Demob happy teacher

That Monday feeling

So, I'm sitting here, having just watched the update on Strictly Come Dancing (Come on, it's got to be ageism that Stephanie was voted out first!) and paying some overdue visits to the blogs on my sidebar. The pace of life is pleasant at the weekend - I actually manage to have time to relax and think, but now it's Sunday evening and I am about to step back onto that mad carousel that is the week (Poetic, that, don't you think, YP?)
Still, keeps me out of mischief, I suppose....

Le weekend

OK, I know I've been neglecting my blog recently, but life continues to be frantic. However, I did take the day off today to go to Chester to do the 'ladies who lunch' thing with last year's head teacher and secretary. We had a lovely afternoon, talked the proverbial legs off several donkeys and parted with a date agreed for our next get-together.

Half term is the week after next and we will be having a visitor for the week. Yes, it's the little white fellow in the photo - Jake, who currently belongs to Keith's son, Giles, but is coming to us for a week with a view to possible permanent residence after Christmas when I am no longer teaching full time. He could never replace Lucy, but he is such a little sweetie.

The conservatory decorated

Yesterday I forgot about school preparation, marking, etc and decorated my piece de resistance - the conservatory. The problem now is that, since the builders have been in, what is left of the garden is a bit of a mess, but I think it's going to have to stay that way until I have time to do something about it. Here are a couple of photos of it, taken yesterday after I had finished. And yes, my painting skills have improved somewhat since I tackled the ground floor of the house last year. :)

The customer is always right?

I received this email from a friend of mine, Craig, today. (He's the one who leaves rude, age-related comments on my blog!) I would like to say I am amazed at the stupidity of Argos and of the employees in question, but, sadly, it all sounds only too plausible these days.

Situation : Mum and Dad had ordered some home delivery items from Argos
Scene : Outside the house with a courier

Me : Thank you....is there another item ?
Courier : No
Me : Well, how many have you given me ?
Courier : 5
Me : Well there should be 6
Courier : But I've given you 5
Me : I know - there should be 6
Courier : So ?
Me : So that means you have an item missing.
Courier : How many ?
Me : There should be 6 and you gave me 5
Courier : Yeah, so how many is missing ?
Me : ........ ONE !
Courier : Well I haven't got it.
Me : Can you check your van ?
Courier : No
Me : Why not ?
Courier : 'Cos it's not there.
Me : How do you know ?
Courier : I don't.
Me : Can I have a look then ?
Courier : No, you're not insured.
Me : So what happens now ?
Courier : How'd you mean ?
Me : How do I get my missing item ?
Courier : Phone Argos I suppose.

Scene : Me phoning Argos

Max : Hello, Max speaking - how may I help ?
Me : Can I give you an order reference ?
Max : Why ?
Me : Because your answerphone message whilst I was on hold for the last 10 minutes told me to have it ready.
Max : Oh. Okay then.
Me : (Gives order ref)
Max : Ah yes - it will be there any time now. Thank you for calling.
Me : No ! Wait ! It has arrived, the driver has just left.
Max : Oh, then that's good.
Me : No, it's not.
Max : Why not ?
Me : Because an item is missing.
Max : Is he still there ? Can you chase him ?
Me : No no, he says that the item wasn't there.
Max : But it must be - my computer says it was.
Me : Well the human says it wasn't.
Max : Did he check the van well ?
Me : No, he said it wasn't there.
Max : Sometimes small boxes can slide under the seat.
Me : I'm sure they can - but that's no good now as he has gone.
Max : So what do we do now ?
Me : Isn't that my question ?
Max : Just a moment - I'll check with my supervisor. (On Hold)

Max : Hello ! Good news ! I have the answer.
Me : Oh..
Max : It wasn't on the van at all.
Me : Oh..
Max : Because it was damaged when it arrived from us.
Me : Oh..
Max : But now we've ran out of them.
Me : Well, what can we do about it ?
Max : I can refund it, you can wait 3 weeks for it to come back in, or you can collect it from your local store.
Me : Does my local store have it in stock then ?
Max : I don't know.
Me : Well, can you check ?
Max : Oh yeah - hang on.
(5 mins later)
Max : Good news ! They have it in stock ! I have reserved it for you and put notes on it so that they know what's happened. Here's the reservation number.

