Going my own way

It has been a year of trying new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Some things have worked brilliantly, some things have gone OK and others have gone spectacularly wrong but I realise, looking back that I needed all the experiences, the good and the bad to arrive where I am now with an increasing awareness of the things that make me happy, the things I am happy with and the things I wish to learn and develop.
I have become much more appreciative of the small things in life - the things that I now realise are really the big things and the quality of my life is improving daily as I appreciate how lucky I am to be living my life my way.

recycling

I enjoy giving away and selling cheaply the things I no longer need. Yesterday my sofa went for 99p on eBay. This means I do not have to pay someone to tip it and another person is happy with their bargain. I also like sites like Free-cycle and also furniture companies that run as charities that collect your items free and sell them at low cost to people on a low income. It is a shame when  people just tip their items but at least around 60% of what turns up at the local tip is able to be recycled later.
A few years ago there was a reality TV show where the participants volunteered for an experience not knowing where they were going. They were blindfolded and driven to a land fill tip where they had to survive for a while. It was pretty interesting  to see how they coped and also what they found on the tip that they could use to make life easier for them.
It takes a bit of thought and time to find a new home for our unwanted items but it really is worth taking that time to see if there is a way someone else can benefit from our cast-offs.

holidays

I have woken up to the sun streaming in my window knowing that the summer holiday is well and truly here! I am looking forward to meeting up with friends and family as well as spending time in my lovely caravan. I will also be clearing my house little by little and am hopeful that it will be on the market very soon now. It is so exciting to me moving on to a new chapter....

Clearing the way

Today I went to school for the day to print off the first terms lesson plans and help prepare the classroom. It is good to get this out of the way. Tomorrow morning the bidding closes on my items I am selling and I am hopeful some of the larger pieces of furniture will find a home and help me towards the next step in clearing the house in readiness for sale.
I heard from the valuer and the market price is good. Now seems like a good time- the right time for me to sell!
Tomorrow I will take photo's to be included in the marketing.
This is really happening!

Hettie's check up

Hettie is going in for a check up. I am hoping that the mechanics can fix the heater which is stuck on 'on.' They are going to put a tricky bulb in  my side light and investigate a squeak ( possibly a wheel-bearing?)    I am optimistic that she will be easily fixed and believe she is a good  car. It is a shame Hattie came to such a sad end but Hettie does appear to be a fine replacement.

I love Greenwich Park!

It was lovely on Saturday. Graham and I took Ollie, Rufus and Burt to the park where they proceeded to cause mayhem as per usual. Actually Rufus and Burt were Ok but Ollie managed to steal a slice of Salami from a picknicking couple!          
We all love the park. Ollie particularly enjoys it because he is surrounded by smaller dogs which feeds his ego as he believes himself to be a large dog!
The food at Greenwich market is delicious. We love the vegan cakes and the Ethiopian food.
What a lovely day out!

Yesterday was hard work but....

Yesterday was hard work but it was worth it. I have just about completed a terms worth of planning for my English students in September so now I can focus on what I need to do in my personal life The house valuer came   ( keeping his cards close to his chest) and the boiler man came and serviced the boiler. I have already cleared out a lot of junk, sold sellable stuff at boot-fairs, been to the charity shop, the tip you name it and while there is still clearing to be done ( the shed in particular!!!!)  I am well on the way.

Today I listed items I don't need on 'ebay' and hopefully they will sell. I have them listen for 5 days. other stuff will be listed on 'freecycle' as I get closer to not needing the items. I am taking my prized possessions  with me and am having a dramatic clear out of the rest and it feels good!

Here's to selling the house and moving on.
I am so excited!

landmark day

Today is what I call a landmark day.
I am waiting for the valuer to come and value my house before it goes on the market.
Once this step is complete my house will go on the market within days and I am hopeful that it will sell quickly.
It is crying out to be a family home again. I brought my kids up here and the house provided a cosy roof over our heads as they grew and now they have sprouted wings and have flown away to live their dreams and I couldn't be happier for them.
I no longer need 3 bedrooms and the time has come to offer my house up to a new family.
I have been very happy here and I know a new family would appreciate the many good things about living here.
I live very close to Canterbury, within walking distance and we have a good bus service and near by corner shops.
It is quiet here and there are beautiful country walks on my doorstep.
I count myself very lucky to have lived here and now I a ready to take the next step and live the next chapter of my life.

beautiful Canterbury is very close.

warm white wine

I am very happy. I was given some beautiful cards and lovely gifts from the pupils at school as it was the day they leave Secondary school. (KS4)
One gift was a bottle of white wine.
Sensible people would chill it before drinking but I have just got back from drinking Lime and Soda in the pub with my colleagues. many of the were 'eating drinking and being merry' but I needed to drive home to my beautiful dog so I decided to make up for it by pouring myself a large glass of wine as soon as I got back from walking him!
Yes it was warm but it was lovely and all the more delicious knowing it was given as a gift.
I think we all like to be appreciated and this gesture made my day!
On Friday I am gong into Canterbury to meet a friend for coffee. It is lovely to have some time out to socialise and recover from the pace of the term.

