Fall break

I have been counting down the days 'til fall break.... it was so needed. 
But.... I got sick (sort of) AND there was SO MUCH work to do!

Despite that, I was still grateful to have a week to do some catching up.

1st:  the "sick" part:  On my first day of break, I was trying to be proactive and get my flu shot (like we did last year over fall break, actually).  But - when at the pharmacy, noticed a pneumonia shot on the form.  I inquired b/c I had pneumonia last winter... and now... I have asthma.    Because of the asthma - "yes - you can get the shot: which arm?"  I'm right handed, so left arm please. 

Little did I know that quick decision would go so wrong.   It hurt.  I get it.... it will hurt for awhile.  But - the next day - I couldn't even pick my arm up.  Despite that, I ran a bunch of errands (including making soup for our friends who had Covid / were in the hospital / and recovered).  By Monday, I was sick.  Fever, chills and arm that hurt.  Tuesday, the chills and fever went away and I started feeling a little more back to normal, but there was a hot red rash that appeared on my arm.  By Wednesday morning, the rash had grown.  By that afternoon, it had crawled around to the other side of my arm!  (The on-call doctor said if it showed up on my torso, then I needed to go to the E.R.  He was also livid that the pharmacist administered both in the same arm.  Because of this.... I can't say - with assurance - which immunization I am allergic to.... although I've had the flu shot for years without effect.)  

Thankfully, the rash did not grow much more and by the next day, I was able to lift my arm a little.  Thursday, I could pick it up more.  Friday I was back to full range, however, it's still sore to the touch at this writing.   And - of course - all of the Sharpie marker has not yet washed off!

I did NOT need to lose 1 1/2 +/- of my 5 days off to fever, chills and sleep!!!  (but hopefully it was worth it and keeps me safer during this flu season)  I had several teacher-class deadlines Sept 30 and - I was trying to get my CAD class assignments done before we went on a mini-vacation.  (I met the teacher class deadlines, but I did not meet the deadline for my CAD class / had to finish a couple of assignments while we were away & upload at the my work online at the check-in area where there was internet. 

We went away to Unicoi State Park in north Georgia to stay in a "barrel cabin" for a couple of days.  We stayed there almost 6 years ago.  Here's a (fuzzy) photo from that trip with a 6 year old Mercer in front of it!  I have better photos now.  Isabella LOVED the place.  She wanted to play hide-and-seek over and over again, as there were all of these random hiding spots where they had to have custom-built enclosures for mechanical systems. 

Todd and I both played a lot of hide-and-seek, but thankfully Mercer did his duty as big brother... and then some...  as he played about a zillion rounds with her.   He also packed matchbox cars and tracks to bring to the cabin. 

They set up courses on the stairs.  Loved seeing the "little boy" coming out a little here at the cabin instead of the towering 5'-7" 12 year old pre-teen!  

The cabin overlooks (through the trees) the big lake that's at the park.  We did not interact with the lake too much... just walked around the lake one night while collecting kindling.  We picnicked by the lake another day.  We rode bikes along the trail at one side of the lake.  We tried to feed fish pieces of bread but really didn't see many.  Even though we didn't get out on the water or fish from its shores.... it was still relaxing.  

In the mountains, there are so many waterfalls ... so....so many!

THIS is the draw for us -- why we like to go to North Georgia.   We tried to go a waterfall that is pretty popular, but the dirt road that led to the trailhead was flooded.  The road to get there was impassible.  Todd looked up another nearby waterfall and - although it was not as big - the hike was just breathtaking!  Unfortunately we had some issues with the kids pushing through, but, they both eventually kept hiking and we made it to the final destination.

But - I would argue that the route to the final waterfall held more scenery than the final waterfall.  wouldn't you agree?  

There were mini-waterfalls everywhere along this rushing river.   There were places where you could walk down and feel the mist on your face.  

There were places where there were distant waterfalls beyond the rushing river.  The hike meandered alongside the river, but at one point crossed over on this small bridge.... with interesting things at both ends.  Just the lush-ness of everything... the sound of rushing water all around.  The interesting textures and patterns along the way.  (even the leaf-litter was picture-perfect.)  

