Angel Jem's City Cottage

When I was so much younger than now I used to play in a concert band. I played clarinet and, my favourite instrument then and now, saxophone. My Mum said it was a good way of letting us get out in supervised surroundings whilst also keeping us out of trouble. We spent at least 6 hours a week practising and often another 2 hours at a concert. Summer weekends passed in a haze of fetes and garden parties while the pleasures of a bi-annual band swap in Germany taught us that teenagers the world over are the same. One of my favourite pieces was a collection of American Civil war songs called 'The Blue and the Grey'. With classics such as Marching through Georgia, Aura Lee (Yes, the boys thought that was rude, but I never got the joke. Boys can be so infantile sometimes) and the Yellow Rose of Texas it was a real good toe tapping collection and made me happy. We used to joke that the only thing missing was the cannon fire. Then one July night we played for the Mersey River Festival...

Wow! I celebrated 1 week of really useful teaching yesterday with a trip to WH Smith's.... Miss Potter and National Treasure being (ahem) within my limits for DVDs I want to buy, they came home with me. I watched National Treasure last night with the children, but this afternoon I have sat for about an hour watching Miss Potter . I like Ewan McGregor & I find Renee Zellwegger's english accent fascinating, so it's quite easy to waste time watching, when I have bedrooms to sort, a new blanket to crochet and 'things to do' that don't involve sitting down and resting. But, perhaps I needed to rest. Perhaps I needed that hour to help me relax and think things through. Like a decent walk, it's a break. I am enjoying my work, thank you. I have some small groups to teach and a little Chinese lad who has fallen behind and needs one to one just for 20 minutes a day. It is so good to spend time with children and see them learning. I came home today buzzing becau...

DH has taken the kids out, I'm on the computer and, like the chocolate biscuits in the barrel, the blog page calls my name. What's a girl to do? I cannot spend time today looking....much as I would love a Sunday afternoon with my friends.... I must get letter cards cut and laminated by 9am tomorrow when I want to use them in a lesson..... farewell, cruel world. I'd forgotten, teachers get homework too! (The image is from this website ..... but used without permission. Will they forgive me?)

I haven't had a proper Friday feeling in 10 years. Tomorrow I am so looking forward to walking out on a Friday knowing I'll be back on the Monday and that there are two glorious days of endless possibilities ahead (which translates into a mad dash to get the washing, ironing and clothes mountains cleared before I make tea for my Ma and Dad who have a funeral to attend on Saturday) Mmm, that Friday feeling. I am having a good time in this job; so far this week I have taught in 5 different classes and 2 different age groups. No rest for the wicked, I know. But I will be teaching small groups on Monday in my own little base where I can finally finally have a little teaching space of my own. And they are a friendly bunch. Today I got asked did I want to stay for lunch tomorrow because on a Friday they have sandwiches to celebrate Friday..... and cake for people's birthday, and Christmas chocolates and biscuits in the staff room, and they all don't mind pointing me in the r...

That is to say, temporary part time, not permanent full time (or even part time which would be lovely!) I have a two term contract to provide sen support and PPA (planning preparation and, er, whatever) cover at a local school. Today was my first day so what would throw me most; a. The Princess throwing a fit and refusing a pair of tights on the flimsy technicality that they were too small? b. My car dying on the path... no lights, no painful chug chug as I turn over the engine, no nothing? c. The complete absence of taxis on a road that, usually, has a steady stream of the blasted things? d. All of the above. Ah Ha! The answer is NONE! Well, they all happened and, yes, life would have been easier had they not but I am a fully functioning Human Being and I rose above. Ha Ha Ha. I cadged a lift to school off DH (I love him) and got there just in time (muchas apologias) and then walked 3 or three and a half miles home. I am strong, I am invincible, I am Woman. (with blisters and sore cal...

My days of Christmas have been published retrospectively... which is to say, I sit here writing them in January and changing the dates so that they look like I had a. the time b. the energy c. the photos to do them in December. Ho Ho Ho. I'm also enjoying everyone elses' Christmas retrospectively, too. For the past 3 weeks my 'puter and I have not had a chance to get together... (I must put a light in the study. Or light some candles. What a wonderful juxtaposition of technology and tradition that would be!) But come Tuesday 8th January, normal service will be resumed as the children get locked away between the hours of 9 and 3.30 every week day. Yeah! (Love them dearly & have enjoyed having them off.... but you know what I mean? When I have done enough days I am going to buy myself a laptop just so I can sit upstairs and fiddle. Bah humbug!) And the photo? That's my three wishing you all a very happy and peaceful New Year. May your house overflow with happiness and...