Breakfast with Ade

We met at Four Sisters in Roseville for a good long gabfest. Always fun.

Party crashing

I tagged along with Val M and discovered a few friends I haven't seen in a long time.  L-R: Linda, Val M, Val S, Maria, me.

Above we were at the American Legion in Rio Linda. Then we moseyed across a parking lot to the 145 Club where a band was playing. By the way, long long ago, Maria's father and his brothers owned this same bar then named Klein's Club. 

Want more? Ok. Go to

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=VpxIyiFhfFQ

CELDT testing comes to an end

L-R: Laura, Mike, Susie, Kathy, Sylvia. Tomorrow is my last day of CELDT testing. As schools were completed, teams dissolved, and people left because other previously-assigned jobs began. Mike's long-term sub job ended at Westside and he came to Noralto to join Sylvia's team. Archie's team was reduced to just Laura and me.

Kathy, Susie, Mike, and I all worked together for many years at Westside School.

I must say, we had a great time. We worked hard and laughed a lot, frequently egged on by Mike.

Rio Linda Elverta Country Faire: morning parade

Last year's centennial celebration was so successful, local volunteers organized a similar event this year.

Grandpa Bob!

The local county supervisor rode in Old Betsy, Rio Linda's first fire truck.

Pirates walked behind their flagship.

Riding with her daughter is KJ, a local teacher and friend. I first met KJ as her mentor when she and another phase 3 student teacher were assigned to a 6th grade class for the last half of a school year because there was no already-credentialed person to hire. Many years later, we worked together at Westside Charter School. Most recently she guided our CELDT testing team at Orchard School. And ... I was her husband's 4th grade teacher at Rio Linda Elementary.

Sandy's retirement party

Archie and Sandy have lived "forever" in Rio Linda.  Archie and I worked together in RLUSD and mostly recently he was our team leader for the CELDT team I've been working on. Archie's brother, Ken (far left below) also worked in RLUSD for a long time.  Sandy (sleeveless blouse), until her 65th birthday today, worked as a hair dresser.  Tonight family, friends, co-workers, and clients came to celebrate.

The party was a couple of houses down the street

at Jim and Lucy's.

Neighbors from G St: Jerry and Susan.

Master griller Jerry.

Sandy is now going to have much more time for her horse and competitions.

The finale was a fun magic show (despite the terrible picture).

Coffee klatch

Aka a kaffeeklatsch -a casual social gathering for coffee and conversation - and that's exactly what Adrienne, Linda and I had this morning. Fun!

Work work work

This week, CELDT testing began in Twin Rivers Unified School District. CELDT = California English Language Development Test.  "Students in kindergarten through grade twelve whose home language is not English are required by law to take an English skills test ... This test helps schools identify students who need to improve their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English." (from the official website)

Because the speaking part of the test must be given individually, the district hires retired teachers to administer that section.  I'm on a team of 4 people who are assigned to Rio Linda High School and all its feeder schools.  There are 7500 students in TRUSD to be tested, 45 different languages although Spanish is the most prevalent.  We finished two schools this week.

I graduated from Rio Linda High School in 1966, my class was the first to attend all 4 years before graduating.

I am really enjoying working and glad for this opportunity.  

Huey Lewis and the News

Thunder Valley Casino on a warm Saturday evening,

with friend Val.

Four food trucks in the courtyard

including one called Bacon Mania. Bacon-wrapped brownie bites?

Also old friends, Glen and Kathy, were there.  I taught two of their 3 kids, Shane and Tyrah, at Westside long ago.  Glen is also part of the pickleball group that gets together.

We met the people around us. Dan and Gay who have been friends for 39 years. Gay's husband stayed home making pickles.

Vicky took daughter Amy to her first concert when she was 8 - Huey Lewis.  25 years later, they reprised their outing.

That's Vicky's fan dealing with the heat of the setting sun.

Huey put on a great 2-hour show!

Summer Party

Val and Chuck hosted a party tonight. Almost everyone was a retiree from the extinct Rio Linda Union School District and their spouses. View from the back yard:

L-R: Linda, Susie

Mike, Linda, Kathleen, Dennis, Carol, Kathy.

All Westside: Mike, Ade, Arlete, Terry, Susie - Linda is hidden.

All Rio Linda Elementary: Ron, Susie, Linda, Bill, Carole, _____ (so sorry to not know this person's name, this will be corrected ASAP), Mike, Linda, Mary, Ray, Arlete, Val, Kathy.

Ann, Jean (also a paparazza), Sue, Joan, Julie.

Master griller Chuck.

Bill, Val, and a rising supermoon.

Thanks, Val, for bringing so many old friends together again.  Total fun!

Mike goes to the Giants game

What to do? Friday night, broken arm, can't drive (or do much of anything else), husband gone to a baseball game. Poor Ade, this is the exact spot where she tripped on the non-blue edge about a week ago, fell and broke her right arm.

Dinner with a friend was a great idea.  The friend drove.

Project Ride Smart

First day of work at Regency Park Elementary in Twin Rivers USD. Rio Linda Union School District was one of the school districts blended into TRUSD, so I knew a few of the teachers and staff members.  We will be working with four 5th grade classes over the next 2 1/2 weeks.  One of the 5th grade teachers was Joni O'Connor, a Rio Linda "native," a favorite "mom" from my past, and whose son attended Westside Charter School when I taught there.

 

My teaching partner, Brad Meyers, has been teaching bicycling instruction for over 3 years, so my first time out of the gate was a smooth one. 

I would have loved to have had a Smart Board when I was teaching.  It connects to any computer to project images and lessons.  There are four colored markers in the tray.  When you pick one up, the Smart Board knows and the lines made on the board are that color.  There's even an electronic eraser.

(As it would turn out, this job would take more time and be more exhausting than I expected.  Blogging and other daily tasks would slow to the point of not happening.)