Water, Water Everywhere

Greetings from the chaise at the Stress Pool! What a week. Yesterday just capped it all with flooding rains. I was waiting for Moses to stride out of the woods with his staff to part the waters - no such luck. Just a tiny rivulet in the basement, not enough for me to have to turn on the fans! But, that's where the story ends. On to the beginning.

Early in the week, emails started coming through from school that we'll be moving to on-line, or distance learning. We would have a week to get it together, formulate lessons, etc., etc. Okay. Got that. We were told what format we'd be using. Not okay. At my grade levels, we're using Schoology, in which only half of my classes were accessible. I immediately put in a help ticket with technology, and started learning how to use things like Zoom and Google Classroom. Another email - sign up to come in to the school to get necessary materials. We were allowed one hour. I signed up for both schools - one for Tuesday, and one for Wednesday (because there would be travel between the buildings, which doesn't take that long, and how was I going to waste an hour with everything closed?) Oh, and by the way, some of the kids don't have a means to do this, so we're making up packets for them every week. They'll need to be emailed to the principal by Thursday, enough for one week.

Day 2: Emails - we are NOT to use any platforms that would involve live audience. Okay, one day wasted. Still not able to access all classes. Panicking a little over what to do - dug out the bottle of amaretto just to settle the old nerves that evening. However, did get a lovely text from DiDi showing pictures of our Little Lamb playing with a large water park toy in the laundry room - probably trying to stay out of Big Brother's way since he is also working from home. Looked like he was having a blast!

Went to school number one - packed up my plants and some materials. Looked around the room. I was never so happy to walk into my work space as I was then. One hundred weavings waiting to be woven; clay projects dried and ready to be fired; another fifty or so waiting to be finished.

An email from principal number two: we're going to be making up packets for the kiddos who don't have computers - give him four weeks of lessons, due tomorrow. Drop everything, get four projects together for inclusion in packets. Emailed them off.

Day 3: Went to school number two. I had been out sick right before the closings, but some of the kids had finished what I'd left, and had handed them in. How creative they were, and it made me miss them all the more. Put my grades in for this quarter - I was having difficulty loading the grade book onto my laptop. Got my plants and some other materials, and went home. Still not able to access all my classes. Sent the principal of that building an email that I still couldn't put work up for that school. Sigh. Moving on... Got my grade book loaded onto the desk top in the office, which was great since that's where I'll be doing most of my work. One thing accomplished! Yay me!

Day 4: Went to the office and moved the mouse to wake up the computer - nothing. It was on, but showed only a black screen. That was the proverbial straw. I put my head in my hands and had a total breakdown - water, water, flowing down my cheeks. Ms. Business came to the doorway. I wiped away the tears.
"Sorry, just a little breakdown. I don't know how to do this stuff, any of it, and now the computer has decided not to work!"
Ever the comforter, she said, "Don't worry. You've gotten through everything else, you'll get through this."
She's right.
DH said he'd go with me to the computer repair place - that has apparently changed it's name, or closed and someone else opened up, but they were closed, leaving phone numbers for remote fixing. I took a picture and we went back home. I set the computer up again, and low and behold, the insolent child just needed to get out of the house - so far, so good! I sent another email to the principal - not to beat a dead horse, but I still couldn't access my classes for that school, and what was going to happen if it was still that way on Monday? I didn't want to get swept under the rug. We emailed back and forth a bit, he also having put a ticket in with technology.

Day 5: Spent a few hours going through a refresher tutorial on how to use Schoology, and joined in on a webinar from an art supply company on teaching art on-line. After an hour I had one good bit of info - the rest was fluff, and nice ideas if you were in the classroom - but not in a remote classroom! I shut it down. Then, my heaven- sent friend Cynders called - she had finally gotten through to technology and her classes were now showing up. Sure enough, I got an email from tech, and by three o'clock I had access to all of my classes! Kudos to the tech team - they were getting Chrome books ready for pick-up and dealing with all the other incidentals - they are superb! I thank them for all the work they did last week, and for all the other times as well.

Saturday: I took the day off, knowing there was still a major amount of work to do, but I needed to clear my head. Just as well - we had some crazy storms, and I stood at the kitchen window and watched as a waterfall appeared from the top of our wooded yard, making a path through the mulch, spilled over the railroad tie and cement block wall, and funnel into Lake Kelly. At the top level, a robin leaped in and out of the water, splashing and shaking his wings, and while this overflow of water was concerning, it gladdened my heart that this small creature could enjoy the moment, unaffected by the events of the world, or the storm for that matter. It reminded me of the verse "If the Father takes care of the least of these creatures, what will He do for you?"

Sunday. The storms are over, a lesson is formulated on paper (I just need to figure out how to put it in Schoology), and I'm breathing easier. If you were ever curious as to why we named it the Stress Pool, now you know! Take heart, friends - as Ms. Business says, we'll get through this!

Thanks for stopping by for a chat - and listening to the crazy woman vent about her week. Until we meet again, may the rain fall soft upon your fields - and your own pool! My friend Amy E mentioned in a previous comment what beverage she might be bringing when she stops by - what's your beverage of choice? I love your comments, and please don't be afraid to leave them. Love you all - stay safe!