YAY! YAY! YAY!
HUMP DAY IS OVER AND I SURVIVED!
As you can see... I am down to two days.
The email count from Randy is
4,219.
I knew we would break that 4,000 mark
before I moved.
Okay... Hump Day:
I finished my inventory scanning by 9:00 A.M.
Yay!
I watched the play "Alice in Wonderland" and enjoyed every second of it. I think my favorite was the Door Mouse who slept through most everything.
(Oh to be a door mouse like that!)
Next the awards assembly.
I love to watch how proud the kids are when they get an award. They glow.
I had a sticky moment at the end when I was called up front with the Special Ed teacher and Principal who are also moving on to other places.
I managed to hold it together by watching the speaker.
She surprised me by announcing that I was "Leaving us for love..."
Twitters and giggles from the audience... and applause.
I likely blushed, but it beats the heck out of tearing up.
I waited to do that at the end when I had returned to my seat in the hard-on-my-old-butt bleachers.
Even then I would have been fine if one of my students had not thrown her arms around me and told me she did not want me to go.
I hurried to my library. On the way one of my kindergarten sweethearts asked me why I was crying.
He looked so concerned!
So I gave him a hug and told him that it was because they all made me so happy and asked if he had ever cried because he was happy.
"You make me happy too."
was his reply.
Yeah, that made it worse.
But I made it through the rest of the short day okay.
Waved good-bye as they boarded the bus and finshed my work day in a happy frame of mind.
I took this photo of the empty playground.
Funny story about this playground...
We used to have a nice wooden one with some metal things too.
The decision to remove the old metal and wood one came when Max, aided by some high school boys trying to give him a good, fast ride... flew off of the merry-go-round...
dislocating his shoulder upon landing.
Irony:
The very first day the new, plastic safer playground was opened to the children to use...
Squeaky fell off the zip bar
and broke his elbow in three places.
My boss at the time said
"Are your children accident prone?"
But I ask you... Is there anything so lonely looking as an empty playground?
The pot luck was both wonderful and sucked.
People that I have worked with who had moved on showed up to wish me well.
They said wonderful things about me.
I'm not sure I deserved any of them.
Hey... what else can they say?
I was happiest when the focus was on the other two leavers.
They gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a travel tote bag to help me pack for my new life.
Its very nice.
Much nicer than my Walmart bags.
One of my old buds who traveled for this brought me a wonderful liquid candle for my new home.
The thing here, least you think me a silly old bat, is that I have students who are the children of my former students. I can recall when some of their parents were born... as well as them. I cannot walk the halls here and not see my children's faces in kindergartern through high school graduation and then started over with my grand children again.
Two day old Sqeaky as the Bear's "show and tell".
Memories ooze from every corner and even the shadows wear dear to me faces.
Two day old Sqeaky as the Bear's "show and tell".
Memories ooze from every corner and even the shadows wear dear to me faces.
I got home and Randy was already waiting for a reply.
I was mighty glad he was there.
I was ready to laugh.
What is one of your favorite playground or school memories?
It must be hard to leave somewhere with so many associations, even for a better life. On the other hand, these days, better to leave for love than to be sacked due to budget cuts. At least you can keep the memories without having that one hanging over them all.
ReplyDeleteI should check my email account someday, but I don't think I've sent 4000+ emails in my life... total, never mind to any one person. I should check the "sent" folder and get back to you on that. I've had the same email for 12 years, so it should be fairly accurate.
The only school memory I truly cherish is those glorious last days. But one outstanding one was in 1979 or 1980, whatever year The Wall came out... it seemed like the whole school learned that song by osmosis, and it was sung vigorously by all. Way better than the traditional School's Out.
HEY! TEACHER! LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!!!
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOk... I checked my email. I think there might have been a time when I didn't use it for too long and the account lapsed, but in the last 3 years, I've sent 706 emails, X4 would be 2824. Probably fewer, since I only had internet at work until 2003. 4000+... yikes!
