Diary of a Retiring Teacher

  Schumann Gym, Grand Island Central Catholic Last Thursday morning I was sitting at school Mass in the old gym staring at painted cinderblocks and feeling tearful - because, naturally, a good cinderblock always makes you emotional. The old gym is now Schumann Gym and named after our former and beloved athletic director, Howard Schumann. In the last decade or so, everything in that old gym has been renovated or replaced - new bleachers, new doors, new windows, new stage curtains. The floor was repaired many times due to a water issue that kept creeping up back in the 80's. Every once in a while the floor would buckle and swell into a gently rolling hill right under the east end basket. Our basketball players were used to it and became adept at running up one side of the hill to score a quick layup.  But it only bewildered opposing teams who tripped and fell together in a confused muddle. It was a definite advantage for our Crusaders.  When they finally repaired the water ...

Dee and GH Hanssen  On two different occasions in two different houses, a bat has entered our home through the fireplace. By God, I know it was the same bat.  With the help of one small black kitty - who instantly became a maniacal predator - my husband John caught both bats and set them free outside so that, once again, they could make a bee-line for the chimney to map out future break-ins. I've been terrified ever since and pray regularly that I will die before John does. I wouldn't even know how to catch a bat. If John's deceased, I'll just sell the house. I should pray instead to be as brave as Dee Hanssen. With her beautiful, bright smile, Dee is much more than our guitar-playing, golf-coaching religion teacher. The lady's got guts. Not long ago as she and her husband GH were sleeping, Dee heard a frightening "whoosh" above her head. She was instantly awake. "GH!" she shook her husband. "There's a bat!" GH turned over and murmu...