At the end of January already...

...another month just flying by.  But at least the weather is warmer, even if today is a rainy drippy day.  My birthday is next week. 66 this year. How in the world is that even possible?  I feel exactly as I did when I turned 40... total disbelief in the number. But I would rather be facing the number 40 instead of the number 66.

The Magic Wand Book Club.... I brought in the "Readability Capes" and the "Thinking Caps" for the students this week.... capes for the girls, caps for the boys. Talk about excitement... the girls were over the moon about the pretty capes, and the boys were excited to pick out their caps.  I just stood there and couldn't stop smiling. These students, most of whom have very little out-of-the-ordinary surprises in their lives, couldn't get over the surprise of their new capes and caps. More than a few of the girls twirled in their seats with their capes draped over their shoulders, and it was just pure joy to watch them. This book club for the students is by far the best thing I have ever accomplished.

Next week, Barry Manilow will be in concert in the Houston area... and we will be there, front and center.  We saw Manilow in Houston a couple of years ago, for his 'One Last Time' tour, supposedly the end of his touring years because he wanted to retire.  That Houston concert was bittersweet because we all thought we wouldn't be seeing him live on stage again. So the announcement of this coming performance was magical.  "We have to go! No doubt about it at all, we just have to be there!"  And so we will be.  The ticket prices for the best seats were astronomical.... I told my husband that he could do all his gift shopping for the entire year with one swipe of his credit card... my birthday, Christmas, anniversary, Valentine's Day, and whatever else comes along. All I want is to see Manilow on stage. Period. The end. I don't need anything else. (And if I do, I'll just buy it myself.)

So cloudy and drippy today. I've checked the weather for next week... it will be a sunny and clear day for the Manilow concert. It's the least Texas can do for Barry... we cannot have him coming here to face a rainy day, because then he would be singing "I made it through the rain...."