Friday

Life in Claremont today included:

• playing tennis with Jennifer
• biking to Trader Joe's
• walking downtown to the bank and library
• practicing the viola
• working on my current composition (string quartet)
• reading a book on menopause (it's time to bone up)
• enjoying the overcast sky and cooler weather

I had to entertain myself today since Claire was working and Hal is in San Diego (Escondido, actually) umpiring a state tournament. I have no trouble entertaining myself!

Kayaking

Since Claire had the day off from work yesterday, and Liesl is leaving this morning, we took a little family trip to Dana Point yesterday. Liesl is enamored of kayaks lately, so we decided to rent some for a little paddle around the breakwater. The weather was overcast, cool, and delightful, and we made our way through all the little sailboats with kids taking lessons.

After our hour jaunt, we wandered over to the marine center. It's been years since we were there - long enough for them to completely rebuild the small center into a rather large one, and now they charge admission. We couldn't go in, anyway, since during the week they are busy with summer camp kids.

Finally, I finished another book!

It took me awhile to get through this book because I wasn't terribly motivated to get back to it. Although the information in it was interesting, the style of writing was like a dry textbook. And the mapmaker's wife doesn't really come into the story until the last 1/3 of the book (which is the most interesting part to me). I should have chosen River of Doubt about Teddy Roosevelt's time on the Amazon.

The book club in Evanston had liked the book, or so they told me, so that's why I chose it for the book club here. We'll see what the group here thinks.

BTW, after Hal worked on our computer network with the new cable DSL, we DO have much faster internet than before. YAY!

More Transitions...

Today we switched over our internet and phone service to Time Warner Cable - Road Runner. Of course, it takes much longer than you think it should. Hal has just gotten the computer network up and running (at 10 p.m.), but I don't think we have phone service yet. At least I got to check my email and blog once today!

Wall*E

So, today's life in Claremont included seeing Wall*E, the new Pixar film. First of all, I have to say that it is fabulous to be able to walk downtown to see a movie! I'm not sure this is a kid-friendly movie, but we certainly enjoyed it (and by we, I mean Hal, Liesl, Claire and me). The funny part was the first little pre-movie where the girl sitting in front of us laughed and laughed, which made the movie even funnier. However, not a peep was uttered by the girl during the feature presentation.

It was a little dark, but we enjoyed the references to 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars, as well as the sound for the Macintosh when it's being booted up. Of course, the animation is amazing, and the main character is totally cute.

Redecorating

I spent a good deal of time watching HGTV on sabbatical getting all kinds of ideas of what to do to our house when we returned. It seems that our first project is Claire's room. When Claire goes off to Europe in September for her junior year abroad, her room will become Hal's study. So, the room is being transformed from a baby blue room to "Wilmington Tan" - a coffee-like color. We are also going to paint the trim. After the painting, we'll find new linens, stain the dresser, and make roman shades for the two windows. We might even replace the yukky screens.

4th of July

Another 4th of July in our own Garrison Keillor town. The park in the center of town (two blocks from our house) is filled with booths for various causes, food and games. People walk to parties bearing desserts and appetizers. But the best part is the parade at 4:00. When you can sit on the curb and yell out to people you know in the parade and they yell back at you, when you watch the high school marching band, when you see the mother-daughter belly-dancing duo and all the kids on their decorated bikes, when the teacher of the year gets the loudest cheers (and you cheer, too, because he was a favorite teacher of your kids), then you know you are in Claremont on the 4th. It's good to be home.

A Movie Blog

A few weeks ago, my friend, Bill, invited me to be a contributor to his blog - http://whatsinyourqueue.blogspot.com/

Bill and his son, Tim, write about the movies they enjoy, and their tastes are quite unusual, so don't be looking for reviews from any Pixar or Indiana Jones movies on this blog. I've written two reviews for whatsinyourqueue.

Anticipation.......

Liesl is somewhere in the Central Valley on I-5 on her way home to celebrate the 4th of July!

Neighborhood Excitement

A little bit ago, Hal called me to come look at a hawk that was on a car on our street. It was obviously hurt or sick since it didn't fly away, even though several of the neighbors stood around and talked about what to do. Mikal called several friends and one came by and said she'd take it to the vet that helps such cases. Mikal got a blanket, and I got a box to donate to the cause, and now the neighborhood drama is over.

This morning I met with my school principal to talk about my working at Vista next year. He has found some money to pay me to be the music teacher for about 7-8 hours/week, but first I had to officially resign as librarian. I wrote the letter and filled out the paperwork which I'll turn in tomorrow. I am excited that they want me for afternoons which will free up my mornings for exercising and composing music!

Next week I meet with the district people to plan the strings, and perhaps recorder, program for next year. All music, all the time!