Today was sports day and the new daughter person won her race, her friends all won stuff, and now she will be representing the school at the inter-school thingy - Viard shield or something - Giffy, your school will be in this one?
Everyone is too tired in the evenings and hungry, and it takes too long to make dinner. We need a new plan... this one is not working.
I am a rotten timekeeper - I miss the gun, I miss the finishes, and in a couple of cases I missed the button too. I don't know if I will be allowed to timekeep again.
I really love riding the bike, and deeply wish I could ride it to school again.
Went to dancing tonight and I'm not totally Cvinced about this. The club is small, and will probably stay that way - they don't have enough fun. There is too much point the toes, make the straight line, everyone turn at the same time and not enough just having fun. But I like this style of dancing and being a bit tidier wouldn't actually hurt me. Dunno.
School fine, but they are re-arranging the entire third form, and so on Wednesday I have a totally new class. That should be interesting... Absolute pest though as I have been working hard on teaching them the routines etc, and now need to start again.
A has gone to bed early which she should have done a long time ago - perhaps she will have time to apply make-up at home tomorrow instead of in my room at school while I get organised.
Sprat is bringing home some of the things he is learning at various places now - when Dad told him he had to turn off the computer, he muttered You're dead meat - claiming he was talking to the cartoon character.
I have my viva in 8 days.
Since A has moved into the house we seem to have been extremely busy. Last weekend we had to work hard to even find time to go and get the groceries, this weekend was no different. She had to go to the Relay for Life, and so we went too. I walked and ran around the track for an hour last night while everyone else was eating, and then R walked round while carrying his pack at 3 in the morning. He said it was pretty laid back at that time in the day. We went again for the end times, and with everyone on the track it was very slow walking. It was harder than going at my comfortable speed.
But I didn't go at my comfortable speed anyway. The two M's from school grabbed me and I had to run for a bit and then speed walk for the rest of the time. I haven't run for any distance for a long time so I was pretty impressed that not only did I run, I could still walk this morning! I also got to bike in to the relay last night, and go on a fun ride on the bike again tonight. I went out to the beach tonight and it was a head wind for the first part which took about 2/3 of the time, and then sprinted home with the tail wind. It was hoony fun. I was going to lay the bike out at the bottom of our road, but it was covered in leaves and twigs and loose stones so I piked. And covered the whole lane with the recovery too.
That bike is the best birthday present I have had in a long long time.
I got an email today asking when I would like to have the oral exam for the thesis. I am very nervous about it - all the work of the past 7 or 8 years is going up for judgement in a couple of weeks.
Theoretically it should pass, as the supervisor would not let me hand in anything totally substandard. But in fact, sometimes you are close enough to the line that the three hour exam can leave you sweating blood. Sometimes it is a Cversation amoung equals, sometimes it is a real DEFENSE of the thesis.
I tell you what though, I know the supervisor is supportive of me passing this. It would be very re-assuring to have him in the room but he is in Holland. So he will only be on the phone.
And dammit, if I pass I was looking forward to going to pub with him. I'm sure we owe each other a large number of beverages.
And no, I'm not pregnant!
We are going to be hosting a Rian girl for the rest of the year (A). She is here on the AFS system, and will be our eldest daughter... Until she goes home anyway.
We need a bed for her, and a bigger car (we were going to get a bigger car anyway, this just brings it forwards) and maybe a bike!
It was a beautiful day, and I had nothing to rush home for, so I went via the river. Its a lovely track, and busy enough that I don't feel like I must be wierd for liking this part of the town but not so busy that I think it would be easier to ride on the road... Sea breezes meant that it felt a lot like a work out!
Not many classes today, and that was good.
Went dancing last night and there were not a lot of people there, but it was okay. A bit subdued. The woman I went with has never done this kind of dancing sober before!, so found it a bit strange.
Had only four classes today and have only four tomorrow, so am feeling a bit less run off my feet.
Hubby asked if I could pick the kids up tonight and I said no, I'm on a BICYCLE. It took him ages to work out that if my school finishes after C's school, then no, I CANNOT PICK HIM UP FROM SCHOOL. Eventually he worked out how to get everyone home without him having to do the impossible either. Tonight, after tea, we had to go back to school and get my bike, which as we don't have a stand I needed to ride home, and C rode home too, and it all ended up being a rather epic adventure. But C, who is only five, now rides about 5 km without any problem - the bigger bike is SO worth it.