ReplyDeleteOne other memory, when I graduated kindergarten, there was an actual Maypole ceremony. So, once in my life, I actually was skipping around a Maypole. I know it was fun at the time, though it seems quite out of character now.
Recently, I had to have my son remind me how to skip, if that says anything. I'd completely forgotten.
(sorry for the repost. BAD typo ;-)
Oy! A second repost/typo, not as bad. My Lord. Must... get... more... coffee!
Cricket-- There is not enough coffee in the world to keep me from making typos in the morning.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny to think back on the stuff they made us do that we would never in a million years do as free will adults!
"Heel and toe and heel and toe and slide, slide,slide!" Which of course makes me laugh now thinking of Woody Allen's slide comment.
I agree The Wall is the best end of the year song that ever was or will be.
So now I ask you... "How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?"
Cricket-- Yes it is very hard. Kind of like leaving the house I grew up in.
ReplyDeletei'd run out of stuff to say after 4018 emails.
ReplyDeleteOooohhh, sounds like a wonderful day! How beautiful to be so loved and to have so many long associations with entire families.
ReplyDeleteI have so many happy school memories. I love that I was in elementary school in the early 70s when a lot of experimental teaching practices were going on. Awesome. :-)
billy pilgrim-- I can't imagine you running out of things to say. Ha.
ReplyDeleteHey how's Montanna doing these days?
laura b.-- It was lovely in an awful sort of way. Stuff like that makes me a wreck.
ReplyDeleteGuess where I am? Home at Sanctuary at last. My super boss gave me a day and a half off early!!!!
YAY! YAY! YAY!
Oh how sweet and sad all at the same time. I'm so glad you are moving on to such a great situation, so this will all be a happy memory.
ReplyDeleteThe loneliest sound for me is when the metal clinks against an empty flag pole in a school yard.
Well, I was going to leave a comment about it being the big day. How you should be careful and not get in a hurry and not drive late at night and not drive in the bad weather if it rains or something. Sanctuary will still be there tomorrow or Sunday or whatever. But you're already there.
ReplyDeleteThat's an awful lot of e-mails, but I'm guessing that if I checked my numbers, I'd find I sent more than I think. But, to one person? Wow. That's either love or crazy. Maybe it's just crazy love!
ReplyDeleteSuldog-- Ha. Me too. I have no clue how many I have sent to him. More I'm sure. I often answer and after sending think of something to add.
ReplyDeleteBut then they were conversations... one or two phrases back and forth. The only reason I know is because I keep a file on everyone who emails me. That way I can look back at things when my rememberer breaks down.
I'll take crazy love!
Alright Ananda!!! You're home!!!
ReplyDeleteI knew you'd do just fine. As much as you gripe about Potter's Hell, there sounds like there was a lot of love there for you. Now you'll transition into another place and I'm sure you'll find a lot of love there too. You're the kind of person that finds it because you send out the right vibes.
ReplyDeletelaura b.-- WOOT!!!! I cannot tell you how great it was to wake up this morning and not start worrying how much I could pack into my time before it runs out.
ReplyDeleteInstead, I grinned like an idiot and thought how great it was to be home at last.
Cube-- Thank you! That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was so hard to say good bye to good people. Especially those kids.
But home is a wonderful place and I know I am blessed here... and the blessings will only grow as long as I am thankful. I am.
I agree with Churlita on that lonely sound in the schoolyard....amazing detail
ReplyDeleteI am spending my last hour for the last day of school on the computer. I hear kids playing outside....soon they will be off on the buses and another year will be over...
I am soo happy for you!!!!!!!!!
Yay for leaving for love!!!!!!!!!
Yay for Ananda!!!!!!!!!!
Write something soon..........
i know i am way late getting here to read this but as you know it's been a crazy month,. i am so glad you were given some special acknowledgment in the send off. i'm glad you have lots of special memories and for the reason you are moving on. just good stuff all the way around. makes me smile.
ReplyDelete