Yet again it's fix-it-friday, and yet again I have no idea where the week has gone! It really has been panic round here, I have less than a month until my course finishes and lots of things going on. Added to this I'm also loosing things, has anyone seen a folder containing nearly £500 of receipts in?
Thought not, I could really do with it as well, and it would appear to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
Today we've been marking exam papers from Year 10 mocks in school, I thought I'd share a favourite from todays batch.
The final part of a question about volcanoes asks why people might want to live near one. A pupil answered-
"Really, you mean people WANT to live near volcanoes?" (Insert spelling and grammar mistakes of your choosing to produce near illegibility!)
Anyway last up is Fix it Friday, today Im going to share a tried and trusted recipe for making victoria sponge.
100g Self Raising Flour
100g Margarine or butter
100g Castor sugar
a splash of vanilla extract (not that nasty essence stuff)
2 eggs
You can increase in 50g intervals for every egg you add. To make 2 20cm diameter sponges to then sandwich together with jam or buttercream I usually use 150g of each ingredient and 3 eggs.
To make up you just beat the sugar and margarine together until light and fluffy then lob in the eggs and flour and continue beating. To cook the oven needs to be about 180 degrees centigrade and it takes about 20 minutes, sometimes longer but check after 20 mins. It's cooked when it's pale golden in colour and when you prod the top it springs back up.
This recipe is pretty much infallible, and despite what people say about sponge cakes they're really not hard. Sorry for teh lack of a picture, but I'm away for the weekend so don't need to have a sponge cake sitting around!
Friday, 16 May 2008
Sunday, 11 May 2008
NaComLeavMo
You might have noticed (along with the redesign) a new icon in the side bar. I've decided via Eliza to join in with NaComLeavMo because I don't get many comments and I do love it when I get them, also I want to expand my blog reading horizons.
Basically I'm pledging that each day I will to go to 5 blogs off the list of participants and leave a comment, I'll also respond to a comment left here by going to that persons blog and commenting, if I don't have a new post (quite likely at the moment) then I'll pick an extra person off the participants list. It starts on May 25th!
If you want to join in you can go here and sign up.
Best go, I'm outside all day teaching climbing, haven't made any lunch, or packed, or even got out of bed yet! Have done breakfast because after all I do like my food!
Basically I'm pledging that each day I will to go to 5 blogs off the list of participants and leave a comment, I'll also respond to a comment left here by going to that persons blog and commenting, if I don't have a new post (quite likely at the moment) then I'll pick an extra person off the participants list. It starts on May 25th!
If you want to join in you can go here and sign up.
Best go, I'm outside all day teaching climbing, haven't made any lunch, or packed, or even got out of bed yet! Have done breakfast because after all I do like my food!
Friday, 9 May 2008
Fix-it-Friday
First of all, and unlike Jo I intend to shout about this from the the roof tops, I got a job today whooooo!
Second is todays fix it friday post. Todays fix it post takes the form of a plea, and a chance to fix someone else. If you've seen my page on facebook you might have realised that I donate blood, in fact I've donated 10 pints since I started at 18. Donating blood can make a huge difference to a huge number of people. That 1 pint that I donate takes me about 10 minutes, it makes a huge difference to a huge number of people as the blood is often split in to different parts. (Here comes the science), platelets can be used to help people who have trouble with their blood clotting, plasma is a straw coloured liquid that the cells float around in, this has loads of uses. Cancer patients often receive transfusions to help with their quality of life, as well as everyone who has an operation and needs a transfusion.
It really doesn't hurt that much, and requires very little effort, after all you get to lie down for most of it!
If you're in the UK you can go to The National Blood Service website here. They also have some pretty cool games.
PS. Why has it taken me 6 months to notice my header is missing a "the" and please if you spot another daft mistake like that, tell me!
PPS. I've fixed the header, and decided that I needed a more summery look, the one you see is temporary as I'm not happy with the colour scheme, however when I'm very tired is not the time to meddle with html! come back tomorrow and hopefully you'll see something a bit more coherent and springlike!
Second is todays fix it friday post. Todays fix it post takes the form of a plea, and a chance to fix someone else. If you've seen my page on facebook you might have realised that I donate blood, in fact I've donated 10 pints since I started at 18. Donating blood can make a huge difference to a huge number of people. That 1 pint that I donate takes me about 10 minutes, it makes a huge difference to a huge number of people as the blood is often split in to different parts. (Here comes the science), platelets can be used to help people who have trouble with their blood clotting, plasma is a straw coloured liquid that the cells float around in, this has loads of uses. Cancer patients often receive transfusions to help with their quality of life, as well as everyone who has an operation and needs a transfusion.
