I seem to have slipped off the world

Well I've definitely slipped off the blogspot!  The weeks seem to have been flying past and I haven't had much inclination to blog.  Work has been a bit manic.  After our successful Ofsted inspection we were just beginning to relax a bit when we were notified of an RE inspection.  Being a catholic school we are inspected by people from the diocese who look at how we are delivering religious education in the school.  We get a bit more notice of these and it doesn't really impact on the office team, except of course that all the teaching staff in particular get a bit stressed so the atmosphere in school is not great.  But it's only temporary and they came last Tuesday and it was fine so we have a few years of peace now, unless our results really dip.

But of course in school there is never a dull moment - the latest event to occupy me was the resignation of the Headteacher.  He will be leaving in July so now we are carrying out the recruitment process for his successor.  Interesting times.

It's a busy time of the school year - budgets to be set, admissions to be finalised but for the next couple of weeks it's holiday time.  We finished for Easter on Wednesday and have 2 weeks off.  Nick also has the time off so we might go away for a couple of nights.  I just hope the weather improves.  It has been so very cold here for this time of year.

Michael's girlfriend Liz from America is here this week.  She flew in last Saturday and was subjected to a family party that evening so she has met most of the family in one go - she seemed to cope with it well.  We can be a bit overwhelming when we're all together.  Unfortunately she will be returning home on Monday and they will be back to having to skype one another - usually in the early hours of the morning for Michael so not ideal.  He's hoping to visit her in May and I'm sure they'll get together over the summer.  Michael is currently working in a school so he has the holidays off like me.  Liz is a teacher so she also gets the holidays but any long distance relationship is hard.   He would still like to get back to America but it's hard to get a working visa.  I'm not sure what the future will hold for them.  Time will tell.


Matt is still waiting to hear about a start date for his new job in Nottingham but hopefully that will be soon.  We will then probably have to draw lots as to who gets his bedroom as it is the biggest of the three the kids use.  So musical rooms again.

Well that's my update.  Have a peaceful happy Easter :)

 

The boys are back in town

My boys are home.  Well I guess to make it clear that it's hubby and eldest son maybe I should say that the man and boy are back.  Except of course both our boys are now young men.  And our daughter is a young woman.  Where do the years go?  It's scary how time flies.

This past week has flown by and I haven't achieved very much but I needed the rest.  I did read a couple of books and I finished the jigsaw I was struggling with.  I was horrified to discover I started that puzzle in 2010!  That's the downside of having a lovely puzzle board that can be closed up and put out of sight and definitely out of mind.  If I'd been doing the puzzle on a table top somewhere it would have been finished much quicker, although actually I think it would have been given up on.  So it was satisfying to finally finish it.  I'm working on another one now which is definitely easier.  

It might seem a time waster to some but it takes me away from screens and in my paranoid moments of worrying about developing dementia or alzheimers it's another brain testing exercise.  Crosswords and number puzzles are something else I can often be found doing.

I still need to work on the physical exercise though.  Apparently that can help too.  Or maybe not.  I'm not particularly motivated to exercise at the moment.  And as I've got older I've realised that life's too short for doing things because you think you ought to or because it will please someone else.  Several people were surprised that I didn't go skiing with my men and the other family members but quite honestly I didn't want to go.  So I didn't.

They both enjoyed it though so I'm glad they had the opportunity to go.  The journey was not the best though - 17 hours on a coach is no fun.  Another good reason for staying home.  But hey I don't need reasons for not doing things I don't want to.  Shame I can't apply the same principal to my work life. 

Well this is another blog that has crossed the date line between preparing and posting!  It's now Sunday so it's time for bed.

2 Blogs in as many days! :)

It doesn't take much to confuse me.  I came up with the title above and then looked at my previous post to find it was dated yesterday.  That can't be right I thought, I'm sure I posted it Saturday and today is Monday, isn't it?  It's hard to keep track of days when you're on holiday.

Anyway of course it felt like Saturday when I posted but it had actually ticked over into Sunday.  I'm definitely a night owl.

