School

Am liking the university so far. As the spouse of faculty I can get my own university library card. Yay! Also, cultural entertainment is cheap. We can get $6 tickets to well, everything (visiting performances, university choir/orchestra, etc.) That is one thing I always took advantage of as an undergraduate, but most of the other universities we've been at, it's been a LOT more expensive, and there hasn't been as much (or at least, it wasn't as well advertised).

The kids are liking school, too. Well, except for the "special" class (you know, like music, art, and computers) that son 2 (age 10) had today. He made his sisters leave the room before he told me in a horrified whisper that he has a DANCE class on Fridays. And not just square dancing. After the line dance, he had to dance with multiple girls. And by the end of the trimester--they'll have to learn the waltz!!

Horrors.

More Idaho

Tonight I went to a mother-daughter craft thing with my older daughter, and on the way we discovered that we live near where the high school plays its football games. I don't know why they aren't playing at the high school unless there's something up with the field, but after the craft thing, I took the girls and PMB and went. (The males of the family generally find football boring.) I'm not into the game for the game itself, but I did spend a lot of time in high school at games because I was in band, and it's the whole small town carnival ambiance that I like. And this was great for that. (The teams themselves were uh, well, I'm guessing that with more playing they'll improve...) I think it's different when you're the biggest thing in town than when you are merely a runner-up shadow to some SEC (southern athletic conference = ivy league of football) university powerhouse. The whole town is there, and people care about showing up their small town rivals. Plus, here are some things you can observe:

the smell of nachos and popcorn and smoke (either from barbecues or one of the wildfires currently raging in Idaho, it was hard to tell)
a middle-aged mom jumping up and down and screaming when things are looking good for the home team
a teenage girl screaming fit to shatter glass behind you
sparkly ribbons in the cheerleaders' pompoms (PMB was especially taken with both the cheerleaders and with the long, slippery hair of the girl in front of us--he has a definite thing for hair)
some really skinny football players' arms and legs sticking out of overly padded uniforms
a hyper-enthusiastic announcer (!)
plenty of teens there to See and Be Seen
the teen guy who simply must hug every girl he knows on the way out of the stadium
that warm day air turned crisp, where the wind whisks through the bleachers and people zip up sweaters over their t-shirts and bring blankets for their legs

The one thing that wasn't there was the bands. This is a very music-oriented area, so I'm not exactly sure why there were no marching bands or even just bands in the stands. That was weird. But I'm sure I'll find out. After all, we play my mom's alma mater later in the season. (Which, I think, is the strangest idea of all.)