Yes, that's right, first snow of the season came on October 9th this year. (Didn't take a photo, sorry!) That's very early for us, especially with climate change. But it's supposed to be 50 degrees tomorrow and 70 by Thursday, so this will be gone almost immediately. Which is good, since we determined today that the twins have no long pants that fit. (They have been wearing shorts every day since late spring. Kid B also wears flipflops every day, even when there's frost.) I made them wear some old pants that were too small, and Kid A complained that he couldn't even pull them down to go to the bathroom, they were so tight! I found something for them to wear tomorrow, because it's supposed to be 26 degrees overnight, so it'll be a cold (and icy!) walk to school. But then I went online and ordered 10 pairs of pants from Carter's -- their doorbuster sweatpants, which are $7 each, but still. A lot of money. Plus I ordered 4 pairs of warm pajamas at $9/pair. It adds up when you have twins and it's a year they outgrow everything. Last year we were really lucky because they could still fit into their winter boots and coats. This year we'll have to replace the boots, but I think the coats still fit. Maybe.
I was hoping to buy myself some winter boots this year, because the only close-toed shoes I have that really fit are my sneakers (not great for snow). Last year Rocket Boy let me wear his snow boots sometimes. Oh, and I'm remembering, I think I got some winter shoes at a garage sale last spring. I need to look for those. That may be all I can afford for me this year. It's going to take me all fall to pay off my credit card (we run it up in the summer, pay it off in the fall), especially if I keep adding to it -- but you have to. That is, I guess you don't have to if you just don't have any income, but since we earned too much to qualify for "free lunch" this year, I feel as though I shouldn't shop for the kids at Goodwill. Maybe that is the wrong attitude.
I should get off the computer and get ready for bed. I'm just kind of jazzed because of the fires in northern California. My cousin's place that we visited in June is possibly in danger and he and his wife had to evacuate. I'm so glad that we visited there and saw it again. I hope it survives intact. If it doesn't, I suppose they will rebuild, but I just don't know. They don't own it; it's under some trust thing. I don't know what happens if it burns, or if the vineyard burns. I told the twins about the fire and they were very concerned about the grapes, which they wanted to eat. We didn't talk about the chickens and I won't bring them up.
I had a strange day today. When we went to bed last night they were predicting up to 11 inches of snow for today and I thought, you know what, I'm going to have a snow day. I was so behind on grading and it wouldn't hurt my students to miss a day, even though I am NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, EVER. When we got up, there wasn't that much snow on the ground, but it was sloppy and messy and awful and still coming down (it snowed most of the day). I thought, oh well, so much for the snow day, and then, while I was eating breakfast I thought, no, I'm going to have one anyway. What are they going to do, fire me? So I cancelled all my classes and stayed home and graded papers, but not enough, never enough. I have 85 students! Every time there's an assignment due, I bring home 85 things to grade! And I can't give fewer assignments, because the exact number and type has been predetermined by the powers that be in the department. Tomorrow I'll have to grade a whole lot more, and more on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, every day. I'm completely underwater with work, and can't figure out how to come to the surface. I think acknowledging that to myself was helpful, and maybe it will help me be kinder to my students, many of whom are having a hard time right now. But whether it will help me grade papers faster, I don't know.
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