I am retiring in 5 more workdays.  After 39 years in the teaching profession, I will close up my grade book and open the cover to a new book....a new beginning.  I have decided to call my blog New Beginnings because that is what I hope this will be, not an end but rather a start. I have truly enjoyed my little stint as an English teacher.  The work and the children have been challenging and rewarding, but I have been going to school my entire life.  Just think of it...61 years old and I've never stopped going to school!  There is definitely something wrong with that.  So, thanks to a few twists of fate, I am packing up the books, erasing the boards and locking the classroom door for good.  I do say this with some trepidation.  Will I miss school?  Will I sit listlessly in my house, not knowing what to do next?  Will I regret tossing aside what I do best (at least I think I do it well)?  It is frightening not knowing what will happen.  That is one of the benefits of teaching...you know what to expect.  You know that the day starts with a sleepy first period and ends with a noisy, rowdy period 8; September is all sweet anticipation and hopes and June is all sweat and exhaustion.  How will I know what day or month it is when I'm not on a school schedule?

A friend told me that one should take it slow when first retiring.  I know that sounds like good advice, and I really should think things through before leaping in at full throttle.  Unfortunately, that's really not my personality.  When I am faced with a new adventure, whether it be developing a spelling program or a school-wide summer reading experience or even simply planning a unit of study, I get all itchy and plan away like a bullet train.  I'm kind of hard to slow down once I really get into a project.  So....this retirement thing is getting me revved up.  I feel the thrill of a few cool projects looming in the near future.  I have to admit, I went to Home Depot on the pretense of checking out kitchen sink faucets for my husband, but really what I did was pick out paint for my first project.  I am going to paint the big old ugly dresser that stands in the upstairs hallway.  It has a very practical use ( it stores all the sheets and linens that can't fit in the dinky linen closet), but it is extremely ugly and adds nothing to the dark hallway.  So, I chose a very cool turquoise color called Mermaid's Treasure.  While I was at it I bought two sanding blocks (one fine, one extra fine) to prime the wood. I hope to have it done by the weekend.  I'll let you know how project #1 turns out.

Meanwhile, I've started this blog.  I'll keep you posted on my new beginnings.

- Karen