Thursday Woes...

So this morning on the way to work, inexplicably, the windshield wipers on my practically new Suburban were stuck on HIGH.  I mean stuck on SUPER, WHIPPING BACK AND FORTH, HYPER SPEED, high.  I live in the Seattle area, so ordinarily this wouldn't be a problem.  But today?  It's supposed to be near 80 degrees and NO RAIN in the forecast.  Of course.  And, there certainly wasn't a single raindrop falling from the sky onto my windshield for the entire 35 minutes it takes me to commute from my house to school. 

But, from the moment I left my driveway, the wipers went into high gear and stayed there.  No amount of fiddling with the knob, stopping/restarting the car, slapping the dashboard, or cursing would alleviate this problem.  Have you ever heard wipers on dry glass?  On high speed?  It's a sound akin to fingernails on chalkboards. 

When we got into town, and I would stop at stoplights, the screeching must have been deafening for the pedestrians on the sidewalk.  I draw this conclusion, because these people were covering their ears and glaring in our direction with a look of horror on their faces.  The part I find amusing though, is that many people would try and get my attention and motion that my windshield wipers were on HIGH and that it WASN'T RAINING.  And it was an ANNOYING sound, and would I turn them OFF?

Oh REALLY??  My windshield wipers are ON?  Really. And this ANNOYS you??  Thank you SO much for letting me know.  Because I NEVER would have noticed!  The SHRIEKING noise?  Oh - I wasn't aware of it.  Especially since I've spent THE LAST 35 MINUTES TRYING TO CONCENTRATE ON MY DRIVING and not GOUGE MY EARS OUT with whatever I could find to alleviate the EXTREMELY GRATING SCHREECHING noises coming from my windshield SIX INCHES from my face.

*deep breath*

ANYway.

In other (more cheerful) news...this week is 'Staff Appreciation Week' at our school.  Now, ordinarily this means that parents will give teachers and other staff, including me a MUG filled with candy.  (This is like the default gift for teachers.  Ever notice that?  I wonder why that is.  Who came up with the mug idea?)  As a result, teachers and the rest of us end up with 3945789827345 mugs by the end of the year. Not that we don't appreciate being remembered.  But PEOPLE.  Let's try and be a little more creative.  The MUG idea has been EXHAUSTED.  Let's MOVE ON.

And side note?  To the person that gave me a mug with a picture of YOUR kids on the front?  Ummmm, let me say that I'm not even sure if I want a mug with MY kids on the front.  Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE kids.  That's why I work here.  But, I see enough of your kids when they pee their pants, vomit on the library floor, and need splinters taken out.  I don't need their picture splashed on the front of a mug so that I may gaze at them while I have my morning coffee.  I'm sorry if this bursts your bubble.  But please.  A nice card next time would be lovely.

Anyway, I said ORDINARILY Staff Appreciation Week means just mugs filled with candy.  But today?  Parents got together, gathered donations and gifts from other parents, and have come up with DINNER!  For the entire staff!  Tonight we have DINNER taken care of!  Isn't that wonderful?!  I LOVE this idea.  On our way out the door tonight after work, all we have to do is stop by the kitchen, and pick up our dinner - for us AND our families!  Yay.  THANK YOU, parents! 

So on my way home tonight, I will have a smile on my face (despite the screeching windshield wipers...) knowing that I don't have to cook tonight!!  THAT beats a mug any day of the week.