Good-bye my boy. Try to change your nickers at least once!

...and the parents discreetly watched their children leaving on the big buses on their way to Outdoor School for one whole week - because we didn't want to embarrass the buggers in front of their friends, all waving, kissy-kiss, parents (MOM YOU'RE EMBARRASSING ME!!!!!).

North Vancouver's Outdoor School is an environmental education away-camp/field trip located near Squamish, BC, that if you're lucky enough to be a student in any North Vancouver school, you get to go with your class for 3 to 5 days. My boy is in the grade 6 program - 4 nights/5 days sharing a cabin with about 5 or 6 other boys.

So last night we got packed all that he'll need (everything to ward off the disgusting wet weather we call "RainCouver"). Really when it's nice in Vancouver...we'll it's the best place to live!! Four pairs of nickers, socks, hat, gloves, rain gear, toiletries, etc, etc. And seriously the bag weights a ton - it'll build him some man-mooscles!

So we're at the school and parents/grade sixers are loading their gear in the big bus (that has TVs every few rows - nice), and I'm noticing some of the boys (yes BOYS), have large suitcases full of stuff. Kind of like what my gear would look like if I was travelling to some sunny destination and packed everything I might need (and really you never use it anyway).

So kids board the bus, and parents kind of look away and pretend we're not there, but come-on, there's 30 of us crowded at the front entrance of the school (just let mommy give you one kiss goodbye, I won't see you for a week). BACK OFF MOM!!

So the kids are gone in the trusting hands of their teachers, and the staff at the camp. And I'm counting on one thing. Ma-boy will be wearing the same pair of nickers he left in (the others will be still neatly folded in his bag - apparently mine were too when I went). I'm pretty sure his socks will be able to walk themselves home and he'll probably have enough grease in his hair to cook an entire meal in (eeewwww gross).

Now to the true point. Yes we'll miss the kiddies, but BLISS FOR A WEEK SANS PRE-TEENS. I mean, come on. True 'dat, right?

Word!