Back to reality .... Almost, take 2

{I just tried mobile blogger for the first time and it's published this on my old blog with the longer title! }


Back to reality ..... Almost!
Well, if anyone noticed I was absent, I do have a note! I was/technically still am on my jollibobs! I will bore er I mean regale you with my fantastic (non) adventures when I get home. For now, you get me, using mobile blogger for first time, typing from a brand new Travelodge we have stayed in on our way home. A family sleepover in which I pretended my 18yo was 16 in order to get us one night in one room at the Billy bargain price of £35!

I've been trying to read a few of the posts on the blogs I follow, but my favourite hobby of commenting isn't brilliant using a phone. Normal service will resume :-) .

Whilst we've been away, I've also had the stress of securing the Uni Accommodation for my clever girl.

I'm going to try and upload a photo now of the sunrise the other day, the view from our apartment. Living on the West Coast this is something I don't get to see, so whilst we've been pointing East, it was a pleasure. I wonder if any of you can guess where we have been. No passports were used during this vacation!

Rachelradiostar at 00:30
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Hypothetically speaking.....

Hypothetically speaking...let me tell you a story - all completely made up right. Honest. Totally fictitious......

I am writing this because it might have  happened to ...  a friend......who may or may not bear an uncanny resemblance to me.....

Once upon a time.... ( because it IS a story)
 Just imagine if your friend  had a teenage daughter, who announced that she had been asked out on a date by an unknown  male perpetrator boy.

Hypothetically speaking, IF this had have been me and my daughter - which it erm  it wasn't. * shifts uncomfortably in seat *  * Possibly failure of  a lie detector text on Jeremy Kyle highly likely.*

I think I would  naturally like to find out about the potential mad axe murderer who had professed an interest in the most precious first born in the world.

The eighteen year old daughter who is still my her precious one,  told of his full name which may or may not have been Joseph Bloggs. My friend may or may not have waited till the girl was out of the room, picked up her trusty iphone and causally typed his name into the Facebook Search bar. ( She waited  until the girl was out of the room and then did the typing )  What if he had an OPEN profile....? ( Let's pretend he did )  { he did } ( Does his mother not patrol his security levels ensuring they are tight up to the max - as any nutcase out there can get access to his information and photographs???? )

If she had done this my friend could have  potentially discovered that he seemed a normal lad, with a Scouting background  ( just like the girl )  and  had a full on job having just completed a three year apprenticeship.  (In this day and age very  lucky; determined AND in full time employment ) My friend told me that hypothetically she would be a little easier and calmer during the time they were out together!

 My friend laughed about this stalking careful background research she maybe did with the daughter. It would be after all  a victimless crime harmless activity. The daughter would probably roll her eyes and tell her parent , not for the first time, that she was SOOOO embarrassing, the banter would flow easily and all would be well.....

THE DATE

So after being taken out for a meal in a public place and then being safely delivered home unharmed  at a respectable time,  if  the daughter announced that he wanted to take her out the following evening, not one eyelid would have been  raised.

The daughter would probably go to work the next day, and he would probably pick her up after her shift and  then they would probably go on  date #2. ( They did. )  The mother and father ( my friends ) would probably be sitting on the sofa, more than likely watching the Olympics. ( They were. )


Just like myself really, of an evening , my friend  uses her 'iphone', with all it's touch screen easy scrolliness, to have a look on The Twitter and then maybe Facebook. She had a few notifications to get through. Since she discovered the fun of Twitter - after her best friend in the whole wide world - ( we will get to 'Eryn'  later ) had encouraged her to go on it, she hardly bothered with Facebook. So there were a few notifications to get through. ( 22 )

My friend would have been checking through aforementioned notifications and then I bet her heart would have stopped.

She would have experienced that gut wrenching sinking feeling, as she froze in horror at the words she could have been reading on that notifications list.

I bet she did a double take. Squinted her eyes shut and then looked again in terror.
What?? Wwwhhhaaatttt????????




WHAT IF, there, halfway down the list, were the chilling words?


"Joseph Bloggs accepted your friend request .Write on Joseph's Timeline."

This Famous painting borrowed from Google Images kinda captures the moment perfectly.

Those words were there, dear reader,  I'm afraid my friend had committed a heinous crime. She would surely be thrown out of Detective College now.....

