Another Unique Dance Role
Not many children this year- but I handed out treats to some and Liz handed out some. We always take out the screen from the front door, and hand out the treats through the door. Kids are amazed at this, and then the tradition is that we put the storm window into the door after this holiday. Chester ran circles in the living room every time a child yelled, "Trick or Treat!" Today Thom put in the storm window. I had to turn on the heat, it is rainy and chilly.
I am looking forward to Feederwatch, where I count birds for Cornell University, and send it in on the internet. It is a part of the citizen scientist movement, which tells us how the birds are doing all over the nation. I got all kinds of birdseed from Wild Birds Unlimited, and had a coffee there, too. It is such a friendly place, with a table, chairs, coffee, tea, and cats roaming the store. I also get a lot a great free information for better attracting birds and keeping squirrels away. What a friendly place to shop!
I have also spent some time applying for a job to be a substitute teacher. I want to return to the classroom which I always loved, and have a chance to get a little additional earnings in these hard financial times. The internet application gave me problems, especially since the professional references requested , all older than I am, are mostly deceased. After all, I taught, oh about 40 years ago. The college where I taught closed, the junior high where I student taught was torn down years ago. The professors that taught me at the University of Cincinnati are long gone...
One of the best Halloween's I recall was when my brother, Tyll, and I decided to dress up and go out together. We were teens, and I guess it was one if the last times we went out- so it must have been nearly 55 years ago. From somewhere Tyll produces a face mask, which had ears and a muzzle sort of like a donkey. I really don't know from where he got it. "Let's go as a donkey! You have a big rear end, so you be the back legs- I'll wear the mask and be the front end!" His ideas were always so remarkably logical and convincing...We looked all over for a cover, and found an old army surplus blanket. In our travels from Germany we had come with several real wool army green blankets, which we had on our beds. This went over our backs, with safety pins to attach the front and back, then made a short yarn tail. I held onto Tyll's waist, leaning over, and just followed his lead. He stood up and led the way. "Let's practice a few dance steps, so it looks a bit interesting when we knock on doors!" WE go side to side, sort of Lindy style, then practice a front and back step, sort of cha-cha-cha. At one point Mom had rented us out to teach ballroom dancing to young pre-teen groups. It came in very handy as we did these donkey steps... then "Lets do a bow at the end," Tyll adds. As we wander down Fairfield Avenue we get a lot of commentary, and a bit of candy. Not really enough for two people to share, but it was fun, except I had to walk bent over, and after a while that got very tiring, "I think I have had quite enough of this jackass thing- you can stand up, but I am dancing all bent over!" I tell Tyll. "You have to make it to the corner of Dexter Avenue, where the rest home is," he says. "We want to go dance for the old people. They will really enjoy seeing the old mule dance." I agree to go just that far, and the caretakers welcome us in. I cannot see what is going on, but Tyll goes at it with gusto, dancing his heart out, and I try my best to follow. I am spent, and nearly fall to the floor. Apparently this makes us all the more humorous, and the audience laughs and claps at our performance.
So that performance certainly was a unique venue for my dance career!
I am looking forward to Feederwatch, where I count birds for Cornell University, and send it in on the internet. It is a part of the citizen scientist movement, which tells us how the birds are doing all over the nation. I got all kinds of birdseed from Wild Birds Unlimited, and had a coffee there, too. It is such a friendly place, with a table, chairs, coffee, tea, and cats roaming the store. I also get a lot a great free information for better attracting birds and keeping squirrels away. What a friendly place to shop!
I have also spent some time applying for a job to be a substitute teacher. I want to return to the classroom which I always loved, and have a chance to get a little additional earnings in these hard financial times. The internet application gave me problems, especially since the professional references requested , all older than I am, are mostly deceased. After all, I taught, oh about 40 years ago. The college where I taught closed, the junior high where I student taught was torn down years ago. The professors that taught me at the University of Cincinnati are long gone...
One of the best Halloween's I recall was when my brother, Tyll, and I decided to dress up and go out together. We were teens, and I guess it was one if the last times we went out- so it must have been nearly 55 years ago. From somewhere Tyll produces a face mask, which had ears and a muzzle sort of like a donkey. I really don't know from where he got it. "Let's go as a donkey! You have a big rear end, so you be the back legs- I'll wear the mask and be the front end!" His ideas were always so remarkably logical and convincing...We looked all over for a cover, and found an old army surplus blanket. In our travels from Germany we had come with several real wool army green blankets, which we had on our beds. This went over our backs, with safety pins to attach the front and back, then made a short yarn tail. I held onto Tyll's waist, leaning over, and just followed his lead. He stood up and led the way. "Let's practice a few dance steps, so it looks a bit interesting when we knock on doors!" WE go side to side, sort of Lindy style, then practice a front and back step, sort of cha-cha-cha. At one point Mom had rented us out to teach ballroom dancing to young pre-teen groups. It came in very handy as we did these donkey steps... then "Lets do a bow at the end," Tyll adds. As we wander down Fairfield Avenue we get a lot of commentary, and a bit of candy. Not really enough for two people to share, but it was fun, except I had to walk bent over, and after a while that got very tiring, "I think I have had quite enough of this jackass thing- you can stand up, but I am dancing all bent over!" I tell Tyll. "You have to make it to the corner of Dexter Avenue, where the rest home is," he says. "We want to go dance for the old people. They will really enjoy seeing the old mule dance." I agree to go just that far, and the caretakers welcome us in. I cannot see what is going on, but Tyll goes at it with gusto, dancing his heart out, and I try my best to follow. I am spent, and nearly fall to the floor. Apparently this makes us all the more humorous, and the audience laughs and claps at our performance.
So that performance certainly was a unique venue for my dance career!
Comments
Post a Comment