September 2022

 School Stuff

Both of the kids’ schools had a Back to School night, where the parents go through the kids’ schedules, meeting their teachers and hearing about the plans for the year ahead. Lukas’s was, of course, only the one teacher — Mrs. Ananmalay — who emphasized reading at home and at school, and math, which is kind of her Special Interest. Annika’s, though, was six different teachers, all of whom seemed good and a few of whom were standouts (sculpture and Algebra II especially). They all seemed to have a similar philosophy about homework (not giving it deliberately, just if the kid doesn’t finish work in class) and and a generous view of makeup work/quizzes, so that put our minds at ease. It’s just really good to have a mental picture of what the teachers and their classrooms are like, and to see who else is in there with your kid. As for other school news, Lukas did another session of weekly after-school skateboarding with Manir, Amira, and Sam & James — some days it was so blasted hot I wasn’t sure how they were doing it, but they loved it!

Labor Day weekend
The weather turned Maximal Summer for awhile; it was 106 in the shade, several days, and we did some very fun night swimming just to cool off. Over Labor Day weekend, we were mostly at home playing Splatoon 3! or swimming, though one day we spent the day with the Patels at our pool and then all went over to a get-together at the Grants’. The only bummer was R. having to go back to work three days a week in the office after the long weekend — and that really did suck, especially because of how f’ing pointless the exercise was and is. The first week was the hardest, but it’s never gonna be a good time. 

Family & Friends Miscellany
Even in the heat, we had a D&D session outside on the picnic table at our house (that ended with everyone jumping in the pool, naturally). Owen’s birthday was a D&D party in their garage, on the one overcast, misty, cooler day we had in the whole month. We went over to Grandma & Grandpa’s to celebrate his 87th birthday with an ice cream cake; we all got our covid boosters and flu shots (as you do), and a truly momentous event for R. and I: we got our bedroom furniture! Ordered weeks ago from Restoration Hardware, the bed, dresser, and night tables, plus a new mattress, all arrived and were set up — magnificent! Although they’re so big and heavy, if we ever sell the house, they’re gonna have to stay. Heh.