let's walk to school

first we step out of my new apartment and this is what we see. it's the same lake you saw this summer, but from a different angle.
let's go take a quick peek around the corner before we head off. it's not a great shot, but i would like to point out the palm trees and the grape vines on the right (i steal grapes from those vines, but i think they're fair game if they're hanging in MY garden.) when you catch the breeze just right, you can smell those grapes ripening, it's lovely. also, nice hose.
about 20 meters from my front door is hadsall house, home of the 3rd and 4th grades and on the top floor, a bunch of junior boys.
THIS was supposed to be my classroom. i was excited about that. who wouldn't want a fireplace
AND a chandelier in their classroom? notice the ceiling.
but through a series of unfortunate events (i will not even get into that because i will get all angry and dizzy again.)
i was banished, i mean assigned, to this charming classroom.
it really is charming. and i really like it. except on rainy days (of which there are many) when the broken gutter spews forth a WATERFALL directly on the stairs. i spent 2 entire days completely soaked and frozen. then i bought some shiny galoshes. and it hasn't rained since.
where are the kids? that's a good question. these pictures were taken when i was afraid. we have to get written permission to photograph the kids for the yearbook. why? well, there are some kids here who "aren't really here" if you catch my drift...mostly italians and russians...
luckily, all my students will appear in the yearbook and, therefore, probably do not belong to families involved in anything shady.

probably.