Today was Peter's first day of school. It rained all day. Petey started asking at 9:00am, "Isn't it time to go yet?" And he kept telling me, "you're making me late for school, Mommy!".
We started out to walk to school in the rain, but Connie Leedy passed us with Tricia and picked us up. I saw Tricia's school box and realized I'd forgotten Pete's, so Connie brought us back home and I quickly ran in and grabbed it.
Pete wore his green pants, his new green and black knit shirt, and his new shoes. Then he had on Gretchen's coat because of the rain.
I took my camera and took a picture of Pete and Tricia under the St. Matthew's sign. I took another with Miss Scott, who came out to meet the children, but I think she moved. Connie kissed Tricia goodbye, but Pete just went off without a backward look. The teacher said to him, "you've been waiting a long time", and took him in.
I didn't shed a tear, but we had hot chocolate with marshmallows to celebrate when he came home. He'd painted two pictures (we put them on the refrigerator), helped with the weather forecast ("I put the clouds on, Mommy!"), had a safety lesson (he told Thelma, "they told us to be careful what sounds we put in our ears."), and an arithmetic lesson "about 'near' and 'close'...no about 'one' and 'many'"
"We had a picture of a carnival and we had to circle two little boys and and one little boy, and popcorn..."
Whatever he actually did, he enjoyed it and he said "the teacher told all the children they have to be very careful of me"
He took a piece of driftwood for "Show & Tell" because he wanted to tell about his vacation, but they didn't do that today.
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This should be the occasion for philosophical reflection, but I can see only "one more Milestone passed forever!".
Nancy Lawson
a picture from her early teaching days in San Franciso
Sunday, November 11, 2018
August 20th, 1978: Countdown to the Big Trip
Just one day left before we go and I can't believe it even now. We've planned for this trip so long. I finished packing our big suitcase today, taking out clothes for Petey to wear on the train. I decided on his navy corduroy pants, a blue shirt, and, of course, his blue jacket. I even bought him some new blue socks. I'm planning to wear my beige trouser suit and long beige sweater-if only it's not to hot in the morning. I've almost finished packing the small suitcase. I packed a pillow, but if it's hot, I'll take the pillow out and pack my trouser suit and wear the sundress Lorraine made me. I have new shoes-rope sandals with rubber soles (very springy) that Tina gave me. I think I'll wear them on the train-at least I'll try them tomorrow to see if they're comfortable. There's so much to do tomorrow; our medicine to refill; the floor to vacuum, the garbage to empty; the refrigerator to clean out
...Dad is bringing an old high school friend of his, Thelma's supposed to be bringing my sewing machine, and Marilyn's planning to bring her thermos by so I can pack a lunch. I don't know how I'll carry everything. I may have to leave my camera-it's the only non-essential item-but I want to take pictures of Pete on the train. Carol has a camera so I know she'll take pictures while we're there. Petey's a little apprehensive about missing all his favorite TV programs. I'm just apprehensive. But there's only one more day to wait!
...Dad is bringing an old high school friend of his, Thelma's supposed to be bringing my sewing machine, and Marilyn's planning to bring her thermos by so I can pack a lunch. I don't know how I'll carry everything. I may have to leave my camera-it's the only non-essential item-but I want to take pictures of Pete on the train. Carol has a camera so I know she'll take pictures while we're there. Petey's a little apprehensive about missing all his favorite TV programs. I'm just apprehensive. But there's only one more day to wait!
Saturday, October 13, 2018
August 17th, 1978 (pt 2): Stranger Danger? (an odd offer)
I just had a strange adventure. Someone (a rather nice looking blond young man) range my doorbell @ 2:30pm to ask if I was Jill. He had a sack from the Eastside Cafe in his hand. He said, "You're Miss Latham, aren't you?". I automatically said, "No, Miss Lawson".
Then, when I assured him there was no Jill in the neighborhood, he looked at the dinner (at a guess it was) and said "would you like to share this with me?" He said, "I'm not trying to make a pass or anything.". But I said, "no". He asked again and I said, "I'm going backt to bed. I don't want to wake my little boy.". He said, "You're sure you don't want to share this wtih me?", and finally went away.
I was glad had put the chain bolt on the door. It was certainly a novel way of getting into ahouse. Perhaps I missed a pleasant adventure0my chance of having a man of my own0but it's much more likely that I missed being raped and murdered with a bribe of a fake Chinese dinner.
Then, when I assured him there was no Jill in the neighborhood, he looked at the dinner (at a guess it was) and said "would you like to share this with me?" He said, "I'm not trying to make a pass or anything.". But I said, "no". He asked again and I said, "I'm going backt to bed. I don't want to wake my little boy.". He said, "You're sure you don't want to share this wtih me?", and finally went away.
I was glad had put the chain bolt on the door. It was certainly a novel way of getting into ahouse. Perhaps I missed a pleasant adventure0my chance of having a man of my own0but it's much more likely that I missed being raped and murdered with a bribe of a fake Chinese dinner.
