Well, the school year has officially started.1 As week seven opened, faculty and staff ran around the school, frantically trying to get everything ready for the students’ arrival on Wednesday. On Monday, paint was drying on the wall, I had stacks of books scattered around the room, and my desk was in limbo in the center of the library. Two carpets, four plants, four comfy chairs, and several furniture switches later, the library was finally looking great. The children’s section had a big couch and carpet, the high school reading area was comfy and inviting, and my desk was back in its corner by the door.
During the first week of school, I had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful co-workers for the first time, most of the students, and even a few friendly parents. I read stories to the lower school, worked on our Super Secret EdTech Project (soon to be unveiled), and got to know a few of the seniors. I mastered the computer catalogue system and located the best sandwich place in the neighborhood. There was a faculty potluck/picnic on Saturday and I spent the morning baking a huge batch of sugar cookies2 and the rest of the day playing with the teachers’ children, swimming, and eating lots of delicious food.
On Sunday, I got up early so Mustapha and I could surprise his sisters with a picnic lunch. (See today’s post “How to Cook a Tagine in the Woods” for more on that.) A lovely day of cooking, chatting, playing music, eating, and running around on the beach. On the way home we stopped off for two varieties of jade plant and one aloe, all of which are now happily inhabiting my apartment.
- Which is, of course, why I’m nearly a week late with this blog post. [↩]
- Partially for Cookies for Cogdog. More on that later. [↩]
You’re doing amazing work. I’m sure the school and its pupils will be deriving benefits from it for years to come. But on the subject of those cookies, you made them? Of course, I know you did. I just want you to say, “Yes, I made them. I chose the perfect pattern, baked them all to a golden hue, decorated them to look like flowers, and somehow managed to do it all without gobbling a single one.”
Thanks for another great post!
Thanks for the encouragement and cookie commentary. Coming from you, that’s high praise indeed!
So, Mr. Expert Baker, have you read my Cookies for Cogdog post? I’d love to see what you could do with a project like that. Maybe make it your challenge for this week…
It’s wonderful starting my day reading these posts. You are a remarkable person, managing to do all that you do – and so well. I especially like the photo of the girl writing in the sand. There is such a vivid contrast between scarf and sand.