Friday, March 30, 2012

Bad to Worse…

Okay…here’s the deal…there was a fire at my school…earlier in the week…although…the damage was not nearly as bad as it could have been…and after only one day…we were able to return to the building…things just aren’t quite the same…
For one thing…most of the high school classes…are cordoned off…to contain…and clean…the smoke damage…so…we have classes in every possible location…and…some that we didn’t know…could be possible…
Events have also…had to be…canceled…rescheduled…and just rearranged…
So…after…being extremely grateful…that the damage wasn’t worse…that it happened at night…there were no injuries…and all those kinds of things…that of course…I am grateful for…
Day…one…I…along with many othersit wasn’t just me…honestlyyou are so hard on me…sometimes…anyway…I…began to whine…ever so quietly…yeah…right…about…the smell of the smoke…I developed a headache after being there about 10 minutes…and it didn’t go away…all day…of course…we did all we could…to improve air quality…opening windows and doors…letting the air circulate as much as possible…but…if you’ve ever gone through a fire…you know that doesn’t help much…and…my office doesn’t have a window…
Day…two…same scenario…same smoky smell…same windows and doors open…same whining…and…then…it happened…like Mama always told me it could…it went…from…bad…to…worse
Some local farmers…chose yesterday…a windy day…with nature’s breezes…circulating throughout our building…to fertilize their fields…using only the finest organic fertilizer…AKA…manure
Now…we had a building…with all the windows and doors open…trying to air out…from the smoke…only to be bombarded…with the fragrance…of…of…of…well…you get the idea…I won’t spell it out…it was definitely…worse…
Anyway…Bertha…arrived about that time…to teach me a little lesson…surprise
Her point was…sometimes…things get worse…so I can realize…they really weren’t that bad to start with…and…appreciate…what I have…
Hmmm…she’s got a point…after smelling the manure…our point of focus…our conversations changed…
From…
This smoke is terrible…this smoke is killing me…we shouldn’t even be here…yeah…a little dramatic…what can I say
To…
Can you believe this smell…I’d much rather smell the smoke…the smoke really wasn’t that bad…like we had a choice…like we could choose…like choosing sides at recess
So…today…while…not hoping for…the smell of smoke…I know…I can tolerate it…I know it isn’t…killing me…perhaps…since…I’ve known…worse…I’ll whine less…about…bad…but…then again…I wouldn’t want to get carried away…
Jane

4 comments:

  1. Ah what a great point here! Put the present situation into perspective and realize how fortunate we still are. Well put! I do hope that the school circumstances have gotten better. I'm glad everyone is safe.

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    1. Thanks, ChristyB...things are getting better...and hopefully will be back to normal when I get there today...we are definitely fortunate!

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  2. Now that is really what I would call a stinky blog ! :) There is no rule that says you have to be grateful for things that stink...and there are no grades of 'stink.' if it stinks, it stinks....get me out of here and take me to fields of sweet red clover...or lavender !

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    1. Bea...You are funny...thankfully...today...was so much better...the hepa filters were working...the fertilizer was absorbed during the rain...but...I'd prefer a field of lavender...any day...

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