A LONG week this week. Tough! And if you read the last post, you may understand why I am THRILLED that it is finally over. I'm sure the kids are happy as well. Let's face it, the holidays are a time when everyone is a little more stressed than they need to be. And with the end of the Semester being near, Kids are finally able to get that break from school that they have been seeking for the last 4 months.
And the same goes for the teachers! (At least from my perspective.) As I type this on a Saturday, I am almost at a loss with what to do with my new found time. As much as I tried to stay away from schoolwork, I have already broken that rule and looked at my upcoming lesson plans. Will I ever be able to turn off the teacher switch now? ( Maybe that is not a bad thing....)
On Thursday, I spent the night making cookies for the kids. I managed to make enough for 5 of the six sets I had on Friday. I was a little bummed when the cookies did not turn out as good as the last time. ( I ran out of brown sugar and I made the first batch a little light on the flour... 
So they were chewy and flat.) But the kids did not seem to notice. Or they were more polite than usual and did not tell me my flaws like they normally do. (I have many flaws... so it is not a surprise for me. Just refreshing not to be reminded of them.)
I was told that I look a little too stern when I bake. ( I Think the term was "Psycho!") But I do take my baking very seriously. And Selfies are a challenge for me.
With the Millstone Milestone of first semester done, Dave decided to take Kyle and me out for a celebration.
Oh! Kyle! That is right. He is/was the student teacher who was bunking up with us for the last two months. He was teaching History at Shoreland and coaching wrestling. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to him, as I we were both fighting our own battles on different stages. But we did manage to have a few brief conversations here and there. We went out for Pizza and Old Fashions. 
Well, Technically, Dave and I went out for Old Fashions at a Bar that does them well, I guess. Kyle joined us later after his last Wrestling practice.
I could not stay long, as I had a "Date" for a ballet. I was invited to the "Nutcracker: Ballet by one of my students. She is a dancer and was harassing all of the teachers to come see her while she stole the stage during the performance.
I jest. ( Slightly) She was one of the flowers and one of the sugar fairies. She did dance well, though. Her "group" must have been slightly more advanced than the little kids and the older adults. They actually looked like real ballet dancers. ( Not that the other groups were bad... Just not as well trained. I guess)
I managed to talk Christina into joining me. So I would not look like a creepy, single guy in the audience. Personally, I don't feel "creepy" But I am aware of how society works. And a man of my age that has no "Lovely Item" to balance out the creepy factor is looked upon with disdain. There are only three types of dudes that would attend such an event without some sort of "lovely item"... and two of them are bad! So Christina was kind enough to join me and soldier out the 2 hour program that went just past her bed time. ( Mine too! I'm usually asleep before 9 PM!)
It was fun though. The costumes were bright and colorful and well done. The dancing was fun and the kids where fun to watch even though some of them forgot their steps. Overall, the music and dancing was a wonderful way to end the Friday. The audience was fairly large, so I doubt my student even noticed I was there. Besides, she looked like she was focused on her dancing, so I doubt she had time to scan the audience for faces.
And finally today, I spent a large part of it writing Christmas Cards. I still have a ways to go! There are several faculty members I would like to thank for helping me out this first Semester. The entire staff of Shoreland have been above and beyond when it comes to helping me with this new found calling. Sometimes just an open ear or a bit of knowledge that can point me in the right direction. Every scrap they offer has been a Godsend! And I wanted to send them something a little more personal than a simple email.
There are also several family members I wanted to connect with. it has been a while since I have seen or chatted with them and Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect. And Christmas cards are fun to doodle on to groom my artistic side. Everyone loves a little doodle on the envelope or interior of the card. ( At least I do....) And they are fun to create.
As a welcome break in the writing, I worked on Dave's Truck this afternoon. The battery keeps dying for some reason. And the colder weather does not help much. He had to move the vehicle out of the neighbor's driveway, now that they finally sold the condo. My task was to get it running again.
I pulled the battery and charged it up as best I could, only to discover that the battery was fully dead. I realized that the battery terminals were not making a solid connection and decided they should be replaced. And while I was at it, I might as well see if Autozone could recharge the battery.
Unfortunately, the battery was fully dead, and the staff there suggested that I swap it out for a new one. Luckily, the battery was still under warranty! And I was able to get the battery for free! WINNER!
After that, I swapped out the terminals and got the truck running again. She starts up good now, and hopefully, I will have solved the "slow drain" that has been plaguing the truck for the last several months.
I hope God continues to bless everyone who reads this blog. AND all of the people in my life. They are all a beautiful gift that God gives me as I continue to navigate this world and follow the path he has created for me. Tomorrow is a new day! And another opportunity to start over and begin anew. Hopefully, correcting the mistakes of the past and learning to create better habits and strategies for the future. All of this with God's guidance and The Grace of Jesus. Because time is short. And every second counts.
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