Last week or so's events

Last Thursday, 14 March, was the Lent term's piano recital for W and N.  They take lessons from a young gent (think he's 32, with a hair line of someone much older) who is quite a musician.  He travels to various schools and people's homes to offer lessons.  I was surprised the first time I met him.  He'd just completed lessons at the kids' school, and was giving me a "report".  I was surprised, as he was dressed in a full suit and tie.  To teach music lessons?  To kids?  Stark contrast to our first piano teacher for the kids, who was a senior uni student, who taught out of his parents' home, and sometimes was shooting hoops outside when we rolled up the drive.  Evidence of things being a bit more formal here.  (Ask G--he wears a full suit here now more than he ever did in the US!)  He is really great with the kids.  And very talented musically, as well as technically.  He writes a report on each kids lesson each week per computer on evernote that I can access.  He also has the kids "compose" via noteflight.  Sometimes he puts things on noteflight that the kids've done in their lesson.  You can see a bit of the kids recital below.  The kids and he did the underlying melody from Pachabel's Canon in D, but the kids all added components per noteflight, including the voices you can hear.  You can add/subtract various instruments, etc.  So that's the underlying song you hear, but then each duo rotated in to play a part "live".  They had to make sure they switched quickly enough, so the next duo could make it to the piano bench in time to be "on" with the underlying music.  You can see it here:

 

Pardon the camera-it was manned by some kids in year 5 or 6.  The kids also did solo pieces also, but guess those weren't recorded.

Last Friday, besides being the Ides of March, was also Red Nose day in the UK.  Jessie J (pop songstress) shaved her hair, and lots of other celebrities did crazy attention-seeking stunts as well, in the name of charity.  There were red foam noses for sale at various places for 1 pound each.  They were "decorated" differently-some were made to look like sheep, some had glasses, all had various crazy faces.  Kids got to pay a pound to not dress in their uniforms, and there were other assorted fund-raising events throughout the day nationally.  A national fundraising day-though I'm not sure for what benefactor.  I believe it's for assorted charities, though don't quote me.  The tag line is "Funny for Money", and all kinds of jokes and pranks are broadcast.

Wednesday, J lost a tooth, his first tooth lost in the UK, and his first tooth lost for quite a while.

Yesterday, Friday 22 Mar, was the last day of J's Lent term.  He was to report to the Cathedral @ 1030 for the school concert, to last until 1130.  We received ~ 3 inches of snow during Thurs evening.  At 0830, he was packing a bag with street clothes (he was gonna bum around Chester with some buddies after the concert).  We were ready to run out the door (W/N have to be @ school @ 0900), when there was a tremendous screaming!  Apparently the cathedral service was cancelled, as the school's drawing is from a pretty large circumference, and for a service for only 1 hour, no academics, someone made an accurate decision to call it off, and J was expressing his deep-rooted disappointment.  He'd been checking the website since 0630, and made one final check at 0835.

Friday was also N's class's turn to run the assembly.  Of course, it's seem was the 1960's, in keeping with the school's term focus.  They compared life in the 1960s to life nowadays.  The entire school was allowed to dress in 1960s-wear.  The kids looked fabulous.  Girls had the bouffant hair-dos, etc.  I'd say 90% of the school was dressed up.  And they did the twist.  The comparison dance from today was Gang nam Style.  Kids really had fun.

Today, W lost one of his front teeth.  Still one more to lose.  Keeping the tooth fairy in business in our house!  His face is really changing.  And the kids are all growing like mad.

N managed to make a snowman.

N's March snowman

  A second "big brother" snowman was added by big brother W during the day (sorry, no pic--too dark to take one now!).  Snow hopefully is gone soon.  We don't really get a lot of snow here--it's really a novelty when it does snow, and it's short-lived.

Not much else new here.  Still doing itinerary for Netherlands/Amsterdam.  We are taking a ferry on Thursday evening from Hull (eastern side of UK) to Rotterdam, Netherlands, arriving @ 0815 on Friday.  Rotterdam and Amsterdam are about an hour's train ride apart.  Ferry was cheaper than air travel for all of us, even if we would've taken the car, which we are not.  Netherlands has fab public transport, and then we'd have to find a place to park the car, and pay for that as well.  We could drive our car there, but I believe they drive on the right side of the road, which would be weird with a right-hand steering wheel car.  (Caught J yesterday trying to get in on the right side/driver's side of the car yesterday!!  I had to remind him that I'd be driving.  Been awhile since anyone's done that.)  There's also something with the headlights that needs to be changed-not sure what.  G's car does it automatically, I believe.  Not a big deal, but we don't need a car.  We'll be staying in an apartment on one of the canals.  One of the things we'll hopefully see is the place where Anne Frank and family hid during  WWII.  Been doing some reading with the kids on WWII, got to do some more with them on who Anne was.  Not sure what'll all be open, as we're arriving on Good Friday, and Easter Monday is pretty much a holiday yet over here.  We should at least get some bike rides in, provided there are some bikes left to rent.

A Happy Easter to all.  Might be a bit until the next post.  Planning for the Netherlands, and also working on another issue that needs attention (long story).  When we return, the other issue will still be in progress (will be on-going for a long while), and on Friday the 5th (less than 2 weeks now!), we will be hosting some US visitors, which we are all looking forward to.  Happy Easter to all!!!