It really doesn't hurt that much, and requires very little effort, after all you get to lie down for most of it!
If you're in the UK you can go to The National Blood Service website here. They also have some pretty cool games.
PS. Why has it taken me 6 months to notice my header is missing a "the" and please if you spot another daft mistake like that, tell me!
PPS. I've fixed the header, and decided that I needed a more summery look, the one you see is temporary as I'm not happy with the colour scheme, however when I'm very tired is not the time to meddle with html! come back tomorrow and hopefully you'll see something a bit more coherent and springlike!
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Camping weekend
So I'm back from teh weekend, the house has been tidied up, all the washing has been done, and the mud scraped off. You could say it rained a bit on Sunday, but I prefer to believe that the puddles appeared magically so I could splash about in them in my stripy wellies!
Yet again it was an awesome weekend. I even got some climbing done (though yet again there is no photo evidence of this!). I went shopping in Keswick so got to update my wardrobe which is a good thing as it's suddenly got warmer and it's now about 25 degrees! I also went for an amazing walk and found some really cool disused mines. In true club fashion we had 4 torches between 6 of us, forgot to say exactly where we were going, and didn't sign out despite disappearing down small holes for most of the day! However they are possibly the most awesome set of mines I have been in to. They stretched in to the hill for ages, and led in to some huge caverns.
Anyway here's some picture goodness, I'm off to wash up and have a shower before going out to sit in a ber garden with some friends.
Yet again it was an awesome weekend. I even got some climbing done (though yet again there is no photo evidence of this!). I went shopping in Keswick so got to update my wardrobe which is a good thing as it's suddenly got warmer and it's now about 25 degrees! I also went for an amazing walk and found some really cool disused mines. In true club fashion we had 4 torches between 6 of us, forgot to say exactly where we were going, and didn't sign out despite disappearing down small holes for most of the day! However they are possibly the most awesome set of mines I have been in to. They stretched in to the hill for ages, and led in to some huge caverns.
Anyway here's some picture goodness, I'm off to wash up and have a shower before going out to sit in a ber garden with some friends.
Friday, 2 May 2008
Fix-it-Friday
Well it's Friday again (how did that happen????)
For once I'm still in bed at 8.30am, which has been a bit of a rarity lately but I have a day off school today to go in to university and I don't need to go in until 11.15am. In that time I have a mountain of things to do, like packing for the weekend away I'm about to go on. Do you remember a while ago I ran for catering officer in the university club I'm a member of? While when I did I didn't quite realise that my living room would end up looking like this!
And you can't see the piles of vegetables and bread that are still behind me!
Yesterday started at 6.20am and didn't stop until 11.30pm, I practically fell in to bed unconscious! Shopping for 40 people for 3 days is a lot of food, and I don't think my body is liking me today for what it went through yesterday, too much carrying of awkward heavy crates, bending over and generally standing up for hours at a time has done nasty things to my back!
Anyway a list of things to do today-
Shower
Pack
Put clean washing away
Find things to take in to university
Collect wool from the post office
And I have to leave the house at 10.45am! I don't quite think it's going to be done in time.
Anyway I promise to be back on Tuesday (or maybe wednesday) with some entertaining photos of the weekends activities.
Which leads to me todays fix it friday before I go and shower. i thought today I'd share a few of the programs I've downloaded for my gorgeous macbook that I couldn't live without.
Planbook- this is what I use to organise all my teaching, it's an amazing piece of software ad I'd be lost without it.
You Control Tunes- this puts a play/pause, and skip button in the top menu bar, meaning I can leave iTunes minimised but still pause what I'm listening to.
Flickr Uploader- this is my newest discovery, but make uploading photos to Flickr so easy.
VLC- For some reason the volume on my macbook is stupidly quiet, all the programs that come with my mac don't let me increase it anymore, however VLC lets me increase the volume further than any other DVD/media player.
And you know what's the best thing, they're all free!
For once I'm still in bed at 8.30am, which has been a bit of a rarity lately but I have a day off school today to go in to university and I don't need to go in until 11.15am. In that time I have a mountain of things to do, like packing for the weekend away I'm about to go on. Do you remember a while ago I ran for catering officer in the university club I'm a member of? While when I did I didn't quite realise that my living room would end up looking like this!
And you can't see the piles of vegetables and bread that are still behind me!
Yesterday started at 6.20am and didn't stop until 11.30pm, I practically fell in to bed unconscious! Shopping for 40 people for 3 days is a lot of food, and I don't think my body is liking me today for what it went through yesterday, too much carrying of awkward heavy crates, bending over and generally standing up for hours at a time has done nasty things to my back!
