I hear you, let the alone time begin!

Now that my youngest is 29, I miss the first day of school! Thanks for bringing back some lovely memories, Steph.

Just got the cutest photos of a friend's little girl on her first day of Pre-K. Made me miss the first day of school so badly! Or maybe it's just that I always like new shoes!

Good.

I bought your 2010 calendar yesterday, since it was sold out by the time I looked for it, last year.

Yes! If any day calls for interpretive dances,today is it. May I suggest "spinning" about a little or doing your own version of "the twist". It is Tuesday after all. Congratulations on getting a small part of your life back!

Now that my kids are grown and gone, I forgotten how the back to school time means finally having time for yourself..... it's all like that now. But that will change with the anticipated arrival of my first grandchild next spring. But I do get some control over the chaos if I'm the grandma and not the parent, right? ....we;'ll see. In any case-enjoy your "scheduled chaos"!

I have TGIM here (thank god it's Monday) because as much as I love love love my son, running aorund after a very mobile 9 month old whilst 26 weeks pregnant all weekend makes me treasure daycare and the fact that I work 8 hours a day.

I did that dance when my 13-yr-old son went back to school 3 weeks ago! My 19-yr-old is not going to school (college) for this first fall semester, his sophomore year, and I'm a little bummed about it, but he's working, so I do have home-alone time... Well, except for the kitties, but they're pretty low-maintenance squatters (what with sleeping 18 hours a day) and I can mostly ignore them without repercussions. Mostly.

By the way, you are a brave woman actually writing the words "return to sanity" for the world to see. I hope the sanity goddess doesn't read this and create some chaos!

I've been actipicating this day since the last the day of school, last year.

We had the "sick" discussion this weekend, my now-grade 10 son and myself - took me a while to figure out I was being complimented..

and I confess to being in the minority - I hate the first day of school, always have - I work at home, but love having them underfoot all summer - I bemoan the return to routine and scheduling, and the step closer to whatever else is out there...

pretty whiny, huh?

Yay, the return to structure! No more staying up 'til 4 a.m. (the Teen is 16, and his 21 yo brother has been home for the past two weeks. wacky schedule)

It's the first day of school here, too. Wheeeeee!

Except I have to go to work. But not until 11...

Video of the interpretive dance, please.

Plus it's Tuesday and Tuesdays are for spinning. Since you were talking about schedules and all.

Myself, I like to turn a few cartwheels! Our school hosts a "Boohoo/Yahoo!" party every year, although I am mostly the yahoo type. The boohoo, I just don't really get that feeling. hmmmm...nope, no boohoo here! ;o)

We need pictures and/or videos of that dance.

Hooray for the return to sanity! The tot started back at her playschool two days a week a couple of weeks back, and even those few hours are enough to bring so much balance to the week.

Of course, my relief at her being out of the house is kind of a problem, given my determination to homeschool. Hmmm.

Deploying rose petals and gauzy scarves in your general direction. ONE Grecian urn...

Yes - it´s a very good day. Mine was a few weeks ago and I still wonder at the silence in the morning.

Do you have a web cam in my house? Today is the first time since July that I've been able to see the coffee table (I even polished it). I cleared out the porch and spun and plied four bobbins of merino. Tomorrow it's the turn of the dining table, Thursday is the breakfast bar and then by Friday I might have reclaimed the horizontal surfaces again. It will all go downhill at the weekend again but I feel that I have a chance of keeping ahead of the clutter now I have some alone time again.

When our son was 5, I threatened to kick open the doors of the school bus and throw him on. Now, he will drive off tomorrow in his own elderly car, to his senior year. I will celebrate with nail polish, a facial no one will catch me doing, and quite possibly, a nap.

We're homeschoolers here, but I do understand the joy you're having today. Even with having my teen around all the time, there is a big difference between summertime and school time. I've been longing to get back to some semblance of a schedule, it makes a big difference in how much gets done around here.

Enjoy your day. Hope to see some more pictures of lovely spun yarn soon.

Video of the interpretive dance please.

Sent mine off to kindergarten today on the school bus--could hardly believe it.

My son heads off to preschool on Thursday. I have already warned neighbors that my "happy dance" will take place in the back yard on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. precisely!

I am working at my desk in beautiful silence as we speak. I can hear my thoughts as I edit! I love having the boy home with me in the summer, but oh do I love having my work space back, too!!

