Reflections in the Canal

The predicted thunderstorms haven't arrived. Or not yet anyway. It's been a fine day - quite warm but not baking.

It's a big day for the youngest generation. Both 'babies' have full days at nursery. I'm awaiting feedback on how they got on. The baby sister started nursery in January and, of course, hasn't been there since March. The wee boy should have started in April but of course didn't. They'll settle no doubt but it'll maybe take a while. Meanwhile today is the five year old's last day before she starts school. We decided to 'eat out to help out' and booked a table for lunch at a favourite place in Kirkintilloch. Before we left the house she disappeared upstairs and came down dressed in her school uniform. She immediately looked two years older. Wow - five years have just sped by.

The three of us had a lovely lunch though I can't say I was 100% impressed by the covid mitigations in place. I'll not be back in a hurry but it was so special to have the five year old's company before she moves into the next stage of her life.

I walked down to Kirky from Lenzie with Flora. It was busy on the canal path but probably not as busy as it might normally have been. I had time to stop and take this photograph of the tyres which act as buffers for the canal boats.

Home now and I'm listening to the Education Secretary explaining how the methodology for calculating this year's examination results (in the absence of actual exams) is to be overturned. For individual students the uncertainty of the past week must have been agonising. Again the inequality of opportunity and outcome in education and life chances is laid bare. Surely it's time, not only for another review (it's in the pipeline already), but for a proper attempt to tackle these inequalities.