Tuesday, September 5, 2023

September 5 - School days - the best years of your life, especially when you’re the person behind the teacher’s desk.

 I can’t believe how summer seems to have left already, and we’re into those glorious warm days and cool nights that we used to call something that we probably shouldn’t say any more. At least I hope the hot summer days are over, as Howard un-installed the a/c in our bedroom a couple of days ago. 

The kids checked in at their respective schools today, and I must admit, I felt a pang of jealousy. I remember spending all of August longing for September, bugging Mr Ern Fowlow, the janitor, to get my classroom ready first as I needed (wanted) to get in there and start planning for the new year. 

He’s probably glad I left. I was the teacher who brought a couple of gerbils for classroom pets, and they were little escape artists. I don’t know many mornings he informed me of an escape - and his recovery of them. If I remember correctly it involved a towel. 

And of course, there was the plant growing out of our classroom sink. That wasn’t entirely my fault, though, as anyone could have been responsible for an apple seed getting caught in the drain - and how the heck could that have happened anyway? (Looking back, maybe there was other stuff down there too. Maybe soil? We had a worm farm, too, and these little red wrigglers pooped out the perfect soil.)

Oh well, doesn’t matter now. And it all ended well, as Mr Rideout (grade 5 teacher) ended up planting it in his yard and as far as I know, still has it growing there. 

And we must not forget the jello. I must have made hundreds of jellos in clear plastic cups to sell at recess, raising money for our St John’s trip. I imagine a bit of it ended up on someone’s carpet along the way. 

But I digress. I’m sure Mr Fowlow breathed a sigh of relief when I left, but I never heard him complain once. So, a very belated Sorry,  and Thanks for everything.

Even now, being not 70 in a few days, and feeling old and tired and achy, I wish I had all that back again. 

I know. I’m crazy.


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