Wooo hoooo!!!!!!! YAY!!!! We can also now go out and do things during the day without there being a hoard of kids there. Awesome I tell ya, just awesome!

The joyous day of which you speak does not happen in my town until tomorrow. But still - back to school day is marvelous!

The Hallelujah chorus has been ringing over here too. And sick is to 2009 what phat was to 2003 and bad was to the 80's.

I am SO right there with you. My kids have been back in school for 3 days, and I'm working at home this morning just enjoying the silence. I think I'll do an interpretive dance too! I'm going to title mine "Why did I agree to all that TV watching in the summer--what a complete idiot--thank all that's holy that I can hear myself think again."

I will be sharing your joy in 43 hours and 5 minutes. Not that I am counting. . . . . .

This is my first ever No First Day of School year....and it feels very strange. My youngest graduated from college in May, has not yet found a job (a real job, like something he studied for rather than a summer job) even though he spends 5-6 hours looking every day, and it feels like the same summer schedule. It was very disconcerting...and no dancing in the kitchen for me for the first time in 20 years. Ah, heck, I may just have to dance for the fun of it!

The first day of school here was about a month ago. Don't be too jealous, Steph. This also means that here, the last day of school will be near the end of May.

Enjoy your Kitchen Dancin!

Just think, now you can get ahead on Christmas presents! *evil grin*

Have pity on us homeschoolers! (Whine, whine, whine.) Yes, we choose our route, but only because our alternatives are unacceptable. It is the most difficult thing I've ever done, and very hard for this reclusive, work-from-home mom. But it's not about me....

I saw some adults today who were less than thrilled...the teachers. I felt guilty doing the happydance on the way out of the building, but I didn't let it stop me.

I celebrated with a bike ride (by myself) and a bag of salt and vineger chips for breakfast. Just because I could!

Back to school has been over here for 6 years, but Durwood has been laid off for over a year, so I'll be doing that interpretive dance when he leaves for his first day back at work. Financially we're okay, but I'm going buggy having him around all the time. Thank heavens for my part-time job.

About the bananas, from your'twitter' space...put bananas, skin and all into freezer bag. When winter comes, and you are ready to make baked banana goodies, remove from freezer, thaw for 10 minutes and peel quickly, let finish thawing and use as if fresh. Or, for a nice treat on a hot day just slice while mostly frozen, peel and eat. Yummy!
For the fruit flies, set out a small dish of vinigar and watch them drown themselves.

I vote for a video of the kitchen dance also.

Interpretive dance is a lovely way to celebrate, but I favor one glorious hour of uninterrupted knitting while watching what I want to on TV. Doesn't matter if it's drivel, it's my drivel, and it's not MTV! Enjoy!

Today was my older child's first day of kindergarten, tomorrow is my younger child's first day of preschool, and Monday I start back to school myself. All weekend, I had this morbid sense of "time running out" but when this morning arrived, I felt like doing interpretive dance, too!

But then there are those of us who homeschool who intentionally defy all of that. :D

Today was our first day of the homeschool year as well...and much has been accomplished. And then while the preschooler naps and the older boys play together, I will still have the breath of a bit o' quiet time to knit. Bliss. :D
Mary

As another workfromhome mom, I raise a glass to us and our first day of freedom! Cheers!

Wonderful! Happy spinning!
And the banana thing three or so comments up there works great - I use the frozen ones to make banana bread all the time. My 6 y.o. is in charge of determining when bananas go into (or come out of) the freezer.

Well said. Amen!

ALL the homeschooling knitters in the world.. join me for a slight sigh.. as we have no such respite.. and I only sigh today as I am in a 'mood'.. I did choose this after all..

Except for those of us who homeschool. I'm happy for you though;)

Here in Ottawa, secular kids started last week, so I've been interpretive dancing to CBC (which I can listen to again 'cause we're NOT going out on excursions every day to keep everyone happy) for a while now. I love Public Education!

Could not agree more. Love the return of peace, sanity, and a break from the nonstop messmaking capabilities of the brood. By April, I'll be good and sick of it and longing for the free form days again.

Better than Christmas!

Ah, but while it is the return to a sane daily schedule, it is also the return of commuting to practices for football, soccer, cheerleading, band and band front, plays and choral groups and college visits for friends with seniors.

Also, the start of the holiday knitting countdown.

There was some interpretive dancing in yarn shops last week as well, as I recall. Enjoy your freedom!

