Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Back to School

School has started. The summer is so completely over, my head is spinning. Last week we were off to the pool, towels and sunscreen in hand, and this week we are fully in the grind. My brain is drained. I probably will not write one funny or interesting thing this entire post. You've been warned.

Although school has eaten summer up and spit out its splintered bones, I still don't feel in the routine yet. Of course, that might be because school just started yesterday, but I want my routine and I want it now! I am such a routine freak, and I accept this about myself. The older I get, the more things I accept about myself. For instance, that I accept that I will never weigh 125 again, and probably won't ever weigh 140 again, either, though that's my goal.

And I accept that I love routines. I love lunches made and stored in the fridge the night before. I love clothes laid out at night on the backs of chairs and shoes and socks set out above the fire place (where the dog can't eat them). I love backpacks packed before bedtime and left ready by the door. I love bedtime.

Ahhh, bedtime. My children were regular little anarchists about bedtime this summer, but they have accepted their bedtime routines without complaint now that school has started. Okay, Jack's complained a little bit about having to go upstairs a full hour before his bedtime, but thems the break, kid. The house needs to be quiet for Will to go to sleep, and if Jack's up and about, he's whistling and playing bongos on the wall and dropping books, and generally raising a ruckus.

By the way, Jack has gotten lost both days trying to find his classes at the middle school (even though we went to the open house on Monday and walked around to each classroom). What I love about Jack is that he's more chagrinned than embarrassed, and seems largely of the opinion that the fault lies with the school's architect, who's clearly an idiot.

Okay, Jack simply MUST I-Chat with his best friend from school, who he hasn't had a chance to engage in a serious discussion of videogames for at least five hours now, and Will wants a milkshake. If I'm going to get everyone to bed on time (and I'm going to!), I must be off. More soon!

7 comments:

Pom Pom said...

You'll have to give yourself a generous amount of grace as you ease into your new schedule. Maybe you could do some out of the ordinary things to jump start the routine like finger painting or knitting the dog a sweater! Maybe you could make a funny collage and leave it somewhere random like on a telephone pole or on the wall in the church restroom. You could try to write some bad poems, leading of course to brilliant poems. Actually, you should sit outside and drink tea and stare into the air - harness your muse. Listen to me - what a bossy teacher-y person I am right now! xopp

GretchenJoanna said...

I'm glad you are keeping to the routine of frequently writing a blog post.
I crave routine, but have little of it.

Tracy said...

One of the most stressful things for me is that between time where you're trying to iron out the creases and get your routine nice and smooth. I thought I'd gotten my schedule at school sorted...only to find out that it's not ok after all :( More tweaking....grrrrrr.

Ali said...

We have 10 days to routine and i cannot wait. Though I doubt mine are going to accept their earlier bedtime quite so readily!

Gumbo Lily said...

I love routine too and although we home school and there are various interruptions in our day, I appreciate the routine of "school hours" and earlier bed times and I even like it when the time changes and everyone's in earlier in the evening. Still, I'm embracing the wee bit of summer left. Hanging the clothes outside, watering the lawn and gardens, picking flowers.

Bedtime reminds me of a sweet poem:

O Bed! O Bed! Delicious Bed
That Heaven upon Earth
To the weary head.
~Thomas Hood

Danielle said...

The comforts of school routines!

Aidan would heartily agree with Jack that it is the fault of the architect that he is getting lost.

Anonymous said...

Oh me too with the whole routine thing...but I don't always get my act together to make it turn out that way...oh well! :)