Good Kids

I am very excited about my new job in Bow, but I will miss the Newport kids. They have been so good to me the past few months and I have really enjoyed my time with them. I've told them a few times that they saved my life this year - I can't imagine if I was still living so far away in Maine (nothing against Mom, of course!), substitute teaching, and feeling directionless. I'm pleased with how the Newport kids have grown as musicians the past few months and I have loved getting to know them. Even though I know I am making the right decision to move to Bow, it will still be tough to say goodbye. If the Newport job had paid better and not included elementary school, I could have easily considered staying longer.

Emily, one of my saxophone players, brought me a gift on Monday and it was this super cool Sigg bottle with dynamics written on it!! How cool is that??? I have a pink Sigg bottle I use every day and she knows I love them. She put flowers in the bottle and wrote me a really sweet note. What a good kid! I love the bottle and look forward to using it and thinking of her. She is a great student and a fun kid - plus she is studying abroad in Germany for all of next year, so she is a kid after my own heart. Maybe we'll meet up when I visit Berlin next year...

Beautiful Sunapee

As excited as I am to be moving back to Concord, I will miss the beauty of Sunapee in the spring. I love walking along the harbor and the lake, which is only about 25 yards from my apartment.

The houses are beautiful and I find myself coveting them very much. I am determined to someday own a house on a lake. I don't even need to own a year-round house. Just give me a summer house on a lake and I'll be very happy.

Of course, the houses on Lake Sunapee are WAY out of my price range, but it is fun to dream!! Oh, and I still have yet to figure out which house belongs to Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He has a house right on the lake and everyone keeps describing it to me, but I can find it! Too bad I'm not sticking around this summer - people say I would have seen him around town.

Nothing makes me happier than bright pansies and these were just smiling at me in the sunshine when I was walking the other day.

I ran home to get my camera, then walked back down to the harbor so I could catch these shots. Ah, beautiful Sunapee.

New Job!!!

I feel like things are finally far enough along in the process that I can announce that I got the music job at Bow High School for next year!! I am very excited about the job and so thankful everything worked out. They had me come to school last Monday to conduct a couple of rehearsals and meet with the kids and some teachers. It was a great day and the rehearsals went really well. The kids seemed to like me a lot and according to the principal, they gave me glowing reviews when they spoke to him at the end of the day. When I met with the principal before I left, he told me he wanted to offer me the job, he just needed to check my references. He called back the next day to say that everything had turned out great and I then had a meeting scheduled with the superintendent. I met with him, thinking he was the last step to having things be "official", but apparently not. My meeting with him was fine and he said everything looked good, but he just had to go through the proper channels, which involved emailing the school board and having them come in and look at my file. I finally got an email from the superintendent's office yesterday telling me that my contract and hiring packet were in the mail to me, so I figured that it was finally "official" enough to be able to announce to everyone.

Bow is a great school and I think it is going to be a really good match for me (the website isn't anything spectacular, but here it is if you want to check it out: Bow High School). I guess there was a reason why none of the other jobs I've applied for this year have worked out - this job in Bow was just waiting for me! I'll be teaching only high school (hooray, no more middle school or elementary beginning band!) and am responsible for the marching band, concert band, string orchestra, chorus, select chorus, percussion ensemble, any other performing ensembles, and I'll be teaching an integration class with an art teacher and a social studies teacher. It is definitely going to keep me busy, but I can't wait!! I'm a little nervous about marching band (it's been 5 years since I've even though about it and even then Mike was the one who really took charge of the marching band at West), but I know I can do it. The kids seem really great and really excited about having a new teacher. And I'm happy because Bow seems like a place I can really stay at for a while - maybe I've actually found the place I'm suppose to be at for the next whoever knows how many years!

