School days

School started here, and it was bittersweet. I was happy to send the big kids to school, they had begun to go stir crazy here. But I was sad to begin the busy-ness that school brings. All the after school activities, all the taking to and picking up from school, and just the general having to be on a schedule that ties me down.

But now we're on a routine, and it seems normal again. But every day, when I ask them how their day was when I pick them up, and if anything exciting happened, I feel sort of like Marco's dad in "And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street." Before Marco leaves for school, his dad tells him to keep his eyelids up and see what he can see. Then on the way home he sees a horse and wagon, but expounds on that until it turns into a parade complete with a band, elephants, giraffes and the mayor. Every day I think of the lines of this book after I get their customary answers of "nothing" to my questions of what happened.

I swung 'round the corner

and dashed through the gate,

I ran up the steps

and I felt simply GREAT!

FOR I HAD A STORY THAT NO ONE COULD BEAT!

AND TO THINK THAT I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET!

But Dad said quite calmly,

"Just draw up your stool

And tell me the sights

On the way home from school."

There was so much to tell, I JUST COULDN'T BEGIN!

Dad looked at me sharply and pulled at his chin.

He frowned at me sternly from there in his seat.

"Was there nothing to look at... no people to greet?

Did nothing excite you or make your heart beat?

"Nothing," I said, growing red as a beet,

"But a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street."

I figure something is going on at school, and maybe it's even exciting sometimes but the filter keeps them from spilling the beans.