Oh! What a Ride!!! The beginning...desperation

I have tried to keep you all updated on our life, but frankly, during this portion of our ride, I have been holding on for dear life, so hard and so fast that there has been little time for much else. I've heard life can be a roller coaster with dips, curves, round-abouts but nothing can prepare you for riding a roller coaster during a hurricane. I've heard that things don't go the way you plan them.... But who woulda thunk that we would be riding that roller coaster or that all our lives would be in crisis simultaneously....Where to start?? Chronologically, would be best, I think.

By the mid-July, things were looking bleak - the Columbus City School job was rumored to not be renewed, even with the stimulus money promised from Washington. Rumors were flying around AEP about positions being eliminated. Rus came home in despair. He told me I needed a job, some job, anywhere! I have been unemployed, in essence, for a year. Obviously,there was NOTHING for me in Ohio. I don't have the right connections to get an interview in Ohio. There are so many people being laid off here. Unemployment is running rampant. I knew I had to do something. In desperation, I called my old principal at Grace Norton Rogers School in Hightstown to see if he had any openings. He was upset that I hadn't called before then because there were 3 full time 3rd grade positions open just the month before. The only thing he had left was a maternity replacement in 5th grade. He asked if I was interested in it. Without hesitation I said, "YES!" He said he had to get back to me because he had to "get Admin approval." "So be it," thought I, "let the chips fall where they may...." I gave it my best. Que sera, sera. I waited to hear something in the next 2 weeks.

Life goes on....August 1st we attended the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, Ohio. It is a fabulous 5 day extravaganza! Dennis, Rus and I participated in the walk/run on Thursday evening. It is fun to jog through the town of Dublin with bagpipes playing, drums beating, and people cheering. Of course, most of cheerleaders are also the Pub Crawl participants, but that is for another day.... Saturday, Rus and I went to the DIF for the day. It was a great night!