Category: Uncategorized

I’ve had seasonal nostalgia for a couple of weeks now.  That is, I keep getting metal whiffs of October.  And by October, I mean Fall in Virginia.  I have all these wonderful snapshots in my mind of how the air smelled, how the sky looked, how the weather felt, and added to those, snippets and bites of Fall mornings in high school and college (which usually fell closer to December, weather-wise)–times that I was on my own, just me, my thoughts, and the weather.

The best description of Autumn I’ve ever read came out of Madeleine L’Engle’s book An Acceptable Time.

She walked through an orchard, fallen apples red and cidery on the ground, crossed a stone wall, and entered on into a small wood.  The path was carpeted with leaves, red, orange, gold, giving off a rich, earthy smell.  Polly scuffed along, pushing the toes of her running shoes through the lavish brightness.  It was her first New England Autumn, and she was exhilarated by the colors drifting from the trees, dappling her hair with reflected amber and  bronze.  The sun shone with a golden haze through a muted blue sky.  Leaves whispered to the ground.  The air was crisp, but not cold.  She hummed with contentment.

I want to hum with contentment, instead of sighing with weariness at the heat.  It’s been oppressive the last couple of days, combined with a humidity that makes you feel like you’re wearing a wet, wool blanket when you try to stand outside for more than five minutes.  Add to that the chemical in the air from all the mosquito spraying that’s been going on, and you have a recipe for shortness of breath.  I do, anyway.

We lived in Virginia for the larger part of my elementary school years.  Kindergarten and First, I did in Alabama.  That little A dot in the photo up there marks the spot of our house.  See all that water?  It went in a crescent shape around the neighborhood.  One winter, when school was closed due to snow, while Dad was in D.C., and Mom had to work, I was at home, where I was expected to behave.  I behaved myself right around the neighborhood on the ice that had formed over that water.  I only fell through twice.  Fortunately, my only permanent damage is some frost bite on my toes.  That, and a scarred psyche that means Thor will not be left on his own until he is 20.

But see all those trees?  I spent a lot of time in those trees.  I had a wonderful jungle gym and a trampoline, and employed both to gain access into those branches.  I’m amazed I never fell out of one, especially considering I used to jump from one into another, like a monkey.  There was a pine tree in the front yard (that Google Earth shows is still there) and I would take a book and a thermos up into it so high I could look down on the roof of the two-story house, then sit and read until the swaying made me too motion sick to stay up there any longer.

I loved that house, and I loved those trees.  And I loved the water.  It was beautiful in the Fall.

I dropped Thor off in 2nd Grade this morning.  You know, Kindergarten wasn’t that bad.  1st Grade, also not bad.  My nerves about those two drop offs had more to do with nerves about getting the kid to the right place, at the right time.  2nd Grade drop off?  Ouch.  It was almost like leaving him in daycare for the first time for how much I wanted to throw him over my shoulder and run out of the building screaming, “No!  You cannot have him!”

And, funnily enough, this is the first time I’ve really liked his teacher on first sight.

His classroom was warm and welcoming.  It was well laid out, organized, and full of things I wanted to stay and peruse myself.  But 2nd Grade seems so…final.  He is really on the road out of childhood now, and if I could give the boy anything, I would give him a few more years of being the age he is right now.  I would give me a few more years with him at this age because right now he is so delectable and perfect, and he still adores B and me, and he still wants to spend time with us, and loves being near (preferably on top of) us, and I know that 2nd Grade is a harbinger of doom for all those things.  Soon enough he’ll be a smelly teenager.

I say that, but I know I’ll love Smelly Teenaged Thor just as much as I adore this Sweet 2nd Grade one.  I’ll just have to be more creative in how I show him that love, since I doubt the teenager will submit to as many cuddles.

I am feeling pretty good and confident about the start of school tomorrow.  At least, I am feeling good and confident about lunches and clothes.  I have Thor organized so that our morning routine should be doable, and if not enjoyable (anyone with a child will tell you that mornings are…difficult), at least not fraught with last minute worries over what to throw into his lunchbox.

Yesterday and today, I pre-made several meals.  I baked a lasagna, made meatballs and slider patties, and sorted snacks so I can grab and go.  Granted, the main meals will need a visit to Mr. Microwave before they go into the lunchbox, but outside of that, all I need to do is pick something out of the pantry and throw it in the box.

I’m going to make some shaped rice balls later tonight, and get those ready to grab and go as well.  I think my life will be much easier.  I also have my lunches pre-made, with larger servings of lasagna and chicken soup.  I should be set for a couple of weeks.

This year, Thor is old enough to choose his own clothes every day, so that is going to be his new job.  He is probably old enough to pack his own lunch, but I’m going to let him get used to the new morning routine before I throw that at him.  I am separating and organizing his closet Garanimal style, to make it easy for him to get dressed.  Everything is in the laundry right now, so I have that to look forward to before bedtime.

Second Grade.  Wow.