And So It Begins

This week begins the all-school faculty meetings to ease us into the start of a new school year.  New students will come for a half day on Friday; everyone returns the day after Labor Day. and from there we are off and running. This week is faculty meetings and last-minute preparation; a chance to return to the regular hours of the school year.  I was up with the sunrise this morning.  A new year is always exciting and there is much to look forward to, though I’ll miss today’s opening meeting in exchange for T’s post-surgical appointment.

We’re looking forward to having the cast off and giving her back her left hand.  We’re still celebrating the good news that the excised tumor was benign.  The week will find us looking to return to our familiar habits, T no longer under the haze of serious pain relief and neither of us fretting about a malignant tumor.

This is my second school year with a boy in college; my first start to the year living in the same house as T.  I’m especially looking forward to the daily routines of being together at the end of each day.  At school, I’ve a series of new lessons for my 7th graders and plans for all-school field trips in October.  There is much to look forward to as this year begins and even more for which to be grateful.  

The Final Bullpen

Every Sunday evening , I set out the clothes I will wear for the week.  During the weekend, I do laundry and otherwise get everything prepared for the coming week.  Then, on Sunday night, I iron and hang the week’s clothes on the door of my closet.  I call the assortment my bullpen and I organize it to make my weekday mornings less chaotic.  As the week unfolds, the bullpen empties.  Then, Friday morning arrives and I put on the last of the week’s clothes, mentally celebrating the weekend that’s now at hand.

This practice has been my habit for as long as I’ve had a 9-5 job.  I like the organization and comfort of the routine.  And I especially love the last bullpen of the school year, which signifies that summer relaxation is at hand.  Strictly speaking, because of my assistant principal gig, I still work in the summer months.  But it’s a relaxed flip flop-wearing dress code and I do not iron summer clothes.  

The last bullpen of the school year was made ready last night.  

The iron is put away for the coming months and my toes are getting ready for the flip flop days to come.  That’s happy!