gripes

yesterday i started-- and almost finished and posted-- a rant about the crappy day i had overreacting to relatively small annoyances. i got distracted, i didn't finish it (you have no idea how many times that happens to me) and i'm really glad i didn't. it was a self-indulgent bitch-fest, and i'm glad to now post a happy happy joy joy entry.

first of all, last night my friend jen and i (hi jen! she is a silent reader or "lurker" here) went out for sushi for her birthday. that is, i got big ol' slabs o' raw fishies while she got the cooked stuff. needless to say, i left sated and happy. the shopping beforehand didn't hurt the situation.

today i packed it in quickly and headed to school. can i tell you, I LOVE OUR SCHOOL. i'm waiting for something annoying and terrible to happen because we have had 3 years of luck, love, happiness and community at our little country school and i can't imagine a better environment for our kids. today i was in the kindergarten (tuesday i did the 2nd grade thang) because it was the last day before spring break.

first of all, they had a "carnival" for all the kids, k-8. it was just a few inflatable bouncing thingies and some little carnival games and some cotton candy thrown in to stick everything together, but it was so sweet! and the kids loved it. i thought for SURE it was all fun & games until someone got hurt but NO! not a tear in the house.

then, s's class had won the supply drive contest... that is... they had brought in the most supplies for the pta thrift shop. that meant PIZZA PARTY! so, after finger painting, we all washed our hands and dug into free pizza instead of cafeteria food. yahoo!

after the first 2 parties, it was clearly time for a third party in the kindergarten. an easter party! they all donned their bunny ears and grabbed their easter baskets made from milk jugs and hopped out to the palyground to hunt for eggs. so cute! after that, back to the classroom for treats (dessert i guess) and goody bags. what a day!

i know i talk to people whose teachers aren't allowed to even touch the kids to give them a hug when they are crying for politically correct reasons. i am proud to say that at our school the hugs and love are spread liberally over our children and I'M GLAD. there are so many parent volunteers, assistant teachers, support staff, and lead teachers to love on our kids it's not even funny. and it's a small enough school that my kids and i know many of the teachers, parents, and students personally. i feel like each one is watching out for my kids as if they were their own... i know that's what i do!

a few more good things came of the day, mostly that the lovely music teacher agreed to give s singing lessons after school, and h won the "caricature of the art teacher" contest. it's a truly hilarious piece, and i hope i can get a scan to show you. she said, "the drawing doesn't necessarily show what i look like on the OUTSIDE but rather what i feel like on the INSIDE."

t is gone to a concert tonight... seeing "peeping tom," a group fronted by mike patton of "faith no more" of whom he is a huge fan. i'm sipping wine, listening to tunes, and belting them out at the top of my lungs. whenever i get a touch of laryngitis, i find that this helps me get my singing voice back more quickly, and it's also therapy for the soul.

aren't you glad i didn't gripe?