School’s out! I survived the year of teaching before school classes! It hasn’t hit me yet that I don’t have to wake up at 5:45 am again until September, but it will once…I don’t have to wake up so early.
For those reading, my studio recital on Sunday went really well. It was hot but no rain in sight, and occasionally a lovely breeze. Most people seemed to be happy to be there and had a good time. I’m SO glad I took a risk and did the recital outside, and I may do it again in the future because I personally thought it was fun. It might not have been the serious musical experience one gets inside, what with all the extra noises from people, sirens, and helicopters, but it was still a good performance opportunity.
Today is my last day of work for a week, yay! We are hitting the road for a bit and taking the week off to do so. When I get back I have a bunch of new students, some for only the summer and one or two who might be long term. I’m doing a fair amount of teaching this summer, which I hope I don’t regret. June will end up being pretty busy between this trip, a weekend camping trip, seeing an opera, and doing two online teaching seminars before we leave again to visit my sister and her family in western New York. It’s so wonderful to be able to travel again and go to restaurants and teach students in person. I hope as more and more get vaccinated that our COVID numbers really go down: there are still 1000 people dying a day, and that is ridiculous with the efficacy of the vaccine. Get vaccinated or wear a mask, please!
I have had to say goodbye to a few students this year. It was probably my biggest graduating “class” yet, with 4 high school seniors, two college seniors, and one grad student. I also am leaving Lindenwood University so I will miss some of those students too, and a few others moved away this year as well. (This is also why I’ve been taking some new ones!).
The cats are really enjoying their catio. Louie put a little cat door on it too, so that it can be open while the air conditioning is on inside. It has taken them some time to get used to the cat door though.
I will say, it’s been weird getting ready to leave town. We haven’t gone anywhere in ages…I suppose we don’t travel that much, compared to many…but I’m really looking forward to getting out of town. I know we traveled some last summer when others didn’t, but I hadn’t spent a night not at my house since we got back from our camping trip last August. I’m excited to see somewhere new!