Wearing my swingy faux-pearl mala beads with equally swingy leather tassel made a few years ago by talented
Mary Marino. And a black, bell-sleeve Julie Brown dress I bought at STITCH a few years back, plus patterned Wolford tights I snagged on sale. I feel feminine--and trendy.
Home-based today.
I went to Punchy's IEP* meeting at 8:45....the first meeting for middle school. Key. I liked talking to the team, the people who see our Punch in school, when she is away from home and out in the world. They already know about her love for pets. Of course they do. [Every other Friday, therapy dogs come in....the teacher, who was very nice, said she loves it. Yup. So grateful they have that. And so grateful for the education and support Punch has been getting in the public school system. I hope it is enough, that she is getting what she needs. We try hard at home, and so does her Mimi.]
Then I went to Jefferson's Cafe, 88 Maple Avenue, iconic I think, on the south end of town, close to the school....I didn't know it existed until this year, and I've lived in Montclair since 1991. I also walked by on Back-to-School Night, in the rain.
The menu offers waffles with white chicken and waffles with dark chicken, plus grits and biscuits, fried catfish etc. I had a biscuit with turkey sausage and cheese....the oven treasure was warm and tender....very, very good. The perfect handheld vessel for melty Cheddar and a slim sausage patty. Some biscuits can be hard, thick, dry or rubbery. This one tasted like it was made from an old family recipe. It was on the wide side, and not too lofty. I got some cheese grits to go, also excellent.
I was the only white person I saw there. A woman in blue nursing scrubs/uniform got something to go; a man and woman arrived as I left, after parking their new SUV; two older gentlemen held the door for me on the way in; two women sat together; one young woman sat alone, in a winter hat with big pompom and sweat pants with a glittery word on the seat.
Oh, so that's how it feels, I thought,
when a black person walks into a white restaurant. But am I wrong?
I am a white person and as such, in this town and at this time, feel entitled to go pretty much anywhere I choose. Is that how it feels for a black person entering a lily-white restaurant?
I think of the days of Rosa Parks. For starters, the black person would not have been served. And look--two black men welcomed me, holding the door open so I could enter. Back in the day, would a black person only be in a white restaurant if cooking, serving or washing dishes, or was that off-limits, too? Indignity. Shame on our forebears. This morning, I took zero risk to take a comfortable seat at Jefferson's Cafe. I felt I deserved to be there, in fact. I am a foodie and simply followed my nose.
I am going back, want to bring Punch and Nikki some time.
TCOY
- Paid $600 of our $810 heating oil bill--enough to get a delivery, because the tank gauge is hovering on empty, and schedule our annual oil burner tuneup. I'm owed money for writing, but it can take a while. Thank you, Judy at oil company.
- Short walk with Sug.
- Private Benjamin appt. Helpful. Good insights.
- Finally picked up my pink bike from Punchy's friend's house. She biked over there a couple of weeks ago and then it was too dark to bike back. I rolled it into back seat of our blue Toyota. Happy to have it back.
$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET
- Jefferson's Cafe, down-home breakfast [see above], about $8.25 plus tip, $10.
- Kings, 2 rolls Viva, Newman's Own dog treats to support hips and joints, and Mast Brothers dark chocolate bar on sale for $2.99, $14.
- Marcel Bakery & Kitchen, saw Rach for first time in weeks. This should also be under TCOY both for friendship and nourishing food. Daily roasted veggies over hummus, delicious, with tip, $15.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $39.
ONGOING MONTHLY SPEND AS OF NOV. 5: $275.33.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $55.06.
COMPARE TO 3 PRIOR MONTHS:
TOTAL SPEND FOR OCTOBER (31 DAYS): $2,495.36.🍎 ⬆️
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $80.49.🍎 ⬆️
_____________________________________________________________________
TOTAL SPEND FOR SEPTEMBER (30 DAYS): $2,214.43.🍎⬇️
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $73.81.🍎⬇️
_______________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL SPEND FOR AUGUST (31 DAYS): $2,895.06. ⬆️
AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39. ⬆️
*
Per Google: The IEP, Individualized Education Program, is a written document that's developed for each public school child who is eligible for special education. The IEP is created through a team effort and reviewed at least once a year. Before an IEP can be written, your child must be eligible for special education.
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