Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. Thanks for visiting! It’s a green tea day for me and warm out, but come along and enjoy your favorite daytime beverage! If we were having coffee, I’d tell you what’s on my mind.
I’ve been testing my students throughout last week, and students overall are getting excited for the holidays. Needless to say, last week was tiring. So, I didn’t do much in my writing life, but I got to meet with my News Club kids, and they made great strides!
One of the rewards this week offered was the most beautiful sunset after Monday night’s club meeting. (I wait until the last student gets picked up).
Friday, my car began lurching on the way to work. It was very slow on the pickup and shaky. I stubbornly kept driving to work and carefully drove it home that evening. My son and his dad called around about where to take it in. At 1 o’clock I took it to the Toyota dealership. Sometimes I avoid then, as they cost more and always suggest I trade it in.
The last thing I want is a new car payment. I paid it off only two years ago! Now’s the time to save up for retirement; I certainly need to be happy with less. I want more experiences (travel) and less things!
Thus is my quest to move toward minimalism. I told the mechanic I used to drive a used Toyota Camry until it reached 200,000 miles. The current one only has 103,000 miles and is a Corolla. I think 200,000 is a great goal!
We’ll see if my methods help me save. I plan to retire before age 60. I have a few years to go….
I’m willing to listen to and entertain any wise minimalist ideas you all may have. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Allison at Eclectic Ali. Pull up a chair and your favorite beverage!
It has been a long week, but I survived it and this weekend, I know there’s no need to set an alarm Monday! My grading is done, and I already have some ideas for my lessons in January. It is a good feeling to finally be caught up!
Things got pretty intense this last week. My boyfriend had sinus symptoms ten days ago, and Saturday he called to tell me he tested positive for COVID. I freaked! I was supposed to drive up to meet my brother in S.C. to get my mom and bring her back home…but not in the midst of COVID cases exploding around me! My son also had a cold. After two days, he said, “Nah, I’m getting better. I don’t need a test.” I thought he was being way too headstrong and stubborn, but he kept sounding better day after day. I was, ironically, lucky my boyfriend did not see me the weekend before last since he went to see his dad in Georgia. Therefore, I was outside of that rule “Have you been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks?” Otherwise, I’d have to quarantine away from work for two weeks.
My significant other and me, circa 2018. He’s not a vegeratian! 🙂
Things are much better. My son’s cold is almost 100% gone, and my boyfriend tested negative for COVID yesterday. So, I’m going to pick up my mom Weds. I’m not too keen on driving in South Carolina during holiday traffic, sometimes I get panicky due to a car accident in 2016, so I’ve asked a friend to drive up with me. She said yes, thank God!
All week at school, the kids were a bit more excitable than usual. Friday, my plan was quite simple: discuss if you would choose either a pause or a reset button on life; explain why, creatively. Then, design/color an ugly (or wonderful) sweater on paper. The standard? “We can co-exist harmoniously.” I challenge anyone to prove to me that is not a legitimate standard in this day and age. I mean, they had to share crayons. The discussion in some of my classes was GREAT!
It was ugly Christmas sweater day, but I don’t have one. So, my Christmas dog mask had to suffice. 🙂 I was tired, but I’ve been tired almost daily for the last few weeks. Those kids kept me awake, though. I have to admit, the students I teach are pretty great. Sometimes, full of too much energy, but they’re good kids. Friday was fun, but it went by just fine. I was given a few nice gifts from the kids that included gift cards to places I love. At the end of the day, one of my female students surprised me and hugged me. She said she was sorry about COVID changing everything and hoped I had a nice Christmas. We don’t hug these days; I was surprised. But I did not shoo her away. There is such a delicate balance between human connection and COVID safety that makes these times hard. I’m not worrying about it, but I worry for those who really need that human connection.
Christmas 2020!
Yesterday (Saturday), I acted as adult chaperone for kids in National Junior Honor Society as we rang the bell for Salvation Army collections. It’s the first actual holiday event I’ve joined in, being so cautious and having slight COVID anxiety. This is always a fun event, as the kids are great and very civic-minded. Several of the students were in my class last year, and some I had taught two years ago, so it was nice to catch up. I was still a little tired, though, so I left when my shift was over at 2 p.m. and at home, got the first nap of my Winter Break!
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