Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Thunderbolt and Lightning, Very Very Frightening

The newest Carnival of Education is up; get on over to the Education Wonks and find out what's happening in our schools these days. Remember, you've got no right to whine, and you've got no credence if you whine anyway, if you don't know what's really going on. If intelligent and decent people don't stand up and take charge of our schools, it's only going to get worse.

I got home from school around five thirty today. It had been sunny all day, after a week of pouring rain, and I was hoping to get some grass cut.

It was still sunny when I put gas in the mower, but by the time I backed it out of the garage, it was dark and threatening. I mowed anyway, watching the sky all the time for lightning. I did get the immediate front and back mowed, but then it started raining and I had to quit.

I spilled gasoline all over my legs when I filled the mower, and even after a shower, I can still smell it. I'd be upset, but gasoline is probably more expensive than any cologne I own, so what the heck.

Wednesday night is my favorite time of all, this semester. Why? Because I can stay up late and sleep in; tomorrow is my day off. I wonder who the early-morning phone call/doorbell ringer will be THIS time? Old people trying to dial the church? A creditor? Someone looking for one of my kids who grew up and moved out several years ago? A receptionist confirming an appointment? The Schwan's guy, taking a chance? Some passing stranger who wants to buy a big tree? (that one is a post in and of itself.) The homeschooled kids footloose and fancy-free kids down the road who never seem to have anything to do in the house during the day, selling Christmas paper and eight cents worth of almond delight in a nickel tin for fifteen dollars? (I am NOT knocking homeschooling; I am, however, knocking this particular family.) (I LIKE homeschooling; I just don't like the way everyone does it.) (It's none of my business anyway, right?) (I also hate the almonds and I never buy them but the kids keep coming back and ringing my doorbell before eight in the morning.) My point is, some people get up way too early and why do they always find me? And why does the Feckless Family down the road let their kids wander like that during the pre-dawn hours? Oh yes, I remember. It's because both parents work during the day and the kids are supposed to teach themselves. Not typical, I know, but maybe it will help you understand my attitude towards the whole thing. I am mainly sorry for the oldest girl; she tries to corral the others but they're like wild animals. I bet that girl gets punished if the others don't mind her and the parents find out. Poor thing. You know, sometimes running away might not be such a bad idea. It's neither right nor fair to make one child take charge of all the others on a regular basis. That is the parents' job. And if neither parent is home all day, then neither should the children be home.

I might take another shower in a few minutes. You probably know why.

I guess I could take the phone off the hook and undo the doorbell, but the fact is, I have kids and I have a mother and I have friends and if someone really needs me, I'm theirs, no matter what time it is. That goes for all of you, too. If I sound grumpy at first, just wait a few minutes and when it sinks in that it's really YOU, I'll be happier than a stray mosquito in a blood bank.

To quote Colonel Potter.

I gave a test today, and all but one of the students finished in under two hours.

That one student needed a little over three hours. So, I gave her three hours; what's the big deal, anyway? I wasn't going anywhere but home to cut grass while the sun shone. She was more important than my grass, after all.

And, I cut some of it anyway. The house and yard look as though they were plunked down in the middle of a hayfield, but so what.

The Feckless Family's knees won't get slapped by the tall dewy pre-dawn grass when they walk from the driveway to the door to ring my doorbell at dawn.

I put a 'Do not disturb' sign on the doorknob once but they stole it.