Christmas Vacation!

I am officially on vacation! Almost all the papers are graded, my graduate classes are done, I even cleaned the classroom. Last night I came home, eased into a hot bath with an old book, and could feel the stress seeping out of my muscles. I fell asleep at 7:30. What Bliss.

My final moments at school turned out to be a little more stressful than normal because of a parent complaint. A parent of a child who is now in high school complained because I had asked her daughter to leave the classroom area when she came to visit a few weeks ago, interrupting our teaching, not complying with the policy of signing in at the office, and blatantly ignoring polite requests to do so. Apparently, while it is ok for everybody else to sign in at the office, it is not ok for her daughter, because, she is the kind of student you should want to have in your school (wandering, unattended, interrupting teaching) At first I was pretty mad, but now I'm just grateful that that group of entitled people are now in high school! Also, I think it is pretty funny that the only complaint I got this year was from a parent of a student who is no longer my student.

I cut my hair last night as a symbolic gesture of completion and Lily didn't recognize me! She treated me as a stranger the rest of the evening and wouldn't go near me. Every time I tried to cuddle her, her face would get all scrunched up and she would look at Gabe in paniced entreaty for a rescue. This lasted until she wanted to nurse at 1:30 AM. I guess she is a pragmatist instead of an idealist.