Anyway a list of things to do today-
Shower
Pack
Put clean washing away
Find things to take in to university
Collect wool from the post office
And I have to leave the house at 10.45am! I don't quite think it's going to be done in time.
Anyway I promise to be back on Tuesday (or maybe wednesday) with some entertaining photos of the weekends activities.
Which leads to me todays fix it friday before I go and shower. i thought today I'd share a few of the programs I've downloaded for my gorgeous macbook that I couldn't live without.
Planbook- this is what I use to organise all my teaching, it's an amazing piece of software ad I'd be lost without it.
You Control Tunes- this puts a play/pause, and skip button in the top menu bar, meaning I can leave iTunes minimised but still pause what I'm listening to.
Flickr Uploader- this is my newest discovery, but make uploading photos to Flickr so easy.
VLC- For some reason the volume on my macbook is stupidly quiet, all the programs that come with my mac don't let me increase it anymore, however VLC lets me increase the volume further than any other DVD/media player.
And you know what's the best thing, they're all free!
Monday, 28 April 2008
First ever cardigan
I'm so proud and while I've updated on Ravelry, not everyone can get on it (or goes on there, yes I am talking to you mother!)
I wanted to share the photos here. I was in absolute dread as I was knitting it that it would look dreadful, however I've warn it all day, and I love it. I think (and hope you agree) it looks flattering on me, and I love the colour, much brighter than I would normally go for in a shop.
The socks you can see in the side bar are also coming along nicely and after I go and wash up and clean the kitchen floor I'll see if I can get a bit more done on it.
Friday, 25 April 2008
Fix-it-Friday
Todays' fix it Friday is going to start with a plea. I've just read about this on Sugarpants. The idea that a group of children will stand around watching a group of boys beat another boy into unconsciousness makes me feel sick.
How can their parents not feel shame and disgust, I feel almost more horrified at the ones who stood watching and filming it instead of helping than at the boys who did it.
Bullying makes me sick, it shouldn't happen and yet it does. the comment I made to Karen was in response to another reader saying that the parents are the ones who enable this, and they're often bullied themselves.
I totally get this, I feel bullied by some of my parents. there are some pupils in my top set for whom I dread marking their work. I know that anything less than perfect marks will result in a message from the parents wanting to know why their little darling has not achieved perfection, and practically demanding I change it. I hate that sick nervous feeling, and wish that parents would trust my professional judgement, and accept that sometimes their little darling does not work hard enough.
Anyway, please promise me that if you have children you do not automatically take the word of your child against a teacher, we put our heart and soul in to this job, however sometimes when it's the 60th test we've marked that night after a full day at work we make mistakes. We're human, and for that you need sometimes to cut us some slack.
On a poor positive note I am pleased to report that this blog is graded at being a a high school reading level.
Possibly due to the fact I don't end sentences as often as I should and am far too fond of the coma!
And now for today's fix-it-friday-
I'm going to share some games today. I'm sure everyone on the planet has played Yeti sports, but if not then you can find it here. There is something highly satisfying about getting a polar bear to fling a penguin as far as you can. If you want intellectual stimulation I also love these on-line riddle escaping from a room games that you can find here.
How can their parents not feel shame and disgust, I feel almost more horrified at the ones who stood watching and filming it instead of helping than at the boys who did it.
Bullying makes me sick, it shouldn't happen and yet it does. the comment I made to Karen was in response to another reader saying that the parents are the ones who enable this, and they're often bullied themselves.
I totally get this, I feel bullied by some of my parents. there are some pupils in my top set for whom I dread marking their work. I know that anything less than perfect marks will result in a message from the parents wanting to know why their little darling has not achieved perfection, and practically demanding I change it. I hate that sick nervous feeling, and wish that parents would trust my professional judgement, and accept that sometimes their little darling does not work hard enough.
Anyway, please promise me that if you have children you do not automatically take the word of your child against a teacher, we put our heart and soul in to this job, however sometimes when it's the 60th test we've marked that night after a full day at work we make mistakes. We're human, and for that you need sometimes to cut us some slack.
On a poor positive note I am pleased to report that this blog is graded at being a a high school reading level.
Possibly due to the fact I don't end sentences as often as I should and am far too fond of the coma!
And now for today's fix-it-friday-
I'm going to share some games today. I'm sure everyone on the planet has played Yeti sports, but if not then you can find it here. There is something highly satisfying about getting a polar bear to fling a penguin as far as you can. If you want intellectual stimulation I also love these on-line riddle escaping from a room games that you can find here.
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