With only 3 kids left at home, none of which is really overly involved in anything sports wise, or activity wise at school, I thought we were in for a remarkably unbusy season. I was actually excited about it. I may have even bragged a little bit. Man I learn hard. There just is no such thing as not being busy. If it isn’t kids, it’s work, if it isn’t work, it’s husbands. As much as I would love to stay home, it just isn’t in the cards for me. And honesty, I don’t know what I would do with myself anyway. Life has been this way for so long now, I don’t even know how to function without having 1242 things going.
My work has been a little bit crazy. With the approval of the infrastructure bill, there is a scramble to try to secure funds for a couple of large projects we have going. This means changing a few of the things we are doing, dealing with more engineering and taking care of the ever present governmental paperwork. I am happy that I have been at my job long enough to know how to manage the regulations without having to panic about it. I am also happy that Evelyn hangs out with me for a couple hours in the mornings. She is really good at keeping my priorities in line. We must walk over to the post office - we must take care of banking. And sure, it’s totally because she wants a sticker from the postmaster, and a sucker from the bank, but at least I don’t ever forget to go!
And since I am watching Evie, that by default means I get an occasional baby snuggle. This little baby is the most expressive thing I’ve ever seen. No doubt what she’s thinking. They are good for my soul!
This week was homecoming week on the Trail. I have zero kids playing football. I have zero kids in high school band. I had zero reasons to worry about the activities that go along with HoCo. Yesterday, they bussed the kids over to decorate downtown for the parade (it was Overbrook’s year to host the parade). My office door flies open and in walks Aunt Quincy! Evelyn was thrilled because she wanted to help with the window painting. Quincy told her that she was not decorating, she was there taking pictures with the yearbook staff. She did take Evie to help take some pictures, but only after I agreed to braid her hair. I am fairly certain that only about 4 photos were taken (Quincy’s take on it - why would you need more than that?). Quincy then sat in my office because it was cool in there. She is clearly a huge fan of her school and has all sorts of school spirit.
I do thank Quincy for picking up Saige and Harper from the parade and community pep rally. It saved them from getting bussed to Overbrook, then back to Carbondale and then literally right back to Overbrook to get home. It was 95 degrees yesterday, and fairly miserable both at the pep rally (it was at the ballpark with zero shade) as well as on the buses (no a/c as the BOE made a decision that they could save money and we don’t really need it).
Homecoming literally means that the bus boss needs all the help he can get, so I spent my afternoon taking children to parades and waiting for them. They did feed us tacos, so I guess that makes it worth it right? I am always surprised at how children act. When it was time to leave, there was one who refused to load up. He was in Overbrook, he lives there. He was just going home. Except nobody was there to sign him out, so he wasn’t allowed to do that. So he ran. First from his teacher, then from the principal. And finally, the police. There is a reason I just drive the bus. If I was in charge of him, I promise you the adrenaline would have taken over, and he would have been tackled. The worst part is that when handling it, the teachers literally hesitate because if you handle it wrong, you will be blamed, you may possibly lose your job. And the public is always watching, waiting to judge you. Taking their complaints to social media rather than focusing on teaching their children to do better. I saw several complaining posts last night. Seriously? What do you want them to do? The complaining of one was because kids were hot. Ok, you were told that they were attending an outdoor parade, you were told it was going to be hot. You allowed your child to come to school in long pants and a hoodie? You didn’t reiterate the school’s pleas to send them with water bottles. At what point is it the parent’s, or even the child’s responsibility? Such ridiculous behavior from a 10-11 year old, such ridiculous behavior from society. It is exhausting. Sadly, probably 85% of the kids are good kids, with reasonable parents. Of those, 5% have legitimate concerns. The rest? Entitled, disgusting humans who should not have procreated. How’s that for my opinion? It doesn’t surprise me that teachers walk off the job, they cannot find adequate help for bussing, paras and other support staff. Not in the least.
And if you’re a grouchy, old, cynical bus driver, what should you do? Stay home? Oh heck no! You should drive to a volleyball tournament to watch other people’s children play in their league tournament. Why Hope? Why would you do that? Well….because the love of money is the root of al evil right? Plus who doesn’t like a good volleyball game? Or, I might have lost a bet with the bussing supervisor. Who really knows what’s going on here. I was once asked in our house, which souse was the one who loves chaos. I laughed and wholeheartedly took that one for the team. .
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