Our school district had a teacher in-service day on Friday and Monday is President's day so we have a 4-day weekend. It was my mother's birthday on Saturday so I had her come stay the night with us. We were having a birthday dinner for her on Sunday. My mother had four children so we about 15-21 for a birthday dinner depending on who's working or who can't come. My son is at college in NY so he couldn't make it and my niece worked too. My nephew was away at the mountains with his grandparents, so he was not here either. It was a good time and the food came out pretty well. Now, back to the unexpected story.
My brother and sister-in-law came (there son was at the mountains) and she said she wanted to ask me something. She said my nephew got a ISS (in-school suspension). I said "oh no, what happened", however since she wanted to tell me, I knew it had to have something to do with lunch time or lunch ladies. They do not live in my school district.
She tells me that my nephew was going through the lunch line and he "flicked a french fry at his friend, but it missed and hit the lunch lady". Hmmm. Of course I had been celebrating my mom's birthday with a margarita (or two) so I wasn't thinking as clearly or as quickly as I wish I would have been. (Hey, I am the oldest of us four kids so I deserve to celebrate (being the oldest and having all the "first of four children - birth order issues.") Anyway, my sister-in-law said it was an accident, which I truly believe. She said that the lunch lady was very, very upset. However, my being a lunch lady puts me in an ackward position. I said "in-school suspension does seem a bit harsh, I too would have been upset since he was fooling around in line, which he shouldn't be doing". I am not sure if I would have sent him to the principal or not. It probably would have depended on the kid, and his attitude at the time it happened. I certainly would have wanted a written apology which my sister-in-law said he did. I am pretty sure that I would have been upset if the child got an in-school suspension.
I told her that their lunch ladies are probably serving hundreds of kids in just a few minutes so there should be no fooling around. I admit I still think of my cute, blond haired, youngest of the grandkids as being the "littlest one". Later I remember he is in Jr. High. The stakes are much higher in Junior High. Once when I was working in our Jr. High there was a "food fight" and it was an experience I will never forget(got to remember that story for my book). The food fight erupted in the cafeteria (not in a lunch line) and food was flying everywhere. The teachers were running for cover, my boss at the time shut all our doors so no one could get in. Every wall had to be wiped down and cleaned. It was unbelievable. All the extra work! And it was scarey! Kids screaming and running around. So I imagine that there is probably a "No Tolerance" policy for such things that could possibly escalate in their school. And with my experience, I have to agree. Sorry my wonderful nephew. I love ya lots, but....... be good in the lunch line and cafeteria.
Thinking about the situation today, I wish I had asked more questions (this is where the margaritas came in). Where was he and how far did the french fry sail in order to hit the lunch lady? Did it maime her? How fast was the french fry going? What rate of speed? What was his immediate reaction to what happened? Has he had other issues in the lunch line? Does the lunch lady have any say in the punishment? How mad was she, I mean, spittin' nails mad or red in the face embarrased mad? I bet she was very embarrased. I think that the times when I got the maddest or had the most reaction when my son did something or when I got mad at work is when it embarrased me, or reflected badly on my parenting skills or lunch lady skills. I would recommend when things simmer down, my nephew should do something nice like, say he is sorry again to the lunch lady, and I mean look her in the eye and mean it. Let her see the impact it had on him. Tell her to have a nice day or smile at her. I have a few students that tell me that every day or always have a smile. They say please and thank you. It makes a big difference when you deal with them as opposed to another child that never looks at you and doesn't seem to care about you. And I am not saying my nephew is like that. He has always treated me with respect, but any child can take a lessen from this experience. Don't you sometimes go to the clerk's line in the grocery store where you know the clerk is efficent and nice? Don't you respect when you get an apology or someone owns up to a mistake for something they did or said that was either unapporpriate or uncalled for? And yes, when I see my nephew at Easter (we are celebrating his birthday) I will try and get some details (and thank him for a story for my book).
