The picture above says 18.  That's not actually true.  That's when I took the picture and intended on writing a post.  That's when there were 18 days until we left for the trip.  That was about a week ago.  Not including today, Father's Day, there are 12 days until we leave.  I haven't done anything.  The 30 or so words up there, are the words Neil (or Calcom, depending on who you ask) was speaking the last time we went away.

The last month has been an absolute ridiculous and complete shitshow.  Literally.  I'm not sure how so much can be piled on one person over the course of 30 or so days, but I suppose that I have been finding out.  The end of May was completely surreal.  We had to put together a SBO vote (school based option) which basically allows us to change some of the contractual obligations we have to work under.  In this case, we were changing the schedule of the school week so that M-Th would be longer and then Friday would end at 12.  This would allow the kids to go to enrichment activities and the teachers to combine a bunch of time so that they would have a huge chunk of time to work together to analyze student work and then make plans for the following week based on what they saw in their students' work.  Because it is contractual and no one wants the other to get away with any time, the plan fell under a lot of scrutiny.  While I understand it, it would have been far more simplistic to do if from the onset of the additional time we didn't make portions of it 37 and a half minutes.  Really, 37 and a half...  After all was said and done, it was passed and now we are waiting for "official" approval, which is supposed to come by June 26th, the last day of school.  Shouldn't we know prior to that so that we can have letters ready for parents?

That drama was followed by probably the most unexpected event in my entire 40 years.  On May 28th, I received Earth shattering news.  I'm not going to speak about it in detail but a good friend went through a life changing event for them and their family.  This has weighed heavily on me since and it will probably continue to weigh heavily for a very long time.

June signals the end/beginning of a lot of different things in the school calendar:  time to start winding down the year, reflecting on the past year, evaluating plans and needs, the start of budget preparation and planning for the new year, setting goals, etc.  This year, in their ultimate wisdom, the powers that be decided that the major document that is supposed to drive you work for the next year would be due on June 19th.  It used to be due somewhere around December.  That of course made no sense because the year would have been at least 1/3 over.  So they decided to move it up.  That makes sense, but not the timeline that they gave and not with everything else that is piled on us for the end of the school year.

That document, about 30something pages and driven by your schools data (test scores, quality review visits, learning environment surveys, etc...) are not available.  None of them.  So, we must get it done for compliance issues and then, I am sure, do the work again and revise it once the data is in.  Nothing speaks to dysfunction like ambiguity - it erodes trust, and creates in attention to results.  Quite frankly, it pisses people off as well.  

Part of the planning for the new year deals with enrollment, budget and the number of teachers you will have to affect the plan discussed above.  Once again, we are going to have to screw the pooch.  They have projected to drop our enrollment by 50 kids.  Their numbers, our current numbers and the numbers sent to us from the elementary schools (and charters who are kicking kids out now) are nowhere near each other that it makes planning very difficult.  Add to that, they want us to excess 3 teachers in addition to the 3 who won't be coming back (1 retirement and 2 moving).  So now, a very needy school, where over 80% of the students fall below the poverty line will be expected to do more yet again with less resources.  The single issue, more than race, gender, religion, and others, that has the greatest impact on a child's ability to learn and function in a school, is poverty.  Good job, America, let's cut resources to the most needy and let the billionaire "reformers" drive education reform in the leader of the free world so that they can tighten their grip on their oligarchical power.

That was me not being on my soapbox and angry.

There are 5 days left in the school year.  I have 1 graduation, 3 excessing letters and number of other things to get done that to be honest, I am not really sure I remember.  Did I mention that I haven't done anything to get ready for the trip.  Aside from buying one new shirt, and knowing which zip off pants and shorts I will be taking, I have no idea what I will be bringing.  I probably need at least 1 long sleeve shirt and something incase it gets chilly in the UK or DE.  Or, I could just buy something over there.  What about shoes?  Hiking boots?  That would require socks - something else, lightweight/minimalist hiking shoes?  When the hell am I supposed to think about this?

Then there's the conundrum of these 2.

I have already been informed that of the 4 of us, if I am lucky, I might get 1/3 of 1 suitcase.  Not really sure how that math adds up.  Sounds like the math of a delusional woman who tells 1/2 the story.  She's like FoxNews or CNN for Rip Van Winkle 

These 2 present other problems...which 2 carseats?  I've discussed before how the one we had taken in the past weighs like 30 lbs.  I'm not sure how I would be taking both and the suitcase, and the backpacks and a kid.  Again, the math doesn't add up, but I am sure the 19 year old in all her glorious youth will be able to carry everything that we need.  An American Sherpa.

Because, clearly, carrying backpacks in an efficient manner are in her genetics...

As for the trip planning, Jess seems to be stalling.  We're missing 1 place to stay - in or around Munich.  This poses a problem for us since we planed on being there for 4 nights.  Everything else is "done" - at least in terms of places to stay and a general itinerary.  She will be working on the details and ensuring that we have all of the directions, etc and places that we will go.  Then there's the other issues of trying to ensure that we also have things in place for these 2 to do.  I'm not sure how that part of the planning is going, but for me, they just need to enjoy all the other stuff that we will be doing - running around castles, abbeys and medieval towns.  What could be more fun?

I have been writing this post for the better part of 3 hours now.  That's with the 9,000 interruptions that happen every time I try to sit and do something.  Then there's the constant attempts to hurt his brother and the back talk.  Yes, backtalk from a 3 year old.  Don't let the face fool you.

It really seems like this little angel isn't happy unless he makes the other one look like this...

If we do have a 3rd, I think another boy would just create armageddon.  We have 3 single lightsabers so at least we have that covered. 

However, I am not sure how that all is supposed to work.  Do they just get to fight to the death?  How much are we supposed to actually mediate all of this foolishness?  Malcolm is certainly not ready to do battle on his own even though he is the Sith Lord of the house.

Then there's the fact that he's generally always happy and smiley and excited, unless of course, Neil is trying to assassinate him.

Then there are these moments which make you realize that there is always hope and the best is still yet to come from them...

My heathen vegans.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads.  To my dad, I think I get it now.  I think other people don't or make light of it.  It's not easy getting up very early, dealing with work (and certainly my job is one of the most stressful around) dealing with the ride there AND back and then coming home to a thousand other things that demand your time and attention - when you'd really like a few minutes to sit and unwind.  Yet somehow, it manages to all get squeezed in.  A tremendous number of things competing for your attention and yet, somehow managing to get them all in or at least getting them some of your attention.  It's not east, but we do it, because we have to and probably more importantly, we want to, because there are people counting on us.