The past month I have been consumed with gathering materials and building a teaching plan for two computer classes I was asked to teach at work. For someone who once thought they wanted to be a teacher, this was pretty overwhelming. These classes were to be the first of their kind. I was not given specific curriculum but instead two target groups of users. From there I needed to decide what information would be most useful to the users in their jobs. I dug in right away but it took me a couple weeks to really begin to narrow my focus and pick my topics. Then it was time to write out my teaching plan. I’m not a fly by the seat of my pants type. Simply having an outline was not enough. I worked up until the night before class tweaking my subject matter. The classes went well over all but I must rework the novice class material. It has to be simpler and shorter than I anticipated. The plan is to offer these classes over and over to help users. Once I find a good rhythm I will be less stressed out by the thought of teaching.

I have another presentation this week but its not a entire class, just some tutorials on the various functions of Outlook calendars and tasks. I’m reworking some Power Points for that.

Last weekend was spent cooking nearly all of the dinners for the family visit and simultaneously cleaning cupboards. I’m not one that loves to cook either but it will make our visit easier. I have one last dish to prepare and the boy is making his today. I hope to finish mine on Sunday but who knows if that will happen!

Saturday is Bark in the Park which means the girls need to have their nails clipped and be given a bath before Saturday AM….and it’s …uh…Wednesday already!?

Did I mention my house needs cleaned, just regular ole scrub the toilet cleaning? Spring cleaning? I got the kitchen windows and curtains washed, and my dishes/small appliances sorted. How do two non coffee drinkers acquire so many damn coffee MUGS?? The guest room bedding has been changed and my clothing sorted out. I want to have a yard sale this summer so I’m trying to gather items while I clean. But all that crap has to be stored somewhere until the yard sale so it looks as if I am making no progress on the house cleaning front. Part of the shit…er treasures you can’t live without…are in the garage taking up much needed space, making it nigh impossible to fit my car in there. Normally not an issue but storm weather is staring. Storms… you know tornadoes, hail, high winds? The new lovely purple dream car should be in the garage where its safe.

I managed to plant a couple things in the yard and the boy planted several things for me and is helping with the watering. The flowers for the front bed? Still unpurchased and here it is May. The shrubs I want to plant along the sidewalk to help stem the never ending flow of dirt from the street into our windows? A passing dream… even though each year they go unplanted is another year of waiting for them to grow big enough to do their job.

We have had our motorcycles out ONE f-ing time! Ok the weather hasn’t been exactly optimal but I can’t seem to find the time to breathe let alone take off on the Harley for some down time with the love of my life.

We’ve managed to go to the gun range TWICE in 5 months.

Mom called yesterday to tell me she has to have knee surgery to repair torn cartilage. She twisted her knee two weeks ago stripping a kitchen table for Danny and Julie. She and Poppy were supposed to be leaving Wyoming in the next two weeks to come here (Illinois) for the summer and fall. Now she is thinking she will have surgery in St Louis instead of at home because of the weeks of physical therapy that must follow. Either way she will not be able to join us on any of the activities we have planned for the family visit. She is simply in too much pain if she tries to walk. I told her to wait and come with the rest of the kids so Sheila can drive her and Poppy. They will be here at month end and I don’t know how I’m going to get the cleaning done in time.

We’ve (Misty and I) invited Danielle (our niece) to stay the summer with us but she seems reluctant to leave her friends. She has started down the wrong path and she needs some strong guidance before she completely destroys her future. I won’t go into details since she is not my child.

The weekend after the family goes home, June 11th I think, the boy and I are going to Wisconsin for the weekend.

The following weekend, June 19th, dad and Charlotte will be her for a family reunion in Mcleansboro.

Late June or early July the office I work in will be relocating to their new building, which means a weekend of packing up and moving all the computers.

I have about 1 hour per night to DO something productive. How much can you do in 1 hour? I can barely start something let alone accomplish something. Zack’s quilt is never going to be finished. I have no time to work on making new jewelry or creating designs for Cafepress. CSJ and my blogs? Shamefully neglected. I’ve given up writing articles for money. I’ve given up blogging for money. I have people calling me to work on their computers and though the extra money is nice, its hard to find the motivation after working all day, especially when the boy is home from work and I’m not. 1 hour a night… and nearly 3 hours a day wasted commuting to and from work. 15 hours a week of my life down the drain.

I can’t breathe….