My story request letter is out at many of the schools since I have been passing it around at the Chapter meetings. Wouldn't it be the funniest thing if I get a story from a lunch lady with a story about "being hit by a sailing french fry?" That would really make my day (and my book)!
Back to work tomorrow, then two weeks with no day off. Bummer!!
Ahhhhhh, All is well.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Two Hour Delay
The week has been going pretty well.
Last night the roads were snow covered so I didn't go out. I was going to attend another Chapter Dinner Meeting but it was cancelled due to the impending bad weather. I was really looking forward to handing out my Request for Stories Letter. Luckily the meeting is rescheduled for a date in two weeks.
Today however was a two hour delay. Do you know what that means for lunch ladies. It means absolutely "nothing". We still have to get in to get the food ready for the day. The kids still come in at the same time to eat lunch. So next time you climb back into bed after you either get the call for the delay or get the information on the school website or do it the old fashioned way of watching for your school on the TV, think of your lunch ladies who are already up and getting ready and leaving for work.
What else it means is that unless it is a menu item that we have had on that day before, you have no idea how much food to make. The kids came in to school today at 10:30-10:45. The lunch counts (these tell us what the students want and how much to make)came down to us between 10:45 and 11:15. The first kids come in to eat at
11:15.
We were having "Breakfast for Lunch" today so I knew we would have a big lunch count day. However, we haven't had the Cinnamon French Toast Slice this year on a Wednesday opposite Chicken Patty and Bagel. I approximated what I would need (really it was just a guess)and got busy.
By 10:45 I was waiting for the counts and eagerly counting what they ordered. I was off on the chicken pattys and ran back to put another 30 in the oven. I think I did a pretty good job of estimating everything else.
Then the kids come in. Holy Smokes!!! You figure they got in school and had to run around getting all the morning stuff done in about the 1/2 hour they were there before it was lunch time. They came in all wound up. It reminded me of the horse races. The gates were opened and they took off into our line. Yippin and Yapping away. Pushing and shoving and all. Now I know my son will say "you knew it was going to happen so why do you let it get to you". But, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But I will say, I don't think it bothered me as much as it used too. I understand why they were so excited. A short day at school. Remember when you were a kid? Everybody loved a shortened day. So, I tried to put myself in their shoes. However, they still were a bit tight. (Old dog and all).
They are saying it might freeze up tonight and may have another 2 hour delay tomorrow. Hmmmmm. Two deeps breaths...
The good news is that tomorrow is the last day of the week for us. We are off Friday and Monday. And, it is Valentine's Day you know. And pay day. You got to love this job!
Yes.. All is well....
Last night the roads were snow covered so I didn't go out. I was going to attend another Chapter Dinner Meeting but it was cancelled due to the impending bad weather. I was really looking forward to handing out my Request for Stories Letter. Luckily the meeting is rescheduled for a date in two weeks.
Today however was a two hour delay. Do you know what that means for lunch ladies. It means absolutely "nothing". We still have to get in to get the food ready for the day. The kids still come in at the same time to eat lunch. So next time you climb back into bed after you either get the call for the delay or get the information on the school website or do it the old fashioned way of watching for your school on the TV, think of your lunch ladies who are already up and getting ready and leaving for work.
What else it means is that unless it is a menu item that we have had on that day before, you have no idea how much food to make. The kids came in to school today at 10:30-10:45. The lunch counts (these tell us what the students want and how much to make)came down to us between 10:45 and 11:15. The first kids come in to eat at
11:15.
We were having "Breakfast for Lunch" today so I knew we would have a big lunch count day. However, we haven't had the Cinnamon French Toast Slice this year on a Wednesday opposite Chicken Patty and Bagel. I approximated what I would need (really it was just a guess)and got busy.
By 10:45 I was waiting for the counts and eagerly counting what they ordered. I was off on the chicken pattys and ran back to put another 30 in the oven. I think I did a pretty good job of estimating everything else.
