a new aide. Well, actually, my true love didn't give me squat, but the assistant principal had me participate in interviews of three potential aides. I liked all three and felt they all could do the job. For a couple of reasons, #3 was eliminated, leaving me the day to ponder which of the other two to choose. The AP had told them that she'd let them know one way or the other today, so I ahd to make a decision.
I'm not so good at making decisions. I generally dither, faff, ponder, take a while to meditate. There was not that luxury today, so I made a selection. I hope I made the right, best choice. I truly felt that either lady would be good at the job, and I liked them both. Dang. that made it soooo hard. I hope the one I didn't choose isn't too disappointed.
Now we have to wait for HR to approve the applicant, so I suppose it'll be next week before she gets to start.
I had two classes come to the library today for book talks and check-out, and will have 6 tomorrow and 5 Thursday. More Friday. I'm already booked up through next week. This is crazy.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Fairy elves, Whose midnight revels by a forest side
Let me try to wrap up the rest of my UK holiday in July, what parts I can still remember at least. So Monday, July 9: J and I went to St Albans after getting the kids off to school (which was complicated by the enterprise scheme for T, who had to take tons of supplies for making toasties with some other girls). When we were over there in January it was cold and we ran out of time for seeing the Roman ruins. This time we headed straight for the Roman theatre ruins http://www.romantheatre.co.uk/. This was very interesting for me. Then we strolled over to the Roman wall and also went into the hypocaust building to see the mosaic floor. http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/hypocaust.htm After seeing plenty of old stuff (no, I wasn't using a mirror, hah hah) we found a pub for lunch, then popped in and out of shops. I found a set of hedgehog salt and pepper shakers! Extremely cute.
We had to get back to J's house before the kids were out of school. We went in to check on the enterprise scheme and I bought a lovely ham and cheese toastie from T and her friends. It was really nice to see the inside of a little British school and the kids looked adorable in their blue uniforms. I so wish we could require uniforms at our school.
Later that afternoon J, T, and I took Ammy for a walk through the park. Ammy is sooo sweet and happy, such a pleasure to be with. It was really nice to be in a place where one can go for a walk in July without risking heat stroke. I especially enjoyed seeing the canal boats along the way.
So quaint. It'd be fun for me and T to take a bit of a trip in one, I think.
.On Tuesday, M took the day off work and he drove me and J to the Buckinghamshire town of Chalfont St Giles where we toured Milton's Cottage http://www.miltonscottage.org/aboutmiltonscottage.htm. This was very interesting and really sort of amazing to me, to be wandering around in a cottage that had been used by such a famous and important poet. He lived there while he was completing Paradise Lost. There are various editions of Milton's works on display.
After the cottage, we went to the town duck pond and had a picnic lunch. I love having little picnics in England.
On Wednesday morning I was set to fly home early, so poor Mike had to get up before dawn and drive me over to Heathrow. When I went to check in for my flight, I was informed that it had been cancelled. ARGH! They had switched me to a later flight, so I (and Mike) could have slept later. Oh well. I don't mind hanging around a decent airport for a while.
It was a lovely trip for me all around. My friends there are such kind and generous people, and the children are cute and polite and funny and the family dog is perfection. Oh, not to mention the desserts. YUM. Sticky toffee pudding on my last night there.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Due to popular demand (okay, well, Lydia-demand anyhow) I'm blogging again already.
My summer holiday is over. This Tuesday I had to go back to work at the library, and got the confirmation that one of my aides, JA, is transaferring to another high school to job-share. I'm happy for her, she worked long and hard to get her degree and become a librarian, and it's actually a good situation for her, though she'd love to be getting the entire salary instead of a portion. Today we had a secondary librarians meeting and she was there in her new capacity. It was fun, though it took some adjusting for everyone. Whenever she said "we" I wasn't sure if she meant "we" as in my school or "we" as in where she is now. She usually meant my school, as she still thinks of herself as part of my team. I'll take her a little while to adjust.
Meanwhile, I'm searching for a new aide. I may have someone to interview in the morning. If she doesn't pan out, I'm pretty much at a deadend. The position hasn't been posted on the district website yet though, so there could be someone out there for me. It's jsut going to be really rough to start school Monday with only the two of us. I'll have to train the student aides (that was part of JA's job) and then when I get a new paraprofessional aide, I'll have to train her, all the while hoping that my other aide doesn't try to run her off like she did when JA was new.
It's all too complicated. What it boils down to is that this is going to be an extremely difficult and trying fall. Oh well. One day at a time. Laugh, and the world laughs with you.
Fortunately, the new Josh Ritter CD has some songs that have not yet failed to bring a smile to my face, so if I can listen to at least one on my way to work every morning, and maybe have a chance to hear one at lunchtime, I can get through this with that smile firmly in place.
My summer holiday is over. This Tuesday I had to go back to work at the library, and got the confirmation that one of my aides, JA, is transaferring to another high school to job-share. I'm happy for her, she worked long and hard to get her degree and become a librarian, and it's actually a good situation for her, though she'd love to be getting the entire salary instead of a portion. Today we had a secondary librarians meeting and she was there in her new capacity. It was fun, though it took some adjusting for everyone. Whenever she said "we" I wasn't sure if she meant "we" as in my school or "we" as in where she is now. She usually meant my school, as she still thinks of herself as part of my team. I'll take her a little while to adjust.
Meanwhile, I'm searching for a new aide. I may have someone to interview in the morning. If she doesn't pan out, I'm pretty much at a deadend. The position hasn't been posted on the district website yet though, so there could be someone out there for me. It's jsut going to be really rough to start school Monday with only the two of us. I'll have to train the student aides (that was part of JA's job) and then when I get a new paraprofessional aide, I'll have to train her, all the while hoping that my other aide doesn't try to run her off like she did when JA was new.
