Back to skool....

So I am sitting out on the patio this morning, sipping my mid-morning coffee and leafing through the million or so flyers that were delivered last night with my local newspaper. The thing weighed a ton, and I mentally made note to check the biceps on our paper-girl - she's a trooper. Seems all the big-chain stores are out to grab everyone's "back to school" dollars judging by all the sales going on. I heaved a sigh of relief that I don't have to go through all that rigmarole and palaver anymore with the boy...and cast my mind back (yes, I know - the stone ages) to my own back to school preparations.

Back in those days there were no MP3 players, jump drives or laptop computers on the top of the list. Our back to school preparations generally consisted of making sure the school uniform from last year still fit...could that blazer go for another term? Couple of new white shirts, new P.E. knickers...and the obligatory new shoes that would leave you blistered and bleeding for at least the first month - until the calluses built up. As far as supplies were concerned I'd generally score a new pencil case, compass set, bottle of Tippex and maybe a new bag to lug everything back and forth to school with. Presto! We were done! My trust Casio scientific calculator survived through my entire comprehensive school career (unlike the boy who generally needed a new one every September...and managed to lose it by mid-November) - all I remember about calculators back in those days was giggling at being able to spell "boobless" or "shell oil" on it. We made our own entertainment back in those days! LOL