Catch-up

School is long over, we are mostly settled in the house, and camp is going to be half over on Friday. Unbelievable.

A lot has happened, yet nothing has happened.

Our roof leaked in a heavy rainstorm. We had it repaired.

Allstate is trying to cancel our insurance due to structural issues. We have a couple more weeks to finish our repairs (mortar cracks, replacing weak eaves, etc.)and submit photographic proof that it was all repaired in order to retain our insurance. Some of their issues were already fixed, like the siding on this side of the house and the foundation issues. Why they insured us and then two months later changed their minds, we'll never know.

The president of our school, who I adore, is leaving. Jobs are unsure. At least we've all signed our contracts.

I got my schedule for next year. I'm the only 7th and 8th grade teacher with 13 duties scheduled each week. I also am the only teacher teaching six classes a day again. At least this time, my only off period is in the afternoon, and not early in the day. I also have a twice-a-week club and an advisory group (homeroom). Plus, I have to start school again this semester. And I am under contract to stay twice a week after school for a few hours and update the school website. Mark better get used to the idea of cooking, that's all I can say.

UNO dropped me as a student because it had been a year since my last classes. I have had to reapply and am waiting to hear if I've been readmitted. Am I annoyed? Heavily.

Camp, at least, is going well. We've had "Let the Good Times Roll Week" (that's our theme this summer), "Wild Wild West Week," "Zany Zoo Week," and we are now in "Pirate Week." Arrrrrr. Next week is "Magic Week," and my costume for "Dress in Your Magical Gear Day" will be superb, if the two parts I had to order come in.

We had "Dress Like an Athlete Day," and I wore my Reggie Bush jersey and fleur de lis jewelry. We had "Dress Like A Cowboy or Cowgirl Day," and I was a cowgirl. Last week had "Dress Like an Animal Day," and I made a cool bird mask and wore a boa as wings. Friday is "Dress Like a Pirate Day." I enjoy this part of my job a lot.

As for field trips, I've been to Bowling, Posh Paint Pub, Breaux Mart, Laser Tag, Cookin' Cajun, and a couple of other places, but I can't think of them at the moment.

Staff is enjoying themselves, my cousin Kate reminds me a lot of myself at the junior counselor level, and the kids are cute. We survived the overnight and the late stay and successfully brought 3- and 4-year-olds on a bus to a grocery store for a field trip. Our new camp director is young and fun and energetic..or at least fakes energy well. We're having a blast. I make a camp slideshow at the end of each week, and we always end it with goofy pictures of us that revolve around the week's theme. They're big hits.

I've been messing with pictures in Photoshop lately. Mostly to stick an odd picture of Kate into weird places, like Gotham City and Venice.

We broke in the house with a barbecue on my birthday (oh yeah, did I mention that I think I'm officially in the "pushing 30" age range now? Zoinks.) that doubled as a housewarming party. Tons of food, tons of family, tons of friends, tons of fun. What was the old McDonald's commercial? "Food, folks, and fun!"

We're about to start painting the outside of the house. Finishing the mortar comes first. Then we paint. Bought a ton more paint the other day. Huzzah.