that is New Jersey, we've got weeks of school yet ahead of us. Generally speaking, school starts the day after Labor Day and ends the third week in June. I think it's that way in New York, too, although the rest of the known United States seems to march to a different drummer.I've already read on more than one diary that your kids are out already, or finishing this week. Not here. In fact, thanks to the horrendous winter this year and the fact that my sister works in a city, her district's had to extend the school year because they closed for so many snow days that weren't pre-planned in their calendar. (My district allowed for 3 and we only took 3.) Her school year's ending on June 30th. And that's the latest I've ever heard of.
So I've got three weeks left, plus Monday the 21st for graduation and then the 22nd for teachers to come in and be tortured one last day. This week, however, is the senior class trip, so it's not quite a real week for me.
Ah, the senior class trip. Last year's was quite an adventure. I'd like this year to be more ... peaceful. I know that sounds crazy -- or will, when you see what I'll be doing -- but I've gone about five times now, I think, and generally, they are peaceful, kind of.
We leave from school on Wednesday, having brought our luggage with us in the morning. We should be on the buses and on the road no later than 3:30. Who's we? A total of 187 members of the senior class, distributed over 4 nice big buses with bathroom and VDRs, and 12 chaperones, 3 per bus. No parents, only faculty chaperones. We go south. Stop for dinner someplace in Maryland and get to Williamsburg, Virginia by 1 or 2 am. These are hours I do not see unless the insomnia is kicking up. But like everyone else, I get a lot of sleep on the bus.
The next morning we get up early and go to the water park in Williamsburg, then later get all dressed up and go to Norfolk for a formal dinner-dance cruise around the harbor. Next morning we go to Richmond to the King's Dominion there, and then back to Norfolk for dinner and a casual cruise on a smaller boat. Saturday we "sleep late" (which means they sleep late; I don't know how to do that) and go to Busch Gardens after lunch and stay til closing. At some point in here there's also a late-night pizza party at the hotel pool. On Sunday we wake up early and go over that dreadeed bridge-tunnel thing on the Chesapeake (I close my eyes for the whole thing) and stop for lunch at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Then home, by dinner time.
Are you tired now? I am. Why do I go? Well, there is a certain amount of fun here, and it means I'm working but not in the building with the Psycho, and I hang out with my best Chum, who's one of the people running the trip. In fact, I really only go to keep her company. (Awwww.) Damn, though, I'm getting too old for this. This is probably my last trip anyway. It's always the first weekend in June, which is when my niece has planned her wedding for next year. And with any luck, even the Chum won't be going after that.
So, come Wednesday, I won't be reading diaries (****gasp!****) or writing for a few days, until Sunday night. (And when I get home Sunday, I may be instantly shanghaied off to see Harry Potter.) I'll write on paper, and do all my W8 Watching points on paper, as best I can. There's something about this taking a trip away from technology that I don't find all that relaxing, you know?
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I'm watching Today Show
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Sweet Sorrow - 06.12.2007
So ... - 12.19.2006
Christmastime Is Near - 12.18.2006
Fifteen Years - 12.17.2006
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