Dress Rehearsals

I was asked to take on this role by an old friend, who popped into the school this morning and on his way out, gave me a slap on the shoulder & told me I was doing a grand old job. I hope he's right. I also hope he's on the board of governors! The teachers were jittery with today's dress rehearsal; the very small audience appeared to be rather important - have not seen them before, but you kind of know when powerful hitters are on the bench!

The running order seems to be:

1. Ikuko's tiddlers did their hungry caterpillar routine. Lovely. The slightly odd girl in her class went postal, as usual; seems to be Kozue's full-time job just corralling her!
2. Miwa & Ayako's mini Vegetable Patch & Viking Man ensemble
3. Kimiko's play which escapes me
4. Alysa's pirate ship - The Big Show & Yukina look very good
5. Chisato's group were flagging before lunch in togas, with a baffling number stage entries & exits
6. Satsuki's climax of boy scouts & wellington boots, I am still none the wiser.

And about that lunch. Nobody had thought to tell me today was BYO day. Well, that's actually OK with me - I just wish lawsons was further away so I could stretch the walk out & listen to Test Match Special over my sandwiches. As it was, just had time to hear King Geoffrey of Boycott taking chunks out of Matt Prior for wafting his wicket away in Perth. Meanwhile, some bloodnut called Stokes piles past a debut ton & belts the new ball out of shape in the process.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the late lunch has put everyone off their usual game. With my wandering remit, observed that Chisato was debriefing her class very nicely indeed and giving them a lovely "genki up" - whole class listening intently. She is really growing in my esteem; massively under-estimated her early on. Satsuki's class apparently not up to muster & having to have another practice, the world on her shoulders again. Guess who AWOL on her class while Kimiko corner a quiet place. Think she has been remarkable, given her father passed away last week. Wish I could communicate with this team better.