EXAMS!

It being the season for exams it puts me in mind of mine all those years ago. 30 years ago I had a geography exam and we were in one of the French classrooms supervised by Mr. Foster who later retired early, or was he pushed? Rumour has it he hit a kid and seeing as his nickname was Hitler I am not surprised by these rumours. The exam was set out with individual exam tables. You know the sort, very lightweight affairs which folded flat for easy storage. Well, half way through the exam I was busy orientating my ordnance survey map, like you do, when I spotted a boy behind me watching me closely. As I picked up my map and turned it clockwise he did the same. Unfortunately, he had also picked up the exam desk and him, the desk, the char, his water bottle and his pride clattered to the floor in an almighty crash bang wallop! Classic mayhem! It was hard to settle down after the laughter and Peter Foster nearly had a stroke with temper! I actually survived to pass with an A grade! Such fun! ( as Miranda's mother would say!)

Other exam memories are the one when I had 2 full packets of sugar free mints in and English exam and had the trots! In and out to the loo all morning. Passed with a C!

And having a May birthday led me to have exams on it. I had my French oral on my 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays. Now take you minds out of that sewer! I was a good Catholic girl!

HELLO STRANGERS!

It's been a while because I am now not a daily supply teacher but an employee of one school. I don't feel I can carry on blogging as everyone knows the school I work in.

So I will just keep it general about life and stuff!

Over half term I didn't do much really but it flew by. The weather was good which made a nice change but it's even better now we are back in work. Typical! It made me laugh to think about all the women up at 6.30 frantically trying to find something summery to wear. I was a good girl and ironed all my summer gear at the weekend. It was such a good day today that I felt bereft because it was such a waste of a sunny day and I didn't even have any washing to do! I could have stripped the beds but my eldest was still in his and that would have been cruel! Even I wouldn't stoop so low!

The week ahead will be busy and insane Tuesday is back with a vengeance. I have a full day in school plus choir and then Ciaran has a party followed by cubs which dovetails with my swimming club meeting. Eating may or may not happen but I am sure I won't die. Jean, the swimming club meeting hostess with the mostest, always bakes so I will stock up on cake!

Next weekend looks pretty busy as I will be polishing my halo for sainthood by attending 2 masses on Sunday! One at Lowe House leading choir and one at my school's parish church for the communion/confirmation of year 4. Don't get me started on the insanity of the the reordering of the sacraments or we will be here all night!

On the whole life is pretty average just now. The only pain in the bum is Liam's exams which seem to be never ending! Then he has his prom for which he has finally got a suit after much persuasion to enter a shop and try clothes on. What is it about teenage boys and clothes shopping? He loathes it! I am not exactly in love with it myself but I go if I have to!

The youngest is living in a different climate. He just asked me to shut the back door that he is freezing and it is boiling outside and in! Must be because he is so thin! He needs fattening up! He eats like a pig but doesn't show for it. Lucky thing! Despite losing 3 stone I can't seem to shift the last stone. Short of wiring up my jaw I don't know what else to do. Now, now, I heard that! No, it would not give you all a bit of peace and quiet!

Well it seems I am back into the swing of blogging again and I hope you enjoy it! Maybe I will get a few more followers!

January jaunts

January is a busy one for the supply tribe. The worst of the illnesses strike post Christmas and we deice our cars and get stuck in. I went to a new school on the limit of my area and loved it. Polite children, organised staff and a fun day was had by all. I love juniors and this was a junior school. The youngest were 7 and the oldest 11. They all have a sense of humour and know right from wrong. Just one poor kid with aspergers couldn't cope with a change to his routine. I felt sorry for him really, but we muddled through and by the end he was joining in with the others. The ice has melted now and it's wind and rain instead. Do I prefer ice? No, it's cheaper to heat the house on mild, wet days! Time to dig out the waterproof trousers methinks! You always get landed with playground duty on supply! TTFN!

New term

The new term is upon us and I am raring to go after a restful summer off with the kids. A lovely week in Anglesey with enough sunshine for 2 days on the beach. Very unexpected for August in the U.K. but most welcome. My youngest son did some horse riding and decided to have some lessons for a birthday present. I have a feeling that it is going to cost me even more than the usual trip to Smyths but at least I haven't got even more toys than usual to tidy up!

Getting ready for going back to school is so much easier being on supply. No boring INSET days and no hours of planning to do. I just need to check my working clothes are pressed and my shoes are clean, basically. I have collected loads of worksheets during last year and don't need any more. The children are easy to sort this year as no new shoes needed. They got some in May for Ciaran's communion. Liam needed shirts and Ciaran hasn't grown out of last years uniform yet!

It's all going too well. I'm just waiting for the disaster to come now! I wonder what that might be and how much will it cost?

Liverpool humour

Had a laugh today in Liverpool! On the way in you pass the Showcase Cinemas and the kids go there a lot. At the end of each music lesson I ask for volunteers to do a showcase of their talent. One lad said " Mrs. Bowyer, are we doing a cinema today?" It took me a few seconds to twig that he meant a showcase! Did we laugh!

Liverpool kids

Really enjoying teaching music in 4 Liverpool schools 3 days a week! I have discovered that Liverpool kids are inherently musical (apart from the odd one or two) and very keen and willing to join in with most things I throw at them. Had a bunch of Y5 singing and dancing to Status Quo today! They were very shy at first but head banging by the end of the lesson! It's very tiring and physically demanding but I am loving this assignment! Samba is a bit of a nightmare because it's so loud and very distracting to the other classes in a primary school! I doubt I will make a habit of doing it but the teacher wants the class to do a piece for the leavers' service. I hope that doesn't mean that the audience will all leave with banging headaches! I went to bed when I got home on Tuesday with 2 anadin! The other awful thing is that opposite the school is a Next Clearance shop that I had to visit! Well, you can't not! Got a lovely dress for £12! I think it really suits me and I don't really do dresses. It should have been £45. I couldn't not buy it! I took a chance because they don't have fitting rooms. It looks ace and I am really chuffed. It was worth the headache!

The unexpected!

On the ferry to Seacombe we were just catching a few rays and chilling out when we noticed a family having a religious ceremony over the other side of the deck. On a very windy day they were attempting to scatter the ashes of a loved one over the side of the boat. It wasn't proving easy due to the gale blowing and the bunch of noisy teenagers cavorting around. Some of the ashes went into the river but just as many were scattered over the family themselves! I think I would rather have looked at the weather forecast and waited for a calmer day myself! Not quite what I expected on a day out!