Cole came home from New Orleans with lots of great stories and a suitcase full of clean clothes. His dorm in New Orleans had ample washers and dryers and Cole washed and dried his clothes every night. Who knew the kid could do laundry? Certainly not me. The only time I ever asked him to put anything in the dryer he called me and asked me if he should press the start button after setting the timer on the dryer. He must have picked up the laundry bug from traveling with his grandfather, a man who always has “a little laundry to do” when he is on vacation.
The Chicago Waldorf tenth grader came home with a plethora of stories, and I suspect the teachers have a few as well. One of the greatest things about Waldorf education is the teachers. They spend an enormous amount of time with their students in all kinds of settings outside the classroom. At the end of each school year, each high school class takes a different two-week service trip with their teachers as chaperones. The teachers work right alongside the kids for the two weeks. Cole’s class worked with the New Orleans St. Bernard project to help rebuild homes that had been devastated during Katrina. The kids spent one week doing mold remediation—the worst work ever, according to Cole—and the second week putting up drywall, a job Cole enjoyed. However, he said the lack of tools really slowed down progress and that if he took his eyes off his drill for two seconds it was gone. (I know how he feels; the same thing happens to my scissors.)
The trip was not all work.—On the weekend the teachers set up a Bayou tour and gave the kids free time to explore.
Our kids made the most of the French Quarter.
Cole swore he closed his eyes when he walked by the strip joints. That’s his story and he is sticking to it.
Of course, the beignets at Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter were a huge hit.
Cafe Du Monde was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market by the Fernandez family, which still owns it. The Cafe is open 24/7. It closes only on Christmas Day and when an occasional Hurricane passes too close to New Orleans. After being reminded of how good Cafe Du Monde’s beignets were, I tried to make some using a simple beignet recipe.
They were good enough, but certainly not great. I heard that Trader Joe’s has a good mix. We may try it when my sweet mom arrives on Tuesday!
Yep! My sweet mom arrives this Tuesday. She takes the Amtrack from Albuquerque and enjoys the ride. It’s a long ride (twenty-six hours and five minutes), but she much prefers it to all the hassles of flying. I have been cleaning like a fiend and trying to remember where we put her iron. (Please do not let her arrive before I find the iron.)
I am off to do battle with the Gap about buttons. Cole bought 3 pairs of cargo shorts from the Gap and the buttons keep falling off. Those shorts were pricy and now I have to pay the dry cleaners to sew the buttons back on and the buttons won’t match. I WANT REPLACEMENT BUTTONS. Wait! I wonder if Cole can sew a button on? I really should ask him. This could be another secret talent he’s keeping from his mother. Of-course, he’ll just tell me that his Grandmarcie is coming and she’ll sew the buttons on, because she won’t want him running around with unbuttoned shorts. He’s probably right. I should look for a needle and thread.
Do you sew your own buttons on? I can’t be the only person in the whole internet that has never sewed a button on! I did try once…Big Fail.
Thanks for dropping by Odd. If it makes you smile, giggle or laugh…Do it again!
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Cole will be totally prepared when he goes off to college, if he can already do laundry. What a good mom you are, KB! Yes, I sew buttons on all the time. My dad taught me as he sewed button eyes on my stuffed animals when I was a kid. My mom claims sewing gives her a headache — like Cole and the strip shows, that’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Have a wonderful Morno!
Debbie I had no idea he could do laundry but I am glad he figured it out. I think your mother has the right idea! I like her story and may stick to it myself. Funny, Joe always did all the sewing and crafts that Waldorf requires. We had an agreement he would never have to attend a meeting that required listening and I would never have to attend a class that required crafting, sewing or baking. It worked. 😀
I sew buttons on but I’m not very good at it. It’s a chore I try to hand off whenever i can. Sounds like your boy had a great trip but I’m not sure I believe the closed eye story…but I am sure if he peeped it was just so he could make his secret report to the legion of decency.
Your teachers are Saints!
They are Saints! You know, your right! In fact that was probably the only reason they wanted to go to the French Quarter…those reports had to be filed!
Too funny. It looks like those kids took New Orleans for all that is was worth! The Beignets at Cafe Du Monde are beyond good. I think the atmosphere-location also makes the experience special.
Yep, I can sew a button and I do believe you might be the only person in the whole and entire internet that claims they can’t sew a button on. But you have other talents. 😀
It’s been years since I went to Cafe Du Monde and I still remember how good it was…Thank you for recognizing that not being able to properly sew a button does not make you a complete loser!
Is Cole a little sweet on that little gal he has his arm thrown around…seems like there are 2 pics like that with the same gal.,, Inquiring minds want to know.
You and my mother both :-D. I’m not sure…the mother is always the last to know…maybe his grandmother can find out!
I love sewing buttons on. My mother taught me and made it fun. She kept a button box and let me pick out buttons when the originals were lost. Our whole family (7 kids, 2 parents) had clothing with non-matched but interesting buttons. To this day I still enjoy selecting fun buttons to sew on. My mother taught me well too – if I’ve sewn on a button it’s not coming off anytime soon!
As for beignets, Dixie Kitchen in Evanston has a nice weekday breakfast special. Two beignets and a coffee. I add a single poached egg for some protein and I’m good to go. I don’t know how they compare to New Orleans beignets, but next time you’re in town you should drop in to try them out. Feel free to swing by my place to drop off button-less clothes too. I can fix them right up!