March 3, 2000

Hi Everyone,

Abbey has arrived. We have taken a picture of her with our eggs that we
received from the farm. The children are very excited about the chicks
that will come out the eggs. They think that in a minute, the eggs will
hatch. I am trying to explain to them that it will take 21 days. So we
counted 21 days on the calendar so that they will understand. Abbey was
excited to see the incubator filled with eggs.

Abbey is visiting at the G. H. Conley School in Roslindale,
Massachusetts. She is in kindergarten. There are 23 children in school
today. It is very chilly outside. The sun is shining but the weather man
promised snow flurries. It hasn't occurred yet. We are just coming back
from vacation. Mrs. Thomas is just coming back from an extended sickness.
Roslindale is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is the
capital of Massachusetts. It is the home of several Presidents; can you
name them? If not we will send you their names in the next email. These
presidents didn't live in the city of Boston but they lived in towns that
surround Boston to the West and to the South. Boston is known for the
best seafood including lobster. We are known for the best clam chowder.
It is New England Clam Chowder. Massachusetts is one of the New England States. I know you have heard of our football time, the New England Patriots. Our basketball team which is doing real poor is the Boston Celtics and our hockey team is the Boston Bruins. The Red Sox is our baseball team.  Our school is very small. There are only 240 students. We have only one of each grade.

Our kindergarten children love computer time. Most of them are reading.
Today was test day. They were asked to draw 10 pictures beginning with
"b." The children who can read were asked to write the words under the
picture. They did real well. They don't know how to spell all their words
but they print what they hear. The children are having pizza for lunch
today. When they come back from lunch, they will have rest time. Their
favorite story is "Make Way For Ducklings. Mrs. Groff entertained our
mascot, Jake the mallard last year. He is still traveling all over the
United States. He is still trying to find a home for his children who are
living in Boston Garden. If the weather is nice Sunday, Mrs. Thomas will
take Abbey to the Boston Garden and let her take pictures with the
ducklings.

Well we will send pictures soon. We are walking all over the building
taking pictures.

Glad to have Abbey with us for a week.

Mrs. Thomas' Kindergarten Class

March 13, 2000

Hi Class,

Abbey is doing well. She has been on display in the different classes.
She is being mailed out tomorrow. I will write more about what she did
during her week with us tomorrow. I have pictures to send to you but our
network has been down all last week and I won't been able to send the
pictures and email until it is fixed. Hopefully, it will be up tomorrow
and I can send the pictures to you. Sorry about the delay but after the
last email. The system crashed and I haven't been able to get in touch
with you. Abbey went downtown Boston on Friday for a field trip. The city
of Boston is being re-designed and many different highways and bridges
are being built all over the city. When we go in town, we get lost and I
have been living in Boston for many, many years; but now I get lost when
I go out. This project is called the Big Dig and Abbey went to tour parts
of the Big Dig. You will get pictures of this field trip. She has had a
good time and we hate to see her go. But she must go on to the next
teacher.

Thanks,
Mrs. Thomas and Class

Mrs. Thomas and Class