maintenant

I live just a mile away from beautiful woods, and i haven't taken a walk there in months. I should hurry. Autumn won't last much longer.

As i hoped, the children are easy to work with. As i expected, the schoolyard is a much more pleasant one. There's a bush that attracts butterflies. And things that grow everywhere.

Two weeks ago there were a few left. Resting on the brick walls with their wings spread to keep the little warmth they still had.

I caught a few of them in my hands. It was sweet to see the kids gather around and laugh when i opened my fingers just enough for the insect to crawl out.

The other day, a pupil, while going through her cahier du jour, was amazed that she had already worked so much. And 1/4 of the whole schoolyear has not even passed.

But some things require more time. And then time seems so slow. Especially when you dwell on it.

It's odd how some kids immediately "get" whether a sentence belongs to the past, present or future, and how confused a few can remain... for a long time.

The present is a bitch anyway. 

It doesn't even really exist.

Je me souviens #1

I remember this professional. Doctor for the mind. Paid to listen. Paid to care. Paid to listen as if she cared. 30 minutes per client while another is being patient in the waiting room.

I remember the plant in her office. The only sign of life. Tiny pot. Very long stem. Hanging from the useless mantelpiece.

I remember she let it die.

My favorite things

This egg timer - thermometer used to be in my grandmother's (the one who wasn't a true grandmother but who was a true mamie) kitchen. I used to play with it, along with a saint christopher held by magnets on the water heater. The resin grew dimmer and cracked, it cannot be used anymore but i love it like that.

I wish i also still had the box, made of a wood as thin as the one used for camembert boxes, that was filled with gloves... Silk and lace ones for petite delicate hands, such as mines back then. It was on the bottom of her wardrobe. 

This box, and the roberval balance i insisted on getting out of the kitchen cupboard whether we would cook together or not.

Sometimes, you can hear a smile.

Dans les champs

About 25 minutes away from where i live, this class is the only one in the school. I'll be alone. Again. Which is good when you are not particularly talented for conversations among colleagues (but not when you're sick as a dog). I didn't open the shutters today. It's a village. I didn't want to be noticed. Although my car and it's exotic registration plaque is quite a give-away sign.

The place has been renovated not long ago: the walls, the windows, the shutters, the heating system, the main black board (at least, i shouldn't receive this one on my head...), the lavatories.

The desks are decades old. Same with the very few chairs available. There are some text-books, but, as far as the french ones are concerned, they're ones i was told (taught) to not used.
The copier is not an actual one. It's a scan that can print, at the speed of a snail under tranxene, 9 pages at a time. Only A4, of course.
There's a tiny TV set, a DVD player, a good old VCR. I'll have to find a cheap CD player.
The internet is via dial up. On only one PC. That is apparently out of order. The others are not connected, and 2 out of 4 are down. You might as well not have any computers at all... I don't see how i'll be able to help pupils get the first levels of the B2i.

All in all, the class has potential. The dimensions are generous. It's luminous. The ceiling is high, meaning i'll have enough place for all that needs to be put up and for the projects we'll work on. I'm also very happy about the small black board. I missed having one last year. It's terribly important to keep a trace of all the work in progress, of all the lessons kids are "building" with your help.
For the resources, I have my own text-books at home. I have internet, at home (ahem).

I'll prepare the copybooks next week along with so may other things that i'd rather not dwell on them (boring anyway).

The front door. From where parents will be able to check if i do my job properly... Plenty of space for posters and various messages.
On the other side of the road: a field.

This is when i find myself marvelling at the sight of indoor lavatories.

The schoolyard is much larger than the one from last year's school. Much prettier as well! But it will trully be a schoolyard when the running and shouting will have started (note that i'm not that impatient about it though).

On the other side of the barnlike-building: a field. 

Jardin

I'd love to have a garden. But i don't feel safe in a house. I lived in one for several years and could not enjoy being out of it. I felt "exposed". People passing by. Who open the front gate (because the bell was on the door) to come and ask something, to come and try to sell something. I never felt comfortable in this space that wasn't really private.

The balcony is my garden. And even there i like to not be seen. The one i have now opens on a piece of lawn, with very few persons walking by. In a short distance there's a house, trees, a street, a path that leads to gardens owned by the city and where people grow their vegetables. No one to ask or sell anything. Very few cars. Dogs walking humans. Bicycles. Two roosters singing (one needs cough syrup) from 4am to 8pm. The church bells and its different little tunes.

My "garden" is a private place but i don't feel cut off when i'm there.

I try to have only simple flowers. Ones i'll know how to take care of. In other words, that don't need much.
















I grew little tomatoes. they are very sweet, not acid at all.