Canoe Safety 101

Things Laura and I learned on today's canoe trip down the Fox River. Or better put, common sense things that we wish we'd remembered before launching:

1. tie everything to the boat


2. always wear your lifejacket (even on a class 1 river, even if you look silly, even if you're hot, even if you'll get tan lines)


3. study a map before launching. (there might be valuable notes like: rapids--stay left.)


4. try not to carry things like wallets and car keys, but if it's unavoidable, refer back to #1


5. stay together. (especially if you have inexperienced canoers in your fleet)


6. pack extra lunch for friends who might have forgotten #1


7. if it looks like you might die, let go of the boat


8. heavily apply sunscreen to the thighs

We survived, despite our initial negligence of the aforementioned tips. There was a moment when we had to fight to emerge from the river -- boatless, paddleless, lifejacketless, lunchless, soggy, pumping adrenaline, and thankful to be breathing air and in one piece. We have since arrived home, showered, lathered up the aloe, and are both silently contemplating our next hard core adventurous undertaking. Perhaps power-knitting or a chili cookoff...

A Day's Work

I have officially completed my first student piano recital! Actually make that two. Since joining up with a team of other music teachers and incorporating our very own music studio, we are now shaping the musical talents of 50 some children! 41 children performed on this Spring recital, so we ended up splitting the performers over 2 days.

Last night and tonight were the first recital experiences for not only me, but all of my students as well. Every single one of them performed. Even the ones who initially told either me or their moms that they didn't want to. I, however, didn't really give them the option. I made it clear to all the parents that I wouldn't force anyone, but I would proceed in their lessons coaching and preparing them to perform. I never asked anyone if they "wanted" to perform, I just assumed they would.

Two students in particular were very reluctant. Zoe's school music teacher called me after the school's Musical Talent Day to explain how Zoe had lost it and broke down sobbing after only two of her peers had performed because she was so nervous. She was only able to come back in after all the other students had left. I thought of all the inspiring and teacher-ey things I could and delivered a pep-talk fit for a king. Paige flat out refused to play from the moment she walked in the door of the church this evening. But we compromised. I agreed to give her introduction speech for her (hello, I'm XX and I will play XX by XX.), and she agreed to play as long as she didn't have to bow. Fine.

Both walked right up to the piano when it was their turn and nailed it! I was so proud! Yes, I was the soccer mom who couldn't help but give standing ovations to all her kids! Ok, I didn't really give standing ovations, but my pride was pretty much oozing over the pew and into the aisle. The next kid had to step over it as they walked up to the piano.

My youngest student bombed. And it was only later that I realized it was because he put his two pages of music up in the wrong order! Thankfully we figured it out and gave him an encore performance at the end.

We adjourned to much applause and a celebratory reception where the post-bedtime kids gobbled up all the sugar they could get their hands on and the parents chatted away while the wine flowed freely. Just before they left, Rylie came up to me. "Miss Caitlyn," she said, "one of the things I want to be when I grow up is a piano teacher."

I love my job!

Grandma Bodine goes airborne

On the memorable wedding day of Karen and Michael Vale, the spirit of adventure was soaring high. Grandma Bodine said she'd be willing to ride up on a parasail if someone could make the arrangements. Son Blue jumped at the challenge and without much chance to have a second thought, we were whisked away to pierside where a boat was waiting. The photos give proof to the feat of sailing high over Key Largo at age 96! Not quite the hot air balloon ride she always wanted, but a perfect substitute.

Tango Revisited

I select my wardrobe for my tango class based on my mood. Sometimes I wear jeans, sometimes I wear slacks. Yesterday I wore my red gypsy skirt and decorated myself with lots of bangles and baubles. It was one of those days.

My gold bracelets jangled as my arm slid across my partner's shoulders. My skirt swirled around my legs as my foot skated across the floor, languidly brushing one ankle against the other. But before I could lose myself in the magic of the moment, I lifted my foot and pointed my toe in preparation for crossing my ankles decoratively.


