Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Very exciting times, these.

My kids are just finishing their poetry portfolios and I read a few of them today. I was struck by how eloquent kids can be...I was also struck by how many of their fathers are dead. Really, more than a couple wrote about their fathers' deaths and at least one about her mothers. It is strange. But their poetry is simple and good. Most of them put some thought into it.

And tomorrow they are going to do poetry readings, which is fun. The kids like to perform for others so it should be a good day. As long as I can keep them under control. Tomorrow is a half-day, so they will be all amped up.

And today when we were talking about traditional Thanksgiving food, the kids were shocked at all of the things I never had heard of or eaten. They were talking about pig ears and chicken pastry and all of this southern food that I know nothing about. When I told them I didn't know what they were talking about, they all promised to bring me plates of the food on Monday! So I could very likely have way more southern Thanksgiving leftovers that I could eat. While the pig ears I could do without, the chicken pastry sounds interesting. And they promised me collards because I have never had good collards. So exciting.

And tomorrow my friend Terri is coming to hang out with me and my students! My first visitor! It will be interesting to see what she thinks of my monsters. I wonder what they seem like to outsiders. Probably cute.

Then we are off to D.C., where I have never been. I can't wait.

And, today I got my plane tickets to go home this Christmas break. Two glorious weeks to be on the west coast again. While I don't hate it here as much as I used to, I can't wait for all that Portland Oregon green and Bay Area weirdness. A little slice of heaven. ¶ 2:29 PM