"It is a day that I celebrate each year with interpretative dance in the kitchen."

Love this line. You're such a good writer.

It reminds me of this advert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFsTPx5UrbA

Which judging by the comments was shown all the time in the US (and possibly Canada?), but living in England I've only seen it once and I thought it was hilarious!

First day of school made me thank the Creator for deciding to live in Ottawa because I've been insanely happy and well rested for a week now! Our public year started promptly on Sept 1st, French Public the week before and Catholic on Aug 31! Sorry for the insane happiness - I am a home childcare provider and so I've had EVERYONE'S kids to contend with. I was more happy than the parents for the first day of school!

See you have it right up there in Canada. Where I am at (Tacoma, WA) they start school on the 2nd then take that Friday and Monday of for the Labor Day holiday and then go back to school...silly...why not just wait until after Labor Day? You folks have it figured out.

Agreed. The only thing that could perfect this system is if they didn't need to be hauled around. Or can yours walk to where they need to be? That is the advantage of areas with public transport and good side-walks. (Not that letting a 4yr old transport himself is ever a brilliant idea...)

This is the first 'back to school' day that I didn't have anyone to drive, or see off on a bus since 1990...the house is empty..I miss it a little.

I taught them to be independant people and darn it they grew up and became confident independant people!

But I will dance in memory of this great day!

Congratulations to the new freshman, Ms. Grade 10 and mostly to you. :) You made it through a VERY crazy summer. Definitely an occasion for interpretive dance in the kitchen.......

I have been debating whether to share this or not, as I'm afraid that jealousy may rear its ugly head, but...

My children attend year-round school, and began on July the 7th! For every twelve-week period they have off three weeks, plus the usual holidays and such. This means that four times a year we have a wonderful three weeks of playing, traveling and sleeping in, and then they get out from underfoot again. It is truly perfect for us, allowing our time together to stay fun and fresh, not dragging or tiresome.

But I will dance a little dance with you, in support of all the finally-free-for-six-hours parents!

As #4 of 5 children, every year I experienced the song and breakfast dance my dear mother felt she had to perform. She sang "School days" at the top of her voice (imagine Lucille Ball singing and you've got it) and promised waffles every morning all year.

Of course, by day 2, we were bringing her ice in a bucket and her bottle of "Tab" and our breakfast was the instant variety from the blender.

Looking back, I'm just thankful she didn't leave - we had to be an imposing number.

What? No UNschoolers among the Yarn Harlot commentariat? No one saying "Schedule? We don't need no stinkin' schedule!" ?? No one who thinks it's fantastic if the kid wants to lay around all day and read?

Then again, I'd probably be singing a different tune if I were work from home mom....

For those without children, it's less of a holiday. It's the return of school bus season. Longer commutes in the morning = less sleep for me.

Dance on, Stephanie! I'm looking for a school for husbands now. Mine works from home.

"free range teenagers"...that is the phrase. I've got a houseful of them. They are now college freshmen, so school won't start until later this month. Let me count the days. Now heading into the kitchen to see if they left enough milk for coffee...

Haha... This is my first fall in 19 years that I'm NOT headed off to school. It's a very weird feeling! The last time I had a school-free fall, I was three years old. Now I'm 23, and I miss school!

We celebrate many things with interpretive dance at our house, winning ribbons at the county fair, solving complex coding problems, or maybe just a really good pun. As with you, most of our interpretive dance takes place in the kitchen. Congratulations on your lastest creative and celebratory effort!

I particularly like the earlier bedtimes!! And being able to say, "No, tomorrow's a school day" to the never ending pleas for extra time on the computer or Nintendo. Mine are only 4 1/2 and 7 so I have many years yet ahead of me.

Which university is Megan going to? How exciting.

Enjoy your "me" time!!

This knitter went back to school today and kissed all her free time (aka knitting time) goodbye. Knit some extra for me, okay?

p.s. I saw the frozen banana discussion...I put all my overripe banans in a tupperware type container in the freezer - just peel and put them in - doesn't matter if you have to mush them up to fit them in. I'm not exact when it comes to how many bananas a recipe calls for - I add bananas until the batter tastes good. :)

I'll be doing the interpretive dance tomorrow, followed by lunch OUT and a walk in this fabulous summer weather with my dear friend Di.

Alas, my first day of school started three weeks ago. I work for the school district, and I have to help kids with their lessons. It eats up SO much knitting time, so I feel just a tad envious.

