Oh, What A Week!

And I thought the first week of school was hectic!  This past week's pace started Monday afternoon when I checked our mailbox.  I had a summons to the Policeposten (Police department) for the next morning.  What could I have done to cause this??  Scrambling, Smitty and I found one of our German colleagues who was willing to accompany me.

Tuesday morning, after an amazingly peaceful night's sleep, we arrived at the police department to learn I had not paid for gasoline on our trip north to the GEM Conference in August.  We have a routine when we travel, so I know that we must have stopped at that station, but neither of us can explain not paying for gas.  Smitty assured the policeman we would look for receipts.  No receipts were found.

Wednesday morning Hannah (our granddaughter who is living with us for 6 months) was ill and not attending school.  I fell  and sprained my foot while emptying the trash.  The day was filled with concern for Hannah and limping up and down stairs.  The information we needed to pay for the gasoline was delivered to my mailbox and Smitty began the process of righting the wrong.

Thursday Hannah attended school and my foot began to be more useful.  Thursday afternoon I set up a lab for chemistry.  Thursday evening the three of us had dinner at Liel Dorm spending time with the girls.

I was quite excited about the lab for Friday.  The classes would heat sodium hydroxide with zinc and turn a penny first to silver (zinc coating) and then to gold (create a brass alloy).  Second period the students focused and calmly completed their tasks.  Fourth period felt radically different.  The students seemed worried and excited all at once.  Half way through the lab one of the teams dropped their hot beaker of zinc and sodium hydroxide.  Unperturbed, I helped them clean up and reassured them that they could watch the others.  Friday night could not have come soon enough!

And Saturday morning I awoke with stuffy nose and sore throat, demanding a quiet weekend in bed.  Ahhh, is it Monday again tomorrow?  I survived this crazy week, maybe next week will be quieter.