Thursday, August 30, 2007

Today’s 5 Good Things

This is an idea I borrowed from Jon’s charming blog, Writing in a Vacuum, which I very much enjoy reading. Although I could never possibly keep up with his humour and good mood, due to my mainly melancholic nature, I thought I should attempt this at least this time. My oldest daughter has started school today - she’s a second form pupil now - so there’s an excitement in the air, both for her and for me.

So, here we are, five good things about starting school:


1. The discovery of two brand-new playgrounds in the school yard. Brightly coloured slides of all shapes and sizes, swings, climbing nets, etc. etc. Sand, of course, plenty of it. Empty in the morning, whole bunches of kiddies hanging onto them in the afternoon.

2. A school bag full of pristine stationery, just waiting for the little hands to dig into it.

3. Meeting again friends, all partially toothless, all reshuffled into new classes, with a new teacher, but nevertheless the same friends.

4. My feelings of awe and the slightests of trepidations, as if I were the child, in school again, waiting for the mighty teacher to call my name.

5. Leaving early from work, even though it means I have to wake up earlier in the morning. But I get to zoom on the fluid motorway to my heart’s desire…

7 comments:

Taffiny said...

What does second form pupil mean? I was thinking it meant older (second school, middle school), but seeing the playground, it seems to mean just starting out at school. Congratulations on arriving at a new space in your life, a new piece in time (and to your daughter as well).

Lovely, brings back memories. My son starts middle school next week. As he grows, I feel both older and younger, as I bounce back and forth from remembering my own childhood, to looking around and seeing where I am now.
( I was always a bit afraid of the teacher. To raise my hand, would feel akin to agreeing to stand in front of a firing squad. So I never did it. Drat those teacher who would call kids with unraised hands.)

Unknown said...

Sounds like it all has its own special brand of magic. Lovely!

Vesper said...

Taffiny,
Thank you. It's called second grade in the U.S. - I somehow prefer the British name. She's seven years old. I can't say I was afraid of teachers but I had a respect for them, which, unfortunately, is quite rare these days - maybe not for such young children, but certainly for older ones.

Thank you, Vanilla! It really feels magical...

Jon M said...

Yay! 5 good things, melancholy is good too. You can be melancholic and quite enjoy it you know! Hope littlies enjoyed first day!

Vesper said...

We all enjoyed it, Jon, thank you!

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

Those are beyond good... those are 5 really wonderful exciting things.

LOVE them. Good list.

Gotta run off to see what Jon's put up this week... as I've been slacking a bit...


Scarlett & V.

Vesper said...

You're so right, Scarlett, they're great things! Thank you! No one though can compete with Jon's lists!!! :-)