2009-12-11 - 10:58 p.m.

I think it rather ironic that I wrote that letter to the dozen school board members, our Governor and his Education rep, the Commissioner of Education and anyone from the top down in VA who handles education in this state, as well as the Washington Post and Loudoun Times Mirror posing the question of whether it's a wise use of tax dollars to have truant officers AT ALL at this juncture in time in Loudoun County if they have so much time on their hands that they have to broaden the laws to crack down on parents who run a few moments late,and I got not ONE RESPONSE.

The local paper ran a letter from a fellow neighbor in Round Hill attesting to how wonderful it is that we have deputies in our schools and pleading not to cut the funding for such. I really wonder just how much action those Sheriff's have... but hey if the Loudoun County Sheriffs are already present in our schools that makes an even stronger case that we should nix the position of Loudoun County Public School retaining their own truant officers! Seems like double coverage for what are seemingly small issues to me. Considering the court attested to me that the truant officers start the process of many cases due to tardiness (as a scare tactic clearly-- I can tell you now that not one of them could EVER have gone to trial as there is no law under which it COULD POSSIBLY have been brought!), my conclusion is that the truant officers do ALOT of busy work and paper pushing and actually tie up our dockets with such frivolous matters! That makes them even MORE of a tax liability! I think it is an outrage!

Anyway....I laugh as I write this as at some level I do think the whole this is just hilarous. To be so lucky that this is REALLY the biggest worry in my life right now: being on time for school every day!

I mean really- Life is Good overall!

I am pleased that I had a nice chat with my boss and she assures me that my job is secure (for now!) Always the caveat that with a big company one never knows...

But I feel valued and appreciated for what I do bring to the table. It was nice to hear her say "You are VERY SMART" which validated my recently faltering esteem.

I felt SO much better after my fabulous weekend. Back to re-watch the YOU TUBE videos. I can watch my son sing "GROW for ME" OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN...

And this time, unlike when in the theater, I can watch his performance without welling up in tears!

I WAS happy that today after paying bills I was able to purchase the lovely new skirt and sweater which Katerina was happy to pick out for her Christmas gift.

http://www.thedressshop.com/Welcome.html

Her Dad will be happy to pick them up for her.

Christmas is coming! I am actually happy that this year the little ones are with their Dad and come to me a few days later. That works out great as I needed to spend money on travel to see the show and to get the big kids here. (Last year I missed Soren's performance in Annie as I just couldn't afford to go.) I am praying that when I hit the thrift stores AFTER Christmas to start my Christmas shopping for the little ones that there are some awesome items that were donated from those who had excess! I think I should be able to do VERY well at our local shops on those days after the holiday! I am envisioning new games that were duplicates... and new clothes from Grandmas and Aunts with tags still on that parents just didn't like etc....

I was happy to find the HS Musical Twister game on line (which we already have.. but it only came with two mats.) I though this was too funny: I searched E-bay and found a number of versions of the game with the SAME mats to play. I didn't CARE what CD or Disney marketing was used, but as long as the mats were the same as the ones we have I then bid on it as we have two but needed two more mats so all the girls can play the game together. I won the identical game we already have- so the girls now have all four mats. I however ALSO won an OLDER verison of the game. This is the funny part- that one CAME WITH FOUR MATS! The oldest marketing trick in the book-- sell the item, make it hot so folks want it, then change the packaging so they sell LESS and people then have to buy MORE Of it to meet their desire for the item!
In this case it worked. I bought the one game LAST Christmas, and this year went out to find the SAME ITEM to meet our desire!
At least the old game we also won has different songs and four DIFFERENT mats so I am sure the girls will be thrilled with that as their gift from me.

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