Fore Warned in My Musings…
Or this could be named: “Cricket Takes a Holiday”
(this is actually my second attempt at posting since the resort wifi is a bit tricky)
I will admit May is tough on teachers. Sure we get our free lunches, cards, and goody sacks on Teacher Appreciation day, but the rest of the year could use some boost and cheer as well. We are all a bit weary and the finish line is closer, yet not quite close enough.
If you are traisping over from my last post you understand I May *grin* be suffering from burnout. This is why I am on holiday. I took two of my hoarded personal holidays (we get three during the school year) and signed myself out for a four day weekend. Never mind it takes about three days to set up two days worth of lesson plans and I hope a sub can be found. I needed to get awaaaay. Yes, that is the sound of a teacher jubilating a happy sound as she pulls out from the parking lot Friday afternoon. And yes, there is a knapsack of ungraded papers I must deal with before I return to work on Wednesday.
The first two days of my retreat–wait, I need to digress…
Why call it a retreat, indicating I am running away from something when I am actually running toward what I embrace willingly without shame? There is honor is working in the trenches classroom. And maybe I am suffering from PTFSD (positively tired from student disconduct).
Back…
The first two days were spent soaking up time with the hubs, who forbade any talk about school (good man), and soaking up the view, reading, sunning, and watching the swallows.
Our condo faces the fairway (have I got a story about nearly getting hit by a golfball–and I did have a forewarning, but not the yelled out kind) and is the flight path of the resident swallows. In fact, we share the roofline and they often sit near the rail, twittering and preening like tuxeodoed Woolworth parakeets. I love ’em. I left the robins home in the backyard. This is swallow country.
The third day finds me all by my lonesome. The hubs has returned home and I am told to “WRITE.” I have not been writing at home, being too (am)bushed from grading essays and creating lesson plans. This long weekend is meant to rejuvenate me enough to finish out the year and to get Something accomplished.
I have pulled up my Hamlet Choose Your Own Adventure manuscript. Not too much dust resting on it. I diligently worked on it all morning. I now have hit the wall. When that clock reads “1 PM” I have hit my creative capacity. I am not much good after sitting down four or five hours. I’m hungering for a walk. Either that or some chocolate. I better put on my shoes.
*update: I did both by stopping at the front desk to buy M&Ms to eat while I walked. Multitasking at its best.
Pam Webb 
I am the son of two teachers, the sibling of another, the spouse of another, and the brother- and son-in-law of two more. I’ve also worked in schools for 16 years. So I get the hitting-the-wall-in-May thing. I’ve seen it many, many times. Hang in there, my friend.
As for the Hamlet thing, send me an email when you get the chance. We can chat about it by phone if you wish and possibly break the logjam.
That’s a lot of teaching! The May crabbies must be something to watch for in your family. I’ll touch base with you about Hamlet soon. After four days off I’m napping after a full day of seniors.