It's all too complicated. What it boils down to is that this is going to be an extremely difficult and trying fall. Oh well. One day at a time. Laugh, and the world laughs with you.
Fortunately, the new Josh Ritter CD has some songs that have not yet failed to bring a smile to my face, so if I can listen to at least one on my way to work every morning, and maybe have a chance to hear one at lunchtime, I can get through this with that smile firmly in place.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Okay, obviously I'm so far behind that I'll never finish my UK blogging in time to write about Georgia before I forget everything, so, I'm skipping on to GA right now. Like it or lump it.
Zannah and I left midmorning last Friday, driving east in the Beetle. We failed to stock up on trash magazines before heading out, so made multiple stops in search of mind-candy: US, OK!, and even The Enquirer. We also stopped to eat a couple of times. Around 10 pm we checked into a hotel in Meridian, Mississippi, to spend the night. Saturday we pressed on and arrived at Hard Labor Creek State Park around 4 pm. After settling into our cottage, we drove toward Athens and called Larry and Renee as soon as we could get a cell signal. Larry was working, but we met Renee at the Grit for dinner - the veggie plate, as usual, and dessert (pineapple/rhubarb pie for me).
Sunday morning we picked up Renee and a slightly MIA Larry and headed north to Dahlonega, site of the first gold rush in US history in 1833. We checked out the small town, then drove to a mine where we could pan for gold. It's kind of silly - you give them $$ and they give you a plastic bag full of sand and gravel. You go over to a trough and get a pan and proceed to slosh through your bag of dirt in search of gold. We all found some tiny flecks and teeny nuggety-thingies, so it was fun. We had a great lunch at The Crimson Moon, where there was a mountain-music jam session going on.
The Crimson Moon, Dahlonega, GA.
Zannah and I left midmorning last Friday, driving east in the Beetle. We failed to stock up on trash magazines before heading out, so made multiple stops in search of mind-candy: US, OK!, and even The Enquirer. We also stopped to eat a couple of times. Around 10 pm we checked into a hotel in Meridian, Mississippi, to spend the night. Saturday we pressed on and arrived at Hard Labor Creek State Park around 4 pm. After settling into our cottage, we drove toward Athens and called Larry and Renee as soon as we could get a cell signal. Larry was working, but we met Renee at the Grit for dinner - the veggie plate, as usual, and dessert (pineapple/rhubarb pie for me).
Sunday morning we picked up Renee and a slightly MIA Larry and headed north to Dahlonega, site of the first gold rush in US history in 1833. We checked out the small town, then drove to a mine where we could pan for gold. It's kind of silly - you give them $$ and they give you a plastic bag full of sand and gravel. You go over to a trough and get a pan and proceed to slosh through your bag of dirt in search of gold. We all found some tiny flecks and teeny nuggety-thingies, so it was fun. We had a great lunch at The Crimson Moon, where there was a mountain-music jam session going on.
The Crimson Moon, Dahlonega, GA.
We also drove to Amicalola Falls State Park, and walked down the trail to the waterfall. A lovely place.
Monday Zannah and I went to Watkinsville so I could go to the yarn shop we discovered last November. It's moved location, but a phone call to Larry got us to the right place. I found some lovely yarns, and Zannah decided she wants to learn to knit, so we got her a book. We went to the grocery store, then went back out to our cottage so Zannah could make dinner for our guests, Renee and Larry! She roasted new potatoes from the Daily Co-op, and made a pizza with fresh basil, mushrooms, bell peppers, mozzarella, and added olives that Larry brought out with him. It was yummy!
On Tuesday we met Renee at Weaver D's for lunch. As we arrived, we noticed a camera crew. The Travel Channel was filming for their Taste of America program. EEK! We all had to sign a release form, so it's possible our faces could appear on the show when it airs in January. Eating at WEaver D's was an experience. The guy randomly calls out "Communicate!" or "Automatic!". The corn muffin was probably the best one I've ever had in my life. Lord knows how much fat
was in it. Watching the crew interview the folks in the restaurant was fun.
Tuesday afternoon Renee had to work, so Zannah and I shopped at Junkman's Daughter's Brother, then went back to the cottage for a shower and rest before going back to town to meet Larry and Renee for dinner at A Taste of India. Then we wandered over to Paul's shop and hung out a little, then met Renee's friend Jeff and went to a show at The Morton Theatre. They were taping for the radio show, Athens 441, and the first two acts were guys Renee knows. Peter was good fun, I enjoyed his music a lot. Then it was Steven, whom Renee had played with at that very theatre a few years ago when they opened for Robyn Hitchcock! www.myspace.com/greenlawns He was really good.
On Tuesday we met Renee at Weaver D's for lunch. As we arrived, we noticed a camera crew. The Travel Channel was filming for their Taste of America program. EEK! We all had to sign a release form, so it's possible our faces could appear on the show when it airs in January. Eating at WEaver D's was an experience. The guy randomly calls out "Communicate!" or "Automatic!". The corn muffin was probably the best one I've ever had in my life. Lord knows how much fat
was in it. Watching the crew interview the folks in the restaurant was fun.
Tuesday afternoon Renee had to work, so Zannah and I shopped at Junkman's Daughter's Brother, then went back to the cottage for a shower and rest before going back to town to meet Larry and Renee for dinner at A Taste of India. Then we wandered over to Paul's shop and hung out a little, then met Renee's friend Jeff and went to a show at The Morton Theatre. They were taping for the radio show, Athens 441, and the first two acts were guys Renee knows. Peter was good fun, I enjoyed his music a lot. Then it was Steven, whom Renee had played with at that very theatre a few years ago when they opened for Robyn Hitchcock! www.myspace.com/greenlawns He was really good.
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