What have we done?

Those who have to live with this cluster fudge the longest didn't vote for it. We have sentenced them to years of dealing with the fallout. 

The leave side have believed the nonsensical witterings of a buffoon who wants to be prime minister, the man who ruined the education system and a vile racist pilllock who's children are half German.

It had taken me a week to recover, I have to admit when I woke up to the news that we were leaving the EU I thought it was a joke, as the day progressed and I realised that it was in fact actually happening I felt numb.

  I was heart broken.

-Kind Regards, C xx

Year Two Anyone?

I was given a couple of numbers of head teacher's desperately in need of teachers for the new year. The head I'm working with currently (who doesn't have a job for me, sadly) gave me the number of her ex husband, who is head at a tough village school, with a y3/4 vacancy.

His school felt fresh and bright, he was very honest about behaviour and expectations.  I liked it, I didn't feel 'at home'.  The second school I visited felt quite buzzy, the are a RI school and will be visited by the little grey men next year.  I liked it, I wasn't sure if I made a good impression on the boss ladies.  I returned to school to think about applying.  Half an hour later I received a call from the head "I know we said we'd give you time to think about it, we discussed it we think you'd fit in and would be great would you like the job?"  I wasn't sure whether I could commit to a school again after the little village school (LVS), this school is very similar.  It's one form entry, Church of England, and it has Ofsted looming.  Unlike when I joined the LVS I knew I could make a difference at this school and maybe have some positive impact.  I said yes.  It's year two (following on from year one at the mo, will be useful as I know exactly what they should be capable of).

Roll on September, oh well July and transition days first.

- Kind Regards, C xx

Do horoscopes work?

Way back when, when I was at home relaxing and enjoying the festive season, I read my stars for 2016. Always with a pinch of salt, there are millions of people who share the Virgo star sign and they can all be having the same day/week/month as me.
It piqued my interest when it started talking about jobs and new beginnings, I showed GO, we giggled at how general it was.


- Kind Regards, C xx

Location:Halifax

Feel like a grown up

I'm a married teacher on the cusp of turning 40, GO and I are begining the adoption process imminently, but nothing makes me feel more like a grown up than we make big scary purchases. 

Today we bought a sofa, a brand spanking new, fresh from the work shop sofa.  We will be paying it off in instalments for a couple of years, just like the phone and the car. 

We hadn't planned it, we went to ikea for some frames for my birthday present.  It turns out the artist knew that it is tricky to find frames to match his prints, so can charge and arm and a leg on his website for them.  Once we left ikea nit quite empty handed we decided to check out the nearby shopping precinct. It was awesome and had everything you could want all in one place.

First stop was a furniture shop, it was having a sale, we wandered around not really looking, definitely just browsing. We split up and checked out the sofas we liked.  We have such different tastes, I look for style that is cost and classic.  GO wanted  a sofa that had room for us both to stretch out on.  We both saw a sofa in the corner and headed towards it.  It looked good, felt comfy and was half price.  Bargain.

We didn't need a sofa, we'd had ours for six years, there was nothing wrong with it.  It's a bit creaky and squishy.  The cushions have flopped a bit and it has an odour, but it is still fine.

We went to the other shops, people  into the holiday shop, I wanted a ski brochure.  We bought mum her birthday present, a perpetual calendar in the shape of a dackel.  We walked  back to the car.  "We could just find out, how much it is.."  GO, doesn't like to make quick  decisions, he took six years to propose to me after all.

An hour later, we have ordered a three seater corner sofa in Taupe. It has stain protection and could be in situ in a week.  It is lovely and it really was a bargain.  For five pound  extra we have been put into a charity raffle and could win the sofa for free, we won't hold our breaths. 

Monumental Day

Today was a monumental day, no not for that reason, I actually ran in the fun run. It wasn't far, no where near as far as the sport relief mile earlier in the year, but it was far for me and it was in front of hundreds of parents.  I didn't mind joining in, I knew I'd have two or three non/slow runners to "chivvy" along.

