Ack!

Okay, so it's been a loooong time, and a whole lot has happened. Suze over at Still Baking signed up for NaBloPoMo, and I thought about it, but I'm glad I didn't. I really couldn't keep up. Life is busy enough. I do, however, feel a need to get things out. So here we go: 1. I finally caved on the whole furnace thing on Monday the 29th. I walked into the house and thought, "You know, I'd be comfortable in here if I left my coat on." That sealed it, and we now have heat. But I still have cold toes to share with J when we get into bed at night. I may have turned the heat on, but I am cheap. 2. Work is crazy, and that's one of the main reasons I've not been around other than to lurk. I'm the main trainer on a geometry roll out that's happening in my board right now, so I'm on the road for that based on the latest training model. I'm also still teaching full time, planning a family math day for our elementary school and putting together book studies which I facilitate for our teachers. J wonders why I don't get home earlier at night. My students wonder why I don't get their tests marked. 3. I've jumped back into school with both feet. I'm taking the high school math qualifications, which is enough in and of itself. It's 4 hours on Tuesday nights, 1.5 hours away from here. You'd think I'd learn. On days like this coming Tuesday, I'll leave the house at 7 to go and spend the day facilitating training, then get back in my car to go to my course, and then drive home. Assuming good weather and little construction, I'll get home around 11 PM. Everyone loves 16 hour days! I know my Wednesday students live for them. 4. I still need to finish my principal's qualifications. I've never completed the project that would let me do the last module of courses. JR came up with a great project that I'm now trying to get approved - cause we all know that I need more things to do in my spare time. I talked to the program coordinator Friday about what I needed to do for approval, and he wanted to know if I was interested in the last module in February because it will be offered here. When I took the first part, I slept on my friend's couch Saturday nights in Toronto because we went 8 - 5 on Saturdays and 8-2 on Sundays. Taking it in town is tempting. I could sleep in my own bed, for one thing. The problem is, I'll have to finish the project. And while JR and I came up with an awesome idea which she is willing to supervise, I'm not sure I can bang it out in 2 months. 5. Surprisingly, things with J are good. He doesn't seem too neglected. His colonoscopy on Friday showed no polyps, just the divirticuli which are the problem. He's having colon reduction surgery in December; probably the 6th. I will even be in town that day. I'm 5 hours away doing training the day before - after going to my class the Tuesday night before that. 6. This weekend, I've been channelling my inner Bob Vila...or maybe Mag Ruffman. J and I finally got around to picking up all of the pinecones that have been littering our front lawn. We also cut back the vines on the house, put up the new porch light I got for my birthday, and the matching new mailbox, and the tile numbers that I bought in Spain that have been waiting to be put up since 2005. J isn't mechanically inclined, so he is the amazing holder of things and repairer of my sanity as I wish the project to be done and wield the tools and look oh so sexy in my safety goggles as I drill holes in the brick. I'm just glad that he laughed with me (not at me) when I realized that I was trying to drill with the drill in reverse, and couldn't understand what I wasn't getting anywhere. Not surprisingly, I was sick last weekend and most of last week with strep throat. I think my body's trying to tell me something. I wonder what it could be.