D23 is over.

Days Two and Three at the Expo have come and gone. They were also exhausting, full of frustrations at being shut out of sessions, and full of some great sessions we did see.

These pictures are from today. Mark and I each completed a volunteer project and got a tote bag for our efforts. Mark wrote a postcard to a military service man or woman. I colored a picture that will be laminated and used as a placemat for Meals on Wheels. We went to the Marvel presentation, where Mark was very happy! We also saw fabulous things in the Treasures exhibit including Annette's Talent Round Up Day Outfit and Guy Williams' Zorro costume.

All in all, I guess we will do this again in two years.

Tomorrow we are going to Disneyland, and then on Tuesday we will be in Disney's California Adventure. Those days will be no less exhausting, I'm sure!

Tomorrow is also special because it's the first day back to school for the teachers in Baltimore County. When I retired at the end of February of 2010, I thought I would really savor that first day when the teachers went back to school and I didn't. I thought I might go to the pool during the day and just soak up sun, swim, read, and think about how glorious it was not to be at work. That didn't happen. I didn't even notice the day. I was so consumed with moving to Florida and making decisions about cancer treatments that the day came and went without a single thought from me. Some time around the end of September it hit me that I was at Cindy's house, recovering from surgery, and not working. The start of the school year had not been on my radar screen at all.

Well, that's not going to happen this year! I'm thinking a lot about it right now. Tomorrow my friends and colleagues at all the schools in Baltimore County, but especially my last two schools of Pikesville Middle and Catonsville High, are all gearing up for another year. They will go to school, greet each other, catch up on their summers, comment on new hair dos or tans, meet the new teachers, sit in meetings, and figure out their schedules and duties for the new year. There was always a certain amount of fun and anticipation in doing that. It was fun to see colleagues after two months away. It was fun to see changes in the building that might have taken place over the summer. It was exciting to think about the new crop of kids that would be coming to your classroom and what might get accomplished that year. It was also exciting to think about getting a paycheck again after a long dry spell! On the other hand, there was a twinge of sadness in giving up the freedom that comes in the summer: the freedom to sleep in, shop in the middle of a weekday, go to the pool or a movie in the afternoon, and generally just plan your life the way you want it without a minute to minute schedule or any papers to grade at night!

To all of my teacher friends, I wish you a wonderful new school year. I hope you have a great time and feel that you are accomplishing something meaningful. Even on days when you are frustrated and sure that what you are doing is unappreciated, keep at it. You are appreciated and your work is very important.

As for me, tomorrow I will be in Disneyland!