Easter break

Since Easter is early this year we have extra time off!! Friday through Tuesday (well, Tuesday is a superintendent's meeting but no classes). I will relax (and try to shake this cold), meet with a teacher friend about a workshop I may teach this summer for local teachers (an interactive program about 18th century life), beef up my website, do some correcting of papers and lesson plans. I hope we have a few people in on Sunday, but I haven't heard yet. I want to try to find a place to give blood Monday or Tuesday. I missed my appointment last Thursday... just way to busy and too much on my mind. There is such a shortage in CNY that I want to be sure to give when I can.

I had a call from Norway this afternoon... from Jeremy's buddy, Samuel Isaah. He is from Ghana and was Jeremy's 'tourguide' when he was there for a trip. Samuel was here last year for Easter and we really loved having him here. Amazing to know that if I went to Ghana I know I'd have a family that I could visit and stay with!!! The above pictures are of Samuel at our house with Jeremy and Jenny. We had a blast and got some pictures of them floating on huge ice sheets in the lake.

The sunsets on the lake are turning more and more beautiful now that its 'spring'. As the sun moves North and over the water, the horizon is purple, pink, greys and oranges from dusk to nightfall. Beautiful, and we often just sit enjoying the changing colors on our panoramic view.

Last weekend we went to Brooklyn on a little day trip. Steve purchased a nice new speaker and we took a drive down to get it. The guy turned out to be, Ian Pai, the original drummer for Blue Man Group and we had a little chat with him. He lives in a neat old brick building. The sun was out and we watched New Yorkers out with kids in playgrounds, the shoppers on Canal street and colorful stands in Chinatown... blissfully unaware that that crane would crash down minutes after we left that area in Manhatten!! We had a great dinner in an interesting Indian restaurant in Fort Lee in a plaza I remembered from a trip there several years ago. They were recording a commercial while we were there and we had terrific food. For the ride back, we picked up something from an incredible bakery in the same plaza. Uneventful ride back and we were home by 7:30 pm.

Even though I'm really busy at school, I like it. I wish I had more time to prepare lessons... since we're using more and more technology (Smartboard, LED projectors, etc.) it takes time to learn the software and more to adapt lessons to it, but I definitely see the benefits to my students especially. It keeps their attention and is easier to link websites to. I'm also tutoring after school and that keeps me hopping. The kids are working hard, but it's still difficult for them to keep up with all the assignments. I think one will do well if she keeps taking work home but the other... not so sure. I'm pulling for them.

Soon toys and games gigs will start. I have a few more this year than last. I still have to work on my website a little. I tried to fix the photo page... but botched it. I'm sort of waiting for help from Jeremy.. but he's working on his master's project (can't wait to hear it! He is composing and preforming and recording several pieces. He's hiring some good musicians, also.). Perhaps I can work on that over this weekend as well. Wish I had a web-fairy!!!

Well, later I'm going to try to pull some of my garden pictures from facebook; in faith good weather is on its way. I know some people must be sick of all the snow they've had... we've not had too much... but I will be very glad to see it get green, and my little garden begin to swell.