Today was the first day of school.  Joy to the world.

Did you ever have the nightmare where you show up to high school in your pajamas?  I actually did that this morning.

Kid A’s bus was (a) late and (ii) maxed out like a smart car on Guinness Book of World Records day.  The driver leaned her head out and told the kids at our bus stop that someone would send another bus to pick them up in a bit.  Knowing how that kind of thing usually works, a couple of us promptly offered to drive them to school this morning.  I grabbed my wallet and keys and jumped in the car.

Traffic was predictably horrendous, so they missed the late bell by many, many minutes.  Kid A reminded me that a parent has to accompany tardies to the attendance office because no one trusts anybody in the 14 – 19 age group these days.  So in I went.

After I signed them in and returned to my car in the high school parking lot, I got a good look at myself in the mirror.  I was rocking some serious bed head.  I had on no makeup.  And I was wearing my pajamas.  All I needed was a few straggler curlers in my bird’s nest hair, a ratty bathrobe and a pack of Virginia Slims 100s and I could be “That Mom.”  Cool.  A mere two decades ago I wouldn’t be caught dead without a full-length mirror check prior to stepping foot out of my house.  Now I am threatening to show up to the cafeteria in a bikini (trust me… not pretty) if somebody dares to call me and ask if I could drive in a forgotten lunch box.

A little later in the morning it was time to take Kid E to pre-school camp.  His actual school doesn’t start until after Labor Day, but the last two weeks of camp coincide with the start of public school around here so you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m sending him.

Now, remember that his pre-school is in a strip mall.  There were people in front of the school entrance when we arrived and I wanted a good First Day of School picture of just him wearing his backpack, so I just took one next door.

Mr. Spicoli has been nice enough to offer us some pizza

It’s nice to know that he can get an after school job when he’s ready.  Maybe he can bus tables or work the cash register.  Everybody has to start somewhere.  Plus, we know where his mother will be.  Home brew is awesome.

Wish me luck for tomorrow…