Short Timers Syndrome

"Things ain't what they used to be and probably never was."
~Will Rogers

Days Like These
This is the shawl that my Gram started for a friend of mine here in Quin back in November. Then Gram had her stroke in December was unable to finish it. She ordered me, with all of my 3 weeks of knitting experience, to complete and deliver it. Well, it took me 3 months but here it is, I finally got it done. Not nearly as good as Gram would have. It was a joint effort. I brought it to Emma on Easter with love from Gram. Gram just got out of rehab a few weeks ago, all had been going pretty good. Then I received the news that she had another small stroke this weekend. So far it seems to have affected her speech mostly. I am intentionally stuffing it. I have to right now to survive. My Gram and I are close, she is the main reason I would have decided not to return to Quin next year. I'm headed home already in 6 weeks for summer break, but it feels like it can't come soon enough, I can't wait to see her and my family. I know time has felt like it's been flying up here, but in this situation it now feels like it has come to a screeching halt. It's as if I'm crawling, like I'm moving in slow motion maybe even backward. Even at school things are headed toward wrap up mode. This week the kids and teachers alike are working our brains off, thinking our way through state testing. Now that is truly a Marathon!! In the special edu. realm I felt like I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, coming down to my last few files, of course right on cue 'Murphy's law-like' there suddenly are several new things popping up that were not on the agenda. So life-ish eh? The roller coaster we all ride. Don't get me wrong I'm eager to come back next year I feel it is what I am supposed to be to doing but right now at this exact time I am wishing I was home with my family. I miss Gram. Then the Physical Therapist and I were visiting this week and I told her my feelings after she had asked, of course. Don't want you worried that I'm sniveling on to whatever poor itinerant happens to cross my path. She smiled and said I was probably just suffering from 'Short Timers Syndrome'. Sounded interesting so I looked it up...guess it happens with people in the military quite often. I've self diagnosed with this instead of surrendering to the label of 'homesickness'. I need to start running again, try not to think about everyone and everything so much, time is still flying I hope. Speaking of flying, we might be hopping a 6 seater to Eek (a small village about 30 miles from here) this weekend for my friend Traci's birthday so that will be an adventure to get my brain back and find some perspective. Se la vi. Hope you all out there are enjoying Spring. It is snowing here.

Short Timers Syndrome

In 1967, Dowling provided the ‘classic’ description of how STS evolves: “There is the period of anxious apprehension, a potentially severe syndrome of emotional distress beginning mildly two to three months before rotation, but usually occurring obviously in the last three weeks of the tour and most marked the last three days prior to rotation. Irritability seems to alternate with euphoria. Pacing is a common sign. Quiet hard working individuals who for eleven and three quarters months have put up with deprivations, long working hours, and continually increased demands will suddenly behave in a rather inappropriate manner.”

Shout Out To: Dad! Happy Birthday on April 8th!! Love you! And To Traci Buckle over in Eek Happy 40th Birthday WWWWWWoooooo-Whhhhhhooooo! Celebrate, Good Times!

me plunder. Why don’t we just head back to Egypt? And right now!”

"They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to God. They told Moses, "Weren't the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Back in Egypt didn't we tell you this would happen? Didn't we tell you, 'Leave us alone here in Egypt—we're better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.'"
Exodus 14:10-13

"Why don't we just head back to Egypt? And right now!" Numbers 14:4 are about to beco