View from my classroom

Today was a horrendous day - the coursework deadlines have passed and some pupils have still not handed in all their work. On top of that, several seem to think it's the teacher's job to do the work for them.

But at lunchtime I tried to forget all that and I took a few photos of the trees and blossom that can be seen from the classroom window - how could I remain stressed when I could see such a beautiful sight?


This second photo was taken from my desk:

How peaceful the class is, when the pupils have left the room!

Laughter

Keep on laughing - its good for you!!!!

After having a really hard day at school I thought the above was so important.
Certainly I know that when I laugh, I always feel so much more relaxed. So lets all take time to laughat various points during our day.

A Busy Sunday

This morning started with the making of a cushion for my chair in my craftroom and then the making of this bag, with the same material that was used for the cushion being used for the bottom half of the bag. I'm quite pleased with it but may have a go at changing the strap as I found it slightly too wide when I used the bag this afternoon.
Then we went to Stowmarket to see Chris, Harry's son and to give him his Easter Egg - I know it's rather late but it's still chocolate and who can refuse chocolate? Also we took him a box of beers . Whilst we were there, he showed me how they mix music for raves and I had a go. Wasn't music for my ear- just a noise,but then perhaps that is just my age showing!

Then I was a very good wifee and accompanied Harry to the Stowmarket Model Railway Show where they had 20 layouts showing. The one below was one of my favourites and I must admit it was the village scenes that I liked about this one.


Then it was off the a small Tescos that stays open late for something for tea and then home. Now I am writing this between marking GCSE essays - I know which activity I prefer, but writing my blog doesn't pay the bills!!

Happy St George's Day

I am fed up with people thinking that The English flag and celebrating St George's day is racist. It is not. Unfortunately for some reason we have allowed an extremist organisation, the BNP [ whose leader, Nick Griffin, has even gone so far as to question the veracity of the Holocaust!]to hijack the flag and some of our English folk songs.
On Twiggy's blog she has listed 10 reasons to celebrate being English
Here are mine:
Folk music
Music festivals
Morris dancing
Seaside resorts and piers
Real ale and cider
Our beautiful countryside
Fish and chips
Ancient woodlands
Country pubs
Country villages

Anyone interested watch this

First Day Back and my poor husband

Today was the first day back after a wonderful two week break [except of course for the day I went into school to teach a revision session and all the time I spent marking and preparing work].
What a shock it was to the system, when the alarm clock went off at 7am and I had to get up. Still never mind - as today was an inset day [training day] I could wear my own clothes and not my 'school uniform'. So jeans and casual shirt it was, a quick breakfast and off to school I went.

After several computer problems when my laptop didn't like the updates that had been done to the system, it was time to go to the hall for a staff briefing. Very sad news followed - when we were told a colleague had lost her battle with cancer and had died over the weekend. After being told that, computer problems and staff missing because they were in foreign lands, seemed totally unimportant.

The pupils will be told tomorrow. This is the second time this year, they will have been told of the death of a member of staff - the first was a member of my department, who was killed by a train in January. I am expecting tomorrow will be a difficult day.

The rest of the day consisted of training on new computer systems and working on our assessment procedures.

I left work a little early to collect my poor husband, Harry to take him to the eye clinic. Yesterday he was diagnosed with shingles and as it is affecting his eye, they wanted to check behind it to ensure it wasn't infected. Fortunately the news was good and the actual eye is okay but they want to check him again in a weeks time. He is however feeling very sorry for himself so I am trying to be extra nice to him. Unfortunately I am not a very good nurse.


So tomorrow morning, it will be back to school again but this time with the actual pupils there - [ it's amazing how quiet a school is when the pupils are not there!]

It's Hot!!!!

Yes, you are reading it correctly - that is the temperature on my patio this afternoon. I must admit that it is sheltered and in full sun , but its hardly a temperature to complain about is it?
Photos of the garden from the patio - whoops maybe I should have removed the washing line!

Craft magazine

Yesterday afternoon whilst waiting for my prescription to be ready at the chemist, I had a wander round the Co-op and found this:

"Woman's Weekly", you may all gasp. "Surely not!"
But before you judge you might just take look at some of the pages from it.


First , what cutie wouldn't look lovely in this hooded top?Does your house suffer from draughts? Not anymore with this friendly looming draught excluder:


Then feast your eyes on these very cute Scandinavian baby slippers:

A rather appealing cross stitch to celebrate the eventual arrival of Spring:

An absolutely gorgeous rag doll, whose name is Pippa:

Ahoy me hearties: What about this swashbucklin' pirate?

Or this patchwork and appliqué adorable Spring themed quilt

And with just a few bits of scrap fabric and some buttons, your little angel could make herself one of these:

And now we are all busy in the garden, what could be more useful than this gardener's apron?

Have you changed your mind about "Woman's Weekly" yet? I know I have and I'll certainly be looking out for their summer edition of this craft special

Charlie and Elvis new folksy shop

My son and his partner have been creating unique, handmade jewellery with a vintage twist for some while now. They now attend quite a few of the vintage fairs in the north - Leeds, Sheffield, Manhester etc.,They create individual pieces inspired by their favourite things - fairytales, tea parties, nature, the seaside and much more!... You can also find them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/charlieandelvis

Their shop an be found here

Here are some examples of some of their latest pieces:

My cleaner kitchen

Due to my flylady efforts the kitchen is now looking a lot better

Monday Morning

I said that I'd join in with the weekly flylady on the MSE this week - so I will. Anything that will ensure I get this house back into some kind of order must be worthwhile.
It was difficult getting out of bed this morning as for some reason it seemed a bit cold. But eventually I braved the arctic conditions of the bedroom and got dressed quickly, putting an my thick cardi to keep out the cold. Then it was downstairs for breakfast and a quick check of emails before getting started. However I was delayed by the postman bringing a few goodies to the door - my free BBC seeds, a copy of Country Living and my parcel of ribbons ordered from Patch.
But now there are no more excuses and I must get going on the following:
Monday ~ Kitchen/Dining area
Level One
Sweep and mop floors
Declutter and wipe worksurfaces
Level Two
Scrub the fronts of units and large appliances
Wipe and replace the small appliances
Wipe tables and place clean cloth
Level Three
Clean out a cupboard..
Scrub the sink and shine the taps and tiles
Clean out the fridge!
Extras

1. Wipe over oven and hob
2. Declutter and wipe window sills
3. Empty and wash out bins.. recycling, rubbish and compost! (inside bins not wheelies!!!!)
4. HHI

I'm so lucky!

The door bell rang and on opening it, the postman handed me a parcel. I wonder if this is my flower swap from Suze at Handmade from the Heart, I thought. And indeed it was.

Neatly packed into the box were several packages, which when unwrapped filled me with delight:


2 pieces of lovely fabric, pack of seeds, a lavender filled heart, a pack of minstrels[have you spotted that it's already open!!!] and two gorgeous hanging wooden shapes - a flower and a chicken , both which are lovely. But this one is my favourite:

Thanks so much Suze - I feel really really spoilt.

Spring Giveaway

Finally it seems spring may have arrived and to celebrate I am giving away a copy of this:
The draw will be made on Monday 12th April. For a chance to win, just leave a comment and your name will go into the hat.