I have been meaning to ask you, Steph, about the cashmere cowl you did last year. Any hope on a pattern? Two of my sisters want me to make them for Christmas. :-/

YES!!
i agree. i even do my own little dance across the living room as I push them out to catch the bus. only for me that was weeks ago. here in hawaii we are on a year round schedule. the new school year began the first week of August...

Ah yes......

The days of the sacred, secret empty-house dance.

I remember them well.........

Enjoy.

I feel the schedule and I already have my floors mopped/vacuumed and dog bathed before I meet my knitsib for coffee. Hooray.

And a day of a whole different nature for those of us who teach...

So funny...here in Kent, WA (So. of Seattle) our teachers are on strike. No kids going to school today. In fact, we were to have started last week, so today they have missed the first 7 days of school. Now, not that I am insensitive to issues in the contract but PLEASE, can somebody work this thing out?

Happy Parent Liberation Day!!

My twin boys started kindergarten last Tuesday, and I'm trying not to gloat about it too obtrusively. At least, not when they're around. Don't want them to get the wrong idea and all that.

But the rest of the time? I suspect I might be glowing.

School here started at the end of August. With my eldest son starting middle school as the middle one began Kindergarten I burst into the Happy-mommy-with-only-one-left-home-all-day dance right in the elementary parking lot. Since they all know I'm on the 15 year plan there, the teachers on bus duty got a good laugh out of it.
This year our PTO is planning a holiday play and with my kindergartner and my opinionated preschooler, all I can think of is your daughter and the salty snow boots.

Enjoy the relative sanity of projects, work and work-projects. :)

I would like to share your joy but I am sad that there are no pictures of the interpretive dance. Such things really shouldn't be kept to oneself. =D (Hi. Yes. I'm a troublemaker, why do you ask?)

I did my dance in the kitchen and promptly 'yahooed' when the bus took them away.
Then I went for a massage.
Now what?

Fantastic. Here in Ireland we are a week ahead and I had my "dance day" last tues but the feeling is still as good today!

As a "work at home mom" AND the wife of a teacher, I thought this day would never come. I keep strict office hours and had to keep my schedule over the summer. The rest of the family has been up till the wee hours of the morning and sleeping the day away for 2 months. It isn't the days I reclaim, it's the return of BEDTIME!

Interpretive dance? Wow, and you forgot to mention that on top of it being the first day of school...it's Tuesday, so you get to sit and spin! Enjoy your solitude.

My three younger kids started school last week - if several half days and a day off can be considered starting. On the other hand, it will only take a couple of snow days to make me appreciate this bit of built in time. In previous years there have been nearby school districts making up time on Saturdays and such in order to get in the state mandated 180 days before the teacher contracts finish up July 1.

On the other hand, my college kid doesn't start classes until
Sept. 29. Silly schedule.

My youngest started her first day of College today. The house is finally mine! I even bought myself some new (sensible) underwear to celebrate this new chapter of my life.

Chesterfield? Boy, it's been a long time since I have heard that one!

Seriously, though, as an empty nester I can tell you that it only gets better. My two girls are my best friends. If only they didn't live so far away!

I hope to see video of that interpretive dance on youtube...

My 2 started school mid-August - you should have seen the line at Starbucks at about 9:15. All the moms partying the only way they could that early in the morning.

Does anyone remember the Snoopy dance from the Charles Schulz Charlie Brown\Peanuts cartoons? I have this mental image of a Snoopy dance being done by someone not dissimilar to look at if you swap curly hair for long ears and add a pair of glasses! Go Happy Dance ... I'm off to do one too
xxx

Enjoy!

My first year college and 10th grader were happy to go back. I'm both... happy and a bit sad. How the heck did I get old enough to have kids that old???? Nah, I must'a had 'em when I was five... that's what happened...

Enjoy your happy dance!

I have been celebrating for almost 2 weeks! My kids started August 27th.

I'm sure that I will feel the same way in 10 years or so, but today was my son's very first day at school ever and I wasn't really up to an "interpretive dance in the kitchen" :) As sad as I was to see him go, I survived that big long walk back to the house without him and he had a wonderful time. I think I might start knitting a sweater for him while he's at school.

The only downside, IMO,is that it also means more adults on the bus and less elbow room to knit. Oh well. I can just take smaller projects; out go the baby sweaters and in go socks and mittens.

