Love of a good woman

Went early to visit my dad today. When I got there at 8:30 or so, Mother's best friend Pauline was there weeding the flowers. She and Daddy have leaned on eachother in their grief and today I think he figured out why it is really OK for them to spend time together. He said they work together well because they were in love with the same woman. It is so true. Pauline came along at the perfect time in Mother's life, she was about to lose her last sister, and we all thought she was about to lose Daddy. So, for about four years, Pauline was the sister of the heart my mother needed so much. Pauline needed her, too. Her son lived hundreds of miles away and she needed a girlfriend. It is amazing how much they were alike. Today, she said she felt so comfortable with me because I am like my mother. That was great praise to me. Sure, I saw Mother's faults, at least some of them, but she was still the biggest influence on my life. I do aspire to be my mother in so many ways. It is strange that I feel so close to Pauline after only spending a few hours with her over the short time I've known her. She's like a favorite aunt.
On to other things. My son just got back from a trip east to a comics convention. He wants to be a comic book writer. Who am I to say that dream is just a dream? He is a good writer. He is a devoted comic fan. And, the thing that keeps me sane, he has promised to finish college with a degree in English and a secondary certification to teach so at least he will be able to eat, pay his student loans, and have insurance while he pursues the goal. OK. Suits me. There are worse things in life than teaching while you reach for another dream.
One of the counties I worked for this last year is sending me to an administrators conference next week. I doubt there will be any representatives from my own county but myself. What is odd is that I'm still just a teacher with no likely prospects of becoming an administrator. At one time, I was very much at peace with that. After 28 years, I can honestly say I'm a much more energetic, knowledgable, interesting teacher than I was even ten years ago. I can also say, believe it or not Ripley, Mississippi, that I still like middle school students. I think I'll start my EdS this fall and when I finish, the pay raise will amount to the same as an administrator in a small school, but I'll not have the responsibilities or the hours. Makes me wonder if I really want to leave the classroom. I'm smart enough to know I'm basically a lazy person and I already know enough to keep up with my subject area fairly easily. Why would I want to take on more? (One of these days I'll talk myself into that speech)
This sounds like I'm slightly blue, doesn't it? I think it is just the mosquito bites. Not to worry. I have knitting and chocolate, just not a good book!