9th June 2009
Another trip down the road to old fartydom on Sunday. Both Fish and I share the same birthday (only he is seven years older) so we can’t really wind the other up too much. Mum took us out for a meal as a thanks for all the ones we have cooked her. Most grateful as Fish is still looking for work and we are getting more broke as time goes on. When Mum asked if I had ever been a waitress I had to say no, not yet – but I could see that time coming. Surely that’s something you do when you’re younger? Am I going to live my life backwards?
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Thursday, 28 May 2009
28th May 2009
I spent the last three days in the North Yorkshire Moors with my younger son. Fish was supposed to come to but his kidney scan was brought forward to Tuesday. My youngest did comment he thought his Dad wasn’t entirely sorry this had happened. Too bad I had already bought two extra sleeping bags and a chair to accommodate the three of us.
Highlights included:
· Driving through villages built of golden limestone.
· The magnificence of the moors especially near Osmotherly where Dad and I used to walk on the Cleveland Way
· The drive from Osmotherly through Hawnby and into Helmsley – surely there can be few more ravishingly pretty roads.
· The intense violet of the bluebells growing amongst the lime green foliage of new bracken at the side of Roseberry topping.
· The massive portions of steak and duck served by the White Horse in Ampleforth.
· The company of my youngest son.
Downsides:
· The windiest campsite I have ever experienced (Golden Square). The pov tents were situated to be severely tested by the elements.
· The weather – boiling sun, rain, wind and hail within the space of half an hour during our walk.
But warmth and comfy beds are fantastic after this!
I spent the last three days in the North Yorkshire Moors with my younger son. Fish was supposed to come to but his kidney scan was brought forward to Tuesday. My youngest did comment he thought his Dad wasn’t entirely sorry this had happened. Too bad I had already bought two extra sleeping bags and a chair to accommodate the three of us.
Highlights included:
· Driving through villages built of golden limestone.
· The magnificence of the moors especially near Osmotherly where Dad and I used to walk on the Cleveland Way
· The drive from Osmotherly through Hawnby and into Helmsley – surely there can be few more ravishingly pretty roads.
· The intense violet of the bluebells growing amongst the lime green foliage of new bracken at the side of Roseberry topping.
· The massive portions of steak and duck served by the White Horse in Ampleforth.
· The company of my youngest son.
Downsides:
· The windiest campsite I have ever experienced (Golden Square). The pov tents were situated to be severely tested by the elements.
· The weather – boiling sun, rain, wind and hail within the space of half an hour during our walk.
But warmth and comfy beds are fantastic after this!
Saturday, 23 May 2009
23rd May 2009
Finally licensed to kill! I passed my First Aid at Work Certificate on Thursday. This time I took it with a group of teachers plus some others who worked for the County Council. Everyone was lovely and down to earth. Last time I took the certificate I was with:
· Two First Aid volunteers who didn’t want to disclose this information on the grounds they could be instantly failed because they belonged to a rival brigade.
· One bloke who used to be a First Aid trainer but had given it up because he had a falling out with others around him. He had been asked by his workplace to go on the course and seemed faintly traumatised by his past.
· The Commander of the whole region who hadn’t a clue what was going on.
I was the only normal! The Commander was the worst First Aider by far and barely scraped through his theory. However he made up for those deficiencies by being the prize letch.
Now I can have the privilege of bandaging some kids who have been fighting while my lunch sits uneaten in the staffroom.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
17th May 2009
An unusually peaceful weekend. I cooked the dorade and smoked eel we were meant to have last weekend until our plans were hijacked by the old boy’s reunion. The smoked eel partnered Jersey Royal potatoes that were anointed with a little olive oil, lemon juice dressing and then the eel was topped with a horseradish cream. It was good with the combination of the earthy potatoes against the oily, smoky eel and the heat from the horseradish. Next time I will use only four potatoes as there was a little too much spud.
The dorade was given a totally different treatment and had shredded spring onion, ginger and a little sliced garlic used as a sandwich filling between two fillets. I sprinkled a little soy sauce and rice wine over them, covered the dish with foil and baked it at 180°C for 20 mins. It was lovely served with rice, mangetout and mushroom cooked Chinese style. Bless Wirral Farmers Market for supplying such smoked goodies as eel, duck , goose etc. There are some real treats to be had once a month.
