The Garden School Tattler

What a great day!

The kids played pretty well. We announced the new game of last man on the mountain, or who can keep his medal the longest, and the smart kids settled right in to a good routine. They were helpful volunteers, good citizens, careful companions, and when Faith smooshed her finger on the tire swing, Abby was in full attendance reporting every tender breath, every whine, every grueling step to the kitchen for the ice.

Triston was in rare form. He created a spider with forty legs. "Extras," he said and turned in his drawing.

Jasmine finally got her medal. She's been on planet nine, so we gave her an extra week of grace.

Speaking of an extra week of grace, we were told on Sunday that the toy test is over and we need to turn in our evals. Thanks to Rachel, the evals are about done. I loved participating in this wonderful contest, but one of the things we did not get and need desperately are girls toys. We are looking for the little littles I believe are called Polly Pocket.

We had breakfast inside today. It was a new experience for some of the kids - hot oatmeal. You wouldn't believe the comments: "I usually eat this cold." "I only want the brown part." "What IS this?" Proper hot cereal is oatmeal sans lumps, melted butter, lots of brown sugar and milk if desirable. Actually, oatmeal is a great winter ice cream-like treat that is a great base for a lot of really interesting additions like coconut, nuts, chocolate chips, cold cereal, dried fruit, trail mix, spices, syrups, raisins, and a host of other daring delights like fresh fruit and peanut butter.

Some of our more behaviorally challenged kids tried their luck at unfriendly bold play and eyed us with that, "She doesn't REALLY mean that she'd take our medals," and as luck would have it on a Monday, they lost. We had a throw our milk on the floor because we didn't like our cereal behavior edition, throwing rocks at cars for fun and profit, Tarzan of the bathroom sings, loop de loop and oop de oops, tumbling time in circle time, rudeness refusal, which is a combination "Go to _ I don't want to." And your usual "Deck the bowels of someone smaller, fa, la, la, la, la...."

There is a chart on the kitchen door. Winners will be posted.

Lunch was a combination American extravaganza. We had tacos with cheese, rice, corn, salad, bananas, applesauce, and pumpkin pie and milk. Triston ate three tacos, rice, corn, three helpings of applesauce, two bananas and 5 pieces of pumpkin pie. He's our smallest child.

This afternoon, I told ghost stories. I live in the only actively haunted house in Newburgh. I've seen or heard eight ghosts on a number of occasions. One would naturally think I was NUTS, but my husband has been awakened over the years with children's play on the hallway steps. My house was built in 1830. We have lived here thirty years. I tell the children that since all life comes from God, there is nothing to be frightened of. They are there, and so am I, and we get along fine. All our ghost stories are friendly and fun. The kids love these tales. They are all true.

We finished the day with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.