This was my second day to meet with “kids” in their schools in the Wasilla area.  It has been such a delight for me to be back in the classroom.  Due to my cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, I have been out of my class since the end of October.  To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous going into my first presentation; five months is a long time to be out of school.  Could I create that teacher magic moment where you feel like you have the kids eating right out of the palm of your hand?

Today I visited Sherrod Elementary School in Palmer.  We managed to pack over 100 fourth graders into Mrs. Russell’s classroom.  The space was a little tight, but we had a terrific time.  We sang most of my Idita-tunes and talked about mushers who showed good character.  I shared information about North Carolina, Target^TM, and the Teacher on the Trail program.  The teachers were also great; they even acted out the Five Little Huskies poem.  The students really liked watching their teachers perform.  I gave Mrs. Russell a copy of my CD, and she gave me copies of two songs related to her curriculum.  I really enjoyed my time with the fourth grade teachers and their “kids” at Sherrod Elementary, and I do believe we had some magic moments.

Later in the day, Terrie Hanke and I paid a visit to the Spring Promise Pygmies Farm owned by Deb and Jerry Frost.  Here we visited with the four-legged “kids.” Just the night before, Deb and Jerry had picked up their newest baby goat at the airport.  “Yarn” had a sixteen-hour flight from California but looked to be settling in quite nicely.  Yarn is a special pygmy goat; she is a mix of a pygmy and an angora and is called a pagora.  Deb gave us a real education in goats, breeding, and the fibers they produce.  Deb loves to card and spin the wool of these goats into beautiful yarns, which she uses to knit into lovely creations.  She also let us spend time petting and feeding her “kids.” Here’s where I could truly say I had the ‘kids” eating right out of the palm of my hand!