Another late June day where it’s difficult to be inside and even more difficult to concentrate. I was saying to the life partner that it sure didn’t seem like 33 years ago that we were studying for final exams ourselves and he agreed. I can recall that we would write in the gym of the old high school in long rows of seats separated from each other by at least a yard. I remember sitting in the hard wooden seat trying not to touch any part of my anatomy to the chair as I was so sunburned from ‘studying’ at the Sand Hills beach the afternoon before. What a smart cookie eh? The only articles of clothing I could suffer were a soft summer dress and a pair of underwear. This was in the days when going braless was not noticed, but nowadays to quote Maxine….
This is the time of year that young girls thoughts turn to that of prom. The graduating student here has apparently taken a study break from Chemistry 12 as she just appeared around the corner of the mud room to give me an impromptu fashion show of ‘the gown’ with description of hair style, corsage and accessories. Excellent taste my dear, now get back to those books.I am taken back to 1974 when my fear was linked to NOT having a date for the senior prom. Well, actually by this point in time I had managed to arrange the details but earlier in the month I had been in full panic mode as I had sewn a dress, was graduating but had no escort as I had called off a steady relationship and the new interest (now long time husband) was not moving all that quickly to ask me out. In all the stress I developed a case of huge hives which looked decidedly unattractive with my hair up and my backless dress as planned so in the end I had to wear my hair down to disguise the wheals. It sure helped that I lived just across the road from the school and we could walk over, settling the transportation crises. This was in the days before limos, antique autos and sports SUVs at proms. The evening was fine but you know I don’t think we even had one photo taken, now we’d have an entire album.
Well, enough nostalgia. I was just glad to be able to enjoy the warm temperatures and sunshine with a BBQ tonight. Small pleasures. And a nice wind down from the pace of a trip to the district facility. I do think I’m going to survive now from whatever cold bug I’ve managed to pick up though so don't feel as ancient as I sound.
