The First Day of School is a Yearly Milestone

There is a distinctly snappy chill to the air. I woke up and went around closing windows….no matter what we want it to be, it’s a school day. Mary was serene about getting back into her school day work, looking forward to seeing the children in Conway and Deerfield. There are always good reasons for a bit of optimism this time of year….my gauzy childhood memories take me back to waiting for the bus at the church yard wearing new shoes and carrying a space robot lunch box. This time of year always feels like the reset–the beginning–and it can only be better after this.

I called up my daughter Kate to find out about my grandson’s first morning traveling by school bus. Since they moved to a more rural address, they now get bus service. But the bus whizzed by, only stopping when Kate caught the eye of the bus driver, and then watching Nathan run to board and wave goodbye from a back window.

I get wistful sometimes thinking about the fall. I wonder if I should have pushed harder and finally taken those last 14 credits at UMass, would anything in my life be different if I had a bachelors in English from there? I had coffee with a friend the other day who is teaching a course at GCC. Though the pay is only as an adjunct, they make him fork over $200 to pay for the union dues. Sort of takes the joy out, on top of the taxes you aren’t left with much for 13 weeks worth of work.

Next week two new interns come to the office to begin working on GoNOMAD.com Travel projects. It will be great to have their help, even though it’s a lot of work keeping them both busy and on task, and that too brings more possibilities. Then on Sept 6 I”ll fly to Mexico City for a six-day writing assignment.