Happy Days

Today was the last day of school for Sebastian! But we have had a very busy week!

On Tuesday, Sebastian performed in his ballet recital. This is the first year he has taken ballet. He is the only boy and has found some things like skipping very difficult. I was thrilled to see how much progress he has made since the beginning of the year. He still struggles with his skipping but he clearly thoroughly enjoys the ballet class full of girls. In October he has a duet with Amy. He is very excited about this despite the fact that he keeps threatening to quit on her. He's just winding her up! (Photos to follow. Mummy forgot the camera so borrowed somebody else's. Will update post when photos arrive!)

On Wednesday the children of Year 1 at St George's performed a World War 2 assembly where they presented all the facts they've learned about the second World War. We had some excellent acting from a young Hitler and Churchill. The costumes for the girls playing the Women at War were fabulous. What creative mummies we have!

Sebastian played a wartime evacuee. During the second World War, the children of England were evacuated from the big cities and sent to the villages dotted around the countryside. We dressed him in green and blue clothes (fairly drab) and put a name tag around his neck with a box for his gas mask. he had a real ration book that our neighbour, Gill, had loaned us. Seb thought it was seriously cool that he had a real ration book. We also made a fake identity card for him and gave him a small brown suitcase for his clean pants and socks.

He had one speaking line. Bella says "I'll miss my mummy." Sebastian adds "Me too!" It was an incredible spot of acting. I think he takes after me!

It all made me think of what a horrible time that was. The choices a mother had was to keep the children in London with them and possibly die in a bomb attack or send the children off far far away all alone. Oh I just don't know where one gets the strength and courage to make those decision. Nowadays I worry about white or brown bread.

Yesterday, he brought home all of his work that he's worked on throughout the year. I was amazed at all the things he's done and learned. I swear he knows more than me! His handwriting has improved massively. And he is a very talented writer. Some of his short stories are incredible! I like to think he takes after me in this area as well but that might be pushing it a bit too far.

And today was the end of the school year. This morning we went to the Leaver's Service in St George's Chapel inside Windsor Castle. This is one of the most magnificent chapels in the world. Henry VI and one of his wives, Jane Seymour, are buried here along with numerous other monarchs. I found myself sitting with a caliph of one of Napoleon's sons in front of me. i ask myself, "How did that get here?"

The children sang and we all prayed for the children now leaving the school and going on to senior school. We are also losing Miss Filmore who taught Sebastian in Year 1. He is actually very sad about this and we've had quite a few tears. I think it is the uncertainty of the future.

But with the end of the year came the beginning of the next year and we were given the class list for next year. Sebastian's teacher will be Mrs Saunders and he is very excited. We also have a whole bunch of new classmates who have been at the school but never in Sebastian's class. This is also very exciting for him as he says "Now I get to make even more friends, Mummy."

Gosh, I wish I had his positive attitude about everything.

And now the summer holidays begin in earnest!