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Patricia Baser

waiting/ the accidental concertmaster./ 2 hungry kittens.

July 24, 2008 at 1:06 AM

Waiting and waiting. That's me. At the end of the school year, I transferred from the middle school portion of my job so that I could just teach elementary strings and elementary music. I am waiting because (despite phone messages and email queries) I still have not been told which school that will be. Teachers go back on July 31, and students begin on August 7, so I kinda want to know.

In the meantime, I am enjoying quiet and practicing whenever I want, as my husband and daughters are off to visit their papou in Chicago and then to spend a week on Beaver Island. I was supposed to have a concertmaster audition on July 19th for this little orchestra I play in, but eveyone else backed out, so I won by default. So now I have a stack of music to bow and am practicing for a performance at a church this Sunday. Practicing on a schedule of my own choosing hasn't happened in a VERY long time, so I am savoring that.

I also seem to be feeding the entire animal kingdom of our yard. A couple of skinny stray kittens showed up last week, so I began leaving food out for them. They are pretty wild, so they always hide when they see me. The idea is to eventually be able to get them fixed at the vet. Momma cat showed up the next day, followed by a very skinny white cat and a limping tabby. Well, the bees that live in the dead leaves apparently like cat food, so a few of those come swarming in whenever I put out food. There are 4 crows who I shoo away every day, and there was a mockingbird there yesterday, but I think it was going for the flies and bees, so that was ok. At least one of the three raccoons that have taken up residence in the now vacant armadillo tunnel has also come to call. And today, someone was letting their doberman and retriever run free, so I had to chase them out of the yard after they had chased one of the cats under my car. Yikes! I just wanted to feed the hungry kittens!

From Kim Vawter
Posted on July 24, 2008 at 6:46 AM
Back to school. Yes--A shiny new school year!
I am considering going back to school myself. As a sub. Do you ever need a sub? What lesson plans would you leave a sub teacher for orchestra? Maybe?
Enjoy the rest of your summer vacation.
From Donna Clegg
Posted on July 24, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Isn't it crazy how school systems work sometimes? I, too, am waiting for a new job assignment that I've been promised but has not materialized. I have no idea where to report for the first day of preplanning (Aug. 1) either.

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