Randomday on Sunday

I have not been random for some time.  Or rather, I have not been random on my blog.  I have been having trouble sticking to any schedule other than the school one.

Peter officially turned 18 today.  We celebrated yesterday since today was the church annual meeting and fellowship dinner.  New York strip steak, mashed potatoes, asparagus, salad and apple pie.  Pretty much the ultimate classic American meal.

Friday was Reformation Day at school and there was also a special party at church.  I didn't have to teach Friday but caught up on my grading, then in the evening I portrayed Marguerite of Navarre in a "Name that Reformer" game show.  She's pretty obscure today, but I enjoyed reading up on her... a Renaissance woman indeed.

Thursday Tertia had a Halloween dance at her school,  On my theory that all the best costumes are made with stuff on hand and at the last minute, I spent an hour or so in the afternoon whipping up this Weeping Angel costume:

Don't blink!  She was the cutest one at the dance, especially when it was time to sing along with "Let it Go."

It has been a difficult couple of weeks.  I had a crown put on my molar that had a crack and had lost some of its filling: the appointment itself went fine and the novocaine went in the right place, but when it wore off the temporary crown was extremely painful to chew on, and even after adjustment has not been pain-free.  Then my sister in Scotland had a nasty fall and broke both bones of her leg at the ankle; she was hospitalized and had surgery to insert pins and a plate and after a week is now housebound in her walk-up flat, unable to do stairs for 4-6 weeks.

Our van had a nail in the tire that damaged the wheel rim, and new tires were ordered but we were given a timeline of 7-10 days and it has been 8 days now of less than ideal transportation arrangements.  Also, the garage door broke, and we are on day 3 of the 7-10 days to order its replacement.  Of course, the garage door is for the other car, and the control for the working garage door is marooned with the van at the shop.  So life is rather inconvenient right now.

Teaching this year is an interesting mix; my students are livelier and have more adolescent energy than I ever remember having before; combined with the fact that I have several students who are new to Latin and have to somehow be integrated into the program while keeping them and their parents happy, and although I personally have good confidence in my own ability as a teacher, I'm never sure how much the people who really matter have in it... and that might explain why I'm perpetually stressed and tired.  It's a little like Rome during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.., the people started to question whether their way of life could really go on forever.  I would be tempted to insert a quote from Ecclesiastes here, but I really must go to bed and prepare for the hard labor at the galley bench.