It’s that time of year…

…when one must take the children school shopping.

Not only have my kids outgrown all of their hand-me-downs (this summer sun has sent them shooting up in height and foot size), but according to the official school list they have about a bazillion supplies to buy, along with the school fees I must pay for them: Mr. Clean erasers, tissue boxes, Germ X hand cleaner…and then I still have to get the notebooks, pens, erasers, rulers, etc. It’s crazy! We need to spend a fortune just so the kids can looks presentable and have the things they need to do their schoolwork.

I remember doing this shopping when I was the kid and my mom was the shopper. Remember Buster Brown shoes? And metal lunchboxes that actually had thermoses in them that could keep food hot? (or warm, anyway) I remember desperately wanting parachute pants, which is hilarious now, looking back at them. What was I thinking? But then, I wanted those trendy knickers, too…

Today my mom and I are taking my daughter out for her special day of shopping. It promises to be interesting. We took my son last week, and he was happy with shorts, sneakers, athletic clothes, and swimsuits from the sale rack. My daughter…she’s already told me she needs a Hannah Montana shirt. And she knows exactly what kind of swimsuit she wants — I sure hope the clearance rack is good enough for her! Yesterday she was busy painting her nails and trying on my lipstick (which is who knows how old since I never wear the stuff), and was extremely finicky about how her hair looked. I just can’t wait to hit those teenage years…

Then next week they head back to school. It’s been a very fun summer, what with all the swimming, sleeping in, and trips to the zoo, but I’m ready to get back to my schedule. I’ve gotten about twenty pages written this summer, and I have a November 15 deadline creeping up on me. I calculated out the days and I need to write at least 800 pages every day to get it done in time. I’m really not worried about that, as on a good day I can write as much as 4,000, but it’s the “off” days that are always a little bit anxiety-producing.

Today is still a summer day, which means that probably no writing will get done. But in six days — not that I’m counting! — perhaps I’ll be able to get back on track, so I can meet those approaching deadlines.

16 Responses to “It’s that time of year…”

1. 4,000 pages a day, huh, Judy? You need to hop in the car and head over here, I could use that kind of help. While you write my books, I’ll be happy to take the kids school shopping!

   by Casey on August 14th, 2008 at 7:28 am
   
   

2. When my brother were boys, we’d each get three shirts and three pairs of pants for the new school year. The pants would always be way too long. We’d have to roll them up and then grow into them as the year progressed.
   And when we wore a hole in the knee, we’d get those big iron-on patches.

   When I was older, and started playing in rock bands, I’d pretty much buy my own clothes. A lot of really strange “mod” stuff. My favorite shirt my senior year I remember was a maroon shirt with huge yellow polks dots.

   And I sure remember what my daughters put us through, back-to-school-wise. There would always be one really terrible outfit they’d insist on having, which they would never wear because no one else had one like it. Of course they all had one like it in their closets but no one had the nerve to wear it first. I feel your pain, Judy.

   by C.R. on August 14th, 2008 at 7:35 am
   
   

3. Ahhh….the good old days.
   I remember those lunch boxes and Buster Brown shoes. Then there were those wonderful saddle shoes.
   We boys had to wear a monogramed dress shirt and tie. While the girls ha a uniform skirt or some sort of jumper outfit….the good old days.

   As for parachute pants, I hear CR still wears his to book signing. Not to many autographs dished out on those “good ole days” especially when he tries to match up one of his pokka dot muscle t-shirts with them.

   Zz

   by Zorro on August 14th, 2008 at 7:45 am
   
   

4. I bet it was hard finding a shirt with a Z on it.

   Parachute pants are after my time. But I do remember “elephant bells’ –those bell-bottoms with the huge, floppy bottoms.

   Saddle shoes, monogramed shirts and bowties? You were quite the Nancy boy, weren’t you, Zman.

   by C.R. on August 14th, 2008 at 7:55 am
   
   

5. I was all about the binders. I could wear the clothes from last year, but if I didn’t have cool pens and a nice binder, my year was ruined.

   by Marissa on August 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
   
   

6. Gosh, I thought CR was a bit younger than the radidly approaching mid 70’s he actually is.

   It was difficult to find Z shirts because there is only one Z man in the world.

   I had a pair of elephant bells. Some how, the bells went away and left the elephant.

   The girls wore the saddle shoes. And the geeks types wore bow ties. Now I wish I was a geek ran MicroSoft. Oh well.

   Zz

   by Zorro on August 14th, 2008 at 8:16 am
   
   

7. I worked on the road crew for the Jonas Brothers when they were backing Hannah (Miley), and her dad, Billy Ray, was the craziest dresser I ever saw. It wouldn’t have been unusual to see HIM in parachute pants and polka dot shirts. The guy thinks he is Gods gift to the entertainment world. And yes, the kids who came out all had Hannah shirts, shorts, jeans, hats, you name it.

   by Orroz on August 14th, 2008 at 8:24 am
   
   

8. We’ll see how many Hannah things we end up with today. Hopefully about 1.

   Marissa, that is so funny! I loved all that stuff, too. Are you with me in that a Staples or Office Max can make you hyperventilate?

   by Judy on August 14th, 2008 at 8:30 am
   
   

9. I actually love office supply stores. Better than Disneyland. I want everything.

   by C.R. on August 14th, 2008 at 9:56 am
   
   

10. OfficeMax fetish….now I’ve heard it all. Til tomorrow.

    Zz

    by Zorro on August 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
    
    

11. Oh, Staples, def. Staples.

    by Marissa on August 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
    
    

12. We just got back from shopping. Jeans, shirts, shoes…and my daughter spent the whole trip home organizing all of her school office supplies in her bookbag. : )

    by Judy on August 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
    
    

13. To be young again.
    But I was never excited about getting back into the school grid.
    Zz

    by Zorro on August 14th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
    
    

14. So glad I don’t do that anymore. Buy for kids. I still buy at Office Max. Always end up with stuff I’ll never use.

    by don on August 14th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
    
    

15. Four thousand words a day? Sometimes that’s my two-week total. That said, I have a Nov. 1st deadly and I’m only 51% there. I’m sweating it.

    I hope inspiration hits like a lightning bolt pretty darned soon.

    by Lorraine Bartlett on August 14th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
    
    

16. I’m glad you did see I meant words and not pages… If I could write 4000 pages a day something would be really wrong…

    by Judy on August 25th, 2008 at 2:27 pm