Washing Dishes

When I was in junior high school (the age my girls are now), I won a little writing contest for an essay I wrote about the holidays.  The only thing I remember about the assignment was complaining how ridiculous it was that we washed the dishes BEFORE AND AFTER we use them for a special dinner.  My mother was embarrassed when the teacher talked to her about it.  The teacher thought it was funny.

I bet you cannot guess what I just finished doing for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow!

Maxiumum Capacity

Approximately four times a year I have one of those periods of time where I am running at maxiumum capacity, and just teetering on going over the edge.  Usually around Christmas time, the end of the school year, mid-February (sports and school reasons), and the first week of school.  I'd like to add the week before Thanksgiving this year.  I was a little overinvolved in projects for others, have parent/teacher conferences to conduct, and have to attend five conferences for my own children.  There was other miscellaneous "stuff" we all have, too.  I was wiped out after school, and then got a call from my mother-in-law.

While I was talking with her, call-waiting beeped in twice (I didn't click over) and the doorbell rang.  I told my mother-in-law just a second while I answered the door.  It was the neighbor returning some spice he borrowed.  I stood and talked to him for about ten minutes.  I did not remember that my mother-in-law was on the other end of the phone until after I closed the door and started to put the spice away.  I WAS HOLDING THE PHONE THE ENTIRE TIME!  She got a good chuckle out of it.  Thank goodness I wasn't cooking!

What Kind of Dancer?

I teach pre-kindergarten at a Catholic school.  Love, love, love my job.  The children never cease to amaze and amuse me.  Today was no exception.

I had a little boy bring me a sticker to wear.  He was very adamant about where on my shirt I should place it . . . immediately.  "Oh *Johnny*! How cute!  Thank you!"  I told him. 

He replied, "It's a pole dancer." 

Now *Johnny* has some typical pre-k speech issues.  I responded, "I'm sorry honey.  I couldn't hear you."  I was really hoping I heard wrong.

"It's a pole dancer."

"*Johnny*, I think you mean HULA dancer."

"Oh!  Yeah."  Glad we cleared this issue up before he went home.

Husband's New Job

My husband has been a work-aholic since we graduated from grad school in '94.  Since the children have gotten older, he has been somewhat reformed:  mostly 5-day work weeks, 10 hour days, but LOTS of travel.  Long story shorter--last February he had a job-loss scare and started looking for a new job.  He started about a month ago at a local, private college.  The "typical" workweek hours are from 8:30 to 4:30.  It's been weird having him around--and he has so much more energy.

The other night we had to run to the store.  We ate supper, went to the store, and were home by 6:30!  That was the time we STARTED dinner many nights.  We're still in the honeymoon phase of this new job, but I think it will be wonderful!