An unusually peaceful weekend. I cooked the dorade and smoked eel we were meant to have last weekend until our plans were hijacked by the old boy’s reunion. The smoked eel partnered Jersey Royal potatoes that were anointed with a little olive oil, lemon juice dressing and then the eel was topped with a horseradish cream. It was good with the combination of the earthy potatoes against the oily, smoky eel and the heat from the horseradish. Next time I will use only four potatoes as there was a little too much spud.
The dorade was given a totally different treatment and had shredded spring onion, ginger and a little sliced garlic used as a sandwich filling between two fillets. I sprinkled a little soy sauce and rice wine over them, covered the dish with foil and baked it at 180°C for 20 mins. It was lovely served with rice, mangetout and mushroom cooked Chinese style. Bless Wirral Farmers Market for supplying such smoked goodies as eel, duck , goose etc. There are some real treats to be had once a month.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Blog 16th May 2009
A busy few days. Wednesday was a supposedly a quiet day at school now the Year 11’s have left but all I did was fill in endless forms for my two D of E trips. Stupid questions include putting down the registration numbers of all the vehicles used. So what happens if something breaks down or we have to find a substitute? They had to be handed in by Friday because I’m on a First Aid course next week. I finally managed to put them in last thing on Friday after most sensible people had gone home. I wonder how many panic enquiries there will be while I’m away...
We went to see Eric Clapton at the Echo Arena (Scouse bowl) on Wednesday night. Thank God, he got straight on with playing, no nauseating intros like ‘Hello Liverpool’. Instead we were treated to the wonderful, fluent sound of the electric guitar played by a master. Two great musicians in one week – I’m not normally so lucky. But I must say I prefer the Empire or the Philharmonic Hall to the Scouse bowl. It’s exterior is stunning both in terms of architecture and setting – you get a great view of the Mersey at night. But the interior reminds me of a football stadium with a roof except the seats are more comfy. They all face into the centre of the arena rather than towards the stage and are a long way off. The most irritating part is that people wander in and out constantly to buy beer, then need to go to the loo and so there is constant disruption. It is like a busy ants nest. At least at the Empire and Phil everyone has to sit still while the performance is on. I’m sure it makes the experience more intense. Even if people are moving at a distance it still distracts your eye. A triumph of profiteering (the beer is not cheap, neither is the water) over pleasure.
On Thursday I decided to show Year 10 the Great Global Warming Swindle. I was going to show ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ so we could discuss the science. I did point out to Year 10 that both programmes are guilty of using graphs without necessarily having a proven mechanism to explain the pattern. However some in Year 10 are now convinced that carbon dioxide levels might not be the evil they are portrayed to be and global climate change doesn’t spell the end of life as we know it. I hope, if nothing else they will view any such claims critically.
When I got back from my Thursday singing and dance classes the Liverpool Memorial match was on. Rushie had already scored but I saw Aldo head in a classic striker’s goal. His instinct is still strong. My favourite memories of Aldo are of him scoring goals and watching him dancing up and down on the touchline at Prenton Park turning purple with rage. It will be interesting to see what the files about Hillsborough reveal when they are released. I think there could be some very dark stuff .
Wirral Writers Group was on Friday. I eventually finished my short story for the Maynah Lewis Cup; not that I think it will win, it is for 1600 word stories and, frankly, I had such a lot of plot it was difficult to develop the characters much. Infact, with a bit of tweaking and a subplot that one could be expanded into a novel. I read out my rewritten chapter from my novel ‘Silent Blossom’. This time everyone thought I had created much more tension so I will continue to try and improve parts of it. Mike had one of his stories accepted for a magazine – he is an accountant with an amazing imagination. I also enjoyed a poem about the First World War as well as an excerpt from Barbara’s book about the same period. Chris described part of a holiday to Russia she found in the Liverpool Echo. It was back in the 80’s and only cost £169 for 10 days. Frank read out his article lionising Margaret Thatcher. We had to make sure we concentrated on the writing rather than the politics!
A busy few days. Wednesday was a supposedly a quiet day at school now the Year 11’s have left but all I did was fill in endless forms for my two D of E trips. Stupid questions include putting down the registration numbers of all the vehicles used. So what happens if something breaks down or we have to find a substitute? They had to be handed in by Friday because I’m on a First Aid course next week. I finally managed to put them in last thing on Friday after most sensible people had gone home. I wonder how many panic enquiries there will be while I’m away...