Those words caused palpitations. The colour drained from her face. Her loving Hunter Gatherer sat beside her and gently enquired what was wrong. With trembling hands, she turned her phone so that he could see.


He immediately started LAUGHING HIS HEAD OFF! 

She went into panic mode.
She declared it was not funny. Should she unfriend immediately? No, because then she would look like an idiot. Joseph Bloggs, poor Joseph Bloggs. What would he be thinking????

She got in touch with her best friend , you know for some sympathy and support.


I'm going to use actors for this bit, like they do on the telly, to protect identities etc!

SM ( Stalker Mom ) - explained all of the above
BF ( Best Friend ) - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
SM - :-/
BF - Did you unfriend him straight away? OMFG. BRB gotta text this to my husband lol
SM - NOOOOO because then that looks like I just wanted to spy on him straight.
BF - NO! DEFRIEND! Does daughter know?
SM - not yet.  I don't think. I just want to die
BF - LOL I am getting a heck of an ab work out, laughing
SM - thanks for listening!!! She's out with him RIGHT NOW! I am hoping some day we can all laugh at this.SOOOO When you are FB spying on your daughter's future beau - DO NOT USE A SCROLLY TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE THAT WILL CLICK THINGS LIKE ADD AS A FRIEND WITHOUT YOU KNOWING!!!
BF -  LOL girl, I will use a FAKE account. Let's look at it this way, what's creepier? That your date's mom checked out your FB profile and accidentally clicked "friend" OR that she ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND? Oh man !!
SM - I  unfriended- even HG is saying it'll make me look insane.
BF - LOL I am sure he already thought that when he accepted your friend request. LOL This is one way to keep the boys from your daughter!
SM - We will have to include this in the book. I'm going to blog this in a hypothetical way!
BF - LOL I was thinking it'd make a great "What NOT to do when your teen starts dating. " post.
I adore you. I think this should be an episode of Modern Family. And the girl's date would get the FB notification about it on his phone WHILE they were on their date.

( Isn't still laughing ) *lies
SM - * leaves home *
BF - now, DON'T YOU EVER GO TO HIS FB PAGE ON YOUR PHONE AGAIN!  Because if you do it again? Yeah - then you'll look insane LOL
SM - I'm never ever going on FB ever again, ever.
BF - LMAO - Do you think this is the modern equivalent of showing your kids' dates their naked baby photos?
SM - I will let you know what happens!


By the way the husband of my  my friend's best friend replied to her text with this.
LOL LOL LOL lol lol lol LOL lol LOL lol LOL lol LOL and I  my friend received a similar tweet!!!! ( Thanks @PWAG )

The Aftermath.
The daughter arrived home. Her mother sat her down and said she had a confession. The daughter started laughing and said I know!! The mother said that it was an accident and she didn't even realise that she'd done it! The mother asked the child what he had said. Well, the Beau and the mother have the same surname - the daughter had checked out already,  before agreeing to a date, because of our extensive family that was NO way we were related as it would have been 'incest or something'.
Joseph said he'd had this request, but because of the highest security this female had got going on - he didn't know who it was - so he'd accepted because he thought it was a relation. Well, the daughter was laughing as she outed me  the mother, admitting that "It's my mum!" They both found this hilarious and nearly died of the laughter!!!

The mother insisted the daughter text Joseph and apologise. The daughter was so funny as she was laughing and saying how cringey it was and how she had " died just a little bit in side when he said do you know who Mrs Bloggs was?

He texted back straight away that it was ok, he thought it was funny and that the daughter hadn't to be too mean to me the mother over it!

Hands up if we like this boy!!

Crikey, just imagine if that happened to you?!!!!!! I cannot for a MINUTE , even let it enter my head that this might be something that I would do........

A LEVEL RESULTS DAY

I have been waiting for this day like a child ( and myself ) waits for Christmas Eve. The tension has been unbearable. I have crippled myself with the 'what iffing'.

Everyone has said she'll be fine, not to worry. I've had an incessant, deep down, gnawing negative feeling twisting and churning in my stomach.

At 5am this morning I woke, after yet another night of nightmares, whereby I play out all sorts of situations.