In addition to being a great job, and paying incredibly well, the other advantage of the job in Bow is that I get to move back to Concord. I loved living in Concord when I taught in Manchester and always said that if I had to choose anywhere in NH to live, it would be Concord. I've found an apartment already (yes, I move quickly, especially when I'm excited about something - you know me!) and I'm signing the lease on it this afternoon. It is a 2 bedroom apartment right off of South State Street and it is beautiful - hardwood floors, huge bathroom, great kitchen (not that I really use it), big living room, and washer and dryer included (finally!!!). The owner runs his environmental consulting firm in the downstairs of the building then there is just this one apartment upstairs that takes up the whole second floor. The minute I saw it, I loved it and I told him I wanted to take it. He is even giving me a good deal - he is lowering the rent by almost $100 because I am willing to sign a 3 year lease. Very exciting!! I'll be able to start moving in June 1 and I need to be out of my apartment in Sunapee by July 1, so I'll have the month to make the transition. I'll post some photos as soon as I get into the new place. And with 2 bedrooms there is plenty of space for visitors, so please come see me in Concord!

Life is good!!!

Craft Blog

I've been doing some more sewing lately too (okay, if I'm honest with myself I've been buying more fabric lately than I have been sewing, but I have lots of projects in mind) so I'll be updating my craft blog as well. Check it out in the next few days to see what I've been creating: Crafty Camper

Jobs

I potentially have job news to report as well, but I'm still waiting for a few things to fall into place before I know exactly where I'll be next year. Newport has offered me a contract and I have signed a letter of intent with them, but I have until July 15 to change my mind. I'm still looking for other jobs for the fall, since I know that Newport isn't where I want to be long-term. It wouldn't be the end of the world to be there another year, but I would much rather be somewhere else. I'm going for a second interview at Bow HS tomorrow morning and I am very interested in this job. I had a great first interview with them last week and they are bringing me in tomorrow to conduct a couple of band rehearsals and meet with the kids. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want this job. I know I've said this about other jobs in the past few months too, but this one seems like the best match for me. Yes, there is marching band, which I'm not too keen about, but it is a great school with a very strong music program and everyone tells me the kids are just wonderful. I know they are bringing in another candidate this week as well, but hopefully I know something definite from them in the next couple of weeks. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Neglectful

I've been terribly neglectful of my blog recently. I don't even have a good excuse - just busy, but nothing particularly exciting to report.

My weekends have begun to be consumed by Wanakee, which is to be expected as the summer season approaches. We are all trying to help Jean and Mike out as much as possible - the good thing is that we have all been associated with Wanakee for so long that we know what needs to be done, the bad thing is that there is just always too much to do. Victoria and I have taken on the job of cleaning the kitchen/dining hall and we are heading into our third week of working on it. What started as a job that should have been fairly quick has turned into a complete overhaul. The dining hall is fairly open to the elements during the winter, which means every spring involves cleaning lots of mouse poops, nests, and cobwebs. This year has been no different, expect that Victoria and I are even more determined to actually make it CLEAN. We've been pulling up old contact paper, painting, vacuuming places that haven't seen a vacuum in years, and washing every pot, pan and dish in the place. It is a BIG project! We are determined to be finished with it next week, which means we will be heading up to camp Friday night and putting in a full weekend of work. It is a lot, but honestly there is no other place I would rather be and as gross as the work is, I know it is making Wanakee better, so I'm happy doing it.

In addition to all this preseason work, Jean and Mike have hired me to be on staff at Wanakee this summer. Yep, back on staff again 12 years after my last summer on staff! I realized that I desperately needed to get a summer job (since Newport pays HORRIBLY) and the prospect of working someplace random was not appealing. I knew I would want to be at camp as much as possible to help out and to be able to spend time with Jean. I mentioned something about a summer job one day to Jean when I was visiting her at the hospital and she told me that she and Mike needed to hire someone to be the registrar for this summer - process registrations, general office work, etc. I immediately jumped on it and within two days I had filled out all my paperwork with Mike and I was back on staff! I'll start full time as soon as school gets out, but I'm hoping to do as many hours as possible between now and then as well. I'll live at camp on the days I'm working, so I'll get to be at Wanakee all summer, plus be near Jean, and help her and Mike. It doesn't get much more perfect than that!!

Good Day with Mom

Mom and I spent a great day in Bar Harbor on Monday. I had a gift certificate to the Bar Harbor Inn, so we decided to use it at the spa and have manicures and pedicures. This is the lounge at the spa - it looks like the perfect summer cottage - my dream house.

