It's been HOW LONG?

Yes, it's been several months since I last logged on. It's not like I don't spend enough time online, but I've never been a very good journal keeper. I'd like to do better.

School is starting up again in little more than two weeks. Where did the summer go? One of the big drags of being a first year teacher is the mountain of prep work that has to be done before the students come back. At least it really only has to be done once, though. Next summer ought to be much better (yes, I'm already looking forward to *next* summer - what of it?).

The students don't come back until August 18th, but I have to report back to work on the 11th. That is a week from Monday! I'm panicking a bit over here. Will I be ready? (No) Will I be OK even though I'm not ready? (Probably) I'm having anxiety dreams and even thinking about it too long - like long enough to write this - gets my heart thumping.

FLIES!

Oh I hate them so much!

We had the whole family over yesterday for a barbecue. In a matter of a couple of hours, the doors were opened and (not) closed dozens of times, and as a result we've got an invasion of buzzing critters in the house today. Augh! With two little ones I can't spray (although I have clear memories of some pretty potent fly spray that we sprayed with abandon throughout the house when I was a kid. I probably lost several brain cells to that stuff), so I bought some of the sticky fly tape things. I got a few flies already, but the key to fly-riddance here at our house is Mr. T - the fly hunter. Crikey! Give the man a rubber band, and he can take down a half-dozen flies in a matter of minutes.

My hero!

Friday was my last day of work

But I have been enjoying my summer break for almost two weeks.

When I gave my notice back at the beginning of July, I told my former employer I'd stay on until August 17th. Then I found out she was telling people I am not honorable and that I lack integrity. Wha huh? I guess giving SEVEN weeks notice and continuing to go to work and act professionally while on the job wasn't enough. Honestly I don't know what I could have done to be able to make an amiable break from that place - probably nothing. My former employer seems to believe that anyone who leaves her does so not because they have their own lives to live and their own needs to take care of but because of some moral failing on their part.

After I confirmed what she was saying about me behind my back (gosh, that sounds a lot like gossip, doesn't it?), I went in one morning, gathered up my things, and confronted her. She behaved very much like a child - trying to justify herself and deny having said the things I knew she had said. I stuck to my guns and walked out.

It felt great to be free.

I've got a great new job lined up, and I've got two more weeks of freedom until I get back to the grindstone. I'm coming out of the fog that had overcome me in my two years at MLC, and it's great to be back into the light.