Then the kids come in. Holy Smokes!!! You figure they got in school and had to run around getting all the morning stuff done in about the 1/2 hour they were there before it was lunch time. They came in all wound up. It reminded me of the horse races. The gates were opened and they took off into our line. Yippin and Yapping away. Pushing and shoving and all. Now I know my son will say "you knew it was going to happen so why do you let it get to you". But, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But I will say, I don't think it bothered me as much as it used too. I understand why they were so excited. A short day at school. Remember when you were a kid? Everybody loved a shortened day. So, I tried to put myself in their shoes. However, they still were a bit tight. (Old dog and all).
They are saying it might freeze up tonight and may have another 2 hour delay tomorrow. Hmmmmm. Two deeps breaths...
The good news is that tomorrow is the last day of the week for us. We are off Friday and Monday. And, it is Valentine's Day you know. And pay day. You got to love this job!
Yes.. All is well....
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Another Day, Another Two Dollars
This morning I drove to work as usual. The weather was unbelievable for Feb. 6th. 56 degrees when I left for work. I parked my truck, get out and slam/push the door shut. Bang was the sound I heard. The seat belt was stuck in the door opening. It happens all the time, so I pushed the seat belt back and shut the door again. Bang! it wouldn't shut, I checked the seat belt again and it was not in the way, slammed it shut, bang again! Somehow the little wheel or the track that allows the door to shut was not working. Crap! It was supposed to rain hard today with possible thunderstorms, not to mention how the heck can I drive it with the door open. It's 7:10 now and I was afraid my husband had already left for work. I called and he was still at home so he could come over to check it out. Lucky me, he can fix just about anything. I knew he had tools in his truck so I was hopeful he could fix it. I ran in to the school and put the breakfast things for the kids who eat breakfast at school into the warmer and hurried back out to wait for my husband. I wasn't even sure he remembered where the school was. A few minutes passed (which seems like an eternity when you are anxiously waiting) and I thought I better go back in and get my cell phone in case he called me back for directions. So, I ran back in, grabbed my cell phone and saw that I had missed his call.
I figured that if he didn't know where the school was, he would have left me a message or called back again. Within a few minutes, he did get there and checked out the lock. He fixed it in about 2 minutes flat. I kinda knew what needed to be done but didn't have the tools or the strength to turn the wheel. He "reset" the lock and it was fixed. Thank goodness! I am very grateful he was able to come and fix it so fast.
So that is how my day started.
Luckily, the rest of the day went well. Uneventful. I love that word, (with reference to work). Uneventful. Nothing bad happens, no surprises, just a good day. Uneventful.
A quick one line story for my book happened today. One of the students came in to buy an ice cream. It was between grades so I had went around the corner for something. I hear a little voice saying "Somebody NEEDS to be down here". Meaning I needed to be at the register. I replied, "Excuse me, somebody needs to wait a minute and have some patience." Hmmm. I wonder why that bothered me. Maybe because a child is telling me where I need to be. I guess I don't like that much.
After work I stopped at a new place to play the lottery. I play some numbers most days. If I get a real sense that a number is coming out, I go with it play it pretty regularly. I also like instant tickets. I have been buying the $2 Win for Life Instant Game. If you win one of the games on the card and you get three "LIFE" symbols you win $1,000 a week for life. Wouldn't that be really COOL. The man was there that owns the store and he told me (before I asked him for w Win for Life Ticket) that he had just received a check from the state for $10,000. He has two stores and at his other store somebody won the grand $1,000 a week. He actually took out the check and showed it to me. The retailer who sells the winning tickets get money too. I was very happy for him, but I wonder what the odds are that I could still win by buying one of those tickets. Hmmm. Is it a coincidence that I happen to go in a store where the owner just sold one of those tickets? I don't know. I wonder what the Universe is telling me. By the way, I won $2 on the ticket.
All in all, a good day. All is well.......
