I have never been very good at the school gates and I don’t think that I am alone, at least I hope not! The only time during the day that I can become truly paranoid about how many friends I don’t have in my newish home of Spa Town is whilst I’m waiting for youngest to come out of Country School. All the yummies around me seem to be continually organising running and swimming clubs, line dancing dinners and pilates with each other, yarning about yesterday’s dog walk and swapping more and more phone numbers and email addresses; literally everyone appears to be totally engrossed in life changing conversation whilst I concentrate wholly on creating the illusion that I do have friends, honest… many, many of them and that they are all sitting in my Blackberry longing to speak to me! Frankly I just can’t get to the car and home quick enough. The really ruthless part of my day is that there is an interminable half an hour before I can actually leave because eldest comes out of her classroom half an hour later than youngest so therefore, day after day, at precisely 4pm I pose calmly against the play fort as if I were the most self assured, bountiful and unperturbed mum in the world, but in reality getting more and more mentally ill waiting for 4.30.
This intimidating and bottom tingling experience is even more uncomfortable in the knowledge that at least 20% of the yummies are actually teachers at Country school and it has occurred to me there’s a good chance that some of them may have read one or two of my infamous letters of concern to the school since our arrival and consequently will be doing more than their utmost to avoid me.
Ellie xox
P.S Don’t feel too sorry for me, I have made some lovely friends but they’re not always there when I need them as I seem to have befriended mostly those who’s little ones stay to do clubs after school. Best not to read into that too much!