School (more)

If I can just make it through Saturday.  School continues in a mad, gravity-defying, headlong rush -- every time I think that surely things must ease off and slow down, something else comes up and off I go again.  I finished my report cards at 10:30 on Monday night. 

Tuesday I learned that the State Writing Test that is given to all 4th graders was exactly one week away -- I thought I had a few more weeks (I  must get better at checking my calendar).  So I cranked away a week's worth of intensive lessons in a concerted effort to bring my students' skills up.  As far as I can tell, to no great effect, but we'll see.

Today our school had a group of teachers and administers (including our district superintendent) come to observe our classrooms, so I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning up my classroom.  While I was giving our Thursday spelling test, they all trooped in and lined up in the back of the room to watch for a few minutes.  They were smiling, so that was good. 

And tonight was our schools' reading night, in conjunction with Read Across America.  Attendance was dismal and is one of the worst flops we've had for an after-school event.  I dutifully stayed at my station for the full hour, but then bolted for home. 

Tomorrow is just a normal sort of day for a change, but Saturday is our Parents' Club's Tri-Tip Dinner -- the biggest fundraiser of the year.  Along with many of the other teachers, I've signed up to help in the kitchen and serve up food to the diners.  On Sunday I get to rest.

This is why I haven't been blogging.  Or walking.  Or much of ANYTHING other than school. 

At Frogpond all sorts of low-key, but exciting things have been happening.  At the top of the list is that we've had 0.7" of rain in the last two days: not enough for any real runoff for the pond, but still most welcome.  One of our setting ducks also hatched another brood of duckings.  The last thing we need is more ducks, but there they are with their mama in the barn, all cute as can be.  I also have a bunch of berry plants that we bought last weekend from a nice man in the Bay Area.  I potted them up and Bruce and I have plans to construct a berry patch on Sunday.  Last of all, an order of yarn arrived this week in a box thrown over the gate by the UPS guy.  Lovely yarn and I'm looking forward to starting a new project. 

Did I mention that I sprained my wrist the week before last?  It's not a bad sprain, but the doctor did give me an impressive black brace to keep it immobile for the next few weeks.  We'll see how long I can keep it on.  Now I fully get all the nuances contained in the phrase, "busier than a one-armed paper-hanger."