We went to see Eric Clapton at the Echo Arena (Scouse bowl) on Wednesday night. Thank God, he got straight on with playing, no nauseating intros like ‘Hello Liverpool’. Instead we were treated to the wonderful, fluent sound of the electric guitar played by a master. Two great musicians in one week – I’m not normally so lucky. But I must say I prefer the Empire or the Philharmonic Hall to the Scouse bowl. It’s exterior is stunning both in terms of architecture and setting – you get a great view of the Mersey at night. But the interior reminds me of a football stadium with a roof except the seats are more comfy. They all face into the centre of the arena rather than towards the stage and are a long way off. The most irritating part is that people wander in and out constantly to buy beer, then need to go to the loo and so there is constant disruption. It is like a busy ants nest. At least at the Empire and Phil everyone has to sit still while the performance is on. I’m sure it makes the experience more intense. Even if people are moving at a distance it still distracts your eye. A triumph of profiteering (the beer is not cheap, neither is the water) over pleasure.
On Thursday I decided to show Year 10 the Great Global Warming Swindle. I was going to show ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ so we could discuss the science. I did point out to Year 10 that both programmes are guilty of using graphs without necessarily having a proven mechanism to explain the pattern. However some in Year 10 are now convinced that carbon dioxide levels might not be the evil they are portrayed to be and global climate change doesn’t spell the end of life as we know it. I hope, if nothing else they will view any such claims critically.
When I got back from my Thursday singing and dance classes the Liverpool Memorial match was on. Rushie had already scored but I saw Aldo head in a classic striker’s goal. His instinct is still strong. My favourite memories of Aldo are of him scoring goals and watching him dancing up and down on the touchline at Prenton Park turning purple with rage. It will be interesting to see what the files about Hillsborough reveal when they are released. I think there could be some very dark stuff .
Wirral Writers Group was on Friday. I eventually finished my short story for the Maynah Lewis Cup; not that I think it will win, it is for 1600 word stories and, frankly, I had such a lot of plot it was difficult to develop the characters much. Infact, with a bit of tweaking and a subplot that one could be expanded into a novel. I read out my rewritten chapter from my novel ‘Silent Blossom’. This time everyone thought I had created much more tension so I will continue to try and improve parts of it. Mike had one of his stories accepted for a magazine – he is an accountant with an amazing imagination. I also enjoyed a poem about the First World War as well as an excerpt from Barbara’s book about the same period. Chris described part of a holiday to Russia she found in the Liverpool Echo. It was back in the 80’s and only cost £169 for 10 days. Frank read out his article lionising Margaret Thatcher. We had to make sure we concentrated on the writing rather than the politics!
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Blog 12th May
I told my year 13 class Thursday would be the last lesson I will ever have with them. They are a delightful class and I will miss them. We will have a little tea party during the last lesson and trough on doughnuts, cake and tea while we go through past papers.
I explained to Year 10 about the history of the atmosphere and decided to stick up for carbon dioxide, a much maligned gas. The early atmosphere contained mainly water and carbon dioxide with traces of ammonia and methane. When carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans it produced the chemical mix that allowed life to form. Without carbon dioxide there is no photosynthesis and therefore no food for animals. Most plant growth is restricted by lack of it anyway. Perhaps I should start a carbon dioxide appreciation society to seriously annoy the eco-warriors and their overindulgence in self-righteous doom-mongering. Hopefully my classes might realise what poor science is being spouted in the media.
I tried out some problem solving experiments with my Year 9 class instead of ploughing through SATs questions before their test on Friday. The thing is, I’m not sure how much they did learn. They eventually realised the way to separate sugar and glass was by dissolving and filtering. I think the only other revelation was that they can make plasticine float if they make it into boats. I suppose the proof have to be in the test results or I’m sunk.
I told my year 13 class Thursday would be the last lesson I will ever have with them. They are a delightful class and I will miss them. We will have a little tea party during the last lesson and trough on doughnuts, cake and tea while we go through past papers.
I explained to Year 10 about the history of the atmosphere and decided to stick up for carbon dioxide, a much maligned gas. The early atmosphere contained mainly water and carbon dioxide with traces of ammonia and methane. When carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans it produced the chemical mix that allowed life to form. Without carbon dioxide there is no photosynthesis and therefore no food for animals. Most plant growth is restricted by lack of it anyway. Perhaps I should start a carbon dioxide appreciation society to seriously annoy the eco-warriors and their overindulgence in self-righteous doom-mongering. Hopefully my classes might realise what poor science is being spouted in the media.
