Here we go once again ... School begins this week, and this will be my 48th year to send children to school. It began in 1975 when I sent my first child, Michael, to first grade. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. He was my first baby, and we had waited seven years for his birth. I was so protective of the little red curly haired fellow. And to make things worse, he went to a private school in the next state, which was only a few miles from our home but yet he got on a bus every morning at 7 a.m. and headed to Louisiana, 30 minutes away. Then, Marc began in 1981 and Pam in 1986, and after that there have been seven more little boys that I have seen go out into the big world of first grade.
All of them, except for one have made the journey with flying colors. I have been told by many that our daughter is so much like me, and I have to agree here in this particular instance. I hated school! In first grade I would get on the bus on Rock Hill, an area here in Kosciusko, ride to the next stop to pick up the next rider, and I would jump off the bus and run back home. We only had one car, and my mama had no way to take me to school so I stayed home. This worked well until one day in the cold of winter, and she was ready for me on that day. She met me at the door to our house, dressed in her old ugly green coat, switch in hand, and we walked the several miles to school with the occasional swipe with the little hickory switch. After that calamity, I would stay on the bus all the way to school, and as I stepped off, I would head down the steps of the hill and run to my daddy’s work place, only about two blocks away. I’d tell him I was sick, he was always a sucker for my maladies and always believed me. He would load me in our car and take me home. I believe I missed as many days of school my first year and I attended.
Our daughter, Pam, was afflicted with this same problem of dislike for school. I can remember taking her to kindergarten at PDS and having to pull her out of the car kicking and screaming. Then as she went on to first grade, there was no bus ride so she could not jump ship, but the first day of first grade, she did chase my car down the road from her school room.
This year, we have six beginning their first year or the next year of college. All my babies have grown up. I can tell you for a true fact that the time from 6 years old and first grade to 18 years and college is passed only in the blink of an eye. When I look into the eyes of each of them, I still see that little person that was so little. Seems just yesterday. Now, they are all much taller than my 5-foot frame and seem so much more mature than I did at that age. I'll watch them drive off to their places of higher learning and really hope they don't go AWOL.
It's somewhat of a comfort knowing that our 2-year-old has quite a few years before she has to meet schoolmates and teachers, and I can only hope she has a personality different from her mother and me.
To some of you, this might not seem tasteful, but it is one of the most tender and moist chicken that I have ever cooked.
MAYONAISE CHICKEN
2 deboned chicken breasts
½ cup of mayonnaise (I use Blue Plate — is there another?)
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
garlic powder (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Rub the chicken beasts in the mayonnaise, and roll in the seasonings and bread crumbs.
Bake 375 for 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
