It's time for a bucket list

Even though we are moving mid-way through the festive period there is always time for a bucket list;

+Visit Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 

+Bake and decorate Christmas biscuits

+Watch Christmas movies with popcorn, snuggled under a blanket

+Kiss under the mistletoe

+Have dinner by candle light

+Have French toast for breakfast

+Go for a walk around the village and look at everybody's Christmas lights

+Have a decadent hot chocolate

+Go and watch a carol service

+Donate to charity

+Make a gingerbread house

+Go to a show

+Make Christmas cards

+Send Christmas cards

+Go ice skating

+Write a letter to Father Christmas

+Read the night before Christmas

+Eat a candy cane

+Take a family photo with everyone in Christmas jumpers

+Drink Gluhwein

+Visit the Waddesdon Christmas Market

+Sit by a real fire and toast marshmallows

Erste Advent

Today is the first day of advent 2015.  I wasn't sure whether we would have a kranz this year, as we are moving, but at the last second we found a door wreath in Lidl for £5.00 with four chunky red candles it is the perfect kranz to countdown the Sundays until the big day.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

As we do every year, GO and I went to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

This year we met up with Misses B Jr. and Sr. and Mr NZ.

It was a chance to catch up on all the comings and some sad goings.

We reminisced on the times we had living together in London, made plans for the future.  I am sure that we will see more of each other next year. I've only seen Miss B Jr. three times this year.

It was such a nice evening, so laid back. 

Full of food and drinks and lots of chat.

Murray Christmas one and all!

He's done the dirty deed

Well it is official GO has handed in his notice.  He had been anxious about it, but following the tense staff meeting earlier in the week, he decided that now was the right time to move on.  As he said he left home when he was very young and he would like to spend some time with his family while they are still around to enjoy life.  I thought that it might have been a very volatile occasion, but apparantly they had been expecting him to do it a few years ago and were surprised he had stayed as long he had.  All we very sad but they wished him well and then tried to convince him to stay longer.  His very polite response, no thank you.

And So Our Adventure Moves On

It is time for us to pack our bags and take the Murray house and it's life to pastures newer and hopefully greener.  

Moving on is always difficult.  So however, are more experienced (30 moves in my lifetime so far) at it than others; and are able to partition our lives quite easily, others find moving more traumatic.  

I love moving!  I love the planning, packing and the sights and sounds of moving days.  I can remember most of my moving days and look back at each one with fond memories. 

With this in mind I am slowly but surely getting excited about our impending move. I have bought boxes, found a storage unit (just in case) and have downloaded a "moving plan" from Pinterest.

I am working in a new school for the first month or so, just to build up a little nest egg before we head on up and start all over again.  

For how long?  Who knows there has been talk of heading abroad at some point.

Noo Skool

I was settled into the routine of day to day supply.  I was working in a year five class, I wouldn't say I was enjoying it, but I wasn't hating it either. 

Was I a key stage 2 convert?  

No, I love early years, don't I?

I got a call from the agency asking me If I was interested in working in a year four class intil the end of term.  

Year 4!  

I went to have a look at the school, they knew I was an EYFS specialist, but thought that would be a benefit as the children needed a bit of nurturing.  I was sceptical but they were adamant.  I went home to think. By the next morning I had decided to give it a go, what did I have to lose?  A

I'm a temporary Hampdener

Another day another phone call.  I had been doing a couple of days here and there when the acting head of an Inner Oxford school asked if I would consider doing a week in year five.  My head and heart were saying no, "you've never taught that age, they'll eat you alive, you're an early years specialist."  What came out of my mouth was, "yeah! Sure, why not?"  So began the scariest week of my career, considering how I was treated at the first LV school that is saying something.  While I can't say I enjoyed it, it wasn't as daunting as I had first thought.  On the Wednesday I got a call from the agency, a school needed a teacher in year four until the end of term. I agreed to pop over and meet the head and Senco.  I explained that I hadn't really taught key stage two (KS2) before and that I was early year trained, but that seemed to encourage them more.  The class were in need of some fun and nurturing.  Before I could talk myself out of it I said I would do it.  The following Monday I taught alongside the teachers I was replacing and so began my first real long term soirée into KS2.  It won't be my last, but that is another story...@

Papichen is 365 days older

I want to take this time wish my papichen a very happy birthday.  

 

He was the first man I ever loved, the first man to love me and he is my hero.  

He literally dragged himself up from nothing to be a great man.  

In fact he is the greatest man, the best dad I have ever had.  

I love you papichen and Io couldn't have asked for a better father or friend.  Thank you for everything you do and give (love/time/materials).  

I know I'm not the only one who feels this way and in case he doesn't say Dirkus feels the same way. You have had a heck of a year and we are all so glad you are on the mend.

We love you, have a great day xxx

Cadbury World

To continue GO's chocolate birthday theme we took a trip to a world full of milk chocolate,  from the minute we got out of the car we could smell chocolate in the air. We went to Cadbury World, where as well as learning about the history of chocolate, and the Cadbury company itself we also got a chance to watch chocolate being produced and more importantly tastes the chocolate.  The entire way round the attraction  we were offered samples, which it would have been rude not to try.  

Happy Birthday Husbando

Well today the love of my life turns 36, he's still a baby.  I can't wait to see how the day unfolds.  

After last years birthday treat I knew I would have to outdo myself and so I made a sweet card for him.  I'd seen lots on Pinterest but they all used "American Candy".  After weeks of research I managed to make on using European confection. It turned out great, if I do say so myself.

Jane Austen's House

Post our fantastic evening with Fake That, Mrs F wanted to prolong our quality time together.

I didn't fancy a spa day, I'm too fidgety to enjoy it, so I suggested winging it.  Mrs F suggested afternoon tea, which is, in my humble opinion always a winner.  

We took a drive through the Hampshire countryside and we came across a little treasure of a place, Jane Austen's house.  

We were able to meander around the house and learn all about Jane and her family. 

The house was owned by Jane's brother, who was the heir to a local land owner (I wasn't able to find out why he inherited the entire estate.  The best guess was that he was just lucky).  

The first room we arrived in was a cinema, which told a potted history of Jane and her family's life before and up to them arriving at the house in Steventon.  

Following that we visited the kitchen and it was there we found an invite to make our own lavender pouches (using locally produced lavender) and use a quill to write a letter, Jane used a quill to write all of her novels. It must have been a very long and dirty process, I wrote a note to GO which took me ages and was very messy.  

After that Mrs F and I tried on some period costumes and bonnets, it was an era that had a style of dress that was most flattering. We both looked very elegant and regal...

We made our way into the rooms of all the family members, we saw the actual table and chair Jane sat at while writing her novels.  

In the library the society which ran the house had collected Janes by Jane in languages from across the globe, books about Jane, her family and the stories she had written.  They had graphic novels, woollen versions and hardback copies for babies.

As we looked across the street we saw a little tea room, feeling a bit peckish we headed over for a spot of afternoon tea and a bit of a heart to heart.

It was a lovely end to a weekend that I will not forget in a very long time.