assemblies, field day stations, murals, etc.
  
• The kids are decent still...of course there are still 2 classes I haven't even seen yet, and one looks like a DOOZY on paper. One little demonic-looking redheaded boy who is usually climbing out of his skin by 2:00 comes to mind. So fun .
  
• I talked to the new boss lady today about a few things. I got permission to take the Chorus to sing at an old folk's home once a year, getting buses and everything (I was denied this every year before!) and I brought a few annoying aspects of homeroom coverage duty to her attention. That's where I really got results. She not only agreed to make sure the homeroom teachers know that they need to make sure they're back in time to take their kids back, but she is now going to make them fill out a form stating what they got done during the time that the related arts teacher was covering their class. I told her that they wouldn't like that much at all, and she said that as a gesture of goodwill, she'd do one morning of duty a week herself. Took one of mine, as a matter of fact, although I'd been assigned 3 instead of 2, like most people have. She even asked me to tell her in confidenciality who was "the biggest pain in the ass to cover for" during homeroom. I happily ratted out a teacher whose room I dreaded even walking in, and she took that duty herself. Let the teacher in question try to come back 10 minutes late now. I used to be late EVERY Tuesday, because little miss priss would sit and chat till 8:55! (Supposed to be back at 8:45 at the lastest!) So new boss lady has impressed me thus far.
  
• "The Party":
• Went very well. We had a 30th anniversary party for my in-laws at our house. Surprise, too! Despite the ridiculous heat in our house - did everybody have to hang out in the kitchen? - the whole thing went very nicely. They were actually surprised, too! I still can't believe that we got 'em. Wha-ha-ha, I can lie with the best of 'em. There was a bit of annoyingness the day before, when a certain relative who shall remain nameless "just wanted to warn me" that everybody would want to watch "the game" so we couldn't do any anniversary party stuff until it was over. See, we didn't consult the Eagles football schedule when planning this 30th anniversary party, because we assumed, like ADULTS, that a 30th anniversary party would of course be far more important than a football game. I was being informed that I was mistaken. My reaction was a calm, easy-going, BULLSH*T, I AM NOT HOSTING A F*CKING TAILGATE PARTY, and I offered to let the game be on downstairs on the nicer TV, and if people wanted to watch that instead of take part in the party, they could certainly be bums and do so. That still wasn't enough for said informer, who claimed that Bob's Dad would be upset if he couldn't watch the game. I was pretty upset about this myself, because we'd gone to a lot of effort for this party, and didn't want to hear "why didn't you check the NFL schedule?" all day long. I figured that Bob's Dad would be inwardly annoyed that we had this party during the precious, precious football game. I should have known better. Bob's dad is an adult. He glanced at the game from time to time, with other people, but he spent the majority of the party actually circulating, eating, drinking, and being merry. And the annoying party was clearly the only one consumed with the game, and spent the early party hours whining about missing the game, and the remainder it couched in front of the TV. We did end up waiting till the game was over to do any party game/toast/cake stuff, but that was more for convenience. Again, consider your source before you panic about your party's re-assigned theme, that's all I'm saying.
  
• Oh my LORD anybody want a tray of baked rotini? We're going to be eating party food for anther week. I just had the leftover grape tomatoes as a bedtime snack. And please don't ask me where the French onion dip went, I take no responsibility.
  
• The Girl:
• She's great. Plays Peek-A-Boo with you sort of, definitely with herself in the mirror. She keeps saying "Mama", "Dada" and "Hi" at way-too-coincidental times, making us wonder exactly what she knows, you know? Wondering how to transfer to table food, having what we have to dinner. Before we do that, we need to start eating veggies, I think. Right Bob?
  
• She is doing very well with Bob's mom as her sitter during the day. I don't particularly care about allergic food, trying chunky foods, dressing warmly, or being handed off to strangers at the supermarket. I basically have one rule for this arrangement: She still has to love us better. Bob agrees with me on this. So with the exception of when we eat dinner, we shake off the tiredness and it is VERY much Maddie Time. One of us is playing with her, feeding her, bathing her, or putting her to bed at all times during the evening. And thank God (and Jewish people) for Thursday's holiday. We need a day to unwind, get the house back, and pack in the Maddie time.
  
• Misc.:
• What the Hell? Somebody tell Fred Flintstone I have his feet and I want mine back. I wore closed-toe dress shoes for the first time today and about died. I'm just going to have to more to Florida so I can wear flip-flops all year round.