Recurring themes
I am about to make a public volte face with regard to my feelings towards Facebook. Despite sustaining a deep urge to turn every event in my life into a status update-worthy soundbite, I now regard the whole set-up with something approaching awe and wonder.
As more people are online, having become “Facebook friends” with their immediate circle, they must all be thinking (as I am): “What happened to so&so?” Motives for doing this are many and various, from the genuinely concerned to the slightly more vicious (me too!). However, the long-term result of this is that genuine friendships that had expired for genuine/circumstantial reasons have been rekindled. This leads me to the awe-and-wonder part, where I seem to be existing in many of my own time zones simultaneously… and I never was any good at physics.
The most recent provocation of this sense has come from seeing pictures of the horses, stables and people from where I first learnt to ride. As I am in none of these pictures, I can’t have figured heavily in these other people’s pasts, but seeing them transported me back vividly to my own childhood. And funnily enough, many of the old friends I have encountered on Web2 share the equine connection!
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Straight from the horse’s mouth.
I
write this with the sound of hoofbeats still echoing through my body.
There was a joyous half-term with 3, yes 3 rides (a lesson, a great hack, a gentle schooling session) on one pony, and the feeling of getting a genuine connection with an equine. Following hard on its heels came last week, when the share agreement came to a somewhat abrupt end.
However, with some renewed confidence in my ability as a rider, I headed off to a local show to borrow someone else’s horse, a 16.3hh IDxTB. After only just clapping eyes on him, we managed to jump in four classes with no fences down – he was a total star. Not only was the riding good, I met some other local horse-owners, one of which has kindly offered me a ride on her three horses!
One is a pony mare who is very pretty, bags of star quality, still needs some schooling; another is a true “wonder pony” – twenty-something and still going strong. The third is responsible for the echoing hoofbeats in my soul – an ex-racer, who gave me the most sublime gallop up a field about 10 minutes away from where I live.
Fingers crossed that this one works out – their owner is lovely, welcoming and generous with her horses.
No pictures of these horses as yet, but will work on that for next time. In the meantime, it gives me a chance to fondly remember Merlin!
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A new dawn, please.
It is a strange thing that I only now have the time to write this blog because I am unwell. But, carpe diem and all that, so here goes. Yesterday, I watched that moment we are all deeming historic, when Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as President of the US. Despite being alone in my sitting room, my emotions were shared by gazillions of people around the globe: hope for a better tomorrow; gratitude that some of the lessons of yesteryear have been learnt.
In the news however, the carping has already begun, otherwise the wheels would come off the media machine. Obama is “just” a politician, can one man do all that he has promised, so on and so forth. Yes this is true, and much needs to be done, however his very presence in high office enables us to revisit Ghandi’s quote:
We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
As ever, only time will tell. My sense is that this great step in history will mark a turning point for humankind as long as we perpetuate the shift in political (meaning “of the people”) grassroots activity seen in Obama’s campaign. Does Britain need an Obama? Perhaps at some level we do, perhaps not. Maybe one Obama is enough and we can all pick up our own individual torch, a beam of light, to illuminate and improve our own corner of the planet.
I was heartened by his counsel to treat the planet and each other with respect, although personally I have doubts about the free market to deliver this. If we are to honestly and completely revolutionise our way of life we must be heartily suspicious of capitalism in its many guises. Its ability to deliver dignity to humankind is limited. Capitalism and religion – my two personal pet peeves, so I shall get off my soap-box right now, before I grumble on about the place of Christianity in a secular office!
Education, in the broadest sense, for all of us is the key to being aware of the human condition around the planet. Once we are aware of the bigger picture, instead of feeling overawed and impotent, the legacy of Obama’s election is to make us feel empowered and important, part of the whole of humanity, be valuable. I want to educate myself in how to appreciate life on a daily basis, to take pleasure in the small stuff, to be content, to be positive. Most importantly, I want us all to have the guts to change things for the better on a qualitative level. This year, next year, the year after…
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Rounding up the Easter Bunnies
Easter is now a distant memory, chocolate smears wiped up and school beckoning again. Nonetheless, it has been a much needed respite from the usual round of work, collecting kids, organising uniforms and staying on top of my job. Hence the title: the bunnies have been rounded up and put back in their hutches, now it’s time to get my work into line.
Surprisingly (well, perhaps not), I took some very good management advice from my hairdresser and will be implementing a new regime at work. We all need some guidelines to help us co-operate (break it down = work together): be happy (or take steps to make yourself so); take responsibility for your own progress; don’t gossip; accept change. These are some of the rules my hairdresser uses to run her team in her salon – I think they may be just as relevant in the classroom, or even the staffroom.
