Home and School

Plum's home!  He arrived in his new carrier, wearing a plastic "the cone of shame" around his neck.  We'd decided to have him recuperate in my office/guest bedroom instead of letting him back in the barn.  He was a little nervous, being inside a house (I think for the first time), but what really upset him was that thing around his neck.  We watched him unhappily bumping around the room with it for a few minutes and then took it off.  So much for following doctor's orders.  However, Plum's being good about not worrying his tiny incision (there are no stitches to pull at), so I think we made a good call on that one.

The temperature hit 101 degrees yesterday, so I'm glad that Plum is inside where it's cool.  No pictures this morning -- I'm off for my first day of district and school meetings.  My classroom is still looking very, very rough.  Actually, it's a disaster zone in there right now.  I decided to do some moving around of furniture and daughter Becky and I are also putting up new bulletin boards.  Stacks of dusty books, papers and other educational junk are heaped up all over the place.  The room is a shambles and actually looks much worse than it did last week -- but this is pretty much I do things every year.  Yesterday afternoon, our principal popped his head in to ask me a question, looked around and innocently (with an evil gleam in his eye) asked, "Wow - what happened here?"  I suppose I could have lobbed a dusty book at him, but (being of sterling character) didn't.  Both of us know that every year, when the students march in on the first day, the room is somehow, miraculously ready. 

Last night I didn't get home until 8:30.  Bruce had a glass of wine and a spaghetti dinner waiting for me.  Today other daughter, Liz, will come to help me put more order in the classroom.  Tonight is our Back to School Night, where the parents come to see the classrooms and get an intro to the coming school year.  My teaching partner, Sue, and I do our presentations together because I teach all the 4th grade language arts and she does the math.  Her room looks pretty good right now, so we'll be meeting in there.  My classroom door will be locked, the lights off, and the curtains drawn.

By Sunday night my room will be ready.  I'll post pictures to prove it!