On the Mend

I Think....

I have now taken the entire week off from school. I have over 170 sick days "in the bank," so using the time was no issue. The problem is leaving my students with substitute teachers.

They are generally well-behaved but it's not fair to leave them without real teaching for so long. Thus, I have become a "cyber teacher" for the week. I have what is called an "eBoard" which is a simple website accessible through the school website where I post assignments. Today I have given them an extra credit Christmas assignment which offers them two possible extra credit test grades.

My seniors were supposed to attend a peer matinee of the dance concert yesterday, but due to bad weather--sleet, snow, ice--school closed early and the performance was canceled. They were really looking forward to it as I got a phone call from the vice-principal on Tuesday when the student came to her to ask what they were supposed to do since I wasn't there.

Seniors have a performing arts requirement they must fulfill for graduation and some of the other teachers did not do any of the work needed last year so I have one class where we have to do everything this year. Kind of a bummer, but I will manage. I did add at least one option to the extra credit project which will allow them to complete a part of the requirement, so perhaps they will grab on to that and run with it.

Meantime, I think I am finally recovering.

I certainly hope so. Sunday is the Vespers service at church and I have a solo. Right now my singing voice is OK, so I need to take my vitamins, etc. to keep it OK at least until then. I may also have a solo next week in church if I so choose. I have written a new Christmas carol, my director has arranged it, and I can perform it Sunday if I want to.

Getting sick is bad enough, but being sick just before Christmas is a bummer. My outside decorations are not up. My house is a mess. The barn is a mess. The horses have knocked down part of the interior fence, a good size evergreen limb has fallen in front of the carport where I store my hay, and I am not quite down with my Christmas shopping.

The shopping will be a cinch once I get back in gear, but the rest....yeech!