Must go to bed early - am yawning a lot.
Had much more fun with the fourth form today - abandoned the timetable and got stuck into the work we are supposed to do next week. Much more fun for all Ccerned.
Nearly had the daftest shouting match with the technician:
T: is there anything you need in your lab from the supermarket?
Me: Yup, could you get me a brush and pan.
T: (rising voice) You are already supposed to have one in there!
Me: Mmm, I don't though, so could I get one?
T: (now half way to full volume) Why don't you use the one in my room?
Me: Total silence while she looks in her lab which I already know doesn't HAVE a brush and pan....
T: (FULL VOLUME) WHERE IS IT? WHO TOOK IT? WHY DON'T PEOPLE TELL ME THESE THINGS? WHO ELSE HASN'T GOT A BRUSH AND PAN?
Honestly, I think I know why people don't talk to her...
Tonight am going to scottish coutry dancing with a friend. I hope we have the more relaxed tutor, because an uptight one might find the mood I am in tonight to be a bit much to cope with.
more kids today, and heaps of them. Full time teaching seems to involve them just coming and coming to my room expecting entertainment and education all at the same time... I'm pretty sure I cannot be so accomodating. I have no gas in my room anyway.
We might be getting an exchange student for the rest of the year - will let you know! She is a tiny gorgeous Rian, that the male students have all gone a bit gaga over....
Today it is my birthday... I celebrated by throwing an obnoxious pXXXk out of my class less than a minute after he entered.
The classes look normal. Not good, not bad, just normal.
I rode the bike to school today - R took the children to where they needed to go. It was lovely riding through town, though the legs were not warmed up by the first hill, so was a bit hard!
And then it rained a tiny bit during the powhiri for the new students, and after that it fair pissed down. And Ctinued to do so all afternoon. so when it came time to depart the merry scene and go home, I delayed a bit hoping for a break in the weather. But no, it just varied between heavy rain and pelting down. I came home really fast and got totally saturated. It was okay because I knew I was going to be getting in the warm shower when I got here, and the exercise kept me warm on the inside.
Going fast is a lot of fun...
It should have been pretty slack, but this teacher only day has left me feeling pummeled. We had a workshop where we picked five things that we as a staff are going to all work on. Everyone. And we picked the Csequences that we would all use for infringements. There were arguments about what five to choose, how to administer the paper work, and the Csequences. We are like a lot of teachers; great at bringing up the problems but not so skilled with solutions. It was a long and draining session.
Then I have this class to teach which no-one has a cirriculum for, no one knows what year the kids in the first rotation will be, and there is a whole heap of paperwork to do before we start. It is frustrating and quite scarey. When I don't have a clear objective and attack plan, classes get way out of Ctrol real quick.
Then the before and after care for C has quit. R is going to sort something - I've sorted something twice already, and it is his turn.
The only good parts so far is I managed to voice the opinion of the staff majority and force change to an admin system that is not working, and I get to bike to work now instead of dropping off the kids.
Went into school and surprise surprise, its still there and hasn't changed. The boss isn't talking much to me (quite handy, as I don't want to talk to him much). The room looks okay, must take in the plants this weekend. There are lots of bits of paper cruising around looking for a home, some of them will find the round home and never return....
The timetable dude is refusing to print out timetables because there are 300 changes to make. Heh.
Seems the husband will be back in the weekend which is nice - a bit early which means we have time to settle him in before the fun and games called school begins. I'm not looking forward to school really - I'm sure it will be too chaotic for my peace of mind.
I've been trying to get some units organised for the juniors but the school scheme is a bit Cfused about what each level is being taught, for how long, and what is being taught in the un-named blocks of work. Its very tempting to abandon this system and use the highly organised one I have from another place.
Can't wait to see what ERO think. Heh.
We have no money, but I made two orders on the internet today, and bought stuff at shops as well. I must remember not to tell R off for doing the same thing. I am so looking forward to going back to being a two income family again.