Back to School

I got up at 5:30 yesterday to get J off to work. Boot got up at 6 & I hung out with him while he ate breakfast & waited for the bus. He was so nervous. He is always intent on being places on time, doing things the right way. When the bus came, he asked the driver if it was bus #__, just to be sure he was getting on the right one. I was so proud of how well he did at getting up & ready. After he left, I made myself a pot of tea & looked at Maya Angelou's cookbook. There aren't many recipes I felt compelled to try, but there were some very good stories. So, it was well worth the time.

I got Pie up at 7:30 & got him ready to go. I am working on making them both more self-sufficient. Pie, our baby & thus spoiled by all three of us (Me, J, & Boot), did quite well at everything from getting his own breakfast to making sure he had everything he needed. He did have a colossal milk spill, but other than that, I was very impressed with that boy.

I did some e-mail catch-up & some writing. Got that call from the middle school asking about Boot's absence...what a heart-stopper. Went grocery shopping & worried that my boy might get on the wrong bus to go home. But, he arrived just fine & liked school just fine, although he says that most kids are stupid (he is coming from a school with mostly professional families who put a big emphasis on education to a school with kids from all different kinds of social strata) . He started on his homework straight away. He was in an amiable mood all afternoon. I hear that he was very helpful for J last night, too...shucked corn, helped set the table, etc.

When I was making dinner, I realized I hadn't heard a peep out of Boot for awhile. I stuck my head in to make sure he was fine & found him sound asleep on the bed. I think these early mornings will take awhile to get used to. The good news is that he'll be easier to get to bed at night. Pie told me that his first day back to school was great & fun. He told J it was boring. My guess is that he was playing to the audience of his brother on that one. He had to bring in 3 objects that showed something about his personality. He chose a video game (no surprise there), 3 puzzle pieces, and a set of measuring spoons. I hope he continues to love cooking.

I roasted the chicken (with a garlic & coffee rub) & baked the potatoes. The rest, I left for J to do while I went to Committee Night. Beth was arriving just as I did & I was glad to have someone to walk in with & sit with. So high school of me! But, I was glad & she felt the same. Our meeting was held with much hilarity, but we got a lot accomplished. Every time Mary writes about the "dysfunctional Presbyterians" on her blog, I crack up.

I walked out into an evening that felt distinctly autumnal...I love Fall! When I got home, J had the kids fed & put to bed. She fed me, too, with the food I had cooked plus a perfectly cooked ear of corn & a plate of pineapple & kiwi. We started to watch a really interesting Japanese film with a mythological theme, but had to go to bed. I re-read part of The Quark & The Jaguar to her...and she slept through most of it again...then, read some of Eric Idle's book before going to sleep myself.

I am hugely excited over fall events. The circus where I rode the elephant is coming back to town! I want to go watch them set up again if I can. It was so exciting to wait in the foggy dawn & finally see that long caravan of trucks arrive, with tiger roars & tents to raise. I hope I get to stay long enough to see the raising of the big top this time. I'd love to ride an elephant again, too. I also saw notification of a haunted hayride, pumpkin patch trips, and other fall delights! Wooooeeeee!!!