a full moon week

It surely seemed like it could have been a full moon this week.  But I checked, and it wasn't.

Monday, our department went on a field trip, and I was the "left behind" person to stay with the kids who weren't going. I thought I would get some work done, but I got very little done.  I had to fill in for the lunch duty of someone who was on the field trip, and I had no time that was kid-free.  I even ate lunch at my desk with kids in my room.  I didn't have many - two or three at a time - but it was difficult to get anything done.


Tuesday was a chorus concert at school.  It was done early, and the schedule had been adjusted to allow for an hour concert.  I had my first block class for nearly 2.5 hours.  We were ALL fit to be tied by the time that was over with.  They were out of control.

Wednesday was another field trip.  We went to Avery Island, and toured the Tabasco factory and the Jungle Gardens.  The Jungle Gardens are gorgeous.  Our bus driver pointed out the salt domes.  The kids were mostly decent.  They enjoyed sampling the Tabasco flavored ice cream (I was NOT impressed) and seeing the alligators.  My own two boys were having a wasted day at their school, so they skipped school and joined us. 

In the picture with the bridge, you can see an alligator floating in the lower right hand corner. 

Trying to place pictures on Blogger drives me crazy.  I don't want it formatted like this - but it is! 

On Thursday, my wonderful "Breakfast Club" first hour was nicely settled down in their desks (probably for the first time in over 2 weeks) with their assignments, calculator, pencils, etc on their desks, and I was leading them through their assignment when my door swung open.  There stood one of our administrators, two police officers, and a drug dog.  They confiscated a few cell phones and an MP3 player, but nothing illegal was detected.  They felt like they had been singled out, but that is what happens when you behave as they have all year.  When you're on the radar, it isn't always a good thing!

Friday started off with one of my church friends donating an American flag to the [public] school that I teach at.  I guess that was a violation of church and state on many levels.  Too bad.  When I took down the previous American flag (a couple of years ago), it was so tattered that the strings were wrapped around near-by branches. 

The rest of the day didn't go quite as wonderfully.  I have SO much paperwork to do, I may never get it all done.  One of my assistants left for the day.  I got some things done.  My [step] daughter-in-law got word that her grandfather in Massachusetts was dying.  Her oldest son was going to spend Friday night with us, but she asked us to keep him for the weekend, so that she could go to see her grandfather.  My oldest son came home with a truckload of homework (not the first time on a Mother's Day weekend), and we had a Boy Scout meeting on Friday afternoon (instead of on Sunday, like we usually do).  I think everyone was tired, and some tempers flared with the adults.  My children said it was "awkward".  We usually get along pretty well, so hopefully things can be resolved in a productive way. 

My step-grandchild was baptized Catholic, but is being raised in the Assembly of God churches.  He has gone to church with us both of the weekends that he came with us.  I hope that doesn't cause problems; it is no secret that I am a "Happy Catholic".  Last week, he was just there.  This Saturday, my boys were altar servers, and he was full of questions.  Why do the people kneel before they sit down?  Why do you have six Sundays of Easter?  When can I get one of those "round things"?  Can I help the priest, too?  I just tell him, "We'll talk later."  During the Sign of Peace, I heard a crash coming from the altar area.  As my oldest was putting away the Sacramentary, the sleeve of his alb caught on the wine cruet, and he spilled the wine.  On the dry-clean-only tablecloth of the credence table.  A "nice lady" (from the altar society) helped clean it up after Mass.  She was a little stressed,  but I think she ended up  taking it to be cleaned.

Mother's Day was good; maybe another post.

And then tomorrow is school.....