Ironing Queen

My grandma Gray has the amazing abilty to make the most crushed cloth smooth. I have never seen anyone press clothes as well as her. When she would visit us I would step out in my skirts which I thought was decently ironed and she would herd me off to the laundry room and tell me to take off the skirt so she could iron it, ignoring me all the time when I told her the that "the skirt was perfectly fine as is". When I got it back though, I knew that skirt had got the touch from the Ironing Queen- Miss Dor.

So here I am in Osaka ironing my own clothes and missing my grandmother because I love her but also because I really can’t seem to get the shirts as good as she does. Last night I spent about twenty minutes ironing this striped shirt that I love and in the end it looked good and I began to think that some of my grandmother’s talent was rubbing of on me. But I have to cover the shirt with a jacket because it’s getting so cold, so no one will see the queen that I am becoming.

When Vida grew old,
She gave all her jewels away,
Jewels, as beautiful as youth,
With powers to veil years.
For the one to whom she had given her soul ,
Whom she would soon meet,
Face to face,
Loved only the beauty of her heart.

- For Mommy D.

Love and Affection

Now if you know me then you know that I am quite affectionate. I love my hugs !!! And if I feel love starved then you know cause I will start saying “Gimme a hug nuh” This trait of course has caused my dear mother to utter impassioned pleas to find myself a husband since she is often the prime target when I have my demands ,but the truth is that she broke mi bad because she very affectionate too and plus I think is the husband must find you - LOL

Anyway before I came to Japan they told us that this is not a very huggy huggy place. A slight bend of the back will suffice. Needless to say my spinal cord has been getting much exercise here. I made the mistake and gave a student a little pat on the back (heh heh). You should have seen the little boy’s face- how him never wet up himself I don’ know and I remembered the touch rule again. But the other day I realized that my land lord’s mother ( the same one who had invited me to dinner) loves to be hugged . How happy I was to give her a big hug and squeeze when I saw her this morning- I think I’ll make her my little love pet –hahahaha

Gabby

I just want to say how much I love my little neice Gabriella Camille !! Truly Gabby is a special gift from God to all of us and I pray that she will just grow in beauty, joy and love. Love you my Gabby Wabby!

Questionnaires - Good or Bad?

The children at Fuse High school just completed their first semester exams and so as is the custom there the teachers have to give the children questionnaire to asses the classes and of course themselves. Now questionnaires are kinda tricky. Although out of sheer curiosity you want to see what these children thinking on the other hand you kinda fraid because their answers may just reveal that they really not enjoying your class or that they think you are an absolutely dreadful teacher. (A teacher’s nightmare- if you care)

I remember distinctly at UWI students relishing the moments when they got the questionnaire to tear a part the teacher who they just didn’t like. Imagine their disappointment when they realized that in spite of innumerable negative responses on the questionnaires it was not sufficient to get the lecturer fired, and worse, that they had to endure them for another course that was mandatory for their degree. Any way I had to make up this questionnaire whatever the results would be I would just have to deal with it.

So today I was reviewing the results . A few students said that the didn’t understand most of what I said (Not good) Others said the class was a bit difficult but generally most of the students seem to be doing just fine. At the end of the questionnaire I left a space for them to write general comments and quite a few the children wrote things like “I love Maria “I enjoy class every week” and “Thank you Maria.” I really was delighted and encouraged just to make the classes even better.

So you see questionnaires aren’t always bad after all.