5 questions

I came across this brilliant game on Gemmak. I have to answer 5 questions posed by GemmaK and anyone who would like me to ask them 5 questions posts a comment on my site, making sure to give me an email address to send them my 5 questions. Good, innit?!!
Here are my questions from GemmaK with my answers:

Hi,

Sorry it's taken me so long but here they are at last!

1. What will you do with your 1st week of new found freedom?
Keith says I am going to put my feet up, drink lots of pina coladas with a straw (I've never had one in my life!) and drink myself crazy. I rather thought I was going to work in his shop! But first I am having a surprise party in my honour. How do I know if it's a surprise party? Because one of the guests turned up a week early on Tuesday evening!


<>2. If you could rid the world (without violence) of one person who would it be and why?

Tony Blair - I have never felt so depressed and cynical about the state of politics in this country at present. See Alfred the OK, 15th July. He says it so much better!

3. What motivated you to blog?

I tried constructing a website through Wanadoo and then decided I would have a go at a blog. I really wanted somewhere to 'rant' about education and other things that matter to me and I also enjoy writing and thought it would be good practice. Now I am really hooked and can't go a day without either posting or counting how many visits I've had to my blog!


4. If you had no pc or internet access for a month what would you do with the time?
See above! Apart from suffereing severe withdrawal symptoms, I think I would do a lot more reading. I used to read in all my spare time instead of being on the internet and blogging! I might do more housework and clean my car and would certainly do more gardening. On the other hand, I might spend all my time on the phone to BT pleading with them to restore my internet connection!


5. If someone gifted you with £500 that you had to spend within 24 hours what would you spend it on?
Clothes from somewhere more upmarket than Matalan!! Or, a weekend in Paris with Keith! Much more fun!


 

 

Runcorn Bridge cont.

Whoever has the sense of humour at the Highways Agency has surpassed himself this week - yes, himself, it's got to be a man!
Remember the police notice about the speed cameras in operation? Remind yourself here Well, this week there is now a small white board informing all hapless travellers that pass that way that 468 people have been speeding!
Given that one struggles to reach the speed limit of 20mph and my speed along that stretch currently varies from 2 to 20mph, I am at a complete loss to know how on earth anyone has managed to break the speed limit!!! 2 possible solutions spring to mind:
a) There are 468 Heath Robinson contraptions on the road which are built with extendable wheels so that they can actually pass over other traffic

b) There are 468 L.F.V.s on the roads - i.e. Low Flying Vehicles.
Mind you, I haven't spotted any of these on my daily travels, but maybe I just haven't been looking carefully enough. The speed cameras obviously have! Look here

The last week

Tomorrow I begin my last week as a full time permanent teacher. As from tomorrow morning, everything I do at school will be for the last time.
Yesterday one of the staff asked me if I am feeling sad at the thought of leaving and, sadly, I had to say no. I have been there for 16 and a half years, far longer than I ever expected to be in one place, seeing that I have a low boredom threshold and there have been many ups and downs, in latter years, mainly downs.
I loved teaching from the time I left college, back in 1970. Over the years, I have spent many hours per week 'over and above' but gradually, what was originally a matter of choice became a matter of necessity - running to stand still. I have seen numerous education 'initiatives' come and go, many introduced without any forethought or previous research, spent innumerable hours, together with other long-suffering colleagues, making them work for the sake of the children we were educating, and then many more hours undoing all that and preparing to introduce the next brainwave of some character in his ivory tower a million miles removed from REAL SCHOOLS.
I have taught in Ireland as well as England, from Nursery to secondary (only very briefly), been head of department, deputy headteacher and acting headteacher twice (in my own and another school) but last summer I decided I had had enough of senior management and the resultant lack of 'a life' and 'downsized' to class teacher. This has meant that for the first time in years I have been able to go out sometimes at weekends, pursue other interests (blogging for one!) and do an evening course. I can't remember the last time I was able to do anything like that that wasn't work-connected.
But maybe I left it too late. I feel envious of younger colleagues who still have the enthusiasm that I have lost and cannot recapture, try as I might. Teaching has now become a job, like any other, rather than something I loved to do and that does make me sad.
When I look around at others of my age who have retired, resigned or are wishing they could, I know I am not alone in the way I feel. We can't all have got it wrong. We are the generation who have lived through more changes and upheavals in teaching than any other. We would all agree that standards needed to be improved in some important areas and the literacy and numeracy hours have gone far to address this. Unfortunately, in the process, all the spontanteity, interest, enthusiasm and joyfulness have gone.......There has to be a way to recapture this, but I can't wait any longer.

More on the tooth

The piece of tooth has now vanished altogether - apparently when Keith ate a grape. Doubtless it will reappear via another orifice but I don't think he'll be looking!
So the sander had to be brought into operation. It seems to have done the trick for now.
In spite of post-it stickers left in various places to remind him to ring the dentist today, the dentist has not been rung.
Far be it from me to say that men are wimps but I leave you to draw your own conclusions.
:-)

Welsh herring gulls are a friendly lot! 

Keith contemplating life, the meaning of life and everything -( or maybe wondering how the invaders reached the castle). 

How did the invaders get from the sea to the castle? Easy!