Señorita Penélope Goes to School

Today was Pip's first day at kindergarten--we met privately with the teacher for 15 minutes. She doesn't start real classes until next week. She was ever so thrilled to go and of course, she wanted to look her best and decided her Barcelona dress was a must! Pip is the happiest, most fun loving and joyous little girl. I will so miss her being gone to school for full days. However, I am so very blessed to have three amazing girls to love.
September is the month when I feel like saying, wake me when all the red tape is finished. Tuitions to pay, lessons to sign up for, too many forms to fill out, classes cancelled...
Up to my elbows in red tape. Working very hard to procure enough dancing classes to satisfy me.  Working hard trying to defend my thesis despite delays and delays. I could scream, the delays are costing me money--I pay tuition until is is done. So much to do as I am starting my studio art career this month as well. This year will be one of my most intensive. My baby is in kindergarten and my career has begun. Creating the life one wants is a 24/7 job. Wish me luck and more luck once more.
On a light note, my disco ball just arrived and it is cool. I do hope I will get to use it next week! My ZumbAtomics class may be cancelled :(
I had a most lovely evening last--hiked up the mountain with Peter to the best lookout on Knox. Spread out a picnic blanket and popped open a bottle of Pinot Noir and watched the sun set (yes, for all those who know Peter--he cracked open a bottle of grape soda).

Señorita Penélope arrives at school

Señorita Penélope and Mommy

Señorita Penélope enters the school

Señorita Penélope and Mommy waiting to meet the kindergarten teacher

Señorita Penélope and her kindergarten teacher (she's so nice!)

Señorita Penélope stops by to say hi to her sister Tabitha

Señorita Penélope arrives home to greet her best friend (and cousin) Artemisia

So Much Fun!

Me, apres the conference banquet. The dress is Max Studio and the shoes Ralph Lauren--I confess, I own 8 Max Studio dresses as they are designed perfectly to fit my body type.

I had a wonderful time at the banquet--we sat outside over looking the lake. It was held at the Hotel Elderado. I talked with so many interesting and fun people. The food was delicious also.
I recently have felt very disillusioned with academia and my thesis process. But this conference was just what I needed to feel good about my career path again. I received some compliments last evening at the banquet from several people. In general, they were thrilled with my presentation. One particular woman told me that I am a very skilled presenter and my presentation was very interesting and that she sees really exciting things ahead for me in my career--I can't beat that comment! It felt so good to be with academics and to be treated with respect and as a person of interest and knowledge. And my paper was published in the conference proceedings so now I am published! :) Peter and Phil did a fab job planning the conference.
I feel good about the path I am on. My goal to get my MFA next and teach and research Fine Arts at a University is just what I want.
The only down side of the conference is that I lost my note book and one of the presenters from UBC kept reiterating in her speech that Canada is a British colony!  We are a part of the British Commonwealth of Nations but we are NOT a colony nor have we been in a very long time. We became an independent nation in 1867!

And double more fun! I am for sure teaching 2 ZumbAtomics classes this fall at the rec centre. M & F 1h classes--so excited to be teaching again!

Hedwig's Theme

Tabs

Pip in audience. Note: she's folded up with the seat :)

Tabs' duet with her teacher Marla

A little bow after her performance

Mist. This is only her 2nd year of piano but she has advanced very quickly. Her teacher says she's a whizz at theory.

A quick  bow

Marla and her students

After recital reception

The title is a title from one of the pieces my daughters played at their year end piano recital.
I love the piano. It was a good recital. Beautiful music.
I am finally feeling a little better. Bronchitis is a slow recovery.
My Mac computer is really acting up. it is as though someone is changing everything I type as I type it and when I google a website it goes to some weird one I didn't choose. It says I have no viruses but what is going on? It also refuses to load my photos on my blog--it cancels my command just after I've made it.
I will gradually get back to work: thesis revisions (PMGO!) For those of you that don't understand the lingo: puke my guts out--Mist is famous for using this acronym.
Then I must prepare for my conference presentation on Monday. I also must get my Zumba choreography completed asap and as well finish planning Spain.
ZumbAtomics will be amazing to teach as Tabs and Nemi (daughter and niece) will be in my class and will be my designated assistants.
Once my thesis is finished, I move on to painting and publishing my existing novels and staring my MFA in painting at UBC this fall. That involves a lot of painting prior to starting.
I am happy--another date. I met this woman through the piano recitals and I've always liked her and found her interesting (she's a fashionista like me). We have a coffee date when I get back from Spain.
***will up load pics as soon as it lets me :P

If Wishes Were Fields

Cousins and best friends: Artemis and Pip

Pics taken a few weeks ago.
This cold virus turned into something more: throwing up is involved too :(
I took today off to just recuperate.
I did take Fernando on a walk around the block, went to Chapters to buy a Lonely Planet travel magazine yet still I remain bored out of my Friggen mind!
I hate recuperating. I get so bloody bored. My head is full and my stomach dodgy so I can't concentrate enough to do real work (writing, dancing even serious reading). Thus, I am terribly bored. So I am blogging for lack of a better thing to do today.
I believe tomorrow I will be well enough to at least work, probably not work out though. That is the killer. I organize my day around my workouts so to not be well enough to do them leaves me feeling lost. Perhaps meditation is in order today--I have slacked off this week.
Sigh....my nightly Mexican dining must be shelved for now too.
Onto more interesting topics: the Rec centre called to say they have me teaching at least one ZumbAtomics class this fall and perhaps an adult Zumba too.  I am excited about this. All my choreography is not in vain. I may teach on campus as well.  Wish I felt well enough to keep up the choreography this week!
The summer is rushing upon me. The week after next, I present and attend the ICEL (International Conference on E-Learning) and then on Friday we're off to Barcelona! YIKES, so soon! I still haven't decided weather to stay in Catalonia for the entire 2 weeks or spend the 6 days in Barcelona and then fly or train down to Andalucia for a week. One can't do all of Spain in 2 weeks so I must choose. It is so difficult because there is so much to experience in every region. At least I've narrowed it down to two choices. I love travel, it makes the earth seem like an endless magical adventure.