Monday 30 March 2009

Toes

We were in the car on the way from my parent's house where I had just collected Cara to my parent in laws, where we were going to pick the dog up from. Cara discarded her socks and I was teasing her by saying her feet smelt. "Do you want to smell them?" she asked. "Erm...no thanks Pickle."

So, we picked the dog up and my Father in Law walked to the car to say hello to Cara. They had a little chat and when he shut the door, Cara said to me "Why didn't Grandad smell my toes?" "Erm...I don't know Pickle."

Saturday 28 March 2009

Lovely day and parenting tip #1

It has been a lovely day. We haven't done anything out of the ordinary, but H had the day off work and has been home!

He took Cara swimming and then I went to my most favourite fabric shop in the whole wide ever and treated myself a little (or rather a lot...oops!)

I bought a metre of each of these (the Michael Miller Disco Dots and Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market are two of my all time favourite fabrics and I kept worrying that the shop would sell out - infact the lady only got the Farmer's Market back in stock yesterday after - and she said that she is unable to get the orange one anymore *sob*.... ....as well as a fat quarter of each of these....
....and then these gorgeous little fabric letters....

When I got home I finished off a little sewing project I've been thinking about for a while, but have only just round to doing. I'm really pleased with it although Cara keeps asking if it is for the dog rather than her! All we need now is some sun to go with it.


Parenting tip #1
Invest in waterproofs. It has been raining off and on all day, but this afternoon, when it cleared for a bit, we donned welly's and waterproofs and headed for the park. It didn't matter that is was wet and much fun was had jumping in puddles, sliding down the slide (rather fast thanks to the water!) and going on the swings. Not a wet bottom in sight. I'm hopig it has helped wear her out a little bit more, ready for an early'ish bedtime (although we mustn't forget that the clocks go forward tomorrow morning. Roll on summer.)

Thursday 26 March 2009

The deed is done

So....about a month ago, my lovely Head of Faculty got a job at a new school for September, leaving her post 'up for grabs'. I'm the second in charge, so I think most people thought I would jump at the chance to apply for the job. How wrong they were. I just don't want it. It was what I did in my old school and it's almost as though 'I've been there and have got the T-shirt' so to speak. A small part of me can see all the reasons why I should apply, but it's like my heart is saying 'no' and my head is saying 'yes'.

The closing date for applications is tomorrow. As of last Friday, there had been two enquiries and no applications. I took an application, 'just incase', but haven't had any inclination whatsoever to fill it out.

That said, I have just spent an hour writing a letter of application. I really can't be bothered to fill out the whole application and so have written this half-hearted letter instead. I know why I'm doing it. For the other members of the Faculty who want me to apply, for the school and for the students. I guess that's the thing with teaching. Very little of it is actually done for yourself.

If I get it, my heart will be in 100%, I've no doubt about that, but I'm just so confused with it all (that's why I'm now rambling!)

So - I guess time will tell is all I can say. Oh to have a crystal ball ah?

Sunday 15 March 2009

Lambs, lambs and more lambs

We have had a truly lovely day today.

For the past two weeks, we have been planning to go to Hadlow College today for their Lambing Weekend. This morning, the weather was glorious and we couldn't have asked for it to be better.

Cara got the opportunity to hold one of the lambs and have her photo taken (it isn't the best of quality as this is a photo of the photo)









After that, she went
on a little carousel...








...and then we queued
for a tractor ride (not
the best photo of me,
but I don't have that
many of the two of us
together, so I figure,
here is a good place to
start!)

When we left the college, we called into a lovely little pub where they had a children's play area. I think both H and I could have sat there all day while Cara played, it was so relaxing (although H was a little disappointed that they had stopped serving food!). When we left, Cara told us, "but I don't want to go. It's so pretty. I really like it". I think a trip back there will be on the cards for one day soon :-)

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Just like buses

Nothing for ages and then everything at once!

Two more things from today:

1) Cara actually asked if she could go to bed. This is the child who ever since being born has had a dire sleep pattern and takes convincing that sleep is a good thing. She sat on the floor in the front room and said "can I go to bed?". My mum tells stories about how I was an awful sleeper and because my brother was such a good sleeper - who also used to ask to go to bed - it was such a shock to her!

2) I've been called for jury service. Tuesday 5th May. Let's hope Ofsted think that will be a good week to come and inspect school, lol.

Heart melting moments

Two things have made me go 'ahhhh' today.

