Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Mixed bag

The sheer number of things a person has to do/ can do in a day, and do well...

Today I:

Taught a variety of English verbs, the passive voice (again) and suffixes in English.

Baked bread.

I prepped the menu, schedule and shopping list for all the food (question to follow) for the party.

Was an (unwilling) witch disciplinarian with one daughter, but barely saw the other

Studied a ton of Spanish

Taught adverb formation in English to 8 year old

Overheard one of my co-teachers commenting that I am molt dura (very hard/tough) with my kid.  *sigh*  Not sure which one said it, but I would bet they don't have/haven't had teenage kids.

Taught reported speech in English

Taught how to write at a high level in English, and indeed, how to write at all in any language.  (Don't repeat yourself, organise your thoughts, use connectors (however, in as much but, though) vary your sentence length, match tone and register to content id. don't p*ss off your reader...blah blah blah...though it is a very receptive group....keen infact.

Then I came home.

Mended fences with Eldest (much needed after our day)  God that kid has a sense of humour.

Now to catch up on email, analyse a potential curricular change (sent to a site that I have to read in SPANISH!)  review a major change at work I am responsible for, though it is not my final decision...

And paint.

Plus breathe.  Remember this song?  I always liked it a lot.  Bodhi made me think of it.

It is closing in on 2am, I am still awake, but no one is calling me.  Thank goodness.  Only noise is my computer and Chuck snoring gently in the middle of the little bit of space I have....

Amazing what we can do, no?  Now, to get my hands dirty!

WEEEEE!!!!!

Oh yeah, that question.  The man hates eating with his hands so doesn't like this idea, and the kids think that all Catalans/Spanish are profoundly unadventurous eaters (with some basis)  (my I am feeling paranthetical, no?) (is parenthetical a word?)

Anwyay....I am thinking of having a sort of build-your-own section to the food for the party.  There will be all manner of dips and crap like that, plus some sweet stuff too...but also I am thinking of having a build your own (fishless) sushi - I would put out sushi rice, sliced cucumbers, grated carrots, slivers of tofu, maybe marinated, seasonings, and they roll their own, so to speak.  Plus a Vietnamese leaf roll up jobby, so there are bibb lettuce leaves, plus a filler of spicy yummy stuff and a sauce.  The spoon some of the filler on the lettuce, drizzle on some sauce and fold it up.  The kids would be willing to give demonstrations and I love the idea, but I think I class as a more adventurous eater and I LOVE eating with my fingers.  Tastes better, no?

Any thoughts?

Aside from lots of napkins?

Thanks!

O

6 comments:

Trish said...

English? I could certainly use a brush up myself.

As for finger food, I think it's a great idea. It loosens people up and gives them something to fiddle with when there's a lull in the conversation. And all your selections there sound yummy.

Yeah . . . the napkins.

Kim said...

That is a full day alright. My invitation to the party? Lost in the mail, I bet. I, too, love eating with my fingers especially at a partay. If you can find ways to avoid double-dipping and how about little mini-finger bowls - maybe too messy. Yeah, lots of napkins.

swenglishexpat said...

Good luck with your house warming. I am sure it will be fine on the day, after all your planning. Speak as many tongues as you like, eat with your fingers and enjoy all the lovely comments you will get about your house (and perhaps paintings?). Relax and enjoy!

Helen said...

Finger bowls are good

J.G. said...

Gosh, what a list!

I, too, vote for build-your-own food. It definitely gets people interacting. Maybe spoons in the choices to make sure people know that part isn't communal?

oreneta said...

Trish, it is astonishing the quantity of grammar I know now. Blows me away.

KIM! I am so sorry your invitation didn't make it. Wouldn't that be sweet!

Swenglishexpat...relax and enjoy we basically pulled off, in the end.

Helen, words to live by.

JG...little spoons are definately a good idea. And cut the veggies for dipping small enough no one is tempted to double dip!