Iowa

Iowa

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A Walk in the Park and So Forth

I truly believe that exercise is a cure all for anything ailing one. I love being out in the morning when all is quiet and peaceful. Monkeyboy started fall baseball practice last night, and I'm really not paranoid.....but, he draws very nice pictures for Wicked Kitty (see picture at right), and makes all kinds of crafty things for Mippy, Bean and Bird.....but do I get anything? No. And last night he was throwing the ball to first base, and I'm pretty sure it was meant to hit me. He said no, but who knows. This boy has a very strong arm. He can throw from left field to home plate with no trouble. Kids are starting back to school soon. I think they are excited, although they don't like to admit it. Monkeyboy had a rough time in school when Mippy and Bird went on vacation for their anniversary. He truly missed his parents. I was remembering it and talking with Mippy about it on Sunday. He sobbed because he missed them so much. I had to take off work because he refused to go to school. All of the grandkids are excellent students, so I wasn't too concerned, but it became a problem, even after the parents got home. He got back on track, thanks to the perseverance of Mippy and Bird. His comment to me when I asked him why he didn't get upset when we went on a road trip was that "Mom and Dad are always supposed to be at home."
I remember my first day of school. I was in the first grade ( I did attend kindergarten, but I don't remember any trauma associated with that) and my mother walked me to school and dropped me off at the first grade room. Miss McGreavy was her name. I remember going to the door and watching my mother walking down the hall, and how very sad and scared I felt. I got over it fairly quickly, but I can still see her walking down the hall. My favorite teacher was Miss Dressing, my fifth grade teacher. She was elderly (probably 40) and she always had a smile on her face. I remember that her class was fun, and she always kept us enthused about learning. My least favorite was my brother's favorite, Miss McCrum. Boy, she was tough. Kicked me out of Algebra 2 for some silly reason, like my doing English homework during her class. Who were your favorite and least favorite teachers? Do you remember your first day of school?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

As I said, I went to a Catholic school and I had many older brothers and sisters. They tormented me all summer before I started school, telling me about a particular teacher and how very mean she was. They told me she would hit me on the knuckles with a ruler if I missed a question and that she would send me to the principle's office if I had to go to the bathroom during class. My knees were shaking when I first started school, but Miss Thompson soon became my favorite teacher. I remember that she let me clean the blackboards on the first day of school, which for some reason seemed very special.

Anonymous said...

I went to school with my sisters on the first day of school and got called a sissy, so I got into a fight. My shirt got ripped and he got a bloody nose and we both had to sit in the principal's office until our parents came to school. Boy, was my father mad! My mother made him come because she knew I would be more afraid of him. Mike (the kid that called me a sissy) and I became best friends, but I think my parents thought I would be kicked out of school before I finished first grade.

Anonymous said...

In my neighborhood all the kids walked to school together. No parents, the older kids looked out for the younger ones. I wanted to go to school because everyone else did. Favorite teacher? Mr. Harvey, my fourth grade social studies teacher. He really brought out the curiousity in the class. I think it was the first time I really thought I was a pretty bright kid. I loved school. Later got involved in sports and that was a whole new world for me.

Anonymous said...

I truly don't remember my first day of school. But I do remember my last college days. Barely. Now that's a blog topic for you Mia.

I do remember sobbing when my second grade teacher died. Even at the ripe old age of 7, I knew she was too young. I remember being in love with my seventh grade English teacher until I was mortified to find out his dog and I had the same name.

I feel incredibly honored that Monkeyboy shares his art with me. His latest work reminds me of an Andy Warhol Piece. The colors are great and brighten my day when I see it first thing in the morning.

Anonymous said...

Fall baseball already?? The worst was Mr. Wong, our PE teacher K-8. My friend Patti (who I went all through school with) is famous for asking her son, "Did he knuckle-punch ya in the head?" when he complained about a PE teacher.

(That was Mr. Wong's preferred style of discipline.)

Best teacher ever was Miss Howard, fourth grade, who was there for me every second after my dad was so sick and then died that year. I saw her at our 20th reunion and hugged and hugged her. Also Mr. See, high school English, who entered one of my stories in my first writing competition.

(I'm sure Monkeyboy wasn't aiming for you. Intentionally, anyway :)

Anonymous said...

I had many "first days" of school. By the time i was a senior in high school i had lived in six states and been to eight different schools. My dad's job was one where he had to move to get promoted kind of things i guess. I hated being the new kid and pretty much gave up on school for a while. That is why once i got married, we bought our house, I dont plan on moving ever, I want my kids to have some sense of belonging and stability. I tease my wife about how everyone she knows or went to school with never left the area, but really i am just jealous :) I guess my favorite class would have been history, but i really don't think i had any favorite teachers. Although a Nun put me in a trash can one time for talking or something. Yea that helped me fit right in! :)

Anonymous said...

My first day of school meant new clothes and shiny shoes. I can't remember ever being upset at starting school, it was always a new adventure for me. My daughter had a really hard time going to school. She had stomach aches, would end up in the nurse's room. They would call and I would hear her sobbing. Broke my heart. My husband and I just kept taking her to school, talking to her and worrying. It lasted a week, but it was the longest week of my life. She loves school now and can't wait to start back. Summer vacation gets boring! And honestly, I can't wait either!

Anonymous said...

I was very shy and had trouble in school. Miss Gamble, my first grade teacher, recognized this and really tried to help with that. I will never forget her. She was kind and inspirational. She had a way about her that said, "If I can do this, if I can become a teacher, you can become anything you want to become". I saw her recently. She is 72 years old and I thanked her profusely.