The Spencers – Day 6

Kylie was first to rise on Friday morning and quickly claimed the bathroom. After her bath, she grabbed breakfast and then got to work on her school project. I guess a little sibling rivalry is a good motivator. Cole grabbed some yogurt and then took a bath and got ready for school.

While I was eating my cereal, Kylie finished her solar system project.

She was so excited that she jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “Emma, I’m finished! Look!”

“Great job, Kylie! I’m so proud of you. Remember to pack it up and bring it to school with you today!”

“I will. I can’t wait to see what grade I get.”

I’d put off the inevitable long enough. So, after a quick bath, I, too, went to school.

Today was Love Day, a local holiday. Since I didn’t have a boyfriend, I didn’t hold high hopes that the day would be a very exciting one for me. I had no idea what a big deal the townspeople made of Love Day, but the kids at school were really into it.

In art class, we were all given the option to make heartfelt cards for our classmates or hilarious ones. Since I was the new kid in school, I figured funny was the way to go. It could’ve gone so wrong, but it turned out well and everyone had a good laugh. Maybe I’ll make some friends here after all.

Kylie made a new friend at school and invited him over to play. Lucas was a cute little blond boy, and it was adorable watching them cloudgaze.

Lucas surprised Kylie, producing a party popper and shooting multicolored confetti over her head.

While the kids chatted and played together, I researched why my carrot plant wasn’t producing a full crop as quickly as I’d expected and took a quick photo of my miniature garden.

Kylie surprised Lucas by giving him a gift. Meanwhile, Cole was making a creative mess in the dirt.

Lucas looked surprised, like he didn’t quite know what to say. “Um, thanks, Kylie. What is it?”

“Open it and see, silly.”

“Did you make these cards?”

“Yep. I made them at the library yesterday. Don’t you think they’re pretty?”

“They’re kinda girly.”

“Duh. That’s ’cause I’m a girl. Anyway, it’s no big deal if you don’t like them.”

“Thanks. I didn’t get you anything, though.”

“That’s OK. You didn’t have to. I had fun making them and just felt like giving them to you.”

Kylie used the bathroom, and when she flushed the toilet, water started shooting out all over the floor. “Emma! Help — the toilet’s busted!”

I did my best to repair the toilet while Kylie mopped up the mess. When I finished, I noticed the sink was dirty. Sheesh, I just cleaned the damn tub. Enough already.

As I came out of the bathroom, I saw Lucas making a hell of a mess in our yard — well, in our dirt.

My phone chimed with a text from Paolo inviting me to the Spice Festival. It sounded like a great idea, but I didn’t know how long the kids would want to stay, so I turned down his offer and took the kids by myself.

We soaked up the festive atmosphere and got started on our homework while the free food was being set up. There were several food vendors, too, but we couldn’t afford to buy anything from them.

Once the food was set up, the kids and I each grabbed a serving of Siopao, a Filipino  steamed bun with a delicious, shredded meat filling. When we were done eating, I packed up samples of each of the free dishes for future meals. Along with the Siopao, I picked up Bhel Puri, Tajine and Dango. I skipped the spicy curry. Someone was also manning a grill and had Hamburgers, Tofu Dogs and Baked Potatoes. Free food is awesome, and such a variety! I grabbed whatever we could carry. Luckily, we didn’t know anyone at the festival, so I wasn’t even embarrassed about it. It had been a good decision not to come with Paolo after all.

I felt a few drops hit my skin and looked up at the cloudy sky, concerned that it was about to rain. I packed up the kids and headed back home.

We were lucky that it was only cloudy in Oasis Springs. It was getting late, and we were all in agreement that our first Love Day was a bust. Cole wanted to take a bath, but Kylie and I were too tired and went straight to bed. As I lay in bed, I realized that between school and the Spice Festival, I hadn’t added much at all to the family’s fund today. I closed my eyes for the night, vowing to do a better job tomorrow.

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Let’s have another look at skill levels:

Emma:

Emma got a start on handiness skill thanks to the broken toilet. Other than that, she only posted a small gain in gardening. She’s getting to be a Jack (well, Jill) of all trades, but a master of none.

Kylie:

Kylie gained half a level in creativity skill, along with another small gain in social skill.

Cole:

Cole’s social skill increased today, but not by much.