The Second First Day of School...

Not many kids can boast 

that they have had two first days of school, 

but this year, the public school kids in Chicago can... 

Not that it is something to boast about, 

but hey, let's make some lemonade here! 

And trust me, most of us in the not so friendly confines of Chi-Town proper 

have looked like we have been sucking on lemons lately...

There isn't much to smile about when 

you are in your seventh day of the Teacher's Strike,

 your kids have not showered in days,

they have stared at about 417 hours of the Disney Channel 

and CoCo Pops have somehow become a new food group...

 In the beginning, we mothers had visions 

of making the best of a bad situation...

 "Oh, I will take the kids to the Art Institute, 

we will home school, 

let's take a nature hike and document 

all the deciduous trees we can find..." 

By Day 3 we are begging other mothers 

to PLEASE take my children on a play date 

before they kill each other, 

or worse, before I string them up by their earlobes... 

The kids woke at seven am most days, only to zone out, 

slack-jawed at the idiot box as canned laughter 

ground at my soul 

while I tried to complete even the most basic household tasks... 

The moment I find a sympathetic ear on the phone, 

my sweet children would perk up 

and begin to squabble, or worse, 

beg me for food and to find them something fun to do... 

Let's face it, notwithstanding all the debate, rhetoric and discussion 

about the plight of teachers, the tragic condition of our school system 

and the politics of our local government, 

the fact remains that while some perhaps enlightened parents 

found the strike as an opportunity to bond with their kids over organic tofu, 

to enrich their already strong relationships 

while reflecting over the works of Dali at the MCA, 

many parents were flat out inconvenienced by the situation... 

And I am not even talking about the poor parents 

who both had jobs to hold down 

while figuring out who is watching Jr...

Yesterday, Day 8, I had no hopes of the strike ending any time soon...

The press was setting us up for it to end yesterday, 

but after the Teachers Union pulled the rug out from under parents late Sunday, 

I stopped dreaming of an end to this silliness... 

Letting go of hope has its advantages...

You stop planning 

and you focus on the day at hand...   

Kate was off at a play date yesterday

and Jack was my wing man for running errands... 

The farmers market was open 

and I wanted to sharpen some scissors 

at the knife sharpening booth... 

I have been meaning to visit this guy 

for a couple of years 

and it was awesome to finally have it done... 

Sharp scissors are a true luxury! 

We wandered around the market and shopped 

while waiting for the scissors to be finished... 

I really enjoyed noodling around with Jack... 

We perused the tomatoes, 

bought some of the first Honey Crisps of the season 

and Jack wolfed down a gigantic Nutella crepe...

 It was nice to hang with my little man... 

Later, the local bowling alley 

offered two free games to CPS kids 

and he hit the lanes with a bunch of his classmates...

 Funny how the boys and girls automatically 

choose separate lanes, like oil and water... 

It was good for him to reconnect with his buddies... 

So the strike is over... 

The kids got up early, 

ate some good protein for breakfast 

and packed the backpacks again... 

They posed this morning for their SECOND first day of class, 

because it is like starting all over again... 

Whew!  

It feels good to get back into a routine for them 

and mostly, for me...

 I am going to celebrate 

by using up my old gift cards here and here today... 

I might even go crazy 

and buy a new griddle at Bed Bath and Beyond.... 

A little shopping therapy never hurt anyone in moderation, 

and God knows, I could use some therapy right now!