School Days, School Days!

Yesterday I was contemplating talking about the first day of school - how it went for the girls, the chaos and agony of school supply lists and the odd calm that's come over me when I do lunch making prep.  However, as you can see by yesterday's abruptly ending post, I had other things in mind that I wanted to talk about before bringing on the school post.

First off....It's so hard to believe that god, was it three years ago(?) that I posted this lil post about the Diva's first day of kindergarten!  She started the third grade on Monday with a male teacher!  Perhaps it's the schools I went to, but I never had one till high school. Mr. Banks, 9th grade US Govt.  Ugh...why do I even remember that? Anyhow - we met him on meet the teacher night and he seems like a nice enough sort of bloke - last last year's teacher, I think he's an older one in regards to years on the job.  It's going to prove interesting how the school year turns out.

If a 3rd grader wasn't crazy enough, the Elfling is in Jr. High!  Omg, I feel so old just typing that....but then on Monday, I was talking to an old friend and bloody hell - she has a junior in high school! Regardless - the move from an intermediate school to junior high is a big thing...a bit like going from the county jail to Leavenworth.  You don't even have to ask the Elfling if that's her opinion, it's a bit of mine! I would think the point of 7th and 8th grade is to prepare them for increasing Independence as they get into high school and beyond.  Surprisingly, the dress code is MORE strict than in elementary and intermediate grades.  They're not allowed use backpacks during the school day, once you sit somewhere at lunch, you're stuck there till released to go to class and no going to your locker right when you get to school.  You have to wait around doing...who knows what, where (ok, this bad on my part, as I haven't gotten exact details, beyond outside).  I don't know if this really drives home how...I don't know...reined in these kids are but some of these thins just sound really asinine.  Are all kids this age seen as monsters? 

The Elfling's first few days have been spent struggling over getting into her locker - it's got a lock built in and I'm beginning to wonder if this is a lefty issue she's having.  Yesterday went better as she was able to get it open twice.  I hope it's just stress of a new place, new people all around and nerves getting the better of her.  She's been stuck near cretins at lunch and yakkity assed girls in class. Despite her overwhelming negativity to the situation, I've heard glimmers of hope from her - interesting people in her class and perhaps even interest in her classes, so we'll see.

Part of going to Leavenworth, of course, was getting her supplied for the stay.  What a bloody pain in the arse.  We're talking seven teachers with seven ideas that they need full supply lists for one class each...i mean one teacher alone wanted something like 72 pencils!  Mein gott!!  I think they're going to build a wing to the school or something with them.  I get the need for school supplies but why does one teacher want my daughter to have three bags of red pens?  What really pissed me off was all these things I bought?  How much came home with the declaration - "I didn't even need this crap,ugh!"  Poor kid...no backpack and she was lugging said crap all damn day. 

This year the girls seem pretty keen on bringing their lunches.  For the first days of school, I think it's a smart move as with all the chaos these days can have, at least they know they've got lunch.  The first day report on the matter proved me right - the Elfling said the lines were long so she was happy to have something yummy from home.  The Diva sounds like she's got the last lunch of the day - who knows what's left by then!  I'm kind of jealous, actually.  Today they're feasting on leftover pasta and sauce packed (with grumpy love from a tired daddy) in their thermoses...what do I have?  My standard carrot sticks and pb crackers.  *laughs*  Ah well - they're calling to me, so I'm going to nibble while the phone is quiet.

Busy...

I'm so busy, my head is spinning.  The irony of that is the fact that it's so bloody quiet here at work today.  *laughs*  Labour Day probably marks the end of summer for most of us but since school starts before then, it definitely looks over here at the hotel.  (For those of you who are Frisky Dingo enthusiasts, feel free to end a dramatic pause before "the hotel".  I certainly did.) But before we came to that point, things were getting kinda crazy rt with getting the girls ready for school and the car accident.

Car accident!  Yeah...It actually happened what will be two weeks ago on Wednesday.  All in all we were very lucky that nobody was seriously hurt - the girls were scared witless and E walked away with a bruised hand.  Getting insurance resolved seemed to move at a glacial pace but now that we know what's going on with the rental and who's taking care of the truck, it's a lot calmer around the house. In regards to the rental?  After nearly three years of having a truck, the switch over to a car is insane. I feel almost claustrophobic around other cars, near trucks and vans taller than me.  Good thing I'll never be rich and have my sweet lil BMW Z4...or whatever delightful sports car they come up with in the future cause it'd be to tiny for my tastes!

ahem...I'm sure that's just a moment of sanity.

...That the Joke was on Me....

How many of you guys get that line - that it's a song lyric?  I don't know that it's actually a reflection of things so much is that it's a song that sounds depressing to me and that, my friends, is now I'm feeling right now.  It's been super busy at work these days.  We had someone quit and that kinda bungled up the schedule and then last week, i got one day off (Friday) and was back to work the next day.  So we have me here today, just dying for some more time, which I will get in the form of a four day weekend. A MUCH needed one, I might add.

I really do like my job, even when people are a pain.  Gods, the stories I could tell you - particularly about a certain sports team that stayed with us.  But to be honest?  I just don't have the heart for it right now cause the last couple of days have been rough and I think it's my own doing.  I've been having issues with a particular process - I guess you could say that I've struggled with it from the start though it never got this out of hand.  I'm no longer so new that these mistakes are acceptable and it's become very frustrating.  For my boss. Trust me, I don't blame him in the least - Im' frustrated too and more than just a little disappointed in myself. 

I've doubled down on my notes, taking new ones and adding to my old ones as needed.  With my long weekend, I'm going to use the online training features to shore up my shakiness as well because I definitely need it. One of my biggest problems is that I simultaneously get ahead of myself and freak out, so my notes include this:

Take the time to look at things. 

To be certain of what you are doing and where your actions will take you.

I should have perhaps added stuff about staying calm and to remember to breathe. 

Ugh..maybe the joke IS on me.