Birthday photos

As requested by Niobe of Dead Baby Jokes here are photos of my birthday.


Please ignore the shiny forehead, I'd been cooking all day, and was without electricity for 6 hours!

Well I just did my last day at school, just in time for the roads to reopen. I've got the review session, er like now errrr better run! oops!

Thank goodness I live on a hill

I've not made it in to school either today or yesterday, I've tried both days yesterday I got as far as the dual carriageway heading towards the M1, today we didn't even make it that far. While the waters have subsided greatly the dam threatening the M1 is still in danger of bursting, so the motorway is still closed. Many roads are severely damaged, or still under water. School has told us not to come in , as the 25 mile journey is taking as long as 4 hours.

Oh and did I mention it's my birthday today, I'm meant to be having people round to celebrate. Problem is that 12,000 people are without power, they're trying to restore power to them. The problem being some of the sub stations were under 5 foot of water so aren't working, they're trying to sort out power, but in order to do that they're cutting off the power to various parts of the city for 3 hours at a time. I'm praying it won't be while I'm cooking for 10 people tonight.

However at least my house doesn't look like this.

Where can I get an ark?

It's raining, lots, and lots, and lots, and buckets, and poodles, and cats, and cats, and maybe even frogs!
The school I'm at closed at lunchtime, the science corridor had to have it's power shut off due to a leaking roof, and the road it's on was closed due to flooding. the school fields developed a lake, and well you get the picture. Getting home was worrying us, but luckily all was well. We've got to go in tomorrow but there will be no kids in due to continuing risk of electrocution, death, fire etc. Apparently you can take these risks with the staff!

The climbing wall Lex works at as had to close, the River Don has burst it's banks, flooded the car park, and has made it in to the entrance hall. Luckily the climbing hall is about 1m higher, so hopefully it will be spared!

Moving

I've been quiet recently, but for a very good reason! I've now officially moved house, if anyone needs to know more then they already do!
The new flat is lovely, everything is unpacked (apart from Lex's man room, but that's up to him!), and we're settling in nicely. The only problem with 2 people moving in together who used to have independent lives is the amount of stuff! Somehow we had 5 drying racks, 15 sharp knives, 10 saucepans, the list goes on!
Anyway, nothing more really to add, I've spent the day cooking ready for work next week, I've got the house to myself as Lex is out on his road bike I will enjoy my peace and quiet.

things I must remember when it all goes wrong occasionally

The following poems were taken from this website. To me they explain why I spend so much time volunteering to run a Rainbow unit. If you have kids, please make sure you appreciate the volunteers who give up their spare time, we may not be perfect, but we try our very best. If you have the time ask them if they want help, you can guarantee they won't say no! If you don't have kids, why not volunteer anyway, trust me it's well worth it.
Remember volunteers are unpaid not because we are worthless, but because we are priceless.



They're looking for volunteers again,
Be quick and duck your head.
Don't meet their eyes what ever you do,
Or just pretend you're dead.

Girl Guides and school and basketball,
Footbal and PTO,
Turn them down, every request,
Be firm and just say no.

I'm much too busy to help out,
Others have much more time.
It might cost me extra money,
I don't have an extra dime.

My work keeps me too busy,
I've no time to relax,
To spend time with some kids you see,
Is way too much of a tax.

And I've never volunteered before,
I don't think that I know how,
Everyone else knows more than me,
At least they do right now.

Others seem to know just what to do,
They've a knack to sustain it,
They must have done it all their lives,
Nothing else can explain it.

So rely on them for scout leaders
For the girls and boys,
They can coach my kid's football team,
And deal with all the noise.

They make this world a better place,
I want my kids to learn that,
Thats why I have them in the scouts,
and sports and stuff like that.

I guess that if I admit it to myself,
I've a little time to spare.
They say you can see a kids eyes light up,
When they know you care.

So come on and volunteer with me,
We'll learn how it is done,
I think that I will make the time,
What it might even be is fun.

Adapted from the original poem by Paul Nepermann, Cub Master, Pack 153

Because you said 'yes':

a young girl will feel the pride of being someone special as she carefully puts on her uniform for the very first time.
a girl can move to a new town and have "instant friendships" with girls she might never have met.
parents will experience that special pride when they listen to their daughter say the Girl scout Promise for the first time.
bright eyes will become a little brighter with excitement as the kindling finally catches on the first campfire.
nervous giggles will emit from tents as girls try to fall asleep their first night of camp.
the community, and the world will be richer because a girl has learned the importance of caring for her environment, and the warm feeling that comes from giving service to someone less fortunate than herself.
a parent will find a gold trefoil carefully tucked away in a drawer as their daughter packs to leave home for her first adventures as a young adult.
a young woman will contact the Girl Scouts one day and say, "I had so much fun when I was a Girl Scout, I'd like to try being a Leader."
And the circle will continue...because you said, "YES"

Ill, blinking kids.

Well I'm still up to all of the things listed in my previous post, however it would seem that the lovely year 7s on monday have given me a cold. i don't feel too bad, but my nose is so bunged up, the type where you can only breath through your mouth and just look a bit stupid.
Oh and it drips, constantly, i have used more tissues than i can carry round with me over the past 3 days! the first week in school has been great, all the teachers are really friendly, with one exception but as I write this in my real name it's probably not a good idea to write about that. I can see i will need to get an anonymous blog when I actually start doing this job for real. even better is that it's confirming what I want to do, I'm getting so excited about the idea of teaching.
The weather at the moment is a little annoying, think rain, and lots of it (a months worth in one day!), just when i have to drive to work. There have been a few minor aquaplaning moments on the motorways this morning simply due to the volume of water out the sky, having wipers on full pelt just didn't help one bit. Getting up at 6.20 and doing 2 hours of driving a day while not on top form is getting a bit tiring as well, i have to pick Lex up from work at 10, and then i feel an early night is very much in order.
I returned the keys to the house the other night, so officially I'm now homeless until we get in to the new flat, I'm staying with Lex until then. When I went in to get the meter readings Who should appear but Stinky for some reason he became known as Stinky, I don't know why but it kind of suited him even though he didn't smell. So I told him I'm sure the next people would love him lots and gave him a big cuddle, and felt very sad at putting a soggy cat out in the rain! I also discovered why our house was so damp, because of all the rain a large puddle appeared in the cellar, one mystery solved, and at least i no longer have to deal with the mold!

education, education, education

I'm a bad blogger at the moment, but who can blame me I've just moved house and I've started a new job (kind of). I'm doing a 3 week school placement scheme called the Student Associate Scheme. Basically it's a government scheme to put university students in secondary schools to give them experience of teaching, and to raise the aspirations of pupils about going to universities. It's a really good scheme, though the promoting university bit bridles me a little. The government wants 50% of our students to go to university and I think this is just mad. It just devalues university education, and gets students in debt and they come out with a meaningless degree that will be worth nothing. It's much quoted that graduates earn more than non-graduates but not if your degree is in golf course studies, Madonna studies, or Peace studies.
Anyway I digress the school is a really great school. The staff are all really friendly, and the school has a great atmosphere. Should be a good 3 weeks.