So this, kids, is where the Ides of December got me.

The Board of Education at our church hosted the pre-service meal before the Advent Service tonight and I helped get things together. Good thing I did that because I am one of three people who showed up. One of the people brought a pumpkin pie and I dug the whipped cream out of the teacher�s fridge to squirt on the pie. Someone asked me if the whipped cream was good � the teacher�s fridge being a notorious place for inadvertent science projects started by forgetful teachers � and I made a remark (met with much laughter) to the effect that Edith and I had eaten some of this whipped cream that very afternoon and I had yet to die.

Good call, smartass. In case you were wondering, I was in church when my diarrhea came back. Lucky for me, my body gives me a three-minute warning that it is about to violently expel something and I had enough time to make it to the staff bathroom that had been cleaned that very afternoon.

When you are as germ phobic as I am, you memorize the cleaning schedule and know where to go and where not to go, and when you can go where it is safe to go. There are known unknowns,

Luckily, I had already been to the matinee showing with my students who sang for the old people who go to the day service. Them singing was a result of me talking, politely, to the music teacher during my lunch break about the fact that my students involved in the chapel drama for the service would be watched by the kids who showed up today for school, and them my agreeing that all the boys and girls would sing if she wanted them to sing. I even had a nice, not about work, conversation with her. This is difficult for me because I really dislike her but I am trying to be a grown up, as boring as that gets.

Also today, the student I got the previously mentioned fitted hat for received his hat today. I had to give it to him today in case it did not fit, and I had to get him one that did. He cried and hugged me and if I had known this would be his reaction, I never would have done it. Kids have germs, more so than big people. I am by no means a fan of the germ. I do not share mine, do not feel compelled to share yours with me.

So this, kids, is where the Ides of December got me.