Method

Just had interview #1 for a piano teacher today. He was very professional, and highly qualified. He recieved a music degree in London Ontario, taught a kingston and has taught at mount royal for 15 years. Now he does private lessons.

He said he only uses the sizuki method of piano as it trains the students to read music better. He also says that it is faster than most methods. He tells me that at the end of 3 books of sizuki, the children will enter conservatory music at grade 4. I started out in sizuki, but switched when we switched piano teachers when I was young.

His preference is to have the parent beside the child at the piano lesson so they know what is going on, and so they will ask the questions most children don’t. He also says that all his students have about an hour long lesson. He charges a flat rate of $120/ month for each student. Some months they get 4 lessons some months they get 5. Still have a few more to go but I am very impressed. I think he is out of our price range. No wonder he can afford such a nice place.

Money, Money, Money It Ain’t Funny

Last week was such a good money week. My stocks are up 15%* yippee. I finally got paid and I got my Child Tax credit retroactive payment for Tweedle 3. This week however not so much. My stocks are still up, but thats for retirement so no immediate fun there. My van needed new brakes so a big chunk there. My visa ouch! (Dentist, birthday present and all the stuff I had to cover whilst waiting for paycheck) It’s not like I don’t have the money to cover all of this, it’s just I had plans some of which was more retirement investing and pants that fit, also maybe a skirt. I ended up with only one pair of pants. I decided I will have to wait till next month for another pair so if you see me and I don’t offer my hand for a shake it’s not because I’m snubbing you. I do not offer my hands because both are occupied in keeping my pants up while the ones that fit are in the laundry. You think I’m not kidding don’t you. I don’t get out of the van anymore when I pick up the kids from school (unless wearing a dress) because I have to hold up my pants. Then there is the time I was carring groceries in both hands up my stairs and I could feel the waistband slipping. I barely made it behind the lillac bush before the trousers hit the ground. O.K. Maybe that’s funny.

*Please don’t think I’m a savvy investor and have lots invested. It’s so not the case. We will never retire on what I put away. I figure it’s the thought that counts.

The Snow Man Cometh and Cometh and Cometh. Away We Goeth.

I know we haven’t had the record snowfalls that New York has had, but it has been snowing constantly for about a week now (maybe longer, it feels longer). It is supposed to stop by wednesday which makes me happy because we are going out of town on thursday. The boys have teacher’s convention and Mr. Wonderful took the two days off so away we go. It’s only for a day. A day of eating someone elses cooking, sleeping in a hotel bed, possibly swimming in a pool and sitting by a fire. Yay!

I’ll try to remember to take pictures. I’m so bad at that.