All aboard the school bus

We are all back to school now, in our various ways. Jon, of course, has been working since June.  But classes have started at Geneseo, and at RIT (so I'm now on my full-time hours), and at Rush Henrietta Public Schools! We said goodbye to summer by saying goodbye to the sunflower farm on Calkins Road.  I wish we'd caught it in its prime, but it still looked extremely picturesque.   


We moved into our new house on August 31st.  I WILL have pictures of the inside.  I WILL.  I keep waiting for it to be all clean, attractive, pictures hung, and I just have to accept that with so little time between our move and the start of school and work, it's just not going to be where I want it before maybe next summer.  So I'll show imperfect pictures, soon.

And then, on the 4th of September,

Her backpack request.  She says she's a Ravenclaw.  

 
....it was time to board the bus! Adele was gleeful; she's never ridden a bus to school before.



Because both kids go to different schools, they start at different times. Adele boards her bus at 7:15. Miles? 8:43!
This is his face when he doesn't have to get up and get dressed at 6:00!

He's NOT a morning person, so this later bus is actually suiting him, even though it's been a bit inconvenient for us.  As a result of his late bus, for example, I had to ask to have shifts at work starting after 9:15.  Since I was starting the semester late and can't be a chooser, I ended up with quite a late schedule.  It's 12:30-9 Mondays and Tuesdays, 11-8 Wednesdays, 10-7 Thursdays, and 9:15-4:15 Fridays.  This has . . . its positives and negatives.  But we're making it work.

Anyways.  Miles strode confidently into his first day of school.

Look at how long legged he's getting!!

They continue to enjoy school, Miles in Miss Fish's 4th grade and Adele in Ms. Ingram's 1st grade classes.  They have made a few friends, though none who seem terribly important to them yet.  I suppose I'll have to wait for parent teacher conferences to know more, but all seems well.  Homework is getting done, and Miles goes on his first field trip this Thursday. 

Meanwhile, I'm working two jobs!  In the afternoons and events, I make those transcripts at RIT; in the early mornings, I teach Chinese kids through VIP kid!  I have yet to get the first paycheck; I expect it in early October.  But it's a legitimate and enjoyable side hustle for me.  Here's my crude classroom; I hope to make it better over time. 

We have been having fewer outings, but we did get to the Strong Museum again (can't let that membership go to waste!) a couple weeks ago.  This time, we went to the butterfly garden!  What a peaceful and transcendent experience that was.  

Even more transcendent (but decidedly less peaceful) was our date to see Eddie Izzard!  He actually came to Rochester, NY, in person!  Jon and I had a fabulous date, laughing and enjoying his and each other's company.
 
We saw some friends after the show, and later found out that several other people I know were there.  Rochester has provided some phenomenal opportunities to run into people I haven't seen in years, and to feel known and recognized, and to connect some lines from my childhood into adulthood in really lovely ways.  Last week, at the movies, I ran into a girl who was my best friend when I was 4-5 years old, back on Shadbush Way.  She recognized me immediately, though it's been since high school since I've seen her.  I found this so touching.  After being new in town over and over for so many years, it's deeply satisfying to be recognized on sight by people I have loved. 


There was a fall festival at Tinker Park a couple weeks ago.  Miles and Adele were a bit cranky, but they really enjoyed the opportunity to walk the labyrinth, hear their favorite babysitter's folk band play, drink cider, press apples (both got to try it!) and take a wagon ride behind two handsome horses 
I'm so thrilled to be up here in Western NY, having a proper Autumn again at last.