I didn't even realize that I had not posted since Tuesday until right now, but I have just been so busy that it wasn't possible to sit down and write. I think this is the largest number of days that went by without a post since I started the blog. Apologies to my most loyal readers who have probably wondered what was happening!
As for my weight, I had reported that I was 205.5 Tuesday morning, but now it's Friday morning. This morning's weight was 207.1. A bit up, but we are still eating most of our meals out. Yesterday I had Chinese food for lunch, high in sodium.
As for where we sleep, Wednesday night we were able to move into the house. Mark helped the contractors put all the furniture back into the living room, and I helped them put it back into the basement TV room. We now have the right furniture in all the right places, although there are still boxes and assorted closets to be re-organized. There is also a thick layer of grime and dust on every possible surface. Today Peggy, my fabulous cleaning-lady, is coming at 8 a.m. to help with that.
As for work, it's OVER!! When I went to work Wednesday, I did not even realize that it would be the last day ever. I was scheduled to work on Thursday, but snow was in the forecast, so I turned in my keys and handbook to the main office, emptied my lockers, gave away my tote bag, and turned my service log book over to the department chairperson just in case there was another snow day. I went home that day feeling confident that there would be a snow day; I started making mental plans for what to clean on Thursday and what to tell the contractor to do as they finished their last day of work. Then it didn't snow! That's why people hate weathermen!
I decided to use another day of sick leave, so early in the morning an email was sent to all the appropriate people that I would be out Thursday. Since I was already scheduled for "Illness in the Family" leave for today, Friday, that made Wednesday the last day of work ever.
Then things got REALLY EMBARRASSING!! I started to get text message after text message from co-workers with pictures of two cakes and heartfelt pleas to come in for the surprise going-away party they had planned. That was definitely embarrassing.
Mark and I went up for an hour, ate cake, got three beautiful cards signed by all the special ed department members, got a $100 gift card to Target for things for the new house, and schmoozed with lots of wonderful people. This job as a paraeducator in the special ed department has been the best possible post-retirement job any teacher could want. I'm so glad I made the decision to do this, and so very, very glad that I landed a job at Catonsville High School. I have made some life-long friends there, and I'll miss them all very much. My career, spanning five decades from the 1970s to the 2010s, included 32 years of teaching music in both middle and high schools plus six years as a paraeducator for the special education students in English classes. I feel proud of myself for all that work, but I'm ready to move on to new activities. With snow days and Mark's heart condition, I only worked FIVE days in February out of the potential 19 work days. It was a nice way to ease out of the working lifestyle. Now it's on to a new chapter of life.
I ate a bit more cake than I should have, but not as much as I would have if Mark hadn't gone with me. He was watching and finally made me throw the rest in the trash. It would be so nice if I had the ability to do that for myself, but sadly I don't. Then we went to get some kosher Chinese food for lunch! Yum. Denny's tilapia for dinner rounded out the day.
Today Mark has an echocardiogram scheduled for 10 a.m. and a follow-up appointment with the cardiologist at 1 p.m. He has had three symptom-free days, so we are anticipating a good report. Around those appointments we need to keep working on putting the house back together, shopping for Purim tomorrow night, and getting ready for the big vacation on Tuesday. Never a dull moment in the Silverstein household.
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