Anyway, work aside now. The kids are coming along in leaps and bounds. Florence is a natural climber and we have taken her again to the local climbing wall with our friends Laraine and Peter. She shins up a wall with such glee and grace it is a joy to see. Theo is so impatient for his 4th birthday to come along – he counts down the days and can’t wait for more presents. We have been out and about on the train lately as the old banger has passed on. Kids are very excited by train journeys and it’s much less hassle than I thought. However we do have a new old banger now and I aim to be less bound by the car than I was. In any case, I need to get my money’s worth from the shopping trolley… and of course be mindful of the carbon footprint.
We may have been more abstemious in terms of car usage (by necessity) but abstemiousness has never been my very strong point overall. Nonetheless, it is time to be a little bit stricter with myself in terms of cake and wine, and a bit more free with the exercise and activity. Watch this space!
Filed under: family, travel | 3 Comments
F^*&ed off with Facebook
I am back to the blog in an earnest attempt to get rid of the insane habit of letting friends and family know how I am by updating my status on Facebook. It is, however, a sad indicator of our times that a blog is tool of choice for this operation.For this week, tasks to accomplish (in no special order of importance) include: recover from OFSTED; organise Florence’s 5th birthday party; bake & ice 2 birthday cakes; sort out Christmas cards and presents; get to the end of term with all jobs done; maintain semblance of normality whilst quietly having collapse of self-esteem from taking on too much.More news soonest, if I don’t hibernate first.
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Doesn’t time fly…?
Well, nearly 3 months and no new blog post. I suppose in these modern times that must mean I’m virtually (ha ha) non-existant, unless you count my new addiction to Facebook.
The bombshelter is gone, the new bathroom is well into the planning stage and I’ve decided which gorgeous winter boots to buy AFTER our holiday to the Lake District at half term. Life goes on apace and I am struggling to find the time to catch up with the many good friends who have had second children, just as our two are now at school. Theo looks very cute in his (tiny) school uniform and Florence is revelling in her role as “big sister the protectress” in the playground.
It has been creative mayhem here this week as Chris has been preparing for a night which had to change venues, and both children had to dress up as their favourite book characters for school (princess and tiger, guess who?). My creative, ahem, genius has been severely tested not by the fancy dress element but by an overload of spreadsheets and a surprise arrival of lots of soot down the chimney in the dining room.
The best of it all is that my Spanish is coming along in leaps and bounds – and this weekend I may even get a chance to try it out for real with one of the musicians from Chris’ night! Fenomenal.
Perhaps you few loyal readers have deserted for pastures greener, or gone to Facebook, but nonetheless it is still cathartic to write this crap down.
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Rubble, rubble, toil and rubble.
The bombshelter in our garden is finally finally coming down. Usually when I finally get rid of something, I find a pressing need for it the next week. Hopefully this won’t be the case this time.
Pics imminent, before and after.
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Comments on the detail.
Well, there it is, May has all but disappeared and hardly a squeak from me on the blog. And maybe some of us are disappointed at that. Never mind, it’s now half term week which means that I can wax lyrical about the joys of teachers’ holidays, unruly wine, slow food and fine kids (did I get those adjectives muddled? I got distracted by having to hiss through the window at the local tabby cat who has taken to piddling acridly in our alleyway).
In the meantime, I’ve done coursework moderation, faculty improvement planning, student teacher mentoring, and a little light teaching at work. On the home front, we are planning the next great building onslaught and hopefully getting a puppy now that Theo is 3 and verging on being house trained.
The biggest news is that Florence has had the chicken pox. We counted 34 spots at the height of the outbreak. She was very brave, but was a little surprised that we were so pleased she had it until we explained that she would only get it the once! Fingers crossed that Theo is so stoical, although despite being under the weather there are no spots to be seen.
Hoorah for all that. As it has stopped raining for five minutes, my thoughts have turned to my favourite salad – carrot and cashew nut – from “The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine”. Toast a generous handful of whole cashews under the grill while peeling and grating a large carrot. Finely chop half a red pepper. Put all these ingredients in a pretty/utilitarian bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. In a frying pan, heat one tablespoon of sunflower oil and fry one teaspoon of mustard seeds until they start to darken and pop. Add this to the salad bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt. Stir it all in gently and serve with your favourite curry.
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A teacher’s springtime…
This is the time of year we earn our summer holidays – eek lots to do, lots of deadlines and external exam stuff.
Roll on Friday 13th July, a very lucky date.
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Our Spring!
Happy days…
My last post on this site led to some soul searching about why I’m compiling this blog and what should be published. Eventually I came to the conclusion that it’s about celebrating the beautiful things in my life, so here they are.
Chris has been away this week, which explains why he hasn’t been snapped with my new phone camera, otherwise he’d be on here too.
Perhaps there should also be pics of all the cakes and puddings made recently too, but they don’t hang around long enough. Some recipes will follow when all the coursework has been marked. Before you ask, there won’t be any photos of that!
Filed under: family, weather | 2 Comments
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