The rhyming words, in case you were confused, were work, sick & knitting. That pretty much sums up the last week.

I feel really good about it all, though. This week I had every lesson planned when I walked into class, and many used innovative techniques and intuitive tricks to get the job done. I made several phone calls home. I figured out how to access my email. I marked whole sets of assignments. I conferred with my colleagues. I kept order. I even got to knit in my first period class today, after I'd spent 35 minutes walking around & answering questions. That's a long time to put out fires, and I thought I deserved a break. The best part was that the kids were surprised ("you're knitting??") and I got to pay attention to the conversations in various parts of the room. Right on.

As for the knitting, I continued to peg away at my blue-grey ribbed scarf. I get real tired of k2p2, so I save it for classrooms, meetings and other highly boring situations. On Wednesday I abandoned it completely and started one of the techno-cozies from Stitch N' Bitch. The knitting was very good, but I let my eagerness carry me away and it's finished very awkwardly (threads loose, lumpy backstitching, poorly aligned stripes). That's what I get for deciding to throw myself into a brand-new skill at 10 p.m. – a prototype of which I am both proud and ashamed. Ach. My next one will be much better.

Tonight I learned intarsia, and knit a black wristband with a light grey star in the centre. Tomorrow I'll sew up the seam & work away the ends. (See, I am learning from my mistakes!)

The sickness is mostly due to public school system shock. Blake's been wicked hard to get asleep this week, and we're all paying the price with fractured rest. Both the Boy & I are somewhat miserable. My condition fluctuates: I had a moment in class when I got the spins, but I immediately felt better afterward. Right this moment I have a runny nose, tired face and a rough throat. Nothing too serious. And nothing that will stop me from karaoke tomorrow, Blake willing.

I make a sandwich as the Boy changes Blake's diaper. I hear loud giggling from the both of them.

Me: (sternly) What's going on down there?!
The Boy: Nothing.
Blake: Nothing.

They're now partners in crime. Suddenly I feel the earth tremble beneath my feet. Awful cute, though.

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 2/25/2005 10:51:00 p.m.