At 7am, she asks me, where is my leaving school certificate? - I need it to collect my results. This sodding certificate has been on the table for weeks. She's been asked to move it. More than twenty times! So I now write this post in my bedroom, which looks like a bomb has gone off it in. I have ransacked EVERYWHERE. Incredibly I find it, in a pile of her stuff that she brought upstairs and for some reason PUT IN MY ROOM?? I shouted at her that I didn't need this stress. She shouted back neither did she. I bit my tongue. No, she didn't. Poor lamb.

At 7.15am she sets off for school.

At 8am - I get a text. it simply says B C C
At 8am - I text back WELL DONE XXX
At 8.01am I text back well, how many points is it??? I think why don't I look it up myself?

At 8.02am - she texts to say she thinks she's only got enough for her second choice.

At 8.03 am she rings. I answer, She is crying. I start crying. " MUM I GOT IN I GOT IN I GOT IN"

She got in to her first choice of Uni. She knows, she's checked on the  online tracker thingy. Her phone signal goes.

I ring her Dad who is at work.  He's so pleased. I text her to ask a million questions. She replies - stop texting you are blocking my phone!!!

About twenty minutes ago, she landed home, I hugged her - then demanded her log in details so I could see for myself! The UCAS page takes FOREVER to load.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Current Status of your application is

Congratulations! Your place at X University to study History has been confirmed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HOORAY!! I feel like cartwheeling round the room. Then I remember that
a) I am fat and forty one
b) no sodding room due to piles of daughter stuff, pre uni romm clear out and now opened drawers and ransacked cupboards due to certificate searching, which, by the way was NOT required!
So, the hideous waiting is over. All the hard work she put in paid off. Yet, I am still crying!

In one month's time, my darling, precious, first born will leave home.

But I am so OVER THE MOON about it. What a fantastic achievement for her. She asked for pancakes for breakfast. I said she can have anything she wants!! I am so proud.

I do have a half written post - for tomorrow - but I needed to post this one today! So so chuffed to little bits!

Love Rachel.x

Cancer - it's just not fair

Harry

Well, just a short post as I am supposed to be getting my overnight bag ready. Harry has been called back to The BRILLIANT Birmingham Children's Hospital  sooner than Lisa thought. We are hoping that it does not mean anything sinister.

To look at him on this photo - which is how he is all the time, Smiley and gorgeous. So sweet natured, happy, a little innocent angel - you would not think that  lurking, slinking, behind those big, beautiful baby blues is an evil, twisted, hideous disease called Bilateral Retinoblastoma slowly trying to take his sight, eyes and if it had it's way, his life. The tumour on his left eye is dangerously close to his optic nerve.

Ooh hang on, can't type as tears in the way.

Right, have pulled myself together. I just love this little treasure Harrychops  so much and cannot bear the thought of him having to deal with this. Over and over.

But it's how it is. Lisa remains strong on the outside but I know she is glad I can come with her this time. It's a long three hours  on that M6, taking your little one  to somewhere, who,  now he is older, is beginning to realise where he is and no he doesn't like it, on your own. We try and find humour in any situation. It helps. Certainly when we get there, see all the other little heartbreakers, ( And bloody hell it is ONE emotional place and so humbling )  we thank our lucky stars that Harry IS being treated. The staff are great. Expertly, they guide these shellshocked parents gently through what has to happen. It is amazing how resilient children are. They are just happy playing. To  babies like Harry, cancer is normal.

Three weeks ago she was on her own as they delivered the devastating news that after two clear exams, this time the tumours had re grown in his right eye. This is his 'good' eye. The one which he has limited sight in. They look for these seedlings as they call them and laser blast them into oblivion. Only trouble is, these blasts are bitter sweet. Sweet because they destroy the filthy cancer, bitter because they also leave scarring which means another tiny bit of sight is permanently gone.  I am glad they are on the ball, I am wondering if they think Harry, who will be going through a big growth spurt again, will be susceptible to rapid tumour growth. Let's hope I am wrong.

So let's all cross our fingers, salute any single magpies, send up prayers, healing thoughts Harry's way. he does need every bit of positive energy he can get.  Use our adopted motto.

DUM SPIRO SPERO

While I breathe, I hope.

