Tuesday Ten

Ten Things That Have Happened Since Last Tuesday

1. Challenge Days at work. Typically, the first day was shocking, as one might imagine it would be - an interfaculty project, running of the first time, with no dedicated planning time provided. I was so pissed off by the end of day one I threw a sulky fit in the post-mortem, when everyone talked over me and ignored what I had to say. Day 2 was much better. It's still not a patch on enrichment week, though.

2. Having a year 7 class again. Awww! They're all so cute and eager! They do that hands-up thing where they push their arms with their other hand to make it go higher! They get out of their seats and bring me their work to praise! Bless.

3. Reunited with my year 12s from last year. Except all the dross has been weeded out. As I predicted, 6 out of 7 pupils sitting on the left of the room failed, while 9 out of 10 on the other side passed. I have kept the right side, in more ways than one. I was totally missing my new-term buzz until today, when I was obviously so sub-cosnciously excited about seeing year 13 I left the staffrom a full 8 minutes before the end of lunch to make sure everything was properly prepared. This is unheard of. Buzz has finally arrived. Excited about the new year.

4. Found a use for Guam/Puerto Rico state quarters. The lady in the educational supplies shop in Reno tried to take my Guam quarter and I made her give it back. I collect, for no apparent reason. But today year 13 kicked off with the Spanish-American war and the quarters had a purpose! Why do Guam and Puerto Rico have state quarters and yet Cuba doesn't? I asked. They are going away to read about it.

5. Recruited for remarks. And getting a nice hefty cut of the remark charge. Not loving the tough stance though - "Keep the mark the same if you can cos otherwise the schools will lose confidence..." le sigh. Those kids who missed a C by one mark from my class aren't going up a grade, are they? Bloody system. I hate the system.

6. SHOPPING. Mmmmmm, shopping. I went to M&S for some coloured tights. I bought said tights, in teal and purple....plus seamed stockings, four rings, a silvered leather belt, a new bra, a navy polka dot cardigan which will go with many summer things, thus extending my wardrobe through the seasons, and has already been worn and much complimented (see how well I justify it?) and this skirt.

I am HANGING OUT for the day it's cold enough to wear this little piece of lushness. The stripes don't seem quite as garish in the real thing, and it's felted the way you'd make felt with a rolling pin, so they blend a lot better towards the bottom, almost in a wispy way. And it has a killer flare. The seamed stockings are for this skirt. It's got that prim worst witch thing going on which demands some sort of surprise.

7. Banned self from shopping again until the end of the month (except Mr Z's birthday present). But at least I didn't buy any more shoes.

8. Got blisters from new shoes. This makes me sad. They are a beautiful blue confection from the Jones sale and I wore them on Hell Challenge Day, and I haven't been able to wear shoes with a back ever since. Bad shoes. And yet, so good.

9. Went for curry at Shadin in Staple Hill. I had banana curry that was just pineapple (no banana), and duck and pumpkin curry that I'm fairly sure was some sort of elderly lamb. But they got mega points for presentation and the food was all delicious, even if somewhat...surprising.

10. Started a scrap book. If I am going to start forking out for fashion mags again, you can bet I'll be keeping chunks of them. I am now plotting three new knitting designs, based on other people's designs. I've only recently started to make up my own designs a bit more regularly, again spurred on by mega (over generous) compliments from knitting group friends about my suck-it-and-see approach. It made me remember when I started knitting and there was no Ravelry, and how I'd just try things out to see if they worked. Hence, the DK cotton running mitt. Error. But there were some good things.
Now I just need to finish all the things I have on the needles. I have an unprecedented four projects OTNs at the moment - well, four that I wouldn't class as UFOs - and I'm finding it difficult to keep track of my needle tips. I need to get some knitting done (more knitting, less shopping) and then I can get on with a bit more designing.