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Hello? Is Anyone Still Out There?

I know, I know...it's been like crickets chirping at the Richert Ranch lately.  I kept meaning to post, but life just kept getting in the way.  School has kept both Dave and I so busy.  We just wrapped up week three (even though it feels like week twenty) and we are both exhausted.  Dave is not only teaching p.e. to nursery through 7th grade, but coaching boys volleyball.  He has the team's first tournament tomorrow and is frantically trying to learn all of the volleyball rules of play as we speak.  They are a bit different in Ecuador, for instance you are allowed to kick the ball here.  It seems to be just one more way the South American culture has seeped into organized life.  Don't feel like diving for the ball?  No problem, just kick it over the net instead!  Brilliant.

I, on the other hand, have been kept busy by the demands and antics of middle school children.  They keep me running, as well as highly entertained.  Here's just a couple of my laugh-out-loud moments so far:
*Said by those dear students in my sixth grade class: "Mrs. Richert, you look grouchy today.  You're not acting grouchy, you just look like you might start acting grouchy."  (Hmmmm....is this a sign that I need to do a little more maintenance work in the morning?)
*Again spoken by a sixth grader as we were discussing the difficulties of respect: 
Student:  "I don't like to be respectful."
Me:  "Really?  Why not?"
Student:  "Well, it isn't that I don't like to be respectful.  I just don't like to be respectful to everyone."  Pause.  "Actually, I just don't like to be respectful to him," as she points to a fellow classmate.  (She's honest, you got to give her that)
*The wisdom of middle schoolers:  "Listen, middle school is hard.  There are a lot of things to worry about, like spelling."  (What?  Spelling was the last thing I was worried about in middle school)

Oh, they are fun.

Between classes, volleyball, and sanity-saving bike rides, D and I have only been able to get out of Guayaquil one time.  We headed up to our favorite beach spot, Montanita, last weekend.  But it is definitely not beach season right now.  It rained for the majority of the weekend so we spent most of the time in little cafes, reading and playing cards.  Still relaxing, just not what we had in mind.

That's pretty much all to report.  I just wanted to let you all know we are alive and well, just really, really tired.

Oh yes...the new featured artist of the week is Feist.  

Why, you  may ask?  Because she makes me happy.  Enjoy!
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