Home sweet home

I officially moved into my new place today (ie. I gained possession of my room, and am no longer sleeping on Kimberly's floor). There's so much SPACE that I don't quite know what to do with it! It's probably about 5 or 6 times bigger than my room on Mill Lane.
First order of business... Washing the dingy curtains. One of the benefits in having connections in your new place is learning some of the closely hidden secrets. For example, there's a way around paying for one of the washing machines in the laundry room. Unfortunately there was someone else doing her laundry when we got there, so Kimberly gave me this long-winded tour of the ironing boards, the hanging racks, the settings on the machines... The other girl must have either thought we were both dense, or felt really sorry for me. Lol.

Eclectic Weekend

What a fascinating weekend! Yesterday was simply amazing... The sun came out and at 19 deg, it was perfect for a walk into Romford. There's something about sunshine that is both invigorating and relaxing at the same time.

I'm also almost done my moving... One more load on the bus next week, then I'll be ready to go on Thursday night. Final cleaning on Friday, and it will be complete. Just in time for Spring Break! Yay!

Finished off my Saturday with another inspiring lesson with Trent, then into London for Kimberly's Orchestra Concert. With Trent, I learned Walker Street, "the ultimate string-crossing workout". Can't wait to show Roxanna what I've learned while she's been off enjoying herself.

The ELLSO concert was fab as well. I got completely lost coming out of the tub station and walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction before figuring out my mistake. I eventually found St. Anne's church. There are a lot of bridges, water, and steeples in that area (the directions I was following were not super clear). Despite my repeated big group class disappointments, I could easily sign up for something like that. Luckily I realise that I'm already stretched in too many directions, and am not willing to give up all my Saturdays.

After the concert, we both realised we'd missed supper and were starving. We found a Chinese Restaurant that was open until midnight down a dark street, and headed in with a little trepidation. Turns out that it was quite a high-class joint with the best tasting Chinese food I've ever had. All for a very reasonable, average price. The kind of place that takes your coat, holds your chair for you, puts your [fabric] napkin on your knee, and brings you a warm wet cloth at the end of the meal. If I had a website, I'd start a page on hidden gem restaurants... that's 3 now.

This morning, I went with a coworker to his Afrikaans church. I hadn't realised that English is taught as a second language in South Africa. I had thought that it was thoroughly bilingual (tri/quad-lingual?). Anyway, it was a really neat experience. Afrikaans seems to have a lot of German influence with a few strange twists (ex: j=rolled r, g = guttural rolled r). They laughed at me every time I used the little I'd learned on the car-ride there, but not in a mean way. I've got most of my voice back now, so it was nice to be able to sing again. I'm consistently amazed that so many churches sing the same contemporary worship songs I learned at Bethany.

Now, off to marking I go.

Catch that Squirrel!

How do you keep a straight face when a 6 year old suggests halfway through your ecology lesson (on the effects of cutting down a tree to the local wildlife) that we write a letter to the animals in the park explaining the situation, then walk the letter down and personally deliver it to Rustle Squirrel or Ruth Robin? *serious, outraged nods all around the class*. Instant images of coworkers dressed up in animal suits hopping around the park flashed through my mind.


Luckily they decided that writing the city council would be more effective. I'm impressed! They even considered the need for cutting down trees to make paper, furniture and homes. They went FAR beyond the simple, cute little "Rosy the Oak Tree" lesson I had planned.

More Fiddling

I got exactly what I asked for :) I wanted to play with others. At Folk Club intermission, I was quietly invited to a private jam session. I was told to keep it quiet, because not everyone was invited. Apparently I was invited because I've been improving so much, and he thinks that it will be really good for me to play with others. I was bubbling up the rest of the evening, incredibly excited, overjoyed!!!

Unfortunately reality hit as I was walking home. Why have I been working so hard at building a Shetland repertoire over the last 7 months? Because I spent every single Fiddle Frenzy "slow" session frustrated and feeling like a complete failure, not able to even remotely join in. I have no intention of ever letting that happen again.

How am I expecting to do any better here? I understand that the 1st, 4th, 5th notes of a key are the chords. I understand that the arpeggio of a scale makes up the chord. I understand that chopping/chucking/whatever-it's-called is supposed to happen like a snare drum, on the off-beat. None of this helps. I sit in the back, playing semi-random notes, WILLING some of them not to clash. I usually last about half an hour before the frustration and effort do me in. What is this magical ingredient needed to "jam"? Why can I not find it?

You know those kids in your class who's parents think they're absolutely brilliant? But really, YOU know that they're actually mediocre at BEST, but because they work so hard they sort-of pull it off? And that at some point, it just won't be enough? What if that's me?

Have no fear, I'll be going. Please Lord, let me be wrong. Let this finally be a positive jamming experience. Some progress... anything.

Fiddle-Dee-Dee

My regular Skype fiddle instructor is taking her Spring break at the moment. Luckily, Trent, my original Skype instructor is back from his latest tour with The Fretless (check them out, they're amazing), and is able to step in for her while she's off exploring her family roots.

