United

Survived another birthday.  It was a fun day though there's always drama.  It's always something with some people.

I was invited to lunch with two administrator friends so I accepted their invitation on Monday.  Had no idea that my team was planning a day of treats including pizza for lunch.  I quickly cancel my plans to lunch with friends and enjoy thin-crust pepperoni pizza and delicious 'Turtle' cupcakes - dense chocolate cake with caramel frosting, chocolate and caramel drizzle and pecans on top.  Fantastic.  My team said 'we'll invite the other buildings over for cupcakes later today.

After lunch, my friends ( who had lunched without me) texted me to say 'hey, come to the diner when you're done with lunch - there's berry pie with your name on it'.  So I did.  When I returned 40 minutes later, the cupcakes were gone - the 'gathering' of all district staff happened in my absence - maybe they just doled out the cupcakes to the buildings.  Anyway, it was strange.

Another co-worker said (and she's so right):  they should have communicated with you.  They should have let you know what they were planning and you would have planned accordingly.  They didn't.  Sometime surprises don't work.

Oh well.  It was still a fun day.  And my boss brought me a beautiful azalea plant and a nice card AND the (partial) draft of the missing piece to the budget that he is doing (and has been procrastinating about for forever'.  But it's in the works which is good.

It was a nice day - flowers from hubby personally delivered; beautiful plant; roses from my assistant's garden.  Rice Krispie treats; cupcakes; See's candy.  On a sugar high, I made it through budget and am working away on wrapping things up.  One thing about the change in State funding and the earlier deadlines for having it ready for public review is:  it will be done by Friday and maybe I can manage to work at home this weekend just ONE day - a day off would be lovely.  I finished my contract at the end of May.  Fulfilled the number of days I am required to work one month before the end of the school year.  In a meeting recently where (coincidentally) the 'day count' of certain administrators was discussed - when someone mentioned 'that's too many carryover days', I looked at my boss and said 'well, I'm done in three days.  I'll leave all the budget stuff on my desk and y'all can figure out how to finish - since my year is ending in three days'.  Needless to say, I'm still working and I will have carryover - and that's just the way it is.

Our fence repair with our neighbor has resulted in the guy being a total and complete jerk to J. earlier today.The section of the fence that started it all - with warped boards that were gapping and falling out - is still not repaired well.  J. phoned the neighbor this morning to point out the still not great area and to offer to pay for them ourselves.  The guy was belligerent, hostile, over-reactive.

Guess what? The guy was just here.  We've called the police to file a report 'cuz he was threatening us. Took steps towards J. .  Called him stupid and old and told his wife 'I'm not afraid of some old guy'.  He said we never intended to pay - which is the furthest thing from the truth - and that he was going to put out flyers telling all our neighbors that we're deadbeats and won't pay our debt.  (We don't technically have a debt - he hired the guys; he set the scope of the work; we agreed to pay 1/2 when the work was done to mutual satisfaction of both parties - and it isn't).  Great guy.  I feel sorry for his wife and kids 'cuz when you're this 'out there' with complete strangers, I can only imagine what it's like in that house.

We told his wife (who came over twice before) that we will happily pay - as soon as we contact the workers who did the work and ask them to fix the section that needs fixing.  We weren't even asking him to pay 1/2 of that work - it's a very small area and we just want it done.

People are amazing....truly.