Last minute fun!

I know I should be finishing up all the last minute details but there is a daughter and 3 boys here that need a little of my attention as well. And, considering that I won't see them for 5 months... I deserve some family time... right?

We watched the bats come out last night from under 620 (?) bridge in Round Rock. That was fun. There were clouds and clouds of them for a half hour! I've seen the bats under the Congress Street bridge but this was cool and ... much quieter.

Today we are going to see the Harry Potter movie in 3D at the IMAX...

I am still managing to get stuff done. But before I mow the lawn one last time, I need to update the Project Linus website and I am going to do that right now!

Da Website...

Well I continued work on the website tonight. I needed something that would settle me down and there's nothing like the endless fussing with a website that will calm you down and bore you silly. It's the sheer amount of detail necessary to make it look good and function well! Now, I'd LOVE to have a kickass website like Mrs. Bainbridge or Mrs. Meacham but honestly folks, I'm not sure that I have the stamina for that. This little piddly thing I got going is enough for me.

The site is actually up and live and I could sure use some feedback. If you look at it and you notice things that need to be fixed or MISSPELLINGS (!) puleeze let me know! I have two more sections to work on but I feel like a Bollywood movie right now so maybe I'll just take short break and live it up in the land of tons of eye makeup and belled ankle bracelets...

http://web.me.com/geniaklein/An_American_in_Edinburgh

My Lucky Day....

Those of you who know me, know that I can be incredibly perfectionistic. I hate it. It stops me from doing things because I always want to do them right, but sometimes you just have to do stuff and get it right later on... but I hate doing that.

Anyway, I've been working in the classroom trying to make it accessible for my exchange partner. You know, dragging stuff out of the closet so she can see what is available. Have a few bulletin boards up already so she won't spend her life in the classroom like I do... things like that BUT at the same time, not trying to lay it out so there is no room for her to come in and make it HER classroom... it's tricky. I spend a lot of time second guessing myself... and I know Lorraine is not going to care... I just really want her to love Windermere Primary School as much as I do.... but the Texas educational system is a harsh task master.... I just don't know. What if they no longer allow Fulbright Exchanges from Texas?

So what brought on these doomsday projections into the future? Well today, my principal waylaid me with a yardstick. (The foreboding music should be crescendo-ing right now...) There is to be NOTHING hung within 24 inches of the ceiling unless it's non-flammable. No curtains, nothing hanging from the ceiling... no pretty fabric to dress up the ugly paint. No microwaves, refrigerators and only one lamp allowed. I was absolutely struck dumb. How do I teach with nothing on the walls? No curtains to soften up the space and no lamps? Wasn't that a big part of the whole "Brain friendly" environment we are supposed to create for our students so the classroom is a warm loving space to grow and take risks in????

When I look at how much time and money I invest in my classroom each day/year and then somebody who has no idea of what I do each day comes in to make an arbitrary rule and cites "safety" as an excuse ... Please show me the data on how many students are injured each year because their teacher has things hanging up the walls and off the ceilings? C'mon, show me! BRING IT!

... I THOUGHT I was handling it well but apparently my poker face is not in working order so my principal felt compelled to take us out to lunch to make up for the bad news. That made me feel even more ridiculous....

I am trying to be gracious and amenable but I'm stressed --

I worked until 5:00 today taking everything down and repositioning it.... Then it started to rain so I left and bought a Lotto ticket. It's gotta be my lucky day.

Another task to be checked off

Well, Molly dragged me out of the house this morning to get up to school. There are some things I wanted to put up--- mandatory things that will help my exchange partner so she doesn't have to spend days in the classroom-- but it was really beautiful on the patio and it was hard to leave.

It's hard to remember to not do too much. I want her to feel that the room is hers and at the same time, I know she will be so overloaded by all the information coming at her... We put the tables and chairs in the same place as last year. I liked the layout, but it will serve to get her started on HER room arrangement. I hung up the monthly writing sample board so all she'll have to do is to remember to put the monthly writing samples up there-- but if truth be told, I've been doing this display for years and I'm better some years than others-- we'll see what happens. The word wall is up because it has to be. And we got the paper put up for the Math board. Then we went to get the title for Molly's car and Teacher Heaven. (Did you like how I snuck that in there?) $104.00 poorer I emerged and am now eyeing my loot scattered about on the floor. There's stuff to take to Scotland like a Texas flag and a U.S. flag. There are stickers, books and borders. I bought a new Calendar chart that I will put up in the classroom tomorrow along with the rest of the Calendar Math things. Then I'll double check the desk area, hang the curtains and I think I am finished. It's all yours Lorraine-- I hope you have as much fun each day as I do.

Yay, one more thing!

All I want to do....

I emailed a friend this morning, one I hadn't seen in ages. It was wonderful to get back in touch with her! But as I was giving her a brief synopsis of my life and family up until now, I mentioned this poor neglected blog and thought perhaps I should write something... anything. And too, I have been a little teary lately. Between having my period and getting ready to leave friends and family for 5 months, I suppose there's reasons. BUT if I would blog, then perhaps my heart wouldn't be so full that it needs to come out through my tear ducts... Although, I'm just grateful I got it now instead of in Edinburgh. I could just imagine myself walking about sobbing as I took pictures... yechh. I get very emotional at this time. I remember once crying at a stop light listening to a Buddy Holly song mourning that he died so young... Where is menopause when you want it?

I mentioned to Ada that my modus operendi for the past 10 years is to start school and have no time whatsoever to clean because there are always lessons to be planned and web surfing to be done and so I push off the cleaning business until the summer when I have more time ... but then summer comes and I usually teach summer school which, even though it's a half day, again demands preparation and then... well it's summer and I deserve some time off ... so I take road trips and next thing you know it's August and I'm back in the classroom getting ready for a new year and school starts and itsallablurforthenextninemonths but I'll clean during the summer when I have more time... and what a viscious cycle! FOR 10 YEARS!!! I have boxes in the garage that I didn't unpack when I moved in 10 years ago...

The hardest part of the cleaning is all that I'd LIKE to do. I'd like to install crown molding in the bedroom, but how bad do I want it? Enough to give up money that I might like to use on a once in a lifetime opportunity in Scotland? I think not. I wanted to lay flooring this summer (I have a mish-mash of painted cement floors, carpet, tile and linoleum now). Enough to give up a possible trip to Amsterdam for? Hmmm, probably not... A new fan for the office... a carpet for the livingroom... cabinets for the newly created craft room... a chic laundry room??? Yeah, none of that will happen this summer... for good reason. But, I guess that's also the joy of home ownership. There's always something I'd like to do to make my home more beautiful in my eyes... Yet, I do love to travel.... I'll have memories to savor as I go about selecting the perfect crown molding for the bedroom next year or that Craftsman-style ceiling fan I'll install when I get back-- IF I'm not maxed out on my credit!!! ;)