More String Classes

It was over 100 degrees today, and it is still hot now. Thank goodness the three rooms I taught in today were air conditioned. Kindergarten at Vista, then beginning strings at Oakmont and Condit. Slow to start since not everyone came (3 of 10 at Oakmont - 7 of 14 at Condit), but I'm still tired, nonetheless! BUT, I am going to enjoy all my classes, I think, unless the real stinkers missed the first day....

And we're off!

First day of string classes this year. First day of teaching strings in one and a half years.

I'm tired!

Wasatch Mountains

Yesterday while Hal played 18 holes of golf, I went on a lovely scenic drive through the Wasatch Mountains with two of the golf widows. Fall colors are starting, and next week should be quite beautiful. We saw these Cascade Springs and then went to Sundance for lunch. More pictures at my Picasa Web Albums.

The High Life

The Stein Eriksen is probably the most deluxe place I'll ever stay. It's the kind of place that celebrities frequent, especially during the Sundance Film Festival. We've heard that Tom Hanks is here this weekend, although we've not seen him. We also heard that he was at the Riverhorse Cafe yesterday when our group was there.

The Riverhorse was also one of the best meals I've ever had - macademia nut encrusted Alaskan halibut.

Hal's playing golf today, and I'm taking a driving tour with friends, and then we head home tonight, back to the life of regular people.

Mountain Views

Park City

Life in Claremont is on the road in Park City, Utah. Hal is here reviewing proposals for the Petroleum Research Fund, and I am hanging out at the beautiful Stein Eriksen Lodge. Here are pictures from our room. The altitude here is 8600 feet, the mountain air is sweet and fresh, the sun is shining, and the Aspens are quaking. Ahhhh.....

Yummy!

Hershey's Pumpkin Kisses - melt in your mouth yummy!

Athenaeum Talk

Tonight I heard James Fallows speak at the CMC Athenaeum. His topic was "The 'Axis of Evil' and Beyond: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Complex and Dangerous World." He has been living in Beijing for the past year and began his presentation with a slide show of various things, including the horrendous smog we've heard about, and a few of the billion people who live ordinary, poor lives in China. He was engaging and funny, and made me think I should probably go out and get an Atlantic Monthly (which I haven't done in a long while).

Weddings, Memorials, and the Danes

My niece, Jenny, is getting married on New Year's Eve, and here is the announcement in her home town paper.

Here is the book I just finished, Pontoon, by Garrison Keillor. The story revolves around a "commitment ceremony", a sort-of memorial service, and ends up with some Danes and a pontoon boat on Lake Wobegon. The first book I read by Keillor did not live up to his live storytelling, so I hadn't read anything by him in a long time. I heard Keillor's voice in this novel and enjoyed it straight through.

The Station Agent

Well, I was poised to write a good review of The Station Agent since it has gotten great reviews. Hal and I watched it last night, and although it had great potential, the pacing was lacking. I don't mind if a movie moves slowly, especially if the characters are interesting. These characters were certainly interesting. The plot seemed to be headed somewhere, but it was fuzzy about exactly where, and then it ended.

WaHoo!

Cubbies clinch a playoff bearth!

Saturday in Claremont

This morning we finally hung up the three small reproductions of old Chicago posters in our dining room.

We made it out to the REI used equipment sale and got a great backpacking pack for Hal for a great deal.

Claire has posted pictures of her first few days in London here. (She is also linked from my picasa web photos page.)

This afternoon we may go see the new Coen Brothers movie - Burn Before Reading. And then again, we may watch The Station Agent on DVD which got better reviews.

SKYPE!

Today I had a good, long chat with Claire via the computer. First she called me to tell me that she had successfully implanted a sim chip into her phone and could now call me at the rate of 30 cents (US) a minute. So we chatted for about 90 seconds. Then she got back to her dorm and skyped me. There was something wrong with my sound. I could hear her, but she couldn't hear me, so I typed all my questions and responses to her, and she talked back to me. After I closed Skype, I saw where I could turn up my sound (I think), so we'll try this again soon. Now that she is settling in, I think we both feel much more relaxed!

Nearly October

The Cubs' magic number is 2....

Claire in London

I had mail in my inbox today from Claire. Short and sweet, but she let me know she made it! She tried to Skype me today, but I was away from my computer when she called. Once she figures out how to connect her computer to the British electrical system and gets some sleep, I expect to hear some details from her. I still keep expecting her to walk through the front door, though.

There She Goes!

Last California Meal -In-n-Out. Waiting to check in.

Reading and Music and Food

Last night was book club with a great discussion of Loving Frank which I read last April. I really missed my book clubs while we were on sabbatical. There's something comforting about the longevity of a group of friends coming together to discuss books and life.

Before book club, we took Claire out for her last So Cal Mexican food at Los Jarritos. I'd never had their enchiladas before, and I think I'll be ordering them again. So good.

Claire and I leave for the airport in less than 1/2 hour!

I found this cool video online called Music for One Apartment and Six Musicians.

Firsts and Lasts

Today was my first day back teaching music at Vista after our wonderful sabbatical year. I had two classes of 3rd graders and a group of 24 upper graders. Right now I am tired and ready to relax before orchestra tonight. It will take awhile before I'm truly back in the swing.

Today was Claire's last day at Starbucks. Tomorrow is her day to make sure that all her loose ends are tied up before she takes off for London!

