My question for now dear reader: Which one of you has not had that thrill of buying Christmas gifts replaced with the long, never ending stationery list! Yip I am talking school stationery lists! Granted I haven’t been in a stationery queue for many, many years but passing school mama bears this week got me thinking on days gone by.
Those queues we thought were behind us – nope there we were back in them. Those mom’s that were smart enough to buy the stationery before the stationery rush. Yip we will/would meet you in those stationery queues. Why? Because it’s the unwritten rule each year – the teacher requests that little additional we weren’t aware of last year.
Granted I havnt been in a stationery queue for many, many years but passing school mama bears this week got me thinking on days gone by.
How it has also all changed though? Remember not too long ago when we had that one major stationer as our go to stationery shop, what a variety we have these days. And how about the amazing selection of stationery out there? There is absolutely no way a child can even for a minute feel their stationery is boring, these days. And if they dare! Well, there is no other word but what a blady spoilt brat! (Tut tut!!) I recall when the boys were still at school, I often would not buy the “recommended” brand that was on the stationery list. Glue in particular springs to mind (or perhaps sticks in my mind😊) not buying that famous one that starts with a P and rhymes with bit. And realising sooner than soon that I should rather have paid that little extra because it did “stick like glue.” Those that bought the genuine one wouldn’t spot blank pages during the year because that photostat sheet had come unstuck and had now been stomped on by a trillion school shoes as it lays forlornly on the much-walked corridors of the school building. (The worst was when you were cramming for a test the next day and that is when you realise you are missing pages!)
I am very, very sure all mama bears of boys have the thankless task of covering books each year. (I recall when my sister and I were at school. Oh, my word that was back in the days of the ox wagon, we used to keep the Christmas cards my folks had received during the festive season so we could stick them on our books.) Digressed there again Dizabeth …so being a boy’s mom – every year I would gather all the books (textbooks included – stating the obvious here Dizabeth) make myself comfy in front of my favourite soapy and cover the books as I watched TV, which proved hazardous once or twice. Those textbooks, whilst I was so engrossed in the program, I would complete the covering, having written my sons name and grade on it, only then to realise I have it either upside down – or his name written on the wrong side! Breathe in, out and count to three – then take off the plastic, brown paper and start again. With a little less focus on the soapy this time. Another thing, yes there is still brown paper these days – but it’s not very often you see it on the kids’ books hey? Also, I have noticed it seems there are more files these days, some have amazing inspirational quotes on them – and they generally only need to be covered in plastic and that’s not a biggy, its only if you really want to (I would say to my boys hence trying to get out of covering the file😊). The issue with files though – you always need to buy those thingy’s – the sticky ring that you place on the punched hole, so the papers don’t tear. (File rings is the name you are seeking Dizabeth.) Hmm now that I think about it. There is always an item that is essential to the item of stationery you bought hey? It’s like they designed it that way – you can’t get A without getting B – they come as team – an essential team. Hmmmm conspiracy theory happening right here on Dizabeth’s blog.
Talking conspiracy, in this week alone I cannot get over how many people when COVID is mentioned – they are mentioning a conspiracy theory! I went to have my eyes tested. Oh, my giddy aunt! The optometrist started on how it’s a conspiracy. Now as much as I truly, truly was intrigued with his theories I thought when we finally did finish, he was going to recommend I get a pair of bino’s – as he was off on all these different theories. I braced myself for what he recommended as apparently between the ages of 44 to 55 my eyes did a lot of changing – he showed me on the charts – it was hellish interesting dear reader. However, I was bracing myself that I would be either investing in a view finder (for my more mature readers remember the view finders we had as kids) or maybe even a wide view telescope but at the end of it all he said: “so in conclusion Dizabeth your vision will be perfectly perfect with readers”. Yip you read correctly; a simple pair of readers will do me good! Then cheap skate Dizabeth hauled out a pair of readers I already had and asked the sales lady could I use these frames to save on the medical aid. Now how the heck does this work out – it would have cost me MORE to use my frames than for me to buy one of theirs! I know – there we go – another conspiracy theory! So, as you no doubt will agree that was another major digression! Dizabeth will now get back to the covering of the books.
The problem with covering in plastic, when you cover a textbook and you didn’t stand the cover up as you stuck down the sticky tape, and the book doesn’t close! You know what I am meaning – you lay the one side down – cover it whilst the other cover is leaning against your knee as you stick on the tape! Then when you think you all stuck and ready to go – you try close the book and the cover hovers in the air! And add to that – what about when the sticky tape sticks down, and you can’t find the loose bit – you must stop holding onto the plastic you were about to stick down to find the sticky end of the tape! Or worse, when the tape sticks down, and you cannot find the sticky end of the tape! You feel round and round the tape and never frikken find the end bit! (Sigh sigh) I cannot tell you how many times I have tossed aside that roll of tape and gone looking for another one. Yes, because there always seems to be more than one roll hanging around in odd drawers.
As if the covering of the books exercise was not stressful enough. I pity the moms who are in the same boat as I was. The little one whose heart breaks every single morning – every morning they awaken with a beaming smile of happiness, until you mention time to dress for school and that little smile turns upside down. The negotiations that occur in this time frame are so much more than all the presidents at the World Summit agreeing on the same thing! As you try enticing them to put that second shoe on: “this afternoon we will go for a soft serve when I fetch you from school – how does that sound, great idea hey honey?” you are the epitome of happiness as you traverse to school playing their favourite CD, plastering a world winning smile on your face whilst inside your heart is breaking. As you watch the teacher wrench them out of their car seat, broken hearted you drive home – totally distracted and not really focusing on the thick early morning traffic you are a part of. You placate yourself: as soon as I get home, I am looking into home schooling, what if I became the online teacher then she/ he could be with me all day. We will never have to endure separation anxiety ever again. On and on you angst. Meanwhile back in the school ground, your little angels’ tears dried up the instant his feet hit the school premises. He has long forgotten his sorrows of the morning. Gosh how many times did I fret all morning – counting the minutes till I fetched my little one. Purposely hanging around so I could “casually” ask his teacher how he had been and her so nonchalantly answering “he was perfectly perfect, those tears – once you were gone – they dried quicker than super glue on the soles of an old pair of boots!” All those angst minutes I wasted on researching separation anxiety and future effects on my child’s older years!
I do believe our lives are seasons – and there are reasons for our seasons. I, at this age certainly couldn’t go back to bath time, dinner time, homework and and and covering books – especially when they need blady plastic!….I am too frikken old. For me its dinner and my favourite TV show – then off to bed – for a good night’s sleep till I awaken to another Dizabeth day.
And that dear readers for this week – “is all she wrote”. I hope the week is treating you well. Remember keep safe, healthy and always be kind to you.
Till next week – thanks for loving my blog the way you do.
Mwah mwah
A great read, as always.
Love and hugs.
Xxx
Thanks Kimble …. hope you doing well – biggest hugs always dear friend.