I'm not sad, don't get me wrong.
I'm just a bit...well...melancholy.
Today is my daughters first day of Year 11, and she was ready to go half an hour earlier than usual.
She can't wait to get started on a year filled with the performing arts with a bit of obligatory maths, science and english thrown in for good measure. But mostly performing arts.
Gone is that scrappy little thing with plaits drawing vertical strawberry blonde lines down either side of her sweet face, and in it's place is this elegant creature who towers over me with alabaster skin and hair to rival Nicole Kidmans.
I know she had to grow up sometimes, and mostly I welcome that, but. You know. She's my youngest and my only daughter.
She continues to declare that 'Dance is her boyfriend', but sooner or later, some sweaty youth is going to want to hold hands with her, and all that. The holding hands I can deal with. I'm not so sure about the 'all that'. I've been a daughter, but that was a long time ago. I've never mothered a daughter on the edge of adult life before. How have you all managed??? It's nervewracking!
I am grateful though that she has continued to be the sweetest darling ever. I've had the flu for several days, and been absolutely bedridden for two. Usually the household would fall to bits, but somehow the time I'd spent at the beginning of the holidays, showing her how to use the washing machine and dryer, how to hang the clothes on hangers so they mostly don't need ironing and how to make a better than fair scrambled egg, not to mention bits for her lunchbox, have been worthwhile. I rose from my sick bed yesterday to an empty wash basket, a fridge brimming with goodies for her school lunches, and a kitchen and living room that was just about pristine.
Anyway, it's a gloomy day today, and no doubt that's contributing to my gloom. It's momentary I'm sure.
Is anyone else feeling a bit melancholy today with the start of school?