Every year since our girls were in preschool, my neighbor and I have gone out for lunch on the first day of school. We call it our annual "Weep 'n' Eat" day because in the beginning when the kids were little they sobbed as we deserted them at preschool and we questioned our wisdom as mothers. Later if was more about the eating than the weeping. Now they're in college, so we do it a little earlier (in August) and it's definitely all about the eating!

...and I thought you were going to be telling us that the pretty thing cowl pattern was ready for release. I'm an educator, so the opening of school....well it just reinforces my need to have some diversion in my life....some happy knitting to look forward to at the end of a long and stressful day.

Sometimes I think homeschool wasn't the right choice and shooing them out the door at 7am each day might be nice but they are still little so I think that time is fewer and far between than experienced by the mothers of teens.

I work at a University. Your joy is my... who am I kidding, they're pretty fun when they're not your own. Your joy is my joy. I missed the little buggers.

I have to agree. My sophomore (also my baby) went back two weeks ago. Life is good, but haven't quite caught up on the household yet.

The whole 'back to school' seems a better time for resolutions than the deep dark of January 1. I always make one or two to keep myself going. This year... don't eat anything handed through a window.

Not only am I celebrating the day my youngest starts school again (8th grade!), but I am also celebrating the fact that there will be far fewer kids in the store making messes of things for me to clean up. I'd love to have a reasonable routine at work to get my job done!

I totally share your joy. Except in my neck of the woods school doesn't begin until tomorrow, Wednesday! Oh, the agony of waiting.

One bright spot though was that my son had Freshman orientation today; so was gone part of the day. It was like a glimmer of hope.

My little guy is starting preschool in two days and even thought it's only 2.5 hours a day, 4 days a week? I can. not. wait.

Let the good times roll!!

It would be even better if I could register my work-at-home husband in Kindergarten.

I always knew my mom wasn't nearly as sad to see us go back to school as she professed to be.

I hope the cat enjoyed the dance. I know mine do.

Obviously, you don't have the pleasure of an 18 year old who has just graduated highschool, spent the summer "f'in" the dog and now, "doesn't know what to do with his life...."

Sigh.

No more first days of school for this household, though I did call my oldest granddaughter, who's entering middle school, to buck her up, and also her younger sibling, who's a bit nervous about going to school without her sister ANYWHERE, and who also voiced concerns about no one recognizing her with her hew haircut. Kind of miss the first day, but, then again, I had to arrange for child care all summer as I worked.

that seems somehow so anachronistic to me. when I was little, the Wednesday after Labor Day was the first day of school. And I think that was still the case when my girls were little back in the 70's - at least in the city of Chicago. but the suburbas around here have started school in late August for just about as long as I can remember. and my grandsons started last week also (in Palo Alto.) My grands are currently at the most awkward stage of schooling for their mom. One is in school full days. The 2nd one is in kindergarten which is mostly half days but a weird schedule so the hours are not the same every day. And the littlest one is starting preschool Friday. She'll be in school half days 3 days a week, with her mommy there one day as a volunteer because it is a coop school. So I think all told, DD has about 2-3 hurs to herself all week!

As I teacher/librarian with about 13 classes worth of papers in a pile waiting to be graded, I am afraid I'm skipping the happy dance. Especially since we started classes August 10 here in central Indiana (insane!). However, the papers are going to wait while I do some knitting tonight . . . after all, one has to keep one's priorities in line.

I am living for tomorrow morning when my dance will commence... followed by appt to the optician then hair appointment...

Would you think badly of me if you knew that I also celebrate this day and have no children? It's the free range thing and the fact that they travel in packs at the grocery and everywhere else.

No suck time for me since we homeschool our kids! I get my sanity on my evening walks with my mp3 player and my sock knitting!

Spare a thought for us teachers folks! I have to contend with a class of 4 year-olds tomorrow on their first day at school over here in the UK. I'm hoping for not too may tears (from the kids or me) and simply to survive from 8.40am till 3.00pm in one piece. All of you....enjoy your freedom! :)

♫ It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . . ♫

Next year I'm paying Denny to videotape that. You know she'd do it, too.

Oh, I'm sooooo envious. I have one more week. I may go insane. Insaner.

My kids started the end of August. Today I finally had enough sanity to do some cleaning up. It was a long hard summer around here.

There's nothing like the school year for the work-at-home writer, I agree. Mine goes to high school this year and so she has moved on to taking the city bus there and back, no more rides from Mum.(Hooray) She seemed to also develop for herself the expectation that she will make her own lunch (double hooray).

