New Beginnings

It is 11:45 pm but I am so excited about the news I have to share that I am up late on the computer. (This is after I swore to Nicole Correri that I have finally begun going to bed at 9 pm and waking up at 6 am. Well, I was...)

First of all, the experience at Barbara Dewey's conference was awesome and I am totally inspired to write it all up and share what I've learned about Grades 2, 3, and 4. And to update my website and give it a thorough dusting out of all the neglected corners.

Second of all, I am lucky to be alive & very grateful! I was nearly blown up a few days ago in my car, a vintage 1966 MGB, which I love dearly but left it running in my driveway while I went in to close the garage door and lock the house and when I got back in and was driving along I realized that gasoline was streaming down the accelerator pedal and when I popped the hood it was spraying everywhere. I quickly turned off the car but I am so lucky that it didn't catch on fire.

Third of all, Natalie's school had a staff meeting yesterday, which I was privileged to be able to attend, and parent orientation tonight, which I was also a part of. And I found out that they listed me in the Staff (Rhoda McGrane: Special Programs) and on the substitute teacher list! Then I learned that there were, in fact, 2 spaces left in the Preschool program and when I was talking to my mother tonight she said that my grandfather's will provided for me to be left $5000.00 and the checks have been mailed. So I am enrolling Leah and Rebecca at Tidewater at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Friday is their classroom visit and Monday is the first day of school. I have gone through a mix of emotions on this one. First, I was thrilled to have gotten them in. It's a tremendous school (as everyone at the conference who saw the photos of it knows) and I love the preschool teacher. She is very respectful of Waldorf and, in fact, just purchased All Year Round, Earthways, and Painting with Children. I gave the director the Nova Natural catalogue to discuss designing the toddler program with it as inspiration (it is such a beautiful way to summarize the Waldorf environment and spirit) and she loves it and doesn't want to give it back! So great inroads are being made on that front. Having the two younger girls in school from 9 am to noon gives me a chance to work at the school as a consultant without constantly having to send them off to babysitters, it gives them that warmth and consistency as we get evicted (the house went into official Foreclosure on August 4th and will be for sale soon) and have to move, and I have the flexibility to be working while still spending time with them each day. Natalie is getting a ride home from school at 3 pm each day with a friend and I am driving the little boy in with us in the mornings, so it will be a lot of fun. Of course I am sad to give up on my homeschooling dreams but bringing Waldorf to a school as a consultant is a lovely job and the school is very receptive. And I can still have a wonderful Waldorf home, especially if we end up in the little cabin by the Chesapeake Bay.

The website is getting a reorganization and I have a new project, in addition to designing the toddler program and Saturday enrichment classes, which is to collaborate on a Waldorf kindy program in French! ie. French verses, songs, blessings, rhymes, fairy tales, color stories, and so on. What fun. :-)

Finally, I just want to share this wonderful link to an organic heirloom tomato seed company which organizes its tomatoes in a way I've never seen before: by color. This makes it easier to find the name of the tomato you saw at the farmer's market, or in your neighbor's yard, or which your grandmother always used to grow. I love it!

Gary Ibsen's Tomatofest