WhatYouWill

Since I am not marking exam scripts this summer, I can settle down and watch a WHOLE MATCH from time to time (rugby and cricket allowing!). Watched the 'Young Pretender' yesterday against Nalbandian, and thought he did well. It put me in mind of that old saying "you should never hurry a Murray" - let's give him time to mature and develop, and hope for good things to come.

Its sunny up here - again. Hurray!

So, I am a serial joiner. Somethings last, and others fall by the wayside. Is there a theme? All creative-ish, all guided by someone who knows what they are doing! I like to have my hand held, obviously. All rather self-indulgent, as well. Why not something more altruistic. Hmm.

Why do I join? To be part of something different, to connect, to share. To do something else with my life other than home/work. This is, after all, the only time we will pass this way. Important to do something with it - albeit on a small scale. I like the feeling of being a part of something - and yes, I know, I do have family, but sometimes it's nice not to be mum/wife, but just ME.

Son has joined something. After months/years of us saying 'why don't you find something else to do' everytime we saw him sitting at the computer, he came home one day and said "I'm going to Army Cadets tonight". Rather ambivalent about it. Trying to look on the bright side - all that teambuidling and personal development stuff. All other half could think of was Deepcut. He was not a happy bunny. Moral: be careful what you wish for - it could come back and bite you!!

I think I am. No, not the sort that works with wood. I seem to have an urge to join things. Participate in some way. Things I have joined include:

Brownies and Guides (pushed, obviously)

of my own volition:

evening classes - family french (not bad); decoupage (omg. What was I thinking. Well, it passed a few pleasant hours in a friend's company, and helped provide 'individual' christmas pressies)

afternoon classes - step by step watercolour (amazingly, 20 people can copy someones work in 20 completely different ways!). Again, good source of pressies for long-suffering folks.

a choir (Ladies) we were competitive, average aged 60+, and really not very good

a flower club - relaxing. We don't do, you see, we watch someone else do. Then hope to win the arrangements in the raffle! You haven't lived until you have gone to a flower dem (as we call them). An absolutely priceless mix of people DO THIS FOR A LIVING. They come along and regale us with their tales of being invited to Brazil to do a Masterclass, or competing in the World Flower Show in Tokyo. Admittedly, they are the top tier. But what a job. Where do I sign up?

yoga - my favourite. I especially like the bits at the beginning and the end.

swimfit - does what it says on the tin.

So, what do YOU join?

Did I use the term correctly?

Webster defines “dog days” as...

1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere

2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity

I guess No. 2 is what I was aiming at.

Mutual admiration society, hey? Check him out (link left - its obvious which one!).

Oh, and don't forget to take the time to appreciate the green moleskin suit.

... Year 13 gone, Year 11 gone, Year 10 on 2 weeks' work experience (and no Lower School classes) ... The diligent teacher: (choose one)

a) creates stunning new learning materials that acknowledge the differing educational needs of gender/race/ability while showing a keen grasp of subject syllabus and exam requirements
b) tidies her desk
c)surfs the net

Wrong, correct answer B. Can't access blog from school (Access denied, this site may contravene the blah blah blah ...), and really can't be bothered to create said learning materials. Maybe later on.

These truly are the dog days of teaching for us non-NC (thats National Curriculum to you) teachers. Even better when the sun shines - even here, north of the Humber.

An away (3) day. No husband, no kids. Bliss. Regression to role of daughter instead of wife/mum. No decisions to be made - well, nearly. Female parent decided it might be nice to cross London by bus, rather than underground. She'd done her research - No 9 bus from Liverpool Street all the way to Harrods for brunch.

So, out of Liverpool Street we went. Bus stops scattered liberally around. No No 9, and worryingly no sign of a bus that might go all the way. After wandering up and down a few streets we decided an injection of coffee (strong) might help. While sitting, I asked - how up to date is that map? Not very old, sayeth she. I looked. 1986/87!!!!!

I reminded her that bus routes may well change rather radically after nearly 20 years - its not like a Christmas pudding that you can put away, forget about, find and cook years later and find it not any different! So back on the underground we went.

Had a great day though, and finally found out how the buses work (slowly and tediously). Oxford Street was a zoo. Smoked salmon and scrambled egg and freshly squeezed orange juice was fine, although Harrods 'finest' tea blend lacked the Yorkshire punch. Queens Gallery manageable, but only one Vermeer.

And I saw the resident urban fox as well. Trotting bold as you like down the garden, round to the front of the house and off up the street. The same time both days.