The End...

This is the first school year I have been happy to see come to a close.  It has nothing to do with the students or the school.  It is because of all the busy work we are now mandated to do.  That comes from the state.  Tests after tests after tests.  Data collection.  Scoring.  Assessing.  As if we did not assess our students each and every day (hello daily/weekly work grades) or test our students' comprehension of taught concepts and methods (hello tests, report, projects, and other sundry assignments.)  I do feel bad for my kids.  I wish we could have celebrated more at the end of the year.  However, we were all beat.  We all need the summer to recharge.

I did get a couple of amazing thank you notes.  I would never post anything they wrote but what I read made me confident that I am a good teacher.  They do get it.  I might not think they comprehend what, how and why I teach the way I do all the time, but they do get it.  I also like that they want to keep in touch with me.  I will miss them, but they are not gone.

I have the summer problem already.  Yesterday, I am reading and drinking coffee in the morning while listening to the radio.  I felt anxious.  Like I was supposed to be doing something...  RIGHT NOW.  I am so used to being on the go all the time that I am not used to slowing down.  Correction.  I do not know how to slow down.  Someone even told me to slow down a bit recently.  I can't.

So I am on a weeding and deadheading craze.  I am trying to deadhead all the violets for the new growth.  And I am trying to pick all the mulberries (made four jars of jam and a tray of mulberry mash ice cubes and mulberry ice pops), cut the lawn, trim the grass, trim the alleyway, and feed the veggies.  The summer projects include cleaning the gutters (I need someone to hold the ladder for me), widen the doorway to the pantry and install the Dutch door I refurbished, and do some art.  I also want to do another issue of my zine.  And I need to finish the latest batch of scanning for the Historic Trust.  I have a ton of reading to do and already got through four publications and I am almost done with the book on women in the Medieval era.

I am also making sure to have fun with friends.  Since the Loop Lounge is still closed for repairs... nowhere to dance.  But I did go on an adventure with a friend today.   It was a blast.  We took tons of pictures and plan to do tons of adventures.

Here's to a good summer....