The Pre-Spring Rush

In August, I find myself busy again.

It's a shock after the quietness of a few months ago.

Life is full.

I've had a few days of casual teaching,

and a few days definitely booked in coming weeks.

While I really enjoy the teaching, it always means

a day lost at home, and the rest of the week becomes a bit more rushed.

Laura and I continue to see our chiropractor and nutritionist,

so there are appointments to attend and new lessons to learn

with food.  Coconut has proved to be a problem for me,

so now my diet consists of just meat, vegetables (not all)

fruit (limited) and nuts.  

However, I think I see improvements in my health,

so it's worth continuing on this path.

Laura is still missing a lot of school, there are no

overnight successes to report for her, but perhaps in time

there will be some positive change.

August means music exam preparation.

I have two students doing 8th Grade Piano,

and Laura doing 3rd Grade Piano in about 10 days, 

and I'm accompanying Emily's 7th Grade Saxophone 

exam in mid-September.

The piano parts for her pieces are ridiculously difficult, 

and I'm trying to fit in a decent practice most days.

So stress levels are high, and I can't wait until the exams are over.

Emily has school exams coming up, also, and is working on some

full-sized butterfly wings made of chiffon, for an art project.

Steve practises violin at nights for various chamber groups he's involved with.

There's always something going on with a deadline around here.

I've also been trying to declutter and tidy our study, the busiest room of the house,

where I teach, we practice, compute and Steve watches movies.

A more pleasant rush has been filling parts the garden with new plants.

After our big planting a few weeks ago I've picked up more plants

from the markets, and am loving the spots of colour in the front garden.

In the back garden I'm building up a herb garden and planting some lavender soon.

Steve dug out metres of fish-bone fern on the weekend so soon we will have a 

big corner of the front garden to fill with something more attractive.

It's lovely to escape outside for a few minutes here and there to check on the progress of each plant,

and water them, and dream up plantings for other parts of the garden. Each day there's something a little different to see, each plant a little bigger, flowers blooming.

Spring is on its way.