Perfect (in my mind) Fall Day

Good morning! It is a drizzly one here; just the kind I expect and even enjoy in the fall.

This was not taken on a drizzly day but they are pretty, don't you think?

Currently, we are in various stages of being ready to go out to catch the bus. Joseph still needs shoes. He’s putting cookies and cherry tomatoes in his back pack for snack. Amena is eating a bagel. She’s taking watermelon and cookies for snack. I’m not sure what Seth is doing, hopefully brushing his teeth. He’s taking cookies and cherry tomatoes for snack like Joseph. Now Joseph is putting on a jacket. Cedric is already outside and has an apple and cookies for snack.

Joseph couldn’t find his shoes. They were right under his bed but the blanket had come off and was on top of his shoes. What is it about people his age that they do not think to look under things? Walk into a room, take a look around, don’t see the object being looked for, say, “It isn’t here,” and move on to the next room. It just doesn’t work that way. Ah, the joys of children.

Well, they are all safely on the bus and on their way to school now. I have order forms for all of them for pictures which are being taken tomorrow and Friday. Pretty exciting. We never did get Seth’s last year—I’m not sure what happened to them; I have a cancelled check but no pictures.

Paul is showering, Joanna is napping, Laura is doing what she does best at this time of the morning—as little as possible. I have a relatively short list of things to do today and one of them is not going to class as it is the last of the Jewish holidays for a while—Yom Kippur. I get to work on my essay for English. I am writing about how the KKK influenced the Harlem Renaissance. It should be interesting. I’ve learned some things I did not know already and I’ve only read part of an article I printed out Monday at school. For marketing I need to take a quiz and start the case study that is due Saturday (well, Sunday, but you know I don’t do school work on Sunday). That’s all I have on my list. Finishing the case study would be nice and actually getting the rough draft of the essay would be nice. Of the two, I’d rather get the case study done first. Partly because it’s due sooner and partly because I really don’t like writing them; I’d much rather write an essay (even though the case study only has to be about 2 pages [but single spaced] and the essay has to be six or seven pages [but double spaced]). Business writing, think concise and to the point, is just not my style. Creative writing is much more . . . me.

Tomorrow I get to go to Keene, New Hampshire and meet with Angie and her gang. That is going to be fun, I think. I am hoping that that goes very well. Just in case anyone needs something to add to their list of things to pray for, I would certainly appreciate it.

There is just a half day of school today and Cedric and Seth’s soccer coach has to work this afternoon so their practice is from 1:00 to 2:00 today. Joseph’s should be at the regular time—5:30 to 6:00. Then we’ll be off to church for Scouts, etc. Jonathan and Elizabeth are planning on coming over today at some point. They’re taking the bus to Gardner and will need to be picked up and then we’ll take them to church and they’ll get a ride home from there. I think that works well.

I mentioned my new phone last week. I really like it but it’s funny that it’s 4G and I don’t think I’ve been on a 4G network since I got it. This leads me to wonder what the point is. 3G is what is available here. People can say what they want about 4G speeds being so much faster but if they aren’t available, who cares? Just a funny thing.

Mom, it’s good to have you back online.

AD, I’m glad you guys are settled in. I saw on Facebook that John is getting baptized in a couple of Saturday’s. That is cool.

Grandma, did the pictures come yet? There is only one of a rock wall. I can send more if you’d like.

Trista is such a funny dog. She will stand and bark at Paul and wag her behind and generally be excited but until Scooter goes to him, Trista keeps her distance. I think the only reason she goes when Scooter does is because she can’t stand to let Scooter get all the attention. Trista is a very jealous dog which I think is hilarious. Sad to note is that her tumor is growing. And Scooter is getting more blind.

I think I should add to my list of things to do today making bread. I haven’t done that for a while and Amena mentioned that I should do it. I need to grind some flour first which is why I haven’t done it yet. Plus it was rather cool in the house yesterday and I knew it wouldn’t rise well. I can remedy that today by drying a load or two of laundry. Speaking of laundry, Laura folded about five loads yesterday. I said I’d make something chocolate and gooey if she did which means I also need to make something chocolate and gooey today since I didn’t yesterday. I’m thinking chocolate zucchini bread because it’s chocolate and the chocolate chips make it gooey.

Can you see the gooey chocolate chips in there?

Last night was the Open House. I’d emailed my instructor but since she works 12 hour shifts at the hospital, I didn’t really expect a response, so I talked to her before class about my leaving for an hour to go. She said that we were just going to do  mannequin draws again and I could either just not do it or do one next week before we do each other and I should just go and not worry about going back and forth. That was nice. When I got home, Joanna said, did you get my text? No, I turn my phone off at school. Paul had called and told them to tell me to stay in class because he was on his way. So, I ended up leaving class early but not going to the Open House and Paul got to hear all the good things about the kids. He said, “Well, I know where all our money has been going.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah. I talked to Joseph’s teacher,” I was thinking, what on earth does Joseph have money at school for? “She said that he’s doing really well. And Seth’s teacher says that Seth is doing very well. And Cedric’s teacher says that Cedric is doing really well.” “Oh,” I said, “I see.”

“And Amena’s teacher says that she’s quiet.”

“Oh, and did you ask if she was talking about the same Amena that lives here?”

“I asked if she gets her hair all over her desk and books.”

So, it appears that they are all doing well. Mrs. LaRose (Joseph’s teacher) asked Paul if I was going to be coming in to help this year. He told her he didn’t know but that I am taking classes and might be kind of busy. I’m actually less busy this year because I don’t have math and I’m amazed at how much time that took up. Actually, I’m amazed at how much more time I have for everything else. It’s nice. I emailed her as well as the two Mrs. McDonald’s (Cedric and Seth’s teachers—one is a Tracey and one is a Sherry) this morning saying that I would like to come in and what days I can.

That’s about it for now. At least that I can think of to tell you at the moment. So . . . .

Have a simply wonderful day!

And this is a good note to end on. Amena brought these in and they just add the right touch to the kitchen window.