Does anyone have a person inside the Met Office at all? Or personally know Mother Nature? Just wondering if and how we can report a blip.
We were expecting the month of May but were incorrectly sent a second October and while I appreciate there might not be a refund available, but can we please ensure June knows it has to step up and do its thing please?
It’s perilously close to the school summer holidays for this nonsense. We’ve had too much of a challenging year to be coping with the kids for six weeks during a second winter.
As a beach vacation, the north east of Scotland is treacherous as it is in the height of summer never mind an unwelcome appearance of November Mark 2. Off you pop kids, into the sea, I don’t want to see you again till your lips are blue and you’ve got a good Scottish shiver on.
We’ve all been there. Soup in a tartan flask on the beach to ‘warm you up’ after a quick dip. We’re nothing if not resilient.
Biggest bairn has suddenly now finished school. Left the building without a look back over her shoulder. No fanfare. Just home and no need to go back.
Secondary school education completed and time to (move out) broaden her horizons. I’m not quite sure how this has happened.
I’ve done my due diligence. Attended school sports days, nativities, and poetry recitals. Washed and ironed countless white shirts. Replaced lost ties and ensured bus passes in hand on a Monday morning.
I have made a working volcano cake
I have crafted and baked for fund raisers, triumphantly produced a WORKING volcano cake I made for her science class, a feat certainly not repeated for the other two, and attended school fayres to hand over money in support of our kids’ education.
Do not get me started on the number of parents’ nights attended. This has gone on for 13 years and I can’t quite believe we made it to the finish line still intact.
We are aware how lucky we’ve been. Her high school career totalled two punishment exercises, I’ve only recently been informed of these, and it came as no surprise it was for ‘talking too much’.
She is a diligent, polite, and hard-working kid all without being a sycophantic know it all. A fine balance. I like confident kids. Kids should be full of life.
As parents, we have surprised ourselves with what brought us most pride throughout this time.
We were, of course, delighted with an excellent work ethic resulting in good grades, but there are other skills to be honed during high school and sometimes these can be tricky.
Talking to teachers while respecting them and listening to their advice. As far as we know she’s managed this – if any of the staff at Madras College wish to tell me otherwise please do.
Imagine in 20 years’ time looking back and remembering being the Class of Covid 2021
Outside of the classroom, she has been producing their year book. She assures me everyone is included and photos without masks were allowed.
Imagine in 20 years’ time looking back and remembering being the Class of Covid 2021, bless them.
She’s been voted as ‘Nicest Girl’. From someone who would probably win ‘Parent most likely to teach the other kids to swear’ OR ‘Mother most likely to approve kids’ friends based on which parents will drink wine with me on play dates’, I can ask for nothing more.
Meantime, I have mere weeks to teach her some survival skills. After a summer of working, her university journey starts in September. I remember those days fondly.
The way I used to go out only to get in at 6am then saunter into my 10am shift like it was normal was honestly a SKILL.
My alternative curriculum for the next while includes: How to detach oneself from one’s mobile. The art of taking a shower in under 20 minutes and picking up wet towels off the floor. How to empty your bedroom bin. How to return a ‘borrowed’ phone charger. How to text your mother back. Cooking 101.
She’s asked middle kid, a competent chef, to head down at weekends to feed her. A request not met with enthusiasm.
The main lesson from my teaching will however, always be ‘Don’t stop until you’re proud’.
- For more see Things I’ve learnt during a global pandemic
