Thursday 18 September 2008

A true Portrait


Hello
do you like this recent photo of me?
This is the look I have aspired to after watching On The Buses at 13.
Everyone was always rotten about Olive. I thought she was fabulous and wanted to grow up to be a "clippie" and look like her. And flirt with people like Jack and Stan. And they were all such a close knit family that had lots of laughs - even that miserable Arthur. I wanted to be part of a family like that.
They're desperate for women bus drivers now apparently. They are very under-represented. Good money too and flexible shifts. Still not the same as being a clippie though with a short skirt. Not that I could wear those now.
Have been doing some decorating on my page. What fun this all is! Why didn't anyone tell me before?
Wanted to post the images of Peter and Jane. Have always been fond of them. When Harry Wingfield, a main illustrator of those books, died, they said several grown women claimed to be the original Jane. But it was indicated he invented everything - the people, the shops etc.
I bought a load of those Ladybird books from a local jumble sale when Daughter was a baby and I swear, I mean really swear, she learnt to read by them. When she was 3. I really believe they made her a quick and natural reader, like they did for me.
Son hardly looked at them and reading always comes difficult for him. So that proves my theory a bit.
No work today. Last night on the checkout, I was so hungry. And someone had left a pork pie behind - it was under the carrier bags. Some poor customer must have paid for it and left it there. I wasn't going to put it back. Someone had paid The Supermarket for it, why should they have it back on their shelves. So when my shift finished, I took it to the lockers with me. But terrified of random searches when you leave the building, I started eating the evidence on my way out. Waving to the security guard, the poor sap!!
Its Meet The Teacher today after school. Any Mother knows its quite boring and there's always some bloody parent who will ask a long-winded and rehtorical question. So will look in for 10 minutes as I have never met this bloke teacher before. My eyes glaze over after that. Its not nearly the same as Parent/Teacher consultations. Year 5 is a bit of a rotten year. You don't go on a trip like in year 4 and you don't have the privilliges like you do in year 6. You're just a bored bolshy 10 year old. And that awful cynism has seemed to set in with my Son. Everythings "wierd" or "boring" or something.
Well, cigarrettes don't smoke themselves! Better go

6 comments:

bigbucketgirl said...

My son is in year 5 but they have a ball! They even go on camp! Two nights away. I wouldn'tbe their teachers for love or money...their yeargroup this year is 56 kids...only 7 girls! Can you imagine the testosterone starting to bubble and boil!

Maybe another pork pie would help?!

Jennysmith said...

Gosh, your year 5 sounds much more fun. ours go away to a nature centre in year 4 but i think its a bit young. you can appreciate it more the following year.

Yes, i could really do with a pork pie right now.

JS xxx

Tim Atkinson said...

Absolutely right about the ladybirds (and the parent/teacher consultations; my eyes glazed over after ten minutes, and I was the teacher).

Marie and John said...

I used to love reading the Ladybird books.

Last year Santa brought me Boys and Girls: A Ladybird Book of Childhood. It's a look back at the entire collection.

Pure joy ! ! !
xx

Jennysmith said...

Hi Dotterel Thanks for backing up my theory. Although I have to say the reading books these days have a bit more exciting storyline ie with Biff and Chip and gang. But not the colourful inspiring pictures of Peter and Jane.

I don't know how teachers do it! I rub shoulders every day with pushy parents and even with the teachers I don't like at Son's school, I just don't know how they cope with these people.

Marie, I am so envious. I would have loved that so much! I got a collection of Ladybird books about Mothers ie shopping with Mother etc on Mother's Day but I would have loved to have your collection!

I remember now that both kids learnt about the seasons and dates from those books. Amazing isn't it.

Elaine Denning said...

Do't mind me....I'm just going through your blog backwards at the moment and in a minute I'll get to present day.

My son learned to read at 3 with Peter and Jane books too. He's a fantastic writer now (at 19). I agree with you. Case proved!