Malawi & More

 We had a really lovely weekend, I got to spend lots of time with Anna and made my dad's smoked mackerel pate for her and her 3 children. Then BigA and I set off to another bit of Kent to see another old friend, Kai and we had a lovely soup and I had some wine and we reminisced, before heading home to the kittens, but not the girls as they were out for a meal with friends. Sunday was a day where I caught up on some life admin changing my school details on various websites and thinking a bit about what on earth I could do for a double drama lesson. Which went better than I'd expected. On Tuesday we had friends over, one from Malawi who now lives in Hertfordshire and one who I met online while searching for someone to sort out school system so then came to Malawi to set stuff up and we just sort of stayed in touch. This was all interspersed with bits of bathroom being delivered, cats eating our plants and cooking.  We ate on Thursday before us girls headed off to life ...

   A while back, when I had no real idea what 2024 was going to look like I'd booked myself into an educational conference. I almost thought that I would be able to go, but on advice from my wise old husband I didn't. As well as I'm still recovering and needed a rest after a week of work, we both agreed busy buses and tubes are still not the correct environment for me. A and M however had a busy day, heading off to an AI exhibition with a friend, while I got my head around how to teach drama at my new school and did my best to help BigA decide what tiles we should get for the bathroom.  I did very little on Sunday. A did get first shift at the hub and learnt a lot. I am always proud of her but especially that she's doing something selfless with her time.  The working week was mostly very good, I am certainly learning a lot and finding out the ins and outs and the usual politics and history of a place. The students are getting used to me and I've had some good mo...

  My Saturday was lovely, A and I walked slowly to the Hub café and had a tea and ciabatta sandwich and she handed in her volunteer form, like her dad, she is more keen on this than trying to get paid work. I think it will be great work experience as well as doing something for our community. I broke the back of my NPQH assignment and was happy to check in on some school stuff. I happily finished it off on Sunday and submitted it so I can forget that one now. A did art most of the day and that made me very happy. I recall spending full days in my room as a teen, painting and creating. Ruined the carpet and could often forget to eat, but I felt so good doing it. Happily she's less messy and willing to do it near me as I tapped away. M came home too, and so we're back to the four of us, well 6 with the kittens.  This week we have also discovered the cause of two patches of mould and warped floorboards and now intend to get the bathroom redone, it wasn't actually on our init...

 A week of gentle recovery for me and the small yet significant milestones that it entails.  Eating, washing, sleeping, walking, life's basics and none taken for granted. The swelling has gone down a lot and my strength and resilience returning. I'm able to sleep pretty well and have been doing more and more. This is certainly an easier and faster recovery than other surgery I remember.  The highlight this week was on New Year's Eve when my sister and brother in law surprised me by turning up. I'd been watching The Crown and was just feeling all emotional about sisterly love when she put her head around the door. I cried then. We had a lovely day on the sofa, the ever wonderful BigA brought us food and Prosecco (I'm not back on that yet - but it felt nice to be around celebrations) She had to get back to ensure her house survived Connor's first New Year's Eve party. Then A and BigA had plans but mum and I had a gentle evening in together not making it to mid...

  What a Christmas week. Church twice and plenty of food. Amazing friends and a fantastic time with my mum. A potential broken thumb and presents galore.  We saw pals on Christmas Eve and boxing day and enjoyed plenty of cheese. And a surprise visit from a friend Christmas Day who called a celebrity friend of his who had a quick chat with mum.  Oh and a little operation in the middle of the week. It was hard and day two was the worst of them. And then, as can be the way, I came home.  Home sweet home. I've had a rather rubbish nights sleep, some vivid dreams when I was asleep. The morphine getting out of my system I suspect. I'm mainly sore and uncomfortable rather than in pain and only on paracetamol now. I woke up having eaten something in a dream that turned into a real nasty taste so had to get up and eat something to take the taste away. A fitful dream about my new school that ended in a kinda Trs Lasso inspired musical number.  I've woken up to the sound o...