First Day of School

Miles Walked: 6.8	Biked: 2.1	Bused: 2.1	Drove: 0	This week
6.8	2.1	2.1	0	Since August 14, 2011

 

Matching bedhead. London and Elliot's first days of 4th and 2nd grade, 2011-2012.

 The children insisted on taking the public bus this morning. I was probably more anxious than our first ride because this time it meant they may be late for school and not just a little late. If we missed that bus, we would be over an hour late. I stayed up far too late last night to get some things worked out for our first day, then pressed snooze too many time, felt I really needed a shower and then didn't get the children up till 6:45. The breakfast I planned to make the night before got put off till this morning (the butter wasn't soft last night) and didn't come out of the oven until 20 after 7. The children ended up with peanut butter sandwiches as we rushed out.

I hadn't practiced this walk or scouted out this bus, but I did call the TTA a couple of weeks ago to confirm the route and drop off time. Look at their schedule and tell me if you can predict what time that bus is going to cross each street? The TTA told me to expect the bus to arrive at school at 8AM. The tardy bell rings at 8AM.

Washington Blvd and Hal Greer. Manned police vehicle on the right.

Meadows School families waiting to cross with the guard.

Tree lined streets the rest of the way to the bus.

Again, I didn't have a clock, but I grabbed a slightly charged ipod that read 3:26AM when I walked out of the house. The crossing guard was at Hal Greer like she is every school morning and the police were on the opposite corner to assist in reminding traffic that you are still not permitted to turn right on red and pedestrians do use this intersection. We walked through residential streets and passed several families on their way to school. The excitement was energizing, but I was still nervous, it's in my nature. When we arrived at our choosen cross street to meet the bus, 18 minutes had passed

The #2 arrived two minutes later. I thought this was both good and bad. Great that we hadn't missed it, that it was probably on time, but I don't like having only two minutes to spare. We could have spent those two minutes at the crosswalk, as sometimes the wait is long.

$3, 8 minutes and 2.1 miles later we arrived at school. I genuinely thought we were on time as there were still a lot of families trickling in, but alas it was three after 8 when the children walked through the door. Tardy on the first day. We will have to improve on this tomorrow, but I did get them to school, and it wasn't all up hill for us, just the bus.

Blackberry jam bars.

I walked the two miles home with my camera and water bottle and enjoyed those jam bars I made this morning with some ice water when I got there. Brent took off for work on his bike and promised to get me some more cash for the bus the rest of the week. I can't expect London to find $12 more dollars in change around the house, but she did well today.