And the view from the lounge is incredible. It looks right out onto Frenchman's Bay. We could see out the windows from where we were having out manis and pedis and we watched fishing boats go by. It was very picturesque.

Here are my freshly painted toenails. My fingernails and toenails are the same color blue and I think it is super fun. It is so nice to have my nails and toes look good for a little while. And it is suppose to be really warm at the end of the week, so I'll have a chance to wear sandals and show off my pedicure.

Mom and I had a really good day. After our spa appointments, we went to lunch at Geddy's (one of the only restaurants open in Bar Harbor at this time of year), then walked around a little bit and checked out a couple of stores. The weather was beautiful and I always love being able to spend the day in Bar Harbor.

JOY

It is amazing how quickly things can change. I was sitting in church this morning (I'm visiting Mom, so it means church attendance) literally crying because I was so upset that my dear friend Jean was still in the hospital fighting leukemia and it looked like she would continue to be there for a while. I mentioned her as a prayer concern during joys and concerns time and couldn't stop myself from crying as I updated people on how she was doing. When I talked to her on Friday her white blood count was low and it looked like she would have to stay in the hospital for another few weeks. It was discouraging and upsetting and it really got me down to think that she was only suppose to have initially been in the hospital for a month and it had already been nearly 6 weeks. I spent all of church thinking about her and trying (unsuccessfully) to hold back more tears.

Then I got home and the world changed! I logged on to Facebook and Jean's status said that after 39 days in the hospital she was going home tomorrow! I immediately called the hospital and spoke to her and Michael and it is true - she's going home! She has had an incredible turn around in the last 24 hours or so. She is off all her IVs and is eating on her own and her white blood count is up to a level where they feel comfortable letting her go home. I can't believe it!!! The change in the last 2 days is remarkable! Hearing that she gets to go home is truly the best news I've ever heard in my life. I am filled with joy!! I know she still has a long road of recovery ahead, including chemo and return trips to the hospital for the next 9 months, but I have hope again and I know she is going to beat this and be okay. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers as we hope beyond hope that this is the start of her truly getting better.

Now I can't wait to visit her on Thursday AT HOME!!!!

Easter

I was reading my friend Amanda's blog and smiling at how her descriptions of Easter morning as a kid are exactly as I remember them. I loved growing up in the Epping church and having sunrise service on Easter morning up at Harvey's Hill, followed by breakfast at the church before going home to change into new Easter clothes and heading back to church for the morning service. It was an idyllic time and I love those memories. My church attendance has been pretty spotty in recent years, but this year on Easter I found myself wishing I had a church home where I could go on this day (Mom's church is Maine is just too far of a drive for a short weekend, though it would have been nice to be with everyone up there). Instead I didn't even make it to church at all on Sunday morning, which was too bad, but I think I have a very valid excuse. I spent the majority of Easter weekend hanging out with Jean in her hospital room which, while not particularly festive, was still nice. I got to put together the kids' Easter baskets Sunday morning and then watch their faces light up as they came into her room and saw the baskets. It was good to be with Jean for the weekend and fun to see the kids when they came to visit.

I did get to have some nice family time on Easter afternoon, though it wasn't with my own actual family. Sarah invited me to have Easter dinner with her family, which was very sweet of her. I love Sarah's parents and if I couldn't be with my own family on Easter, being with hers was a nice substitute. Her niece Emma is adorable, as you can see from this picture, and she was filled with lots of Easter excitement. We had a chilly Easter egg hunt outside and a beautiful Easter dinner with lots of good food and good company. Thanks to Sarah for sharing her family with me and helping me have such a nice Easter!

Craft Blog

I've created a new blog to chronicle my journey as a crafty person (who would have guessed???): Crafty Camper

I'll still use Notes From A Not-So-International Life as my primary place to update everyone on my daily happenings, but I'll also be posting things about my sewing projects on the new blog. Look there to see photos of my latest creations and the things that inspire me to be creative.

Dirty Dancing

As you know from reading this blog, Nicole and I are huge fans of Dirty Dancing. When we heard it was playing on stage in Boston, we decided we MUST see it. We went on Friday night and had a fabulous time!! The show was really fun (how could it not be, it's DD??) and I'm so glad we got to go. They basically took the movie and just made it live, so the majority of the lines were the same and, since Nicole and I know the movie by heart, we could giggle and get excited about the parts and the lines that we knew were coming. The dancing was incredible and the scenery was so cool - very high tech and just beautiful! Here is Nicole enjoying some pink champagne at intermission. Yummy!