It's neat playing with someone you haven't seen in a while. He says I've gotten better, which is reassuring because I haven't noticed it myself. If anything, I've felt that I've slipped a bit, not having a rigorous routine. I've been feeling pulled in many directions recently, and not making any headway in any (Folk club, worship team, Skype lessons, Sheltland - all pretty much independently, as much as they sound like group activities). He thinks Roxanna's got me practicing to a metronome (which I really should be, I'm sure), because he says my timing has improved dramatically. And I DO know that I'm picking tunes up by ear a bit faster. I'm potentially becoming a better sight reader as well. The encouragement felt good.

We had the chance to play the tune he was teaching me, Hut on Staffin Island, together over Skype. It made me realise just how MUCH I miss playing with others, as well as being immersed in music. It was like an insatiable hunger being unleashed. I must be feeling Fiddle Camp withdrawal!

In other news, I've got my first teaching observation coming up on Tuesday. On one hand, it's good because it means my favourite school is considering me for a position next year. On the OTHER hand, my entire Essex teaching career depends on it. OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but still. 

What else? Just for kicks I'm going with a co-worker to his church next Sunday. He's South African, and the service will be in Afrikaans. They have headsets for English speakers like myself. (???)

Emotions are so fickle

Fascinating. The first time I visited Glasgow, [the following language is stark and non-complimentary... I do not mean to offend anyone]...

The first time I visited Glasgow, I found it dirty, ugly, soulless and boring. Now, I almost quiver with delight thinking of my upcoming stop-over, on my way home from the Isle of Arran. It just seems so odd to me that my feelings can change so dramatically.

What happened in between? Celtic Connections. But it couldn't have simply been the music, could it? Was it going with a purpose this time around? Was it being in a situation that allowed me to interact with others who had common interests? Simply becoming more familiar with the surroundings?

People watching on a fine Spring morning

I made the conscious decision to escape my convalescence this weekend. Saturday morning I headed into London to finally make some use of my English Heritage card. "Number One, London" was my first stop, better known as Apsley House, home to the first Duke Wellington, inventor of the rubber boot and defeater of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Having been sent to an International French School as a child, I learned my history and geography as any good French citizen. Bonapart was a hero. Now, everywhere I turn, Bonaparte was the BAD guy. Other lasting impressions of Apsley House:

-the 2 story tall statue of naked Bonaparte, who's fig leaf was blown off during an air bombing raid.
-listen to the 8th Duke Wellington's childhood anecdotes on the audio tour - much more interesting than who made what changes to what room in what year
-who turns the hoof of their favourite horse into an ink pot?
-the ballroom window offers a splendid view for the exit of Buckingham Palace's changing of the guard

After Apsley house, I headed back into the tube system, only to turn around at the bottom of the stairs and come back up to the sunshine and fresh air. Best decision I made all day. I meandered through Green Park, then around the outside, admiring some of street vendor artwork. I like people watching... seeing people enjoy life. Walked past the Ritz, through Piccadilly Market, and down into Trafalgar Square.

I also finally made it into the National Portrait Gallery. I was pretty tired by then, so I only made it through a few rooms. I've learned that artists hide all sorts of hidden messages in their paintings. As a photographer, one of your aims is to know your subject, and to simplify your composition in order to draw attention to it. This guideline doesn't seem to apply to painting. The main themes seemed to be the Greek Gods and Christianity. My favourite so far is the series of 4 giant paintings by Joachim Beuckelaer representing the four elements, using a marketplace. Hidden in the background of each piece is a story from the Bible. The description said that they were painted "quickly" with large brushstrokes. It looked pretty detailed and comprehensive to me.

Facebook Photo Album

A Taste of Home

Having been locked in my house for three days with no voice, I decided to make a special dessert for dinner at Jenny's. [I don't know why she keeps inviting me... I'm apparently a bad influence on her daughters. It's not MY fault they like my gory riddles and smuggle their joke books to the dinner table. At least they're exercising their minds and reading.]

What is a traditionally Canadian dessert? Well, I have to admit that the first thought that came to mind was 'tire', but lacking large quantities of maple syrup and snow, I settled for Nanaimo bars. It took 3 hours, some substitutions, and a very good Joy of Cooking recipe, but I was quite pleased with the result. They couldn't have looked or tasted better had I bought them from the Great Canadian Superstore.

I think I'm starting to get the hang of grocery shopping in the UK! Eggs are in the non-refrigerated isle next to the milk; the powder milk and longlife milk isle is better stocked than the refrigerated fresh milk (at least fresh milk is commonplace here, unlike in France); sugar and cocoa is in the tea isle, and not the baking isle; and finally, you may be able to find flavoured vinegar with the oils, but white vinegar is either with the pickling supplies or down the cleaning isle.

Disclaimer: photo is purely for illustrative purposes, 

for those of you deprived of Nanaimo bar knowledge... it is not mine.