A Five-Day Thanksgiving Weekend!

Budget issues that result in three paid days being cut from school employees this year sounded like a real bummer---but now that I get to take one of those days off tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, I'm thinking it's a great deal! A whole day to clean house and prepare for Thanksgiving guests and drink my favorite Good Earth Sweet and Spicy Tea, (which I have already started)! What a great feeling!

Everyone was in a good mood at work today. One of my favorite co-workers, a spunky age 55+ pastor's wife, was talking to our principal yesterday and as she was leaving she said, "Thank you Sweetheart." It struck me funny, and I told her I wondered how many employees across the United States called their boss "sweetheart". She informed me that I well knew she calls everyone "sweetheart" or "honey" and she's not about to change her ways. Today she called my co-worker by her given name and I asked if she was mad at her since she didn't use any terms of endearment. She glared at me and said, "I have one thing to say to you." (One of her trademark lines. I always listen well.) She continued,"Watch your hiney, honey!" Then she made her exit. So I won't be turning my back on her for awhile! I am so thankful that I work with fun characters!

Then another co-worker character, a young man with a curly pony tail past his waist who has a pet goat and is planning to buy another one for his wife for Christmas, came through. He tends to come to work with boiled eggs in his coat pockets, and you might see him standing at a garbage can peeling and eating one at any random time. Someone asked him if he would be eating a turkey dinner and he said of course. She said, "Well, I wasn't sure since you're kind of nontraditional." Then came another great quote of the day, "I'm not nontraditional," he said. "I'm supplementally traditional."

This education assistant spends all day in a room with a male student with limited communication skills and low impulse control. He has to be vigilant for unexpected moves. (This kids suddenly threw the contents of a recycle bin at my office mate last year!) My principal witnessed them working together this week and came back to the office full of appreciation for the patience of this guy. "Where does the Q go?" he asked. To which the student replied in his monotone, "I'm sick and tired of your f%*$#@& b@*%#!!" (I don't really know how to type the swearing symbols!)

I am very thankful for the patience and commitment of all the people who are willing to work with the difficult children our schools are populated with.

I'm also thankful that we all get a break from them for five whole days!!!