One of my favorite things on this hike was this section near the bridge.  The pattern that the roots made was just fascinating! 

The rhododendron were a-plenty and created a canopy in the low-lying area.

And the ferns and moss were really beautiful too!

This hike was definitely the highlight of our 2-day trip away!!

Back to reality.

Isabella goes back to school face-to-face 4 days a week.  (She'll only go to the "teacher pod" on Fridays while I work.)  Mercer will begin face-to-face 4 days a week later this month.  I wish there was a way that we could get him to and from school, but we just can't.  He will have to ride the bus.  :(   He is allowed to come to school with me in the month of October, so we're going to phase him into getting up earlier and coming to a school building!    (He's NOT excited about that as he seems to like being at home alone.  BUT we asked if he wanted to continue staying at home this semester... and he wants to go in.  He needs to... grade-wise... he's struggling to keep up with some things.)

Meanwhile - in the rest of the world... the worst presidential debate in history was had.  The moderator didn't seem to moderate -- or wasn't able to, honestly, for being talked over.  And - days later, an announcement came out that Trump has contracted Covid.  World-wide, there have been over 1,000,000 deaths from this disease.  The numbers in America are close to 210,000 people.  It is frightening. 

The curve IS flattening... but...

I honestly wish that our schools would try the 2-day a week thing that they did with elementary before going back full-force with face-to-face.  Things have already been very hard!  The previous few weeks were really tough, honestly.   And - now - we teachers need to get comfortable with figuring out how to clean between classes.  How to socially distance.  How to take our classes outside as much as we can.  

 I that we were starting with half a class size (staggered days by alphabet is what we were told would happen our first 6 weeks of school... then the superintendent changed it right before school break to everyone going back full class sizes).  

Outside of curriculum and Covid, I have been working HARD getting my classroom set up.  Converting it from a computer lab to an architectural studio.  I received 2 grants where I had to research items that cost over $100 each... I purchased a bunch of drawing boards with the first disbursement and then some photo equipment, tracing boards, big rotary cutter, and some other things with the second disbursement.  I also received 2 sizable donations from a retiring architect / professor that I met while I was working at Southface.

I may have mentioned that he brought 20 boxes of books in the previous blog (I wasn't able to go through them all as I had not place to put them.  I've been sorting, but I just acquired an old bookshelf -- the day before break started, so there is more work to be done on that end!)  

Then, this retired architect - who is down-sizing - brought a car-load of supplies!  I have several rolling cabinets to store hand-tools.... but there were no hand-tools to be found except for a few x-acto knives, scissors, construction paper and some engineering scales!  (It was - literally - a computer lab when starting!)  

The drawers that were empty are getting full, thankfully!   I now have a mish-mash collection of triangles, architecture scales, drawing templates, metal rulers (for use with the x-actos I already had), and other miscellaneous items.  I am grateful for the mish-mash!

I also applied for a small teacher grant from Clorox... but the stores we were allowed to shop from were really more for elementary school kids.  I was able to get some storage items in order to figure out how to NOT have cross-contamination.

I ordered a bunch of these book bins and I'll put labels on them / keep the student's supplies in them when they come back face-to-face.  I just have to figure out how to get enough supplies to put in them!  (I've got another month).   I also have an advisory committee for my program.  I'm going to ask them to clean out their offices too!  

This has already been a tough year because of the pandemic.  Changing subjects... changing school systems... and basically building a program (while taking CAD classes and teacher classes) is almost too much!  

A really sweet teacher who I have only met once sent these flowers to me at school!  There was a bunch of "extra" stuff - again - on top of curriculum and grading that we're asked to do... and she / her colleague in the youth apprenticeship program have asked for some of those extras from me and 2 of my other colleagues (the engineering teacher and construction teacher).  They are both experienced teachers in their area... I'm the new one... and I think people notice that I'm working hard, but... struggling to keep up.  It was nice that she noticed!  

This break is technically over, but I am already looking forward to the next break!!