Malawi & More

  After the usual pottering about on Saturday I set about doing a jigsaw and binge watched a series. I started to listen to the most recent Reith lectures with Rutger Bergman and the first episode was, as he warned, was quite a grim listen. I think this added to a feeling of slight glumness so I resolved to get in the garden and lose myself in a bit of nature. It was mainly picking up cat shit, but still a bit of weeding and looking at the potential of the crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils did cheer me. I did another short roller derby session this week and watched a programme mum had recommended and felt rather smug at our lack of Ultra Processed foods in our diet. Also rather proud of BigA and me for having made it to week 3 with no booze. It certainly is easier when you're doing it with someone. I bought a bottle of alcohol free wine too see if it would help with my craving for a glass. Didn't quite work and I added tonic to it. Nice enough then.  One of the highlights of m...

This week has felt quite different, not least because it was just me and BigA again and I had a slightly changed work week. Two mornings coming in after the sessions I delivered for the senior leadership course. It's strange to think I actually only have 35 teaching days left at my school and it won;t be a simple one with various drama exams taking place. I still find the working week speeds by, even when I had duties and meetings and silly emails from middle managers who really could do with being on one of my courses to help them learn how not to annoy staff with overly curt emails.  I'm most proud of going back to roller derby. I did an hour, and was very sensible. There were 2 other skaters who were returning from injury who were also non-contact and that was useful because we teamed up for one drill and that meant I didn't feel quite so strange. I've also done a bit of Pilates this week, very gentle but also good to move.  A simple week really that ended in a very...

Having got over the horror of mum telling me January is 31 days, I got up for a day of domestic determination. It was a day to wash bedding, water plants, do the ironing and more, all still studiously ignoring the Best Practice work - the PowerPoint is so very dull. I don't remember the first day I did, being quite so uninteresting. But I did get to chat to my fellow facilitator this week and he's lovely and done it loads so that reassures me.  A woke up feeling a bit under the weather so I happily went into mum mode too. I finally got to rewatch Silence of the Lambs, which I'd wanted to watch for over a week. Mainly to see if it was what I remembered and to check if the French and Saunders adaptation was as well done as I recall. It really is. A then put on Bugsy Malone, another classic from my childhood and I did some ironing. That evening A got her pizza fix with a meal at San Marco, with E, D and D. It was lovely to hear all about D and D's trip to Cape Town, both o...

  I'd had a dream that I woke up at 9:15 - I know I have fascinating dreams. But it wasn't so, as it was just after 7 when I realised - at least I got cuddle and kiss from A before she headed off to The Hub for a full day shift. I decided to renew my weights practice and did a bit, mindful not to push it if I'm going to do it often. The weekend was one of goodbyes to family, it's been lovely making new memories over Christmas and it was accompanied with nice food and A working and me reading. 2 books so far. The bliss of not being SLT, no work panic making me do lots of stuff to feel on top of the job.  The arrival of the Ws signaled the joy of 2026 starting. We kinda set out straight away to meet up with D and her family (From Malawi). It was so lovely to see her and we spent that meal mainly checking in on the goings on at SAIntS and laughing about the days we were all there together. Then after a brisk walk home we, as usual, caught up more and had food and played a ...

 Up with the larks, I got into my painting gear and did another coat in the dining room and BigA set off to get his 24 hour blood pressure monitor. I woke A up with crumpets and coffee and then did a little paperwork for my new contract, getting the right things signed so I will get paid.  I thought about some of the admin for the other, now feeling rather random, job for Best Practice and didn't feel quite in the mood to really learn any of it.  M and D arrived with piles of things, gifts and food and then they went to D and D's for cat duty. A and I wandered there to help unpack but quickly had to come back home for us to meet up with O for an early evening catch up. She then went off on a date and I felt grateful that it's not something I have to do! As it's been Hanukkah we've aimed to do candles and of course presents for A each night, culminating in an air fryer for her so we have had to concede that she will need a lift back to Liverpool.  Sunday felt like a ...

 Oh how I love London when the sun shines and you get to enjoy the quieter bits with a good pal, once out of the less wonderful lift at Covent Garden I wandered to Somerset House to wait for S and look at the outdoor ice-rink. We then had a lovely, very healthy lunch and took a meander across the bridge to the exhibition of Gilbert and George. Very interesting artists that are in the background of my knowledge but I hadn't expected the scale and the light behind the glass looking pieces. The men themselves are so unassuming, you wouldn't think they were able to create what they do. Funny and thought provoking in equal measure. Next we walked by the Thames and decided to throw caution to the wind and celebrate my new job with expensive cocktails, none of mine I remember the names of but we were so full of joy and celebration that the bar gave us a free drink! Which just meant we stayed for another one after that and then had some expensive cassava chips and a very disappointing ...