Watch over the kids...

Please angels watch over all the children who are out enjoying this wonderful warm weather this spring break.

I got called in to do 2 routes.  One tomorrow it's a drop and return for the day care program, which is fine because I live so close.  And I did get the trip for Friday night which by the way is my ANNIVERSARY!!  10 years on April fools day!  It's a baseball game in a small town about 1/2 hour away.  I didn't realize what day it was when I sign up...that's ok we have all weekend...plus I won't be gone too long. Ish I am bad wife! 

All done!

Today was an awesome day!  Last day before break always are!  Everybody was very agreeable including the drivers.  I wasn't going to bid on anything next week, but there was a baseball game for next Friday...I might get it...but I doubt it.  I passed on a trip for Monday.  Too far away and too many kids and too soon.  By Monday I'll be just getting into the "Spring break mode".

I brought candy for the grade schoolers and let them eat it on the bus before we left their school.  We have to wait like 10 minutes before we can leave, because their school is so large.  Kids tend to not remember if they ride the bus or not as opposed to being Parent pickup.  You would have thought I gave them the Key to Candy Heaven AND I am so awesome because I actually let them eat the candy right then and there!  Wow!

So I am free until April 4th, which by the way is Daylight savings time weekend....YIPEE!!!

1 more day!

One more day ... that 's tomorrow and we are off for SPRING BREAK!  Whoo hooo!  I am so excited and so are the kids.  It's Wednesday so they have finally calmed down.  They started the weeks so wound up.  At least the grade school kids have been having recess, but the weather is still awful!  Cold and windy with a very slight chance of some snow.  Still haven't put the long johns or the sweatshirts away yet!

We just hired 4 new drivers and a monitor...so that's good.  Takes the pressure off those of us healthy types that never miss work.  We also elected new Union reps.  The old President had a lot of health issues, but I  got along with him.

Liz wants to go to the Field Museum in Chicago next week, they have an exhibt called Body works, with real human specimens.  I told a girl at work this and she want's to go with us.  Which is very weird for me.  I usually don't hang out with a lot of people.  I know a lot of people, but I usually only hang out with my hubby and my kids.  Mark told me when we got married he'd turn me into morning person and make me more social...I am better about being up...but I'd rather stay up late, and I am trying to be more social...I guess I am a better co-worker because I stopped gripping so much about my life.  Makes me a much better person.  So maybe people want to be around me.  Hmmmmm....I think I got the connection.  Actually I have always had no problem being with people as I am very outgoing and a big time talker to the point of annoying my family.  But who cares that's me!  And they are stuck with me!!

Breaks almost over...gotta go get the kindergarteners!

Tag Lounge

Wow I just figured out how to do graphics with photobucket...I am the MAN.

Anyway this is what I imagine my little bus riders would rather have done today instead of being in school!  It's SPRING FEVER!!!  The temperature hit 50 today.   My kindergarteners were bouncing of the bus walls!  A lot of them have been sick...maybe it was their cold meds, but ish!  My little guy that used to give me and he afternoon guy trouble was wound up but he was easy to settle down.  He had his sister's date book and he wanted to know my name..."Mrs Busdriver, how do you spell your name?"..."what's your phone number?".  Another girl who is from India wants me come to her birthday party this summer.  I feel so special! 

So hopefully the rain will hold off and these kiddos can get outside this weekend for some much overdo fresh warm almost spring air!!

 

Happy St Pat's day

One of my 5th graders hopped on the bus this morning and cheerfully sang to me .."Top of the Morning to you ... dear Rose"  so sweet.  She's a very good girl, her and her best friend love to "patrol" my bus.  They check for items left behind and generally keep order on the bus. 

One of my girls that road last year is at the Day Care center this week so the 5 minute ride is filled with her "catching up" with me.  Today's topic was how awful her friends parents were because they only allowed her to eat 'health' foods.  Seems the kid has never had  a french fry.  Wow kids are so much smarter and in touch then we adults give them credit.

My corned beef was a success and although it stunk up my house along with the cabbage I held my nose and cooked it.  Gave the left overs to Rosie....I did put some aside for hubby he loves it.  We had plenty of green food and now I am quite full.  Ahhh

 

I 'm back

I am back and in love with my job again!  Yesterday's planned day off was refreshingly pleasant.  Today was a 1/2 day of school and to tell you the truth I work harder on those days.  But that's ok I was home by 1:00.

Each route brought another child saying to me ... "don't you EVER leave us again!"

I feel so special! 

Spring is in the air and so are the attitudes of my charges!  Whoo hooo it's going to actually be in the 40's all week.

I am off to enjoy the rest of my afternoon.

it was a day

The sun was shining so it was easier to be at work today.  I've really not felt like working at all ... we all have come to the conclusion it's the COLD!

Anyway, yesterday 2 different drivers called me over to critize my driving .  One said I cut a corner too close, and the other (a trainer) told me she saw me run a stop sign.  Now the corner I can deal with, the stop sign?  NO WAY!  It is a very busy intersection that I know better than to ever run that sign.  I go through there 2 times a day.  Hmmm who knows?

