Malawi & More

  With a bad night's sleep I didn't make it up and off to church on Saturday but did get out of bed to wash and then spend a bit of time with my sister. Mum and I had a gentle wander down the high road after lunch, and tried out a new cafe. We headed out to see my niece Jessie that evening. It was good to see her and wish her all the best for her wedding for Wednesday.  It was a good weekend in lots of ways, dinner at Jo's and time with mum, all tinged with sadness in part because of Conrad's anniversary but also that Monday was Alice's funeral. I'd been allowed the day off work and I was glad to be there with her family. Mum spoke beautifully at the funeral and she'd organised the wake at hers. Such a strange and hard day. I didn't really want to leave but off I went, back to my London home.  On Tuesday morning we got 'the call' Ofsted were due in the next day. There wasn't a huge amount I could do, we'd been lucky to get the delay and I...

  I had a reunion with my uni flatmates on Saturday, seeing Steve for the first time in a decade. It was good to laugh about how ridiculous we were in our youth. Unbelieving that A is so close to this. Sunday, mother's day and I woke so early, I didn't know if I should get up, given that I'd been promised breakfast in bed but I knew that it could be hours before it would happen. I eventually went downstairs and made myself a cup of tea. Not much later A got up, gave me a gift and made me crumpets. M got me a card and present too and I felt very emotional at that. We had a day of pampering - face masks etc. the weather was a bit miserable so we stayed in.  Margaret and Dick have been here for a few days, they came to help in the next phase of the project - improve the garden - and despite the rain did a fantastic job of shaping, digging and planting. It's exciting to see how it will develop more. Bid|A laid a path and it's now much more shaped, I'm very much look...

 Last weekend BigA was away with his new Frisbee team having a weekend of fun and feeling old and slow at times. He was in Norwich, our city, certainly my city. Knowing he was drinking non alcoholic beer in the LCR (the university club we used to go to) was strange.  I stayed at home with the girls and worked on my impact review for the my NPQH. I hadn't quite realised it was due, which shows my new job has been distracting me.  As is a tradition of ours, A slept in my bed one night and I put up with the cats joining us and although mildly annoying, I also put up with her soft snoring. I am so very aware of the privilege of my child wanting this time with me and how soon it will be that she is off in her own place, an adult working out how life is when you're not at home. Both girls are looking into what universities they might apply to, and I know it's an exciting step but I would love them to consider a gap year....

 Once up, fed by my wonderful husband and dressed (managed that by myself) I set about completing the supporting statement for the Headship position at my current school.  The morning was bright and sunny and I almost put it off by heading into the garden, but I resisted this and did get on with it. I got the majority of it done and checked by an ever wonderful friend. I then did a bit of house work and house sorting and discovered another hole in the wall where next door have knocked into our house! It was at the back of my wardrobe where I had put my not rainy weather clothes so obviously hadn't seen it. I was only in that section to store a suitcase. They have at least started to fix this now. But didn't turn up when they said and didn't return to complete the job. Grrrr.  For my Saturday evening, the girls were out at a party and BigA went out to watch the rugby I stayed in, mainly because I had the beginnings of a cold. And I didn't want to make it worse by trudgin...

   The weekend was a quiet one, mainly little things, and TV. I had a shower at Joe's and did some bits around the house. I went out for a drive with BigA by my side to make sure I was ok, emergency stop performed and happily all was well.  On Monday we all went to see Metamorphosis at the Lyric theater in Hammersmith and, despite it meaning a later than normal night, it was great to see. Very interesting set and the actor playing Gregor was so athletic - swinging on the light and hanging upside down from the corner of the ceiling.  Without our bathroom we've all been finding places to shower. All of us planning the week around that in some ways. All of us lucky to know where to go. But it is a bit odd - feels a little like Malawi when there was no water or no power. Expect it's colder here of course. There's a lot that goes wrong with an old house and the rain revealed another issue, but hey...  I'm finding my way at work, the highs and lows all part of th...

   As is  biga's way, on the day we were setting off on holiday, he set about with some DIY, other work, packed the same day and then off we set, mostly a very smooth journey, although I was shocked at just how expensive the food was at the airport. We met up with the Ws and the holiday began. A had a little fall and hurt her leg. It didn't stop hey but was nasty and I think she'll have a scar.  The drive in the night was a bit unsettling, I'd forgotten it was the other side of the road and it was already very dark. BigA was brilliant and quickly got used to it all. I doubt I would have been so confident. The stereotype of Italian driving has lived up to it's reputation on this trip. BigA has been amazing at navigating through the odd roads. We remarked that we can't quite imagine doing this in the days before satnav.  The place we are in is very lovely and interesting, lots of space and unusual pieces of art and pottery scattered about. We've been having a...