Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Can I do Short?

Probably not-- I've been talking to kids nonstop for two days and I've decided that I'm the most concision handicapped individual in the whole world--a nightmare for a teacher. If only once I could shut up I'm convinced my students would be able to listen to the silence of the world and figure things out for themselves...a Table-of-Contents in a notebook, people--how hard can it be? Pretest--can they really be in 11th grade and not understand the pretest? Really? Oh, well, then I have to explain it and that just blows that whole thing about shutting the hell up to the northwinds...

On other fronts, my kids go and get the first installments to their braces today... does anyone want to know how much it costs to get braces from spacers to headgear installed in two adolescent children? You lie. NOBODY wants that number...I swear to the Goddess of finances that my first 5 cars didn't cost that much. (1970 Datsun, 1976 Pacer--you heard me-- 1975 Volvo, 1980 Toyota Corolla, 1986 Ford Escort--a fine family vehicle if you're frelling broke, really--combined total? $5,250. Less than half as much as my children's teeth. Who wants out of that parenthood gig NOW?) Un-be-frelling-believeable.

And as for the babies? The cave troll has insomnia from mama-go-bye-bye stress...it's heartbreaking. Last night it was nine-o'clock and he should have been in bed for an hour, and he comes padding out, clutching t'binkit, and just puts his hand on my arm and looks at me. He knows he can get in trouble for this, but what he really wants is a hug. I was so tired I couldn't focus on my computer screen, and the good cry I had earlier hadn't helped, and hugging him was the last useful thing I did all day. I now have to run my laundry again because I didn't get to it and now it's probably stinky.

As I was having that good cry, though, my husband put things in perspective--"We could probably live on my salary you know...we'd have to give up some things...books, movies, braces for the kids, yarn..." Wait a minute, buddy...back the truck up...you're talking crazy now...

2 comments:

Yeah So said...

Yarn? What is he smoking? Sorry it's so hard, they grow up so fast you don't want to miss a thing.

roxie said...

Bless the husband for putting things in such clear perspective. And blessings on you. Hang in there!