Listening to the audience hoot and holler at the show was also pretty hilarious. We expected the ratio of men to women at the show to be much more in favor of women, but there were a fair number of men there, who had possibly been dragged kicking and screaming by their wives. Nicole kept on insisting that her husband Joshua would like the show, but he hasn't even seen the movie and just laughs at us every time we watch it, so I'm not so sure. :) This was obviously a very appreciative audience and it was fun to be a part of it.

Job Update

It is amazing how much can change in a week. A week ago today I was in California, interviewing at the school in Oakland and falling in love with the area. After a long day of travel on Tuesday, I was back in NH and it appears that something about the change in geography seemed to bring about a change of mind too. When I was in CA, I thought I wanted to move there immediately, and while I still find the idea of living in CA very appealing, I've given a lot of thought to the job in Oakland and realized it isn't really what I am looking for. I had started to think along these lines in the few days since I had returned from CA (and if I'm honest with myself, I even had these thoughts while I was at the school interviewing) and it was solidified when I attended NH All-State Music Festival on Friday. Yes, it was great to see my former colleagues from Manchester and again be a part of the state organization that I had a grown up in and been professionally involved in for my five years in Manchester. The comfort of All-State alone could have been enough to make me want to stay in NH next year, but it ended up being the band rehearsal that sealed the deal for me. Friday morning I went to the All-State band rehearsal and listened to them working on Holst's First Suite in Eb. This has always been one of my favorite pieces and the band sounded incredible. Listening to them play this fabulous band literature made me realize that I wouldn't be happy in a job where I could do this type of music every day. The HS band in Oakland was 5 students, and yes, I could have spent years growing the program and maybe build the band up to a decent size at some point, but that just isn't where I am at right now. I want to walk into a better established program next year and be able to do all the music I love with an ensemble.

So, that leaves me where I am right now - waiting to hear about the job in Wolfeboro that I interviewed for a few weeks ago (they said they would be in contact this week, I hope) and looking for other jobs that might come up. I'm not completely tied to staying in NH next year at all, but I've decided that I am not going to move across the country for a job that I really don't want. I've often struggled with the pull between a great location and a great job. I think it is possible to find both and that would be ideal, but I also know that I am at a point in my career now where I really want a good job, a job I could see myself staying in a for a while, a job that has the things I'm looking for - a decent sized band, an orchestra and/or jazz band, even a chorus wouldn't be bad, plus the chance to teach theory classes or other music appreciation classes. I know these jobs exist, it is just a matter of finding them!

Thanks for all your thoughts and support on the CA thing. In theory it sounded like a great idea, but in reality it just wasn't a good match. If only the program had been better - if that was the case I could have definitely seen myself moving to CA next year. It is hard to be back to the drawing board in terms of jobs, but I keep hoping and praying that the right thing will come my way. I just heard that Bow HS here in NH is open for next year (the guy who is leaving actually interviewed for the Wolfeboro job too and is waiting to hear about it - got to love the small world of NH music education!) and I'll be sending my application. And I'm still looking at schools in other parts of the country too. The right job for me is out there somewhere!

The Interview

I'm exhausted tonight and not feeling super inspired to write (it was a long day and I am still on East Coast time), but I figured I owed it to everyone to update you on my interview today. It went really well and I got a good vibe about the whole place. The school is absolutely gorgeous and reminds me a lot of our campus in Peru - everything is outdoors in terms of moving between classes. The band room is a bit small and dated, but it has good storage and is plenty of space for the program as it is now. Everyone I met with was incredibly nice and seemed very impressed with my resume, which always makes me feel good. It was a long day (8-4) and I met with a bunch of different people and seemed to answer a lot of the same questions. I got to teach 2 classes (Hs advanced jazz band and MS concert band) and they went pretty well. Overall I could definitely see myself teaching at this school and being pretty happy. There are parts of the program that are frustrating: small enrollment in band and orchestra, with more emphasis on jazz, and scheduling conflicts that prevent kids from taking band. But these are fairly typical issues and I do feel like there is a lot of support and desire to grow the program, so if I stay for a while, there is the potential for a lot of great things.

