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Life is tough. Nuns are tougher.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Nose to the Grindstone

Back to the grind.

As much of a Christmas maniac as I am, my very favorite day is the day after Christmas. It is my only day off all year. School is out. Leftovers abound. There is candy laying around.

These things are also true of the day after Thanksgiving, but I don't take that day off. And although there are plenty of leftovers and some pie the day after Thanksgiving, the day after Christmas has one more perk: there is always something to play with.

Mrs. Morris gave me a laminating machine. I don't know what I'll laminate. But look out, I'll be laminating everything. You could be next.

Mrs. Andrews gave us some plastic boxes in which to store our saint medals. Sister St. Aloysius busied herself sorting.

Sister Mary Fiacre ate See's Candy from Mrs. Gott. I haven't checked to see how much she got through. If there's anything left I'll laminate it.

We had a lovely Christmas day looking at the twinkling lights and listening to the children sing at Mass. The eighth grade boys get to do the bass "puddly pum" part of "The Little Drummer Boy" and they are very proud because their voices have changed. Some of them, anyhow. Some are still Vienna Boys Choir material for another year or so. At any rate it's about the only time of year the eighth grade boys are enjoyable. The rest of the year their company perpetually attains penance rating. "For your penance, hang around the eighth grade boys for a couple of hours."

I also received a 'gag' gift. I am well known for asking people who leave the room with no explanation and shortly return if they have washed their hands. Some anonymous person left me one of those "EMPLOYEES MUST WASH HANDS" placards with a note that said "from Teddy". I suspect it was Sister St. Aloysius. Teddy doesn't have any money. Teddy took the day off, too. Here he is under the tree.



By the way, when you wash your hands while you've left the room for a short time, you should sing "Twinkle, twinkle little star" while you do it. The whole song, not just that one phrase, otherwise you're hands will not really be clean. This is for all you people who slide their hands under the faucet for two seconds....'twinkle, twinkle'....you're out of there. This will not do.

Today we are all back at our routines with a few added responsibilities, like watering the 2 million poinsettias that are placed around the altar without getting water on the carpet. We are taking Sister Mary Fiacre with us to the church and parking her next to the manger scene. I think she scared a poor old lady who imagined she was one of the wise men for a second there. That woman should have realized it's not time for the wise men yet.

10 comments:

cattiekit said...

Aw, Mr. Teddy. He really DOES exist. <3 (that's supposed to be a heart)

At first I thought he was a refugee from mycathatesyou.com.
Quite the snarling little imp from the Inferno in that other shot.

I looked up "patron saint of cats" on the internets and lo and behold! St. Gertrude of Nivelles!

Has she got a medal? Catlovers and future loony old cat ladies like myself would glom onto that one in a second. :>)

Sister Mary Martha said...

No medals for Gertrude, unfortunately. Only in heaven.

Anonymous said...

The world and I thank you for mentioning the hand washing thing. It is one of my pet peeves -- especially so during this wonderful Christmas-New-Year's-Epiphany season which is also cold-and-flu-and stomach-ailment season. Proper handwashing can help prevent the spread of so many miserable ailments.

sister mary alternative said...

i teach 2nd grade and tell my students to sing, "happy birthday to you" all the way through while washing their hands. i'll time "twinkle, twinkle" and let you know which one equals more sanitizing time.

Rambling Speech said...

I occasionally work speech therapy with kids. I tell them to sing the "ABC's"-- that may actually be longer than Twinkle!

In the hospital, the required handwashing time, according to the orientation classes, ranges from 11-15 seconds. That's with soap, by the way, not just water! Try it sometime-- it actually is quite a long time- but just think of all those nasty little germs you're killing!

Handwashing=#1 infection stopper!

Sister Mary Martha said...

Alright now WAKE UP!!!! Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the Alphabet song are the SAME SONG. Where have you been putting that soap?

Fouquette Racing said...

Just a note to let you know this Catholic girl LOVES your blog!

Unknown said...

I try teaching my kids to say a Hail Mary while handwashing!

May God Bless you and hear all your prayers!

CMinor said...

I think Cattiekit's heart actually looks sort of mouselike. I tried adding eyes to it like this <:3 but I think the effect is lost.

Anyway, I'm sure Mr. Teddy would like a mouse as much as a heart.

Hi, Ramble!

cattiekit said...

Actually, c? I think you made it look EXACTLY like a mouse.

ALL cats love a mouse. They'll accept a heart as long as it's stuffed with Cosmic Catnip. ;>)