Winding Down

Summer is starting to wind down here at Dugan Manor.

The leaves on the trees are still completely green, but have started to take on that dusty, tired shade. And the yard has definitely browned quite a bit.

Joe has begun planning his fall semester classes and preparing for the busyness that goes along with all that. One of his colleagues has accepted a 5-year grant administration position, so there will be a new math professor filling in. Plus, the math and computer sciences Division Chair has resigned and moved away. So they've shuffled all the departments around. Math is now in the Humanities Division. Yeah, that makes so much sense. So, rather than being directly connected to the engineering or physics departments (the major subjects for most of Joe's students), he has to coordinate course scheduling outside his division so that his students don't have to be in two classes simultaneously. And, the outgoing Division Chair (who was pushing the envelope for incompetency and inappropriateness) managed to bungle some course scheduling and classroom assignments which directly affect Joe. *sigh*

The good news is, he managed to get his hands on one of the college's few Tablet PCs. He's been in need of a new laptop and really hoping to get/try out/permanently borrow a Tablet. Yay!

The kids have just about finished their summer-keep-them-vaguely-thinking-academically-workbooks that their elementary school teacher/nerd mom makes them do every day. Matthew's reading is approaching smooth fluency, and Emily is beginning to multiply quickly in her head. Woo!

And, last Friday evening we actually put on jackets and long pants to watch Matthew's football practice. Really started to feel like football weather. And for one my poor son wasn't completely plastered with sweat from head to toe.

As for me, I'm finally at the point where I can no longer pretend I have weeks and weeks to pull together and create an elementary technology curriculum. I'll be teaching touch-typing to the primary grades and MS Office, etc to the upper elementary and middle school students. I've never been trained in how to do any of this, but am expected to develop an appropriate curriculum and lesson plans, while spending no money on new software or equipment.

We just spent last weekend in the Poconos and had a marvelous time. It's just so dang relaxing up there. I could stay a week and just breathe the fresh air and marvel at just how many freaking stars are apparent when you get away from the haze and glare of South Jersey.

No big plans for the rest of summer until Labor Day weekend. Mom and Dad are coming down and we'll attend the Navy-Temple football game together on the 31st. Should be fun.

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