Welcome to any new readers, if you'd like to find out more about my nephew Harry, I  have a few posts on him since April 2011 when he was diagnosed at just 13 weeks old, Or you can pop by Lisa's ( my sister )  blog and have a read there. She appreciates any support.

http://harrywillbeatcancer.blogspot.co.uk/

Love Rachel xx

Tuesday - Tinnitus & Tarzan

Hello and welcome new and cherished readers ,

Yesterday, I didst whine about my summer cold. Last night, it paid me back. All of a sudden my right ear went odd. Next - all I could hear was a high pitched monotonous sound, like you get when you are trying to tune in a radio. It's there still today - but just in the back ground. Last night it was actually giving me a headache. So I did what any respecting forty one year old would do. I whinged about it for a bit; I whinged by twitter, I whinged by text, then took some 'zombify Rachel'  drugs. These drugs are over the counter non drowsy decongestants. Asda's own. They render me useless. They also dry out all my membranes!  So although I am a bit fuggy still this morning, I was spark out cold all night. I dread to think what the drowsy ones  would do! ( First time I found out they affected me was when I was having a driving lesson. My driving instructor nearly had a coronary at the round about junction as I just sailed straight on. He grabbed the wheel. He REALLY shouted at me! He drove me home. Poor guy. The culprit was Sudafed.

 Today I planned to get out in the overgrown jungle  garden, to do some hacking with a scythe weeding.  I asked my friends to send in Tarzan - all the Tarzans are on this site! - should they fail to hear from me after a couple of hours.

Which Tarzan would you have? There are lots to choose from - I know this from watching the  all films on a Saturday morning in the 70s! ( Before I discovered  the Wrestling on ITV! )  

My choice? Ladies and Gentlemen I give you - Denny Miller.  It said on the site that his film wasn't great. Well, to a pre teen kid in the NW of England it was bloody fantastic! Who knew that there was Tarzan Snobbery afoot? I HATE 'critically acclaimed' stuff by the way.

I actually found a sound clip of his cry! Took me right back - but it looked dodgy when I tried to embed it. { I know right, me, trying to embed a soundclip!! }





 

Raaaaaaaaaaaachellllll



Add your own caption!!!!

MMMMM full glorious technicolour!



Some say the best Tarzan was - Johnny Weissmullerlight Yogurts ( ha ha sorry - just seeing if you are paying attention )
Probably all the 'Critical Acclaimers'

My need for Tarzan is because I am convinced that large predators will have taken up residence, so lush is the undergrowth, and inner growth and over growth. But because I am still feeling a bit off it, I decided that I am definitely a fair weather gardener, when the monsoons hammered down again. My inner Alan Titchmarsh decided that a nice sit down and a cup of tea, with my knitting, in front of the Olympics was a far more attractive proposition.

This may or may not actually be my garden.

 The sun might shine tomorrow, the wildlife can have another day of tranquility.

Tuesday - Tinnitus, Tarzan and Tranquility. :)



Rain, Gold and a Summer cold.

Well, it's the third Monday of the six week holidays, and it's the third Monday that it has rained. ( Rain )  I know. I have been counting. In fact when I was up at six O' Clock it was raining as hard as it was on Olympic Torch Day ( OTD ), which now ,midst Games, seems forever ago.  ( Gold )

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120803-olympic-moon-js-01.photoblog500.jpg
This photo blows my mind.

I am writing this post, congested up to the eyeballs. The runny eyeballs. Sneezes, incessant coughing and profound deafness. I cannot take any decongestants, as even the non drowsy ones render me completely senseless and zombified. ( Summer Cold )

Anyhoooo...OTD.

Weeks before, in the Staffroom, I had gasped in horror at the time I was being told by the person in charge ,who lives 40 miles away and doesn't REALLY know the area,  at how we would be setting off  hours before the torch was due to arrive at 12.24pm.  A journey, which in real life takes ten minutes. Fifteen with a school. But the staff member would not be told. Said staff member wouldn't actually be standing around with the children for hours as they'd been invited into the venue for the day - with some of the children - Sport's Council Members I think. So OTD arrived. Grey, dismal, hammering it down. Most of the children were soaked through by the time they arrived at school.

They were excited. My colleague had brought festival strength tarpaulins for us to wear on top of our wellies and waterproofs. In mine, I looked JUST like an amoeba.

