Spitting Into the Wind

This is Carly on September 28 when she went off to the school ball. She looked absolutely beautiful. All Carly's friends look great too, and it's obvious that everyone puts in a big effort to look good, even the boys. The photos she brought home were excellent, except for a few red eyes from the flash. She can use the camera way better than me. I fumble around and can't take a decent picture.

Carly is 13 and like most girls her age she wants to be allowed to do what she likes. It's a constant battle between us to see who gets their way. She's a great help around the house when she wants to be, and doesn't mind doing it if I pay her. Anything for the almighty dollar!

Thirty five years ago when I was Carly's age life was so different. We were sneaking into pubs at 15 and I was smoking at 12. Compared to me she's an angel. We had no computers or mobile phones, in fact, our family didn't have a phone. There was a payphone around the corner and Dad always said that was our phone. Ha ha. Though I do remember parking myself in that phonebox for hours at a time.

Television ended about 11 and I used to sit up with Mum and we'd watch the dot disappear. Sometimes it's midnight and I'm yelling at Carly to put the phone away and turn out the light. And she yells back. There's no way I would have done that!

I used to groan when my father told us how he had to milk the cows before school and then take the horse and cart 10 miles to school. Carly will be groaning when she reads this post. Life's different but it's still the same. There's still bitchy girlfriend problems, boy problems, school work problems, and money problems. Being a teenage girl can be tough.