Radio One DJ's

I really enjoy listening to Radio 1 in my car. Some mornings Nick Grimshaw says something daft that has me in stitches and most days there are usually at least 2 songs that I really enjoy listening to on the drive into work.
Greg James is good too. I particularly like Feet Up Friday, 10 Minute Take Over and Nerd Alert. Again the music is usually good. I like how upbeat Zane Lowe is and his knowledge and enthusiasm for music is infectious. There are other good DJs but the ones I have listed stand out for me.
I actually prefer listening to the radio than to a CD in the car as I like the discussions, the humour and the not knowing what will be played next!

helpful Ollie

I am pretty sure I am not the only person who isn't keen on housework...I clean up, wash up etc but leave a lot of jobs as long as I can before tackling them.
The chickens have come home to roost now though as the house has to look OK for when the valuer comes round on Thursday.
This meant Sunday was not a fun day it was a clear up day.
By the time I had finished I was tired but pretty happy with the result so when I left the house this morning I was feeling pretty pleased with myself or at least I was until I arrived back home again after work.
Ollie has enthusiastically set about rearranging things to suit his own particular style. Beds had their covers thrown onto the floor, rugs were rolled up into a ball etc. etc. and then after I had re-tidied the house I went out to mow the lawn and Ollie shot out of the door and proceeded to play his favourite game- giving me the run around.
I managed to catch up with him by bribing him with a dog chew and he came back to the house with me happily wagging his tail.
If you are keen on house work and have little sense if humour do NOT get a Jack Russel cross as they are bonkers and they will tip you over the edge!

Ollie as a wee pup 'helping' me with the dusting!

Thunder storms

I love thunder storms. There was an excellent one yesterday while I was sitting in my friend Jill's garden. It was her party and there were quite a few people gathered in the garden under a gazebo. It was a very hot evening and you could feel the storm brewing. When it eventually did we were able to watch the lightening flashes light up the sky and then the rain came down.
There was another incredible storm on Friday night. I was at school. We had just watched the pupils perform their talent show and were gathered outside in the playground enjoying a barbecue. The sky was beautiful. The clouds were very oddly shaped and were tinged with gold and silver then the lightning illuminated the sky with wonderful forks and the sky turned purple then the rain came. A little later I drove to Brentwood via the Dartford Tunnel as the storm raged.
As a result of this incredible storm there was less traffic on the road than normal and people were driving carefully. It was quite an experience!

I love the way the sky changes the scene. Each different cloud formation alters the mood of the moment.

dog show

I don't usually go to dog shows but today Ollie and I went with Graham and his lovely dogs to Wanderers Haven - the sanctuary were Graham got his dogs and they took part in the show. They won 'best rescue dog' between them and then were entered for 'best in show' on account of winning a first prize.
They won the 'best in show' and people seemed genuinely happy for them. Rufus and Burt are very well loved by the staff at the sanctuary.
It was so lovely to see Graham and his dogs getting recognition. They make such a cute trio! Ollie was given a rosette too so he didn't feel left out!

shaped by our experiences

I love the way that everything we do teaches us and that everything we learn shapes our lives so that sad times and happy times combined help us to become the whole formed individual that we are.
I wouldn't swap a single thing about my life as each experience that I have helps me to decide what I truly value and helps me to walk away from things that I do not relate to.
Sometimes I feel I have taken a wrong turning or I feel backed into a corner or led in a certain direction I did not exactly choose and then I find as I move through the experience that I had something specific I needed to learn or experience and so now I conclude that that we are given exactly what we need at the time.
An example of this would be that I gave up teaching last summer to start a new life and thought I would never teach again but then I found that in order to establish my new life I needed some extra money to fall back on and ensure I could pay the bills and so I did some supply teaching.
This was certainly not planned and I was sent to a school that is almost an hours drive from where I live so when I first drove there I had my doubts but then when I got there I realised I had a lot to offer the school and that working there would teach me a lot too.
I have worked with a year 11 class since Christmas as their form tutor and I must admit I enjoy it.
I find working with teenagers incredibly rewarding. I like their directness. They tell you what they think without sparing you so when you get positive feedback it is great!
We are coming to the end of the academic year and I am glad that I have been able to offer this group some guidance and support in their last year at school.
The main thing I have realised is that I hadn't quite exhausted my love of teaching. I left as I felt burnt out but in fact after a short break I realised that I do get a lot out of teaching.

a lovely Tuesday evening!

