Wet

Day 173

10 November 2009

When I was a kid I walked to school in all weather, pretty much without exception. We ran cross-country in Games at school, again, pretty much without exception. We played hockey on an icy pitch during a snowfall once, and that was in the days when we had to wear those ridiculous PE skirts and a pair of socks, and we were only allowed to wear a long sleeved top when it got really cold. Standing about in freezing cold playgrounds was the norm, and a few boys in my school year were in shorts all year round until they turned 13, which appeared to be a significant year because suddenly they were allowed to wear trousers!

We got soaked on the way to school, this morning. It was pouring with rain. We could have taken the car, but by the time I'd got my son into his big thick coat, and into the buggy, it was too much effort to get him out and undress him again. Somehow it didn't occur to me to look out of the window to see what the weather was like beforehand, but in any case, we never drive to school unless we're running really late, or if the weather is really horrible.

I think that we use our cars far too much, and that we're all turning a bit too soft, these days. Last month was walk to school month. I wonder how many parents did walk rather than take their kids in the car?

So what if there is a chance of getting a bit wet?

Bad weather is for walking quicker!