Without Money, Not Snow

There is a saying, "Let my town be without money, but not without snow." Winter moisture is essential for crops in the dry long summer. Having been here for just over half the year, I'm starting to get a feel for what the weather is usually like. The summer was desert hot and dry. Lots of bugs and a cripplingly incendiary sun. When the temperature went down, it never seemed to rise again - it just dropped for the year. This winter was slightly colder than a typical Philadelphia winter, but not quiet as cold as one in Connecticut. The problems are that the houses are not well built - the temperature inside drifts towards the temperature outside (electrical power comes and goes daily). And that the snow does not go anywhere - no snowplows and very little shoveling. The sun is strong enough to turn it quickly to ice, but it takes a long time to melt. The temperatures have gone above freezing, and if the pattern stays the same, they will not return there again until next winter. Temperatures change for the year, not for the passing weather pattern. We have ice on the ground and a blazing desert sun in the February sky.

The cable for my camera was brought in from the USA and it does not work. Hence the lack of digital pictures posted continues.

Today was the closest thing I've ever had to a bad day, and it was enjoyable. I had time to grade some tests before school, until a sick friend asked me to take his morning duty. I had lost a clipboard with my attendance data on it and report cards went out today. The admin, to my chagrin, was insistant that I write in the attendance data. The report cards were delivered to me and taken away again two or three times - the office wanted to hold those who were behind on tuition and apparently could not make up their minds exactly who those people might be. I found the clipboard during lunch with the missing two weeks of attendance data. MEANWHILE the kids just followed the routine in my, "one room schoolhouse" of differentiated instruction. Got the data on the computer, then onto the report cards (at least those I was holding at the time). Those tests were graded about 30 minutes before dismissal, and the kids were done all I'd asked of them about 10 minutes after dismissal time (ooops). Ready to do it all again tomorrow, but that will likely be a quieter day. The Super Bowl is tonight (3:30 A.M. kickoff our time). (Rememeber our weekends are Thursday/Friday here.) We are having a big get together; we've got permission to run the generator since power will likely be off. Mike reminded me this morning at prayer that the pre-Thanksgiving Day explosions also happened at 3:30 A.M. (see photos). Steelers or sleep? Steelers or sleep?