I had a few hours of daylight after my interview, so I wandered around the area of Oakland where I am staying. I had every intention of getting into San Francisco, but I was so tired after the marathon day of interviewing that it just didn't happen. Instead I had a nice walk along the water in Oakland and enjoyed the sights. Plus I had Indian food for dinner, which always makes me very happy. This is the view from the back of my hotel and it is gorgeous. Today was perfect - low 70s and not a cloud in the sky. I could truly stay here forever. I wish I didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn to go back to chilly NH.

All and all, it was a wonderful short trip to Oakland and I am so glad I had the opportunity to come. As I told my new best friend, the guy down at the hotel desk, I'm not even that upset with myself for not getting into San Francisco, since hopefully I'll be moving here in a few months and will have plenty of time to explore and experience the area. :) Keep your fingers crossed!!

California

Okay, I think I'm in love with California already and I've only been here an hour. I decided it was best to do a running update about this trip, as opposed to one big blog update at the end. Plus, great things have happened already that I want to share with you!

My travel today started out a bit rough, but ended up fine. I arrived in Manchester in plenty of time for my 10am flight, which turned into an 11:30am flight due to snow in Chicago. For a while they were worried we weren't going to go at all, since no flights were arriving or leaving Chicago at that point. They had boarded us, thinking we would go, then got word that nothing was coming in or out, so we sat on the plane for an hour or so. Luckily I had a good book and they turned off the AC on the plane so I wasn't freezing. And I had a few hours before my connection in Chicago, so I was hopeful it would all work out.

I got to Chicago with plenty of time to make my initial connection, which, of course, was delayed, along with every other flight in Chicago this afternoon. But while I was waiting for my flight, the snow stopped and the sun came out. Plus I found a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, so I was happy. My flight left an hour and a half later than it was suppose to, which put me into Oakland at 6:45 tonight. I didn't realize the flight from Chicago to Oakland was over 4 hours - California is far!!!

I arrived in Oakland to a clear, beautiful sky and bright sunshine, then got to watch the sunset as I drove to the hotel. The driving was much less traumatic than I expected it to be (I'm sure the fact that it is a Sunday night was helpful), but I still had some direction issues. I really hope I can find the school tomorrow! But I got to my hotel after a little trial and error and fell in love with it immediately. It is right across from Jack London Square, which is, apparently, the tourist center of Oakland. The square is right on the water and there are lots of restaurants and shops that I'm looking forward to checking out tomorrow afternoon. The hotel is beautiful and the people here are incredibly nice! The guy at the front desk was one of the friendliest people I've met - he asked if I'd ever been to Oakland before and when I told him that it was my first time in CA, he was very excited. I got up to my room and fell in love with it immediately. It is super fun and I wish I could just stay here forever (I love hotels).

I started unpacking (I need to iron my interview clothes for tomorrow) and was poking around when there was a knock on my door. It was the doorman from the hotel who had brought in my luggage and taken care of my car and look what he brought me! He said he and the front desk guy just wanted to welcome me to Oakland and wish me luck on my interview. They wrote a nice note and brought snacks and printed out a list of interview dos and donts and a list of foods that help your brain. Very sweet! Seriously, the last 15 minutes has been the best experience I've ever had with a hotel.

Hopefully all of this bodes well for my interview tomorrow...

Quilting

I've discovered a true love of quilting in the past few weeks. I made my first full-size quilt at Christmas for my goddaughter and it came out well. I've since realized that making smaller quilts is much faster and more enjoyable (I'm definitely an instant gratification kind of girl). My friend Kirstin in Berlin is about to have her first baby, so I thought she needed a baby quilt. I saw this flannel giraffe fabric when I was still living up in Maine and just couldn't resist it. I thought it was adorable and looked so cute with the green polka dot fabric. This quilt came together really quickly and I think it turned out great. I hope it keeps Kristin and William's baby cozy and warm.

