college
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When the Day Was Long
I saw all of those pictures on Facebook. Back-to school pics, kids holding signs marking the year and grade. I gave up trying — I didn’t even give the idea of getting that first day of school pic a second thought, because there would be so much resistance from the boys. Besides, don’t I have enough pictures of them catching frogs, tubing, and being boys? Who needs a boring back-to-school pic? And, the day was so full. It was back to school… And there were groceries to buy for the one going back to college, a car to pack, lunches to pack, a knee to heal. After shelling out $400…
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Tonight, I Get To Turn Off My Phone
With one boy, far off and away at college, and another one who stays out late, I always keep my phone by my bed — on. I never know what I might be called upon on those late night hours of sleep. There are those rare occasions when I a truly needed for something that can’t wait till morning — maybe once or twice — “Mom, I can’t stop coughing, and I can’t get to sleep,” and another time, “Mom, the doors are locked — can you let me in.” Still, as infrequently as it happens, I like to keep my phone by my bed — on. But tonight, and…
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The One-Pot, 20 Minute, College Meal
The college son is home this summer, busy putting time in at his summer internship… And, he also wants to learn how to cook. He will be living in a sort of fraternity house with Cru this fall, complete with a kitchen, so that he can step away from the high-carb, low-nutrient dorm fare. At 4:55 this afternoon, I stopped myself from starting to cook dinner,and decided to wait for him to get home and start this 20-minute meal, so I could illustrate, step-by-step, and let him do the cooking. Have you tried this meal? It’s been on PInterest for several years now, in differing versions. It’s not a Pinterest…
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You Have To Be Really Careful Around This Curve…
The college boy is rowing. New this year. When I picked him up to come home for Christmas, he asked me if I wanted to see where he rows. Sure. Of course, I do. He drove me past the house he already has rented for next year, with some guys, and yes, of course, it was too close to the bad section of town, and it looks awful. LIke worse than Animal House…but he smiled, and was proud. So I smiled with him and laughed. He continued to drive, for what was longer than I expected the drive to be to the river where he rows, and we ended up…
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When We All Breathe Under the Same Roof
Now that so many universities are on semesters, there is this sweet little two day bonus, called Fall Break. It’s actually more like three school days, and plus the weekend — so it’s almost like a mini-week of delicious one-on-one time with my oldest. Wednesday morning, I put fresh sheets on his bed, started cooking a roast — oh, and the night before, in anticipation of all the good food I planned to be pumping him with, I started cooking chicken broth in the crock pot. This would ensure every meal would be infused with bone broth. He arrived home early Wednesday afternoon, arms laden with smelly laundry, and books…
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When The World Spins Out, and You’re Not Moving
She asked “What will it be like?†To send away the son, after only 18 years, off to another state, to college. Oh, that’s easy, I explained. You simply walk around feeling like the left side of your body has been cut off, for about ten days. (Or your right, since you are right-handed.) You’ll have lots of pain from the emptiness. You’ll stop yourself from picking up the phone can calling him about 100 times. Just sit through it and hold tight. Just hang in there… because in about ten days, you’ll get a text, and it always comes on a weekend night, asking, “Do I put hot water…
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He’s Always Hungry
Our college student has the greatest summer job any parent could ask for. He’s building fences. He rises at 6 a.m. to arrive, ready for work. Sometimes, he works ten hour days. Honestly, It pains me to see him working so hard; to see this little boy as a man, struggling under the yoke of hard labor. But, I’m his mom. Yet, the lessons he is learning are invaluable. How quickly he’s changing. He says things like, “Six o’clock is so early,†and “Mom, for some guys, this job is all they have. It’s their life, and they’re lucky to have it.†And, “I need to get to bed.†Suddenly,…
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That Flush of Spring Break is Over
The early flush of spring break quickly wore off as life began to hit us hard. The evenings I had hoped to spend catching up with my son, lingering over warm vegetable-laden soups were quickly replaced with this: Kids, in order by age:Z,A,D,J Who knew that the hairstylist that was running late on a Tuesday afternoon could cause such an avalanche of misfortunate timings. Including a lost pair of sunglasses, Z missing J’s performance and maybe even a C on a science exam. Me: “Get in the car. You need to drive J and me to the high school – we need to be there right now!†Z: “Where’s A?†Me:…
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What Are You Doing Up?
When he’s not busy building Penguins, the college student has been busy working at some crazy jobs. The jobs require early morning arrival times. One morning, they wanted him there at the outrageous time of 5 am. So, of course I set my alarm — as backup. I do know what it’s like to get him up in the morning. So, I met him in the dark kitchen at 4:15 am — I could barely make out his shadow, already neatly dressed with a bowl of cereal cupped in his hands. He looked up at me and said, “What are you doing up?” Without missing a beat, I said to…