I did it wad fab, I could shuffle along looking like a caring person, but then each one got their breath back and took off again.  It happened three of four times until finally we crossed the finish line.  I wad pooped and my face was red for a good hour afterwards.

The things I do as a teacher.....

- Kind Regards, C xx

Location:Halifax

Worth Thinking About

An elephant and a dog became pregnant at same time. Three months down the line the dog gave birth to six puppies. Six months later the dog was pregnant again, and nine months on it gave birth to another dozen puppies. The pattern continued.

On the eighteenth month the dog approached the elephant questioning, _"Are you sure that you are pregnant? We became pregnant on the same date, I have given birth three times to a dozen puppies and they are now grown to become big dogs, yet you are still pregnant. What's going on?"._ The elephant replied, _"There is something I want you to understand. What I am carrying is not a puppy but an elephant. I only give birth to one in two years. When my baby hits the ground, the earth feels it. When my baby crosses the road, human beings stop and watch in admiration, what I carry draws attention. So what I'm carrying is mighty and great."._

Don't lose faith when you see others receive answers to their prayers.
Don't be envious of others testimony. If you haven't received your own blessings, don't despair. Say to yourself "My time is coming, and when it hits the surface of the earth, people shall yield in admiration."

Take from the Infertility support group on Facebook.

Staffroom Life

That's the thing about staff rooms, and schools in general it doesn't matter where you go the topic of conversation is pretty much always the same. I'm the little village school once the mitching and boaning was over and done with all they talked about was food, what to eat, what they've eaten, how to make something, how wonderful their food is. In the Northern School, much like my London school the conversation is usually

about TV. Once these lovely lot go home, they aren't having dinner parties or going to the theatre, they have their tea and watch TV. I love it, I think I'm smack dab in the middle of both schools, I love going out, having people over but more than three people and I feel crowded. I love curling up on the sofa and watching the Gogglebox.

- Kind Regards, C xx

We're all going to the beach

After weeks of planning and worrying it was the day of our trip to Filey yesterday. I had nightmares of leaving someone behind, someone drowning or worse it raining, so much that we all would just turn around and go back to school.  I wish I could say I needn't have worried....  

But it was fantastic.

The weather was overcast and gloomy, or so the forecaster said it would be, so I wore a warmish outfit (particularly after last week's pre-visit).   The kiddies arrived at 8am all wrapped up in jumpers and coats. Most had headed my warnings, that even if the sun isn't shining, at the beach we still need to slop on some sunscreen lotion. One or two didn't listen (myself included) and we have the hot, red faces to prove it.

The journey there was two hours, most of the journey was uneventful, except for a little girl who turned from white to green in front of my eyes before emptying the contents of her stomach (luckily we had pulled over just in time).

- Kind Regards, C xx

Let's do this

Another summer, another football tournament, Euro 2016 is being held in France. While the opening ceremony was rather subdued, only one of the hundred dancers actually looked like she was enjoying herself, I was touched by bravery of France and in particular Paris. It has been a tough few years for the French and for them to host some of the greatest European football teams, at such a tough time for them; financially and emotionally is very brave. So here's hoping that the only tears are those shed by all who lose to Germany. 

- Kind Regards, C xx

Don't ask!

Pre-Trip-Trip

In preparation for the school trip to Filey next week, I volunteered (SUCKA) to do a pre visit.  In previous years the itinerary has looked quite scant.  I have never worked in a school that requires so much information about a trip before you have even sent the letters out to parents. 

I had initially planned to go on the Wednesday, but after an action packed weekend we needed a bit of a break, and I had sodding reports to complete (2 down, 22 to go....).  So Friday morning we checked the weather app (all sunny and bright) and tootled off up the M62, following the trusty satus navigus.  I had looked on the map and it looked about an hour or so away (you know its not going to be even slightly that close).

