Up to speed, Part I

I can’t wait to wake up in the mornings. My foreseeable future is a Saturday morning. Think about it. How do you feel on Saturday morning after a stress-filled week at work? What are you going to do with your day? Are you going to play or putter? Or stay in bed? Quoting The Kids in the Hall, “It feels like 72 degrees in your head, all the time.” My head’s mental temperature is slightly warmer than the physical temperature here. And that’s why I say that my life is like a weekend. I am getting to enjoy my life with my little family in this time and this place. And this is good. I looked in the mirror the other day and saw me. I haven’t seen her in a long time.

Getting through airports with Kiddo was easier than I thought it would be, but my expectations were built upon observations of other harassed-looking parents and their terroristic tots. Not once during transit did Kiddo give us cause to raise our voices. She was stellar. SciMan complimented me because I thought to bring a stroller. Well, no duh! But it was mighty nice to hear that.

My house is cute. It is a HarryPotter neighborhood for reals, yo. Kiddo and I walk every where in it. No dryer. How and why on God’s good green earth would a culture who exists in the dampest but temperate climate proclaim itself to be dryerless, I’ll never know. Have discovered that I am creative when it comes to solutions for drying clothes that were caught on the line during a small downpour. Wonders shall never cease!

I have found a meadow. I have found a hill. They are the same. My hill-meadow was discovered late one evening walking with Kiddo. It was dusk, around 9ish. The days are so long here. It isn’t fully dark even at 11 pm. And it is because of how far friggin north it is. Last night, SciMan and I went outside and saw the north star. It wasn’t where it is in OK. I can see stars that are below your horizon, people. But that meadow, it came upon me because I turned around and looked. I looked west into the sunset that was below that hill and my daughter thought the dandelions were the best roses in the world. I would bottle that up and give it out as graduation presents.

The bartender at the local pub relishes in making a point in how stupid we are to move here. His name is Peter. His boss, Lynn, is terrific person. She’s offered us a TV for free. She’s going to have Peter drive it over.

I went in tonight to the Station (aforementioned pub) to see my new acquaintances, but how can people like Lynn be acquaintances if they’re giving you major appliances without knowing you from Adam? Maybe we’re doing her a favor.

Tonight I am checking my email for the first time since 5/22. A wonderful woman who I taught with sent me a lovely note saying, “Brue: I’m glad to have taught with you the last 5 years. I know you will have a blast harassing the Brits.” Anne, I’m just hoping that they’ll talk to me. And then keep talking the next time we meet.

Out

Have cleaned out the house. Am now trying to find the best combination of deals for shipping household items overseas. DHL is not a good option… UPS is a possibility.
Kiddo is doing very well. She’s having her last day at her ‘school’… Her teachers are having a going away party today for all the kids who are moving within the next month. I was unable to go as I was trying to get done all that needed to get done today.
SciMan is making headway to get the defense/thesis out of the way… 9 am Thursday. I might get to watch 

I am so grateful to everyone who helped us get out of the house. Brent, Autumn, Kearby, Dad, Pat, Steve, Stf, came over this weekend to just help… We had an impromptu garage sale on Saturday and happily was able to take the proceeds from the sale and pay off my car. I immediately went and sold Budgie to the owner of a car repair/mechanic shop. I miss my car.

Cars define your eras.

Never have I ever...

…been finished with a textbook before the last week of school. We took the last chapter test today and for the next two days I plan to teach them how to read a highway map. Next week, they’ll do a ‘road race’…a lesson that I came across in an OKAGE summer session. It is really fun. I’m sad I don’t get to do it with them. Then, my substitute will have the benchmark review for them to do in class and then they’ll take their test.

And that’s it.  What else do you think would be fun geography activities at the end of school?

Quick explanation and clarification

May 7th was supposed to be my last day of work at MMS. When we went to England we had no idea that Eyjafjallajokull would erupt and interrupt air travel.

The plan was to spend the two weeks prior to MAy 25th in preparation to leave and then the last week to get to know the place, you know. Well, having spent an extra week there, we’ve already gotten to know the immediate area quite well. So really, there’s no need to have the two weeks prior to May 25th.

5/25/10 is SciMan's first day at work. At least that’s what I know. He is working constantly and is seeing progress quicker than ever.

My students knew when I left for the trip that my last day was going to be 5/7. But because of the “lost” week, I’ve pushed it back to 5/14. And I told them this… but I still get the questions and comments about me as if I’m gone tomorrow. {sigh}

I received the most beautiful gift from a student today. He wrote me a poem about me leaving. It is on pink cardstock and vellum, embellished with ribbon and doodads. But what really makes me happy about it is that he used geography as the context of the poem. Another student drew a gorgeous picture of UK and there aren’t words to describe it properly.
I am going to miss these kids.

Moving tragedies

Deciding what goes and what stays is the nom du jeu.

The hugs from kids at school.

The baby shower I’m supposed to plan. How did that happen?