At that moment, the heel of my saucy shoe snagged on one of the ruffles of my delicious gypsy skirt, and when I took that fatal step... my skirt followed suit. Let's just say that a few other dancers got an eyeful of a little more than they bargained for.


The story of my life continues..

Songbirds

Of all the songbirds that could perch on my windowsill to sing at dawn each day, I got stuck with a pesky little tone-deaf one who belches out his morning greeting. And so if Sleeping Beauty's melodious musings are true--

"I wonder..
I wonder if each little bird has a someone
to sing to,
sweet things to,
a gay little love melody.."

--I got screwed.

Sillyness

I came out of the shower and found Sabbath IN Elinore's animal barn. In case she was worried about her toys getting lonely, Sabbath is keeping them company. I snapped this photo in between lazy blinks, she just may have fallen asleep in there.

Liberty, Annecy, and Mont Blanc

In the process of picking new hikes for each day we decided to visit Col des Glieres, a high valley between two ridges a little southwest of La Clusaz. The ride up to the plateau was a bit hair raising, but our nerves are steeling up now that we've been on the road here for a while. This particular area was the site of an historical parachute drop in 1944 during WWII of weapons and supplies to support the formation of the French Resistance effort. The Savoie region was ideal for this cause because of the terrain. The Vichy and Nazi response was ferocious, with artillery and bombardment taking a high toll in lives and habitation. We sat and ate lunch on a ridge across from the monument erected in honor of the dead.

We also visited Annecy on Market Day and discovered a beautiful area with narrow winding streets crossing over several canals leading to the large adjacent lake. The weather was exquisite as families socialized in the gardens by the lake and by the vendors sellings fruits, cheeses, meats, and vegetables. It was a glorious day, ending with a lunch of crepes.

Saturday May 23 we decided to make a go for Chamonix anf the telesphere ride up over the flank of Mont Blanc. We had been watching the weather and figured this might be our best chance to get clear air around this highest peak in Europe. We weren't disappointed after getting up early to arrive in time for the first lift of the day to the top. We were accompanied by a crowd of seasoned skiers and technical climbers who quickly scattered out into the "White Valley" adjacent to Mont Blanc to their various objectives of the day. We watched as they quickly became small specks making their way across the glacial ice and snow. The weather was perfect and the scenery spectacular.

Ambience de Savoie au Printemps

So we woke up this morning and the air was clear and the sun was shining and there were no clouds. We decided that we would make a quick run back up to Col des Aravis to see if Mont Blanc was clear from what appears to be ever present clouds. Much to our surprise and delight Mont Blanc stood majestic and vivid in the morning sun and we got our pictures, and fueled our anticipation for riding the telecabin over to Italy with spectacular views next week. But, we couldn't linger, because, it was Wednesday and the marche in le Grand Bornand was in full swing, and we couldn't miss out on that. We bought cheese and sausage and fresh vegetables, des olives, and du vin for dinner and then proceeded to a wonderful hike up to a local peak, Tete du Danay, which has a 360 degree view around our entire area.

We've been enjoying the local wines (apremont and des autres) and cheeses, also locally made and delightful. Many thanks to Lawrence Bland for the generous champagne contribution to our anniversery on Tuesday!

This is a multidimensional good time, with exercise, outstanding food, scenery to make one sigh, and good company - we're doing our best to take it all in.

Milles Bornes en France

We continue to have some new experiences in and around La Clusaz. We had a very pleasant and traditonal regional dinner last night at the Savoie Restaurant at Hotel Airelles - Raclette and Fondue. We broiled our own raclette at the table and managed the cheese fondue expertly without setting the table on fire. Interesting, the last of the fondue was taken after mixing in a raw egg and a shot of kirsch, allowing every last bit to be scooped up. Tuesday morning brought back glorious sunshine in celebration of John and Linda's 30th anniversary. As we sat having some coffee, muesli, and yoghurt, we began to hear a cacaphony of bells - similar to what we heard from the cows in meadows while hiking, but louder, with more tones, and in our immediate vicinity!

