early to rise....

A new semester brings a new high school schedule for Xandie and so I am now rising 45 minutes earlier on school days. As I have learned over the years,  I am not a "morning person" and so this is not an easy transition for me.  After all the initial grumbling, I've decided to look for the silver lining in the cloud:

• I get to watch the sunrise
• I can now make a U-turn in the time restricted intersection by the high school
• There is no line in the student drop-off zone
• I have an extra hour (+/-) of quiet time in the a.m.
• There are more birds visiting the feeder at this hour ("early bird catches the worm")

So, if I continue to search, I'm sure I'll find a few more "positives" in this getting up earlier routine.  Like time for another cup of coffee?

Concert season

Winter concert season is upon us and in full swing. Last weekend Xandie performed in her first youth orchestra concert since returning home from NZ and I have a Concert for Young People with the Claremont Symphony Orchestra this weekend. In two weeks time nearly 400 students from the Claremont School District elementary instrumental music program will be performing over two evenings at the intermediate school. It is an exciting but somewhat stressful time the music teachers! ~I always have both a sense of pride and relief when it's all over.