Still Learning...

Last week my mate Annette made this lush apple and ginger coffee cake. I casually mentioned I couldn't taste much coffee. Annette looked puzzled. Apparently there isn't any coffee in coffee cake. It's not a flavor, it's a type of cake you eat with a cup of coffee.

Right. Like a beer pie? Or wine burger?

I always avoid the 'coffee cake' table at Whole Foods for fear of giving my children caffeine. After three and a half years here, I'm clearly still learning!

Annie's first grade teacher - Ms Schilling - taught us to never stop learning. Her and Annie had this really special bond evident by this email I got from her last term:

"The joy of teaching Annie is that she takes everything in and gives the most valued a go.  She has been trying out different ways to a show things in a compare and contrast kind of way and then also focus in on one. Two approaches, each offering different perspectives.... beautiful spacing, lovely printing...but please know that I value the IDEAS and CREATIVITY more, I just want it all for her! She felt very, very proud of her efforts today and her work lost none of its ANNIE-ness in the process. She is such as JOY to teach..."

Tami Schilling with her 1st Grade class last year on PJ Day

Sadly, Ms Schilling died suddenly from cancer a few weeks ago. She had taught first grade at the school for 26 years and was young, fit and seemingly healthy. She was one of those people who made a big impact on you when you met her. She read my blog, we shared books, I helped weekly in her classroom and we stayed in touch during the summer.

The news hit us hard because she was Annie's hero and our friend. Dealing with grief is a life lesson that Annie is learning. She tells us that her body won't let her cry yet but she overreacts emotionally to other things right now and has had some horrible nightmares. It's been a heavy-hearted start to the new school term. 

When we first moved here I remember being concerned that the Californian education system wouldn't match up academically to what we would have experienced in the UK. I'm shaking my head and smiling as I write this (fool that I was) because having a teacher who wants it all for your child is as good as it can get.

He always makes us smile - our British mate Simon came to stay as part of a project he was working on for National Geographic. As part of his student year out he used to work at Oracle, whose offices are near our home, so we cycled there to take him back to his youth.

Simon is a photographer so we were thankful of some lovely family snaps he took whilst with us - the lad certainly knows how to earn his coffee cake!

Growing up in so many ways - Our Annie

Fun at the beach 

Tom has started pre school - he has such a great sense of humor, is the most polite four year old I know and is loving learning new things.

Three client projects finished and I'm learning new things as a freelance creative writer. I've met some remarkably talented designers and passionate business owners but I'm frustrated at the informality of business here. Short, sharp one line emails, no contracts or regular meetings. Working across different time zones on the smallest of projects. Lots of jargon and abbreviations I don't understand. My business achievements and track record in the UK - the things I am most proud of - don't count for anything here. I'm back at the start, having to prove I am capable and still learning...

A night out to let off steam - and boy, we let off some steam! Dancing and singing like we were twenty again, watching Paul Weller at the Fillmore - a historic music venue in San Francisco,  

The Fillmore is famous for its psychedelic concert posters. Copies of the night's posters are given out at the end of each concert for sold-out shows. The venue displays a copy of every poster produced and I stumbled across a particular Welsh band I felt worthy of a photo! 

Finally, in the spirit of still learning I'm giving the last word to Ms Schilling. This was something she handed out before the children exhibited their work to us on Parent's Evening last term. Whether you are a parent or not, this is a great life lesson about learning...