Better Day

At Least It's Cooling Off

I longed Tucker again. For some reason I am finding it really hard to summon the energy to ride after I get home from school. Could be I am too exhausted from the day??

This time, I added some trotting poles, which Tuck trotted, cantered, avoided, and in general treated with silliness. That was fine as he was definitely getting a nice exercise session. He is funny, though, because he is funny to watch. He makes every go at the poles an entertainment.

Then I added a little crossrail which he jumped quite willingly and well, so I upped it to about I 1/2 feet. That too posed no problem as he jumped quietly and well--at least the jump was quiet. The approach included a bit of a squeal, a whipping head and neck and a bit of a buck. Again, general silliness.

Maybe it was the cockleburrs in his forelock. Both he and Toby had them. As it was after dark, I headed out with the flashlight to the spots where I'd found those noxious weeds last year and cut them down. Of course, I will have to go out in the daylight and do a more thorough search, to get rid of the darn things. Last year, not only did I spend my time taking burrs out of manes, but I had one of the teeny tiny stickers lodge in my eye forcing me to go to my eye doctor for an emergency visit.

This year is going to be different. I will seek out and destroy every burr before it gets me!!

School?? I am getting it under control. But as I said, it is tiring. My students are pretty good, but already a I have a cluster of them who failed to do their homework. I fear some of them are going to be shocked with their grades come report card time.

We did have some fun, though. I read one of my student's papers for him in a "funny" voice--I will not explain this one--but suffice it to say the class thought it was hysterical. Then, later on, when I handed out the homework assignment, I ended up making a bet with one of the students as to whether or not everyone in class will have the work done. If they do, I owe her a dollar. If they don't she owes me a dollar. I expect to win. (If I do, she will have a good chance of getting her money back, but if I lose, the dollar is hers for good.) Never lost a challenge bet like this before but I can hope there will be a first time!

It would be nice to see all my students succeed. *sigh*

I think the school building is trying to exasperate me. I heard today that the exhaust fan that is supposed to help control the air flow to my classroom is not working. I am not sure if that's the air exchange thing that is essential to keeping the heat from going out of control in the winter but it's a new source of suffering to worry about. And then, sometime in the waning h0urs of school the two electrical outlets in the front of the room went dead, knocking out my computer system and the fans. The side outlets seem OK, so if I take in an extension cord, I can plug in my computer again, but that is not exactly how things are supposed to operate. I just got the computer/printer working yesterday after the Internet crash of the weekend messed everything up.

Is someone trying to tell me something???? Time to retire??????