I figure I better blog a bit this evening before diving back into work. I have been completely and totally absorbed with work during every waking moment for these last seven days. It's Friday, and we start Monday. I am not as ready for Monday as I would like to be. But I'm as ready as I'm going to be I guess. I got 3 MAJOR things accomplished this week that have lifted about 40% of the stress from me:
1. The biggest stress relief of all happened for me today, all thanks to my little ol' 73 year old piano accompanist. I met her on Wednesday for lunch and we chatted and got to know each other. Then we've been together most of the day today for meetings. And I asked her if she would please point out some music to me that was somewhat easy and that the kids would like. Just something to work on first. Because my main source of stress has been trying to figure out what to do with them first, when I don't even know anything about them or their singing or how good they are at reading music, etc. She showed me several things to choose from for each group that were likeable and not too hard. So now I feel MUCH better about the week to come. I was really worried at picking out music that was too hard or too easy.
2. I finally got to see my official class lists and I'm missing at least half of every choir. Lot of them quit because they thought they were getting the same guy as last year, so they tell me. But I want to get them back in and I'm currently dealing with counselors to get them back in choir. However, counselors do no see me as a priority right now. They are trying to fix actual scheduling mistakes people have first. So I don't know if they are ever gonna get around to getting me some kids back in the choirs. But I at least have them looking at it now.
3. I FINALLY caught my boss at 4:30 this afternoon and asked would he PLEASE look at the calendar I made, at least enough to nail down a date for the musical. He was busy, but said ok. He ok'd the musical dates, then ok'd every other date I had too, except for just a couple. So now I can say I have a FINE ARTS CALENDAR! Woohoo! I'm organized and planned for the year!
I've made lots of new friends this week as well. There is a new band director next door. And several people up in the main building I've met. I finally got a key to the front door of my building yesterday so I can stop bugging the boss to come down and let me in. And then there is Mrs. Leese I mentioned earlier. I think she and I are going to hit it off pretty good. She's darn spunky for 73. She's taught piano here in town for about 50 years! She said the last several choir directors there have been no good and she's really excited about the possibility that I might be a good one lol. Hopefully I won't dissappoint her. She said she is going home to pray for me for the whole weekend lol.
Well. What else can I say. I've been totally self-absorbed all week and I feel bad about it. But i just have not had a choice. I had a meltdown or two this week and Rusty was about ready to have me committed lol. But I got over it quick and back into my work. SOOOO much to do. The kids stayed home all week by themselves and did pretty good. They are sleeping til 12 or 1 now so they've barely noticed I wasn't here. But they go through every single glass and cup in the cabinets EVERY day so we've been teaching them to do dishes in hopes that they will see why we tell them to use just one glass per day!
Last Saturday we went swimming at the Big House. Clay had his diving stuff there so Rusty went diving in the pool. He's decided he loves it and wants to go get certified and go diving in the ocean somewhere. I couldn't get the hang of the breathing thing, it freaked me out. I just don't have the fascination with diving that he does I guess. But I will certainly sit on the beach or the boat and watch them dive ALL DAY LONG.
We had band practice on Monday night and I was so lost in thought from work that I don't know if I personally got much done. Hopefully though.
Tuesday night Mom did a totally terrific thing and fixed dinner for us all. It was GOOD too. Good grub food, peas, fried okra, potatoes and such. I told her she should cook for us all every Tuesday night lol.
Oh, we've had a deer in the backyard pretty much everyday eating the figs from the fig tree. Got a couple of pictures of that.
I think I officially took step 2 of getting old this week. Step 1 being the gray hair coming in. But everyday I was coming home from work with a headache and my eyes were aching SO badly. I've done a lot of reading all week, from computer and from paper both. So by Wednesday I decided to try some reading glasses. They do help. My eyes still get sore from reading but not like they were. So now I have granny reading glasses I guess. But they have rhinestones on them. lol
I've been rushing around today trying to grab school supplies here and clothes there. Hopefully by Sunday evening I will have it all together. Tyler goes for his sleep study on Sunday through Monday. Mom is going with him because I can't possibly miss the first day of school. He didn't mind missing it though lol.
Oh well. There it sits. All clean and neat. Ready for kids to come. I'm just ready to get that first day, that first week, over with..........
