MAY DAY, MAY DAY

Relax, there's no emergency. Just me letting off what ever --- the season has had it's ups and downs. My schedule is upside down and life changed in less than a week. What's up?

Motivation comes slowly and then it races towards you. That’s what Spring ‘08 has been for us. First the idea that I might have two classes back to back on Wednesdays was daunting - and then the requisite number of couples did not appear for the Ballroom session. About the same time it became increasingly evident that fewer than the minimum students for the Really Simple Blogging class were interested. Both classes were cancelled. What a downer!

But not for long. Life is nothing for me if not a path through brambles, obstruction there, turn the other way and keep going. Meantime I have asked for more dance time at the senior center, spent time with sister Jan after her foot surgery, reflected on the season and what needs to be done and somehow - new challenges arrived.

Learning about the history of Durham, North Carolina and the South has been an on-going aim since moving here a decade ago - but last Tuesday was a major milestone. Dear Hubby was interested in the OLLI class "Local Musicians in Performance" and the week’s speaker was provided by the NC Humanities Council. Billy Stevens is an historian (U of Miss), tracing the evolution of popular American music to it’s European and African roots. What a revelation about more than just music but also social customs and events that shaped the instruments, singers and songs during the 19th and 20th- century music. I could have stayed for more.

Next issue under consideration: our former dance teacher is organizing a non-profit to teach dance in elementary schools in local counties and has asked me to be on the board. Not that I want or need another B-O-D assignment but I am willing to help vet his student applicants and edit proposals. If this sounds a bit like "Mad, Hot Ballroom" or "Take the Lead," you got it. As the state and local school boards continually cut funding for the arts, the need for outside programs sponsored by the PTA or other supporters becomes vital for keeping cultural activities part of the curriculum.

Not that it means I will get to dance. Quite the contrary, without the senior ballroom class for the moment my dancing shoes are still in the closet. However, come June we have weekly dance dates for the summer months and I will be ready. The Wellness Center’s dance class (wanna-be Rockettes), continued yesterday with a simple routine and the Check-It-Out Cha Cha. I taught the short, line dance sequence at the end of class to relieve Claudia somewhat before a flight to LA.

Claudia has been teaching dance for twenty-five years (mostly to children), and her number one student - daughter has been nominated for a CAMI award for her role in a Hallmark Channel series. Naturally proud mom wants to be there for the "red carpet" event(?), to see her daughter’s wining moment. If there is one. SO-o-o I got to be the junior teacher assistant leading the Cha Cha.

After the dance class I headed south - driving to Pittsboro, home of Hanks Chapel Orchid Greenhouses where I took the recently de-leafed orchid back and to collect the next soon-to-bloom orchid.

You may remember the blooming photos of January (left) and then the dying stage in March. Well, it's over.

The orchid grower took one look and pronounced it ‘dead on arrival.’ Bummer. That was one of the first orchids I bought years ago and I thought it would out live me. But the one that came home with me is bigger, has many more buds just about to open.

The extra bonus of driving to Pittsboro a few times each year is to shop the thrift shops looking for - well anything. Always looking for cook books (found one), for jewelry (0) and for fabric. This time the fabric sought is woven cotton plaids in bright Caribbean colors - and I found many. Buying men’s shirts in bold plaids, or women’s cotton skirts will provide just the amount of fabric I need to cut square patches and make a bold, dancing skirt. Total outlay = $20. What a big spender I am!




Of course the scrappy sewing that I have managed to accomplish lately resulted in one breakthrough - I have patchwork that I really like for the back-section of the "alleged green jacket." The hold back at this point is - I like it too much to cut into it. Give me time.

Keep cutting and Keep patching, b