Oh October!

I don't know where October went. I do know that it snowed in October, the scariest thing about this Halloween. My mom left in the middle of October, the teacher's strike started the next day, and the subsequent eleven work days were..something else. We returned to regular work on a Friday, and it was disorienting to say the least. I think the weekend helped in resetting. It's been busy, good busy, but still busy. I still haven't figured out the complete trick to getting my mind to quiet down completely so I have a million thoughts flitting at any given moment. That's a stressful mind space, it does make me feel that in addition to whatever I am worrying about, there are things I am forgetting to worry about.  

This is one of six robot drawings I drew for a wonderful pre-k child. I steered things in a way that allowed me to manage the pre-k to second graders; it's when they are older and sassier that it gets harder (at least for me, and I am not trained or qualified to be a teacher). This little kid was always smiling, and when he wanted my attention, he would just poke me non-stop, which in a child is an endearing trait. Not so much for adults. In the span of eleven days, we (20+ kids of various ages and tempers) watched Captain Underpants and several movies; did English and Math worksheets; drew on everything; sharpened 300 pencils at least three times each; played Old Maid and Go Fish; did some puzzles.

We ate three meals a day and often had three recesses; went to the library twice a day, finding treasures in unsorted donations; had some breakdowns and tantrums and tears and falls; danced; put together a playlist and sang; brought toys and Beyblades to school; landed four paper planes and one plush toy on the ceiling tube lights. I was served multiple courses of apple coffee soups and other delicacies. I learned what geoboards are. I took kinetic sand to two classrooms and I think those teachers, when they returned, will forever curse me for that. I did not realize how easy kinetic sand would mix with the rugs on the floor. We knew we weren't going to academically enrich the kids, but we kept them safe and entertained.

Other things that happened:

I went for an eye exam, found something called blepharitis exists, and ordered my first set of glasses ever since I moved here. My whole experience with Warby Parker was fantastic and I never see myself switching to anything else, unless they are not an option. Also the cases are pretty sleek and minimal. The glasses are pretty cute too, I did MacGyver mine a little for my wide head (I did not realize how wide it was ha).


Diwali came and went by. I always like to do a little something, diyas and flowers. I wanted marigold flowers but I rarely find those so I stuck with these diyas I found in Devon (at a normal price, not the overly inflated ones). 

This is just a beautiful, unfiltered picture from a walk I took one of the evenings. Of course, now that Daylight Savings has kicked in, I won't see evenings on the days I work.