Riding out the winter.

I live for summer, of course. We save $, we deduct from our paychecks, and we eliminate things like caller ID and digital cable - mainly so that we can have summer. We keep teaching lessons usually, and one summer or another we may take a teaching-related job (I might apply for the at-risk Kindergarten program this summer, not sure), but for the most part, we spend at least two months of the year OFF. We sleep till 8, we hang around the house, swim, take day trips to the shore, and basically do whatever we want. So needless to say, we like summer. So that covers July and August.

May and June, at least the end is in sight. The schools get that spring smell (yes, that's what I said, it just smells warm and fresh for a change, ban on open windows or not). The kids are crazy, of course, but you honestly get numb to it after a while.

Once I've gotten over my mourning and I've adjusted, the September through New Year's is awesome. I like the endless stream of holidays, traditions, and school is new and fresh.

And again, once the mourning has ended (post-Christmas blues, this time) January and February at least have the Mondays off, possibility of snow (and snowdays!) Then President's Day hits, and suddenly we look at this stretch from mid-February to April yawning out before us...I hate this time of year. Cold and grey, but not much chance for snow, at least not in NJ. I hate this time of year. Testing, heavy-duty concert prep, and for some reason this seems to be when I teach my boring stuff. My richer students start taking weeks off for family vacations in Cancun and other places that don't require coats. Oh, how I hate this time of year. The kids at school are bored and wrestless and the teachers are fried and little tiffs start up between everybody. 78 school days left, but how many days till honest-to-goodness Spring?