December Full Moon

Yesterday Dylan left school early and came home after lunch, and we went to see Leo in his Holiday school concert - featuring a great collection of French Canadian folkloric songs. It was fun, and felt very good to see all the kids signing traditional songs. It reminded me of my childhood, we did sing many of these songs when we gathered over the Holiday season. A couple of guitars, spoons, and everyone singing. I wish we could revive the tradition... but I'm the only one who knows the songs, that repertoire is foreign to Tim. Maybe I will invite a few Quebecois friends over the Holiday break and give it a try! These good musical memories are pretty much the foundations behind what I do for a living now. Getting kids to sing, teaching them songs that they bring home and sign to their parents. The very best feedback I get is when parents tell me that their child sings the songs I teach them. Or when older students take the time to tell me a special thanks before I leave the classroom, or to tell me how much they like music class. This is something they will keep enjoying all their life, and to help anchor that enjoyment is amazing.

It seems that the December full moon came with winter weather, hat and gloves are now required. The skating rink is open at Trinity-Bellwoods park, the closest to our house. Dylan goes there to play shinny (hockey) with his friends and I love to see him walk down the street with his hockey bag and stick. That too reminds me of good winter times of my childhood. My sisters and I would walk to the rink in our skates, and stay there until we couldn't feel our big toes from the cold. Crazy... who decided to settle in this weather anyway?

The children would like to set-up the Christmas tree this weekend, we'll try to squeeze that into our schedule.

Full moon, December, and thoughts of December 10th of last year. Nostalgia... and so very much looking forward to being in Yucatan again in the coming spring. No developments on the Merida teacher training project... I am adjusting my expectations and will be happy to simply meet my contacts in person once in Merida. Can't wait to see my Telchac friends - wonderful and inspiring women, and also hoping to get together with my old friend Jose-Luis... have not seen him in about 25 years! But that's all on the other side of this winter... can't go around it this year, I'll have to go through it!