Yea! Weekend

Dear Blog Ladies,

I am so glad that the last Tax Day, Monday, April 17th passed and TAKS days (Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills--three days of state student tests for 3rd-5th graders), Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are over. The library schedule was upended and because no one seemed to know the schedule details for the library, I scrambled to help teachers bring their classes in to check out before tests so the students had plenty to read if they finished the tests early. Anyone remember those kinds of school days, as a student or a teacher?

Our taxes went in again online--seems much easier, but still--never know if we would be better off and save more in the end by having a CPA do them like we used to.

Monday I was off work and drove to Decatur to do my civic duty at the county courhouse with about 40 others for jury duty. Our case was to decide if a man, about 40, dressed decently in good work clothes, and clean shaven was innocent or guilty on a DUI charge. After we were put in order that the DA and defense attorney liked (I was #6), we answered several rounds of questions about the DUI law and our perceptions. Next, we took a break. When we returned, the man decided to plead guilty and take whatever punishment the judge would give him. So-----, I guess the man decided the judge would be more lenient than we would have been in a jury trial. Who knows? Anyway, about half of the prospective jurors were workers. Most got paid by the hour, so he wasted half a day for them. I was glad to shop at Wal-Mart and have more time to finish our taxes.

Tuesday and Wednesday we endured 100 degree weather. I watched a TV documentary in the evening about the tornado that came through Bridge Creek, OK several years ago where Brandi went to high school.

Wednesday and Thursday nights we had thunderstorms after midnight. Our power was off Wednesday after midnight for about 1 and 1/4 hours.

The picture albums from Brandi and Kristen are so precious. I'll print some of the pictures and put them on the refrigerator alongside the ones I have there from my birthday greeting pictures from last month. Jennifer, one of our parent volunteers, brought her month-old son to see me yesterday. This is Jennifer's fifth child. The others are 5th, 6th, 8th, and 12th grade age. He is soooo cute. Anytime I hold someone else's baby or play with their toddlers or teach children, it make me want to be closer to my family. Maybe--some day.

On Llew's birthday Ken and I sang Happy Birthday. I got so tickled because I was trying to sing in Ken's key so we could keep it together, but we still ended up about a fourth apart (all you musicians out there know what I mean). It was hard to keep my act together. Oh well, calling at midnight CT, probably was a little late for us to try that.

Ken is so lucky to be retired. I hope to do that, with an outside chance for this year, more probably for next year, or most definitely for the following year. He gets phone calls that I can't enjoy by being at work, like from Nancy, Elizabeth, and Chuck this week. I am glad when our children can call their dad.

Today I will go to work some. Yes, it is Saturday. I must catalog, order, and get ready for the substitute before Ken and I go to Houston Monday for the Texas Library Conference from Tuesday-Friday.

Take care, and I love you. linsue