Blinded by the light

This a.m. as I wavered between sleep and waking, my dream had me looking into bright light, unable to keep my eyes open, although I was in a restaurant and trying to converse. It took every bit of me to keep my eyes open, in the dream, and when I woke up, it seems it was actually the sun shining into my face and I really could not open my eyes. Not until I turned my head was I fully able to wake up and realize I was not in a restaurant, dining with my former spouse!!!! YIKES!! In the 'dream' we were yet married and the bright lights/inability to open my eyes might have significance. On top of all that, my neck is quite stiff, which means I have a pain in the neck!

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On my desk is the paperwork I need to complete in order to have a background check and clearance from the FBI, of all things. The most labor/time intensive portion of Precious Lambs Preschool's 10th anniversary celebration is gathering the names and addresses of its alumni. Evidently the law requires one have their documents in order to view the files, so that is what I must do. The staff is too busy between now and the end of June to dedicate time to this entire project so between the church secretary, who has military clearance already, and me, we should be able to access the files and get the information for the invitations. In speaking with Janet last night about another matter, modeling for the Spring Fling, she offered the assistance of herself and other teachers already cleared, who are members of our congregation, one who is the Head Elder, so I can extend this offer of assistance as well. Another of the church ladies, Judy J., offered to get the background check/FBI clearance to help with the names and addresses so this might not need to be the challenge it started out to be!

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I have stacks of movies around my room which need to be put away again. My friends had borrowed some and returned the movies in two separate returns so I just put them on the table, the gathering place for things, in my room. That table must get cleaned off and put away once and for all. Thinking about it the other day, that particular table was pressed into service when I had to move my computer/office into the river room for the weeks when my bathroom and closet were being remodeled. Three years ago! Somehow that table never went away and while not piled full, still holds some items that I have no idea where I should put them. It seems THAT is where they belong! The bane of my existence, filing! And dealing with stuff.

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In one of the 'to be filed' boxes are my worksheets from the "Come, Worship Christ" class we began within the past year but never finished. I can use those on Sunday mornings as we are restarting the class. When the church offices were moved from the temporary trailers to the finished building, somehow the Bible study disappeared. Likely it is still in an unpacked box and has not been exposed yet but fortunately, the church we serve in Keystone Heights had the same Bible study which we can borrow. Just don't put it in a box! Boy, I know that feeling!

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Joanne sent me a couple e-mail messages yesterday and reports that she is getting some relief from her malady via IV bags of medication. One of the meds made her quite agitated so she is also receiving something to calm her nerves, counter-balancing the healing medication. That poor lady, I tell ya'! Yet, she felt good enough to encourage me to eat salads...unrelentingly. Okay, so I am not a salad eater, she is, and is in the hospital yet again with another strange illness. I'm just sayin'............

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Next week Tuesday is my annual check-up with Dr. House, although I have opted for the female doctor to do my exam. In preparation for that check-up, I am practicing keeping my mouth shut as last year I was charged for two office visits because I talked about things other than simply having the check-up. Can you believe it? I had taken in my reports from the Life Line Screening with me for their records, and the over-the-counter supplements I used daily. They always ask me these questions and the time I came prepared, received a double charge. That just burned my biscuits! I told Laurie that I will come on Wednesday next week instead since my appointment would not allow me to be in the classroom.

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Laurie claims the kids have spring fever very badly, as they are having troubles focusing on their work and using their listening ears. Last week I explained to the boys that I have VERY good hearing so it was not necessary to shout to me at our little lunch table.....One of the boys mentioned my acute hearing yesterday before I reminded them about not hollering in the classroom. We can holler on the playground so the cars passing by could hear us, but not at the table.

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For fun I handed out the puffy balls, koosh balls (?), each one getting a different color so there would be no fighting over the colors.....silly me! Thankfully the little girl in the class gladly accepted the pink one. None of the balls came back the color they went out as since it is so dirty on the playground. The kids faces were sweaty and dirty, I will post photos later from the other computer, from running and playing. At the end of recess, I got the little pots out, plus a cup of water. I also used the ice from Laurie's drink brought by her hubby for their lovely lunch, eaten in privacy on the playground before we came out. I had three of each flower, zinnias and marigolds, and the kids got to say which one they wanted. Of course, they were all reaching and grabbing and actually playing a bit of tug-of-war with me over the pots. This amazes me, the competition and the grabbing efforts. "Really? You think you can yank this away from Ms. Kim?" Sitting is a lost concept, the remaining in one's seat is foreign, and the chairs tipping over at the slightest provocation....

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So, as I distributed the flower pots, removing the exterior cardboard wrapper and pushing hands away, I told them the directions. Before I even finished reading the first step, some of the kids had torn open the seed packet and poured it into the pot. The directions were to soak the dirt pellet for 5 minutes and then crumble the dirt with our fingers. Two seconds and the kids were breaking up the dirt. Okay. Once the dirt pellet is broken up, open the seed packet.....Did it say pour the entire contents into the tiny pot? Nope, it said to remove five seeds from the packet and press them gently, gently, into the soil. Just picture that process, if you would. Remaining perfectly calm and talking as softly as I could, I explained that it was very very likely now that their flowers might not grow because because because they did not listen and follow directions. A life lesson. I asked them watch the plants grow, and see whose will come up, those who followed the directions, and see what happens to those who did not follow directions. It is highly possible that none of them will grow, and also possible that all of the pots will do something at first. The balance of the seeds from the packets was kept in the plastic tray I took in for the pots, which fits perfectly on the window sill. There is little sunshine there since it faces north but I hope the light will be sufficient for the seeds to grow. I am learning more and more each week I spend in the classroom, so at least one of us is coming away with something!