Our delightful satus navigus  must have at some point, by me I must admit, been programmed to take the scenic route, because that is all it ever takes.  We have just left the M62 when we hit a spot of congestion.  As GO rightly mumbled from the passenger seat, "bloody weekend traffic, holiday makers all going home".  None of which I had any control over, we also hit road works, road narrowing and a whole shed load of traffic lights.  We both noted that the road leaving Filey/Scarborough was just as congested and made mental notes to go home a different way. By now we had passed, Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, York and Scarborough,  but we had made it, the sun was shining and we found a parking space, all be it on the top of the hill behind the grand hotels, at the cost of £5 for 4 hours.

We grabbed our gear and made out way to the seafront for our picnic, as we walked through the park past the playground, boating lake, mini race track and three putting greens, we noticed everybody else was wrapped up in jackets and scarves.  I then started to feel chilly, I had dressed for a day trip to the Northern Riviera in June, I should have dressed for a spring day by the North sea.  It was freezing, we decided against the sea front and took shelter in a pavilion on the putting green.  We/GO wrapped ourselves/himself in the picnic blanket and had our lunch.  As GO was still in recovery he passed on the coffee and just ate his roll, slowly.  I didn't want the whole day to be a bust so I told him to stay put an keep warm and I would go and take some photo for the trip.

As I strolled along the prom (prom, prom, tiddly, om, pom, pom) taking photos, planning activities for the children to do.  I realised that we would be here for about five hours, with 24 5/6 y.o's and all they had brought with them in previous years were some bats and balls.  I am planning on doing some sketching (of the beach huts), take some rubbings of the pavement (lots of shells and rocks), setting up a scavenger hunt, before running along the beach and paddling.

As I turned around making my way back to GO, I got a text message "I'm cold, going back to the car."  Bless him, he had to carry the backpack, cool box and my handbag back to the car all by himself.  just as he got himself comfy cosy I arrived and off we went, after a two and a half hour journey we had spent fifty minutes in Filey.  WE have used all of the fuel that we had put in the car (I will find out about getting that back, or maybe I should just claim expenses for it).  Mindful of the traffic leaving Filey on the way in we decided to go a different way towards Hull via, Bridlington and Beverly.  The satus navigus wasn't happy and kept trying to turn us

around.  Finally after being caught in the rush hour traffic we got home, 7 hours after we left.  This trip better be good, because I am not sure it will be worth all of the agro.  On the plus side it was a day out and I can now say I have been on the world tour of Yorkshire.

My turn to be Florence Nightingale

I'm not nervous

Two years ago I sat in a waiting room, it was the day of my ovarian drilling. I was nervous but hopeful for the future and what it would bring, not much as it turns out. Well today I sat in another waiting room as GO had a tooth extracted. We arrived early (7.30am, his appointment was at 9am) to find a parking spot. My plan was once he was in the OP room I'd sneak out to Gregg's and grab a bacon sandwich. He was called in and as I picked up my things to go the receptionist called, "You can't leave, you have to stay here the whole time". 

Oh!

He's not very good at waiting

I fiddled with my phone and just as I was getting restless I heard, "Mrs GO". It had only been ten or so minutes. I felt cold, had something gone wrong? Had they cancelled it? "Oh, he's fine" the nurse said, seeing my face. "It's all done he's in recovery."

He was so confused

She led me to a side room where GO was lying down, he looked sleepy and had cotton wool rolls stuffed in his mouth.  As he came round a bit more he began to ask questions and make jokes, which was hilarious in itself but as his mouth was packed with cotton it's was a muffled (more so than normal). It was about then that he heard the heart monitor beeping, within seconds he was trying to dance to it like some Euro Techno music. By this stage I was crying with laughter, but trying not to let anyone now as the nurse was giving me serious aftercare instructions.

Dancing to his own heartbeat

I managed to walk GO to the car and we set off back for home. The closer we got the sedation started to wear off, I nipped into the supermarket on the way home to get some bits for him. I picked up some baby food, as it was soft and packed with nutrients. 

He is now tucked up in bed, snoozing. I have the security camera set up so I can keep an eye on him.

Tucked up safe and sound

Get Well Soon Ginger One xxx

We'll See...