Getting half as much done in twice the time.
My five-year-old charge was at my house today and she wanted to check on the jellyfish (stuffed animal) she gave me a few months ago. When I showed her where it was, hanging from my bedpost, she said nope, not acceptable–I have to sleep with it. So she placed it on my pillow, where it was waiting for me tonight when I got into bed. She also wanted to write me a note so I wouldn’t forget, but I convinced her that was unnecessary.
Feet First | 356
Wednesday, 7 September
My last Feet First photo commemorates a fun morning at the Chicago Botanic Garden. JD and her good pal Baby C enjoyed a final summer visit together to the model railroad. Afterward, they chased themselves silly through the circle garden. I was able to corral them for just a moment to take a picture.
It was a beautiful, sunny day and I was very happy to capture this moment as the conclusion of my year-long project.
Feet First | 364
Tuesday, 6 September
JD and I have a few days left of summer adventuring before she’s back in school. Ever the fan of rail transportation, we hopped on the El and made the circuit around the Loop today, hitting the purple, red, brown, and orange lines in the process. After a Cuban coffee from Cafecito and a snack in the lobby of the International Hostel downtown, we made the return trip home in time for a late lunch.
Feet First | 356
Monday, 29 August
Feet First | 351
Wednesday, 24 August
JD had very little interest in practicing writing her letters until we hit on the idea of actually writing letters.
This she was really into. It wasn’t a chore, it was fun! She’d tell me what she wanted to say, I’d mark out the dashes on the page and together we’d sound out the words as she wrote them out. (The dashes were my idea to help her keep the letters small enough that she wouldn’t run off the page, a very frustrating experience for the budding author.)
So far, most of her letters have followed along the lines of the one above, inquiring as to the well-being of the feline in the household.
Here she is opening a return letter. Positive reinforcement.
Feet First | 342
Monday, 15 August
JD and I met some friends at the playground. I had a window of about ten seconds when they weren’t all in motion to catch the group all together.
Feet First | 343
Tuesday, 16 August
Wagon time at Wagner Farm. All aboard!
Feet First | 344
Wednesday, 17 August
JD sent me home with a bunch of friends. In the past few weeks she’s been on this kick where she’s very generous with her possessions, giving them away. Every day, we go through this ritual where she insists I take things home, often for my cats to play with, and she won’t take no for an answer.
Feet First | 335
Monday, 8 August
JD and I visited Millennium Park.
Feet First | 330
Wednesday, 3 August
At the Botanic Garden, waiting for our friends to show up. Balancing on one foot, eager to get to the model railroad.
Feet First | 328
Monday, 1 August
JD and I enjoyed some edamame for lunch that I got from the Farmers Market. For awhile there, until she’d perfected the technique for popping beans from their shell, edamame was flying in all directions.
Feet First | 314
Monday, 18 July
JD had a week of camp out at the Chicago Botanic Garden and as luck would have it, it was during a ridiculously hot spell of weather, where the heat index blew past 100 each day we were out there. While she was digging for treasure, planting moon flowers, and learning about plants, I tried to keep cool, hydrating by the fountain and reading in the breeziest, shadiest places I could find.
2 Things @ Once 