2026 Week 43

The term ended this week, probably just as awfully as might have been expected, with a nasty shock on Monday that is going to have a lot of fallout. Not being mysteriously, temptingly vague, just necessarily vague. Thankfully it doesn't directly involve me but it has left me feeling like I'm in mourning (nobody died). Just par for the course in this horrible term, thankfully now in the past. The only positive thing was that we managed to appoint another teacher of my subject, against all odds and at under a week's notice, so my timetable should ease a bit next term. Just as well because I am going to be doing my job and parts of two others. 

The last day of term was Hallowe'en dress up and I reprised an outfit from a party I went to a few years ago, the wicked witch of the east. It was windy enough to almost blow my house away for real; I had to deal firmly with a shouty parent in it; and when I leaned out of an upstairs window to shout at some truanting students, one of them actually screamed in horror and shouted, 'WHO IS THAT?!' much to the amusement of my year 10s.

It has been a fun weekend. I went to hot yoga and then to Gaz's house where we ate Chinese and sort of watched Strictly with Corners - an annual tradition, even down to the horrible storm I had to drive to and from her place in. Of course today has been lovely. I went to the cinema with Emrys to see Ghosts, very funny. I did a little actual, in-person shopping: a sadly dispiriting experience because of the whole 'find your size online' thing - you're telling me, Uniqlo, that in all your piles and piles of jumpers you don't have room for one XXS and one XXL? And then I bought a dress in Harvey Nicks and they didn't give me the expected 20% discount they were touting all over the shop and I didn't have the heart to ask. People talk a lot about the death of the high street but I'm not sure that I can recommend going in person when I can't try on my size or read the discount Ts&Cs ahead of time. I guess it was nice to actually look at things, though. 

I've continued with the usual knitting project and marvellous book, I want to devour it but I have been pretty sleepy. I've been catching up on Five Star Weekend (meh) and Leaving on Netflix, a very old three-part series with Helen McCrory that was better than I was expecting. Excitingly, I managed to see both the Bake Off and Traitors live, what a thrill - no avoiding spoilers needed. 

A whole week off awaits, though there will be exam board tasks within that. But still...lie ins, lazy hours with a book etc.