Is that a song title? Or maybe a lyric in a song? I’m not sure. All I know is here we are again with me posting bookends. A post to start the week and one to end it. Can’t promise I’ll be better about it next week either.
So, let’s see what happened around here on this short 4 day week?
An Unexpected Day Off! Sort of…
I was supposed to work Tuesday but then, she cancelled me. Offered it up if I just wanted hours to come be extra help for them. However, I politely declined (especially as it was in the pre-primary classroom) and payed the price I suppose. J woke up wrought with anxiety on Tuesday and stayed home from school. SIGH. How’s the old saying go? Two steps forward and one step back. Thankfully, the rest of the school week worked out just fine for him.
It did feel as though everyone needed me for something on Tuesday and so no my unexpected day off I accomplished basically nada.
A Working Wednesday
So much for my grand escape for working in the pre-primary classroom. I ended up working for another teacher in the classroom next door. The kids are cute and fun but every time I work in those classrooms, my back hurts and my hands dry out from the constant washing/sanitizing. Still, I like to put in time down there on occasion as it helps to know the kids as they move up to primary. And I do like the teachers, just not overly fond of the age group (18 months to 3 years though mostly barely 2).
Thursday, Time to Clean And Me-Time Guilt
I could have worked again (in primary) on Thursday but opted not to as I’d already had my day at home (ah-lone) planned out. Why is it I felt guilty saying no? If I’d had plans with a friend, I’d been fine but instead I felt guilty that I didn’t rearrange my day for them. Ugh. The perils of being a sub.
A bit of an aching back and feeling stressed from the disaster mess in the house, I had to make the time to stop and take care of things including myself.
Not overly important, except perhaps to the birds, but I did run and get bird seed to finally fill the feeders again. I’d been neglecting them as I didn’t want to make the poor birds easy prey for Chip. Still no word on if he wandered back out of the woods at his new home yet.
Also, ran to the Dollar Tree. Who are these people who find great organizing bins and decorating items there? Am I even shopping in the right store? I grabbed some stick scarecrow people for outside and a few random snacks for the weekend but for containers? Nothing suitable.
Friday (Today), First More Guilt, Then Football
Turned down work again today, honestly I’m feeling crabby and just need some time to decompress.
I’m also working every day next week so want the time to get things done. September is typically my slow time in the sub area so I’m feeling the need to carve out and protect my personal time. Of course, I still feel a bit guilty doing that which logically, I know is silly. If the teacher had asked me last night, I’d perhaps have been more willing but I don’t feel 45 minutes notice is respectful of my time so I politely declined. (Note: It was the same teacher from yesterday so she had to have had an inkling she needed a sub prior to this morning) Have I mentioned I’ve been feeling a bit grumpy and unsettled with the need to decompress this week?
It’s red Friday here in KC aka Chiefs Kingdom aka The Football Town. Could’ve went out early and made a donation to get a Chiefs flag but opted not to do that. If it’d been a garden flag, perhaps. However, I am wearing my red shirt. Not a Chiefs shirt because I don’t own a short-sleeved one and it’s supposed to be 90 degrees today. Different kind of football tonight, high school football! Excited for marching band. Could hear the percussion practicing while watering my flowers this morning.
Rest of Today and The Weekend 
The rest of today, I plan to do a bit more cleaning. Might tackle an organizing project. Take a trip to Target (Personally, I do best with their containers). Maybe repot some plants. Time to start thinking of gradually returning my houseplants indoors.
I finished up Hot Mess House on Discovery Plus. Enjoyed it, I really do find her organizing style/solutions inspiring.
Need to remember to cancel Discovery Plus though I haven’t watched all I wanted yet. My plan is to cancel all our streaming services at some point and then go back and pay for each one on an annual basis. Trying to figure out how to do it so we don’t interrupt things.
Couldn’t get to the closet to get my garden flag out for Labor Day but now that I’ve cleaned, I definitely pulled it out for this weekend. Can’t believe it’s been 20 years since 9/11. I can remember with uncertain clarity where I was (home) and what I was doing (Taking 4 month old G for a walk around the block in his stroller as it was a beautiful September day. Stopping to talk to the neighbors and tell them how I’d just watched on Good Morning America how a plane “accidentally” collided into the World Trade Center. Returning from the walk to tune back into the show and learn that it was no accident and a second plane had hit the towers and hearing of the other horrors of that day.)
Seems as if we no longer stand united and it’s sad. So tired of all the division and negativity in this country. Time to turn off the news and social media sites and go outside for a bit.
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I LOVE your last sentence! That about sums up my thoughts too.
I can never find cute organizing bins at my dollar tree either. I either end up ordering from Amazon or making due with ones from Walmart. I wish we had a closer Target but the closest one is an hour away.
As far as feeling guilty about turning down sub jobs, that is why you are a sub so that you can say no and do what you feel YOU need to do. My husband reminded me of that last week when I turned down a job because I needed to get the house cleaned up and needed to get some errands done. I understand though as I felt guilty, but then he reminded me that this is was why I wanted to take the sub job and not a full time job. This week I am already scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I have to babysit my niece and nephew so will not sub. It is about finding balance among everything.
Hope you are having a good weekend!
Rachel recently posted…Shopping deals, new recipes and losing weight
Glad I’m not the only one with both wanting to just go outside and being able to get lucky with containers at the Dollar Tree. That’s a long haul to go to Target, here both Target and Wal-Mart on basically on the same street, fewer lights to get to Target so I go there more often. You’re right it is about finding that elusive balance. Of course, I turned down work last week thinking I’d be working this entire week & then, that got canceled. I don’t mind too much but it’ll show on payday. Hope you had a great weekend & your week is off to a great start!
I absolutely love that age group of kids. They are learning so much and soaking up so much and are so eager to learn and do things but just with a little guidance. I love being with my grandbabies every chance I get.
If you have a Dollar Tree maybe you can look there. Some carry more than others though.
I’ve had to just back off of news Ana social media too. It is too depressing and I believe causing more division between us as a nation.
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Happy for you that you get to spend so much time with your grandbabies. Dollar Tree is where I didn’t have luck, maybe Dollar General? Not sure. I usually watch the morning “fun” news and then, follow the NY Times in an morning/evening update. Try to stay off the social media but sometimes it is good for keeping up with family/friends, not always but sometimes. Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!