Happy Halloween!



The best show - ever

Dave at a Halloween party. I think he's dressed as a golfer - not sure...








This picture was taken from Skyline Drive, just south of Big Meadows. The view is to the west - toward Harrisonburg.

I had an interesting week. I received an invitation to a baby shower for a colleague who is in a lesbian relationship. Her partner is expecting in late November, so we all got together to throw them a shower. Now, they are registered at Target, so I ventured out to buy a gift from the registry. Here's the problem - The gift registry gives the option of searching via the mother or the father's name. I didn't, at the time, know the pregnant partner's name (whom I would assume would be listed as 'mother'). What to do, what to do? I hesitated, then finally touched 'Father' on the screen. Of course, the female name I typed in did not appear in the database for fathers. Along comes a red-clad, helpful Target associate. After a brief discussion of options, we chose 'Mother' and typed in the name I knew. Voila!

The shower was lovely, and the couple is ecstatic about the imminent arrival.

Random thoughts..

• I miss my family.
• I miss my dog.
• I never thought I'd ever be homesick. I can't remember a time when I was homesick, not even as a kid. I especially didn't think I'd be homesick for NC, since it's not really home - although I lived there for over 30 years.
• I like teaching high school. There is a sense of freedom and maturity that I've missed. I like being able to have adult conversations with students.
• My mom is one of the most amazing women I know. Even at age 85, she can be so much fun to be around. She has made me feel so welcome and useful over the last 3 months.
• I love the mountains of VA in autumn. My drive to work each morning is a prayer.
• I can't wait for my husband to move here with us and really start behaving as a family again.

Ok - that's all I have for now. Good night.

Pretty good day (hence the change in font color - uplifting blue). My flash drive mysteriously appeared in a sealed envelope on my desk today. I laid a HUGE guilt trip on the 9th period class yesterday, and I guess it worked. Now, I have 2 flash drives! Looks like one of my children will get a flash drive for Christmas...

I had some issues today with people being disrespectful to me. Not students - colleagues. Not cool. I don't know why, although I could take some educated guesses. It's so hard to start over in a job after you've worked so hard to earn respect in your last job. I'm not used to being treated like the village idiot, and I'm afraid I may say something I shouldn't very soon.

On the bright side - I was able to take a little time for myself this afternoon. Had myself a pedicure, and it was good.

Went 'over the mountain' today after church - to look at the leaves and eat lunch. The leaves are at their peak this weekend, and are a riot of color. Then, I went to the grocery store, and as I walked out the door, I see this beautiful tree right at the end of the drive. Who needed to travel to see beauty?

Sometimes, it just doesn't pay to get up in the morning. Can you imagine what's going on in his little, shrimpy brain??

grrrr....
While my back was turned today in school, a student made off with my flash drive! All my notes and presentations for the next chapter - gone. I'm so .....grrrr....So guess what I get to do this weekend, in my spare time?

Change is good....right??

Not so sure, after this afternoon. I love teaching, I really like the kids in my classroom, and I like the teachers with whom I work (for the most part). I don't like paperwork, and I despise feeling like a moron because I don't know all the rules yet. I never thought changing schools (and states) would be so difficult.