It’s a rainy Earth Day which I suppose is apt. It’s been busy around here and the rain has given us a Lazy Day free pass. Dusty didn’t wake up until 11am. Red was up before me. It was nice to sleep in.
Here’s what I’ve been doing in the last few days:
1. Dusty’s got eight weeks of 5th grade left. This makes me sad. But, it also creates some opportunities. Like spending a bit less on after-school care. I’m thinking she might be in the Y program only twice a week when school starts in the fall. She’ll come home on the bus the other days if she isn’t involved in school activities. Her dad is usually home by 4pm most days which is probably when she’d arrive anyhow. So, that will be nice.
I had to come up with a dedication for the yearbook. They have spaces for 5th grade dedications (you can send a picture). Here’s what I chose, after receiving quite a number of good suggestions:
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
I wish I could abide by this in my own life. Making giant leaps is frightening and the “what ifs” tend to freeze me in my tracks.
2 On Thursday, we attended the school’s art auction. I bid on an ice cream set-up package in the silent auction area. The real auction items, most pieces made by the children in each class, are usually way too rich for my blood. The ice cream package included a tray with four bowls, four cups, a scoop, and three jars of toppings: caramel, chocolate fudge and strawberry. It was really the only thing of interest and I wanted to do something. I didn’t need a knitted baby bunting/sack. The 20 lbs of gravel, though, would have come in handy but I probably would have been outbid. Dusty had perused the table shortly before the bidding ended and had informed me that I hadn’t won so I figured that was that. Since I was expecting some money back from the school, I figured I could use it at the auction instead.
Dusty’s chorus group was supposed to compete at Kings Dominion (at the cost of $45 per person!) but not enough parents sent in money so it was cancelled. Which is really a shame. It was hideously expensive (to me) but I thought the experience would be a good one for her. Plus, they’d get to ride the rides afterwards. But, even though 30 parents sent in forms stating their interest, when it came down to paying for it, only five people (me included) sent in money.
Now, I completely understand this but it’s still too bad. What’s most frustrating is that KD – a large corp rolling in money – couldn’t let the kids in for free or at a reduced rate. Out of sheer goodwill! They are there for a competition! Why hold it there if no one can afford to go? Why no one can look into the funding of this before hand…..sigh. I might have to see what I can do next time. Explore the options. Won’t help Dusty but it might help next year’s chorus group.
3. On Friday, I chaperoned Red’s class’s field trip to a park with a re-creation of a Powhatan Indian village. We rode a school bus during the hour drive and the bus driver (apparently well known for his lead foot) drove down the back country road like a bat out of hell. I felt like I was on a roller coaster and expected us to plunge off the road and into the ditch at any moment. Once on the highway, it got better. But I was on high alert. I never like trusting the driving to anyone. This guy made me nervous. But at least he didn’t fall asleep. Dusty told me later that evening that when her class went to the Aquarium, the driver fell asleep. Fell asleep! Why had I never heard about that? Gah.
Adding to that was the Problem Child in the class. This kid apparently has some mental issues (known by all the kids but not me) and drove us all nuts. He was not officially in my assigned group but since I was in the back of the bus with him, I had to turn on my Stern Mother act and force him to shut the hell up and leave the other kids alone. Then, I had to make the other kids leave him alone. He is a kid who just stirs up other kids who feed off his energy. Sigh. He isn’t a bad kid. Just one with very poor impulse control.
When we arrived, I mentioned to his teacher (who was on the other bus) that he might need to ride back seated close to a teacher. He needed a bit more oversight than I or the other parent (a dad) were able to provide. She thanked me and said he’d ride with her going back.
The interpreter/teacher our group got, as we made our way from station to station in the village, was a terrific young man (and not bad on the eyes either), probably in his early thirties, who clearly enjoyed kids and had fun with them. He was energetic and funny and the kids were well-behaved and asked good questions. Even when they guessed wrong, he found something positive to say.
The other presenter, a young woman, who had the other group, was surly and obnoxious and clearly didn’t like children. She was a Mrs. Trunchbull Jr. or something. She had been the first person the larger group (all three 2nd grade classes) met and when she asked for questions, after talking about chickens, etc, and a couple of girls mentioned that they owned chickens, she scowled and said, “Does anyone have a question? Not a statement. A question.” No one did, unsurprisingly. Jeez, lady, who dumped salt in your coffee this morning? I’m really glad my group got the good presenter. Otherwise, the day would have been aggravating and I might have snapped at the girl.
We had a picnic lunch and then I gathered my group together – which now included two moms who’d joined us at the park – and went for a walk down the trail. Four girls and two boys with three moms. We found a baby turtle on the side of the path and everyone had to hold him. He was not really down with all the holding and scurried as fast as he could off our hands. He flew off mine and landed shell up which caused all the girls to squeal “oh no!” But he was perfectly fine. We left him in the tall grass.
The ride home was calmer without the Problem Child and a couple of kids nodded off. I learned, before we left that morning (ran into the art teacher) that I’d actually won the ice cream set the night before, so I paid for it at the front office and took it back with me.
I got stopped by a train carrying gravel. Actually, I counted 25 cars, going maybe as much as 2 mph before the train came to a halt, sat unmoving for five minutes, and then backed up. The same 25 cars passed me again. The best graffiti I saw was this sage comment, “Ya’ll pick the seeds out of your weed.” Yes, sir. Will do.
On my way home from work, I picked up some ice cream (non-dairy for me) as a surprise and we all had ice cream with toppings after dinner.
4. On Saturday morning, Dusty and I met up with a few members of the GS troop at a church in town to bag cookies and help prepare lunches for the homeless in the city. The church’s youth group apparently does this once a month and I suppose the distribution of the “gift of caring” GS cookies was folded into this effort.
It was a good day. After putting together about 150 bagged lunches we all met down at the park. As the youth group passed out lunches, soup, lemonade and toiletries, Dusty and a friend (with me behind them) passed out bags of cookies. We had some good conversations with the folks in the park and they seemed to appreciate the cookies. They enjoyed talking to Dusty about girl scouts and admired all her badges. Dusty really enjoyed doing it as well and may have changed her mind about discontinuing girl scouts next year. We’ll have to do that again.
5. When I got home, knowing that Sunday would be literally a wash, I worked in the garden. Something (caterpillars, I think) had chewed up two tomato plants. There’s just enough plant left of each that I hope I can bring them back to life. All the sunflower seedlings were eaten to nubs. The good thing is that all those sunflowers were volunteers. I have plenty more seeds so I need to plant some more soon. And protect them so they have a chance.
Then, I thinned the radishes seedlings, planted two lantanas that have been languishing for a week, planted bush beans, zucchini, and cucumber seeds (with Red’s help), and weeded a little. It was hot by then so Red helped me water everything and then I moved up to the deck with a late lunch (apple slices and soybutter) and a glass of both iced tea and white wine. A good way to wrap up good and productive day.
Just a reminder for those of you still playing along with the Imaginary Friends Book Club. Our next book is The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (chosen by Harriet). It’s due May 15th.
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