Goodbye Summer....

Hey Y'all,

As I type this, I am getting ready to go to bed early in preparation for the big day tomorrow. I went to the beach this afternoon to enjoy some sun and the ocean breeze. I NEVER sleep the night before school starts, so I am hoping that the salty air will do the trick tonight.

Saying goodbye to this summer is bittersweet. In some ways, it was a very good summer, and in someways it was not. The summer started off on a sour note of course, because I lost Zorro on the 3rd of June. I was sitting on the beach today and just started crying. I still miss him so much. I love Paddington and so happy he is with me, but I am still grieving for Zorro. Seven years is a long time. I really just miss having my little companion. Although, I have to say, I think Zorro has been visiting. Paddington is doing some things that only Zorro did, and I have to shake my head. Zorro used to leave his bones by the door for me. Paddington just started doing that this week. Very interesting. Of course, getting Paddington was a definite highlight. I don't know if I would have said that two weeks into having a puppy, but now things are better! Puppy Kindergarten has helped! :)

Of course most of the summer I was busy with summer school. I am glad now that I did it, because I don't have the anxiety about starting school tomorrow like I usually do. I think since I had a "first" day about two months ago, I am better able to roll with the one tomorrow.

A neat thing that happened to me this summer was my trip out to California and Lake Tahoe. I was able to connect with some professional techie people and that was something I really needed. Sometimes I think we get so wrapped up in our jobs, we forget what we really enjoy. Technology is one of those things for me, so I need to make sure I do a better job of networking and staying in the loop about things.

The last few weeks of summer were nice. Paddington started Puppy Kindergarten (he graduates tomorrow!), I saw some old friends and hung out at the beach. I also read a little and got some knitting done.

Whew! I still don't think I am ready or looking forward to the stresses that this school year is going to bring, and I definitely am not looking forward to all of the stress we as teachers face about test scores, etc. At least I have Mr. Paddington to come home to!

Well, I am off. Tomorrow marks my 13th year teaching. Who would have thought that????
Nighty Night!
:) JKP