yum

Can't remember if I've posted about some little noshes that students share~basically mini flatbreads with a delicious spice. They didn't know the English words for most of them, so I consulted my friend, Google, and found that the Arabic is za'atar. It's a blend of thyme/sumac/salt/sesame seeds and it's mahvelous. 

Came to work today to find TWO students brought me jars and bags of it. I had been asking where to buy it and which brand was good. Guess it's something that you *don't* use the store bought kind, so now I have heaps of this. 

And to top the day of good eats, someone else brought in two pans of legamuts~SO dangerous. Just a teeny mouth-sized bite of fried goodness.

A beautiful ending to April.

adieu

A student just got her green card and is going to work while she waits for her uni term to begin in September. So, she brought gifts to the admin today~admire my pretty new bookmark! Goes well with my glasses case from SF.

Dressing for the day continues to be an exciting event was we careen between the 30s and 80s.

and whoosh, it's Friday

CupKate on her way to pick up big brother from the bus stop. Just SO MUCH squeeeeeee.

Shifting from gushing aunt to Laurie, it's been wonderful to make a local friend. It sounds odd, but making friends as you age is hard. While I do enjoy my current work colleagues, there are days when you want friends that have nothing to do with work. 

I've discovered a local botanical garden and my annual pass comes with a guest pass, so we met up after work for a walk. A much better way to transition into the evening than traffic.

The grounds look completely different from my visit just three weeks ago~we've shifted from cherry blossoms and daffodils to tulips and azaleas and dogwoods. The peonies ought to be in bloom by my next visit.

through the itching sneeze

Spring is radiant still. Blooms,

bees, & beauty stun.

a little oud music

I love how spontaneous parties often break out at this school.

steamed

Since a truck flipped over on a major road this afternoon and closed that one~which dominoed the entire Beltway into a snarl~our administrators decided to walk up the street to try a new Asian place. They had delicious/healthy/cheap bar bites and it was pleasant enough to sit outside.

I still didn't get home until 830~it took me 43 minutes to get through one stoplight....

But this post was supposed to be about my informative and interesting tour of the visa processing at Dulles International Airport this morning. I got to meet several of my cohorts from around the region as well as ask all kinds of questions from the alphabet soup that runs all the bits of international travel. 

It was nice to have a break in office routine and to be in an airport and dream of travels.

surprise!

Feeling good as we just pulled off a birthday surprise for the boss~when 50 people know, you cannot be sure that it will stay a secret. I knew it was chancy as she loathes being the center of attention, but hey. She founded this school seven years ago and deserves some celebrating. We were really happy that it went well~especially when we heard that her five children AND her husband forgot about her birthday this morning.

One of the best persons I've worked for~which is saying a lot, considering the length of my resume. 

The pistachio/fig cake was a hit with the school.

From an evaluation form~sign me up for that class!!!!!

not sure

If you've really celebrated Easter, unless you've had a bunny bum.

Plastic eggs have stepped up their game recently. 

The behind the scenes before a photo shoot. 

Squinting in the spring sunshine. 

While not technically baby's first Easter, it's the first one she participated in.

Easter beauty

After a wild night of storms and a nearby tornado~today was gorgeous.

Some lessons taught and lunch with family and then a walk around the 'hood with the elder Littles.

Ms. A wanted her photo with her pink tree. 

Best bouquet in the world!

Friday, good

Shiny penny found at the Nats Stadium. 

One never outgrows (or so I hope) the allure of the bent copper dipping wand. 

 

The joy of a Paas kit. 

And now I can have pastel egg-salad for the next week...

buy me some peanuts and crrrrackerjacks

Probably the most perfect ballgame~weather wise, that I have attended.  Cool and clear and with a teeny view of the Washington Monument. It was the Nats vs. the SF Giants and a fun game~with some dull innings in the middle with nothing but strike-outs.

Our usher was zany and hilarious and kept it lively during the lulls. Garlic fries were enjoyed.

And, in case you were wondering, Teddy won the President race that they do every game.

acrostics

We tackled acrostic poetry today~students were taking photos of their, for most, very first poem ever. In that spirit, I offer you my day:

This chilly morning brought no hint that it would be

Unusual. 

Easy-peasy traffic and a quiet first hour at 

School. Super fun grilled cheese bar where I divided the school into birth

Days, so student would mix/mingle. Figuring out more of the visa system

And helping one student unsnarl his life, while another one had a meltdown and 

Yelled at pretty much everyone. But now I'm home. Bathed, yogaged, and medicated for bed.

we won't always have Paris

So bizarre as while writing this morning and squinting out my window, I thought the rooftops opposite looked faintly Parisian. And I walk by this light enroute to my mail box and always thinks it looks like it could be along the Seine.

Other than the metro/airport, I've not spent time in Paris, but being on day 661 of French lessons~it floats around in my mind a lot. That, and a life in Montreal.

Just a ramble on the brevity of beauty and a reminder to myself to stay focused on the joys underfoot.

And speaking of underfoot, our boss has five children with varying spring breaks, so we're meeting them as they tag along to the office. Today's was a firecracker! Gave her folders to stuff and shelves to organize and she waded right in.

We were all snickering because she was very carefully making invoices for her mother to pay her at the end of the day. She just turned 11; I would say that it'll be interesting to watch what she becomes as she grows up.

Sunday life still

Sunday life still, the

sacrament of serenity;

lovely slothfulness

the joy of one

One year of this little CupKate~she got to hand out eggs at her sister's school this morning. 

I'd be a little terrified at a six-foot rabbit, but it seemed to be a hit with the preschool crowd. 

Baby's first cake; mama did her proud. 

Not quiiiite sure about the crowd (all five of us) singing to her.) 

But then she decided to pinch the candle out instead of the traditional blowin' and wishin'.

First, a bit of playing with the food before tasting it.

Not sure about the first bite, but then...

 loved it and ate the entire slice.

After Christmas and watching her sister and dad just have birthdays, this little one knows exactly what to do with presents. She was so giggly tonight and racing around~into everything. What a joy to watch this first year!!!

the familiar & the curious

Realized that I'm fully unpacked for the first time in almost two years, so it was fun to find these salt/pepper cuties from an aunt and allow them to be free-range chickie.

Guess I was enthusiastic when I tried some Egyptian gum this week; I thought it tasted like thyme. The student brought me a bag full~just for me today and I learned a bit about the https://www.britannica.com/plant/mastic-tree">Mastic tree

. (I have NO idea why this hyperlink isn't working as it's the correct formula.) I took some to my conversation class~curious to see how other Middle Eastern/Mediterranean countries used it and found all kinds of uses.

Bad lighting, but I finally got a couple of bronzed planters to begin gardening! Again, for the first time since I left Texas. Home Depot didn't have any plants that inspired me to adopt them, so will continue the quest this weekend.