We rushed to the deck overlooking Route des Confins, and there was a herd of dairy cows wearing ceremonial bells with broad embroidered collars, each with a distinct insignia. They were heading to the high meadow around Lac des Confins, perhaps as a symbolic heralding of spring. We watched with broad grins as the herders flicked those who slowed, keeping the musical parade moving upward. To be sure, the meadows, paths and roadsides are surging with flowers sprouting everywhere. Crocuses are popping up everywhere, with violets, elder flowered orchids, marsh marigolds, and many others unidentified. And this is clearly just the beginning, with lupine, edelweiss, and others yet to follow over the next few weeks. We are truly here at a magical time - between tourist seasons of winter sports and summer pleasures, but just at the time when the snow melts away to release nature's abundance.

Every morning's first breath brings another wave of exuberance.

We drove to Col des Aravis and hiked up to an overlook to view Giettaz in the precipitous valley below and a cloud shrouded Mont Blanc in the distance. Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe lie near the conjunction of Italy, France, and Switzerland and will be the object of a visit by us next week, when all telesphere lifts will be operating to take us from Chamonix up and over the nearby ridge to Italy. We hear it is a magnificant view and ride.

City Rites of Passage

I get to tick another city-living hazard off my list today. I've previously:
-Been hit by a car while crossing the street
-Had my car broken into
-Received more parking tickets than I care to recount
-Had a hit and run to my parked car at some point during the night.
Am I forgetting anything?

One more is due: The Apartment Break-In.
Yes, it has happened, though our unit was spared. We live in a 3-flat, meaning there are only 3 units in the building, each one taking a floor. We live on the 3rd floor and are the only tenants. The 85-year old owners live on the first floor with their son, and their daughter and son-in-law live on the second. Around 2 pm on Thursday last week Emily and I were sitting in the living room when we thought we heard a knock. Generally when our landlords come up for whatever reason they knock on the back door. We waited and heard it again, so I walked back and opened the door. Nobody there. I called out, nobody answered.

Later that evening the daughter from the 2nd floor came running upstairs to tell us that their apartment had been broken into! The computer and jewelry had been taken and contents of drawers had been strewn across the room. We assume that the knocking we heard was the burgler knocking on the front door of the 2nd floor apartment to make sure they weren't home. The unsettling part was knowing that Emily and I, and the 85-year old owners on the first floor had been home the whole time.

Thankfully nobody was hurt. We still feel safe though we are being more vigilant about keeping the doors locked.

On another note, I had my first run-in of the season with that big, scary raccoon in our backyard again. I think we are equally nervous about each other except that he is the size of a coyote and has a cool bandit-style headband. All I have is a voice that quavers when I say, "go away!" and cloth purse to protect me.

Goat Cheese Supreme

...and this is for Caitlyn and Laura, luscious goat cheese, though we don't expect to bring any home to them. Temperatures were in the 70's and just about perfect for walking in the mountains.

Hiking La Clusaz

The day was sunny and beautiful, so after a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast of muesli and yoghurt, we headed out for a casual walk up near Lac des Confins, east of the chalet. We had cheese, pickles, apples, and a baguette for lunch and found a wonderful spot overlooking a long valley. Dairy cows and goats were busy working their way across the meadows, to create the miracle of fresh milk and cheese. On the way back we stopped by the Chrevrerie to buy some fresh made goat cheese!

Arrived In La Clusaz

After a long night and day of flights and a harrowing drive up into the alps with impatient locals nipping at our heels, we have arrived at La Clusaz and the chalet. We've enclosed a first couple of pictures of the view across the valley, with lingering snow still blanketing the heights. Wysteria, lilacs, and diverse flowers reign supreme along the lush green meadows. The air is crisp and clear, with a warm sun providing a nice welcome. More to come.....

