My two teenage brothers have been here for the past month helping with our exterior house renovation. Is it still considered “helping” if we pay them? Regardless, it’s been great having them here despite the fact that they eat everything in sight. That’s worthy of a post all by itself.
My stepmom (their mom) came up with my sister to spend a couple of days visiting and then take them home. They just left. While they were here, she told us to leave the kids with her and get out. She didn’t have to ask us twice. We left after lunch yesterday and got home at 10 last night.
It was a good day of shopping, eating, and spending time with my Honey. Dinner was great. Read: no Golden Arches or a Happy Meal to be seen anywhere. We even stopped for ice cream and walked along the water. Well, I was still full from dinner, but Honey had a huge cone, and I had a few bites.
We were going to go to a movie, but the one we wanted to see was 3 hours long. We’ve been up late many nights with the house, etc., so we decided we should rent a movie instead. The problem with this is that we wouldn’t be able to watch it at home until the kids were in bed. Then I had a brainstorm - we watched it at his parents’ house. They were driving back from the Coast and wouldn’t arrive until long after our movie was done. We had a great time watching Walk The Line (finally!), and got home at a decent time to boot.
As we were driving from K-Dot back to town to rent a movie, I was telling Matthew my “work” schedule for the next 2 weeks. My usual contract job constitutes being an online facilitator for courses that are 10-weeks in duration. I’m going to have this baby in about week 10 of the current course being offered, so I didn’t sign up. I don’t think students would appreciate a facilitator who goes incognito the week before their exam.
What I did sign up for was in relation to a prep course that students take before they write the 3-day exam in order to become a CA. It was a FOUR-day exam when I wrote it. Kids get it so easy these days.
As part of this course, they write three different questions that get reviewed by yours truly and a CA friend of mine. There’s a shorter question that I will mark all day tomorrow, a longer question that I will mark Friday & Saturday, and another shorter question on Monday. Then, on Monday through Thursday night of next week, we have one-hour counselling sessions with the students to go over their longer question and give them tips on how to write a better paper.
So, a few busy days, but it gives me a chance to get out of that daily go-to-the-beach-and-work-on-my-tan rut that I’m in. That, and it pays well. Honey was all up to speed, we felt the workload was doable, and we continued on our drive.
Then my cell phone rang.
Could I cover just Week 1 of a 10-week course that I have facilitated before? Another facilitator has to go out of town on a family emergency.
Sure, was my reply. I’d love to help. Sign me up - I can do just ONE week. I got the rest of the deets and hung up the phone.
That one-week starts today. I have 28 students. Each student’s assignment takes approximately one hour to review. By “approximately” I mean “at a bare minimum”. But that’s OK, I consoled myself. Assignments are due on Friday, but some students hand them in on Thursday. And I have until Monday at 6PM to return them. No sweat.
Except…I’m marking papers Friday, Saturday, and Monday. That leaves me Saturday night and Sunday.
Who needs sleep right? And again, the pay is fantastic. Like they say - what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Hopefully I’m alive after Monday so that I can see that money well-spent. Probably on Stampin’ stuff. Pray that I make it - that’s what I’ll be doing. I sure won’t be sleeping. Maybe I’ll think of it as my own “prep course” for when Baby D arrives.
8 Comments
You are certifiabley INSANE. Hope it works out and you don’t go bananas! 
Just think of it as a ‘prep’ practice run so your ready for the lack of sleep and chaos that ensues when baby arrives. Crazy girl!
Comment by holli on July 31st, 2006 @ 2:12 pmHey, sounds a lot like me schedule for the next couple of weeks minus the mod 4 work.
I missed Kevin’s call since we were at the lake Guess you beat me to it!
Wow, it’s only 10 more weeks til Baby D comes??? Time flies….
Comment by Kami on August 1st, 2006 @ 12:03 pmCan’t wait to see pictures of all the reno’s you keep talking about. Exciting for you guys. Patricia
Comment by Patricia on August 1st, 2006 @ 3:25 pmI really admire your energy, I’m tired just reading about all your busyness. When I was pregnant I was a lump on the couch most of the time.
Comment by Heidi on August 1st, 2006 @ 5:16 pmYa, wow. You have lots of energy. Sometimes I wish I had the diversion of work to get rid of the blahs of mommyhood…but I don’t know if I’d have the energy!
Comment by Sarah on August 1st, 2006 @ 6:15 pm
You are a wild woman! Once again, I was sad to miss you when I was in S-land. Are you heading to the cabin after your wild-work-whirlwind? perhaps the Wildlife park?
Comment by elizabeth on July 31st, 2006 @ 9:49 am