Skipping Town

Summer is over...but I'll try to keep up the regular posts. Do I say that every year? I might say that every year. But THIS TIME, I mean it. The first day of school was last Thursday. Both girls did great. I walked Lucia to her new school (elementary school is split here, and Lucia's new school is grades 3-5), and got to go into her classroom with her for a few minutes. She has a couple of familiar friends in the class, which makes it easier. But it's a much bigger school and it's definitely strange to be the youngest one again, after leading the pack as a second-grader. She seemed happy, though, and didn't even notice when I left. Andrew got Greta onto the bus to her school, then picked me up outside Lucia's school so we could meet the bus and go into Greta's classroom for a quick visit. She, too, did fine. It's old hat for her this year--she knows where to go, who the teachers are, etc. We're extra thrilled that she has the same teacher Lucia h...

Last day of summer. We were all on edge. L&G swung between playing together happily and trying to kill each other, setting up elaborate slumber parties for their AG dolls and slamming the door in each other's faces. In other words: time for school to begin. Even I, the summer lover, admits it's time they go back. We played Blokus today, and I did laundry. Late in the afternoon the girls got their hair cut, and then we went out for sushi for our final dinner of the summer. Andrew Uber-ed over to meet us. Tonight I have to put names on the school supplies and make sure everything's packed up for tomorrow. I know it'll be chaotic tomorrow, I know that, and I'm really hoping that I won't make a public spectacle of myself like I did last year when Andrew and I rushed to the school to meet the bus and found ourselves--as we do every year--in a crush of people. In my defense, my five-year-old was missing somewhere within that crush of people, but still. I was s...

Summer is on its last legs. L&G slept in today and then played with AG dolls in their rooms for a long time. At noon Lucia had a dentist appointment. When we got home, teacher-assignment letters had arrived in the mail--highly anticipated. We're thrilled that Greta will have the same teacher Lucia did for first and second grades. We don't yet know anything about Lucia's new teachers, but we did find out a couple of friends who will be in her class. Greta says she's ready for school, Lucia says she's nervous. It was really hot outside so we laid low inside. We sorted out all the school supplies. We played Quirkle and Uno (Greta won most of the hands), read a big stack of picture books, practiced piano (Dina Diamond to Greta: WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND CRY RIGHT NOW SO THE TEARS COOL OFF YOUR FACE?!?), and watched two episodes of The Brady Bunch. (It was so hot inside today that I really didn't have the energy to bring out Dina Diamond; but Greta as...

Sat., 9/1 Our last day on our own. We laid low at home. L&G played a lot. We read some books together. We picked up calzones from the Trattoria for dinner. We'd expected Andrew home at 6pm, but of course that didn't happen, and he ended up with a cancelled flight, a rerouted itinerary, and a later arrival at 10pm. But the girls had been counting on seeing him, so I got them ready for bed and then we watched several episodes of The Brady Bunch, season two, which I'd gotten from the library. It was one of my favorite shows as a kid, and they're just the right age for it, at least for the first two seasons when the kids are younger. They loved it. They can't wait to watch more. For me, it was like watching people move and talk in a totally different world. The things they say! Wear! And Alice! She actually serves them coffee. Like, pours it for them, while in uniform. I watch in awe. I'm looking forward to getting to the really good Jan episodes. Finally ...