Ah, yes - I remember those days - and turning cartwheels all the way home after walking the little buggers to school on the first day. Fond memories.

Oh Yeah!!! The trick is to celebrate without making them think I didn't enjoy having them with me all summer, which I did (most of the time). Year round school, anybody?!

Its a sad day...where all the teachers have to put knitting big projects on hold till the next holiday! but I have enjoyed my holiday knitting this year ;-)a nice big shawl...just in time for the cold weather.

I love the Staples commerical on TV,they play "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"....makes me laugh,there's never been a truer statement! My last one moved to college 8 days ago, a strange feeling after 35 years of always having kids in the house! Everyone enjoy, we'll miss them, they WILL come home again, it will be wonderful...but it is nice to have that little bit of "ME" time!

We work at home. Our kids went back to school two weeks ago. We went back to bed. It was good.

you'd love it in Kentucky! We've been in for a month! And you're right - it's a BEAUTIFUL thing!

As a middle school teacher, I'm not sure that the happy dance is in my repertoire at this time of the year. However, you should see my dance the third week of June!! I do love my job, but I have to say that when school starts, knitting slows w-a-a-a-y down.

Heck, I'm thrilled kids are back in school, and my kid is only one. I'm just happy everybody's schedule will return to some level of stable again. Summer is kuhrazy.

Since I teach, my interpretive dance was a little different.

I agree whole-heartedly. I love the schedule a school year provides.

My 9 y.o. son has been in school since August 5th. Boy, do I love a continuous calendar. But, I still have little 'me' time as hubby is now job-hunting and driving me crazy.

Oh, the bliss! today I waved off the elder 3 to school at 8:30, managed to get my washer loaded before the morning got into double figures, then put the littly down for her nap, switched off the TV and sat at the kitchen table with a coffee, in perfect, blessed silence

The only day better than the first day of school is Columbus Day, it's a holiday for my husband & me (workplaces closed) yet the kids have school!I can't wait...

A completed phrase for you using *sick*:

"It's sick the way you sent that" meaning "you climbed that difficult bit there utterly awesomely"

Free-range kids--I love it!! although as one of the recipients of free-range "kids," I'm just beginning to breathe out now that it's the second week in. Knitting? soon

Hooray! I'm so glad I don't start until the 24th. Thank God for insane school schedules! =D

My mom used to celebrate with an interpretative dance...on the front lawn....with pinwheels....and blaring music. I can still hear the song..."it's the MOST. wonDERful TIME. of the YEEEEEAAAARRRR..."

No wonder I knit. It's way cheaper than therapy...

I was going to dance...but the school called. My now third grade daughter is not yet tall enough to walk to school. The rules clearly state third graders may walk, but, my daughter, not as tall as last summer's kindergarten, cannot. I suppose I will be walking her to school until she graduates high school, for she will never reach the grand height of five feet, and this school district refused to let me off the bus to cross the street at 18! Now, as long as I pack up my knitting and get to the school by 3:15, all is well.

I'd like to see your interpretive dance. It may be similar to "It's my Friday" dance at work, where I'm giddy all day long and just rub it in to the other soul or two working with me. Congratulations!

Today was the first day of school for ALL of my children. My youngest started Kindergarten. When I told the kids I'd do the happy dance after dropping them off at school, they told me to be careful or I'd spill my coffee.....

YEP

Amen. So what did I do? Did I write the articles I wanted to for the IT journal? Did I even clean off my desk ? Heck no, I went to my sister's restaurant and visited all morning :)

Yay!

Unfortunately for me, the beginning of the fall semester means the buses are absolutely packed. In a few weeks it'll thin out as people adjust their schedules though.

While I did enjoy having some time by myself, as I homeschooling mom, I learned how to live with my kids,and they learned how to live with me. And now that they are all grown up and fully functional, sans school, I miss them.

I dunno. Maybe there is something wrong with me. School starts tomorrow for us and I find that I'm going to MISS MY CHILDREN. Clearly I need stronger meds and/or a life.

Ah, but for those of us whose profession is teaching it means I get all your wonderful children, no sarcasm meant. I love the kiddos. I teach 1st grade. That is the enjoyment, the sadness is that my knitting comes to a slow trickle as I complete lesson plans, grade papers and otherwise loose my social self to the world of academia. I love summer for the unlimited knitting time.

