An Autumnal Update

Whew, what a week! It's not over yet, either.

This was the first week of school on the regular schedule with all the kids. Fiona had a good time, she says, but I got a call from the teacher Thursday saying Fiona was having some behavioural problems...screaming, inappropiate body language (that is not exactly what she said, but the gist of it...I know what she means, I think---when she doesn't like what you have to say, she pushes her hands out at you and makes all sorts of colorful faces, maybe covers her ears, turns away, etc), crying, defiant, bothering the other kids at their work. Really, nothing that sounded unusual--she acts like this at home from time to time. We had a gentle talk with her about expectations at school and Friday was much better. Sigh. I am so over the screaming tantrums. We're at the end of the so called rope. I know the saying "this too shall pass" but WHEN? She is four and a half. I love that she is independent and questioning and assertive, but I want her to use her powers for good.

The weekend before was the La Leche League (LLL) "baby sale" where we sell clothes, toys, and gear and it looks like it will be our best year ever. Doug is working probably all day today (a Saturday) which sucks rocks and there is a LLL meeting Tuesday on weaning which is usually a pretty popular topic, and is fresh in everyone's minds after the baby sale (the LLL meetings, not weaning!). I am exhausted. I don't go to the October meeting because there is just too much going on that month, but October is also filled with delights. At least October will be fabulous in that we finally get to visit my family and I get to see Ellen Aim and Cornithian tie the knot but the weekend (or two?) before that, Doug is off for work again to Montreal. He said he would stop in at LUSH for me, so that will be nice!

The girls have had some sort of tummy bug, but so far it's only meant messy diapers and knowing where the bathroom is at all times. Sophia seems to be "aaaah done!" with that, but now Fiona's tummy hurts. She certainly hasn't been eating any raw bagged spinach. Or any spinach for that matter. I think she is getting better, but the length (a little over a week now) concerns me. I guess we will see where we are Monday.

We're hopefully going apple picking tomorrow where they should have fresh tiny warm doughnuts and maybe some animals. Tomorrow is supposed to be about 80F which is unseasonably warm. We may or may not be going with one of Fiona's classmates. We went to the farmer's market today, just the three of us and it went okay. Fiona picked out some little artichokes (which I am not sure what to do with, but she loves the artichoke leaves from the "big" artichokes...I guess I'll show her where the heart is, and we'll go from there and maybe toss it with pasta...) and wanted blue potatoes, but none were to be found. I got some mizuna, mixed basil, ham steak (say that like Homer Simpson, I can't seem to say it any other way), eggs (I forgot we already have 2 dozen so we're going to have lots of egg dishes and baked goods this week!), flat leaf parsley, chantrelles (hooray for autumn!), POBLANOS (I nearly got down on my knees), and vibrant fresh flowers. Today is gloomy and cool, so I needed the flowers. I'm going to take a page from my friend Ame and try to have fresh flowers around more often in the winter. Winter is just so dark and colorless. It doesn't have to be, though! Fiona ate an apple samosa and a pumpkin sugar cookie, Sophia had a veggie samosa and the same kind of cookie, and I had a turkey samosa. I will really miss the farmer's market! It's over in October.

Fiona picked out some bulbs and I hope to pick out more and get them planted with her help in a few weeks. This year I swear I will stash away some bulbs so I can force them. We slacked and did not order firewood in the spring/summer, so now we're having a hard time (again) finding some. I even wrote where we got it last year on the calendar, but they did not call me back this year.

The leaves are definitely changing, but we aren't at peak yet. The compost pile will be so happy to have some leaves in it. If I can just get out there and rake them up...