Froglet

My brain and body have rebelled against the TDL today and I have spent it snoozing, reading and crocheting - some ears for a jack russell and some mini jubilee bunting just because!

Sorry about the house but congratulations on the outstanding! That’s wonderful news!

I will, I’d heard about smelling and visualising the smell too but I hadn’t realised the length of time you should do it for. I get wafts of smells like citrus and mint but they are tantalisingly short. There is an upside - a child was sick and I couldn’t smell it! 😉

Yes, didn’t notice at first but then made a loaf of bread over Christmas and then realised as I took it out the oven that I couldn’t smell it at all. I don’t have any horrible smells but can hardly smell anything or taste anything much. Given how much I love food and cooking it’s very depressing.

In the end I made lemon madeleines, lemon curd and some marzipan cookies. I love a cheese scone too but I’ve not had much practice at chutneys and pickles and since I lost my sense of taste and smell I am wary of things like that unless I can get others to taste test for me!

Oh I like the scones and jam idea! I might also make a jar of chutney or pickle and some crackers. I have tomorrow morning - it was important to rest today I think!

Garden show sounds lovely, glad Mr S managed. I’m going to see A Murder is Announced - an Agatha Christie. I may be rethinking the birthday gift idea - have just woken up. Do I just find something online and arrange for it to be delivered to her house?

Oh the joys of half term! I woke up at 3am but managed to go back to sleep and not wake again until 8am. I have spent the morning in pyjamas crocheting a mini lion and am now contemplating what next. My brother and sister are coming to mum and dad’s with respective families tomorrow and I need to sort a birthday present for my sister-in-law. I think I’m going to do a selection of edible things so will spend the afternoon browsing recipes and cooking. I do want to go through my school emails today. There were 123 in my ‘need action’ folder but I’m fairly sure some of them have been done. I want to see what’s what on the good old TDL before next week starts so I can actually be productive. I will be taking plenty of time off too! Am going to the theatre one day and also need to try to do dull but necessary jobs to sort possible leaks at home.

PS My book group just read A single thread by Tracy Chevalier and one of our follow on discussions was around the therapeutic nature of craft.

All this is fantastic and this and a couple of conversations I’ve had with people about things are inspiring me to try and find a similar group that meets at a time I can do (so many seem to be mid morning/afternoon on a weekday).

Updating - why is it that the moment I write that I’m feeling wide awake and planning to get lots of work done I immediately feel overwhelmingly tired and have to take a nap?! So frustrating!

Family pizza party and Sunday dinner sounds lovely - enjoy! I had what can only be described as a true Friday 13th! Let's just say that retrieving peas from my underwear was the high point - I was feeling slightly hysterical at the end of the day. I have just hung the washing outside and I could really do with doing some serious tidying in the garden which, as it's so tiny, probably won't take that long! I have various new planning formats to work on today, reports to write and transition arrangements to make. I am currently wide awake so I am going to see if I can get going and stick with it today and take tomorrow off.

Happy Birthday! Hope you’re having a wonderful day!

Does anyone hold you accountable for attendance or expect you increase it at all? I know that in both my schools post covid it is a significant issue.

I quite genuinely had a parent asking me about a child’s missing jumper the other week and telling me it was “Age 6-7.” I couldn’t help myself and did reply with “Well, we’re an infant school - there are quite a lot of age 6-7 jumpers!”

That is great news Zigzag! Parents are definitely a mixed bag - some are amazing, some are very challenging. I often find myself wishing that I could go out and say what I really want to them - I don't mean to be rude or aggressive but sometimes I despair at the lack of consideration for others that they show. I am all for protecting your own children but they often don't seem to think that staff are real people too and might be hurt by their manner. The number that also seem to think they don't actually have any responsibility for bringing their children up or that school should be at their beck and call all the time. My new(ish) head is encouraging us to take a tougher line about our availability and responses to things we are asked. My week has been mixed - one of my SEN children who has been really worrying me with uncharacteristic behaviour seems (touch wood) to be returning to normal which is lovely. However, I am having to plan and deliver a very personal curriculum to try and engage him in any learning at all. I may be coming for an EY dose of creative help to get some specific maths and English objectives into Thomas, giraffes, sunflowers and the gruffalo! I've also been really struggling with sleeping through the night and have woken up at 3am most days - my brain is a little mushy as a result this weekend! My TDL is even 'epicer' than normal this weekend as we begin to sort out transition and next week we have 'visitors' in school three days - not those who begin with O but people who are all focusing on school improvement. It's going to feel like a very scrutinised week. I am starting another crochet dog for someone and have used the excuse that as it's largely black I needed to take advantage of the bright sunshine we have this morning... I must make myself do some school work soon though or I will regret it! Have a lovely weekend everyone.

If you want, as long as it’s not urgent. Crochet is my escape and the summer term is the busiest of all - I don’t want it to become something I feel pressured about.

Me too although I’m very fond of his ears too. My niece said he looks like a grandpa.

Oh my goodness! Congratulations on making that brave decision! I wonder what wonderful things the future is going to hold for you?

One crochet schnauzer! I’m really pleased with him. He’s for a friend but I’m tempted to make one for me too.

Lots of news this week from you all. Louby - I love your granddaughter pictures. FM Glad you survived Ofsted. Zigzag so sorry you’ve had such a tough week. Sunnyday I’m so pleased your knit and natter is going well. Mousie I am totally with you on the toilet training! My week has just been incredibly busy - 2 members of staff off who needed covering. Meetings after school everyday etc. A couple of my children are really struggling at the moment and I have no idea what else to do to help them. I’m very grateful for the long weekend mainly because it means that today I have done nothing but crochet a schnauzer from my new book of patterns. I didn’t intend for that to be the plan at the start of the day but that’s how things ended up. The extra day has meant that today has been the most relaxing guilt and stress free day I’ve had in a while. I’m now trying to decide what to eat for tea - I have absolutely no clue at all and am beginning to get hungry!

I like the spot border on the Attic24 blog.

The Hermione socks are finished! I’m not quite sure what to do for my next project. Back to school tomorrow so probably something that doesn’t require too much thinking!

Thank you!

So knit and natter people - I’m looking at jumper patterns and it says to look at the measurements plus whatever ‘ease’ you want. I know it means by ease but I have no idea how to work out how much I want!