French Alps 2009

We've begun our journey with stage 1 being a stop in Huntington to pick up the Pitficks and double check our packing to make sure we have everything. Friday afternoon we'll depart for Geneva, Switzerland via Madrid, to arrive Saturday afternoon. Here we are having dinner on Wed 5/13/09 remembering old times and anticipating the new.

Life Lessons in Tupperware

It was a weeknight, I was cleaning up the kitchen after eating dinner. I went into the pantry in search of a tupperware container. After several attempts...

Caitlyn (shouting to make sure that roommate on the other end of the apartment hears): This is ridiculous! None of our tupperware matches! What happened?!

Emily scurries into the kitchen in her all-business way, gets on her hands and knees and starts pulling out all the tupperware piece by piece to match it up.

I go about my business in the kitchen and periodically glance over to see the "matched" pile getting bigger and bigger. I scowl to myself, but take a few breaths so I can be calm and humbled.

Emily (looks at me with an ironic twinkle in her eye): I sure hope I'm not in THAT pile. She indicates the group of 4-5 unmatched pieces. But I think I am.

I laugh, and survey the scene. A mountain of matched tupper and a few, a small few, lonely pieces with no match.

Caitlyn: I guess I was too hasty in my accusation that there weren't any that matched. But I just kept picking the wrong ones!

And then I hit myself in the forehead, because OH GOD! was that ever a metaphor for my life.

Gas leak or skunk spray?

As you know, Mom and Dad are in Florida with Grandma and Grandpa. Last night, I was studying metabolism for my exam tomorrow when I smelled something strange in the house. It smelled like gas, only it had a tinge of burning to it. I couldn't for the life of me figure out where it was coming from. I searched high and low, I looked out the window for a potential culprit, and began moving around the house trying to locate the smell.

Needless to say I was getting pretty freaked out, the oven was off, the fireplace wasn't on, and the toaster oven was off. So I called Mom and Dad to find out what to do. We ran through the list of things to check if they were on and then Dad helped me locate the Nicor gas people's phone number for emergencies. Before I called I went down to the basement and the smell was much stronger. The furnace was on so I walked into the panty and was overwhelmed with the smell of gas and I immediately got light-headed, so I called nicor.

The operator who answered my 'gas emergency' was not very friendly, he asked me what my emergency was and as I was telling him he cut me off to ask what our address was. He informed me someone would be at our house in approximately 30-40 mins. I grabbed my cat, turned off the heat, grabbed my notes and pulled the car out of the garage and sat in the driveway waiting for my helper. Sabbath was not thrilled with being in the car and attempted to climb up into the car from the space where the pedals are. Finally, the gas man arrived and I explained the situation to him and that I had turned off the heat, opened the back door and we headed inside.

He used his gas meter and we headed down to the basement and about 10 steps in he says, you know I think the smell might be a skunk. He used his meter on the pipes and nothing beeped. He said it smelled like it had sprayed right along the back of the house, well that's right where the porch is. So we headed back upstairs and outside, where the smell continued on. We noticed that the window well cover was slightly off and he suggested that a skunk may have fallen in, sprayed and jumped out. But he checked the meter anyway and then left on his way, but not before assuring me that the spray of skunks is almost chemically identical to that of natural gas and that it was better to be safe than sorry/dead.

I should've asked if this happens often. I thought he may have been trying to make me feel better about my idiocy, so I googled skunk spray and natural gas. Apparently they put the odor from skunk spray (butyl mercaptan) into natural gas because it is normally odorless. So I still feel like an idiot because I really thought I was going to die, but at least I wasn't completely off the mark. I had to air out the house today because it still stinks of skunk.

Luck

When I arrived at work this morning and propped my umbrella up to dry, I noticed a big splotch of wet bird poo on one of the umbrella panels.

Good thing it wasn't my head.

>:o!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY COMPUTER CRASHED AGAIN!!!!!! WHAT THE MONKEYS IS GOING ON I HATE HERBERTHA!!!!!!!!

