Year: 2004
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Homeward bound
We went to a nearby city (Moscow, ID) for the Farmers’ Market because Stanley, one of Erin’s instructors, was playing jazz violin for the morning. We met about two dozen friends from the institute hanging about. It was a wonderful friendly wrap-up from the institute. We bought cherries and doughnuts and smoothies and coffee and browsed the market. […]
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Suzuki Institute
The institute was awesome. Erin had 6-7 hours a day of instruction. She was the youngest in most of her classes by at least 2-3 years, so she didn’t really have any social peers, but she had plenty of musical peers, which was really what she needed since she doesn’t get that at home. The […]
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Pullman Institute arrival
Arrived in Pullman, checked into the dorm (wonderful! a suite of three small bedrooms and a large living / kitchenette area and bathroom) and did some grocery shopping to stock the kitchen for the week. Then we headed 3 minutes’ walk up the hill to the music building for registration and the welcoming “play-in” for […]
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Into the US
Did most of the southerly drive to get us into the US for our music workshop. Stopped to get a map of the area in the first town on the American side and saw a guy walking across the parking lot to his RV with a rifle casually at his side. Eek! Plenty of interesting […]
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Fort Steele
We visited Fort Steele, a re-created 1898 town, and spent the better part of the day there despite an incredible downpour. Had a ride on a steam train. Watched blacksmiths (one with a personal interest in swordsmithing, much to Noah’s delight!), leatherworkers, candy-makers, etc. at work.
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Creston and Cranbrook
We visited the Creston wetland wildlife preserve. Saw turtles and birds. Walked the boardwalk, hiked the perimeter of some marshes, looked at the indoor exhibits and learned a lot about flora and fauna. We also went to a railway museum in Cranbrook where they had many opulent passenger and sleeper cars restored to Edwardian splendour. Quite wonderful. I’ve always […]
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Vacation Time
Two weeks off for Chuck and a music workshop to go to in Washington State. Drove away amidst mixed weather. Waited an extra hour to take the big inland ferry (rather than the small one) across nearby Kootenay Lake. Fed the ducks and geese at the ferry dock. Fiona loved this. There were zillions and they were […]
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Figments of our imaginations
We have the coolest new family of unschoolers here in the New Denver area. After trying out the area last fall they moved away, then moved back, this time quite committed to staying. I feel like I’ve known Donna my whole life… we are so comfortable together. She’s a jewelry maker and watercolour painter, also […]
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Day 2 at school
Today in math they multiplied decimals to hundredths by single digits, did speed drill on division facts to 50, and reviewed 3D solids like prisms and pyramids, so I guess yesterday was uncharacteristically simple stuff. I also looked at the circle bookwork they had done yesterday and Erin was definitely overdramatizing the simplicity of it… […]
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Day 1 at school
Off she went yesterday morning with her backpack and her lunch and a big grin and a bit of nervousness. I picked her up at the end of the day and she was still smiling. Of course she’d felt socially comfortable because she knows most of the kids in the class already. She’d had fun. […]
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Cast-Off Day
Up early to get Erin’s cast off. The kids were impressed with the cast saw. We tried to meet with the Manager at the hospital who could give us the rubber stamp we need to get started with the Kids’ Garden Club (“GRUBS”) but she had double-booked herself and was in a meeting. We went […]
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A bear day
The day started with my “tour of the property”. I try to get outside first thing every morning and do a circuit to check on everything. Sophie and Fiona came with me. We checked on the chickens, fed and watered them. They’re about 5 weeks old now and one has been much smaller and lighter […]
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Off to school
I still haven’t heard from the teacher who is supposed to call me about Erin joining her class next week. I talked to the principal on Tuesday and he was going to ask her to call me to set things up. As I’ve been explaining to people around here, this year 80% of Erin’s art […]
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Quick update
We’ve been for a weekend out of town (medical conference), some book-shopping and art-supply restocking, and a lot of driving. My double-duty teaching responsibilities should settle down a little after this week… I’ll have child care at least, since my mom is back. Basically I’ve been swamped. I got up at 6 a.m. this morning […]
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Month at a glance
Gosh, it’s been a while. I can’t possible include all the details of the last month, but here’s an overview. My mom has been overseas, so I’ve been doing all the local violin teaching, with Fiona in tow. It hasn’t been easy, but I only have a week to go in this fashion. I think […]