When I realized how much I was looking forward to having them both in school, I knew that two was enough.

I hear you! Mine are grown now, but I remember the delight of having a schedule, and not having to worry, week by week, about summer camps and various day care options, all of which stopped in August for some reason. Mandated family vacation time?

....but it's so quiet. oh wait, thats good right?

Ah yes, the happy dance. Followed immediately by return of teenager in search of missing schedule (in proper place by front door) and notebook (on bed in room). Lucky for her we live across the street from the school, so retrieval of said objects was not my problem. Even more lucky for both of us she did not witness the happy dance, which was done naked in front of the dishwasher.

You danced too? I also got to knit in complete silence- without interruption... Bring on the lace!!!

"It's the most wonderful time fo the year!"- a holiday song, yes, but, so appropriate for today.

The first day of kindergarten is on Monday. I am so looking forward to a consistent, 5-day schedule. Oh, yeah, and that alone time thing. Of course, now I need to look for a job, but there will be a little time before I find something.

I know this is totally unrelated, but I was wondering if you were ever planning on posting the pattern you had a couple months ago (maybe longer) for the cowl/neckwarmer you knit.

please tell me you have this 'dance' on tape!

School started Aug. 17 here, so we are well underway with the schedule. Do I need to tell you it is wonderful?? Yet... I forgot that volleyball tryouts have come and gone and yes, she made the team. Oh, and the softball fall season started, too. So it's back to Mom's taxi service.

Amen Sister!

Unless you are teacher. Then there is no time alone and certainly no time away from young children, and alas, far, far less time to knit. I am lamenting the start of school. I want summer back!

Kai's first day of official real-kid school (first grade) is tomorrow. Which has me both wistful and jubilant.

Hooray for the first day of school!!

Are we the only ones with teacher strikes? We should be on day 6 of school and it is yet to start with no date in sight for this week at least. OH well I knitted a cute cap tonight AND my 12 year old loved it 2 blessings in one day.

Mine starts tomorrow with an orientation day - and of course she is so wound up she can't sleep tonight.

I now go to unwind a newly minted middle schooler.

Well... since I had to work through the summer, my boy spent most of it away with his father... as much as I love summer and hate winter for now I am rejoicing getting him back, and having some sort of regularity in our life...
Hmm, maybe it is time to learn to like fall (I still can't imagine to like winter, but we'll see about it)
Also I want to join the choir... wanna see the dance!!!

I have always thought that public education is the hallmark of a civilized society.

I love it too!!!!!!!!!!!

We get our couch back from the college kid! Wahoo!

Except for us teachers, who now have NO free knitting time and whose kitchen tables are now laden with those very essays, and whose job it is to stop the wearing of clothes no bigger than a tea towel.

Thanks for pointing all of that out. I'd be depressed if I didn't

1. love my job,
2. think your column was hysterically funny.

Happy quiet house time--=sigh==

Oh--but for those of us who homeschool, it ain't necessarily so! Rethinking that choice right now...

Its still a great feeling even when its your 9 year old Grandson who lives 4 doors away, Peace!

For us in the UK back to school was last week, so I feel your elation, believe me!! But what I'm really looking forward to is this Friday - it's my Friday off, and will be my first Friday off without the boys for two months.........and what's more, my husband is going fishing so I WILL HAVE THE HOUSE TO MYSELF!!! Seems a silly thing to get excited over, I know, but I can quite envision myself dancing around the kitchen on Friday morning!! ;-)

I celebrated on August 26th. French Catholic in my area started back then. I was on holidays too! It gave me three wonderful days without hearing "MOOOOMMM!" :o)

I don't have kids, but I work at home and have a husband who's going back to work today after a seven-week "hiatus." I share your joy!

Perhaps you can get some inspiration from this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFsTPx5UrbA

It's a commercial from a US office supplies store.

my kids went back 3 1/2 weeks ago. i got my days off back! my last 2 are in school, (and my youngest is a sophomore as well) and i'm finding myself somewhere that i didn't think would come FOREVER; having an empty nest. i've been a mom for 25 years (the eldest will be 25 in november), so there's always been kids around. now? bwah? contemplating not HAVING to mother someone is odd. i'm waiting for grandkids,next, lol.

The first day of school always feels more like "the new year" to me more than January 1. It's a chance at a new schedule, developing new habits, a fresh start. Not in the least because the small one is at school.

