The last few days have been very busy, so sorry I didn't update. Lecture went well on Thursday. I have yet to take my notes out of my briefcase and burn the changes to a new CD and file for next year. ....next year that is IF I choose to teach Humanities again. It takes a time toll! Though intellectually stimulating, the pay off is not enough anymore. My friend, George used to say "Wow, you are teaching Humanities? That is quite the heavy teaching load!" Indeed it is.
Friday was filled with a beautiful weather day. The students were ready for Friday. My piano students perform on Friday and my Guitar students are assessed on Friday so it was a busy performance day. I critique and grade each so lots of listening, pencil, paper, and ending with a positive comment. Unlocked, locked, unlocked and locked 10 practice rooms, that many times ;-) Tuned 28 guitars, though they are making better attempts at tuning their own. My MT&T class was quiet in the sense that everyone was under headphones and working feverously. Their assignment had been to compose a 12 bar blues. Though we covered all the bare essentials, it was pretty interesting what they came up with. (rap over blues chords?) Many don't seem to understand what a "melody" is. Stopped at Arbor Farms on the way home, chatted with Even the deli guy, talked at length with a Mom of former students (Sophia and Glen Mitas) Sophia went to Japan with my delegation and then both Sophia and Glen went on to be my Humanities students. Mrs. Mitas still calls me "M&M Sensei" :-) She told me Sophia was finishing at Michigan and Glen is in his 2nd year there. Though both are doing very very well, she mainly told me about Glen who chose to live in Couzins Hall which had a "focus" of community service. It had attracted students from around the world. After freshman year, Glen took all the money he had earned during the year (parents are paying for college) and went around the world visiting all this college friends he had met in the dorm. By August he ended up in Dubai and flew home. WOW! She said it was hard for her to trust and let him go, but all turned out well. They are having a great Michigan experience (minus the football).
My friend, the C/W Gospel singer called Friday night. He reminded me he would be singing at a Christian coffee shop downriver Saturday night (no, I didn't go). Saturday arrived crisp and bright. I went to the Farmer's Market, bought leeks for potato leek soup (Will make later today), kale (for the chicken soup I had in the frig), and next door for a nice roast. Jan and Fran (Fran is Marshall's sister from Mississippi) came past and invited me out to the apple orchard and to see the colors. What fun! Cider, donuts and fresh crisp apple tasting! I bought enough apples to make several batches of applesauce. Jan just finished a class on the Underground Railroad in Western Washtenaw County, so she dragged along showing us all the beautiful sights on the path in Freedom Township. We spent time at the Zion Lutheran Church on Waters and Fletcher--established in the early 1800s. They conducted services in German until late 1930. The old cemetery behind the church has people from the early eras. They are buried not by family but by year they died. Interesting. Once home, I made my pot roast and apple sauce (yum!), worked on my lecture for Tuesday (Musical Instruments), talked to my Dad, my sister Denise, and my friend, Cynthia. Doug stopped by to help me move my harp from the lower level back up to the upper level. We had housed the harp downstairs during the summer to keep it cool and happy during those hot snotty months. Now she prefers to be upstairs. We sat and talked for about an hour. He has very wise investment advice. He told how his friend bought $50.000 worth of Ford stock last week.
Chelsea tidbits: Chelsea Pharmacy is moving across the street to join the Post Office in the old Polly's building. The builder sold the land development to Reinhart and they are selling the lots, including the lot at the bottom of the hill. They have free Zingerman's bread and pie tasting at the Chelsea Market on Saturdays. Word has it that one of the Zingee owners moved into town.
At my Humanities meeting on Thursday, did I tell you they asked me to lead the class trip this year? After wanting to go on the trip for the last 2 years, and saying so and being bypassed.......finally the guy in charge does not want to go and they asked me to lead (trip is to Greece)....I said no. Huron Band had asked me to chaperone at the same time. I will go with Huron. For those of you who don't know, I highly respect the Huron High School Music Team. They are mature, ethical, moral, and kind to one another. They work as a functional family, daily. Where are they/we headed on tour? Hawaii ;-)
It is Sunday morning so I'm working on my lecture, laundry, hopefully go for a walk in the beautiful weather, read a bit of a book, and attend a UMS concert tonight. I am not headed to my Dad's--just can't do that every week. With Denise there on and off, it does give Dad some company. Will be a late night for me, with an early start tomorrow but eh....
I"ve included a picture of my student Alexi singing his "Ode to Ms. Martinez" song. Brought a smile to my face.
Happy Sunday everyone!
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