Computer update

My 'Favourites' list is back, fully restored and in working order. It reappeared when Keith removed the programme he had installed. But I'm still playing safe and sticking to my laptop!! :-)

computers!!

History probably records more rows, arguments, divorces etc. caused by problems over computers than any other reason! If archevists were to trawl the innumerable historical records hidden away in dusty libraries and museums for accounts of disputes between women and the men in their lives, they would almost certainly discover the most common reason by far was to do with computers!
From early cave dwellers to viking invaders to mediaeval merchants to victorian entrepreneurs to your average modern day 'partners' - the question has resounded from the Outer Hebrides to Land's End (taking in North Wales on the way)....
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY FAVOURITES LIST???!!!"
Two hours ago, the refrain was picked up and hurled forth to resound in the environs of North Wales and thence to join its countless echoes in the ether of past generations.
(Well, something like that anyway!)
Never share a computer with an I.T. expert - especially the male of the species. If you do, your 'favourites' list will never be safe. It will disappear when he decides to replace Windows with Linux (Why???) It will vanish mysteriously when he changes the operating system from Windows 2000 to Windows 98 (Again - why???) It will cease to exist when he loads a new gizmo on the computer and your profile disappears.
(Why? Well, I answered yes to the question on the screen. What was the question? Dunno, didn't read it, did I?)
The solution to this problem? Have your own computer and never let him near it!!!
You have been warned!

Washing machines!!!

Did I say the other day that the 2 things I would miss most were my computer and the washing machine! Should have kept quiet. Yesterday evening, I loaded the washing machine and then went out to water the garden. A short time later, the washing machine was sporting a flashing light which shouldn't have been flashing and was ominously silent and still. Half an hour of pushing and prodding later, still no change, so I tried the Jennytc repair method - it never (well, rarely) fails - a combination of swearing at it, giving it a good talking to and a few well-aimed kicks!
Amazingly, still nothing happened. Keith felt I was taking it all too seriously (Typical male logic!)and refused to let me near it for the next hour. To cut a long story short, it eventually started working again, but why, I am not sure. I did figure out that what had caused the problem was me using the hosepipe on the garden at the same time that the washing machine was ready to do the rinse cycle. Not enough water for both, so, in the time-honoured way of all household gadgets, it decided to SULK, stamp its foot, pick up its ball and go home - whatever!
However, I am a forgiving soul, not one to bear a grudge, so all is well again, and the washing machine is still the second thing I would most hate to do without - second only to my laptop. Did I hear someone say, "Get a life, woman!" ????

Levi Tafari (with permission) 

"Am I really doing this???" 

Levi Tafari

This week is Arts week in school, when we are off timetable and able to devote time to the more creative and fulfilling parts of the curriculum, the parts that often get squeezed out under the pressures of daily literacy and numeracy lessons. Not that I am decrying these. The '3 R's' are essential but weeks like this provide a timely reminder that those children who are not academically gifted often have talents in other areas, in which, because of the constraints of the curriculum, they are not usually able to show their ability.
So Arts week is welcomed by all. It's a chance to relax, do something different, limited only by the bounds of the imagination - oh, and lack of resources! But that's another story! (See previous post on wasting resources.)
This year's theme is Africa. In my class, we are making a jungle freize, inspired by the paintings of Henri Rousseau so there is green paint, tissue paper and crepe paper everwhere.
This morning we had a visit from the poet, Levi Tafari - yes I know, the link is tenuous as he originates from Jamaica but you can't have everything. This is Levi's second visit to our school and the children really enjoyed his visit and his suggestions for creating poetry. He has that rare gift of being able to engage the young children as well as older ones but hadn't reckoned on the complete lack of understanding of play on words of the average 5 to 7 year old! He talked about personificaion and mentioned that, for instance, a mountain has a foot and a face and some have ears - mountaineers. They're all still puzzling about that one!
On the home front, history has been made! Keith has once again, completely unprompted, mowed the lawn! Twice in 2 weeks!!!! I was therefore moved to take a photo - 2 in fact but one had to be deleted due to an unfortunate gesture being made by him as the shutter clicked!