Let's hear it for the teachers!

I hear you!! Though the amount of productivity I imagine will ensue from this moment forward might well exceed the limitations of the space-time continuum, it's still going to be better than the last two months! We might even get solvent (oh the hours of my life I have spent explaining the direct correlation between having money for food and clothes and Christmas... and Mommy making stuff.)

Sanity? In the McPhee household? (kidding) Congratulations on your 6 hours of peace and quiet--wait a minute, is Joe still working from home?

Hope that interpretive dance in the kitchen isn't done with a cup of hot coffee. :)

My kids have been back since August 19 and since my DH is a school teacher, he has been back since August 12. They just don't understand how annoying I find it to spend my summer sneaking out of the house to go to work and being so very quiet so I won't disturb their sleep. Ha! I so enjoy letting my snooze/radio just play on in the morning.

Dance like nobody's watching. Oh, who cares? Just dance!

One of my friends has her children going to school for the first time starting next week (Boston schools start oddly later than I'm used to). I'm sure that soon she will be chanting the same song that you are!

Yay for you! My son went back to school Aug. 31, and I have discovered in the last week that, yes, actually, I do still have some functioning brain cells, they just needed a little quiet time. :)

SOME of us are parents and teachers, so my view of the first day back is a bit different. My daughter is also not yet 1, so it's not the same. *would rather be cuddling the baby than wrestling the infants*

How does one change clothes every ten minutes while lying on a chesterfield?

Sorry. It's the editor in me. You are so right! I got to do my interpretive dance last Wednesday. It involved yarn.

Even grandmothers enjoy this day. They aren't in and out everyday but only two days a week after school. Oh drat I miss them already!!

I always have a hard time with the first day of school. It's amazing to me that my eldest daughter started High School (grade 9) yesterday! Each first day of school, I think back to her first day of pre-school, and how I had to park a block away from school so I could finish crying before I drove to work after dropping her off. The one thing that I do really appreciate is how lovely and confident she is. I don't remember being so sure of myself at 14.

Another unschooling mother here. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I liked having my daughter at home. Now she is grown and gone, and I have no regrets about all the time we spent together.

I miss my kids.. :(

Not such a great day for parents who are teachers.

alas, I teach high school part time-- and we started four weeks ago:-)

My dance involved the "running man". Children looked at me like I was crazy, but I could care less....happy, happy day!!

Having just come from a memorial service of a dearly beloved educator of my children, I concur that life is indeed too short and you should not be doing anything that does not give you bliss (aside from housecleaning, laundry, cooking and other chores and that give your loved ones bliss -- and hopefully they return the favors to you occasionally).

Well, out here in Calgary school started two weeks ago due to the city hosting the WorldSkills and we wanted our students to be able to visit the venues. And if they didn't get to visit schools - they were buddied up with another country and learned all about them. Hope you all in the rest of the country heard about this. It was fantastic and larger than the Olympics. Personally I was disappointed in the lack of advertising support by the Cdn governement of this event. It was great for kids to see that they don't have to have an university education to be successful. We need everyone to keep the world going around...especially knitters.

it is like that TV ad, where they play 'it's the most wonderful time of the year' and show the dad dancing in the school supplies aisle... and the kids frumping.

I love it

All hail the First Day of School! I share in your unrepentant glee, Stephanie, as this is the first time in 13 years that all six of the kids are in school! Our littlest started kindergarten this year, which means I am gloriously ALONE for four hours every day. Le sigh. Whatever will I do with, um, what's it called? Oh, yeah-- FREE TIME! :)

Growing up, I always thought my mother liked September so much because her birthday was the 23rd. Not until I had my own children, and they went off to school, did I realize what made her so happy this time of year! The first day of school, she and I always went out for a fancy "Ladies Luncheon." Every year. I miss that.

Oh, it's wonderful all right.... except for the two year old who is hanging off my arm as I type. She discovered that hanging her full weight on my arm results in, well... ahr3ft98y9refgvbcdbiudu7pw3ery809u8yfbd c.

Get my point?

LOL my kids have been in school for last 10 days.. and is it heaven.. dont get me wrong i adore my children. but there is nothing like watching them get on the bus, running back up the road to get my cup of coffee and listening to pur sweet silence. IT is heavenly. then i work on my second cup of coffee and knit or card wool. ok carding wool sucks.. knitting it is great.. but i want a drum carder..

gretchen