Tardy

This fall I began working as a substitute teacher. When I arrived at my school assignment, I saw this sign and had to take a quick pic. I texted the pic to my daughter so that we could both reminisce about the "Tardy Days". You see, my daughter's elementary school years (the first two anyway) were plagued with the need for tardy slips. It is not a memory I'm proud of. In fact, I still get a little sick to my stomach when I think about it. 

Funny enough, I wrote this many years ago. I think I may have written it as I was journaling about motherhood failures. 

I'll share it here...only, please don't judge.

When my daughter was in elementary school I often had to sign her in "late". It was so lovely going into the school office and feeling the judgment of the school secretary. When I (we) arrive in the office, she clicks her tongue. It's as though I am the one in trouble. Which, I am. After all my child couldn't very well drive herself to school could she?

Each time my daughter was tardy (ahem, I was late), I had to sign a log. It was an acknowledgment, if you will, of my being a negligent if not just simply a bad parent. I had to write an explanation for my child's tardiness. Every. Single. Time.

"Really?!" I wanted to say, "If my kid is late then you know I'm REALLY late. I still have to get to work, you know." I mean, how else can we afford to live in the house that affords my daughter the right to go to such a good school?

Driving into the school drop-off zone, I would try to come to a rolling stop as I said to my sweet child, "I'm sure you're not late. It's probably just the first bell," I would say as I encouraged her to go ahead into the school.

"But Mom," she would say, "you know we're late. The teachers aren't out here anymore and there are no other cars in drop off." She was right, of course. All of the good mothers had already been and gone.

Parking illegally in the drop-off zone, I would take my sweet girl to the office so I could be judged. It was bitter medicine. My girl was here! Here, bathed, clothed and homework done. I'm not a complete failure. (Am I ?) Am I traumatizing my kid?

So each day I would smile as I wrote down our excuse in the log. "Car wouldn't start; Alarm didn't go off," that sort of thing.  Once I wrote, "You don't even want to know".

Did I tell you the secretary reads what I've written in the log before she issues the admission slip? Often she reads while pursing her lips to look at me. She thinks carefully before deciding if my reason is acceptable. Finally, she writes the admission slip for my cherub. The "Get Into Class Free" card. "Yes," she decides, "this little girl will get her free public education today". I'm thankful and I'm sheepish and I'm grateful.

"Yes," I say to myself, "even children with flaky working mothers deserve their education". 

Hello October

At B&B - Sept 2023

Happy October! It finally feels like autumn is upon us. I probably say this every year, but autumn is my favorite season. Especially if the summer has been squelchingly hot. Moving to Asheville was a way to celebrate the fall season for as long as possible. The mountains are simply the best place to experience all that fall offers. Crisp fall afternoons with bright sunny skies, dramatic fall foliage, and mountainous skylines. 

What I'm Watching

And, of course, there is football. There you have a pic of my current view in my living room. There is nothing like a good game. Early on in my dating relationship with Bill, I asked him if he liked football. Before he answered I followed up with "Please say yes". I love to watch football. Mostly I love NFL ball, but lately, I've been enjoying college ball as well. You can guess that Bill said "yes", with a somewhat quizzical expression, as if to say, "Who doesn't like football?" 

It's nice that it's cool enough outside to have our windows open. I enjoy our little corner lot. We get dog walkers and parents walking their kids in strollers and lots of people that park so they can walk the block to a local favorite taco place, Taco Billy. It is such a fun neighborhood. 

Bill's summer project has been to create a proper driveway for our two cars.

You can see he has done a marvelous job. New gravel comes on Wednesday. I can't find any pics of our driveway from "before". It was basically a one-and-a-half driveway, big enough to park two as long as you toggle them. Before Bill's project, the side yard and make-shift driveway were not level at all. I am shocked that Bill has done all of this on his own. 

I need to get an updated photo of our sweet little cottage. Bill took these bushes down the first summer. 

A Wedding Anniversary

At the Beach (June 2023)

Today is our wedding anniversary. One year ago we said, "I do". We are having a low-key day and plan to go out to a nice dinner this weekend. The anniversary just sort of slipped up on us. 

Speaking of anniversaries, tomorrow will be 5 weeks since I got the new knee. I saw the doctor today and he was pleased with my progress. I'm surprised that I still experience quite a bit of pain. Not all of the time, but when it aches, it really aches. My goal is to get the full range of motion. I'm not satisfied that I'm there yet. I've got a few more PT appointments to get scheduled, and hopefully, we will make more progress these next few weeks. 

My stamina is not what it needs to be yet. It's embarrassing that I get sort of lightheaded after a long hot shower. I think that's just stamina. I know I get tired as I try to head back to my regular yoga classes. I went to a Sculpt Yoga class yesterday and was able to do most of the activity. Granted, some of the moves I have to modify, but I'm able to get a lot of benefit from the class. The class is taught by one of my favorite people, Liz. She is so encouraging! And I just love her energy. 

Right before my knee surgery, I was in 3 weeks of  Yoga Teacher Training which will be part of my updated 500-Hour Certification. I should finish the hours for that by the end of the year. I'm still digesting some of the information that we learned. Not everything we learned will speak to every person. I have to determine what aspects ring true for me. 

These are just a few thoughts to get back into the groove of writing/blogging.