SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER STILL GIVES ME A GOOD FEELING INSIDE.

I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE EXCITEMENT OF GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. WHEN I WAS IN THE YOUNGER GRADES MUM OFTEN SEWED NEW SKIRTS FOR THE FOUR OF US GIRLS AND OUR BROTHER , JOHN, WOULD HAVE A NEW SHIRT OR EVEN ‘NEW’ SECOND HAND PANTS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH BUT WE TRULY WERE A BIG HAPPY FAMILY. (TO THIS DAY I STILL GET TEASED ABOUT BEING IN THE ‘BRADY BUNCH‘ REFERRING TO THE FAMILY I GREW UP IN AND MY FAMILY I CREATED WITH TERRY..HA HA).

I LOVED THE SMELL OF NEW PAPER AND PENCILS AND LOVED THE DAY WE ALL WENT SHOPPING FOR OUR NEW SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO PURCHASE THEM.

I LOVED MAKING MY BAG LUNCH AND THE ANTICIPATION OF KNOWING I WOULD GET TO EAT MY YUMMY KAM(!) SANDWICH AT NOON AND ALSO PURCHASING MY ‘DRINK TICKETS’ SO I COULD RECEIVE MY SMALL MILK CONTAINER AND STRAW. I MIGHT ALSO HAVE AN APPLE AND A COOKIE IN THAT BAG OR (HEAVEN!) A BUTTER TART.

I LOVED AND STILL LOVE LEARNING. IT WAS EVEN FUN TO SLIP ALL MY STUFF INTO THE MIDDLE OF MY DESK. MY DESK. AND ALL MY NEW SUPPLIES.

AND OF COURSE IF WAS THE BEST TO MEET UP WITH ANY FRIENDS THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE PLAYED WITH THAT SUMMER . THIS WAS RARE ACTUALLY , BECAUSE WE ALL LIVED WITHIN A FEW STREETS OF EACH OTHER AND COULD RUN OR BIKE OVER TO SEE OUR CLASSMATES ALL THE TIME. IT WAS EVEN MORE FUN TO MEET ANY NEW STUDENTS WHICH MEANT ..NEW FRIENDS! I WAS ALWAYS ALSO HAPPY AND EXCITED TO MEET MY NEW TEACHERS . WE STAYED IN OUR CLASSROOM AND THEY CAME TO US BACK IN GRADE SCHOOL. (I HEAR THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING ONCE AGAIN WITH COVID CHANGES.)

AND AUTUMN! MY FAVOURITE TIME OF YEAR. ‘SWEATER WEATHER’ AS I CALL IT AND BACK THEN THE SMELL OF LEAVES BURNING OR THE SOUND OF CRISP LEAVES CRUNCHING UNDERFOOT SEEM SO CLEAR IN MY MIND AS RELATED TO SEPTEMBER. BACK IN ONTARIO WHERE I GREW UP WE GOT SOOO MANY COLOURS OF LEAVES AS FALL PROGRESSED. THE VIVID REDS, ORANGES, AND YELLOWS WERE A JOY TO WITNESS AGAIN ON OUR ‘SPIRITLINE’ CANADIAN TOUR. (WESTERN CANADA ENJOYS MOSTLY YELLOW AND FIR TREE GREENS AS THE LEAVES CHANGE COLOURS)

WE ARE ALL ANXIOUS ABOUT HOW THE CHILDREN WILL DO BACK AT THEIR SCHOOLS THIS SEPTEMBER. EVERYONE HAS TO TRY AND STAY APART AND WEAR MASKS. EVERYONE HAS TO CONSTANTLY SANITIZE AND TRY AND STAY HEALTHY AND AVOID COVID. DIFFERENT TIMES.

BUT I’M SURE DESPITE ALL THE COVID PROTOCOLS THERE WILL STILL BE STUDENTS WHO ARE JUST AS HAPPY AS I WAS FOR SCHOOL TO START AND FOR THE SMELL OF FRESH ….COMPUTERS! HA HA.