Spring with loud birds and Riverfire, 4-9-04

Original email September 4, 2004

September is Springtime in this land of opposites. And besides a bit more rain and blooming Jacaranda trees (big shady purple ones), Spring means noisy birds. Mating, fighting, nesting, LOUD birds. The noisiest is the common crow, but "common" here is big enough to carry me off to some really remote place where the ants could eat me alive (although that's really not too far away i think). They sound like whiny geese who are constantly annoyed and yelling and anything around that can hear them -- which even includes confused friends and family on the other end of a phone line in the US.

Then there are the Magpies. I've always thought they were quite funny-- with thier striking black and white patterns and their sudden, jerky little flights. They're noisy too, but now that it's Spring they're getting especially strange. One day last week, I was subbing in a year 7 class. For some reason, the kids were actually listening to me go on about something, when a Magpie crashed wildly into a window; it was the only one just cracked open, the rest were shut. I jumped and stared. The kids laughed. One kid jumped up to open all the windows, while the rest eagerly explained to me about magpies. They get really territorial this time of year, and when they see their reflection in a closed window, they think it's a trespasser and go after it. Danny likes to warn me that they'll start coming after me soon -- diving at my head if i walk under their trees, and maybe taking pieces of my blonde hair as souvenirs for thier nests. hmmm... i still haven't decided if i believe that yet, but i'm curious to see what spring will bring :)

So I'm subbing a lot now, and i enjoy it much more than i ever thought i would. the first 2 weeks after my long-term sub job at greenslopes ended, i didn't get any calls for daily subbing. i just drove all over the city, introducing myself to schools and hoping they might call me. i was a little nervous. but it really didn't take long to start getting calls. I've been back at greenslopes a lot in the past 3 weeks, and at a big school really close to home. and now i'm being requested back by specific teachers, and i'm working every day this week.

Yesterday i subbed in a 2nd grade class-- first time i've worked with little kids again since I got here. we had so much fun. i read them a favourite picture book of mine from Minnesota-- with great photos and a beautiful story about animals in a winter wood. most of them had never heard of such a thing as a porcupine, and squirrels were just fairy tale creatures. they were so excited.

Danny & I had a fun weekend. there was a festival in the city called Riverfire -- so we went to watch fireworks and F1-11's (airforce fighter jets) over the river. as you would do at the end of winter of course. the city was packed full of people. you could see several groups of fireworks being set off all along the river; they were amazingly well syncronized. Pyrotechnics went off the tops of several tall buildings and sparkled in all the windows along the river. it was spectacular! The planes were the best though. they dump fuel and it burns up behind them -- leaving a tail of bright red fire. and when they fly directly overhead, it's loud enough to shake you right down to your feet. i loved it. and my pilot husband said, "wow!.... i could so DO that!"

And now a new weekend is coming up, and i should end this here and get about the work of finding out what will become of it. content and curious...that's how i feel about life most of the time these days. and i miss you all. and i miss Auttumn. and French Silk Pie. and the Minnesota State fair with roasted sweet corn on a stick. mmmm.... enjoy your september! love and good things, Alicia