Field Notes- Friday September 30th. Cold. Might need to surrender and put on socks and a sweater.

 What I am making and eating Today.

I was (am) considering SOUP.  But if I start eating SOUP now....it will be a long slog this Winter. And I am seriously going to switch out the vegetable soup for lentil this Winter when I get a chunk of Baked Ham from the DELI counter.  I like Lentil.  I need to try and remember that.....I like Lentil Soup.  I had it every day on my 1200 calorie diet. Which worked.  Made me insane measuring and weighing all the food but it worked.

I made the last box of Kraft Mac and Cheese yesterday.  Ate that.  It was that or Pancakes. I forgot to buy bread so I couldn't make a grilled cheese with pickles.  I need to take better care of myself.

I went to sleep and was dreaming about after Florida.  When we moved to the burbs of Chicago.  When I was a volunteer helping out in the school my son went to "after" his bad experience.  None of the teachers in third grade wanted him after reading his inch thick student file.  The Gifted and Talented Teacher took him on. Gave him a chance. In gratitude, I helped out in her classroom.  Way over my competency zone.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!!!!  First assignment was teach all the boys (bored) in the class the multiplication tables to 9  (it had NOTHING to do with ANY ability on my part)  Then I asked for quarter inch graph paper and taught them how to use their new skill to multiple a three digit number by a two digit number. Then we worked on long division. For some reason I had little contact with the two or three girls in the class ... they stayed close to the Teacher.  The boys were actually....well, I was exhausted after a few hours with them.  So I went home.  Then Miss V had the whole class to herself.

Miss V was always in charge of what I did or did not do in the classroom. The boys were 8 years old.   Lots of wiggling around, running around and picking their noses, asking "why?". Regular Boys. No. Not really.  But I had one at home so...what can I say.  I was used to it. Seemed regular/normal even if it didn't look or sound that way. It was a lot.......I think their parents didn't have great patience, time or parenting skills.  What with Doctorates in Science and Math and Physics and working all day and even weekends.  In comparison.  I was ordinary.  Mom-like. I wiped noses, stopped fights and asked the quiet ones- what's wrong?

I saw some of the boys ....after Europe when we moved back to the Chicago burbs.  After high school. I truly wish we had stayed put and I could have watched them all grow up together-- with our son. Amazing Boys.