Back in the Saddle

I didn't remember my camera; this is from several years ago.

I taught yesterday for the first time since my second stroke, and it really went very well.

I had made absolutely sure I had all of my props ready and sorted out on Sunday afternoon. It's a good thing I checked my garment bag, as I had neatly packed the boys clothing, but had not put in any on the girls costumes. That would have been a disaster! The Squire helped me load the van, and even rummaged through the fireplace to find a few chunks of burnt wood to put in the foot warmer and the iron.

I've been working for weeks on a toddler doll and Sunday I whipped up a cape for her. I had made one, but it didn't fit properly, so my friend the Army Doctor stopped at Joanne's on Saturday afternoon and got more felt. The new cape took less than an hour; easy-peasy if you know what you're doing!

When I went into the school I took "Martha" and stood her so she was looking over the back of a chair while I got my visitor's badge and then went out with a cart to collect my "traveling circus". One of the teachers said she was just about to catch this little girl before she tilted the chair backwards when she realized it was a doll!

My tables were waiting for me, and I was early enough that I could get all set up. My models had been selected, and - for once - the boys remembered "the flap goes in the front". Most of the time I have to send them back to put their breeches on right way round.

The students were all beautifully behaved, and asked good questions, which kept me on my toes. As the students had returned to their classes, one of the teachers came up and asked me how long I had been doing this. "Oh, just about forever", I told her. "I started when my grandson was in the fifth grade and he's 24 now."  She told me I had looked familiar when I came in, and as I was speaking she realized that I had come to her class when she was in elementary school. Yeesh! I'm on the second generation, now!