I had a lazy weekend, recharging some batteries.  Hubby and eldest son have gone skiing in France with quite a few other family members.  And before anyone expresses surprise, I DID NOT WANT TO GO!  I had the opportunity to go but gracefully declined.  This ageing body of mine is not up for skiing.  And I'm not a fan of the cold.  I have been skiing in the past but quite a few years ago.  In my opinion you need to be fit to ski and I am definitely not fit.  I haven't been doing any exercise for ages.  I blamed a lot on the frozen shoulder I developed last summer.  But I won't be hanging onto that excuse much longer - it is thawing!  Yay I can do my bra up normally and don't have to get assistance with dress zips etc.  It has taken a while but it's definitely on the mend.  I have walked to the shops twice since Friday so that counts as exercise since I usually take the car.

I've got a fair amount of work to get through but I'm interspersing that with doing things I want to do.  I even got out the jigsaw puzzle I started months ago.  It's really challenging but I've made some progress. I also did some knitting while watching TV last night.

Now it's time to prepare dinner - one downside of hubby being away, I have to remember how to cook!  But at least I sleep better without the snoring ;)  and I get to choose what music to play.  Yep I'm listening to music.  A good sign.

Procrastination V Willpower

I am doomed, I have excellent procrastination skills and a complete lack of willpower. 

I seem to have lost my motivation for anything at the moment.  The run up to Christmas was its usual nightmare and then when we got back to work I was notified of a Health and Safety audit.  That was enough to send me into a panic and the last two weeks have been very busy and eventful to say the least.

The week before last we had our long awaited Ofsted inspection visit.  We’ve been expecting this since last September and you only get ½ a days’ notice so it’s good that it is finally done and not hanging over our heads.  The phone call came on Tuesday so the inspectors were here on the Wednesday and Thursday.  Obviously it’s more daunting for teaching staff who are actually observed but part of my role is to keep a central register of all the checks we do on staff including police checks, qualifications etc.  A mistake on that can lead to instant failure so no pressure!  It was an exhausting few days – early starts, late finishes and of course it’s hard to be relaxed when there are 3 inspectors in the building.  But it went well.  Can’t say anymore at the moment as the report has not been published.  Due out any time now so watch this space on news of that.

The health and safety audit had been postponed to the week just finished (on the Wednesday) but we had more drama on the Monday.  An electrical fault that set off the fire alarm led to the closure of the school for two days while it was resolved.  Our supply had to be turned off at the main intake while the work was carried out.  (This meant no lights, power, heating, phones etc so no school!) Once the supply was restored everything had to be checked to make sure all was safe.  You would be forgiven for thinking that I had two extra days at home but that was not the case for me.  I was busy liaising with maintenance people and organising the messaging to parents and staff to keep them informed of the situation.  I have been promised time off in lieu once things are back to normal.  Normal?  Hmmm didn’t really think I was going to get those days!

But it has meant a bit more breathing time on the  H & S audit – we’re on half term this week and the appointment will be rearranged for after that.  Not sure what he will have to say about this incident – especially as after the Headteacher had reported it to the local authority we received a response to “the fire” we’d had.  As in did we have the fire brigade attend?  Did anyone have to use a fire extinguisher?

Umm no and no!  It was not a fire.  Of course the potential for a fire was there but fortunately our fire alarm system picked up that the wiring had got hot before we could even smell any burning and we’d evacuated the building.  We’d had an electrician on site fairly quickly to establish what was wrong and moved on from there.

Hopefully things will get a bit easier once the H &S audit is over – at least there won’t be so much pressure.  There will still be lots of work to do – and it looks like part of the building will have to be rewired which will be a major project but I have been getting more support from the Deputy Headteacher and I can honestly say there is never a dull moment in school.

Plus there are more scary things to worry about.  It was reported in the news yesterday that the horsemeat scandal may have spread to school meals!  Especially cottage pie.  I’ve eaten cottage pie at school recently!  I ate minced beef pie on Friday!  Tasted like beef.  But then I wouldn’t know what horse tasted like.  Our meals are mostly freshly cooked at school but couldn’t say where the beef comes from.  Hopefully during the half-term holiday the local authority will have prepared a response on this subject as I know we will be getting questions from parents.

Maybe there’s a silver lining though.  I need to diet and eating school meals is not helping – remember my title of willpower and lack of it.  And procrastinaton.  When faced with the choice of giving up relaxing time to make a healthy packed lunch or even getting off my backside and going to the local shops to get something to eat versus the prospect of a hot dinner with a dessert such as chocolate sponge and custard, apple crumble and custard or even cheesecake there are no prizes for guessing which option I’ve been opting for lately.