Goucher Event

This afternoon Hal, Claire and I attended a Goucher College event in LA. We were invited to the home of Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political analyst for many news organizations. She is a Goucher alum who received her PhD from the Claremont Graduate School. Goucher's president, Sandy Ungar (seen in the gray jacket and pink shirt next to Jeffe) asked Jeffe questions about the 2008 election, as did many at the gathering (about 80 people).

Jeffe is a lively speaker with a great sense of humor and ease, and we were glad we chose to make the 50-minute drive to see her.

New Looks

Claire has a new haircut, ready for London. Hal has new glasses, ready for school.

Adult Students

For some interesting reason, I now have three adult private violin students. No children, yet. The greatest part about teaching adults is their desire to learn. Of course, it's also easier to explain things to adults, whose brains are more developed. This is going to be a fun year!

Dinner and a Movie

Last night Claire wanted to go eat vegan food at Veggie Era - a Chinese restaurant in Upland. It was delicious, especially the Orange Chicken-Less that Claire ordered. I had Garden Vegetables, and Hal had Kung Pao Chicken-Less all on top of brown rice.

After dinner we watched our Netflix movie, The Band's Visit, about an Egyptian police band that goes to Israel to give a concert. It won an award at the Cannes Film Festival and several other awards. We thought it was okay, but not great. It moved slowly punctuated by small blocks of silence.

We are hoping that the new Coen Brothers movie comes to the Claremont Laemmle tomorrow....

Back at Vista

Today I went to Vista for a bit, checking on the progress of my room (getting there!), printing out music and lesson plans, etc. I went into the office and saw a student who said, "Hey, our music teacher is back!" She asked me if I remembered her. Of course I did, but not her name. She prompted me, and I remembered that she had been in second grade when I was last here. I asked her if she was in 4th grade now and after she affirmed that, she said, "You didn't lie. You said you'd be back when we were in 4th grade, and here you are!"

Don't tell kids anything you don't want them to remember!

Orchestra!

Last night I made my debut as a violist in the Claremont Concert Orchestra. This year we have 12 violas! Which is good since we are playing Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and the Faure Requiem - both heavy on low strings. Yay, violas! I really enjoyed myself in my new position. First of all, I'm much closer to the front, so I can see the conductor better. Second of all, I am having so much fun playing the viola. I love the challenge of the new clef which I think is keeping my brain exercised. Also, viola music isn't quite as fast as violin music, nor do we shift so very much.

I made one gaffe, though. I knew, but didn't really register, that the violas and cellos are opposite the violins in regards to who is on the inside and outside of the stand. The reason that this matters is that there are certain tasks that are relegated to which side of the stand you sit on. Inside players play the bottom notes in any divided sections, with the outside player performing the top notes. Inside players turn the page. I was sitting inside, but thought it was outside, until my stand partner made some sort of comment and I realized my mistake.

I am very happy to be playing in an ensemble again after a year off.

Ready for London Weather

Here is Claire in her new raincoat from REI, ready for whatever weather London throws at her!

Sunday

Sometimes it's nice to just relax all afternoon - read the paper, surf the tv channels and the web. This week I start in earnest to prepare for teaching: recruiting students to play instruments, setting up my room, lesson planning. I hope I remember how to teach!

An Alaskan's Opinion

From someone who knows Sarah Palin on a first-name basis, here is a letter outlining Palin's actions as mayor of Wasilla, including the attempted censoring of books at the public library, the expansion of government and raising of taxes.

The letter: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp

Back-to-School at HMC

Tonight was the annual Back-to-School dinner at HMC for faculty, staff and families. The theme this year was baseball, so one could have hot dogs, hamburgers and even cotton candy and Cracker Jack. Probably the most entertaining part of the evening was leaving the party and trying to avoid the student bed races outside the building. Groups of 4 students were pushing dorm beds on wheels in the dark. Ahhh, what parents are spending $45K/year for....

Quick Read

If you ever saw the charming movie 84 Charring Cross Road, it might remind you of this sweet book - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This novel is told completely through letters between a London-based writer, her editor, some friends, and the people of the island of Guernsey after the German occupation during WWII. Don't know where Guernsey is? I didn't either, but I know now!

It was amazing to read a book in two days after Pillars of the Earth which took over 3 weeks.

Happy Birthday, Liesl!

Here's where we were 23 years ago today - Happy Birthday, Liesl!

The students have landed

The students have been slowly infiltrating our sleepy town - we saw the cars unloading boxes and boxes (not just cars - a UHaul, too!), the pallets that have been in storage are on the streets, the first years are waiting for cars before they cross the street (that won't last long), and Hal will teach his first class tonight. On our way to the gym this morning, Hal and I had to navigate our bikes through the throngs of the ROTC kids running at CMC, and then all the elliptical machines were in use in the gym. We figure that we'll have our private gym back in about two weeks. Ah, yes, the world keeps spinning.

Labor Day is a good day to finish a book

Claire is busy in the kitchen making some sort of delicious-smelling vegetable soup and focaccia for our family time together tonight. We decided that family time can mean "good food" time. After dinner she is planning to make some delicious chocolate zucchini cupcakes.

I just now finished The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I have been reading it since we were in Yosemite, but I think it must count for 3 books since it is 973 pages long. For my book review I have to say, it is a great story, one that I enjoyed from beginning to end.