Back to work

I am absolutely shattered- I know that the nature of work is a similar routine each day; teaching is always different every day but the monotony of getting up at the same time, walking out of the door (often when everyone else is still in bed) and then coming home at similar times (though I know not as late as other jobs) sometimes gets me down. I don't know how people with office jobs cope- at least I have interesting children to break up the day. My timetable at the moment is mainly sixth form (16-18 year olds) and I love teaching them- bizarrely my timetable has become more psychology than Religious Studies but I'm actually enjoying it. RE is still my first love though.

I had the most incredible headache for most of work yesterday which wasn't helped by having to clean out the office fridge because a bottle of milk had been left in there since March. We had a meeting after work to decide on the curriculum next year (in light of the fact that we're having our time cut in years 7-9). I am really fortunate to work with lovely people who make work a lot easier.

Dash home- Abi to dancing- Ruth and Abi home- me to Stake PEC and a meeting with the High Council- Home at 10pm. The meeting was really good- we discussed planning for Helping hands this and next year. I gave a presentation on the Teachings for our Time topic for this month- it's using three talks about the Temple (mainly Elder Scott's). the presentation was in preparation for the hIgh COuncil talks which follow the same theme. I came across a quote from Elder Gary Stevenson of the Seventy that reflects a discussion Ruth and I have been having over the last few weeks as we search for artwork for our walls:

Recently, in a stake conference, all present were invited by the visiting authority, Elder Glen Jenson, an Area Seventy, to take a virtual tour of their homes using their spiritual eyes. I would like to invite each of you to do this also. Wherever your home may be and whatever its configuration, the application of eternal gospel principles within its walls is universal. Let’s begin. Imagine that you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel? Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? Is it clean and orderly? As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior? Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer? Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together, allowing uplifting conversation and family time? Are scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together? Can you find your personal gospel study space? Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the Spirit? Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? That concludes our tour. Perhaps you, as I, found a few spots that need some “home improvement”—hopefully not an “extreme home makeover.”

What a weekend!

I’m not sure the complete list from Friday was covered but hey ho! The car came back (or rather I picked it up) on Friday evening and guess what? The price they quoted INCLUDED VAT- that is unheard of- it was still exorbitant but still.... (For those elsewhere- if there is anybody that reads this- VAT is 17.5% sales tax- which actually is reduced to 15% at the moment to reinvigorate the economy- think it might need a new Government rather than a 2.5% reduction to achieve that!).

Then to Church for an EFY fundraiser- they raised over £500- wow! The young women had gone to so much effort- we had dance performances and a rerun of the roadshow. Then an auction- we got babysitters for £10 and a novelty cake of our choosing and design at some point in the future for £20- it was more about donating to the youth than getting a bargain- hence one of our ward gave about £50 for two cakes!!! Last year I helped organise the Multi Stake Youth Conference in Manchester- it was such an amazing spiritual experience for the youth (and me) that really I would do anything to have my children to attend (not until they’re 14 unfortunately). Eleanor slept over at one of the Young Women’s house- and didn’t return until midday the next day. She had a lovely time- she can’t wait to get to YW’s- there is a countdown of weeks on the back of her door.

Saturday was spent writing a Buddhist textbook. Oh the joys!!! Ruth was such a wonderful support- I was basically left in my office to work all day while she did the Taekwondo run, Tesco shop and everything else that needed doing. Meanwhile- in my breaks I order the Miley Cyrus autobiography for Abi with her spends (£4 from Amazon) and the Beyonce CD for Ruth.
Saturday evening was Wolverine!!!!!!!!! Went with some friends (Ruth stayed at home- goodness me- she’s a put upon wife). It was amazing- and his name is Jimmy!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday was Presidency meeting in the morning followed by Church- Martha was a complete pain- I think Friday night was catching up with her. Sunday night was a Youth Fireside- the first half hour (when I should have been chairing a Youth Council) was spent fixing the audio visual stuff so the YW could watch Conference. Home at 10pm!!!

After all that we were very glad it was a three day weekend- I love Bank Holidays. Swimming on Monday morning- Manchester are allowing under 16s to swim for free- so it was much cheaper morning than we envisaged. It’s also really nice that our local pool is the Aquatics Centre which was built for the Commonwealth Games. Then shopping for some children’s clothes- Gideon loves his new clothes. Ruth watched Hannah Montana with the girls this afternoon.

Then Psychology revision notes all night!!!!!!!!!!! I want to stop working!!!!!!!!

I am Rubbish

Here I am six months later and this is only the second post with little or no time to write it. Why does life never get any less hectic? We have a Bank Holiday weekend coming up and I will see if I can write some more then- we have a broken car to pick up (and pay for), efy fundraising activity to attend, child to deposit and pick up at a sleepover, taekwondo class, textbook tow rite, PhD chapter to edit/redraft, church to attend, meetings/fireside to attend, Wolverine and Hannah Montana to watch at the cinema, Conference to prepare for, revision notes to write, Tesco shopping and the list goes on. Most of those are very nice activities- but all in the space of 3 days- with no work (school or university) to be done on Sunday. A nice quiet weekend!!!! Rant over! The next one might be a bit nicer.