Stee-rike!

   Let's cut to the chase - the big event of my week was the talk of a sick-out at work. I'll try to give you the abridged version of the story. For quite some time, EAs (educational assistants) and the EA union have been negotiating for a raise with the school district. We were offered a small raise, but the union wants more. It was voted on last week and the small raise was overwhelmingly voted down. In the mean time, the union is encouraging all EAs in Albuquerque to call in sick on the 30th. I have been against it from the beginning because I think there are more appropriate ways to prove how hard we work. The kids will be greatly affected by the sick out, and the kids I work with cannot meet their own basic needs without adult help. Our principal sent us an e-mail on Friday encouraging us to think carefully and read our contract before we act. It was totally blown out of proportion by the union president over the weekend and inflammatory e-mails are circulating about our principal, who I mentioned to you before has been very complimentary of me and my efforts. I looked in our contract and it says we are not allowed to strike, so I don't understand how everyone has overlooked this small detail. I will certainly be at work on Thursday! 

   We picked up our new recliner on Friday, about a week earlier than expected. Recliners can create a tricky situation for room arrangement, so Friday night we arranged our living room furniture 3-4 times. I take after my mom ;) She introduced me to furniture sliders, and now I don't have to wait for help if no one's around! Ryan finally solved the puzzle and I am very happy with our new layout. Tomorrow I will take a picture and post it for you. We're not completely done with it. We are going to paint one focal wall, and we ordered 2 ladder style shelves to go on each side of the TV stand. We're still watching the prices on flat panel TVs and hoping they will go down even more as Christmas approaches. 

   This weekend I will be in town for a quick visit. I'm in the wedding of a long-time friend on Saturday. It will be nice to see some friends who I haven't seen since we moved. It's hard seeing everyone I want to see in a short visit, but it just occurred to me that I will get to see a lot of friends at the wedding... one stop shopping :) I like efficiency! My cousin told me this week that she is having her 2nd child next spring. Congrats, Beth and Eric! 

I guess we'll wait and see how things play out this week, and I'll be sure to inform you in the next post.