What a Weird Day

2:00

Okay, so I talked to R at 10:00 this morning and she sounded just awful, had just arrived at her doctor's office. Talked to her at 10:40 and she sounded much, much better. This doctor is sure it's not a bladder infection, but thinks it might be an ovarian cyst, so I'm taking her for an ultrasound at 3:15. That means I have to leave the library when the bell rings at the end of 8th period, 2:35, instead of keeping it open until 3:05, as usual.

So before I went to the school office to tell them I had to go at 2:35, I asked the SCM if there was a chance he might be able to stay. He thought about it, and then told me his life story, and the upshot, of course, was No. I knew he wouldn't do it, but I thought I'd cover as many bases as I could before I went and got permission to leave when I needed to. I was out yesterday, so he closed the library at 2:35 then too. He also told me this morning that in addition to the full week he's taking off around the Rosh Hashonah holiday in two weeks, he's taking the Friday and Monday following Yom Kippur, which falls on a Thursday. Isn't that nice for him? Let me quote from his original email that he sent me in July to tell me that he was retiring:

I hope that I can help in a transition during the first half of the year.

He is "helping" by doing nothing at all. The only project he had to do for the first few weeks of school was get that section of shelving that the architects messed up back in order. I would see him go over there sometimes; I guess he shuffled around 20 or 30 books a day on carts. When he was out last Thursday and I was out Friday, I gave the job to the substitute, and she finished it before the end of the second day. It's like I'd be better off with no one here, except for the needing coverage to go the bathroom thing.

I am really just done with him. We have had a very nice, cordial relationship for the most part over the last ... 18 years or so, and now he's just checked out already. He is not a team player, unless he is the whole team. And his team has already relocated to Vermont, at least in spirit.

He did teach a class today, and he does his other menial mindless chores, like put paper in the printers and the photocopier. Otherwise, I haven't seen him get up to help anyone or put himself out in any way. Nice. I can't wait to see how he is for freshman library orientation in a few weeks. (He's tentatively scheduled it so as not to interfere with the days he's taking off.)

6:00

My sister reminded me that I knew the SCM was going to be like this and I need to just get over it, because I can't change it and this is the way it is. She's right, of course. Que sera, sera.

The ultrasound tech seemed to think that R's ovaries looked just fine, but the doctor will have the report on Thursday. So clearly, no one is seeing imminent danger here. When I got home from school and saw her, she actually looked fine and good. She said that once the fever went away yesterday, she's felt much better, although she still has the pain, but it's bearable. She's hoping to go to work tomorrow.

What else can I tell you? I am tired to the core of my bones. I just had a nice big omelet with good stuff in it for dinner, and all I need now is to lie down and fall asleep for the night. The Hubs is, as we speak, landing in Chicago, where he will stay overnight and catch an early morning flight home tomorrow. I don't know yet what time he'll actually appear in New Jersey, but I'll talk to him later.

Okay. My clothes are laid out for tomorrow, not the usual jeans, but black Chico's stuff since I'm off to a funeral at 9 AM. I haven't packed my lunch, but I know what I'm taking, so that's easy. I hope I sleep better tonight. I really haven't had a full night of good sleep since school started.


WATCHING THE FAMILY GUY :: ENTRY #1857
READING: The Professor and the Madman by ??