What happened here? The weekend just arrived, and now it’s almost over.

The best part, though, is that we’re having company today! Our sister and sister-in-law from England are coming to visit, and there will be much fun and food and laughter and photography. Judging by their Facebook check-in at the local Holiday Inn, they arrived around 3 a.m. I hope they can get some rest before coming for lunch.

The county fair begins today, complete with the ubiquitous hunky teenage heartthrob flavor-of-the-week up-and-coming country star on the grandstand schedule. Our fair is one of the last six to take place out of Ohio’s 88 counties, and signals the absolute end to anything remotely resembling summer. The kids in the local school district get the day off tomorrow, while the teachers have inservice. Wish I had a “Fair Day.” (But truthfully, it all irons out. They don’t have “Deer Huntin’ Day” on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so we’re even.) I’m hoping to get out there one evening before Saturday and watch the grandsons ride the rides and see the animals. I’m really going to try and swing it.

Of course, there’s the SLO writing, teaching, evening rehearsals, and doing the cut sheet for the Fiddler orchestra. And with that, another week will be in the books. But let’s not think about that right now. Looking forward to some awesome conversation with our sisters this afternoon. Yay!

Wednesday, I mean. Where’d it go? I got up at 12:50 a.m. yesterday, so it was definitely the longest day of the week for me (by the time I went to bed at 10:55 last night, I’d been up for what…22 hours?).

Yesterday was also long because of spending it not teaching, but instead sitting in the (thankfully air-conditioned) high school library for 7.5 hours, writing SLOs. What are SLOs? These. Pretest, posttest, measurable growth indicators, assessment data…

Très excité, non? I thought you’d like it. Don’t get me started.

So last night I had my parent meeting for choir tour, with 73 attending, which I thought was great! My tour representative, who was also at the meeting, told me that he goes to bigger schools and has much smaller turnouts at these things. I felt proud. As more people came through the door, he kept saying, “Wow, full house tonight!” As usual, the meeting ended within one hour, but I stayed and yapped until almost 9:00. At least I only surfaced once during the night, but was able to go back to sleep.

Busy weekend coming up — what’s on everyone’s plate? I’m grateful for a high of only 75 today; the poor kids and teachers were absolutely wilting yesterday in the 90+ degree high school. Ugh.

Right. Time to get moving. Are you happy today?

A Tuesday when I didn’t hit the snooze bar, that is. So, more time for coffee, and for talking to you, my awesome fiends.

At least it’s no longer Monday. What a long, long day. But good. Check this out:

The kids in this little show we’re putting on are not only performers; they’re varsity athletes, honor students, band members, FFA members. They’re kids with cars (and part time jobs to help pay for them), families and many other responsibilities. And somehow, they make it all work and are still smiling at 8:30 p.m. when they — without being asked — stack up the chairs in my room after rehearsal and go home.

And while they sometimes (OK, regularly) musically frustrate me to the point of wanting to wing a puppy at a speeding train, I must tell you that they renew my faith in the youth of America, daily. I don’t know all the reasons why they willingly add these brutal, late-night rehearsals to their already-busy lives, but I sure am glad they do it.

OK, enough sap about my students. They’ll probably completely infuriate me in rehearsals today, and I’ll regret ever bringing this up.

Has anyone tried this? I’m wondering if it belongs in the “if it looks too good to be true” bin. Someone brought a big bag of potato chips to rehearsal last night, and offered me some before we started. I promptly declined, of course, but…I was mad. Kind of mad, yeah. I wanted some crunchy-salty. I wonder if this recipe would help. I should try it; it doesn’t look difficult at all. But I think I know the basics: Kale Ain’t Potatoes. Still, maybe I’ll give it a go and let you know.

All right. Enough yammering. Time to get ready and bounce. Have some fun today, fiends — thassanorder.

1. The fact that both the Indians and the Browns lost yesterday; one long season begins as the other one will most likely end with no playoffs
2. That 4:30 a.m. comes way too early, and is the only reason I had to DVR three shows last night (but oh my, Breaking Bad is getting intense, gearing up for the last three episodes ever)
3. My disgust at having to take a professional day on Wednesday to sit for 7 hours and write SLOs (Student Learning Objectives) in the high school library, while my choirs sit across the parking lot, not rehearsing
4. Staying at school till 8:30 every night this week except Friday (I love my rehearsal schedule, I love my rehearsal schedule, I love my rehe)

But, but, big fat but…

1. On Friday, BFF Kay comes to school to set up the costume shop (yes, she’s our costumer this year, which makes Stoney and me five kinds of happy)
2. I’m hoping to have another week of good rehearsals, like last week — we just might do this show yet
3. All my orchestra people are on for the pit rehearsal in October
4. This Sunday, the family will be at my house to celebrate some very special company coming to visit from England — I couldn’t be more excited

So, what’s to get over? This week won’t be so bad. Maybe it’ll be one of those weeks that fly by because you’re so busy. Hmm? What say? Before I know it, it’ll be Friday night, and I’ll be on the couch, buzzing through Boardwalk Empire, The Newsroom and Ray Donovan.

If I can stay awake.

Have a good Monday, everybunny.

Yay for Saturnday! I must say I’m glad it’s here, and fall is in the air. I had to turn on the electric blanket last night. And speaking of last night — it was tons of fun, with both sons and their families stopping by for sandwiches and conversation. Great way to start the weekend.

This whole “leave school at school” thing is taking some getting used to. I walked back twice — twice — to the piano in my classroom yesterday to retrieve my Fiddler on the Roof conductor score so I could take it home and work on it. Both times, I reached for it, pulled my hand back, thought better of it, and left it lying there. Bully for me. To quote John Lennon: I just had toooOooOO let it go. Time was, I’d feel terribly guilty about that, but no more. Age refines, yes?

That said, there is still work to do. I have to do another week’s worth of lesson plans, write a test, and get some stuff done around this house. The Thriller got a great offer from Greektown in Detroit (free hotel and a handsome bit of cash to spend), so we’re on the fence about whether to take them up on it this afternoon. Right now, neither one of us feels like getting up from the chairs we’re in, as the coffee is delicious, the neighborhood is still quiet, and there’s plenty to read.

I hope you’re doing something relaxing today. We all deserve it. Vive l’automne!