Early Thanksgiving

Turkey Day came early this year!

Yesteday I travelled out to Long Island by train to Professor Gail O'Connel's house. Her and her husband, Matt, live southeast of Great Neck near the school that Matt works at. They have a nice big house with a nice big yard. Unfortunately it was too chilly for the Taiwanese students to go outside and play baci. Instead, after we arrived, we sat near the fire. I taught a some students how to play backgammon and other students how to play hearts. This was fun.

Matt took me quickly over to his school. The school building looks like an old mansion. A lot of wood there! There was wood panelling up to my shoulder in the halls. Above that there are woodcuttings that all the seventh graders make. We saw some wood carvings that dated back to 1931.

I got to help with the cooking and setting up. After a traditional dinner, we had pumpkin pie that Gail made. Not everybody liked it, but that is pumpkin pie for you. Matt described it as an aquired taste and I would agree with that.

I felt bad, but at 8:00 I had to leave. This was before the cleanup. We left a lot of the O'Connels to do. However, I had to get home--I got home at 10p--so I could get up this morning and go to work at the charter school.

I was stuffed but happy!