Hello!
It appears that October is already 1/3 of the way over, and that raises my anxiety levels a bit because: Due to circumstances beyond my control but not REALLY beyond my control, I am now the head room parent for Meredith’s class AND Harper’s class. I filled out the form and said something like, “I will NOT be the head room parent, because I like to visit both girls’ classrooms during each of the parties.”
Last week I got the call. “No one has signed up to be a room parent for Meredith’s class. You’re the only one who sent in the form saying you will be at all parties. Will you do it?” AND, because Meredith’s teacher is currently on maternity leave and I don’t want the substitute teacher to have to deal with it, I reluctantly stepped forward.
A few days later, I received the news that Harper’s class doesn’t have a head room parent, either. Well, in my eyes, it’s not really fair that I’m doing it for Meredith and NOT for Harper, so I got all sloppy drunk and stepped up. (Disclaimer: There was no alcohol involved. I really have no idea what takes over and forces me to raise my hand when asked to do something that I don’t really want to do. Increased epinephrine levels? Hubris? The constant yearning for heroic background music to start playing when I so something that terrifies me?)
I won’t bother you with Hermionic (I just made that word up to compare myself to Hermione in Harry Potter. Meredith is reading the Harry Potter books right now, and she just reached the point where Ron notices that Hermione has three classes scheduled for 9:00 in the morning. I loved that part.) logistics. I’ll just say this: One of the big things I remember from my third grade Halloween party was when our teacher brought in a Crock Pot and melted caramels all morning so we could dip apple slices in the pot in the afternoon. I decided to recreate that memory for Meredith’s class. AND, then I received the note. Someone has an apple allergy. Also, there’s an egg allergy that includes anything MADE with eggs. Pork allergy. (No worries on that one.) Shellfish allergy. (Mollusks, anyone?) Peanut allergy. (That’s pretty much a given these days, isn’t it?) I have no idea what I’ll be doing, but please rest assured that I *will* figure something out. Hopefully.
Something in my house smells like urine, but I don’t believe it’s urine. What an interesting time of year it is.
Speaking of The Time of The Year, every year our church makes a huge batch of apple butter, and every year I purchase a jar and go all crazy with it. Apple butter in my hot tea. Apple butter on French vanilla ice cream. Spoonful of apple butter just because it’s 3:17 in the afternoon. This year I came up with the greatest apple butter combination that I’ve had so far: Take a tortilla (I prefer Flatout), spread about two tablespoons of apple butter on it, throw two slices of pepper jack cheese on top, roll it up, and you’re about to eat The Greatest Wrap Ever. The only thing that might make it better is to add something that crunches. Spinach, perhaps?
I took a spinning class last week, and two people in my life assumed that the class had something to do with sitting on a stationary bike. Instead, it had everything to do with drafting methods and getting the yarn to look right on the bobbin and Navajo plying and so forth. On Sunday afternoon, I spun two ounces of Lisa Souza’s Wensleydale in “Sky Drama.”
It’s pretty sloppy because the staple length is longer than what I’m used to (and I’m still not so good with achieving even bobbins). BUT, it’s so shiny and colorful and I can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s plied and lovely. My short-term spinning goal involves trying out as many fiber blends as I can. Spinning has become so meditative and therapeutic. I highly recommend it.
Meredith won a raffle which will enable her to be the school principal for the day on Thursday. She will start her day thirty minutes before the other students arrive, and will spend the entire day with the principal. They will have lunch, they will meet with the superintendent, and they will monitor classrooms together. At the end of the day, Meredith will be writing up a small report that will be included in the weekly newsletter. Meredith has already planned her outfit, is a bit upset that I refused to purchase a suit with heels for her, and is already brainstorming on how to make her school a better place.
Meredith: We really need to somehow get kids to try harder to behave.
Harper: I am already trying AS HARD AS I CAN!
Meredith: I bet you can try harder. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Ohhhhh, that is super pretty!
I love the colors in the yarn! Have you ever tried pumpkin butter? We get it at Central Market each fall and love it. I need to remember to have some when I am craving something sweet. Probably time to get some more apple butter too. Have a great week!
