O Flip-Flops Where Art Thou?

Today I'm taking a brief hiatus from blogging about food, so I can focus my attention on tonight's Kansas-Oklahoma basketball game. Tonight will be a rare 2-3 hour span when we aren't thinking about food at The Greasy Skillet.

Lately I've been gazing longingly at my flip-flops and counting down the days until I can slip them on my feet. It's a cruel month for such thoughts. February fuels a pessimistic funk, and I doubt if I'll ever wear my beloved flip-flops again.

As a teacher, I've always found February the most difficult month to endure. Last week I almost filled out a work order to pad the walls of my windowless classroom. Plan B involved filling out a purchase requisition for a straight jacket.

With such thoughts rattling around in my head,I decided to take proactive approach and seek out a ray of sunshine to buoy my sinking spirits, so last week I left my classroom and headed toward the school shop, where one of my students was building a mandolin.

This fall I learned of his plans to build a mandolin for a woodworking project, and since I'm a casual bluegrass fan and I like being around creative folk, I've tracked his progress the last few months.

He's artfully shaped the frame of his mandolin.

He's shaped the body out of nice piece of cherry.

And as you can see, his vision is starting to take form.
I find this whole process inspiring. He'll be making music with this mandolin by the time spring rolls around, and I'll be able to dance around in my flip-flops.

I'm grateful to have the opportunity to work with students who have the power to pull me out of my funk.

I'll keep you posted on the mandolin's process.

Keep on the sunny side,
muddywaters