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One thing I have to do, but don't want to:
1. Mark that last set of key stage three assessments tomorrow, ready for lesson on Tuesday. The one positive to doing it is that afterwards I will be (almost) marking-free until after Christmas.

Three things I have to do, that I don't mind doing:
1. Finish writing el booko. I may have a bit of writer's block, but I can sort of see the end.
2. Knit more green cones for the felted Christmas trees I'm making.
3. More reading for my sixth formers. I am in danger of falling a little behind, thanks to my new obsession with Shardlake.

Five things I am eagerly anticipating:
1. Christmas shopping. I finally decided today what to get Mother Hand and I am excited about sorting it out.
2. Spinning on those nice new bikes on Tuesday.
3. Decluttering a bit over the next few weeks. Sally wrote of a new decluttering book which has inspired her and she has inspired me: I remembered when I was trying to declutter. You wouldn't think it, to look at the house now.
4. Crystal Maze weekend with school, although we have less than 10 students signed up so far. This is a bit of a shame but will make the whole thing less stressful for me, admittedly.
5. School Christmas party. Always a social highlight.

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1 Thing I am knitting which I said I never would

SOCKS.
I was seduced by the sparkly, seasonal sock yarn in GK at the weekend and had to buy it. I was the first person there who wanted the red, and there was only one ball left, so I got it. I have had to cast it on already because it didn't seem fair to take the last ball of red and then not knit socks with it.

And besides, as you see, it is yarn made to be socks. (It's not mouldy, btw, that's just a leftover whisp of Jade Sapphire cashmere which was in the project bag).

I am doing the simple ribbed sock pattern which is NOT toe-up, despite my (extremely arrogant, considering I have never previously knitted socks) insistence on this being the best method. I just wanted to get going and this was a simple pattern, freely available. It does remind me a little of my old ribbed grey school socks, but wth - it's retro.

3 things I need to finish knitting by Christmas

1. Sam's hat. Assistant head at school asked for a hat in her rugby team's colours last year. She's leaving at the end of term. It is now an urgent concern.

2. Secret Santa gift for work. I am knitting some beaded wrist warmers, based on a pattern I made up when I started knitting. I knitted the original out of Debbie Bliss navy cotton angora which (a) didn't show up the cabling at all and (b) had no stretch to it, which is why I am talking about the original in the singular, since I never made the second one. I never wrote down any instructions, either. But I'm using plum coloured Kid Classic by Rowan and silver beads, and have enough sense now to be knitting the beaded stitches TBL on the next row, which saves a lot of shuffling beads about.

3. Parpy Jo's scarf. I finally got over myself and started adding the knitted on border at knitting group on Saturday, and it's really not as scary as I suspected it would be, although I did have to buy some sharper DPNs. I don't know why, since I could hav just used any old needle - it dosn't need DPNs. But oh well.
Parpy Jo has returned from her Russian holiday afianced (hurrah!), and I am seeing her next Sunday, so this one is the most pressing of them all.

5 things I want to bake over the holiday period

1. Delia's mincemeat nut strudel. YUM.

2. Something with chestnuts and chocolate. Chocolate chestnut cheesecake, probably. Or chocolate chestnut trifle.

3. St Clement's roulade. I can't even remember where the recipe for this comes from, which may prove to be an issue. It is some sort of citrus sponge, filled with lemon curd, passion fruit and cream. It is very tasty.

4. Blueberry bread and butter pudding in the slow cooker. Made with double cream and croissants. This is so deacadent and calorie crammed that I really can't justify making it any other time. I looked forward to it all year. It's best made overnight ready for Boxing Day.

5. Christmassy cupcakes. I would like to do some experimenting and come up with a really Christmassy blend. I am thinking, lots of spices, a cranberry filling, and an icing flavoured with Liquid Christmas spirit (the name of which escapes me now...it's Czech, and in a blue bottle with a yellow label).

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One thing I have to do, but don't want to do:
1. Set 19 lessons of cover for when I go away (and I can't even whinge about it, because I'm going to Malaysia and nobody at work wants to hear about poor me and my 19 lessons of cover).

Three things I have to do, which I don't mind doing:
1. Dry slope skiing session number 1, tomorrow. I even have to drive the minibus down there. Eek!
2. Packing for going to Malaysia. I am waiting on two more parcels and then I can start laying stuff out for the suitcase.
3. Handy dying the other bags, before Thursday. This may not happen.

Five things I'm eagerly anticipating:
1. Dinner with Ali and Parpy Jo on Wednesday night.
2. Knitting group on Thursday night. I hope to distribute the newly-dyed bags, but I am uncertain whether I will have time to dye, wash and dry them before then, since I won't be home until superlate tomorrow.
I love my Thursday knitting group. We're actually going away for a weekend together in March! How exciting is that! A whole weekend of knitting, except Rachel will be crocheting and Chris will be spinning. Mary will probably knit about 15 things in the first half hour and make Hannah and me feel inadequate. It will be A Lot Of Fun (tm).
3. Geology on Friday. I was gutted I had to miss it last week, apparently they did viscosity. I could teach them a thing or two about being thick.
4. Curry and The Wire with Mrs Z on Friday night. Just what I need before I get on a plane - spicy food.
5. Um, did you know that on Saturday I am going to MALAYSIA?!