The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Substitute Teacher

Just like countless parents across the Metroplex, Brian and I prayed yesterday that our children would be ready to resume school and get back to the daily grind.  Added to that, I offered up my own prayer that I would be ready to get back to work!  Though I had called into the automated system several times to see if there were any sub jobs available today, I had not been able to set up a job ahead of time.  This meant I had to be ready for the system to begin calling at six this morning.

Most days (except during holidays), I am up by 5:45 to be ready to either receive a job or to fulfill one.  Today was no exception.  Brian and I bounded out of bed and started our morning routine.  On Mondays and Tuesdays, he arrives for work by 7:15.  The rest of the week, he gets there by 7:30.  Before he leaves, he helps me wake up Jesse and Lily, and I help them get dressed for school.  We've gotten this down to a fine science.  Jacob and Matthew set their alarms and get themselves ready, naturally. 

Well, despite having made my lunch the night before and getting dressed for work this morning, no sub jobs were offered to me today.  So instead of going into work, I have had the day all to myself!  I cleaned house a little, did some laundry, and ran a few errands.  A Facebook friend had posted that she went to Macy's and bought something like $300 worth of clothes for $46 on clearance.  On my way to Costco, I decided to pop into Macy's to see what I could get for $46.  I ended up spending exactly that amount on a cute sweater and a dress.

I know it's hard to see in this picture; I was using my mobile phone.  It's a bright red with a 'shirt' under it. A sort of two-fer-one.  I also bought a gray sheath dress, that will do nicely for work or for church.  I'll have to take it up a bit in the waist.  I have one of those figures where my top half doesn't match the bottom half.  In order to buy a dress that fits the top, the bottom is too big.  So, I've gotta take it up.  Tailoring garments is tricky by yourself.  I had to very gingerly escape my pinned up bargain, and still managed to stick myself a few times.  I didn't get $300 worth of clothes, but I did save about half.

After Macy's, I went to Costco.  I love Costco, mostly because of the good deals.  I could do without most of the people that I encounter there.  It seems to me that if you're going to a store that has fabulous deals on really great stuff that you would be in such a state of bliss as to really extend kindness and courtesy to your fellow shoppers.  Not so much, I find.  While I may be jazzed about shopping at Costco, the average shopper at the Plano Costco seems more concerned with body counts.  I can't count the number of times I've nearly been maimed or disfigured by a single-minded Costco shopper.  The thing is, it's a freaking warehouse.  I don't get why there is such a need to hurry.  They are not running out of the pallets of chicken broth and toilet paper, for crying out loud.  Anyhoo, here's what I ended up with, after taking my life into my own hands and shopping at Costco:

That yellow container to the left center of the shot is a can of NESQUIK!  They have never carried that before!  The poor cashier was like, "Did you find everything o.k.?"  I said, "Oh, yes I did!  You all carry Nesquik now!"  Like some kind of geek.  He just went, "Um, o.k., ma'am," with a really worried look on his face.  I think he probably just wanted me to hurry and leave.  Thinking about it, it does seem really unstable to be excited about chocolate milk mix.

So the rest of the day was spent putting away groceries, eating lunch, and reading a romance novel that Brian bought me for Christmas.  It's a 'sequel' to Pride & Prejudice, but really it's like fanfiction.  It's a fun read.

I hope your New Year is going well so far.  A quiet day three days into the year is a good day in my book!

Many blessings,

Jennifer