Thursday, getting close!

     My lists still keep getting longer instead of shorter, but I think I am making headway.  I need to finish a bolero jacket and then have two Russian costumes to do.  They are cut  out so that will save time.  I moved everything that needs to be trucked out of the studio to the far side and am actually trying to clean things up so we don't come back to such a horrible mess.  It also helps facilitate pulling the marli floor.  So tonight when I get to the studio I will continue to clean and organize when I am not teaching.

     I need to call the high school and talk to the stage manager about bringing in things tonight.  But he is not answering so I may have to stop by on my way to the studio.  High School Drama director is going to pull what I need from they're closet bless her soul.  Now if I can just get those last costumes finished and teach, and move, and set up, and type out a program I can go to bed:)

     cont:

     I remember 3rd grade as one of the funnest years of my life.  All subjects are introduced in third grade and I loved history and still do.  My teacher recognized my reading level and I was able to get out of the elementary section for books.  This opened a whole new world for me.  I have always been a super reader and so has sis.  I had another big life change early in 3rd grade.  Because we were small we always sat at the front of the class.  Sis was with me in 2nd grade and as we did most things together, I could always rely on her for input.  But it became very obvious when we were moved into pods in my classroom that I could not see.

     I was taken to an eye doctor and could not see the chart at all.  I mean not even the big E.  The doctor called my mom in and asked her how I did in school?  She said fine, that I excelled, he than told her I was legally blind.  Meaning that I recognized bright colors, shapes and could see things held about 10 inches from my face, the rest of the world was a blur.  I had bad astigmatism and warping of the cornea due to being in pure oxygen for so long after birth.  Many preemies were blinded by this treatment.  The doctor wanted to know how I had gotten by this long without help.  I was terribly afraid of balls or anything throw at me.  I still am:)  I also loved the color red.  I was clumsy and hurt myself a lot. All signs of a child that can't see.  But I had a companion that could.  I did what she did, so I got by and I was fine. Glasses were prescribed.

     Mom never said anything to me about what the doctor said but she was in shock.  I will never forget getting my new glasses.  I had chosen light blue frames, which my mom tried to talk me out of.   Light blue was Sis's color mine was pink.  I hated pink and I wanted the light blue ones.  She gave in much to my detriment as I had to wear those things for 4 years and I looked like a dork and people hated the blue frames.  I was made fun of and people talked behind my back.  Listen to your mom on fashion was the lesson I learned.

       The doctor lectured my mother about my glasses.  He said it was a very strong prescription and I might not like the adjustment.  I was not to be chastized for not wanting to wear them.  To give me time to get adjusted.  I was going from a world of blur to a world of detail and it could be very overwhelming.  I put my glasses on and the carpet fibers came up to greet me.  The floor was rolling and everything was so bright.  It was freaky.  As we drove home from the doctor I was so mesmerized.  I remember shouting ,"Mom there are trees on the mountains!"  Mount Jumbo was covered by huge forests.  The leaves were individual.  I was pointing out things and I was so excited.   Mom was crying by the time we got home.  I did not mean to make her cry but I ran around house just looking and looking.  Grandma was an excellent china painter and many of her plates were on display.  I did not know they had flowers on them.  The simplest things like brick work, rocks, distances where you could see a bridge were so beautiful.  I went to school that afternoon and as I walked over the bridges of Rattlesnake creek I could see the water foam and cascade over the rocks.  It was incredible.  I never took those glasses off.  I created quite a sensation in my classroom with my blue pop bottle glasses, but I did not care.  I could See!  I put those glasses on first thing in the morning and took them off when I lay down in bed at night.  They were my life line.  I never broke a pair or lost a pair of glasses.

     But the biggest boon was that now people could tell Sis and I apart.  Relatives, friends, people at church.  It became easier to get into trouble as an individual.  Sis and I took on the new roles of good twin, bad twin.

Cont:

Well I am off, Like a prom dress as my little sis would say, she is so bad......

Have a great and productive day!

Kim