1. What a week. It got crazier as the week went on, but it should calm down now. Had our leader training on Friday and it went well; now all the new leaders are all coming in the office wanting their books, bookmarks, setting their schedules and asking questions since they didn't pay much attention at the training.
Our school seems to be having lots of problems on the lowest levels--those actually working with students. I have a hundred thousand less in my budget than I spent last year, and have to limit tutoring services. They keep hiring more and more administrators while they cut programs that actually help students. In our building there is an elevator that serves our building and another that is connected to ours, and it is not working though it was supposed to be fixed by Monday. Quite a few students are in wheel chairs or have other disabilities, so they cannot even get to their classes.
2. We had a party in our office on Thursday for my assistant, Monica, whose birthday was in July when we weren't all there, and Debbie a secretary and friend whose birthday was the same day. We also celebrated my other assistant, Liliana, getting her green card. And I brought another back pack for Hope, another friend's little girl, since I damaged the one I monogrammed the week before.
3. Today is grand daughter Erin's 6th birthday. We had a little party Saturday evening at our house and I gave her lots of Sponge Bob stuff.
4. Sunday we went to Michael's birthday party at Happy Joe's. It's a neighborhood place where they have pizza and games where the kids win little prizes, and they have clowns for parties and cake and huge sundaes--you can see one in a picture of Katie. We used to go there when our own kids were little; I remember Rob having a birthday party there when he was seven or eight.
5. Garage sales were pretty good on Saturday. My favorite purchase was the necklace with eight little booties hanging below Grandma. It just so happens I have eight grand children, and I didn't have a lot of money left as it was the last stop before heading home, so I was hoping it wasn't more than $10. I asked and the lady said 50cents--what a bargain.
6. I also bought a hockey game for the kids, which Michael and Erin loved. And some Halloween and Christmas decorations that I didn't take pictures of, and some kids' clothes.
7. My dryer started acting up this weekend. It heats up right away then the heat shuts off, so it takes four or five cycles to dry a load. R.W. went to the neighborhood appliance store where we bought it today and got the name of a repairman who is coming Thursday. That's the good thing about having a retired husband--he can take care of things right away. He always does things quicker than I do anyway.
8. There's been lots of controversy this week over this idiot from St. Louis who is running on the Republican ticket for Senator. In an interview he said that women usually don't conceive in a "legitimate" rape. Most of the Republican party turned against him but he won't back down. It's good for the Democrats since he'll probably lose in Missouri, and hopefully he'll bring down other Republicans, such as Romney. What an embarrassment.
9. I don't think the Cardinals are going to make it into the play offs this year, unless they get a wild card spot. They had a game Sunday where they played 19 innings and ended up losing. They seem to run hot and cold, not at all like last year at this time.
10. R. W. went to the eye doctor last week, as his vision has gotten really bad in the past year, and he has cataracts. He's going to a surgeon tomorrow to schedule surgery, first on his right eye then the left a few weeks later. He's now sleeping with a breathing mask for his sleep apnea and wearing hearing aids. He's always been so healthy but his age seems to be catching up with him.
