Back in the routine (like up to my ears)

     It's after 10:00.  I just got home from training at the fire hall.  Then federal government has mandated that everyone who has any dealings with the government must take a 16 hour NIMS class, so we have training tonight, Thursday, and all day Saturday.  It's mostly redundant and common sense, and it doesn't have a lot to do with what we do, but if we don't have our responders complete the class, we are no longer eligible to apply for state or federal grants.  It is a result of Homeland Security's mandates stemming from 911.  I wouldn't  really mind, but it comes at absolutely the wrong time for us.  Mar and I had gone to the school board meeting Monday.  I have to stay late at school tomorrow to help check 4-sight responses (practice PSSA tests), then bingo after.  Thursday I have a negotiations meeting before training.  Then next week, we have report cards coming due.  We have parent conferences all day Monday the 19th, so those have to be prepared for those.  Complicating that is that our negotiations team is going away that whole weekend for mediation, so I have to have all that conference stuff ready before I leave Friday afternoon.  So I'm not spending much time at home these days.  

     I had not planned to be involved with negotiations this time (since I may not be around to live with what we agree to), but since we are participating in timed mediation with the board, I got drafted to be there (much to my irritation).  

I'll stop complaining now.  I know that my involvement in much of this (and the stress that goes with it) is a matter of choice.  If we can get through the next couple of weeks, our normal craziness should seem much calmer by comparison.

We're having an ice storm now too.  Mar got stuck on the way home from town and I had to get her off the hill in the middle of my class tonight.  At least it got me out of a half hour of lecture.  Maybe 2 hour delay in the morning?

Hey Gina, good to see you on the list of contributors.

Hope you all have a less hectic start back.

r