334/365 The End of a Busy Month

As November fades into memory, I look back on a very eventful month. The first full month back in the classroom. What a trip that has been! I'm loving it! The kids are wonderful, my co-teacher is great, and the school is a fabulous place to work, even if it is attached to a rather confusing public school hierarchy. I've had performance opportunities with chorus, solo work, and upcoming theater. I've traveled a bit and fulfilled contract work for some new companies. And today marks six months since my miracle happened. Six months since the surgery that gave me back the other half of my heart and soul, and he's his old self, for better or for worse. And what a life we have together.

333/365 Sunday Productivity

Productive Sunday, and it isn't even done yet. In spite of the sinus explosion, much practicing done today. 2 costume fittings for next weekend's Clay County Christmas. Susan and her entire family are crafting a piece of artwork for me to carry (on my body) onto the stage. It will be big, heavy, and dramatic. (like me?) I only hope I can breathe in it so that I can sing! A bit of light housekeeping, some lesson planning and preparing, and now off to the Y to tread the mill during the start of the Jaguars game. A relatively calm end to a busy holiday break.

332/365 Sinuses 1, Me 0

The pain and pressure was too much. Even my assault with Mucinex, Advil, and a Netti Pot wouldn't make it budge, so off to the doc-in-the-box I went this morning. After two agonizing hours waiting I had my 3 minutes with the doctor, told him I needed antibiotics for a sinus infection, and I was on my way with Amoxicillin. Now I wait for science to defeat sinus.

331/365 Black Friday Tree Lighting

They said there were more than 70,000 lights on the tree. They said my daughter was there with the D.A. chorus and orchestra programs. They said (when the microphones were working) that there would be a light show one hour after the fireworks. We saw little and heard even less. The Jacksonville Landing's Tree Lighting was a mob scene, only worsened by the dancing of Jaxson DeVille with a local news anchor during the Hallelujah Chorus. Oy.

330/365 We came, we talked, we ate.

Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. It isn't hostage of any religion, and other than the competing grocery stores and the ridiculous ritual of the presidential turkey pardon, most of the hooplah is fairly avoidable. It's just a day set aside on the fourth Thursday of the second-to-last month of the year for folks to gather, feast, and count blessings. For me, more than I can name.

329/365 Ready, Set, Eat

Table is ready. Turkey #1 is roasted, and turkey #2 is marinating in preparation for the fryer. Stuffing prepared, 40 challah rolls twisted and baked, the cabbage is stuffed, the tea is iced and sweetened and the matzo balls are ready and resting in the fridge. Tomorrow we make the chicken soup, steam the asparagus and hollandaise, add Mom's apple cake and Mother-in-Law's sweet potato pie, crispy noodle kugel, cheesecake and chocolate cake. Thanksgiving meal!

328/365 Teach, Rehearse, Teach, Drive, Teach

A full calendar is a good thing!