Work is dumb

I think the students are just about as over the idea of school right now as I am.  I have absolutely no urge to do anything productive right now, nor do they.  I actually had to administer a standardized test this morning, so my own classes were in a different room with a different teacher.  I gave them an article to read and a set of questions to answer.  I'm sure it was all pretty riveting.

To add to the aggravation, I am having to sub for the girl who can't seem to get well again today.  I have no idea what's wrong with her, but she has been out so often this year that I find I am surprised to see her when she is at work.  I know there are systems in place to get subs for such things, but it seems that a lot of us have to step in and cover classes pretty frequently.  It's annoying.  I don't have a clue what these classes are, what the kids should be learning or if any of the content is actually getting through.  Certainly, it stinks to have a personal crisis that causes you to miss work so often, but I feel like there isn't a whole lot of learning happening.

Okay, Dunlap- shake it off.  You're sitting in a room full of teenagers, not breaking rocks in the hot sun.

I am thinking of heading to the grocery store after work today so I can get the ingredients to make the stuffing for this weekend's Allen family get together.  We're having the first of what promises to be a series of Christmases.  10th- Jeanne's side of Cas' family, including aunts, uncles and cousins.  A week later on the 17th, just Jeanne, Dave, Chad, Becky Zoey, Cas and me.  A week after that on the 24th, we head to my parents' house in Richardson for the big Hinds family celebration, and another week after that, it's New Year's Eve.  We're not clear on what happens for us to ring in 2017, but certainly, we will do something fabulous.  There is talk of watching the fireworks at Reunion Tower as well as a strong argument for staying in and celebrating at the house.  Decision pending.  We're ready, though.  There are exactly two things that haven't arrived in the mail for us to wrap, and anything else that should be under the tree is coming in the form of a gift certificate or a Groupon.  The tree is looking pretty good.

In the meantime, I just want to get out of this classroom and back into mine.  The kids finished their worksheets in about 20 minutes, leaving 55 minutes of unstructured time.  Greeeaaat.

Feliz Deciembre

November is gone. Cas and I had two thanksgiving dinners, finished our Spanish class and made a triumphant return to Group Dynamix for their "Adventure Sunday" promotion.

It's Sunday now, but on Friday we redeemed his birthday gift.  I had bought us a pair of tickets to see John Cleese and Eric Idle at the Majestic theater.  It was a spectacular show.  The whole thing was like being in the writer's room for an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.  We laughed so hard.  I laughed hard enough for my stomach muscles to feel it the next morning.

We're starting our December, now, and we have just had our last uninterrupted Saturday for the year.  This week, we will enjoy the Allen family Christmas with Jeanne's side of Cas' family.  That should be a pretty good time.  It will be nice to get everyone together for something happy, since the last time we all gathered was to say goodbye to Stephanie.

The following Saturday, we have a Christmas celebration with just Jeanne, Dave, Chad, Becky, Zoey, Cas and me.  That has to happen before Chad and Becky go to her parents' celebration in South Carolina.

The Saturday after that, we have Christmas Eve with my family and the last Saturday of the month is New Years Eve.  We are planning out a big evening for that, as well.  It's shaping up to be a busy month.

Somewhere in the midst of that, Cas Sr. and Anne will be around.  Presumably, we will get together with them at some point to celebrate the holidays.

Last night, we pretty much wrapped up our holiday shopping, as well.  The last thing we actually needed to buy was presents for Zoey.  I can manage a lot online, but Cas kind of feels the need to go to a toy store and actually touch the toys.  Mission accomplished.  He was like a kid in a toy shop, just a little older.

We went for hamburgers and cocktails after that, then back home to watch a movie.  Even something as silly as a toy store trip and a hamburger is fun for me and Cas.  I stuck around the house this morning just long enough to eat breakfast with him before heading to Richardson.  There are three more weeks of school for me before Christmas break.  Cas only has two weeks left- our breaks are staggered by one week.  He gets off on the 16th, and I get out on the 22nd.  That means I go back a week later than he does in 2017, though.

I have all my lesson plans in and my website up to date.  I just have a little more work to do with my grade book before I can call it quits for the day.

I am also waiting for a phone call from the Fiat dealer in McKinney.  I am just days away from being the proud owner of a brand spanking new Fiat Spider 124.  It's going to be beautiful.

I'll post photos when the car becomes mine.  Can't wait for the slow boat from Italy to arrive.