Weather

Do you think it's true, all everyone talks about is the weather? We had three more snow days this week. Sure hard to get consistent learning when you never have school. I guess when the transportation director goes out in a four wheel drive vehicle and gets big time stuck, he figures the buses will have trouble. We don't have a policy of running buses just some locations, so when we can't run everywhere, we don't have school.
I have lots of home projects completed or nearly so, though. The half bath is painted (mostly) the trim is painted but not installed because we didn't have any nails so all I have left is touch up work. I mounted the mirror. I want to shop for an over the toilet shelving unit and some towel rings, but that has to wait for a trip to the city and payday. I cleaned up the studio again (never ends because I sew messy) and even went through my drawers of colors and sorted small scraps from larger and organized. I pieced some quilt blocks in rail fence pattern for a scrappy wall hanging. I have taken down the wall of photos in the living room and have hung wall quilts there. When I repaint this summer I think I'll have a quilt rack mounted there so it is easier. I'm thinking of those clip type racks?
On Sunday we should get the rest of the new water pipes run. Most of the basement work is in place, just not hooked up. Then will come wall repair. Hopefully this will get done on time so when the next storm hits on Monday I can spend the next snow day cleaning up and it will stay cleaned up!

Work week is done!

Another week finished! This week I have been reading Iowa Tests of Basic Skills to my special needs kids. Remember when you took these tests? We will read all next week as well. 9 of my students need this accommodation and so I read to each of three groups of three one hour a day.
This week we had school every day regular hours compared to working only Tuesday morning and Friday the week before.

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day - mine was quiet. I worked at cutting a big hole in the kitchen wall so the plumbers can replace pipes inside that wall on Sunday.

Anyone want some snow?

I have to be reminded that this year's winter is "normal". We have just been spoiled the last couple of years! I am home again today - We have had school for 4 hours on Tuesday, so far for the week.. Oskaloosa has had 25+ inches since Sunday. It is not snowing now, but at school time this morning there were plenty of county roads not passable. Dan said it took him 45 minutes to drive to Eddyville this morning on his way to work in Ottumwa. Even the highway was snow packed.
I have been keeping busy - I have a few baby projects done, I finished another demin/fleece blanket for Chelsey and Greg, constructed a table runner (actually made something I saw in a magazine!) and have a wall quilt pieced. I have taken down wallpaper in the half bath and hall, cleaned house and sorted through things that used to live in the half bath. I think I may paint on Saturday. I have a color in mind. More snow days will mean being bored, however. We were told don't go to work, no matter what. They need to move snow in the lots. I need someone home with me to play scrabble!

Weather Wows!

I'm back at work today following a day off for weather. The snow on Sunday was unbelievable. It snowed from noon to five or six and we had 12-15 inches! We were at a Super Bowl gathering, which we probably shouldn't have gone to since at three when we left home the storm was really raging. When we got home, shortly after the game and some driveway clearing at our host's home, one of the neighbors had done our walks. We worked on the driveway to get both vehicles up, then came inside to find a message that school had been called off. Yesterday morning it rained and thundered and lightning(ed). Today things are supposed to start being bad again around lunchtime. There was one bus stuck this morning, but that's not bad considering how many buses we run. Chances are we'll have no school tomorrow, as we could get another 8 inches this afternoon/tonight. I still have a sewing project or two waiting for me to have time. Yesterday I finished a baby blanket, I have a denim/fleece quilt waiting for me - the top is pieced, just need to add the back and tie it. It is for Greg and Chelsey's camper. We did have band practice last night - William Penn University has a very small concert band and they invited city band members to play with them. Last night there were 9 of us, only one of which was a Penn student. I had to have my horn in for service, got it back Friday, it really is in good shape now. If I could only say the same for my lip and air supply!

Odd day

Today has been different. For one thing today was the funeral for a third grader who was killed in a car accident last Thursday. There's just no explaining that to most people, let alone third grade classmates. So sad, but her young life was full of activities and joy. Because of the funeral, classes were missing people, students and teachers alike. I began to work with a new group for reading, allowing my next door teacher a little planning time. She and I will alternate working with this combination of both our students on an eight day cycle. Now, after school I will have only one student in my tutoring group - one has dropped (I can't convince the parent that it might take more than 5 weeks to change his habits!) and one of my students joins the morning group on Tuesdays so he can sing in the elementary choir on Tuesday afternoons. I didn't have a car today because the pickup was getting its new windshield (after deer damage). Hopefully routine will reappear tomorrow!

This 'n That

Isn't this weather glorious? OK, it caused lots of mud, but it sure is nice to see the last of the 3 inch thick ice gone from the driveway. Tomorow they are predicting snow again.
Greg and Chelsey are in the Dominican Republic, I talked with Greg last night and besides being sunburned, they are experiencing new food and drinks, napping a lot so they can stay up late and in general really enjoying themselves. They are taking lots of pictures, which I hope they will share when they get home. Meanwhile, here at home, JoAnn and Randy have the dogs and we visit the cats every other day (Greg's dad had alternate days).
The school year is half gone! Seems like we just started the other day. This is the week for mid-terms so it is half way through the middle trimester. I'd better teach faster!

Back at it

School has started again and I had a pretty good day. Kids in general were subdued, even the after school bus duty crowd was more quiet than usual.
Happy New Year to all of you. I am not a resolution person in general but I am setting some personal goals. One is to keep a record of things I create in sewing or knitting or my other crafts. The purpose is to show me how productive I am and look towards retirement to see if I could make any money and/or keep myself busy enough. Another is one I stole - I am going to throw away or give away 5 things from my basement a week. Could be as simple as something out of the freezer, but this has got to happen. I started by going through a stack of counted cross stitch books/magazines/pamphlets. I have advertised these at school, hopefully they will find new homes. I loved collecting the patterns more than using them, it seems. And, now that Dan has a new figure, I hope to do something about mine.
Tonight is caucus night - I will be glad that it is over, but I am proud of Iowa and the role our state plays in the democratic process.