Malawi & More

Off we set for Liverpool after breakfast and, despite a little confusion on route we got there easily enough. Rug laid and stuff moved in, we went to Tesco for a big starter shop. More sorting and chats with her new, much nicer housemates and we then went for a delicious meal with my cousin. Then back to A's and a bunch of her mates came over but all very sensible, not a drop off alcohol consumed. I took myself off to bed having been up for an age. But before I went I was able to enjoy seeing A in her element and relished in the warm feeling of knowing that she is so loved and respected by the people she had gathered around her.  I snuck downstairs the next morning for tea and a little tidy up. Then A took me out for breakfast and a wander in the autumn sun to the docks and a few shops. Once back I knew I needed to get going. Bitter sweet that parting. I miss her so much but I know she's having a great time and that she really does belong there. Back home it was actually lovely...

I had a quiet weekend, indulging in myself, exercise, reading, garden, chats with friends. Making the most of the sun.  The work week felt busy, because the pace of work life after holidays does feel relentless. I am on duty a lot, I've met almost all of my classes and they are, on the whole all lovely and I've enjoyed teaching them. I had some Governors stuff too which saw 2 evenings taken with training then a meeting. More excitingly BigA spent the week in a primary school which is part of the PGCE requirements. He had a good time by all accounts, talking each day about what he'd observed and done. And even more excitingly my intrepid explorer of a child came home. I was a bit frustrated that I had those evening things I had to do because really all I wanted was to spend every second with her. She went to the theatre one night so it wasn't quite so bad. This morning I take her to Liverpool having driven kinda half way last night for a very quick stop off for her to s...

As I sent last weeks email we were newly in Brussels and it was very early, and the place felt almost abandoned. As we wandered around, it slowly picked up and we went on a little walk to see the boy pissing statue (smaller than expected!) and a few other buildings. Another stop for a drink, a walk in a park, bit of food including a disappointing version of croque monsieur (Ham and cheese toastie) and then to a flea market. Which was huge and a bit overwhelming. Next to a few more shops and then bar, beer shop, bar, pizza, taxi, Eurostar, bus and finally home. Oof, BigA changed our bedsheets which I simply didn't have the energy to do. Checked there was milk and bed. I slept very well.  The bank holiday weekend was really just about washing and food shopping, oddly feeling like I needed to charge my batteries for work. Which to be fair, as a 4 day week and 2 of them training days with free lunch, wasn't bad and all was well bigger pictures wise. I've moved office and I'...

R and I did yoga and a core workout in the Tetbury sun before we headed off home. I'm always sad leaving, missing those days in Malawi when we could pop round whenever we wanted. We took a home grown marrow with us and, after BigA had checked the tyres we got home without any issues. Once back it was a day of washing, repacking, watering and delightfully getting A from the bus station for lots of cuddles and a catch up on her placement in Leeds. She loved it and they loved her! The Bs were back and we cooked up a bumper batch of veggie spaghetti Bolognese and had a pleasant evening before I turned in and, for the first time, slept in a room that wasn't by bedroom in my own house. Up with the sun we got ready for our trip to Germany.  Safely on the Eurostar we were served breakfast. BigA knows how to travel, a fancy breakfast of savoury pastries and some sort of yoghurt, fruit and basil concoction, tea and all in proper porcelain. This was As first Eurostar experience, she's...

As is the way with birthdays, it was delightful and over all too quickly. After tea in bed, morning presents, opened in front of my mum and sister for the first time in years, I then got a scrumptious BLT for breakfast. Mum and I took a leisurely stroll to the seafront and had a small lunch while chatting away about the past and future. It was the first rainy day for weeks there on the coast, not too much and therefore no flashfloods that I'm sure will occur once the heat of this summer subsides. We went out again for our evening meal, a place most of us hadn't been to before and a meat eaters heaven. Really delicious. Home for a little more celebration and reminiscing about childhood and the warmth of fond memories made the absence of my little family ok in the end. I felt very loved.  Home to a poorly husband I set about getting the house shipshape for, firstly A's boyfriend who will be staying here while he works at a theatre in London and for the family of 5 who need a ...

There's no denying that I'm closer to 50 than I have been before. Very much hoping when I get there I look as hot as my big sister.  I set off to St Alban's last Saturday to see my ex pupil who is a delight to see and we laughed and shared injury stories as he'd come off his motorbike a few weeks before and is still working from home. Once home I had a craving for Ethiopian food and so for the first time we ordered some Ethiopian takeaway, we normally go out to get it, absolutely delicious and there was enough for breakfast the next morning. I think the injera bread is what really makes it so good.  I fitted in a couple of good pal catch ups this week before I scooted off to my home town, leaving BigA behind to do work stuff. One was at A p duck pond, and as we bemoaned the state of education these days we were thoroughly entertained by a boat in the shape of a flamingo, being rescued by a large man in a very small boat. Then we wandered seeing the impact of the recedin...