Meandering through May

May seemed to be a long month. Marked with four family birthdays, it began with Richard’s, then, after a brief hiatus, nephew Henry, sister Isabel and daughter-in-love Adele followed on consecutive days.

I couldn’t help reminiscing, with heartfelt longing, remembering Adele’s birthday with us last year. Tea on the patio...scones...beautiful daisies, her favourite flower. (She had a reprise in far away Tanzania this year, also remembering...)

The month breezed on by. Bright sunshine, cold days. A couple of days of heavy rain, greening up the grass once more. Often warm in a sheltered spot, but not really until the second half of the month did it warm up....

School took over my life. Reports, planning, monitoring of work... it seemed endless. The pressure is on to prepare documents before inspection in six months’ time. Yet I got my reports written, relatively easily, by the middle of the month. We managed to see friends; I hosted the regular ladies’ breakfast and the ladies evening group I started in January. Inbetween, I pottered in the garden, Richard worked on a project to create hardstanding for the motorhome, and we planted pots and hanging baskets, ready for the summer. Beginning to get ready....

...and becoming weary. Finally, the head came up with a suggestion for my part-time hours. One day teaching R.E. and humanities at the top of the school ...half a day teaching R.E. at the bottom of the school. The latter is a small class, so perhaps I will...

I find myself marking last milestones, as the end of term is only a few weeks away. Last final reports!  I've always enjoyed writing them, marking and appreciating the children's progress as the year has gone on. I have started to tidy out my cupboard, throwing away old files, worksheets...decluttering, always satisfying. We even managed to take the children on our annual trip, driving round Guernsey to investigate the legacy of the German Occupation from 1940 - 1945, always fascinating.

And my colleague is also moving out of the classroom. He is just over half my age, but we have got on well and worked creatively together. New beginnings for both of us...

Halfway through the month, I was able to take part in the online Leadership Conference organised by Alpha and HTB. Such incredible stories and testimonies: so encouraging. What a privilege! Our little ladies study group perseveres, moving on slowly as members tend to come rather sporadically. 

But May was full of sorrow as well. A dear colleague's 14 year old son had a serious head injury. A week later, despite all efforts to save him, he lost his fight to survive. I taught him 4 years ago, a delightfully polite, kind and fun-loving boy. His mother is a particularly lovely colleague, popular among the staff and working in the next room to me. His grandmother is a good friend from church. We are all devastated: I cannot begin to imagine their grief. 

In the middle of that were catch-ups with friends, some having moved into a house just a couple of hundred metres away. Good to have connection.

And the weather... well, by the end of the month, and unusually for a bank holiday, the sun shone with unexpected warmth. Summer arrived... over the bank holiday weekend, at least. Guernsey is at its best this time of year, the hedgerows and banks exploding with colour, birds nesting, the butterflies and bees in profusion.