Lynne or Laura

Can you tell me how to move things in my blog so you can see the title? Be detailed, please.

Another opportunity

I got called to the office again today, and again, just as I was walking out the door. It seems since the president signed a bill giving some education money back, our district can hire some teachers. Our fifth grade teachers won't have to have 31 students in their class, but they will get to have my room. I have two days before school starts to move (again, sigh) and this time to a teacher's lounge, not a classroom. I will need to be creative! Plus side is I'll be close to my best school friend again. And, BTW, it is dry at school, although parts of Oskaloosa are pretty soggy. I heard Ames has a boil water order, I bet we will too in a day or two since the water treatment plant is sure to be under if all that water comes downstream. Never a dull moment.

end of summer as I know it

I still have pictures to publish but they are on the MACbook and when they updated, they put blogspot on a list of firewalled items ( no social networks are allowed on school computers during school hours so kids can't be off task) so I will have to figure out how to transfer so I can post them here.

I have spent several hours at school trying to do what I can ahead. Got to babysit with Charley several times as well. He changes every time I see him, has learned many new things. It sure is fun to watch him talk to the toys! Only one more band concert for the season as well, then I can start babysitting Thursday nights.

Sweetcorn Serenade went well. Last year and this we have had the Celebration Iowa Jazz band and Singers perform. We used to know them as the State Fair Jazz band and Singers. It brings a good crowd as does the rest of the celebration (corn, pork burgers, vendors, kids' games, crafts, etc)The night ends with our band concert - our biggest audience of the year but also the noisiest, I'm not really here for the music audience. MUSCO lighting donated new lighting for the park and the bandstand, state of the art LED lights. Now I don't have to have a secret stash of light bulbs for when the teenagers steal the light bulbs just before the concert!

Nothing else happening here.

Staycation

Well, I've been waiting to post until I could include some pictures but my camera and my computer are not on speaking terms right now, I guess! Dan and I celebrated our 15th anniversary by spending a couple of days in Des Moines. On Friday we went to the Hall of Pride. Very interesting but I think high schoolers might enjoy it more, maybe middle schoolers. We went to see "Knight and Day" the movie at Jordan Creek as well as a little shopping and ate dinner at Fazoli's (hadn't been there in a really long time). Saturday we slept in, drove around at Saylorville Lake, went to visit the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum at Camp Dodge, visited a VW dealer (we need a part for Vera) rested a bit, then went to an Iowa Cubs game. Sunday we shopped a little before coming home. One thing we always do is great breakfasts - did a Village Inn and an IHOP.

Tuesday is my regular afternoon to babysit for Charley for a little bit between when Greg goes to work and Chelsey comes home from work, and he slept pretty much the whole time. Today Dan went along for a while and Charley was awake the whole time. He is starting to coo and is darned adorable!

I have dinner in the oven and waiting for Dan - he is having a needle removed from his foot - it has been embedded for a couple of months. I think it is probably my fault, so I'll try to wait on him a bit tonight!

I will post pictures, especially of the military museum if I can get the camera/computer figured out.

still on vacation

Nothing going on here except occasional rain showers as usual. I took Dan's mom to her Dr.'s appointment today - we were supposed to be there by 11:15 and left there at 1:30, then we went to lunch at Wendy's before I took her home. I finished an entire book while there:) I guess the morning was busy, but there weren't very many people in the waiting room.
Last week one day I spent in Ames so Laura could go to a Dr.'s appointment. Waiting there was more fun :). It is always good to see her and the kids, didn't run into Robert, then went to Des Moines to meet Lynne for supper and a short visit. I like those kinds of days. Yesterday I spent a little bit with Charley between when Greg went to work and Chelsey came home from work. He changes every day.
I had an eye dr appointment last week - for Sherrie - I have posterior vitreous detachment - means the fluid in the eye gets cloudy once in a while and acts like a floater. Nothing they can fix, and your brain covers it up after a while so you don't notice. I'm sorry Sherrie's was more serious, how's it going now? I didn't need lens changes.
I just got my school computer back from updates so now I can't put off doing school work very much longer. Wish I could get a schedule in mind, that's the biggest concern I have right now about the new job.
Other than that, I have been doing city band work, a rehearsal and concert each week. This week we have a substitute director, I hope it doesn't rain so we need to move the concert indoors, the director usually handles those arrangements and he's in DC. I've been reading a lot, so look for updates on my list soon.

vacation

School is out and I haven't had much time at home yet. Thursday and Friday I spent moving things at school. Monday and Tuesday I did committee work for school. We splurged and met at the local coffee shop so good lunches and beverages were available. We got lots done, so it was a good thing. Today I went back to school for a bit to organize shelves but couldn't do much as my laptop (ok, the school's laptop) is in getting updated and I couldn't get any of the room computers to recognize me. Then I worked in the band office. I finally finished creating the spreadsheet of all the pieces of music we have (was supposed to be a winter project) so all that remains is proof reading and editing. I washed the kitchen floor and now I'm doing this.
Sunday I attended a baby shower for Charley and got to hold him for a while. I always look forward to this.
I made two little quilt type wall hangings for Mae's door, but she hasn't seen them yet. I got the air conditioner installed in here, but this room really needs a good cleaning, especially after I dragged out the dust bunnies where the air conditioner was :). Maybe tomorrow?

This n' that

Happy June! It is Greg's birthday and Sharon & Bill's anniversary.
Dan and I did the Memorial Day cemetery concert yesterday. A bit more of a challenge to haul all the needed band equipment there in the car, than in the truck! The weather was beautiful and many people came. The cemetery is always so beautiful, especially with all the American flags flying. Very peaceful, as a place like that should be. The concert went ok, we didn't have enough chairs and the tubas are not used to playing standing up. After the concert we headed to Williamsburg for a little shopping. I got a couple of tops, an outfit for Charley and a birthday present for Greg from Harry and David's.
There are seven days of school left. It is hard to keep going when everyone around us is out. This week we will do final grades and in general finish testing for the year. My teachers have special projects going - in reading class we are acting out reader's theaters - fun to watch who likes to act and who can memorize lines and who thinks they are directing!
A lot of the stuff I don't use every day is packed in boxes awaiting the move to my new room. I "found" some things while cleaning files and cupboards.
I finally got my tomatoes up in the topsy turvy planters. I decided they needed to be higher this year so Dan put some hangers on the window frame of the downstairs bathroom. I got Greg to take out a storm window so I can water them from inside! I couldn't reach them from the ground, so couldn't be sure the water I was trying to give from the hose was going in.
Sunday we went to see the last Shrek movie. As we were waiting, Greg called to see if we wanted to babysit so he could work outside. We rushed right home after the movie and did get to spend about an hour with Charley. He is growing so fast and is pretty amazing. I hope he will be in a good mood when everyone gets to met him on Sunday.