The School Bell's A' Ringin'

School has started and you can feel summer losing its grip. The mornings and nights are cooler. The works aren't all gummed up after all. The seasonal machinery is still turning.

A brand new shiny school year calls for brand new shiny clothes. I stood in Wet Seal for two hours waiting for Annabelle to try on clothes.

I might as well shop for myself, while I'm waiting, right? Not unless you think a 47 year old woman can pull of wearing ripped shorts with a slouchy loose top drooping off her shoulders that says, "I LOVE MY BOYFRIEND."

We shopped for school supplies. No more crayons, markers, safety scissors, or Elmer's cow wearing a nose ring. No more baby seals or Disney characters on folders.
Now it's scientific calculators and flash drives. College ruled paper.

Both girls picked out black converse sneakers for their back-to-school shoes.
Annabelle is taller and wears a bigger size shoe than Lilah. Even though she's the youngest.

Lilah's a Lancer. A freshman in high school. The Lancer logo is a knight on horseback carrying, what else? --a lance.

Annabelle's a Warrior. A 7th grader. The Warrior logo is an Indian in full headdress on a blood red blackground.

Annabelle's grade school, Tomahawk Elementary, did away with their warrior mascot years ago. Apparently Indian Hills didn't get the memo.

If Lancer and Warrior should come to blows, who do you think will win?

The correct answer is MOM, who will declare both of them grounded.

Both girls wear mascara now. And body spray. And a little hair spray. Each morning, the fumes hang heavy in the air.

Nobody light a match!

Lilah's taking choir. They're washing cars this Saturday to raise money.

Annabelle's taking orchestra. They're raising a small cash crop of cannabis to fund their field trip.

NO THEY'RE NOT! I was just checking to see if you've read this far.

Yes, it's clear. With the new school year in swing, the seasonal machinery is turning. Might need a squirt or two of W-40, but it's turning.