Teacher let the monkeys out!

 

Lily B. Clayton, "Sweet Lily B."

Photo by Polly Hooper

 

Remember that old ditty we used to sing as kids? "School's out, school's out/Teacher let the monkeys out!" I remember it was the most exiting day, so I was surprised that Jacob didn't seem to think it was out of the ordinary. As I've said he attends the public elementary school across the street from my house, a wonderful, historic building where one kindergarten classroom even has a fishpond and a mural of fairy tale figures. And he loves it. He told me yesterday he wasn't excited because he'd like first grade so much. Thank you, Sara Filarowicz, for being a teacher who made him love school.

I on the other hand was excited that school is out--no more homework for two months, late afternoon naps for me, maybe more work done.

Jacob will go to Clayton Yes!, an independent summer program housed at the school. His mom will take him and pick him up, but I hope they'll stop often for a visit.

Meantime it must have hit me this afternoon. I'd had an hour nap before I went to get him, but when Jacob and his mom left at four, headed for a pool party, I went back to bed and slept soundly for another hour, woke up feeling loggy and dumb. Took me a while to realize that I was finally wide awake and hungry.

Probably I'll be really glad when school starts again in August.

Housebound

I could get into this business of being sick--or semi-sick. As I wrote that, I realized that there are so many who are desperately ill that my light-hearted approach will seem heartless and, believe me, I don't mean it that way. But a today at home has been lovely. Walking pneumonia gave me all kinds of excuses for not doing things I didn't want to, like going out in a chilly rain. And it let me throw work to the winds and spend the morning leafing through my appalling collection of recipes, though that was kind of strange since I have no appetite. Still, several events loom on my culinary horizon and I was able to start picking possible recipes. This Sunday, I'll cook for Elizabeth and a friend--she has requested chili, and until today I'd have said the weather is too hot. But chili would be so good right now. She's brought gluten-free cornbread mix, and we'll have salad and guacamole with chips.
In mid-April, special friends are coming--the girl I grew up next door to and haven't seen in fifty years, with her husband, and we'll be joined for lunch by mutual friends from here in town. I want it to be a really special lunch, not overwhelming, light and spring-like, just the right dish. I'm working on it.
And then a few nights later, I'll cook the entree for a welcome-new-neighbor dinner for about twelve--vacillating between crockpot barbecue, chicken tetrazini, and a couple of other choices. I love going through recipes. One file I searched today is my "Entrees Never Tried" and as I went through I was heartless about discarding things I'd never cook. Reduced the file a great deal, a good thing since it was growing out of bounds. Too easy to snip something from a magazine and slide it in there. I have to think through whether or not I'd really cook that...and for who? (whom?)
Then there was napping, some sorting of papers on my desk, writing two guest blogs...oh, yes, I kept busy, didn't malinger in bed all day, though I did have a good nap. My biggest problem is that when I lie down, I start to cough. With 7-UP, cough drops, and some liquid that is supposed to help me sleep, it still takes a while. But, thank heaven, when I sleep, I do it soundly.
Tonight I made ham salad--so much ham left over--and ate a bit of leftover potato salad and fruit salad. They're both almost gone. Another good aspect to this: I've lost five pounds. But that, I know, will come back quickly.
And by tomorrow, I'll be ready to get back to the world. It's supposed to continue raining...oh, well.