New School

21st August 2012 Tuesday

Early this morning I cook a batch of Banana Blueberry Muffins for my husband’s family visiting us from their week’s holiday home in Exmouth. His eleven year old nephew calls them Nanaban Muffberry Bluebins and even knows it a double Spoonerism. I haven’t quite got a handle on muffins though - these aren’t as tender feather light as I hoped - but they all disappear anyway.

We take them on a winding discovery trail through deep pine smelling woods - courtesy of The Forestry Commission which provides wonderful things to see and do and play with along the way like a giant hanging Xylophone to bash and a rope climbing frame and swinging hammock. We aren’t alone and  keep stopping for whole familes on mountain bikes to pass us by. 

Life with children....I see how it expands - and also narrows - your horizons. How your focus is naturally different. And always segueing to the next stage. In two weeks time this young man will start at a new school - leaving behind his sister and parents  -  dramatically changing the way their lives have been unfolding up to this point.....

Feels like I’m starting at a new school too  - the school of how to do it differently when the crying stops....or rather how to be when the busyness stops....I'd like it to be a school in the woods with lots of signposts  on the trees saying 'This Way'......and  on hot days, benches in the shade to sit on and  on cold days places where you can sip steaming mugs of hot chocolate when it all feels like too much.....