School Journey

Betsy all packed for her school journey. She won't be back until Friday late afternoon.

I was dreading her going. She wanted to walk in with her friend Paige, and didn't want us to go along and wave her off which was fair enough. She said it might make her feel sad.

Paige turned up in time for us to realise that the brand-new-never-used lightweight rucksack I had bought Betsy for the trip (though God knows she doesn't need another bag) had split before she had even put it on her back. Cue a quick change for Al's school rucksack. Chris emptied it out onto the carpet and out fell a reading diary, dog eared and torn, a pair of gloves he hasn't worn since November, and about 50 ancient, fluff covered mouldy raisins, the remnants of about four months worth of playtime snacks.

Paige and Betsy fell about into giggles at the sight of the raisins, and I didn't have time to feel sad. They left, and after a few minutes I realised she hadn't repacked her lunch so had to go charging down the road bellowing after them, waving her sandwiches about like a mad woman. It was pouring with rain though I heard the head saying to another parent that it isn't raining in Dorset. Not that they will care, I'm sure they will have the time of their lives no matter what.

I didn't go on a school trip like this until I was 13. I bet they are having such a great time.

I felt okay until I picked Al up from my mums and started talking about about Betsy going - I got tearful then. She told me a really boring story about making a fruit cake, and I kept thinking, what is she going on about? and didn't realise until I was on the way home that it was to distract me!