Friday, August 26, 2005

The end is nigh.


Monkey boy
Monkey boy, originally uploaded by Lezzles.

This is our last weekend of relative freedom. The children go back to nursery school, or in E's case start nursery school, next week. I don't think I'm ready.

How on earth will we manage to get two comatose bodies up washed and dressed at 7H30 when they wake up naturally at 9H30? I can't find the indelible pen I need to write their names in their clothes. I haven't bought anything to give them for their mid-morning snack - what they call their goĆ¼ter and what kids in Scotland call (used to call?) their playpiece.

My own Mum was pretty health conscious for her time and our playpiece was often a couple of digestive bisuits or a piece of bread spread with some Dairylea cheese, or maybe a shiny apple. My brother and I ate these wholesome offerings surreptitiously in a corner while our luckier classmates scoffed packets of crips and curly wurlies (remember them?) washed down with cremola foam. So now, for my own children, I try to go for the healthy, but not conspiciously healthy, snack - not an easy task.

In France, nursery school is called "La Maternelle", undoubtedly because getting little children there in a presentable state is so much work and worry for their mummies.

7 comments:

Lesley said...

You may have noticed that I've added the "word verification" thingy to my comments box. I did this because i'd started getting some spam comments and noticed that other people had too (hello Nancy!). However, Deborah tells me taht the comments simply don't work any more. Is this true?

Anonymous said...

No No Lesley, it has just taken me time to understand how to do it. You have to copy the letters, sorry to be so slow.
Just wanted to say I put the name of the wild flower by photo and for this post I feel old old as Maternelle days so long long ago

Sarah Mackenzie said...

Do you remember the smell of your playpiece in your leather satchell? We too had an apple and a digestive biscuit :-) But the smell. A very curious smell that has stayed with me. We're back in Scotland. It is blowing a gail and is hailing!

Lesley said...

Yes, I know the smell you mean, Sarah. Rough leather mixed with pencil shavings and something fruity.

Sarah Mackenzie said...

Exactly. Well described. Maybe you should be in the wine business ;)

Guy Jean said...

Described to a "t"! Three of my 4 went back to school today. I only got a few hours warning! My youngest was so excited about it, she couldn't go to sleep until about midnight, telling anyone who was still awake, "School tomorrow!"

PS Can you tell us how you added this nifty bit of spammer-blocker? It's very impressive!

Lesley said...

Marco, I went into the settings menu in Blogger and turned it on. I think Blogger must have ben having real problems with comment spam because more and more blogs have been using this tool.
PS. I wasn't sugggesting that you had been sarcastic in your ref; to me, I do have a tendency to go for the tests, quizzes, gizmos etc!

Confinement

Being confined indoors most of the day, just the four of us, is reminding me of the days when my children were wee and most of our weekends ...