School

Friday - I've just got home having stayed four nights - one night to 8.30 pm - out of five this week. Today it was to put Christmas decorations up. Huge fun.

As a staff, we are a little wacky. So the fun today was to see who could put up the tackiest decorations. I think I won, with garlands on all the toilet door handles. We did err slightly in putting up a rather tasteful, natural looking garland all the way up the banisters. No lights - the deputy is planning to sneak in on Sunday and transform it into Santa's grotto. I can't wait.

Guernsey is brilliant at Christmas - so many people go to great lengths to transform their houses and gardens. One wealthy family opens up their estate, charging a minimal fee for charity - a good fundraiser and community event as so many people go. Driving or cycling in the dark can be rather hazardous - I'm so busy looking at everything. And it's wonderful flying in at night, seeing all the lights lit.

Parent teacher meetings

Phew - parents meetings over, bar one.

Actually, I like parent teacher meetings, even if it does mean that I don't get home before 8pm - or later - several nights this week. I like the children I teach and I like meeting and getting to know their parents. They are usually absolutely delightful.

Tonight's parents were no exception. They even made me feel that I am doing a good job with their kids. All were very grateful.

I could have done with these meetings several weeks ago, but better late than never.

Now it's a frantic rush to get all our work done by the end of term!

Football skills

I was on duty in the playground at lunchtime today.

The school is having astroturf laid down and so the children were confined to the small playground.

130 boys.

There was one football game and various small footie games played with tennis balls.
It was hard to know where to stand without being an inadvertent and unwilling goal post.

Inevitably, my foot met the ball several times.

Last week, in the 'Crossbar Challenge' I spectacularly failed to kick the ball anywhere near the goal crossbar. I WAS wearing high heeled boots at the time, and I DID try and kick the ball backwards - which earned a lot of laughs and a surprising amount of applause.

I managed several gentle kicks and actually connected with various moving objects. Two separate feet and one stomach, to be precise. The stomach was delighted.

School: parent teacher meetings

Parent teacher meetings last night.

I have one or two challenging characters this year - so equally, one or two of the meetings weren't easy. It's hard working with children sometimes - you know what you long for them to be, and they just refuse the help.

Their egos are more important than anything else. I feel sad for them.

The parents, of course, believe that their child cannot do or say anything wrong - and viciously attack anyone who deems otherwise.

Colleagues have marvelled at my patience.

I don't have much natural patience, actually. But I know I can't do anything BUT act patiently. It's the way Jesus was, and he's my role model. It's almost as if I can't help myself - I'm just hanging in there. It's rather like setting the points on a train track so I keep going the right way - once I've done it, there's less chance of ending up as someone I don't want to be.

So I carry on pouring out energy, praying and hoping for the best for the children I teach.

And I'm grateful for all those parents who told me yesterday how happy their children are. Even, that they're really blossoming.

It does make it all worthwhile.

Friends

When I was younger - not so very much younger, actually - I made friends and thought I would keep them for life. Most of them are still my friends.

Some of them have been around for more decades than you can imagine.

But I've moved a lot. And every time I've moved, I've left friends behind - and made new ones.

Now I realise that I do have friends for life - and some of them are on different continents. Nothing would please me more than to be able to spend time with them again. To drop round after work, or meet up for a meal. But practically, I can't. Expensive executive jets are beyond my budget. And in any case, my job wouldn't allow that sort of time off!

So the friends I have coffee with, or chat to, are those who are here with me - now. They are the ones I need and share with.

They are incredibly important to me. Now. Here. In this moment.

Island living

Beautiful cold clear frosty morning. When I went outside to dump the coffee grounds in the compost, my nose started twitching. Sewage. Whoops.

We live in a 'rural' area on Guernsey. Rural means a) that we're not actually in a cluster of houses and even have a field between us and our nearest neighbour and b) that we're not on the main drainage system. So our waste water goes into a cess pit which has to be emptied periodically. Before it overflows, preferably.

I peeped round the corner in the direction of the smell. I knew the tank was full and we had had a lot of rain recently: fields were flooded and the douits - the drainage ditches - had filled up after a very dry autumn. We had ordered the sewage truck to empty the pit but sometimes it would take some days to come, depending on its schedule.

The cover to the pit was open, with a sewage pipe lying next to it. Hence the smell. No sign of the sewage truck. Oh well, it had probably nipped off to empty a load and would, presumably, be back to fill up again and to collect its pipe.

There are many other benefits to living here. This has to be one of my favourites. It reminds me of my life back in Africa. Not taking anything for granted - particularly waste disposal.

Nuts

This obsession with nuts is getting ridiculous.

I'm sitting here, typing away, when Mpira comes along and headbutts my leg. Hard. Now he has my attention, he skitters away towards the door.

No, he doesn't want to go outside to chase rabbits.

I wander towards his food bowl. It's empty, so I fill it up with dog biscuits. He looks at me with a disgusted expression on his face and then walks over to where we keep the peanuts for the birds. He looks at the nuts, looks at me, looks at the nuts, looks at me...

I give in.

I go back to the computer, leaving one nut-happy dog behind me.