Public School Kindergarten

It is fun going back and forth to school with a six year old. He is excited and skips all the way there and back. We are having a great time despite the fact that it is now parent conference week and the school day is down to just over one hour in length. Lucas and I have a regimented structure to our day sort of like Dorena would set up with shoe-tying, recess, writing and stories scheduled. He did manage to ruin this story by burping the alphabet for his mom, a trick he learned in a video we were watching. She didn’t find it as humorous as grandma did.

Now that our Memorial Day deposit is in we can make more specific plans. I’m wondering if you and Hank will want to pitch your tent there also? Just remember to bring blue tarps to cover everything during the rainy downpours.

Cyd and Dave are entertaining our family for Thanksgiving. I’m sure it will be one of those Hallmark moments with three, three year old boys. Really it will no doubt be the adults who have the most difficult time. We are all flying to Seattle on Thursday and Brett and family will return on Saturday while Claire and I stay until Monday.

Linda and I are walking the Seattle half marathon on Sunday. I know really people run the entire full marathon but given enough hours in the day we can stroll and visit while we climb the Seattle hills. Someone told me it is a good way to see all the Seattle scenery and residential areas and naturally I'm walking because I want to get the shirt.

Nancy is having Barb and family, Leslie is entertaining Darren’s family, Jill and Pat are with the Kubins, Diana will be with her parents and Jim’s, and that’s about all I can remember. Maybe some of those are even incorrect as you can’t count on my memory for much these days.

I think you and Hank will be at Pat and Stan’s? I’m interested in any Chicago political stories you might have, that is how closely you came to an important political figure.

Are you making a list of things for which you’re thankful? I choose quietness, WSU Apple Cup win, good friends, great family, sunshine.

Alberta and Tetyana

This nice lady has worked with my mom almost everyday for the past two years. She has a grown family and is from Bosnia and she likes to work many shifts so she can go on a cruise or some fun thing with her family once a year or more. My mom says, "I'm going to my room now." Tetyana says, "No, Alberta, you go and sit in your chair by the tv." And I know it is hard to believe but my mom takes orders very well and she smiles too. A camera always makes her smile.

It would be nice if my grandson took orders also but they have their own plans. When they hit the house Miles goes to the cooking accessories drawer and holds up the grater, saying, "What does this do, Grandma?" "Oh that grates carrots, let's try it." We do exactly that for two minutes and then he hits another cupboard pointing out that I have the soy milk there when it should be in the refrigerator. Meanwhile Lucas is preparing an Uno card game and Miles hurries in to destroy the game set-up. You realize this all takes place in less than 5 minutes and I still get to wait 2 hours longer until their parents arrive. Before arriving home we had been at the mall having kiddie photos taken in commemoration of Miles' upcoming third birthday. When we finished the photos we went to the children's play area and there sat Katie with her two little ones. Children can really keep you busy.

Jill and I talked today as Diana is planning to send in the deposit for Lewis and Clark for Memorial Day as it is due November 31st. No one seems to have a better place so I guess it is a go. Now I hope we can find a motel in the area so we can get some rooms also. Have you seen any online?

Monday is the beginning of my new Kindergarten routine. I think I'll like it. I might even take up sewing something during the day. Have you seen any more secret service in the your neighborhood. Maybe you frequent some of their restaurants?

Obama

Were you at Grant Park on Tuesday night with all the loyal followers? It looked like a huge crowd. I dusted off my Obama pin and put it on. It is time for a change though it remains to be seen what changes lie ahead.

Dave had an angiogram early this week so I went to Seattle to stay with the twins. Luckily everything was fine with his heart so I had a short visit and then drove home yesterday before the snow on the pass got any closer to the road. I am such a fanatic about driving in the snow. Of course driving is much easier now with all the apparatus for talking on the phone. I know I was a safer driver just holding a phone to my ear and talking but now I have many phone accessories to manage while driving and talking. Not only do I need the phone but in order to be a safe driver with the use of both hands while talking I also need an in-car charger, the charger for the house, a bluetooth visor clip-on speaker so I can be hands free while talking and of course its charger. As I was sailing around 2 huge semi-trucks this incessant beeping started. The annoying sound kept it up for a few miles while I tried to determine if it was the phone, the gas gauge speaking to me, the radio, gps or the did the bluetooth speaker want to say it was almost out of power? It gave me much to think about while driving so the time just flew even though I never actually spoke to anyone on the phone except Cyd that is, as she wanted to help me use my speaker so I could concentrate only on my driving while talking. If I should ever have a fatal auto accident you’ll know I was either dialing, turning off the inside speaker, plugging in a charger or sending a text message. I can’t imagine how you live without a cell phone.

Lucas is now ready to start the public school near his home! Really it wasn’t anything I had a hand in. Lucas has a friend in another public school and his mom and Lucas’ mom are friends so they have been comparing the two kindergarten classes. I will admit that whenever I encountered Lucas’ completed assignments I couldn’t resist annotating each word and covering the paper questioning learning objectives and long range goals. Anyway he is set to begin his new school on the 17th for ½ day classes. I am thrilled to be able to have him spend the other half of his day with grandma. I remember seeing the grandmas in Spain walking their grandchildren to and from school and I think it is one of the best ways to spend my days. I know we can find many activities to keep us busy though he might have to learn to have coffee with several women. I promise not to take him shopping but we will practice the bike riding.

Did you see the photo of Jake running cross country? He looks so awesome and inspiring.
I’m wondering of Ron and Dorena are off traveling in their new motor home now that gas is so inexpensive. Also I’m curious about Ron’s reported Memorial Day remarks.

One day I visited Katie’s new baby Jake and his busy sister, McKenna. He was a sweet, quiet baby but McKenna managed to entertain me minute by minute so I could be giving much attention her way. She is so cute and liked showing me Halloween masks of Charlie’s face that Ken had made. She gets to go to school most days so brother has plenty of attention while Mom stays calm.

What are you up to now that Chicago is back to normal almost? Is there life after the election?