Traveling with Ellen

Today was paper mache' day in my class.  It's so funny, the children who I think would love it, didn't and the children who I thing would never like it LOVED it!  It is always that way! Rick is going away for a month:  back to NY to see his family and his birthday is next week, so the teachers and assistants backed him a racy cake.  He is so well liked by his staff and they are so glad to have him around. Yesterday, I told Rick the story about the Montessori teacher at Countryside M. and how her left breast was to Jesus and the right one was hers.  (she is a major wacko and the only one that was ever fired by Countryside M.)  So one of our teachers, put Jesus on one breast and Lola on the other.  I told her that he would probably think that I told her to make that cake....I had no idea that she was baking him a cake.  Here's the cake and Rick the boss!

This weekend I finally feel comfortable enough to go exploring.  On Tuesday, I will move down to my apartment.  When I got here someone was using the apartment, so I stay with my host family in their guest room.  They are very nice people and I hope to stay close to them.  Look, what trust there had to be for her to take a stranger into her house and for us to get along as well as we do.  They have been fantastic in helping me get around and feel welcomed.  I knew NO ONE when I came here although I met Rick on skype once or twice.  For the first few days, Rick was the only one I felt comfortable being open and honest and scared to.  I've moved on from those feelings.  He and I share thoughts and a giggle once in a while at school. I haven't really done much the past two days.  It has been cold and rainy and I came home directly from work.  I have been helping out after my hours are done.  Yesterday, I observed a toddler who was biting and today, I was i

Yep, if I am to venture into the parks by myself, I was told by my dear boss to get some Bear Mace.  It is a little different then people mace as it is more broad spectrum and will spray a larger area.  One of my Michael friend's told me to get a gun.  I am not sure but neither sounds easy yet I am not going to let them get the best of me! Today, I got a gift from one (here that Susan, ONE of the best, not the BEST)  of the best assistants I have ever had in all my Montessori teachings.  She is  a great person and a great assistant. Smoked Salmon.  One of my new favorite foods.  I don't know what I am going to do when I return to NC except keep the shipment up.  Fish has always been one of my favorite foods for most of my life.  I have always been a big fish eater but I really didn't think of it until one of Melanie's boyfriends said something about how well Mel eats and her comment was "well we ate fish about three times a week". That was probably when

 Here are pictures of the playground at Anchorage Montessori School. They go outside every day, in rain or snow if the temperature is right.    And here is the outside play rule for the state. Outdoor Recess Students who are well enough to attend school are well enough to play outside unless the school receives a note from their medical provider. Students in the ASD play outside until  temperatures are 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit . Appropriate attire is necessary to prevent frost bite. I wish I can remember what North Carolina policy is but I know it isnt 10 below.                                                                       Garden 1  He is slowly becoming my favorite little boy.  He has taught me so much about airplanes and float planes and told me that he will be in the pilot seat and I can sit next to him and we can go for a ride.  I'm in!                                                                  Garden 2              

Today was a cold and cloudy day.  I thought it felt good.  I wore jeans, tshirt, sweater, socks and shoes and it is June 24.  Sounds funny doesn't it!  It rained on and off but after 10 this morning, mostly off.  I went to the Y today for a swim, had lunch and went to a movie with one of my quilt guilds daughter's who lives up here in Anchorage.  She must be in her early 40's, I was afraid to ask.  She looked good! At the movie theater, I looked out over to the mountains and noticed how the clouds covered most of the mountains but a small piece in the distance.  You have to follow the middle telephone pole to the way back in the pics, to see the mountain piece that was showing.  I am not sure if the picture captured the beauty of it all. I didn't do much else today but grade.  I took my host's dog for a walk (shhhhh, don't tell Chuck)  and took some pictures of the neighborhood.  One of the things I love is that the lilacs are just coming in bloom

Today is the second Saturday that I have been in Anchorage and I wanted to list my accomplishments.  I have a car (damn rental) and  a place to stay ( Tom and Andee's guest room until apartment is empty).   I can now get to work without my GPS.  I can get to two different grocery stores without directions and I can even get home from them.  I can get to one health food market with directions. Today I tried going the 8 minute trip to the Farmers Market at 15th and Cordova.  I had my directions on my iphone and was set.  I wont say exactly what happened because I really don't know what I did wrong but 45 minutes later I was at the market.  My hip hurt and I was frustrated.  I walked around for a while and then left without getting a thing.  I hate being directionally challenged and if you add anxiety to it, my challenge is even greater.  I came home afterwards. I came home and graded some students work which helped me get focused on what to do.  I had wanted to go the Eag

Catch up time:  I didn't post for a few days, and my big "thing" was to post every day.  Oh well.... Yesterday, I went to two different quilt stores.  One I had contacted before I left NC and thought I would take a class there.  Then Andee, my host, told me about another store closer to where I am staying.  I went to the Quilt Tree  and loved it!  I stayed for about an hour just looking around and talking to the women there.  It also is a yarn store and has classes for knitting and sewing.  I looked at her summer schedule and the open classes left for summer and Sashiko was one of them.  Last year for my birthday, Eric and Monica gave me a few books on Sashiko and I haven't used them yet.  June 30 is my class and I am very excited.  I also get a 15% discount on all fabric on the day of my class which will help me when I make my Challenge Quilt for the Quilt Show in September. Feeling accomplished in helping me establish life up here, I relaxed a bit more.