Vaccine, De-nied

Otherwise known as... A Very Busy Day Indeed.

This morning started off like most any other work day.  Except... when I pulled my chair out at the breakfast table, Aiko-chan decided it was really meant for her.

That's MY chair, silly, here's yours.  My father trained her to sit in an empty chair next to him when we was out on the back porch at his house during the time we spent there last year.  Dad would drink his coffee and the two of them would have a lovely morning chat.  Now, I have to do the same thing, otherwise she complains the entire time I have my breakfast.  I pull out a chair, she jumps up; I drink my coffee, savoring blackberries and Greek yogurt while reading about the world via this week's Economist.  Aiko-chan purrs and I pet her occasionally... for a few brief minutes, all is right and good in the world. 

Then I wash my breakfast dishes, apply my lipstick, slip on my shoes, and off I go to face goodness-knows-what in my role as school counselor at My Small Town High School.   I love my job, and my days go quite fast.  Today I had scheduled classroom guidance in two classes of sophomores.  We played the Admissions Game, and talked at length about what colleges are looking for in an applicant, and what the students can do to get there.  I really enjoyed the time I spent with them.  Sometimes I miss being in the classroom more often, but being a school counselor allows for just enough time to get my teaching fix.

The class of kindergarteners that I taught 11 years ago are now in 11th grade.  It is so incredibly strange to see my kindergarten babies all grown up.  I see one just about every day I am on campus, a constant reminder of the passage of time.  One decade... so fast... and so much has transpired.

After work today I went to another County building, where I had an appointment to get the flu shot.  As I was walking to the cafeteria, where the shots were located, I came upon some former colleagues.  Hey!  Is this the way to the flu shot?

It is, but they are out of vaccine.

De-nied.  

It seems they gave out vaccine to folks who didn't have appointments.  Arrrggghhh.  What can you do?  The shot will be given on my own campus on the 13th, but for some reason I had scheduled mine for today at a nearby location.  I think it was because I was afraid of side effects interfering with my upcoming birthday... or my planned trip to Boston.  Both of these words beginning in B are most important to me. 

I guess I'll take the gamble.  And I'm off for the rest of my busy, busy Wednesday schedule.  I'll keep you posted...