If I hadn't gotten carded for beer on Saturday...
Let me repeat that for those who may not have recognized the importance of that:
If I hadn't gotten carded. for. beer. on Saturday, I might be feeling a little more like the middle-aged mom that I am.
Getting carded didn't stop the meloncholy I've been feeling though since my son brought home papers Friday with information about school next year and all the decisions we have to make, all the classes he has to choose, and the orientation that we have to go to tonight.
You see, me, a mom who got carded on Saturday has to go to my son's high school orientation tonight.
Let me repeat that for those who may not have felt the weight of the meaning of the last sentence sufficiently:
I have to go to my son's high school orientation tonight.
High.
School.
I only have four and a half years left. And I know a lot of you think that's a long time.
But I took this photo a little more than eleven years ago, and it seems like yesterday.
Woosh.
There's going to be a lot of "Can you believe we're already here?" tonight between all the parents.
Maybe we should all go out after and cry in our beers.
And you know what? I'll be more than happy to buy.
Did I mention that I got carded on Saturday?
If you start posting the words to Sunrise, Sunset I swear I'm never going to read your blog again!
I'm immortal, dammit! And time's standing still! High School is eons away!
Posted by: Lance Mannion | January 30, 2006 at 11:20 AM
It's posts like this when I really love reading your stuff.
Posted by: Kevin Wolf | January 30, 2006 at 11:36 AM
Forget Sunrise, Sunset!
I got carded!!!!
:)
(Thanks, Kevin...)
Posted by: blue girl | January 30, 2006 at 11:37 AM
Okay, I'll preface this with the understanding that I don't really get this, and will never get this until my future children are in high school. I get that I'm young and look younger. BUT. This weekend I went home for a big party my parents were throwing. I ran into people I babysat for a decade ago. Their daughter is now looking at colleges. This makes me confused as to where the time went. My babysitting charges are looking at colleges!!
Posted by: Claire | January 30, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Claire, it's a completely unacceptable situation. And there is absolutely no reasonable explanation. It's a ridiculous state of affairs and someone should make it illegal.
It's just downright weird how time goes by and kids grow up.
Posted by: blue girl | January 30, 2006 at 12:54 PM
Sob! The years just zip by. I look at my sons, they're still my babies, but they're MEN.
But I still feel young. Who am I kidding??? :)
Posted by: Chrys | January 30, 2006 at 02:23 PM
I am at this very moment wearing a pair of sneakers -- very fine, expensive ones, too -- that I took over from my 12-year-old son when he outgrew them a month ago. He was a size eight-and-a-half for just about exactly a week when he started complaining that the new sneakers were pinching and he needed bigger ones.
I'm wearing hand-me-ups.
Posted by: Neddie Jingo | January 30, 2006 at 05:06 PM
OK, no kids, but I just love getting carded. I even got carded once for buying cake with liquor in it. Well, the clerk appeared to be and smelled like a stoner, but it still counts!
Congrats! And toast yourself with all that carded alcohol for successfully shepherding your child through the junior-high years!
Posted by: Pepper | January 30, 2006 at 10:24 PM
Yikes, I know how you feel... my daughter started college last fall and believe me, I was so not ready for that...and my little brat just talked about it non stop during her senior year in HS.. which was so not fair, given the emotional state I was in!
I'll buy the first round of beers :)
Posted by: GiG | January 30, 2006 at 10:35 PM
My best friend (who will see 40 this year) always gets carded where ever she goes - for cigs, beer. You see - she is a tiny little thing, and looks to be about 16. I used to get carded (boy was that great!) until we moved down here (very Deep South). It seems no one ever gets carded for anything – (I've seen 14 year olds buy cigarettes) so that phenomenon has long past where I'm concerned (sigh). Oh - my friend comes to visit every year, and she tells me I haven't changed, but I know it’s only 'cause she loves me. Not that I'm terrifically vain, but Blue Girl - I know from whence thou art coming - it feels absolutely wonderful to not think you're old enough to have kids in High School or College.
Posted by: The Fat Lady Sings | January 31, 2006 at 02:04 PM
Would you look at that Blue Girl? What a memory - I have 2 girlsies running around with a mean of that age and my only nephew is that age - and I LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. I cringe at the thought of the day coming when my Kindergartner is in school for a whole day as opposed to half. I become very meloncholy. Could it be because I am feeling finally my age? That is why I am trying to take such good care of myself so my real age makes me feel, well cardable (as in Nu-Cu-Lar)..I remember the day he was born and you know what, he loves me just as much now as he did on that day!!! I am shy of the big 40 and got carded 1 year ago for smokes....quit one year ago on February 21st.....I cracked up because there was a man who probably was 80 in front of me who had a bottle of Schlitz and wanted a pack of Marboro's. They carded him - He was very flattered....so was I....So to you, "Hook a Steer!!!" (Do you get it?)))))))
Posted by: yaya | February 01, 2006 at 07:58 PM
Congrats on getting carded! Remember when it used to piss us off when they asked for ID? The very idea that we looked younger than 21 was an affront...
I feel your angst about the boy growing up...I'm in the middle of the elementary school years and they can be hard (think I mentioned that once or twice on my blog), but I wouldn't trade them for anything...
Posted by: Nile | February 11, 2006 at 09:36 PM