Changes

Yesterday was a day of small milestones. My eldest finally got a cheque book and learnt how to write cheques. He is going off to Moscow and St Petersburg at the end of March with his school and given that he has his own banking account, we felt the time was right for him to take responsibility for paying. He is looking forward to the trip and the parents' meeting was last night.

Mostly I sat there and let him get on with it. He is over 18. He will be the one doing everything but it did feel odd. Last time he went on a school trip, I was the one who filled out the cheque and handed over the passport etc. But it is all about letting go and that can be hard. It was not so many years ago that he was small.

It is also a reminder that 2009 will bring a lot of changes as he will be going off to university. But as I was saying last night to some parents I have known since our children were in toddlers, I have no desire to go back to that age. I am busy enjoying my children at the age they are...

The other thing that is happening is that they are FINALLY changing the railway gates at the level crossing. The old wooden gates were some of the oldest operating gates in the world. The line was completed in 1837 and I am not sure if they were ever changed -- just repaired. I believe they have been bought by some collector. They were terribly picturesque BUT they were also a pain. Being stuck for 20 minutes before a train arrives is no fun, particularly when you are late for an appointment. And sometimes in the wind, they would swing back slightly...after being closed. I think they caused a bit of a headache for the maintenance people. Every so often, the crossing would be closed on a Saturday night/Sunday while they tried to repair the gates. Necessary BUT it also meant that living up the Bank, we were cut off and had to find different routes. Not so bad when you are going, but when you forgot and were trying to come home... I understand that the signal box is staying...

And yes, before Donna says anything -- I do need to write. One thing that has not changed is the desire to tell good stories.