Friday, April 29, 2005

Late Afternoon Serenade

Ahh, the world is full of music...and surprises...today I hosted a Mariachi band for the kids at school...the colors were bright..the music just wonderful..and the floor was flled with dancing children and teachers...The band was from Indinapolis, speaking only Spanish...and played everything we loved from the Chicken Dance to Tequilla!!

At the end of a long day I was in charge of little Jonah (my little grandbaby of 7 months)..although in all reality he was in charge of me. He cried all the time his Mama was gone. Finally at dusk I noticed the neighbor boy, Ed, practicing his trumpet in his back yard. I hollered over for him to come over...so bringing his case and music stand and gently carrying his trumpet he came over to the front stoop. He set up his one man band and played for Matthew and Jonah. Sometimes we listened, sometimes we danced and the neighbors peered through curtains wondering what was going on now at the House at White Picket Gardens. We heard everything from his own version of the Chicken Dance to America the Beautiful to Clair de Lune. What a great way to end the day.

By the way, this is Ed's first year as a trumpet player. I think we will see his name on a CD in the future!!

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Sonnet-a-thon

Today I am hosting my first "annual" (that is yet to be determined) Sonnet-a-thon to honor William Shakespeare.

Now the truth is, I have particited in other Sonnet-a-thons with professors and writers and teachers and literary experts...it was glorious listening to the words roll off their tongues.

Today, however, it is being hosted by a fourth grade class. They have worked for a couple of months on this...committee work, their first, and hard to understand the concept that you do your work and someone else does theirs and it all falls into place..or so it should.

As of right now..the belief was that Shakespeare died and rose again (a product in conservative Indiana, typo, what?)....the reception consists of one large 7-up, a gallon of punch, one punch bowl, one tray, one package napkins...there are no cups, cookies, tablecloths.

We are still struggling with the pronounciation for the emcee cards of 'university' and 'graduate' to introduce our guest community readers.

The flu season still continues so we might miss an important fact or two in their 'facts of Shakespeare' part of the program. But, who really cares when he was born, died, what he wrote, thought...

All I can say is, all's well that end's well, and Shakespeare didn't even say that!

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Florence M. Ball

Yesterday while having coffee (raspberry-chocolate) at Rachael's coffeeshop..just a few blocks from my house..I was reading the paper and came across an obituary:

Florence M. Ball, 99, of Ashley, died Friday, April 22, 2005. Arrangements by Johnson Fueral Home, Hudson.

I tore it out of the paper, stuck in my jeans pocket and walked home with it. Later I took out the crumpled piece of paper and placed in on my desk.

I want to know more about Florence, but all I have is this obituary. She lived for 99 years...think of all the changes that she saw in the world. Did she like the color ruby? Did she garden? Did she marry and have children? Did she ever see the ocean or built a sand castle? What color were her eyes?

Do you know Florence? If so, tell me about her.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Earth Day...2005

Earth
turquiose emerald
spinning whirling dancing
spherical diverse
Home

I love Earth Day...I have been celebrating, or trying to celebrate it for several years. One year at school we all bought tee-shirts with pictures of the Earth, bought a tree and sang a specia song. Of course, it rained that day...but I remember all of the children poking their out the windows singing about the earth with much gusto.

This year a first grade classroom that I work with has gathered coffers for a tree and we are in the process of making our own list to save the Earth according to first graders! I will publish it next week!

I have told stories a Earth Day celebrations...planted trees...I recycle, car pool, turn my heat down...and do my part. So..you can imagine my disappointment for this Earth Day with 7 inches of snow predicted...all the celebrations canceled for the day, how I must feel.

However, it is nice to know she is still in charge.

Friday, April 22, 2005

And then there were five..

I live alone. My kids at school think that is weird...some of my neighbors wonder about me also!
After time a person gets used to it..now I'm not saying I like it..I am just saying it is how I live...or should I say how I used to live.

This afternoon around 4:00...a carload of folks moved in with me...they drove a white van that was filled top to bottom with "stuff" that has now filled the Cottage at White Picket Gardens.

Odd, you think...did they randomly choose my lovely house on this quiet tree-lined street? No, it was rather deliberate...it is my son, Aaron and his family, Karen and their two babies, Matthew and Jonah. They will be staying here until the first of June.

My kitchen is filled with baby food..the high chair is now in the dining room with a real live baby in it...my knitting basket, seashells, CD's, silver stars have all been tucked away...there are toys and cribs and diapers and trucks all over.

There is also something else around that I don't hear very often...soft voices, breathing, laughter, cooing, and someone to share dinners with.

Yes, life will certainly be different for the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted!

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

If I write it...will you read it??

Dear Friends,
I have just realized how irresponsible I have been to this blog site..and believe it or not..it it really important to me. So, if I become more faithful, will you become more faithful in reading???

Tonight was my book club night. I love book club. We are all women. We take turns hosting and serving dinner (yes, we talk about the book..a lot!!)

This month's read was Reading Lolita in Tehran. It will probably become (it is already!) my favorite book of the year. It is written by Azar Nafisi. I would recommend it highly!!

The book itsef lends itself to other reads...Nabokov, Fitzgerld, James, Austin...it is a rich read, and I found it especially wonderful after the V.M.

There are so many wonderful quotes that it is very difficult to choose one...but I shall indeed do that:
"Modern fiction brings out the evil in domestic lives, ordinary relations, people like you and me. What is frightening i that the blindness can exist in the best of us as well as the worst. We are all capable of becoming the blind censor, or imposig our visions and desires on others."1

1. Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...