I dreamed about bats last night. The other day, Josie ran to our door in her bare feet, scared of a bat that somehow got into her house. The bat was eventually caught under a blanket by her son's friends and taken out to pasture. I usually never remember my dreams unless I am sick or pregnant. Last night I had dreams of bats grinning at me from every closet of my house. Cute ones, but still. Is there something wrong with me other than my having trouble following one direction in retirement?
Murray the painting is coming along. He is such a handsome boy. I enjoy working oversized on his canvas, really getting intimate with all the intricate patterns of his gray fur. He sits on the floor at my feet while I paint his canvas. It is a Norman Rockwell scene, a sweet and happy glimpse at how I would like to live my life, dog included. Evan came by for his afternoon art lesson, hopefully for the last of his free, complimentary lessons. My tutoring experiment worked, kids are happy to paint with me. I have not forgotten how to teach. Next step is to create an email flyer and send it out to a few select Ranney parents. I hope I can find a few families willing to pay the $100 fee Barbara advises me to charge. I am considering a Saturday or Sunday morning class. That might work nicely for students who live far away and have such long school days.
Then last night, we met Jen, a friend of Sam's. She came to hear his open mike night performance at the Old Glory courtyard. Lisa joined us for dinner and it was a perfect summer evening. For once, it was not too hot or rainy. Sam is so talented, he could always chase away the clouds with his beautiful voice. Jen was a music ed major with Sam at Mason Gross, which means they have known each other for 12 years now. That is a long and loyal friendship, and she is clearly fond of my son. Too bad she has a boyfriend! Anyway, Jen impressed me with her story. Starting off as a music teacher in a public school, she changed her career after suffering from some health issues. She now runs her own music studio in Middletown with 60 private students and a waiting list of even more kids wanting to join. I listened to her successful career change as another sign that being a private teacher could work. I am enjoying my free time this summer, but financially and personally, I am not ready to cash in my professional life for the pastures just yet. Me and the bats getting thrown out to the wind? I don't think so.
So, I will create that tutoring email flyer, starting with Sabrina Lo and a few others from this year's fifth grade. They all said they wanted private lessons. Did they mean that? Are they willing to come to Marlboro? And I'll attack the basement and create a space for student work and student supplies, moving all that stuff down from my dining room table. That same table I hate and keep covered with an old cloth, has become a dumping ground for old teacher gifts, summer hats, summer bags, and student art supplies. It needs to become my dining room again. As I enjoy my Norman Rockwell life, I want to know that I can run an art business of some sort and still have a clean house. No bats allowed.
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