Count Down to School!

Anyone else excited about Back to School?

This year it takes on a whole new meaning for me. College.

Yup, the one and only kid is going to college. It's not so simple as throwing bedding in a trunk and clothes in a duffel bag. Oh no. There's so much more to it all.

My kiddo is lucky, he knows his roommate. Friends from High School, they picked each other. Now we're coordinating who bring what. No, not food. Game and computer systems. Printers, microwave and fridge. Dishtowels and brooms. The laptop is on the way, Grandma bought the microwave, and as we speak the new towels and sheets are going through the wash. Next step, get them monogrammed because he chose colors too dark for me to mark with a Sharpie. Sigh.

And trying to get him to sort out his clothes... oy. I know guys are easier than girls in some respects, certainly when it comes to basic clothes, but in his own way he's as picky, if not pickier. We can't buy jeans because Old Navy doesn't have what he wants in stock at the moment, so he's heading off with only four pairs, most of which are on the ragged side, and we'll mail order later. He's looking at T-shirts, they have to be funny, but his brand of funny, not what Mom thinks is funny. Socks we're good on, but he needs more shorts. Coats, hats, gloves and scarves are covered (it gets to -60F where he's going), but we're still fighting about boots.

So here's a poem my mom found today and gave to my son. Written by my sister probably close to thirty years ago...

How was I to know when I was five, playing dolls and tinkertoys,
That with each stepping stone - first grade, second, third, fourth...
Its magnification would increase

From tinkertoys to spelling words, and the shadow grew
From spelling Bees to Algebra and the shadow grew more
From square roots to college boards and the shadow grew

The grade,
The grade,
The grade!

The almighty G.P.A.

Registration,
Pass or Fail
Graduation?

The Almighty G.P.A!

I think I'll email this to him once a month. Just to remind him, homework before gaming! We've already had the talk about drinking, drugs and parties. He and his roommate both are adamantly opposed to the bad stuff. Whew. One worry reduced.

What plans are you making for back to school? Shopping? Lunch out? Pedicures? Massages? New books to read? Talk to me, I want to hear. Me, I'll be trying to figure out how to do all the jobs he does around the house. Sigh.

Morgan Q. O'Reilly
Get Some Tonight

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