Home Sweet Home

I am, at last, home from camp.

Although I had a great time, saw some old friends, had a blast teaching little gifted kids (and making some money at the same time), I am delighted to get home. I missed hubster and the kitties and now it's wonderful to be back although I have a gi-normous pile of laundry to do, a garden to weed and work on, and we start school in less than three weeks.

Whew! Where did summer go?

Did I accomplish all I wanted? No, of course not. I never do.

Did I at least get some rest and recover from the Seventh Grade Class from Hell? I hope so. I just hope our eighth grade teachers got some rest as they will need it.

A few observations...

I am glad, glad, glad that hubster and I made the tough decision and relocated from Up North to Down South because I, at least, have a job. In fact, I will soon be entering my seventh year at The School, teaching in a building I love, with great co-workers and an awesome administration. Some of my friends who graduated with me in 2001 are still unemployed in the teaching profession, some are working as aides, and others are subbing every chance they get. There just are no openings. Many of them also have spouses who have either lost jobs or lost overtime, or took pay cuts so things are tight up there. The fact that they're taxed every time they turn around doesn't help.

When I first got my license, in 2001, Up North, I paid something around $65 to get it. Apparently the government needs money so the fees for licensing got raised a bit - to over $200. Amazing! I've never paid a penny for my license down here. In fact, when I first got mine, I actually called the state and asked where to send the check since the website didn't mention it. They laughed and said, "oh, you must be from up north." Gee, did it show?

It was a lot of fun hanging out with my friend Mrs. Cardinal and her husband and the four kids and the two dogs, the cat, the two parrots and the hamsters! Good thing they have a large house (and I had my own room). We did have a great time, had some cookouts, had a bunch of our pals from school over with all their kids, and generally enjoyed catching up.

Mrs. Cardinal, her oldest daughter, and I went and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Now I love the book series, I love the movies, and I was looking forward to this one. However. It's, well, grim. Really grim. (The book was as well.) I doubt I'd take a kid under the age of 12 to see it unless they are completely obsessed with the series and can handle the dark aspects of the story. And for anyone who hasn't read the books...don't bother. You won't get most of what's happening.

Well, now to work. The house, the cats, and the laundry are calling.