Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire - William Butler Yeats

The other day I was looking back at old pieces of writing and I found a one day diary for 17th October 2006, I wrote it for a writing project that I was involved in. There was a paragraph about our chaotic morning routine

"Then my day kicked into a higher gear.  I had just five minutes to shower and vacate the bathroom.  I would love to wallow in the warm water, but time demands otherwise.  At 7am I wake my three children aged 17, 15 and 11, after a lull for a few minutes while they wake up suddenly there is chaos.  Everyone wants the bathroom at the same time, someone needs a button sewn on, daughter wants me to sign a slip for school, son can’t find an exercise book, older daughter wants money for a music book. Where have all the socks gone? Why hasn’t my rugby shirt been washed? The demands continue, son get sent back to do his teeth properly and at 7.55, only 5 minutes late, I leave with son packed into the passenger seat."

The diary went on to record the rest of the day, it seemed as if I spent my whole day rushing around trying to do my best for everyone and to somehow fit everything around my work. It still feels like that sometimes, but I think things are a little bit easier now - or at least the stresses are different! 

Camera Shy - (centre) look at those heels!

On Thursday I went to daughter number two's graduation, the 15 year old from the diary entry is now 21 and, just like her older sister she has worked very hard and done extremely well with her education. I feel very proud of both of them, not just because of their academic achievements but because they are hard workers and they have become capable and sensible young women.   I was so proud to be present at my daughter's graduation on Thursday and I wish her every success at Leicester University next year.

Road Rage

Every day of my life I seem to be rushing around taking people to or from various places. I am used to being the kids taxi service, and because Robbie doesn't drive I have to drive whenever we go shopping, to town, to the doctors or whatever, but now I am the only driver for my mum and step dad as well. I hate being late and I often find myself racing against the clock to pick someone up on time. It seems as if everything conspires against me, I have written before about my 'love' of milk floats but I really think the local milkman has some sort of vendetta against road users. If he is not creating chaos by dawdling along at 5 miles an hour, he abandons his vehicle in the middle of the road while he delivers the milk and he brings the traffic to a standstill. Northampton must hold the world record for road humps, but once you get used to them they don't need to cause too much of a problem, So why do I always get behind people who have to slow to a crawl for every road hump? The idiots who lower their suspension and put 'go faster stripes' on their cars are the worse, they shouldn't be on the road if they can't cope with ordinary road hazards. Then there are the Volvo drivers who seem to panic and almost come to a halt before tackling the road hump, there is no need for such a reaction, maybe we should just ban Volvos!

It is my step dad's birthday today so I am taking him and my mum out for lunch, he was so ill in September so I am very grateful that he is well enough to enjoy his birthday.

More Morning Madness 07.03.07

This morning was deeply frustrating. As usual I was rushing around like a headless chicken, trying to do everything in an impossibly short amount of time. As usual I was having to chase Sam around to ensure that he with all his kit and equipment would be ready to leave the house on time. The girls are not what you would call morning people - but they are most definitely bathroom people, so constant vigilance is necessary so that I can nip in and briefly take possession of the smallest room. It is intensely off-putting to have someone sighing deeply as they queue outside the door, but I have learned to harden my heart. Megan has her own agenda to follow, it involves sitting in the most awkward positions so that I have to keep stepping over her, then moving at the last moment so that I trip over. A variation on this is when she walks slowly in front of me then suddenly reverses causing me to stumble. I am sure that in a previous life she was one of those geriatrics with a pull along shopping trolley who insist on shopping at peek periods just to create an obstruction in the supermarket and annoy busy shoppers.

Anyway Sam was eventually ready and he sat waiting for me with his rucksack on his back. It was only when we headed out of the front door that I spotted his shoes - the wrong shoes. He had apparently 'lost' them - how can anyone loose their shoes? I sent him back to find them while I sat in the car watching time slip through my fingers. He arrived, moaning and got into the car, I pulled off, then glanced down and saw him still wearing the wrong shoes!! Off he went to try again and I tried to remain calm - and failed! Finally his feet reappeared in the car, this time they were correctly shod. I was so late and so stressed

This afternoon, Sam was had made the magical transformation from neatly ironed schoolboy, to a mud encrusted mess. The unironed look! He managed to bring home half of the park, it stuck to his shoes and to his clothing. This afternoon, Sam was had made the magical transformation from neatly ironed schoolboy, to a mud encrusted mess. The unironed look! He managed to bring home half of the park, mud was caked all around his shoes and artistically spattered over his clothing. Even Meg doesn't get that filthy when she rolls in mud!

More Morning Madness 07.03.07

This morning was deeply frustrating. As usual I was rushing around like a headless chicken, trying to do everything in an impossibly short amount of time. As usual I was having to chase Sam around to ensure that he with all his kit and equipment would be ready to leave the house on time. The girls are not what you would call morning people - but they are most definitely bathroom people, so constant vigilance is necessary so that I can nip in and briefly take possession of the smallest room. It is intensely off-putting to have someone sighing deeply as they queue outside the door, but I have learned to harden my heart. Megan has her own agenda to follow, it involves sitting in the most awkward positions so that I have to keep stepping over her, then moving at the last moment so that I trip over. A variation on this is when she walks slowly in front of me then suddenly reverses causing me to stumble. I am sure that in a previous life she was one of those geriatrics with a pull along shopping trolley who insist on shopping at peek periods just to create an obstruction in the supermarket and annoy busy shoppers.

Anyway Sam was eventually ready and he sat waiting for me with his rucksack on his back. It was only when we headed out of the front door that I spotted his shoes - the wrong shoes. He had apparently 'lost' them - how can anyone loose their shoes? I sent him back to find them while I sat in the car watching time slip through my fingers. He arrived, moaning and got into the car, I pulled off, then glanced down and saw him still wearing the wrong shoes!! Off he went to try again and I tried to remain calm - and failed! Finally his feet reappeared in the car, this time they were correctly shod. I was so late and so stressed

This afternoon, Sam was had made the magical transformation from neatly ironed schoolboy, to a mud encrusted mess. The unironed look! He managed to bring home half of the park, it stuck to his shoes and to his clothing. This afternoon, Sam was had made the magical transformation from neatly ironed schoolboy, to a mud encrusted mess. The unironed look! He managed to bring home half of the park, mud was caked all around his shoes and artistically spattered over his clothing. Even Meg doesn't get that filthy when she rolls in mud!