Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Gray rainy mornings in Columbia

It is gray and a little rainy.  I think there is a chance of thunderstorms.  You may think I'm strange, but I love this weather.  It feels comfortable, like an electric blanket with a frayed cord.  OK, that's a little strange, but I was thinking about the possible thunderstorms.  I love thunderstorms.  I've missed them over the winter.  I don't think it's hot enough for a really good storm, but I'm feeling tingly just thinking about it.

My mood is like this weather.  Gray and damp, waiting to see what is going to happen.  Is that enough blue to make a pair of cat's pajamas?  Is the sun going to come out?  Will it be bright and sunny by the time I get to work?

Are those real storm clouds?  Will we have a thunderstorm, finally, to break the tension of the almost rain? 

Is it because this is the last week of school and I still think like a student/teacher/parent when it comes to the calendar?  Is it because tax season is over, but I still haven't caught up and I have a pile of tax returns that people wanted yesterday?  Is it because Mark is leaving his school but I still hope that the school will go on?  Is it because a lot of people "need" me, but it's not like I'm a rocket scientist and there aren't other people who can do the job just as well, and I really don't know what I do want to do?  Is it because I'm not sure about finances, family, friends? 

Oh Wow, I need a thunderstorm.

Monday, May 24, 2010

A little bit of nothing much

This is Mark's last week of school, and the last week at Carolina School for Inquiry.  It has been a good ride, for the most part.  Mark has gotten a wonderful education.  He has grown up with some great friends who he hopes to keep in touch with when school is out.  He is sad to leave his friends, but I think he's excited.  Who knows what will come?

Next year he will be attending a virtual public charter school.  I'm hoping this is a good thing with project based challenging learning & the opportunity to meet with other kids and teachers on field studies and other things.  With our legislature cutting school funding to as close to nothing as is legally possible, we have had to make tough choices.  First, he is zoned to a middle school that has terrible test scores.  The honors summer reading book for 6th grade last year was Charlotte's Web.  Add to that the budget cuts which have led to widespread teacher lay-offs and new rules which allow "unlimited" number of children in a class, and I can't really see sending my baby there.  He will have to be responsible and get the work done every day.  There are still attendance requirements and of course, he has to complete his assignments.  I think he'll be with me at work.  Thankfully, I am in a flexible work environment.  I don't know how much togetherness Mark and I can stand, though...

I took the first part of the enrolled agent's exam last week and passed.  I'm glad to have that out of the way.  I was sweating it.  It's so obvious to me what I don't know, I can't always see what I do know.  So here we are, part one down... two parts to go.  I'm waiting for a part two study guide in the mail.  That's the hardest part... business and stuff.  Part three is ethics.  I'm glad to say I don't have too much trouble with that.

I don't know what we're doing this summer.  We won't get our week at the beach, darn it, because of scheduling conflicts.  In fact, that week is now and Mark is in school.  Bob and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary if we make it until August 17, and we both turn 50 this summer.  I'm thinking about a "hundredth" birthday party for both of us.  I'm not sure we know that many people who we want to see, though.  

Tut tut, it looks like rain.  I guess that means I should try to get a little more work done.  Don't ask me why, it just does.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Mother's Day

I have never had a big thing for mother's day.  I used to buy my mother stuff, usually books.  We'd have dinner at her house.  When I got married and had children, we still went to Mom's for mother's day.  When I suggested that I was a mother too and might want something different, Mom ignored me.  Which, I suppose, she should have.

And so, with no expectations, Mother's day is usually pretty good for me.  Yesterday, all three of my children and the two grandsons were here.  Robert gave me a rose a couple of days ago.  Joseph & Robert bought me some bromeliads (I'd asked for Rolaids... just kidding) and a palmetto plant.  Mark gave me gifts for my facebook farm (is that sad or what?).  All was good.

We went to church in the morning, then to my brother's in the afternoon.  Johnny & Bill will be leaving for Europe before Mark's birthday, so we celebrated yesterday.  Barbecue and ribs from a local restaurant I won't name.  It was open on Sunday.

The kids, Ellen & Bob swam. It has been in the 90s but yesterday it was maybe 75.  And the water was cold.  Roslyn, in particular, is an ice baby.

And of course, I dreamed about Mom, and it was a good dream.  I don't think it was too exciting or traumatic.  I think we were having a party at her house and everyone we've known for the past 50 years came through.  And then I cleaned up.