I tried out some problem solving experiments with my Year 9 class instead of ploughing through SATs questions before their test on Friday. The thing is, I’m not sure how much they did learn. They eventually realised the way to separate sugar and glass was by dissolving and filtering. I think the only other revelation was that they can make plasticine float if they make it into boats. I suppose the proof have to be in the test results or I’m sunk.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Hello
Blog 11th May 2009
And finally it’s up and running despite an unstable WiFi connection courtesy of a stroppy git in the Asian subcontinent who clearly hates his job. Perhaps all products should state clearly on the outside of the box where the support comes from. I would pay extra to have someone I can understand and who understands me when it all goes horribly wrong.
I meant to have this started at the weekend but a couple of drinks with Fish’s old school friends turned into an all day trawl round the bars of Chester. Worse, I was spotted walking next to a man who isn’t my husband by a load of Year 10’s I teach who insisted on waving to me from the bus heading back to the villages of Wales. This will have all been carefully noted and I will have serious questions to answer about my relationships when I am interrogated by them in their chemistry lesson tomorrow. I am so glad I don’t live in the catchment area.
Still it was a good laugh and I discovered about the good old days of lax sixth formers who slunk off to the pub every lunchtime and the teachers didn’t care. In fact their custom was so welcome at the Cracke they used to hold a free Christmas party for them (three pints and some sandwiches). This never happens now and is all evidence of our declining standards in education.
On Sunday we listened to a sublime concert at the Phil in Liverpool. Midori played Bach, Faure and a sensational Shostakovich piece. A Schubert sonata (A minor) was in there for those who like lift music. It was the first time my eldest son had been to a classical concert – thankfully he thought the Schubert was lightweight too.
School was fairly uneventful today. One of my Year 8 students donated the musical instrument he made to me. It is made out of different lengths of plastic pipe (correctly tuned) and duct tape. It sounds almost like a xylophone and is quite addictive. I have had to hide it to stop anyone else from stealing it. We had a bizarre time testing their ear trumpets they made last lesson (one doubled as a hat). They are a lovely class. I waved goodbye to my equally sweet Year 11 class last Friday – we all got on really well. They left some goodbye messages on the board, then, when my bonkers Year 7 class came in they wrote me some goodbye messages as well. Strange as this was the start of the lesson and I will teach them until July. What do they know that I don’t?
And finally it’s up and running despite an unstable WiFi connection courtesy of a stroppy git in the Asian subcontinent who clearly hates his job. Perhaps all products should state clearly on the outside of the box where the support comes from. I would pay extra to have someone I can understand and who understands me when it all goes horribly wrong.
I meant to have this started at the weekend but a couple of drinks with Fish’s old school friends turned into an all day trawl round the bars of Chester. Worse, I was spotted walking next to a man who isn’t my husband by a load of Year 10’s I teach who insisted on waving to me from the bus heading back to the villages of Wales. This will have all been carefully noted and I will have serious questions to answer about my relationships when I am interrogated by them in their chemistry lesson tomorrow. I am so glad I don’t live in the catchment area.
Still it was a good laugh and I discovered about the good old days of lax sixth formers who slunk off to the pub every lunchtime and the teachers didn’t care. In fact their custom was so welcome at the Cracke they used to hold a free Christmas party for them (three pints and some sandwiches). This never happens now and is all evidence of our declining standards in education.
On Sunday we listened to a sublime concert at the Phil in Liverpool. Midori played Bach, Faure and a sensational Shostakovich piece. A Schubert sonata (A minor) was in there for those who like lift music. It was the first time my eldest son had been to a classical concert – thankfully he thought the Schubert was lightweight too.
School was fairly uneventful today. One of my Year 8 students donated the musical instrument he made to me. It is made out of different lengths of plastic pipe (correctly tuned) and duct tape. It sounds almost like a xylophone and is quite addictive. I have had to hide it to stop anyone else from stealing it. We had a bizarre time testing their ear trumpets they made last lesson (one doubled as a hat). They are a lovely class. I waved goodbye to my equally sweet Year 11 class last Friday – we all got on really well. They left some goodbye messages on the board, then, when my bonkers Year 7 class came in they wrote me some goodbye messages as well. Strange as this was the start of the lesson and I will teach them until July. What do they know that I don’t?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
