Leaky Buckets and Valentine's Day Dreams

After a fun-filled/exhausting/raucous long weekend, I was not quite ready to come back to school today. Last night being an unofficial Sunday evening I, of course, did not sleep a bit. I could not relax my mind long enough to trick it into an even fitful slumber. 10:30... 11:20...12: 30... and just as I fall asleep my body reminds itself that, with such little sleep, I might just oversleep and I begin again... 2:30, 3:30, 4:00 and I might as well get up. I practically fall asleep in the shower as I shampoo my hair, stare blankly into my closet dripping wet for 5 minutes, finally decide on black pants and a light pink shirt (how novel for me), choke down the strongest coffee I have ever made and head out the door. After my quick half-hour commute, I enter my school building at 5:55 a.m. On my way in I am reminded by WBUR's Bob Oakes that it is indeed Valentine's Day and I silently congratulate myself on a keen wardrobe decision. I also remember that I have to prepare 2000 flower "grams" for their delivery (albeit late) tomorrow. The day passed in a blur and I was reawakened by the flower delivery guy at 2:30 when he said, "Ma'am, these flowers are probably going to die if you don't get them into water soon." Double Heh? He called me ma'am and...They were stacked up in 7 different 3-foot long cardboard boxes. Where the h does he expect me to get waterproof containers for all these stems?

By 6:15 p.m. all 1865 (Civil War, what..?) flowers were successfully attached to their proper Valentine's Day messages. Thanks to the NJHS students, myself, my co-advisor, 2 other teachers (thanks Ms. M and Ms. S!), the 5 Pizza Hut pizzas we ordered, and every single spare garbage can, recycling bin, and bucket we could get our hands on, the appropriate middle school Valentine's Day drama will ensue tomorrow.

(By the way, with every carnation I affixed, I laughed to myself that not even one of these flowers will ultimately end up in my hands. Truth be told, I purchased Valentine's flowers for myself just this past weekend and they were fabulously gorgeous. Honestly, after another 12-hour school day, all I need for this Valentine's Day is a pink night gown, Tobey, Ginger, and my comfy bed. Seriously, what else could a girl ask for...? :)