School Bells in the Hot Wind

August 14, 2022

Times have changed since schools used a real bell and real globes.

The school bells have been quiet through the summer. I spent most of Summer Break working at the school as a summer custodian. No fire drills, no bells, and no lock down drills (The lock down drill sound is the same as the old air raid siren and goes on for 7 counts.) However, it was not quiet on campus as we housed a summer camp until the end of July. The camp was contained to certain parts of the school as we cleaned.

Each classroom was dusted from ceiling to floor. Each window was wiped down and washed, and at least one replaced. Every desk and chair was inspected and disinfected. Many of the desks got extra TLC to remove marker, pencil, or glue. Finally, we vacuumed and shampooed the carpets. The fellas specialize in stripping and waxing floors in the gym and cafeteria, so I got to do a few rooms top to bottom and shampoo all by myself this summer. It gives a great sense of accomplishment.

This summer I embraced my greatest weakness which is also my strongest attribute some have told me. I am vigilant at getting the job done well. I enquire as to the exact task that is expected of me and I do it to my best ability. Sadly, I have learned that this is not always the norm. My greatest weakness is that I have little tolerance for people who stand around on their phones and don't do what the job description suggests. This summer when I would get frustrated by other people (not the fellas I worked with) not doing their jobs I would take a big breath and ask, "Is there anything I can do to change this situation?" If the answer was, "No." I would turn around and find something else to do that would spark joy.

Sparking joy became my goal each day. Thinking of something that I could do in each room or anti-chamber that would make someone else feel loved. Then I went home and did the same for myself. This was a summer of sorting and sparkling in my apartment. I painted the break room kitchen. Then I went home and cleaned my own kitchen. The next day there were ants all over my freshly painted school kitchen. Then the following morning there were ants all over my apartment kitchen...but I knew it was clean. My amazing landlord came by and sprayed the kitchen and I have found no more ants.

New Semester

Tomorrow I begin a new semester in my university classes. Again I will be taking 12 units at Central State University, Ohio in education. I have completed all of the transitional kindergarten classes in Early Childhood Education and now will be focusing on teaching the different disciplines. Geometry will be one of my subjects this semester. I am excited to be finished with the whys and wherefores of setting up and teaching 4 year-olds. As a RSP aide my students are mostly 2nd to 5th graders.

This year is the first year I will not be on the playground at the beginning of the day for 45 minutes. After being in "custodial boot camp" for 2 months I decided to continue working out this week after a short vacation. Three days last week I went for a 1/2 hour walk before breakfast. My home is in a valley and I can walk up north, over two blocks, down two blocks, up two blocks, and back down home. Then I do some stretches whilst I make my breakfast in the microwave. I had not planned to do the routine this morning, but my internal alarm went off at 6:12 a.m., so I began again today. Thankfully, the smoke from the Trinity fire has not gotten too bad on this side of town.

The first part of the week I went to see these two cuties

We took the train at the Sacramento Zoo

How I spent my Summer Vacation

I completed two course this summer in university. Happily I still have above a 3.5 grade point average. I have been reading another Donna Fletcher-Crow book in my personal reading, Glastonbury.

Meanwhile, I finished her Monastery Murder Set. Early in the summer I wrote to her and enjoyed hearing that her son-in-law and daughter were the inspiration for the characters. (Not the murder part.) Our church is starting a discussion during coffee hour on the book of Revelations. Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger will be a springboard for our talks with Bishop Mitchell. Yesterday I started an online Bible Study with the ladies of our South Western Diocese. The Women of the Bible Speak will be our focus by Shannon Bream.

I was asked what I do for fun? Video calls from grandkids and occasional hugs from my son is about as exciting as things get unless Molly decides to knock something off a shelf.