If we were having coffee today, December 1st, I’d invite you in and offer a piece of the banana-nut bread I made this morning. We can listen to Chaka Khan’s Classikhan. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a quiet Saturday afternoon.

I’d ask you about your Thanksgiving and tell you about mine. I spent most of the day with our five-year-old granddaughter. We read books and watched Curious George. We also spent time in my office on my laptop. She asked me to spell the words she wanted to type and I was impressed at how quickly she mastered the keyboard. After she watched me hit the “backspace” key a few times, she did it herself and even mistyped things so she could use it. I pretended not to know she was doing it on purpose. I smiled as the music my husband and his son were playing drifted in from the living room. They play guitar and sing together at every holiday and it has become one of my favorite parts of family gatherings. There really is something magical about it.

As we sipped our coffee, I’d share that this past week has been a busy one. My husband and I went to New Haven last Sunday to celebrate my birthday. We went to brunch in New Haven at Elm City Social and then walked to the Barnes and Noble at Yale. It was a perfect day. We’d love to live in the city someday.

Grades were due on Monday, so I spent most of the weekend preparing them. As I went through the writing folders I keep for each student, I was struck at the growth that has occurred over a year. I have the same students for three years as they progress through middle school, and it’s always satisfying to watch their skills develop. At this point, some of my eighth graders are beginning to find a unique voice. Even one of my reluctant writers wrote an impassioned piece about something that was important to him. Bravo!

 

I would tell you about one of my students who came up to me a few days ago with my book in his hand. I’m not sure which of us was more excited. He’s only just started it but I am eagerly awaiting his review. One of the other students in the class witnessed our conversation and was surprised to learn I’d written the book. I’m hoping she’ll read it next. She asked if I had done a book signing. I told her I hadn’t but wished I had. I might have even been able to do something at school but chickened out. Maybe I’ll be better at book marketing with Book Two. I’m making progress with the manuscript and hope to be done soon.

After we’d finished our coffee and it was time for our visit to end, I’d invite you to come back soon. I’m planning on baking Christmas cookies and our decorations should be up by then. My husband has already put up a Santa Flamingo. You have to appreciate his quirkiness. His ability to make me laugh never wavers.

 

Until next time…