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

Interested to read your post re short sight. I became slightly short-sighted in mid-teens, I think, but only finally had to get glasses when I was about 18 or 19 (because I couldn't read the board in lectures!). C. was even later than that, he's only had glasses for about 20 or so years - not at all sure of how long. Mine are varifocal which took about 2 weeks to get used to but after that were fine. However I need to get some new glasses since my eyes have changed yet again. Have you tried contacts? I never have.



PS have you conceded re the kitten yet?

I've worn glasses since 7 ish. Oh weren't the NHS plastic glasses AWFUL!!! At least nowadays children aren't forced to wear those horrible things. I converted to contact lenses after trying to negotiate steps (stupid designer!) minus glasses onstage in my first opera production, Gluck's Orpheus. Wore contact lenses happily for about 15 years but babies meant sleepless nights and tired, dry then sore eyes so eventually went back to glasses. These days my glasses are so comfortable (vv expensive superthin plastic lenses which were thick and heavy in the past) that I haven't bothered returning to lenses but i have toyed with the idea.



PS No but I've made the mistake of asking Eliza for advice...

Another interesting thread here http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbarchers/F2693940?thread=3164870 since I'm not keeping up to date with TA at the moment. How could Sam fancy anyone with an accent like Ruth's? I forgot to include her's in my list of awful accents - worse than Doodlie, Broomie or cockerney!! Andy (received pronunciation a speciality)

I assume you read what I posted about Warks losing to Lancs today? A pretty comprehensive defeat - the batting just collapsed today. So that means that tomorrow, which should've been the 4th day, will see me going to Harborne's match at Smethwick (pronounced Smerrick). Might take my camera.

Was it an easy day at school today? What have you got planned for the weekend - presumably there'll be some changes due to Snap!

I'm hoping that the plants (corn, cougettes, beans) in the greenhouse will make it to Monday when I might have a go at planting them out on the allotment (no cricket next week). French beans might be somewhat past it but I might try sowing some directly into the ground. Toms in g/h are leaping up into the air, growing v quickly since I potted them on.

A

Poor little R can't sleep - it's tempting to give her a medicinal brandy to knock her out. She's already had paracetamol but it's still hurting a lot.

School: kids watched a show -Pinocchio -by a visiting theatre company for part of the morning and I was shown how to write the reports on the computer. At least there are templates and a number of examples from past years. Now all I need is a memory stick so I can do bits on the laptop at home. First 19 will probably take ages but then I'll get the hang of it for the last one...After school today I began wishing I'd said I'd consider staying. But I was down to 16 children today and it was a very nice day...A colleague was saying how the children would love me to stay teaching that class...Torn I am! Torn!!!

Fractured finger means no swimming or horse-riding for R - I just hope the pain eases. She'll have to use her left hand (she struggled brushing her teeth tonight with left hand) for some things but she can't write with it. She's very tearful now thinking about piano as the bandage means she can't use her ring finger either. She can practise just with her left hand though - always useful.

Must plant my busy lizzies and pelargoniums out into pots/troughs this weekend. And toms into bigger pots. Looking much bushier and sturdier now.

Must check if R's asleep now.

MJ

>>Torn I am! Torn!!!<<

Why don't you stay then? You said you didn't like going into schools as a real supply didn't you? (can't remember where) C. seems to much prefer doing long-term supply like you're doing as opposed to having odd days at lots of different schools. Is it the amount of work involved in planning that's putting you off?

It's the not being at home during the day that's putting me off - I don't get housework etc done in the evenings either cos I'm working or relaxing (ie MBs are to blame for me not ironing etc!)and I'm drained physically and emotionally by teaching. Having said that, I finally know what I'm doing in that classroom and I should have at least one TA next year... also the other supply work in schools I used to visit may have dried up now...I was offered just 3 days if i wanted or just mornings - but I can't see that working. Someone's got to be the Class Teacher and be In Charge - I'd job share if my Monday teacher wanted to but she wants to reduce down to just one day a week I think. Oh maybe i should say I'm interested in 3 days and see what happens...I don't want to raise her hopes though if i change my mind.

Oh dear, that rambled a goodish bit!

Goodnight and thanks for listening!

MJ
xx

G'night Jane, I'm going to bed

>>Goodnight and thanks for listening!<<

Any time!

Morning!!!

Should have remembered at Midnight (B!) but didn't (brain clogged up with work and fractured finger and kitten) and your favourite boards are still closed so can't hang up the bunting and baloons there so you'll have to make do with it here:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!!!

Hope you have a lovely day. It's gloriously sunny here.

MJ Oh all right you can have one of these too :
XXX

Morning Jane,

Thanks for your greeting and for the card, which says it was sent at 06:25 but I don't believe that! Very amusing but they're a bit too lively to do Feldman justice!

Pretty warm here already and, since the Warks game finshed yesterday, I'm going to watch Harborne at Smethwick this afternoon.

Hope you have a nice day too.

Andy

Love the headbanging squirrel!!!

How many cats do you have?

A

Think I'll celebrate my birthday by listening to all 5+ hours of Feldman's String Quartet (II) - only joking!!

Still only 3...

Have you noticed Basia's ID? It's 505001. That's a tough one isn't it? (A birthday challenge for you!)

MJ

505001 looks impossible.

Hi Andy,

Hope you've had a pleasant birthday at the cricket - perfect weather for it (here at least!) - and that your cricket-watching chums sang Happy Birthday to you.

Before I forget, there's a tribute to Ligeti on R3 5.45pm tomorrow in Music Matters.

Hayfever today - itchy eyes for first time this year.

Went to see the kittens today. Hmmm they are quite sweet...2 ginger and white boys, 2 black and white girls. Only 2 weeks old so only just crawling about and mostly just feeding and sleeping. The kids are desperate to have the ginger boy with the stripey tail. Quite tempting as they'd be ready for homing at the start of the holiday. Of course I haven't said yes. 3 cats are quite enough...

I started this message ages ago but I've been on the phone.

MJ

Hi Jane

Cricket OK but Harborne couldn't win, despite being the better team - Smerrick hung on for the draw. Took c110-120 pix. Will send you one . No-one I knew at cricket as I was an away supporter - lots of people talking in dreadful Black Country accents!!

Funny you should say about hayfever, I don't suffer but my right eye in particular was watering a bit today.

Have been succumbing to the birthday blues myself today - been getting worse throughout the day, and even watching QI just now hasn't improved things. Almost decided not to bother posting but very glad to see you'd written something, so that's cheered me up a bit. But I'm just seeing everything the wrong way round at the moment.

Andy

Sorry Jane, I'm not going to be very good company this evening. I'll look back in a while to see if you've posted but don't expect anything much from me.

Perhaps I need a kitten!!

Andy,so sorry to read you're feeling low. Your first bit made me laugh though with your reference to >> lots of people talking in dreadful Black Country accents!!<< It's where you chose to live, matey!!! You should hear some of the Stockport accents up here! It's not so much the accent though, it's the sloppy speech decorated with expletives that makes it so attractive!

Funny your right eye's suffering (of course I don't mean funny ha ha) as it's just the corner of my right eye that's itching! Not so bad now. Doesn't help to rub eyes when hands are all composty. Put 4 toms into 2 large tubs and all the impatiens are now out in the front, brightening up the front garden. Rather weedy front garden but I give the Welsh poppies special permission to grw wherever they chose as i love them and it's so hard to get them to grow where you want them. Same applies to forget-me-nots but they're in the back.

Better post this or you'll have gone.

MJ Feeling any better now?