Laziness and old people stories

You know when you were younger and you HAD to walk everywhere coz you didn't have cars or parents with cars to take you anywhere? Well, this issue is for you!

Let me just give you a brief background of my schooling history (Education) before I go into this.

Now, when I was younger we lived on Eastdean Bank in Seacroft which was at the top of a hill. A steep hill and a BIG hill. Well, my primary school Grange Farm was at the bottom of the afore-mentioned hill and then about a 5 minute walk from there. My next school was Braimwood Middle School (which was formerly an all girls school - which my mum even went to - in fact!!!!!!! my R.E. teacher Ms Howard was also a teacher when my mum WENT there if you can imagine!!). Braimwood was a fair distance away (which I will get into in a minute). I went there for four years, then I was sent to John Smeaton High School which is I think an even further distance. I also went there for four years also. Now, let me just have a quick look at Mapquest to see if I can get the distances for you then I will round this story so you feel like you are going somewhere.

• Grange Farm Primary School - .5 miles 10 min walk
  
• Braimwood Middle School - 4.2 miles 40 min walk
  
• John Smeaton High School - 3.1 miles 35 min walk
  

Now, as I said when I first started, I didn't have parents to cart me around everywhere nor was I given bus fare to catch a bus to these places. Wind, rain, snow, hail whatever, I was sent in all kinds of weather systems regardless. I more or less got used to this and so did my younger brother David who, a year behind me had to follow suit! Now, this is where the first change comes into play. When our younger brother Richard went to the SAME high school we went to, all of a sudden he was given bus fare! Of course, we were mightily pissed, especially when he use to spend it on sweets! But whatever. That was the frist sign of the times.

Now, my kids go to schools here (and I have a car to take them places if need be) but. BUT. Their schools are just around the corner from where we live. We even live on the same street as the elementary school (about 10 doors down!). See below for distances.

• Lake Elementary - .01 miles - 2 min walk
  
• Shore Junior High 2.2 miles - 14 min walk
  
• Mentor High 2.4 miles - 18 min walk
  

Now as you can see there is a vast difference from when I used to WALK to school. My kids expect lifts every where or they get the school bus. The very thought of them having to walk anywhere makes them physically sick!

Remember when we were young and if we ever asked a parent or uncle or anyone for a lift or we used to complain about walking, we would get the old "When I were a lad we used to walk 10 miles through fields of snow in just me pyjamas......." speech with the old Hovis tune playing in the background. I used to hate that, but I find myself saying it (but not quite as Olde English) and it freaks me out. But look at the mileage I did. 8.4 miles just to get there and back while attending Braimwood never mind all the bloody walking around from class to class etc., oh, and what about the Cross Country Run which went round the lake!? eh? eh? I swear, we are going to England next June for a visit and I feel like making my kids do that bloody walk just to show them!

Anyway, thats all I wanted to talk about today. I'm sick of my kids being lazy and I'm sick of me sounding like everyone I hated while talking to them!

Do you have that Hovis tune playing in your head now? hahahahahahaha