Stressful doesn't even begin to describe the situation I was in! Shoot! I was ready to light one up! HA!

You know, if she would have said she was going outside to wait for someone, I know I would not be here working through this (THANK YOU, this is so much cheaper than therapy!).

I really need to let this go because I have been invited to dinner....okay you'll love this story. The school board is notorious for going overtime being as much as hour(s) later. I made a wager with the new board director steak dinner at this awesome steakhouse the board will not be in open session before 6:00 as posted. OH YEAH! They started at 7:15!! Only problem, this other gal is in on the bet .....so I need to get over this so we can have a nice fun dinner!

Thank you though! I really do appreciate your responses. Library Mom, there is so much to do and this is the last thing I need to keep me from being the "PTO Mom" I have become known to be!

Ok, I wasn't going to respond due to the fact I too smoke. I have to agree with C. Brooks, that under stressful situations, I feel the need to have a few puffs. But I will say that I don't hold up meetings, etc. because of that. I can step out side and spend 1 minute to calm down (smoke)although we are not allowed to smoke on school grounds, so I go out to my van so I may be gone 2 minutes at the most. I also don't throw my butts on the ground, smoke around others who don't smoke, and would never smoke in front of other's kids.

Now having said that, I think that everyone was under a lot of stress, and tempers were short. My feeling is that if you feel the need to say your sorry, then do so. It may be that she doesn't think anything is wrong. I'm not saying that she was right, just that she may not even realize that you were so upset.

Let it go, enjoy your summer and plan on making a new start. You have a lot of good ideas, and feelings and want to make your school a great place to be. Keep up the good work!

Take it from a long time smoker. Three puffs will get you through and it only takes 10 minutes to smoke a 100 (longer than a king). I too would have been very angry. Your election sounds stressful, but if she was mad because someone else smoked, time to invest in some Nicorette. She could have at least had the courtesy to tell someone where she was. On top of that you sound like you may be experiencing some year end stress. It gets REALLY bad around here. I found myself in a few vein popping situations at the end of the year when I would think, was there a need for me to be upset? I think you had good reason. Now take deep breaths and get ready to take charge..again (I am thinking you've been pres before with all the crew you have ). Deep breaths.

OH MY GOsh Scott's MOm I think I went throught three huge packs of gum in four days working with her! The last pack I was even pounding on my hand like a pack of smokes! UGH!! Every morning she was because the doors weren't unlocked AT 8:00 but 8:05 (our maintnece person was also filling in for the transportation director whom is on leave-- one person wearing 5 hats!) I was understanding but....you are right, it's water under the bridge. Now if I can just keep from burning this bridge !

Thanks guys, Daddio- she did mess up the schedual and inconvenced twenty people (one being the lawyer, one from the school district). Plus there was the security guard (don't get me started) that went over time....he was contracted till 8:00 and we left at 8:30. I know, but at $30 an hour....!

Our last PTO mtg was last week and I did make it clear in my own way that I would use this break to get back to normal etc. I'll be fine, it's just when such high expectations are put forth you want everything to go smooth and that was the last little thing I needed!

Thanks everyone!

[ 05-14-2005, 04:55 PM: Message edited by: mykidsmom ]

mykidsmom, last fall our Pres signed us up for a cruddy fundraiser and then chagned her work schedule so she wasn't availabel to help as she promised when she lobbied for the position. Anyway, my mother had been in and out of the hospital the whole week before and I was still pretty stressed and then I had to run the fundraiser stuff by myself with my toddler in tow. To top it off we had a meeting that night and she didn't even show up. Knowing that I was stuck at the school all day, she didn't even call to prepare me. I finally got home around 8, so 12 hours at the school, and she's ringing my phone off the hook wanting to talk about everything she missed. The next week she got pissed at me because I forgot to tell her something that really had no impact and she told everyone I was irresponsible. Anyway, I don't think the whole working together thing was for her and we all kissed the ground when she resigned a few months ago. Would I apologize to someone who'd been riding me for something that they then held up and I lost it? Probably not unless someone twisted my arm. If you have to work with her again, put some gum in your mouth so you can chomp on it instead-works for me.

I'd agree. She was probably just as stressed and it was over (in her mind) at 7pm. And, she needed the smoke break. I don't smoke but my wife does, and she does things like that regardless of how it affects schedule. Drives me nuts, but that's the way it is.

In the end, did the extra few minutes hurt anything? If not, move on.