Gifts From "Above"

           If you occasionally stop in and read one of my posts, you might suspect that the word "above" in quotation marks might mean I am not writing about anything religious or deep. I don't go there...The two gifts I received this week are from above me, but both gift-givers are living, breathing mortals...

          This was mid-quarter progress report week.  All week I have intended to go through stacks of work that have not been graded, so I can grade them and enter them in on the computer.  All week I have arrived home late in the evening, worn out.  I have nodded off (sitting upright on the couch) and although I did grade the reading and spelling papers that belong to my teammate's homeroom kids, I could not bring myself to helping out myself.

       They were due by 3:30 yesterday afternoon.  Around 2:15, I called my principal. (Sometimes it's easier to tuck your tail between your legs via the phone than in person.)

        "Can I drop off my progress reports  at your house sometime this weekend?"

       My principal, who knows I am definitely not a slacker, told me to not worry; she is allowing me to bring them in on Monday.



photo by jaaaanet


       Earlier in the week, I found out I had missed out on a deadline.  Saturday Writers (in St. Peters, Missouri) had a holiday short story contest. I don't have many holiday tales up my sleeve, but I did have one that has been gathering dust.  I thought I had until the end of the month, but looked again and saw the deadline was November 15.  Oh well, another screw up...

       This morning I read the Saturday Writers newsletter and saw that---thank goodness---the deadline had been extended to November 26.  So, back to the revising table so I can send it off next week.

        What "gifts" have dropped into your lap recently?   (After all, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  It's time to give thanks for even the little things...)