First of all, when I was all snuggled up on the settee this morning, waiting for my mum to come and collect Cara for me, Cara wandered out into the bathroom and came back with a beaker of water and a tissue, to try and make me feel better because she knew I was poorly. Bless. The workings of a three year olds mind!

Secondly, I popped to Tesco at lunchtime to pick up a few bits and because it forced me out of bed and made me get dressed and also helped me get some fresh air. As I was wandering around in a half dazed state (lord knows what I looked like), an elderly gentleman randomly came up to me and told me that the tea bags that were in the next aisle that were selling for £2.89 were on special offer at the local Co-Op for £1.18. Bless him. I don't even drink tea.

Disaster strikes

I know in the grand scheme of things this really isn't that big deal, but my husband walked in from work to find me in flood of tears about this last night!

Because I was feeling so ill yesterday, I took a bottle of Lucozade to work to try and drink through the day to perk me up a bit. When I left work, I put it in my bag along with a massive pile of my student's work (ever the optimist, thinking I'd feel okay to do some marking!). Just before I was going to go to sleep, I thought I'd take two tablets to help my throat, so I got the bottle of Lucozade out of my bag. Only to discover the lid wasn't on properly and it had leaked.

It had got pretty much all of the work wet - thankfully each piece was in a plastic wallet and it was only the top of each bit, but it was still enough to upset me. I am so conscientious when it comes to work and it takes hours to mark all the assignments and provide feedback (one of the drawbacks of teaching courses which are either all coursework based or have a large coursework component!).

Anyway - as Cara has taken to sleeping with us lately, I laid it all out in her room to see if it will dry out.

Tuesday 10 March 2009

What a difference a week makes

Last Tuesday was fab - what with the new bike and all.

Today - I feel so ill it is unreal. My throat is on fire, I have a pounding headache, I have a cough, am cold and shivery and I was sick last night. I made it in to work today (for the simple fact I had an easy double lesson and PPA time this afternoon) but somehow, I think tomorrow will be a different story.

Roll on the summer I say.

Tuesday 3 March 2009

"It's really lovely"

Now that Spring is finally on it's way, I decided that it would be lovely for Cara to have her first 'proper' bike. I had visions of her riding it in the park with the sun shining! So - after I picked her up from pre-school, we went to the bike shop. "How do you make a bike?" she asked on the way. "How do you make a bike shop?" she asked after that!

She picked a bike out - it's pink with tassles on the handles! She tried it out and she fits it. She also got a helmet, "for if I fall off" she told me. We put it in the car and on the way home, she commented, "It's really lovely."

We have one happy pickle this evening!

Monday 2 March 2009

Rough night

I currently have sinusitis. I woke up Thursday morning with the worst headache (just in time for Year 9 options evening!) and I finally put two and two together Saturday morning. A trip to the doctor's confirmed it. Anyway - in my infinite wisdom, I took two Sudafed before I went to bed last night. It was only as I was laying there, my mind racing ten miles to the dozen, that I realised they contain caffeine. Two hours later, I finally fell asleep.

1.15am, Cara (who has taken to sleeping in with us) wakes up crying. I first thought she was having a nightmare, so tried to wake her. Seconds later, she was sick. Everywhere. A change of bed clothes and pyjamas later, we were all settling back down to sleep, when she was sick again. We all went back to sleep only for H's alarm clock to go off at 4.30am. Arrrgggghhh!

I picked Cara up from my parents' house this afternoon and she is as right as rain. She then fell asleep in the car. I'm going to use the time to get some marking done. Although, I've left my favourite 'marking pen' at work. Maybe it's fate trying to tell me something!

Sunday 1 March 2009

Lots of lovely goodies!

I decided to treat myself rather a little bit too much this past week!

I have been lusting after the combination of these two Amy Butler fabrics for a while now. My two usual favourite fabric shops let me down - one shop stocked just the Polka Dots and not the Wall Flower and the other didn't have either (although they did have the Wall Flower in Apricot which I succumbed to!) Anyway, I found a place on the net that stocked both and the lovely postman bought them to me earlier in the week.













Next I decided to actually make myself something so bought the Amy Butler Barcelona Skirts pattern and some fabric to use for it.













The last thing, which I am incredibly excited about is this new 'Flip' video camera. We recently got some of these at work and they are fab. They hold 60 minutes worth of video and to download it, you just flip out the USB, plug it into your computer and it's done! Expect to see lots of video of Cara here soon!