This morning, she can't breathe right, she can't swallow and she has the almightiest of almighty headaches.
So being the good mother that I am (pictorial evidence below)
I take her to the doctors who diagnoses the dreaded Strep Throat. Bed rest, warm fluids, plenty of antibiotics and TLC is recommended along with two days off school (of course I wasn't going to get off scott free!!!)
Is she worried about how sick she is? No.
Is she worried that she may pass the 'sickness' on to her beloved family? No.
She is worried that she will miss her first EVER school field trip to Toronto, Canada.
I can only recall going on one field trip that took me away from home for than one day at a time and that was when I was at my High School and we all went to Scalegill, so I totally understand how she feels. There are various stages you go through when you are about to embark on your "first field trip" as detailed below.
The Planning:
This category can be subdivided into a bunch of ...er... subdivisions? You know what I mean. OK, you have the "Who is sitting next to who on the coach" which involves girls all trying to be friendly while at the same time bitching behind everyones back about "Oh, she smells of wee" and "she likes him so I don't want her near me" kind of conversations. I never sat towards the back with the cool kids. I so was not cool. I sat at the front with the teachers. I was such a nerd. I did however, get to help hand out all the sandwiches and crisps and pop and oranges etc., poking fingers in the bread with a "Oh, Sharon, YOU wanted the chicken sandwich right" while smushing it all together. Unfortunately, that was usually the highlight of my trip. Sad I know.
The Rooms:
Even though you had planned who was going to be sharing a room with you, and had changed the plan at least 72 times before setting off, once you arrived at the place, everything changed. You wanted to be near the boys rooms regardless of the teachers threatening you with being sent home if they found you. Then you had to draw straws as to who would tip-toe to the boys room first. You would try and stay up as late as possible and if someone luckily had sneaked in some Woodpecker Cider you were shitfaced within minutes. You HAD to be the last one to fall asleep though. If you were the first, you were gauranteed to have your hand put in a cup of warm water, to wake up in a wet sleeping bag with writing all over your body. Many a time I have woken up with "I smell of wee" and "I have no friends" written all over me. (In fact one time, I woke up with the kids trying to read me! Another story for another time)
The Midnight Walk:
Of course, the teachers would take you all on a midnight walk, while telling ghost stories and scaring the living bejesus out of you. This was the opportunity for you to walk at the back of the crowd holding hands with your boyfriend. The teachers obviously knew what was going on but we didn't know they knew or cared whether they knew.
The Trip Home:
You were either hungover, sad that you had to now go home, or were feeling dirty, grimy and looking forward to finally getting home. Either way, there were plenty of stories to be told, to NOT be told, secrets found and secrets made. You would never forget your trip or future trips if you were lucky enough to go on them.
So with all that said, I am going to be nursing my daughter back to her full health, for she WILL go on that trip, she WILL make memories and I'm sure she will do things I don't want to know or will never find out. But memories will be made and maybe one day, in the future, when her kids go on field trips, she will think back and smile.
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