First Third of Summer: Teaching, Tudors, and Rabbits

My last post was about the beginning of summer, now it's a third through. No legit reason not to post; I can't explain it.

I started teaching an ACT course the Monday after my last post. It had been a year since my last class, and the class hours dropped from 25 to 18. It was a challenge. Part of it was me being old-school--having individual meetings with students and checking their homework in person. It's mainly  a challenge because there's no much material to cover. Immediately after the ACT class ended, I started a SAT class. I have two more classes starting in a week--a busy teaching time for me.

I've attended three of four lectures at the Norwalk Library on the wives of Henry VIII: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Catherine Parr. I  didn't learn much about Anne, but I did learn about Catherine and Jane. I also learned that if I want to get the light lunch at the library, I have to arrive around 1145-11:50 for a 12 PM program.

I was afraid I'd miss the Anne Boleyn lecture, because I was teaching the ACT class. Luckily, the day of the Anne lecture was a test day, so I could get a proctor to sub for me. Unfortunately, the proctor didn't show; one student's parents were so mad, he dropped the class; others got another proctored test; all students got an extra class. At least I still got to the Anne lecture.

I've read four books since my last post: The Helen Trilogy by Preston and Child and Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir--more on these later.

With morning classes and hot weather, I've been taking Lola for morning walks from Mathews Park to Oyster Shell Park on the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT.) It's a two to five minute drive to Mathews--depending on traffic lights--and Oyster Shell Park usually offer many rabbits and ground hogs. I think we should start a tradition of a ground hog named Norwalk Norm--why should Punxsutawney Phil get all the credit?

Since we started walking around the neighborhood last year, Lola has enjoyed checking out the rabbits in the area. Many congregate in the fenced off area of part of the city's water supply. We once saw two bunnies running around playing. Others seem to hang out in the area; Lola loves to stalk them even though she's always on the leash and can't get close to them. Jeff and I also enjoy greeting Dylan--a dog who lives on Highwood Avenue. If he's outside, he always runs to greet us. His barks first sounded hostile, but he now loves when we pass by to pet him. Today his mom alerted him that we were passing by: dogs are awesome.

I'm not sure I can promise, but I hope this is the start of regular posting.