I need a pressure reading....

I will be ordering a Barometer today when I get to school. Do you know why? Because we want to be forewarned when the Barometric Pressure is dropping. Not that I won't know it's dropping, with Hurricane Ike heading our way... but sometimes we just have to take it for granted that it's dropping. When the pressure drops, kids go nuts. It's almost like when the farm animals start getting all jumpy as a thunderstorm approaches.

We had a screamer yesterday, and now I realize the child was already feeling the effects of the dropping pressure. I have been working in this school for 11 years and have NEVER had a screamer like that. And the child had absolutely NOTHING to be screaming about. The teacher had told two children to go to the computers and did not select this child as one of the two...

Think about me today as you watch the weather reports of Ike, with the emergency vehicles heading to South Texas... we'll be heading off our own emergencies at school. Some children become angry and moody and do things they normally wouldn't do. And then they can't really explain why they have behaved this way. Poor little things, it's like they have no control over their actions.

Hopefully we'll be able to let them go outside and not need to keep them inside because of rain. It's funny to see them when they are allowed to go out to the playground on days like this. They run more, they spin, they cartwheel and flip. They scream and yell loudly, like they are letting it all out. I know it must feel so good to them. I may have to do some cartwheels today myself. We did that last year... another teacher and I. She had been a gymnast, she's a whole lot younger than me and can still do handsprings and stuff. I only do cartwheels. And on that day it had probably been 2 or 3 years since I had attempted a cartwheel. But I pulled it off. (I used to do cartwheels for the Kindergartners as we waited for the Daycare bus... it was a behavior reward... I'd pull my long skirt up and tuck it into my waistline and create 'pants' so I could do my stunt... Hey it worked! They were always so good for me.)

Jolea talked to my sister last night. She lives on the north side of Houston and will stay. No need to evacuate. I'm wondering if my cousin and her husband left their home in Galveston. They probably did... they have in the past. Becky works for NOAA...

I better get ready for work, do a little yoga to get my hips ready for cartwheels.... I'm so glad it's Friday... Jody will be having his chemo today. I sure hope his barometric pressure is OK... he has to sit in a chair for 6 hours. I feel for those nurses at the clinic!

Have a good Friday, I'll try to post to let all you non-Texas residents know how we're surviving the storm.