With brollies in hand we set off, HOURS too early for the journey straight down the road and arrived ten - fifteen  minutes later. The organisers asked us why we were there so early? They hadn't even begun to set up yet! We nearly had mass death by reversing portaloo van.  Did we turn round, make the ten minute journey back and had DVDs for an hour and a half or so? Did we heck. So once our DESIGNATED ( ie we could have arrived at 12.14pm and still had the same view ) areas were ready we settled down to watch - er - the traffic for two hours. Some of the children were blue with cold. A lot of parents had come along and actually, despite the awful weather, the kids were happy playing 'can we get a wave off the drivers?' game. Mostly they did, or a beep of the horns. I think it's because the driver's felt sorry for them!

I cannot impress on you enough at how hard it was raining. Finally, we craned our necks to see something in the distance. It was a bus. It was an Olympic bus. It told us we had so many minutes to wait!

Then some  official looking cars, radio buses and a CocaCola bus came. CocaCola gave out frisbees to the children and bottles of freezing cold coke to the adults. With the lids removed for health and safety reasons. The bottles were special limited edition. They were FREEZING cold. So, we had no option but to try and drink it fast, to stop our hands getting frostbite, it was raining hard, we were getting cold from being in the wet for so long and now had the agony of a full bottle of FREEZING cold coke hitting the bladder. It dawned on me - that during all the  nightly TV News bulletins I'd been avidly watching   - the daily reports from various towns , the vision of excited crowds of people jigging up and down wasn't in actual fact due to the excitememnt of the Torch!

So finally the Torch was here, and after all the waiting, it was a blink and you'll miss it momement. but it was also magical. The crowds cheered. The lovely drowned rat carrier smiled and waved and it truly felt magical. I am glad we went. I managed to get a really clear photo. It doesn't show just how torrential the arin was though!

So the Olympics are finally upon us and for Team GB it had been a magnificent weekend. I have never been more at one with my sofa than this weekend. The Gold Medals  that were won by Mo Farrah, Jessica Ennis, The ginger one who won the long jump and Andy Murray were so well deserved and so well cheered on from my living room. Not to mention the hours I have put in watching the rowing, the cycling, the gymnastics and the swimming. The weightlifting has been watched by my Hunter Gatherer when I'm making tea! I'm not that fussed about the weight lifting if I'm honest! Being on Twitter too is fantastic as we all live tweet the events. My Timeline was amazing during the 10,000m.

But I too won something this weekend! I am an avid follower of an amazing Blog/Website of Englishmum

I happened across this lovely on the Twitter. She is a fab follow!

She has giveaways and I have entered a couple with one of my hastily written poems so I didn't hestitate to enter one for her Paul Hollywood review and post. No, not him, but his book. You are too  late to enter now as I FLIPPING WON, but here is the post - http://englishmum.com/review-how-to-bake-by-paul-hollywood-and-a-spare-to-give-away.html

Anyway as soon as I had finished reading the post I had bread related words flying round my head. Here are the entries. But was makes this so fantastic is the interaction, especially off Sue ( who should have won I think! ) , it really made me laugh. So enjoy. I have full permission off Englishmum to recreate the tense competition for the prize! The Spelling Mistake was entirely intentional!

1. August 1, 2012 at 10:38 am
2. 
3. A Compotition Entry Poem about Bread.
4. There once was a time I did needst,
   To concoct a poem about yeast,
   It had to be funny
   To be on the money.
   This competition is policed!
5. Englishmum wants a poem about bread.
   These are the words in my head!
   It started off as one style
   And it’s taken a while
   But now it needs putting to bed.
   I do love a good book and him of the telly,
   My kitchen could be Miss Radio’s deli,
   How fantastically good
   To get my mitts on Paul Hollywood.
   He’s one foxy beast
   Who is wicked with yeast!
   I could cook up a feast
   Some bread at the least
   I Live in the West not the East.
   I have now run out of rhyming words.

1. Sandy Calico says:

   August 1, 2012 at 10:53 am

   Rachel’s poem, I can’t beat that,
   but I’d still like to put my name in the hat.
   
2. Alice Clarke says:

   August 1, 2012 at 1:04 pm

   Rachel wins – I’m half-baked anyway!
   
