Thoughts of summer

I think more clearly early in the morning. I think the stress of the day clouds my mind by evening. This is the last week of school, and it is as stressful as the first. North Carolina has certain End Of Course (EOC) tests that students must receive an A or B on to get credit for the class. Even if they have a good grade for the actual class, they cannot receive credit unless they score an A or B. Not every course has an EOC, but ninth grade English is one that happens to have one, and that is part of my day. One of my classes took the test on Tuesday, and I have already received those scores. They did very well. All received the needed scores but one little girl from Jamaica who missed it by two points. She can retake it on Monday.

This morning I will go in and receive the scores for my other ninth grade class that took the test yesterday. I do not even have a partial hope that they will do as well as the other class. I am guessing five failures, but more would not surprise me. (I will update when I find out this morning.) I had to wake one boy three times, and then I had to have the proctor (The state requires proctors so that the teacher will not give answers. Heck, like I would risk my career so that a ninth grader could do better on a test!!) walk him around the hallway to wake him up. I am sure he will do just fine…NOT! I have others in that class who have failed each and every marking period, so there is little hope there. I did get a call from a parent the other day asking how her son was doing. Where was she the whole semester???? Oh well, just today and tomorrow.

Summer….ah Summer. Last summer was spent running back and forth watching the builders not do anything. It took them a very long time to get started. This summer has great possibilities!!!

*We are going to the Outer Banks for a week. Cannot wait as I have never been there.

*Re-opening Possum Manor West

*Friends coming to visit that I have not seen in a very long time

*Lots of canning (so far this is my list)

Strawberry lemonade concentrate (Thanks for the recipe Robin.)

Raspberry preserves and syrup

Peaches

I have no idea what else.

*Finish the rest of the house at a leisurely pace

*Read and read some more

*Make a long needed and wanted visit to my family in Michigan

That should keep me busy.

I hate to blog without a photo, so I went in the archives…lol…and found a photo of the clearing they made for the house. Note the red clay. It all ended up inside the house on the walls, the floors, the appliances, the dogs, the air……everywhere. It is better now that we have a front porch and back deck, but it was really awful. There was always a red dust film on everything. It was certainly worth it, however!!!!!!