August 17th, 1978: Packing
I packeed tonight-can't get much in my half of the suitcase. My clothes take up so much more room than Petey's. I packed my bluejeans and a T-shirt, a heavy trouser suit (I'll wear my light one), one pair of shorts, and some blouses. I still have to get my bathrobe in, and some underwear. Pete, on the other hand, has four pairs of pants, shirtsm T-shirts, and a apair of shorts. I don't know what he'll wear on the train.
August 14th, 1978 (Monday): Planning for an Adventure
Today Pete and I bought our tickets to Portland. I ruthlessly ripped the boxtops off two full cartons of Cornflakes (to use with my coupon). They had to call Amtrak and check with them, but it was all right. I let Petey go into Iseri's with me. He was enormously interested in the tickets,"Which one is the return, Mommy?", and they typed up an itenerary for us.
We leave here at 8:45am and get into Portland at 5:25pm. Petey will have to take his nap on the train. I wonder if I can carry a pillow for him besides the bag with our medicine and my camera? I must have pictures of Petey on the train. And, of course, I want to take a lunch. They only have a cafeteria with hotdogs and hamburgers. I'm making little lists everywhere-things to put in our lunch, in our suitcases, in my purse. I keep reassuring myself-we're going, we're really going(!). I'm terrified of missing the train at the depot, or missing Carol in Portland. We can't check our luggage and I don't want to be too burdened by it.
Traveling to England was horrible, and I lost my umbrella (a blue one with lace edging, the prettiest I've seen) on the Bermuda flight, besides having my small suitcase stolen, ransaced, and ultimately returned from Littlerock, Arkansas-on the way to New York. If only there were a way to travel without luggage-like those jet setters who have fully equipped homjes everywhere. I like to be in one place, then in another-but don't generally like the part between, so air travel is always my first choice (but Amtrak will be an exciting experience for both of us). Petey hasn't ridden on a train since he was old enough to remember, tho we moved from Manchester to London on the train when he was three months old (he had hot water bottles in his carrycot so as not to chill, and we spent the night in Euston Station).
We leave here at 8:45am and get into Portland at 5:25pm. Petey will have to take his nap on the train. I wonder if I can carry a pillow for him besides the bag with our medicine and my camera? I must have pictures of Petey on the train. And, of course, I want to take a lunch. They only have a cafeteria with hotdogs and hamburgers. I'm making little lists everywhere-things to put in our lunch, in our suitcases, in my purse. I keep reassuring myself-we're going, we're really going(!). I'm terrified of missing the train at the depot, or missing Carol in Portland. We can't check our luggage and I don't want to be too burdened by it.
Traveling to England was horrible, and I lost my umbrella (a blue one with lace edging, the prettiest I've seen) on the Bermuda flight, besides having my small suitcase stolen, ransaced, and ultimately returned from Littlerock, Arkansas-on the way to New York. If only there were a way to travel without luggage-like those jet setters who have fully equipped homjes everywhere. I like to be in one place, then in another-but don't generally like the part between, so air travel is always my first choice (but Amtrak will be an exciting experience for both of us). Petey hasn't ridden on a train since he was old enough to remember, tho we moved from Manchester to London on the train when he was three months old (he had hot water bottles in his carrycot so as not to chill, and we spent the night in Euston Station).
August 13th, 1978: Interlude-Petey's Short Stories (pt 2)
Petey's Scary Story (as dictated to N.S. Lawson): Once there was a very old man who lived in a hut that used to be a haunted house.
One night he heard a voice saying, "I want that golden shoe. I want that golden shoe". He knew it was a skeleton and it was alive, but he didn't know what it was talking about, so he said to the skeleton kindly, "what are you talking about ?"
The skeleton said, "I thought there was a golden shoe here". The old man looked everywhere: in the haunted kitchen; in the haunted bathroom; in the haunted bedroom; in the haunted bedroom's closet; in the refrigerator; in the dining room; in the living room; and he couldn't find it. "There's no golden shoe here", he said to the skeleton. The skeleton said "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong house"
One night he heard a voice saying, "I want that golden shoe. I want that golden shoe". He knew it was a skeleton and it was alive, but he didn't know what it was talking about, so he said to the skeleton kindly, "what are you talking about ?"
The skeleton said, "I thought there was a golden shoe here". The old man looked everywhere: in the haunted kitchen; in the haunted bathroom; in the haunted bedroom; in the haunted bedroom's closet; in the refrigerator; in the dining room; in the living room; and he couldn't find it. "There's no golden shoe here", he said to the skeleton. The skeleton said "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong house"
August 12th, 1978: Interlude- Petey's Short Stories (pt 1)
Peter's Story (as dictated to his mother, N. S. Lawson):
Once and on a time there lived a little boy that's name was Peter. One day Peter put on his bathing suit and they went to the swimming pad and they swam and they swam and they swam. And while they were there, some kids came. They swam until it was time to go. Peter's mommy helped him out of the pool and they went home and lived happily ever after.
Once and on a time there lived a little boy that's name was Peter. One day Peter put on his bathing suit and they went to the swimming pad and they swam and they swam and they swam. And while they were there, some kids came. They swam until it was time to go. Peter's mommy helped him out of the pool and they went home and lived happily ever after.
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