I figured that if he didn't know where the school was, he would have left me a message or called back again. Within a few minutes, he did get there and checked out the lock. He fixed it in about 2 minutes flat. I kinda knew what needed to be done but didn't have the tools or the strength to turn the wheel. He "reset" the lock and it was fixed. Thank goodness! I am very grateful he was able to come and fix it so fast.
So that is how my day started.
Luckily, the rest of the day went well. Uneventful. I love that word, (with reference to work). Uneventful. Nothing bad happens, no surprises, just a good day. Uneventful.
A quick one line story for my book happened today. One of the students came in to buy an ice cream. It was between grades so I had went around the corner for something. I hear a little voice saying "Somebody NEEDS to be down here". Meaning I needed to be at the register. I replied, "Excuse me, somebody needs to wait a minute and have some patience." Hmmm. I wonder why that bothered me. Maybe because a child is telling me where I need to be. I guess I don't like that much.
After work I stopped at a new place to play the lottery. I play some numbers most days. If I get a real sense that a number is coming out, I go with it play it pretty regularly. I also like instant tickets. I have been buying the $2 Win for Life Instant Game. If you win one of the games on the card and you get three "LIFE" symbols you win $1,000 a week for life. Wouldn't that be really COOL. The man was there that owns the store and he told me (before I asked him for w Win for Life Ticket) that he had just received a check from the state for $10,000. He has two stores and at his other store somebody won the grand $1,000 a week. He actually took out the check and showed it to me. The retailer who sells the winning tickets get money too. I was very happy for him, but I wonder what the odds are that I could still win by buying one of those tickets. Hmmm. Is it a coincidence that I happen to go in a store where the owner just sold one of those tickets? I don't know. I wonder what the Universe is telling me. By the way, I won $2 on the ticket.
All in all, a good day. All is well.......
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The Icy Winds of Change
On Friday 2/1/08 it was a bit icy on the sidewalks and roads around here. I gingerly stepped outside onto our pavers and saw that it was all ice. I managed to get to my truck which is only maybe 10 ft from my door and saw that the windshield was all ice too. I started up my truck and went on my way, hoping for the best. I had seen the salt truck go by our house several times so I knew that the roads would be at least salted, ice melted I didn't know, but regardless I had to get to work. You see, lunch ladies always get to work. There are no "wusses" in school food service. Luckily, the roads were heavily salted and I had no problem getting to work.
Time goes by quickly at work. I had a manager trainee in, to work with me/us for the day so I was busy with her, and busy responding to a parent email. I didn't notice that it was 9:20 and one of my staff was not yet in. I thought that there was probably traffic since I knew that the buses had been late arriving at school. Plus, this staff member has a child and I figured she probably was waiting for her bus to arrive before she came in. I knew that it was unusual for her not to have called if there was a problem, but I guess I was in denial that maybe something had prevented her from coming. (She had called my cell phone but of course, my battery was dead as usual)
Around 9:20 I did call her home and found out that she had fallen on the ice at her house and was at the emergency room with most likely a broken wrist. Holy Crap! I already had an extra person so I didn't need to get a substitute but our concern for how she was weighed heavily in the air.
We quickly got busy and were ready for the students on time. After serving time, she called us and told us that she did indeed break her wrist and has to have surgery to aid in the repair. I think she said they have to put a plate of some kind in her wrist. She will be out of work for quite awhile, she is thinking three weeks, but I feel with an injury that severe, it will probably be longer. We talked for a bit and we will check back with her on Monday night after her surgery.
I hung up the phone and repeated her plight to the other staff. We stood there for a moment letting it all sink in, then we wondered, "what does that mean for us". Well, I had no idea. So I got busy finding out. The person who handles these things is the same person who helped me with my "Breakfast session fiasco". I thought that she might hang up on me if I call her with another problem. But of course she didn't, (being one of the nicest persons I know.) She managed to get us a substitute that can work just about every day except for Wednesdays. This is good news. The sub is a very good worker and I am sure we will be just fine. And we only need another person for those Wednesdays.
