Therapeutic Thursday

Ah, yes! Nothing like a little anticipation of the weekend to make this day go by a little faster. My new best friend is my physical therapist, Andy. He is making my wrist do things it forgot how to do. He warms it, stretches it, and pulls it. Then, today he attached some electrodes and shocked it for a while. It actually feels great right now! I don't have the range of motion that I did before the injury, but it feels "looser" and more moveable. (I'm sure there's a more scientific term for that.) He seems to be a nice guy who enjoys backpacking and photography.
My students are almost finished with the big tests we've been taking. Last night I thought there was NO way we'd get through by tomorrow, but now I just think there are a few people who won't be finished -- namely the 5 who were absent today!
Some of my other duties, as sponsor of the yearbook and coordinator of the new program, are weighing on my mind, but this testing business is just bigger than anything else right now. I can't see beyond Monday at 4:30 p.m. when all of it is due in Central Office. I will be FREE after that!
This afternoon I took George and his dad for a drive to the starting line and finish line of the race he will run on Saturday. It turns out that some of our good friends are also friends of their family. The man who inspired my son to be a pharmacist also worked closely with George's dad in their home country, and works with him now, too. It's a small world. George is so excited. I hope he will enjoy the experience along with the 1,500 other kids who are running 1.2 miles. Later the 23,000 adults who are participating in the 13.1 or 26.2 miles, including my honey-bunny, will be jostling for a place in the record books. We probably need to leave home about 5:30 a.m. to get there in time. It will be a "fun-packed" morning. It's supposed to start off in the 50's and get into the 70's.
I got my little once-a-month side job done this morning, had a "Grandma Hammond" at Taylor Made (my favorite coffee), sat through a big traffic jam, and still got to work on time. Guess I'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow is Friday: finish testing, load with carbs, and relax a little.

6 weeks from today

...will be Memorial Day and I'll be through with this school year. I can't believe it, in some ways, but in others it seems a century away.
David is debating whether to run the half or whole marathon. As of today, it's looking more like a slow whole marathon. Just to keep up his string of them. This would be his seventh here, his 17th or 18th overall. Started the year we were married.
We had a great Easter weekend. A visit with his folks. A pretty drive to and from K-town. Got to hear tales of Uncle Paul's travels to mysterious Japan and Cousin Andrew's life of work and study. He works 30 hours a week and takes 15 hours. We are so proud of him -- the only grandson on that side of the family who actually WORKS in the real world. He's a keeper!
Today I walked 4 miles at Centennial Park. It was a beautiful day and lots of people were out. Saw a former student and a guy from church who runs.
Tomorrow is the big day when I get this cast cut off. I'm so ready. It is hot inside it. I know it's not very hot outside yet, but I'll be glad to get this off before it really gets hot.
Heard about Scott's great lunch Sunday and Todd's long drive and interesting visit. One funny thing that happened to us is that we left our Sunday clothes at home. We just HAD to buy new ones. Dad found things at one of Todd's favs, planetexchange, while I had to go to goody's, but they were all on sale! It worked out for the best.
Time for the crossword. Peas out.

So, got my work done, got my errands run, got my nails done. Now, it's time to do the crossword and relax a little.
Saw a good movie last night -- "Hoot". It's based on the book. Very well done, just about my speed. Rated G. If you get the chance, go see it.
This coming week will be stressful with the emphasis in my workplace on assessing every single person, without leaving anyone out. Somehow, giving a person an exam in a foreign language when they have not studied that language very much -- and some of them are not even literate in their mother tongue -- seems a little ridiculous. But, then, I enjoy a little humor every now and then. People who have just learned to hold a pencil and to make it from the cafeteria to the classroom will be sitting there, bubbling in little circles on a sheet of paper. Then, that little piece of paper will be collected and sent to a big computer, which will analyze their random marks and eventually send back a report which will let everyone know that this child didn't know anything about what he/she was being tested on. Isn't technology grand?!?
A few weeks later, my boss will get another piece of paper and solemnly give it to me, explaining that I have (or have not) made great strides in bringing this person into our society and acquainting them with our written language. In some places, one's very job can be based on how these random circles are colored. Certainly, many dollars are tied to the outcomes, and many people's job satisfaction, promotion, etc. are also intertwined with this spring ritual.
I mean, when you look at it from the child's perspective, it really borders on the surreal. And sitting in a room full of them and trying to keep them quiet after they have marked their random circles is even funnier!! Ha! Ha! Hee! Hee!
Therefore, I bought some supplies today. Peppermints, animal crackers, sunflower seeds, banana chips. A little food now and then, a few jokes, a little reassurance that they are still in the real world and that someone cares about them more than their ability to color little circles on a piece of paper. We'll manage to get through this yet again.
Actually, some of them are quite bright, have studied before they got here, and continue to develop their abilities through tutoring, using the computer, etc. For those, I'll get kudos. For the ones who weren't ever able to study this language before they got here and who don't have a computer or those whose parents don't even know how to read or write in their native language, the next two weeks will be very difficult. Consequently, their struggle will become mine as well.
Patience is my strong suit, fortunately, but it will be sorely tried in the days to come. Just steeling myself.
One thing I'm glad I completed this past week was mailing out invitations to my father's birthday party. I hope most people have received them by now.
I also sent out some little Easter surprises to one son and to my parents. I hope they liked them.
Heard from one of the "sleepless ones" about 8:45 a.m., and he'd just arrived at his destination, after driving all night. Way to go. It's the way young people do things these days. I remember making a few trips like that myself, as a matter of fact. And I remember dating a certain fellow who worked nights, so we did stay up rather late when he was off. True. Couldn't do it now, and wouldn't want to. Different strokes for different folks.
We're getting our yard mulched tomorrow. Paying a guy we know. He already came over and dug up all the weeds. Looking really good. Need to mow, though. Hard to do with a cast...
My dear friend who paints a lot (murals on walls and such) was out shopping today and bought me a new rose bush. I'm excited. Hot pink and fragrant. I'd mentioned to her that I was in the market for a new rose since my old one died. Hope this one survives my "black" thumb.
Well, that's all the news that's fit to share.
The Lord bless you and keep you.

Just the beginning

I'm getting into this to see how it is.
I figure I'm living in the middle of my state, and I'm in the middle years, and I'm between two generations, hence the title.
Although my arm is broken and in a cast at the moment, I can type at a certain speed and get something entered for your viewing pleasure.
Somehow the children I gave birth to so many years ago have never learned to sleep at night. Their rhythms are different from mine, and I begin to despair of their ever learning to go to bed when the sun is down and rise when it is up. It is definitely a beautiful day out there -- blue sky, green grass, budding trees, fresh air. What a day to be alive--and off work!
Speaking of which, I probably need to type a little for a certain boss right now. Catch ya later.