Ollie is on his hols lucky dog. I drove back from work yesterday evening, collected him and drove him to Graham's in Essex. Graham and I had a delicious Chinese and a pleasant evening. Ollie was so excited to be doing something different. I drove to work early this morning and Ollie went camping. I will be meeting up with Ollie and Graham, Burt and Rufus on Friday evening.
It is so weird being in the house without Ollie! I am glad he is having a good time though.

In praise of mushy peas

Have I created this post before? If not I should have!
Mushy peas....I love them.
I like to dip chips or crisps into them and can even spread them on toast.
I have to ration my passion or I would eat them every day.
You can buy a little can of them for pennies and they are a complete treat after a long day that I never tire of eating!
Talking of treats- George the cat is a strange one. One minute he hates Catnip and the next he is wild for it even taking a little catnip pillow I gave him out through the cat flap into the garden and then bringing it back into the house with him moments later only to completely ignore it again.
I am not that way with mushy peas. My adoration for them is consistent!

Music inspires

I find music so inspiring. Musicians have a wonderful way of conveying sometimes very complex messages in a clear and beautiful way. Here are some songs that have spoken directly to me (if that makes sense):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMJUbZrNnA8

Mumford and Sons: Lover of the Light


But love the one you hold
And I'll be your goal
To have and to hold
A lover of the lights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rglaHc8vCQ8

Swedish House Mafia: Don't you worry child...

My father said,
"Don't you worry, don't you worry, child.
See heaven's got a plan for you.
Don't you worry, don't you worry now."
Yeah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqKOQOn8_Ic
David Bowie : Fill your heart

all the lyrics make so much sense to me but here are the really wonderful bits:
"Fill Your Heart"

Fill your heart with love today
Don't play the game of time
Things that happened in the past
Only happened in your Mind
Only in your Mind-Forget your Mind
And you'll be free-yea'

Happiness is happening
The dragons have been bled
Gentleness is everywhere
Fear's just in your Head

Gentleness clears the soul
Love cleans the mind
And makes it Free!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg-DhK87CWk

The Levellers -Its a beautiful day

What a beautiful day,
I'm the king of all time,
And nothing is impossible,
In my all powerful mind

II could go on but I think you get the picture!I think we are all here to learn these 

messages and we are also here to help each other along the way.

Talking of pictures, this photo is of my sister and her kids. She sent me a 

lovely card recently which also had a powerful message on it.

Today is a great day!

(and it is!)

meeting friends

Today I got up and started sorting my possessions. I took some rubbish to the tip, went shopping and then met Ruth, Brian and Debbie at The Old Gate.
My main course was delicious and it was so good to catch up with my friends.
Following this I returned home and continued preparing the house ready for sale.
It has been a busy but productive day.
I am looking forward to my next trip to the caravan but realise I have work to do here first.

sharing ideas

I had an interesting meeting today. I met with a group of English teachers- we were trying to make the New Curriculum relevant to our pupils - we all work at Special Schools and while we have some similarities our pupils have different need types. It was good working with a group of intelligent, committed people who all wanted to get it right and find ways of helping the pupils they work with to learn and enjoy what they learn. It would be good to hear the government genuinely acknowledge the commitment and dedication many people put into their jobs ( not just teachers) and then people would feel more appreciated for what they do. At the moment the mood seems to be one of checking up and criticism and this can be very demoralising for people who put their heart and soul into what they do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHrLPs3_1Fs

Have you heard the song Budapest by George Ezra?
It is perfect. I have just watched the video which is interesting and rather strange.
My favourite time for listening to music is on the radio to and from work each day. My journey is usually 50 minutes long and in that time there is usually a number of songs played that I enjoy and every so often I hear one that really moves me. It makes my day. I particularly appreciate this when I am in a traffic jam it turns a chore into a pleasure!
I fully appreciate the contributions that creative people make to our society. Without artists, writers, musicians and creative thinkers life would be much more predictable and dull. I really enjoy seeing stunning photographs placed alongside wise and insightful quotes. They can be so uplifting and can create a positive shift in the way people think.

nearly there

I am excited. The surveyor is coming round in a couple of weeks to value the house and then it goes on the market. My car Hettie appears to be coping with the journey to and from work  each day and has been booked in for a check over with my mechanic. I am clearing my house in readiness for sale and am looking forward to staying in my caravan this summer. I also have plans to go camping and to see Clarrie and Jack.
Exciting times ahead!

