cyber security

 I got up and finished off the bits of paint in the front room that I hadn't quite got two layers on, put the books back and moved the sofas. Then, still feeling like I had nervous energy to burn I decided to remove the bricks in the garden that were once a patio area but were simply a place where dandelions fought with me. Determined they won't win I got about half up and gleefully dug them out as deep as possible into their parsnip sized roots. With the nasty handy tool Margaret got me. I moved some paving slabs and made a new layer at the side covering a bigger patch of weeds. 

After lunch,  we headed off to meet up with friends and Dan and Edgar for an afternoon of boozing. It was at lunch that A mentioned a rumour that her school wasn't going to be open as expected. I checked my email but no letter. Later on in the evening she said even more people had been talking about it. So, given that I can, I sent a message on LinkedIn to her headteacher to see if the rumour was true. And yep! I can't imagine how stressful it must be. They have lost access to everything, all systems and network down. Now, part of me thought - well that happens a fair amount in Malawi - but I guess when you're used to it, you have plans in place and paper copies of stuff, lesson plans that you just get on with without the PowerPoint and resources but you know it will be working again soon. Here they have had to input everything, a mammoth task. They start on Monday. So they have made the most of the week, going to galleries and exhibitions.

BigA has been busy at home and in his work. He has been making a bike shelter and created a score chart for the household chores, we all have to mark off when we have done one. I don't know if there is a weekly prize for who has the highest score but I do know that A made dinner on Thursday, not something she normally does. 

And this week I started at my new school. The first 2 days were INSET and there were some highs and lows. The school hadn't set me up on their systems so I had to rely on others for everything. They forgot to introduce me and I felt very overwhelmed at times. The combination of the commute, size of the school and the lack of access made the start very hard. It was made worse by surprises like - 2 English classes that are split and so I have another teacher I have to keep informed, then I realised one class was yr 9 PSHE - no guidance on that and I still don't know who is in charge of it. Then working through the department timetable I realised too, that one drama class is split with a cover supervisor, unqualified and never taught drama, who will be taking half of the classes. The poor woman was so worried about it I would have happily taken it from her but I'm teaching another class at the same time.   On Tuesday evening I had arranged for a good old friend to come over and we chatted away and he helped me see what I'd achieved in the past and what I could cope with going forward. On Wednesday the students all returned, and I taught my first 2 lessons. It was so uncomfortably hot but the students did do as asked and it went quite well. 

Thursday was super busy, I taught 5 classes, 3 drama and 2 English. I found my yr 10 class very strange. A mix of very able and very reluctant. One girl literally said she hated everyone and wouldn't work with them. 2 had faces like thunder and one is almost a selective mute. 6 in total and one of the most challenging classes in terms of how I'm going to get good grades I think I may ever have had. 

I survived the week and almost felt like I could enjoy parts of the job. I'm not enjoying having to remember to pack lunch - there is a longer complaint about why I'm not permitted to have a school money account. So I have to buy packed lunch stuff and remember to sort it the night before. The days do fly by, I'm drinking less tea. But my goodness some of the girls really are hard work. 

This morning I've woken up early in Tetbury, having been picked up by BigA yesterday and setting off to spend the weekend with the wonderful Wagners. What bliss. We had lonely food and perhaps too much wine last night but my goodness it was good to feel so loved and have cuddles. Their children have changed and not changed. I just love being with them. Most of you will know that they made Malawi the experience it was and when they left we filled the gap,  but it was never quite the same. 

oh and we had a carpet fitted but I haven't seen it yet.