3. Sue Paterson says:

   August 1, 2012 at 2:58 pm

   You have to “sing” this to the tune of “Maria” from “The Sound of Music”!
   How do you beat a poem by Ms Radiostar?
   How do you make it better than Rachel?
   She’s already won the book
   But I’d really like to look
   At the lovely photos of the bread inside!
   How do you make a treacle tart for supper?
   How do you bake a grape and stilton loaf?
   I’d like to see the way
   I’d like to see him play
   With yeast and cheese and honey and lavender too!
   How do you win a book by Mr Hollywood?
   How do you show that book is really yours?
   It’s needed where I live
   You really ought to give
   This lovely book to me to try it too!
   Sue
   
4. Rachel says:

   August 1, 2012 at 4:41 pm

   Oh Sue! Bravo! I did say I could be runner up … But if I had won ( to the tune in My fair Lady
   I could have baked all night
   I would have baked all night
   And still have baked some more
   I could have oiled my tins
   And baked a dozen things
   And still I’d bake some more.
   I never knew
   Poemwars could be exciting
   I always knew I’d never win for sure
   I’ll only know when she
   Begins to email me
   If I will bake, bake baaaaaaaake
   All night!
   I thank you Rachel all poemed out Radiostar!! ( 4 mins 45 )
   
5. Sue Paterson says:

   August 1, 2012 at 7:28 pm

   Lovely poem; I had to sing it,to myself …. not out loud, of course …..
   Superbakingpastrymakingthisismostdelicious,
   Even though the sound of it is making me mendacious ,
   Who will win this lovely book is up to hostess Becky,
   I am giving up this poem now, I’ll check back after brekky!
   Sue
   

1. Angela M - Garden Tea Cakes and Me says:

   August 2, 2012 at 8:54 am

   
   Fabulous poems and songs ladies you have made me laugh, the Olympic spirit is strong in you both! Shame there can’t be two winners
   Angela

  

 Oh and today is William's third birthday! Can't believe it was three years ago today I saw him being born. Special little boy - who will be bitterly unimpressed at my brithday present for him! Every child's worst nightmare. CLOTHES!!! Muuuhahahaaaaa!! He has three brothers and sisters. There isn't a toy in the world that hasn't made it into my sister's house!

 So, that's it for today folks - another whopper post! Now I'm off for a mooch round and a comment or two on my favourite blogs. I can't peg out or get in the garden today - so it'll nicely fill in the time till the Olympics start again! What about you?

Mid Week catch up.

Hello everyone and a big warm welcome to any new readers.

As I type, I am doing something very technological.

 It is borne out of need. I have photographs of a finished knit that I want to post, taken on my phone. I have my phone next to me. I am upstairs. The iphone lead is ALL the way downstairs - from where I have just come from!
I only just found out that the phone has bluetooth. So in order to set it up I have to find and download drivers. When I say *I* have to find it, I have a little Microsoft searchy thing doing it for me. I probably am about to blow up my computer - making it impossible for me to post this post! Who are these drivers? Do they wear little chauffeur outfits? How will I know it's not a hacker? I'm very nervy.

**** Goes to check progress ****

Oh it failed. I'm not surprised. I'm not giving up. I have Bluetooth and I want to use it!

Running the peripheral thingy, crossing fingers that it will not harm my computer!  Am probably being hacked up to my eyeballs now as all my passwords n stuff are being fleeced from my computer! It looks genuine enough! I am too gullible to be doing this kind of thing without a fully trained IT specialist by my side. OO it's says it's installing now......


***** several minutes later ***** Computer lists phone, phone lists computer but still no communication. Sigh. I'm going to try the turn everything off and on again like the IT Crowd advises.

Well.

Computer says nooooo

I will just have to use the gifts I was given. My legs.  I will actually have to go get my lead. ( The teens are still asleep and by the time I have gone and roused them, to make them go and get it for me,  I could have been there and back ten times! )

Before I do, I'm going to tell you about my invitation to go out for arrfternoon tea in the Poshest Hotel around.

