In your Face book
Unlike social media, here is a place I can speak the truth. Yesterday had many low points.
I woke with a great plan to take advantage of the Crosby Arboretum which has opened to the public. You can go be in nature and not be around anyone and I thought we needed to shake up our routine.
However, after Tin’s morning meeting he decided he wanted a huge breakfast – which I made – pancakes, eggs, sliced mango and banana. And after he ate, he didn’t want to go.
So we jumped right into school work. Only I learned the entire class is on Lesson 30 and Tin is on Lesson 7. What? So I sat with him to do his math lessons and by the time two and a half hours had gone by we were on Lesson 11 and I was pulling out my proverbial hair. Common Core math sucks – that’s my final word on it.
Then I gave him a break before we began ELA – we needed to read three chapters and answer questions. So he had time to play on his iPod and I made lunch – which for him was macaroni and veggie chili and for me was tunafish. After which, we barely got through the first of those chapters when he began fading out – not paying attention – staring out the window – by this time it was the afternoon and I was done playing teacher.
So then it was time for the bike ride. We met our group at Ann’s and rode down to the beach and out to the point where it’s rocky. Tin almost fell on his bike, and so I slowed to ride with him because I could tell he was embarrassed. We were going to ride back down the beach but he kept stopping. The group had flown by and so I slowed to see what was the matter. Then he began riding again. Then he completely stopped and I stopped, but when I went to balance, I fell over scraping the rest of my leg that wasn’t scraped from Stella pulling me down the concrete stairs to the beach the other day.
He said he was tired. I said let’s go home. He said but I’ve waited all day for this. I said that’s okay, we have tomorrow. I turned my bike to head home, the group had now far eclipsed us, and as I was about to get on it, he got on his bike and raced after them. Before I could get on, turn around, he was out of sight.
Lesson No. 1 in these quarantine times – put the oxygen mask over your own face. I had missed my walk with Stella because of his morning meeting. I had spent the day in His lessons. I had done nothing for Rachel and at the end of the day he left me in the dust. Today is my day.