I can just see my little Katrina acting as principal for the day…and she does have a blazer too…cute! I hope she enjoys! And now I have to go and look for the pumpkin butter that Cairn is talking about, or even find a recipe–I love pumpkin…and apple butter is lovely on pancakes/waffles or a bit with cottage cheese….
pretty yarn!
1. This post made me hunnnngry.
2. Please update us on Principal Meredith’s day!
Beautiful yarn, and I wish we had time to pitch in and buy Meredith a tiny suit.
We have and egg, nut, and soy allergy kid.
I recommend the book Vegan Cupcakes Rule the World for wonderful no-egg cupcakes. I substitute milk and butter for the soy products. They are DELICIOUS. Can you make them for Meredith’s class and have them frost them?
Something that crunches? Apple slices!
Beautiful wool (and I’m a New Zealander, we know about wool) – what do you turn these spools into?
(By the way, no pressure, but it’s actually Wednesday, you know.
What, you’re disputing what my laptop says?)
Ahhhh the power of big sisters. (I know. I am one.) And power corrupts, no? I’m glad you’re not supplying a suit and heels. I do love the idea of Meredith being the principal for a day. Please update us.
“Meredith … is a bit upset that I refused to purchase a suit with heels for her”
My brother-in-law wore suits while attending his public elementary school and carried a real briefcase.
What a cool experience for Meredith!
I have never heard of anyone being allergic to apples. Never. Ever. And I am 52. And a half.
Peanuts, shellfish, bee stings, mold, pollen, all the usuals, even some not so usual like cilantro, sure. But never apples. Go figure.
I would not want a life without apple pie or fresh apples. Your caramel idea sounded truly memorable. You will have to do it at home, I guess. If you want to make your own caramel sauce, I can send you a simple recipe that tastes great.
I love this post for reasons too numerous to list. And I think you should reconsider the suit and heels request.
This afternoon I was talking with a fiber-freak coworker about a spinning class I’m signed up for, and another colleague thought we were talking about cycling too. Ha! I scoff at that sad form of exercise. It’s a hamster wheel for humans. If you’re going to get on a bike, at least take it on the road.
An apple allergy has to be the saddest thing ever. (I’ve invested at least $20 in Honeycrisp apples this year, and I live alone). Can you dip out some caramel for that child and provide non-apple fruits to dip in the individual non-contaminated portion?
Also, you can make apple butter easily in your crockpot too. Not, of course, for the dueling Halloween parties, but just for your general information.
Oh, my gosh, I just realized that Snow White totally was that apple allergy person! I hope that this is a girl and I hope that she has dark curly hair and that every year her parents force her into a Snow White costume and dress her 7 younger siblings like tiny miners.
What about dipping something else in the caramels? Marshmallows? Mini popcorn balls? Or stick closer to your lovely memory with pears? Or, heck, jicama?
Ah, the urine smell. I get that too. I always wonder if it’s some kind of ghost. The fact I have a dog makes that an unlikely explanation though.
I bet Meredith will be an excellent principal. Next step president. I think any of the baked good recipes you have posted would make great options excluding the ingredients the kids can’t eat that is. Looking forward to reading what you come up with.
Seems to me the only way to go for Meredith’s class at Halloween is to serve up the crock pot of caramel and provide both apples and pears to dip in it. Also, I’d make marshmallow (eggwhite) ghosts. And serve peanuts in cute little decorated clamshells.
But I’d include epinephrine pens for every child and have a game where they each inject each other for dessert.
I guess it’s good that I’m 65 and don’t have to be a room mother any more.
Grammy must have the most fun house on the block on Halloween!
So, how the heck *are* you going to be in two places at once for those parties?
I offer a ‘thank you’ on behalf of all moms with kids who have annoying allergies, for being thoughtful. But, jeez, apples?
When we found out that then-third-grader Mick (already allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, cats, dogs, grasses, and molds (oh crap, my bathrooms — punctuation matters)), was newly allergic to shellfish and any food that might be cross-contaminated with shellfish (in storage or in a pan), my wonderful school nurse said: “Well, dang, there go Highcroft Ridge Elementary School’s Lobster Mondays.” I loved that woman….
If I ever took a spinning class, it would be your kind. Nice yarn!