I love a campfire!

Birthdays

It is my sons birthday. Two of the most wonderful things that I have done is bring up my two wonderful children Clarrie and Jack. It is Jack's birthday today. He is 20! What has happened to the years? When they were born Clarrie was dark haired and Jack fair. Obviously one was male and the other female and so in many ways my children are very different but they compliment each other very well and get on well too which makes me really happy. Clarrie made Jack his birthday cake this year - the first year I haven't made his cake and I am so glad that she was able to do that for him. They live pretty close to one another now they are both at Uni and I am glad about that as they both have each other to rely on for support when needed.
I am really looking forward to seeing them both when I visit in August!
Happy Birthday Jack!

Sport Season

It is definitely a sport season. We spent the day outside taking part in the school Sports day.
At the weekend there was Formula 1, tennis, football amongst other things. I am not particularly gifted at sport but do take interest in things like The Olympics, athletics etc and I also enjoy football.
I like the way sport can unite people and also provide young people with the chance to shine.
I love being outside and walking in the countryside. The feeling of freedom I experience when walking with my dog is hard to describe.

barbecue season.

We have entered barbecue season. Yesterday I was at a garden party and we had a barbecue and I keep smelling barbecues sizzling on my estate.
I think it is a lovely, sociable thing to do sitting with friends, drinking and relaxing and eating food cooked out in the open.
We get a lot of rain here so umbrellas and gazebos are a very good buy when planning a barbecue!
I intend having some at my caravan this year but for now my efforts must focus on clearing and preparing my house for sale.
happy days !
Life out in the open.

weather

People are talking about being too hot so other people are posting photo's of being snowed in a few months ago. The weather plays such an important role in our lives. People planning outdoor weddings pray for sun or an excellent marquee, people organising kite flying festivals hope for just the right amount of wind, farmers need rain and then a little sun so the crops grow and we all hope for certain weather to fit in with our plans.
One of the things I like about weather is that we have little influence over it. We learn to adapt and change our plans based on the type of weather that turns up and I like that certain factor of unpredictability.
In England the weather is very hard to predict and so when you get a nice sunny day exactly when you most wanted it you truly feel as if you have won a prize in The Weather Lottery! ( So much more exciting than the money lottery!)
Whatever the weather today, have a great day!

Things are starting to happen!

I feel like I have been laying the foundations and planning and thinking for such a long time and now, finally things are moving!
The valuer is trying to get in touch and so any time now I will have a valuation report completed on my house and then it can go on the market.
I am so ready to sell now and move onto the next chapter of my life.
There are 2 and a half weeks left of the school term and we have officially completed the English plans for the year and are having a week of sport followed by a week of Science so it is a time of endings and new beginnings for the pupils I work with.
I have learnt such an incredible amount in this past year and have really managed to figure out the things and people that truly make me happy and how I enjoy spending my time on this beautiful planet Earth.
Life is so short and precious that we all owe it to ourselves to live the best life we can for us and to do the things that enrich life for ourselves and others.
July is a beautiful month marking the halfway mark for the year. In 2014 I have crammed in so much learning and thinking and planning I feel that I am finally ready for action!

exploring

I had a lovely day today. The Year 11's were taking part in a sponsored walk to raise money for their leavers meal out. We walked in a country park. The kids planned the whole thing, read the map, decided the route etc. This type of activity brings out the best in young people. They showed some great team building skills and really enjoyed being out in the beauty of nature.
I really enjoyed the day too.

patience

Sometimes I find it hard to be patient. It is often when I am waiting to hear from someone who said they would be in touch and then delays getting in touch. I don't enjoy feeling out of control and unable to influence events.
I guess the lesson to learn for me is to learn to let go and allow things to take care of themselves.
This is what I am currently working on.
I will let you know how it goes!
I am working on being as laid back as these dogs!

School Leavers

Many students have left school after sitting their exams. University students have either completed their courses or the first year or two of their course. Teachers are starting to count down the days until the summer holiday. All in all people are reaching a half way point in the year. They are reflecting on how things have gone so far and what they aim to do next.
I too am feeling reflective. My accident helped to remind me of the truly important things in life and my nearest and dearest were able to show me they are here for me and how much they care about me.
My body is repairing nicely and emotionally I am feeling more robust.
Hettie appears to be a lovely car and got me to and from work - a 72 mile round trip with no problems.
I am glad to be spending time around the Year 11's at my school as they are just starting to adjust to the idea of transition to the next phase of their education. The school team aim to provide them with some happy 'school leavers' outings and the emotional support needed to adjust to all the changes.
Change can be scary but it can also be good and tremendously exciting.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chUolMjZyHc

Ollie looking reflective...