This afternoon a cement truck tore a mirror off a bus, the bus driver had a police officer right behind him so hopefully it wasn't his fault.  This is the time of year when there are a lot of construction vehicles out there.  This all adds to the daily madness.

One of my alternative boys went to jail on Friday, I felt bad for him, and told him good luck and patted him on the back.  Hopefully it will be his last stay, it's for 6 months, but I doubt it.  The kid has a lot of issues.

It always makes me sad to see this.  So many children that are so lost. That's why I do what I do...try to make their day a little brighter and to let them know that at least one human being cares....because I do!

kids!!

Yesterday, a 2nd grader and I got into an arguement.  This boy is from the group I pick up at the day care center...and every few weeks he has to test me.  He was standing up on the bus and I asked him to sit down.  So he says, "I am" and I said you are not...so it went from there and I said, " please do not argue with me" and he said,"you started it"....wrong thing to say.  So I waited until the drop off run and talked to a girl there who I have known since she was in my son's high school classes.  She winked at me and said, "I'll talk to dad".

Well gang that's all it took, this morning the child hands me a handwritten note telling me how sorry he was and that he would never talk back to me again.  signed by him...WOW!  I was so pleased!  Now we are back to our old selves again, me the adult and he the child....I listen to his stories when we are waiting to go from the school and he sits just like he's told to.  Kids love for you to let them know just were you stand with rules...they crave it! Have a wonderful weekend all!

very scary stuff

Teen Accused of Killing Tenn. Bus Driver By GARY TANNER, AP

AP The school bus driven by Joyce Gregory is inspected at the Stewart County Highway Department in Dover, Tenn. Wednesday, March 2, 2005. Officials said a 14-year-old male student was taken into custody after Gregory was fatally shot while on her morning route in nearby Cumberland City. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

CUMBERLAND CITY, Tenn. (AP) - Joyce Gregory was about halfway through her morning school bus route when she stopped to pick up 14-year-old Jason Clinard. But police believe that instead of getting on the bus early Wednesday, Clinard fatally shot Gregory with a .45-caliber handgun, an act apparently prompted by an argument over Clinard's use of smokeless tobacco.

None of the 24 students on the bus, ranging in ages from 5 to 17, were hurt.

The shooting happened about 6:15 a.m. just outside Cumberland City, about 50 miles northwest of Nashville. Gregory, a 47-year-old marriedmother of two daughters, was picking up students and taking them to Dover Elementary and Stewart County High School.

Two weeks ago, Gregory told family members she was having trouble with students "dipping snuff" on the bus, according to her cousin, Jacqueline Reed. After several warnings, she reported them to school administrators Tuesday, Reed said. The 14-year-old suspect was among the students.

The boy had not yet boarded the bus when the driver was shot, said Jennifer Johnson, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Police would not say where the boy got the weapon.

Officials gave few details about the shooting and would not comment on a motive for the shooting. They also refused to release the boy's name, but neighbors, schoolmates and Gregory's relatives identified him as Clinard.

District Attorney Dan Alsobrooks said the suspect was charged with first-degree murder in Juvenile Court and was being held without bond. He said the boy could face adult charges as the investigation continues.

Public defender Jack Lockert met with the boy for about 45 minutes.

"I would characterize him as being in shock," Lockert said. "We obviously feel like he has severe mental issues. He's an A and B student and had never been in trouble before."

Clinard was taken to a juvenile detention center in Nashville and will undergo a psychiatric evaluation in the next 30 days.

Gregory was a teacher's assistant for four or five years and had been a bus driver for the past two years, said Phillip Wallace, director of Stewart County Schools.

"I lost a good friend this morning, so I'm hurt," said Bill Austin, a supervisor for Stewart County schools. "We're trying to do our level best to get our kids through this. That's what we've got to do right now."

03/03/05 07:32 EST

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Pink eye, coughing and throwing up

Crazy day yesterday...one of my kindergarteners came on the bus sick.  He coughed so hard that he got sick.  So he road the 1/2 hours route with the garbage can next to him.  The nurse met us at the school and he was sent home.  Cool I still have a NO barfing on the bus clean record.  Pink eye is running the schools, and a driver came to work with her eyeballs still pink, makes my eyes itch just looking at her.  it's hard to tell at work who's sick or just using their sick days....I am feeling ok.  Hopefully the afternoon will be nice and calm.

WE NEED SPRING!!! 

quiet

Quiet week so far...the kids have been quite good.  Of course the Junior high kids have their moments.  All those raging hormones!  We have had a lot of illness at work though.  We have close to 100 employees with around 10 absences a day.  Pneumonia, pick eye, stomach flu, random colds, along with your old age stuff...there's a couple guys who are always off because they can never get their meds dialed in properly.  I should shut up though...someday I will be old and falling apart and at least these guys are out there trying to work. 

Glad my beautiful "shining" attitude keeps the bugs and germs away!!!!