Cultural Differences

It has come to my attention since working in my new position that resume presentation and the standards and norms that go along with it are, in fact, cultural phenomenons. Since study abroad obviously deals with professors in other countries, I have been finding out that the cultural norm in other places (at least in academia) is to have resumes that average 4-10 pages in length. Some have cover pages. Others have photos. Others have listed publication after publication, seminars, conferences, doctoral candidates advised even going back to the 1970s.

The first time I opened a 9-page resume I gasped in shock. The shock-standards were raised considerably (actually they were yanked up by their bootstraps) last week during my project compiling all course syllabi and professor CVs for a site review of one of our international centers. One by one I opened the resumes to be sure they were formatted suitably. I took the liberty of abbreviating those that were longer than 10 pages, taking care to make a note on each one that it was abbreviated and that anyone was free to ask the center for a complete copy. All was going smashingly until I opened a resume that was 47 PAGES long. 47. 47!!

I sincerely hope that particular professor is 90 years old, but his list of accomplishment and collaboration, and experience, and advising, and teaching went on for days and days. With a little boldness I managed to wittle it down to 6 pages, but I may have started the Third World War. You might want to have an ear to the news during the end of May when the professors see what I've done.

Things that make me mad:

1. Olfactory intrusion. I am fed up with the amount of perfume and cologne that permeates the air on the morning train. Each day the soup of air-born chemicals tickles my nose and dries out my eyes for 30 minutes before I arrive at work and begin staring at the computer. Today was particularly bad because the girl who sat down right next to me had drenched herself in something acrid, and my eyes watered for the entire trip. On the train there is no respite, there is no wind, and nowhere you can turn to suck in some cleanish air. I am not opposed to perfume, but the idea is to have a hint of scent that is pleasant to someone within 6-8 inches. If you can be detected across the room, or if your perfume makes your neighbors' throats swell up, it's TOO MUCH! And let's be honest, living in this country where hygiene may be taken to an extreme, most people shower at least every other day, if not every single day. How much fragrance do we really need?

2. Annoying dogs.
a) Those of you that follow my other blog Mona Lisa's Teeth (MLT), will recognize Bowser in this story. This is a dog that belongs to one of the families where I teach piano. Bowser is a friendly dog to a fault. He jumps. Incessantly. About 2 weeks after the escape incident I reported on MLT, Bowser greeted me at the door (by jumping on me) and caught a nail in my bracelet. Being made of elastic and beads/shells, it snapped and beads and shells scattered to the floor. My annoyance was more on principle than a PARTICULAR attachment to the bracelet. Last night, Bowser was at it again, but this time a nail got caught in my favorite scarf. It snagged, and although I was able to pull some of the thread back through, I'm left with a toenail-sized hole. GRRRRRRRRRRR. I took a deep breath, put the dog in the crate, and made sure to request as I was leaving that the dog be in the crate from now on before I come.

b) The next house on my piano circuit after Bowser is home to 4 tiny dogs. While not in danger of having my things destroyed by jumping, I have to bear the 4-part chorus of piercing yaps for the first 5 minutes after my arrival. The polyphony is truly astounding.

3. Children who are disrespectful and parents who are complacent. Yesterday (after the scarf attack) I was the piano teacher that you dreaded as a child. Call me quaint, but when an adult adresses a child older than around 4, the child should respond. I find it to be terrible manners when I greet or address a child and am ignored, and particularly bad when the parent smiles indulgently at their child and shrugs at me as if to say, "kids will be kids." True, but parents should be parents and teach their children to be polite. I layed down the law with one of my students yesterday who sat at the piano and looked straight ahead as though I wasn't even there despite my attempts to engage him. I decided not to resort to being a clown or groveling for his attention, and instead crossed my arms and had a stern little chat (well, monologue) about being respectful. For those of you who have children, I'm sorry to be harsh, and I do understand that kids have bad days just like adults and often express them more freely. Maybe I need to move back to the south where children say "ma'am" and "sir" or at least address adults with titles and know how to behave if they don't want to get a whoopin'.