But, things will certainly be different. When you work so closely with three people day in and day out you get into a routine. When someone is out, you kinda feel off balance. We will truly miss her and we can't wait for her return.
Other things going on are that we have decided to get busy with contract stuff. Our contract with the school district is up for renewal this year. We have to decide what we would like to ask for and we must ask "how much change are we ready for". Time will tell.
I am sure we will get through the following weeks, and I am thankful we have some extra days off coming up. I am thankful for a lot of things.
Thankful my staff member that hurt herself is ok and her injury is something that can be fixed.
I am thankful she will be back at some point.
I am thankful she has a loving husband and caring children that will help her through.
I am thankful for my other staff member that will pitch in and do her best to help things continue to move along smoothly.
I am thankful I spent a nice day with my mother today.
I am thankful I met a friend Friday night and we had a great time, laughing and talking. Mostly laughing.
I am thankful my son called and checked in with us Saturday night.
And, I am thankful to be, yes, just be. Thankful to be me and be happy with that. I don't know if I was ever thankful for that before.
Yes, change is good.
ahhhhhh... all is well.
(Sorry if there is spelling errors, the spell check won't work tonight).
Time goes by quickly at work. I had a manager trainee in, to work with me/us for the day so I was busy with her, and busy responding to a parent email. I didn't notice that it was 9:20 and one of my staff was not yet in. I thought that there was probably traffic since I knew that the buses had been late arriving at school. Plus, this staff member has a child and I figured she probably was waiting for her bus to arrive before she came in. I knew that it was unusual for her not to have called if there was a problem, but I guess I was in denial that maybe something had prevented her from coming. (She had called my cell phone but of course, my battery was dead as usual)
Around 9:20 I did call her home and found out that she had fallen on the ice at her house and was at the emergency room with most likely a broken wrist. Holy Crap! I already had an extra person so I didn't need to get a substitute but our concern for how she was weighed heavily in the air.
We quickly got busy and were ready for the students on time. After serving time, she called us and told us that she did indeed break her wrist and has to have surgery to aid in the repair. I think she said they have to put a plate of some kind in her wrist. She will be out of work for quite awhile, she is thinking three weeks, but I feel with an injury that severe, it will probably be longer. We talked for a bit and we will check back with her on Monday night after her surgery.
I hung up the phone and repeated her plight to the other staff. We stood there for a moment letting it all sink in, then we wondered, "what does that mean for us". Well, I had no idea. So I got busy finding out. The person who handles these things is the same person who helped me with my "Breakfast session fiasco". I thought that she might hang up on me if I call her with another problem. But of course she didn't, (being one of the nicest persons I know.) She managed to get us a substitute that can work just about every day except for Wednesdays. This is good news. The sub is a very good worker and I am sure we will be just fine. And we only need another person for those Wednesdays.
But, things will certainly be different. When you work so closely with three people day in and day out you get into a routine. When someone is out, you kinda feel off balance. We will truly miss her and we can't wait for her return.
Other things going on are that we have decided to get busy with contract stuff. Our contract with the school district is up for renewal this year. We have to decide what we would like to ask for and we must ask "how much change are we ready for". Time will tell.
I am sure we will get through the following weeks, and I am thankful we have some extra days off coming up. I am thankful for a lot of things.
Thankful my staff member that hurt herself is ok and her injury is something that can be fixed.
I am thankful she will be back at some point.
I am thankful she has a loving husband and caring children that will help her through.
I am thankful for my other staff member that will pitch in and do her best to help things continue to move along smoothly.
I am thankful I spent a nice day with my mother today.
I am thankful I met a friend Friday night and we had a great time, laughing and talking. Mostly laughing.
I am thankful my son called and checked in with us Saturday night.
And, I am thankful to be, yes, just be. Thankful to be me and be happy with that. I don't know if I was ever thankful for that before.
Yes, change is good.
ahhhhhh... all is well.
(Sorry if there is spelling errors, the spell check won't work tonight).
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