h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sorry it can't be a massage from Mimi- you could probably do with one! I know you haven't been here for a while and it may be some time yet till you do because of the house situation. Just hope you're not going too crazy ! And that you're reasonably DRY!!

School's Out (At Last)- 'scuse me while I break into song. The year has gone quickly, as ever, but this last term has seemed ... well, interminable!! My last day today - my kids broke up last Friday. Not allowed to give sweets as treats to the children now we have 'Healthy School' status, so instead I wrote a limerick for each child - mounted and laminated with individual messages - only 8 of them in my class next year. There have been quite a few social events with people from school and some of us are meeting up next week for lunch. It's been really good on that side this year.

I am feeling extremely positive about next year in Year 5 - working with my favourite teacher, whom I've had a long association with since I was a Parent Helper when she taught my son in Year 6 (he's just about to go into Year 11... gulp!). In September I will be starting NVQ Level 3 TA (next step to being HLTA) and Spanish lessons- both of which I am very excited about. With the former, I only have to go to college once at the beginning and once at the end - I'm being assessed by one of my colleagues in the interim and apparently there is a lot of essay-writing involved ... should be ok there, though!

Do hope you'll be back before too long and that there will be some good news when you are. I'll be checking in regularly as I'm in sunny Brighton for the next few weeks- kids are going to Newcastle and Center Parcs Lake District at the end of August. Plenty to occupy my time, though!

Love,
Mimi

Hi Mimi, nice to hear from you - I'm still teaching! (though not a lot of teaching at this stage) The kids break up tomorrow then I'm in on Monday for an INSET day - also time to hand over all the Year 3 children's notes to the Year 4 teacher (big SEN file!) and prepare things for September. I'll still have my current Y1s plus 8 more and my current Y2s. So just teaching Y2s and Y3s in my Yellow Class in Sep - however, some of this year's Y1s have been cleverer at some things (eg maths) than some of the Y3s! Have I mentioned before my hours? This year I was just teaching mornings (though often did stuff in the afternoon as I'm not good at time-management!)but in Sep I'll have Fridays off . I was hoping for a 3 day week but that wasn't possible. I'm still job-sharing with my friend but I'm doing a bit more now. Oh well, it pays the bills!

Oops nearly forgot, must wrap up bottles of wine for our TAs - both pretty wonderful! We've not managed to arrange a night out for a meal together as we have once before as too much going on these past few weeks. A shame, but they know they're very much appreciated. As are the parent helpers - I've got some chocs for them, must remember to wrap those too! So I shouldn't be here tapping away should I?!

Not much house-progress yet - just got to the arranging days for surveys stage.And writing the first of the big cheques to surveyor and solicitor stage too...you know, for those Searches for coalmines, rights of way through the kitchen and so on!

Sunny Brighton? We've hardly seen the sun here - just Thursday last week. Had heavy showers and thunder today and it's very cold and windy this evening. At least we're not flooded.

Love,

Jane
xx

Hi MJ,

Lovely to hear from you - seems I timed that just right!
I can't believe you're still at work - I thought our end-of-term was late!! It's always frantic at the end of the year (for teachers and support staff!) - parents seem to think it all winds down and everyone is having a great time the last few days!!! My INSET day is at the beginning of next term - I'd far rather have it that way round.
Anyway, sorry I have to go because A can't get proper internet connection and my being on it may be having an affect.
Back soon!
Love,
Mimi
xxxx

Hello again, MJ

I just remembered I had an unfinished message here ... sorry! Can't remember what else I was going to say now, tho'! Well,'Sunny Brighton' - I should explain, that's just a play on 'bright 'n' sunny' and of course it ISN'T all the time. We did get the torrential rain recently (no flooding though and I live many metres above sea level!).It has been lovely the last few days though - I went up to London yesterday and it was the same there ... out on the roof-garden of the care home with my Mum but it was a bit windy so that didn't last long!

Hope you are now finding a BIT of time to relax.

Happy holidays!

Love
Mimi
xxxx