Relay for Life

I didn't get to do Relay last year. It's a HUGE thing with the school systems. Last year in the county, over $60,000 was raised in our teeny, tiny county. Last year I was luxuriating in some beach time, and I had the time off because I was recovering from the most nasty chemotherapy ever. I had some peach fuzz for hair. This year I'm doing much better in the hair department. It's about the length I wore it when I worked at Georgia Tech, so I don't look like a space alien to myself anymore.

The good thing about doing Relay for me is that I get to see people who are long time survivors. When you're getting treatment you're also seeing the sickest of the sick. And the sickest ones are often the terminal ones (not that we all aren't terminal -- none of us gets out of this life alive but some are clearly going faster than others of us and that who you see a lot of the time when you're in active treatment). So, anyway, it's good for me to talk to other people who are 16 and 25 year survivors. That makes me feel hopeful.

I'm really, really tired tonight. The first week back from spring break the kids are all very wound up, and the weather is breaking nice so we've all got spring fever finally. The next few weeks of school are going to be challenging -- for a whole variety of reasons. Achy and grouchy and tired now though. Looking forward to being grammy tomorrow with Miss Jewel. MUST do grocery shopping for Betty. I hear she is OUT of everything now. Time for a big haul at the grocery.

Maybe Jewel and I can grocery shop and then come home and nap afterward. We'll have to see how it goes.

Interesting how the students today who saw my pictures and heard the story of my trip to Ireland reacted. The idea of a hostel seems to totally be abhorent to my students. They'd only go somewhere first class or not at all. I'd rather go third class and get to go. I guess I'm a bit Bohemian in that respect...remnants of the flower child. European youth seem much more willing to embrace the idea of hosteling as an alternative to camping. Many American young people seem to think there's something just too weird about it -- that it's unsafe just because you're in close proximity to other people, especially other people from "strange" countries. Sounds like xenophobia to me, and a fear of anything somewhat different from American expectations.