Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Why I love Wednesdays

If you think this sounds like a primary school essay, you'd be so right. Today is my teaching day at a little state primary school down the bottom of the peninsula. I teach a dozen children there, from a prep-next-year up to grade six.

We kickstart every Wednesday with 8.30 group lesson, then my pre-prepper's lesson. Then I get a little break... Which translates into a brisk trot down the main street to a little Aladdin's cave of treasures (a.k.a. an op-shop).

This is how I feed a ridiculous reading habit and win gratitude from fellow book-gobblers. Alas! Today there was nothing to tempt me... Which meant that as I wandered forlornly back to work a sale rack caught my eye.

An "everything on this rack $40" sign, not in itself tempting until you check the original prices, then a siren song of promises. One grey cardi in particular snagged my interest. The label (100% cashmere) was very happy-making, and the look on the saleswoman's face as she rang up a previously $289 cashmere cardi for $40 to the girl wearing jeans, loafers and a ($5 special) cotton on v-neck... Priceless.

It's been an otherwise standard afternoon, although I've discovered that the photo booth app on my laptop is brilliant at giving students immediate visual and aural feedback on their playing. Suddenly protests of "But my bow WAS on the string!" just fade away... Ah, the serenity of a furiously concentrating child.

Now, if I can just keep this one particular littlie off a real violin until she's three... Only a month to go :s

8 comments:

Chris Gooch said...

I really don't know how you do it. There isn't a worse sound in the world than a poorly played violin!

Although cheap cashmere sweaters do kind of make up for it.

BALLET NEWS said...

Hello, I just wanted to leave a comment to say that you have a heavenly blog and I'm now a follower !

I love the violin but sadly the only noise that came out of the one I practiced on was something like nails screeching across a table.

At the Royal Opera House a virtuoso violinist called Charlie Siem really does show how it should be done - and I am entranced by anyone who can play !

kristine said...

well done on the $40 bargain! Thanks for stopping by - its been nice reading some of your recent posts; i'll be back!!

ladytruth said...

I just love the sound of the word "sale" and you're right about the expression on the saleslady's face, but then I think of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and I smile, not because I'm a prostitute (good heavens!), but because everyone's money is green.

Unknown said...

I love cashmere! I was thinking of the Pretty Woman film too...I wish I could find a sale rail like that! Sarah

Josefine said...

Haha, take THAT snooty sales woman! I'd love myself a cashmere cardi. I had a man sized one that I used to use as a blanket but I seem to have left it in Sweden. Oh well...

Cwybrow said...

Snooty salespeople are the pits... So glad I'm married and won't have to do THAT again. although some of the looks I get when out with a young child are interesting.I guess I should be flattered that I pass younger than I am! Thanks everyone for stopping by, all my blog crushes are a-coming visiting! Eeeek!

Cwybrow said...

Ooh, mysterg, I'm going to have do do an all about Suzuki post now...cos my ears are FINE :)