Busy-ness and Business

It has once again been quite awhile since I posted. I have this terrible habit of thinking to myself "I really should share that on my blog", and then completely forgetting.
In expectation of returning to work in the fall, I contacted my children's school, to see if I could volunteer, you know, kind of get my name known, my foot in the door, since it has been awhile since I was last a teacher. The principal was thrilled but suggested I try applying right away to become a substitute, as they are DESPERATE for French Immersion subs. So I figured, hey, why not, and contacted the head honcho of subbing (not her actual title, but you know what I mean). I was told that I would not be considered for the sub list unless I got more experience, since I have been a stay-at-home mom for 9 years. Talk about your catch-22 situation...I can't get the job because I need more recent experience, but I can't get that experience if I can't get the JOB!!! So I have begun volunteering at the school. I have a feeling it will not do me any good, as the teachers don't really have me doing much rigorous teaching. Mostly just reading with the kids, evaluating their reading, and in some cases helping them learn their alphabet and letter sounds. But I will do it to the end of the school year, just in case. And I have also applied to a school board for the schools in the outlying communities. They sounded like they would consider me, but I find myself in a holding pattern at the moment, as I have not heard back from them in about a week.
In my frustration with the fact that it seemed that all doors were being slammed in my face (there was a period of about a month where everything went wrong as far as my attempts to get paperwork together and such went for teaching applications...references moved or deceased, school divisions who have no record of me "because our records don't go back that far", the whole "get more experience, but we won't hire you" issue...things like that), I had decided that maybe teaching was not where I am supposed to be. I still reserve the right to that opinion, though now that things seem to be moving a little bit (with the school board that MIGHT hire me as a sub), I am willing to give it another chance, if they will give that chance to me.
But if they don't, I decided to try another path. I wanted to do something where my job would be something I LIKED to do, pay or not. So I have started my own business.
I call it Fruits and Flours. I make Montreal style bagels, buns, bread, jams, and jellies. I'm having a blast, and have some neat bread pans, so I can make smaller loaves, or even baby loaves. It isn't making money yet, but then, it's only been open about 3 weeks. I've had 9 orders so far, and only one negative response, and even then, it was more of a preference thing. So I continue to get everyone hooked, one bagel at a time. LOL (Shameless plug: www.fruitsandflours.webs.com)
So now, I am trying desperately to squeak in some time to exercise, especially since the annual Fun Run is coming up at the end of May, and I promised Daughter we would do the 5K again. It's not working so well yet...I get up, read my e-mail, weigh in, have breakfast, dress, clean, bake, eat lunch, volunteer, bake, cook, eat supper, clean, crash. Occasionally have an evening event or have to shuttle kids to an evening thing. So with my business and my attempts to get back into teaching, I'm finding BUSY-ness is taking over my life.
Given a choice, I'd be happy to drop the volunteering and cleaning and just eat, sleep, bake, and sing. :) Ah well. That's what retirement is for, I guess!