Scene : Me at Argos (totally defeating the point of a £5 delivery fee !)

Nobody at the tills.......
Still nobody at the tills.....

Cashier : (Running) Oh, hello sir - can I help ?
Me : I have been given this reservation number as our home delivery has arrived with an item missing.
Cashier : Right ?
Me : Yes, right.
Cashier : So ?
Me : So you need to give me the missing item.
Cashier : How ?
Me : What do you mean 'how' ?
Cashier : How can I give it you ? I don't know what it is.
Me : Well if you put the reference number in, it will tell you.
Cashier : Oh, yeah. (Types on computer) - found it !
Me : Good
Cashier : That's £59.99 please
Me : No - we've already paid.
Cashier : No you haven't.
Me : It was home delivery.
Cashier : That doesn't mean you've paid.
Me : Of course it does. You don't send anything unless you've paid.
Cashier : Well I need money from you.
Me : Well you're not going to get it.
Cashier : Or credit card.
Me : No, you're not listening.
Cashier : Debit card ?
Me : Can I speak to a manager ?
Cashier : They'll just tell you the same.
Me : No, they won't.

Supervisor : Can I help ?
Me : Has she told you what's happened ?
Supervisor : Yes
Me : And ?
Supervisor : We need to speak to Head Office.
Me : Okay
Supervisor : Do you have the number ?
Me : No - I'm the customer.
Supervisor : Okay then, we'll have to find it. Wait there please.......

5 more minutes pass.....

Supervisor : (On phone) Well he says the item was missing......Oh really ? !
**SHOUTING TO ME** They're about to arrive at your house any minute with your full order !
Me : They already have.
Supervisor : (To person on phone) They already have. (To me) What do you mean they already have ? So what's your problem ?
Me : An item is missing.
Supervisor : Well you'll have to phone Head Office.
Me : I have !
Supervisor : So what did they say ?
Me : Come here to collect the missing item !

and this went on for an eon until they finally twigged and I went away with the missing item !

The sequel to this tale is that Argos eventually delivered the missing parcel. It had been hidden behind another one on the van, so now he has two.

Still busy

I am still alive and kicking, in case anyone should be wondering - and still up to my eyes. The phrase 'running to stand still' springs to mind! Three weeks into the term and I am getting into school at 7.40 and not leaving till 5 or 5.30pm, which is OK except that I am then going home to another few hours as well as doing yet more for most of the weekend. It is a situation I promised myself never to get into again when I went for voluntary redundancy three years ago and I feel frustrated that the job still spills over into most of the rest of one's life, instead of being able to be contained within a reasonable proportion of it. Not that I am alone in this. Most teachers I know or know of are in a similar position and the only reason that things were more manageable last year was because I had such a small class.
This year I started with 28, which have now increased to 30, of whom six are on IEPs (Individual Education Plans), which means extra paperwork and another half dozen could easily join them and, although they are Year 2, a large proportion of them find it difficult, if not impossible, to work independently.
On the plus side, this Saturday saw the start of my advanced diploma in Gestalt counselling, which should give me a window in my week to take my mind off the world of primary education.
Happy days!
Oh, and the conservatory is coming on nicely. Photos to come shortly.

No time!

So busy getting to grips with the new job this week and I've spent all weekend too. No time for blogging just yet. :(

Last day of freedom!

We stopped for breakfast this morning at the Little Chef at Halkyn. From there you can look across the Mersey and, on a clear day, you can see Liverpool's two cathedrals on the horizon. It was not a clear day!