A Valuable Lesson

 

Sunday, January 6, 2013 – A Valuable Lesson

Subbing for the three days immediately preceding winter break and the three days immediately following winter break served as a good reminder of why I stopped working full-time.  Stress, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation destroyed my equilibrium, and I’m just now regaining it.  I should have known better, and I hope I learn from my mistake.  Starting now, the new policy is “no more than two sub days per week.”  As with so much in life, moderation is the key. 

 

I actually enjoyed my time in Georgi’s classroom this past Wednesday through Friday.  I worked with a group of advanced students on poetry analysis and essay writing, and with a group of real beginners on some very basic grammar.  But since I was getting up at 5 in the morning, I didn’t have much energy left by the end of the school day.  However, that’s when I had to start driving Elliott to medical appointments, doing the errands, making dinner, etc.  When we finally got home late Friday afternoon, I told Elliott he could have whatever he wanted for dinner, as long as he fixed it himself.  He was quite happy with a bowl of Cheerios.  All I could do, after dipping some za’atar crackers in hummus, was to collapse into a comfortable chair and sit comatose, watching 30 minutes of Say Yes to the Dress on TLC, before I staggered off to bed.  Yes, that’s how completely drained I was, both mentally and physically. 

It has taken me the better part of the weekend to recover.  Saturday turned out to be a busy day as well, starting with grocery shopping at 6:30 a.m.  Marie-Claude, Peter and Darren came over from Baltimore and joined us for lunch.  Thank goodness Wegman’s makes a good quiche.  That left me with enough time to make chestnut soup for our first course and julekake for dessert.  After we ate, we had fun going through a box of very old photos that they had brought over.  Most of them were taken during the 1930s.  Many came from Elliot’s time in the Navy (1930-1933).  We saw Elliott in his sailor suit (very handsome), several ships, and scenes of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Panama City, the Panama Canal, various ports in the Caribbean and along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.  Unfortunately, there were many photos that had no identification on the back and it was impossible to tell where they’d been taken.  For example, there was a group of photos that showed storefronts with Chinese writing.  Elliott was never in China, but he recalls visiting Chinatowns in different cities.  Maybe we’ll eventually solve the mystery.  

Marie-Claude, Darren, Peter and Elliott

 

Sunday was a lot calmer.  Not having to rush out of the house in the morning made a huge difference.  And I’m only scheduled to sub two days this coming week.