Of Teas and Birds and Such

Yesterday was my school's annual Mother's Tea. The kids all came to school decked out in frilly little dresses and sharp little suits. They were so cute and so aware of their fine appearance! The boys looked kind of stiff and uncomfortable and their hair looked a little more slick and combed than usual. (A few boys showed up in regular uniform though.) The girls kept fiddling with their dresses or their curls or their sweaters or their hair. They happily admired each other and the teachers. The tables were equally decked out in finery, and sweet tea and dainty food was quickly polished off by mothers and children. I played the harp for background music (that's actually how I got this job three years ago!) and then a music group of four women presented a little program. The music wasn't my cup of tea, as it was very contemporary Christian. They were actually two sets of sisters, and one of the songs they did was from Sister Act. Didn't seem to fit the atmosphere, but no one was consulting me, so there you have it! But everyone went home sugared and happy, and I think the mothers felt properly pampered, which is the important part.

Today is a beautiful, sunny day, though not very warm. I think my dad and I are going to go for a bike ride a little later. This morning I was sitting in bed journaling. My parents had just left for a little outing, when I heard this strange noise at the back door. I figured it must have been left open and the wind was blowing it. So I got up to investigate, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a little swallow inside beating its wings helplessly against a window! It had obviously flown heedlessly through the open door and then gotten stuck, not being able to figure out how to get around the door and back out. Of course he wasn't going to let me get near him, so I finally took out the screen of another window he'd been trying and urged him to fly through it. At that moment I heard a little meow and the sound of Cheeky coming out of my room. Oh, dear, this isn't good! I could imagine how delighted he'd be at this bit of fast food just hovering over his dish waiting to be gobbled! So I quickly ushered him back to my room, closed the door, and went back to the kitchen to find that the bird had gotten out! Yay! Once again, I've rescued an animal in distress -- my good deed for the day.