It Just Gets Better!

As many of you may know, this was the first year in ten years that I have not attended a houseboating trip. Given that this is my favorite kind of vacation with my favorite people, I was pretty bummed on the whole bit. But due to upcoming babies, weddings and being out of the count-try, we couldn't wrangle an entire crew. Boo-hoo.

So I figured, might as well earn some $$, so I signed up to teach summer school. But the regular staff size was cut in half, so I wasn't chosen. Crap.

Then at the last minute, I signed up and was selected to be in the writing class that lasted 5 weeks. Got paid, had a great time and met amazing people. Great enough in itself...or so I thought.

Returned from my trip Tuesday night (30 minutes early!) to find a message from a program I'd heard about my first day of the writing class from Linds, who I'd just happened to sit next to on the first day. It is a program that has teachers (me!) chaperoning kids on trips around the world. And the teacher goes FOR FREE! All food, hotels, transportation, tour guides...the works! The night I heard about it, I scrambled to their site, filled out the form and hoped for the best...

AND I'VE BEEN SELECETED!! The brilliant, incredibly soul-seeing and beautiful Linds had given me such a tremendous recommendation, I was practically in before he even spoke to me! So just a day after returning, I learned that next summer I'll be heading back! I'll be spending two weeks with 5th and 6th graders on a trip called a Tale of Two Cities. The tour takes you to Paris and London and the surrounding areas. I am thrilled!

Of course, there is a fair amount of work before hand, but it's spread out over the entire year...but once I get there, I don't have to "teach". I just make sure the kids aren't jerks. And since I get to interview and choose them, no problemo! Clearly one of my questions will have to assess their game playing skills. I'll need someone to play dominos with on the plane.

I'm up early due to jet lag...heading to the classroom for the first time. If any of you would like to come take a peek/read a book/do an art project...you know you are so welcome at any time...

Just don't do the project on the right...I'm saving that for Paris!

A Real French Toast

Was enlightened to this beauty today:

Here's to the breezes
That blow through the tree-es
That raises the skirts
And exposes the knee-es
That leads to the spot
That teases and pleases
What a snatch
Down the hatch

That's from a real Frenchy! Use it at will!

My Irish Eyes are Smiling

Back in Geneva again. Great road trip with amazing weather, but when we returned, so did the rain. Perfect time to send y'all an update!

First the big news...Baby Boy Ethan has arrived! Word around SJ is that he is mellow, perfect, and has super soft skin. Must be my nephew! Finally talked to B last night. It was hard to imagine him doing the dad thing. But he really sounded like a dad last night. Weird, but really cool. I guess we are old enough to get married and have kids. And my mother was delighted with the auburn hair he is sporting...

So...back to me! The stories will follow based not on when they happened but my mood to tell stories! While in Dublin, we went to this musical pub crawl. We were only there for two nights, and decided to go our second night. Knowing we had to leave our hotel at 5AM. Hmm...sound like a good/smart plan?? I don't want to spoil my own ending, but I was the sensible one--even suggesting that we ought to head back early. Can you believe it?

Tour started in the touristy part of town. (We'd had an amazing dinner upstairs the night before). Went from there to two different pubs. There was a guitarist and a fiddle player, and they were just amazing. Plus, they taught us a couple of Irish songs, and you know I love a good sing-along. It end at 10 and we (along with our new South African friend) ended up hanging out with the musicians after and going to a "locals" bar in dublin. All these musicians just come and jam. It was really outstanding. Of course we stayed til they closed. Debbie (in hopes of talking me up) told them that I played the guitar...could have killed her. I think I would have looked like Greg Brady strumming as johnny bravo...("clowns never laughed before...") but with better hair obviously...Didn't want to make her look like a nut, so I just said, no, no, I didn't want to play (they repeatedly offered me their instruments). I suppose that is what shy/humble people act like. Hm! Anyone can play any instruments and just join in. I was chatting with this one guy and asked after a bit if he played anything and it turns out he is the Irish Harry Connick jr. of the fiddle. Like he's been a minor celebrity since he was a child prodigy. So, yes, he did play. But he was very cool regarding my ignorance. Which was nice. Debbie decided she's taking up the fiddle, I'm going back t o my naked teacher, and we'll start our own pub jamming sessions. It was really great. I mean, I can't even tell you. I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't just love it. If any of you go, I'll have to make sure to tell you the bar we ended up in. No tourists (other than us), and just the coolest, friendliest people. It was truly wonderful. Can you tell I liked it? We rolled back to our hotel around 3, got up 1.5 hours later, and started a 12 hour journey in cabs/planes/trains/buses to meet G at an airport in Paris. Oo la la!

I'll fill in the missing days later...lots of good stories! BTW, I'm not Irish, but sometimes I have green eyes, so that's my post title. This trip has been a bit of family heritage adventure...in fact, I'll tease you with the bit that we just heard by chance about how one of our recent ancestors was in possession of all of Napoleon's belongings. And how that ancestor was a certified looney. Any guesses who is the famous offspring?