Friday, May 05, 2006

Four boys and a trimmer...

My old trimmer is broken. I tried to fix it...I tried to find a part to replace the broken part...but parts are impossible to find. So, a new trimmer came home with me tonight...after school, even on time. (Well, I did have to coach a skit for a 4-H club skit......)

I was so excited to have my new trimmer. I changed into my work clothes...got my tool box ready, but just could not put it together. (There was only one small screw!) My new neighbor boys (of which there are 4) sent the middle child over. (He is 13) and he knew just how to fix it! A miracle, I said, truly a child wonder.

I mowed and trimmed...took down the protest sign put up by all of my neighbors. OK, just kidding there, but I could see all the binoculars in the other houses on West Street watching me work. Who says a girl can't run her own house????


Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Fifth grade boys and interpretative dance????

This is my first year in teaching theatre as a requirment. Oh, it has been a great year...fraught with delight and,other thoughts of you've got to be kidding floating in my head!

So, to end this school year and huge Sonnet-a-thon has been planned by my fourth graders. You know, community leaders coming in to the school to read sonnets (even our state representative), reception, and a very ceremonious literary day. I love days like that. This one is, like all others, student directed (by the fourth graders) with a little help from their teacher/director!! Of course, the reception is out of my hands...we may have cookies, but no napkins...punch and no cups or vice versa!!! Teaching them hand shaking is another gift lots of children are void of.....a whole class on hand shaking???

I thought how fun (&^%$$#) to involve the fifth grade students in interpretive dance to Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. By now, (you knew this was coming) I am about to re-evaluate all of my teaching and directing methods. I vetoed socks after yesterday's rehearsal as the boys (notice I said the boys) slid across the gym floor and bounced off the gym floors...allst the while the lovely young ladies are flitting and dancing and freezing on cue. "Stomping," I say is not dancing. "I do not want to hear body parts slapping the floor."

All right, there is still a week to go. How many sick days do I have left?????

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Pearl Drops of Spring

Tonight sitting out on the old stoop of my lovely old house I was surrounded by a canopy of pale pink petals from my crabapple trees.

We had severe rain all day and tonight by dusk, the clouds parted and streams of sunlight lit up the tangled masses of damp grass. As the wind picked up the petals fell cascaded on my hair, on my shoulders...on my soul.

Aaron and Jonah stopped over on their nightly stroll for some "bubbles" as Jonah says. We pulled out the container and as I blew the bubbles mixed with the pearl drops of spring.

Ahh...joy and wonder.

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, teacher, and storyteller who lives in Angola, Indiana. She is available for writing seminars, storytelling, and speaking engagements. She can be contacted at locketoftime@aol.com. You can read more at www.louannhoman.com

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...