My Friendly Ghost...and Peas

My apologies for my absence. End of the quarter, grades due, ear infection, teething. 'Nuff said.

But in the meantime, I would like to broach a subject that I don't usually discuss without some compunctions - I believe I have a ghost in the trailer. And it is a friendly ghost.

Once we reach Thanksgiving each year, I will hang Christmas lights in my classroom. I call them 'Winter Lights,' not because I don't want to step on anyone's politically correct toes, but because I will leave them up through the dark months - I do not take them down until at least spring break...hence, Winter Lights.

Several times each year, I will come to my classroom and discover that either my heat has already been turned on/up (I am usually one of the first at the school, though that has taken a beating now that I am subject to the whims of a 6 month old...) or that my winter lights have been plugged in. This has, in fact, happened more frequently this year than any other year.

Our windows are nailed shut, and Rafe and I are meticulous when it comes to locking our doors, so no one could sneak in that I know of. Besides, why sneak in to a trailer to turn the heat? I am meticulous, too, when it comes to turning the heat/a.c. down. And since it is still dark in the mornings, the winter lights are obvious as I walk to my 'front door.' It happened just this week. The kicker is, when I get to school and see the lights, I not only hesitate, checking to ensure I am the only one in the room, but I also start down the rabbit-hole of "did I really unplug them last night? I did, didn't I?? I grabbed my bag, walked over here........".

Same thing goes with the heat. And more often than not, when it is the heat, it isn't the furnace that has been left on 70 - it has been my little space heater by the desk. The one I bought and brought in. That really worries me, because I don't trust the trailer enough to leave it going overnight.

If it is a ghost - I appreciate it. Morale is low everywhere, and it was quite nice to enter a softly lit classroom as I prepared for another day. If it wasn't...well, that's just plain creepy. And I recall, specifically, unplugging them the afternoon before.

Now, I will say that I unplugged them once, as Rafe and I were both leaving for the day, and freaked out because they came right back on, but on closer examining the cord, I realized the prongs had fallen just in line enough with the outlet to connect and light up. However, this past Wednesday morning, the plug was securely pushed completely into the powerstrip. Oiy.

And, on Sydney watch, we're recovering from our ear infection, teething has taken on a life of its own, and we DESPISE peas! To the point where he gagged. Poor Snickerdoodle. I didn't get any pictures of this one, but my goodness - he didn't even trust the spoon enough to eat his banana afterwards. I'll try again in a few days, and this time, I'm mixing it with milk!!