Photopost I: Sofie anno 1986

This is me in my very first year of kindergarten. I'm the blonde sitting right next to the teacher, tante Jeanine. I was absolutely crazy about her. Whenever there was a birthday, she would open this cupboard and take out a whole bunch of toys, from which the birthday boy or girl got to choose any which item. AND! They got a crown, made from cardboard, but with glittery stuff glued on. That woman could work empty yoghurt containers like no other. I think I still have one of my "queen for the day" tiaras lying around. But the single greatest thing she did was help me get settled in. As much of a chatterbox as I was aged 3 I began to stutter like mad when I started kindergarten. After a while it got so bad that I stopped speaking altogether. But thanks to Tante taking extra good care of me, I was back to my old self before too long. Sitting to my left, with the red sweater, is my friend Machteld, who I later went to primary school with. Way at the end of the bench, in the blue pantyhose, is Annelore - the girl I had drinks with back in July. Oh also, I know I look like a boy. That hair cut inspired my older brother and sister to call me Champignon or mushroom for ages - bowl cut, chubby, short, you work it out. Sigh.


This picture, also dated 1986, was taken at the gym of a different, much larger school. I can't recall much about the occasion - for some reason (I believe it was Mother's Day) we had to perform a song and dance routine on stage. Annelore was the lead, that's why she alone got to wear a full skirt. And that's probably why I'm sitting so far away from her, all the way on the corner...I got to stand next to her on stage, though, and carry around a bouquet of flowers. So that's almost as good. I'm not sure what the deal was with the hankerchiefs and aprons, I take it we were supposed to be farmers of some sort? What I love about this picture too is that the casual chic outfit I'm wearing has several Canadian flags on it and distinctly says "Canada" on the front. It was so meant to be!