My second small quilt is for Jean. Her hospital room is pretty bland and needed a little spicing up. I saw this fabric last week and immediately loved it. It will add some nice color and excitement to Jean's room and is made with lots of love to protect and heal her. I can't wait to bring it to her this afternoon. And after I go to the hospital I'm going to JoAnn Fabrics to buy fabric for my next project. You'll have to check back to see what it is!

The Past Few Weeks

I've been neglecting my blog recently, but life has just been too busy and overwhelming to sit down and actually write about it. The biggest thing in the last few weeks has been the illness of my dearest friend Jean. I've been debating about what to write here concerning Jean and her illness - I want to respect her privacy, but I also want people to be thinking about her and praying for her. My beautiful, amazing, wonderful, soul-mate of a friend was diagnosed with leukemia 12 days ago and is currently in the hospital going through chemo. It was an overwhelming shock to all of us and I am still trying to come to terms with it. Her prognosis is good, but the process of going through chemo is horrible and she needs all the prayers and positive thoughts she can get. Please send lots of love her way.

Reg's 40th Birthday

Sarah threw her husband Reg a surprise 40th birthday party last night and it was a great success. His birthday was a month ago, so he didn't have a clue the party was happening. Here is the birthday cake from Jacques - their dogs Annabelle and Bentley are pictured on the cake and the black dog next to the cake is suppose to represent Jake, their new dog they got a week ago. And look at the picture of Reg when he was younger. Sarah put up tons of pictures of Reg at all different ages, which was really fun.

Here is the birthday boy walking into the hall. His expression was priceless! He was truly surprised - no faking it there. Sarah did a great job of keeping it a secret and making sure he had no clue. Reg isn't the easiest person to pull something over on, so I know she is very pleased she pulled it off. You could see her visibly relax when he walked in the room - no more having to lie or stress about the party. She did a great job!!

Reg seemed to really enjoy his party. Sarah had invited people from all the different parts of his life - childhood friends, friends he had played in bands with, his friend Steve who got him his job with Ani and was best man at the wedding, all the family, and then random friends like me. :) There was a live band and we had a great time dancing up a storm. Reg even got out on the dance floor at the end of the night!

Christel and Faith

I was in Epping on Wednesday and I got to spend a couple of hours with Stacey, Christel and Faith. I hadn't seen them since Christmas (!!) and Faith has gotten so big. She is very animated and completely enthralled with everything her big sister does. Christel was her usual funny self and she kept me entertained for my entire visit. It was impossible to get a picture of the two of them where they were both looking at the camera and smiling, but this one is still pretty cute!

Girls Weekend in Boston

Sarah and I spent a girls weekend in Boston and it was great! Both of us were very happy to get away for a few days and be in the city. We used to go to Boston at least once a year before I moved overseas, so it was fun to start up our tradition again. No matter how many times I've been to Boston, it is always great to go back and spend more time there. I'm definitely a city girl!!

Our weekends in Boston are usually filled with shopping, sight seeing, and drinking wine and this weekend was no different. The bar in our hotel was great and we spent some quality time there. Here we are when we returned to the bar after going out to dinner (we had already been at the bar for pre-dinner drinks too). We also went to a great piano bar and listened to this woman sing show tunes, which was super fun.

Before we left on Sunday, we stopped by Fanueil Hall to have lunch at Wagamama, my favorite noodle restaurant. I first ate at a Wagamama in Amsterdam and loved it! I thought they were only in Europe, so I was very excited when they opened two in Boston in the last couple of years. It is very yummy and it always makes me so happy to eat there!

Sunapee

I realized I haven't taken many pictures of Sunapee so all of you can see where I am living now. It isn't nearly as exciting as Berlin or Lima, but it is still a nice place to live. Here is a shot of the harbor at Sunapee Lake. Everything is closed up for the winter, but I'm looking forward to spring when there is a little more going on around here.

My friend Karen came to visit at the beginning of the week and we took a walk through the harbor and around part of the lake. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was nice to be outside and to show Karen the "sights" of Sunapee.

The three story building up on the hill is my apartment building. I'm really happy living here and the building is in a great location. I'm right up the hill from the harbor, so it will be nice to walk around in the spring and summer. Spring is coming, right??? :)