I received a phone call on Tuesday afternoon from a lady I hold very dearly in my heart. She was quite simply, THE best teacher I have ever worked with.  ( Except the other BEST teacher I worked with at my favourite school ) She was incredible. So driven, focused and in control. She ran Year 6 like a SGT MJR runs their troops. Yes, she was my kind of person. Strict but warm, fair and fabulous with it. She stood no nonsense from the children. They looked up to her. I looked up to her. I learnt a lot from her. She was the first person I worked with when I moved jobs. I'd left my favourite school I ever worked in , ever because the Headteacher *forgot * to tell me he was renewing my contract and assumed that I assumed I would be carrying on the next term. Well, when one is on temporary contracts, assumption is a dangerous game to play. I got myself a new job. He was dismayed and offered me my old job and begged me to reconsider - but was only able to offer me yearly contacts. I'd found a permanent contact - gold dust amongst TAs! Or SSAs as we were called back then.

First day - I was nervous, I'd worked in Foundation Stage and Early Years for years and only worked for a month or so in upper KS2. So I found myself in the very scary world of Year 6. In Y6, children don't actually want to please you or do as they are told like in Reception. This was a 'challenging' consort. But She had them in control. The majority were willing to learn and be helped. My group of boys were very tricky. On my first day, she told me off! I was working with a small group on a whiteboard, we were doing shared writing. We do cursive writing Miss Radio she trilled across the room! I'd been in print land at Nursery for years! I couldn't cursive write on a whiteboard at all! Still can't! It looks  like a dying spider has fallen in ink and is crawling to it's final resting place! But the way she did it actually didn't even bother me. I have worked with teachers since, who, when I've been corrected, have made my hackles rise and say lots of those bleep words in my head! It was her manner. You knew she had standards and high expectations and you knew she expected you to deliver. I loved working with her.  Even on the day when we were learning how to compose complex sentences. Again I was working with my group, doing my clumsy cursive writing as I led my little group in a shared write. She called across to see how we were doing. In my head over and over I was shaking like a leaf thinking please please please let my sentence be complex enough!!! 

 Y6 go swimming every week at the local pool. This was also brand new to me. As I listened in horror she explained to me how I would be teaching a group.

I was aghast! I'd never done that before. I'd watched MY children being taught to swim. But never even entertained the thought that one day I'd be doing it!

What if someone drowns? That was my first question.

She calmly explained without a blink of an eye that we'd just send a letter home!!! The pool staff were responsible not us! Oh, that's alright then! She had a wicked sense of humour.

She was ACE. I LOVE this lady. She has decided to retire from teaching and she has invited a select few from her career to share her farewell afternoon and I'm actually quite choked that she has included little old me! I bet she thought in those first few days what the flipping heck has this imbecile been employed for and why do I have to have her?!  She is just truly wonderful. I wish that I'd had such an inspiring teacher when I was in Y6. ( Junior 4 back then int black n white days! )

I am also thrilled to be able to eat the teeny tiny cakes and crustless sandwiches. The last time I went there was Pre Gallbladder Adventures. I was extremely intolerant of eggs. anything that contained eggs, or part of eggs in any way shape or form made me dreadfully ill. But now I am fine! Hooray!

<<<< RIGHT I'M GOING TO GET THE LEAD >>>>

Chat amongst yourselves for a minute or two.

Ok I'm back. Little Arthur is seven and a half weeks old now. He is the magic goal weight of 3lbs . He's been moved to the next room and is holding his own. Still a long way to go. Here is the first  little jacket and hat I've knitted in powder blue. It's a soft Fisherman Rib. I think the tiny little pale blue toggles match it beautifully. I also bought some sweet little aeroplane buttons to go on the next garment. Can't wait to get started!

Cast on didn't take long for the fronts.

NB: This is the arm of my chair , not my leg, though admittedly I could do with moisturising........

The WS is actually quite a nice little pattern too.

The RS is Fisherman's Rib. This is the hat.

Looks quite big!

I wasn't happy about the scruffiness of the fronts.

My pet hate is picking up stitches for the bands! I love working on circular needles, in fact I can't recall now, the last time I knit using straight needles.

Back view with a ball point to put size into perspective. I hope it will fit him and not be too small.

Finishing it off in the sunshine.

Just need to block it and add buttons.

These were just 4p each. A perfect match and so cute.

oops - I didn't know this one was upside down.

Ta Daaa!

Seems like a long post! I hope you all made it to the end! Note to self - perhaps Blogging every day would tackle this. Hmmm Blogging every day - now there's a novel idea!