Strictly: My Dance of the Night

I finally managed to watch a full episode of Strictly on Saturday. They're so long at the start of the series that I never manage to catch up if I'm not at home to watch.

I really liked the quickstep from Grease, but it was Kate Silverton as Jessica Rabbit that I wanted to watch again. The way she covered that stumble was masterful. I loved it.



And now I'm back to wondering how I can possibly become famous enough in my current profession to be invited onto Strictly...

Throwback Thursday

This time last year I'd just spent the weekend in Portsmouth doing some lovely bits and pieces. Education conference, history lectures and a wander around some green bits of Winchester with Mother Hand. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and the surroundings were idyllic.

I'd quite like this to be my back garden. Pool steps down to the river. Ideal. 

Blue Monday

In the summer, Mr Z and I spent some time in southern Italy. It was hot, hot, hot. Too hot. We spent much of our time indoors in the air conditioning. With hindsight, we should have stayed on the coast, not in a city.

On the last day we drove round the coast a bit and stopped in Otranto for lunch. This is probably where we should have spent the whole holiday. Loved it.

Next year.

Weekend WIP

I posted yesterday that I had almost finished the second sleeve and that I hoped to get it finished and both set in ready for Friday. I'm happy to report that I am well on the way to my goal: I finished the second sleeve earlier today and then spent part of Vanity Fair sewing in the first sleeve, but didn't get far because I obviously had to spend some time breaking my heart over poor Dobbin's predicament as though in this particular adaptation he might end up without Amelia Sedley.

I'm quite looking forward to getting both sleeves sewn in so that I can try it on and attempt to take a better picture of it. It really loses something being photographed: it looks a bit like a crumpled dish rag, I'm afraid. The lighting probably isn't helped. It is much more delightful in real life.

Selfie Sunday

A bit of inception going on this week.

I went into the Tatty Devine shop on a whim while I was in London at the end of the summer holiday. I came out with a rainbow starry necklace and these mirrored leaves, which are light gold in colour, though you can't see it well here. I am enamoured of them.

Weeknote: 6/10

Knitting:
I finally cracked the second sleeve and am onto the sleeve cap. I've got about 40 rows left, I think, then I need to sew them in so I can do the neckline. I've got a train journey to Portsmouth coming up so I'm hoping to get to the neckline point in time for that.

Going to:
On Sunday I had a wander around Stanborough Park with my old friend Stu. I was staying in Herts for the weekend. Driving around it was really weird; I spent a lot of time there in my formative years but never as a driver, so it looked entirely unfamiliar whilst at the same time being very familiar, if that makes sense. It made me think about echoes of people. Are there echoes of me left there still? That makes even less sense!

I stayed with my friend Dawn in Herts. On Sunday night we were going to have a restful evening in with Heathers, but then one of her radiators started a huge and inexplicable leak all over the TV so we had to turn it off. Turns out British Gas installed it less than two weeks ago. Yes, the same British gas whose boiler went pop in our house (and was installed on a combustible backboard, thanks BG) two weeks ago, thanks to their extremely dodgy 'service' plan that doesn't actually involve doing any servicing. I told her our tale of woe as a warning.

Monday was a ski day. I didn't have to be at the ski centre until 10am so I got a decent lie in, too. A whole day of skiing! What a treat. My quads were not happy by the end, though. I was irritated by a teacher from a very, very posh and famous private boarding school who introduced himself by saying that, as a private school trip organiser he wasn't forced to follow the same tough risk assessments that state schools have to. Er, yeah mate, you are on the same course though....and also, I'm glad I don't have any kids going on your trips, with that attitude.

But the skiing was good.

The rest of the week has been quite quiet, really. Just trying to get back on top of the workload. Thursday was brutal but the light is on at the end of the tunnel now. Two and a half weeks to half term.

Entertained by:
Dawn and I saw Six the Musical on Saturday night; it was A. MAZ. ING. I bought the soundtrack on the train away and booked tickets to see it in Southampton as soon as we got home. I know the words to most of the songs now.

I have been loving Killing Eve. I want half the wardrobe, for starters. I always think Jodie Comer seems so familiar and I'm sure I must know her from something other than a supporting role in Dr Foster.

I watched that two-part series about Princess Margaret today, that was on the BBC last month. Very interesting; I hadn't realised she was quite so scandalous. Go Princess M.

Learning:
Last Saturday was spent in Oxford, workshopping lessons with the author of a book about the lives of black people in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was inspiring to spend the day with geeky like-minded history teachers and I met a few people I have interacted with a lot on Twitter, which is always nice.

I had some after-school training for yet another new exam board role I've picked up, that I now feel I've been mis-sold. The training wasn't very informative. The trainer was snotty about 'unprofessional email addresses' and suggested everybody register a specific gmail account to use for their exam board work. I am fairly sure he meant mine, which is of the same domain as this blog. I might register {exam board name}@{domain} and use that instead. Or I might just quit. It's not my usual exam board and I think they've been underhand about the amount of work the job entails.

Feeling:
A little frantic at the end of the week, but I've had a very chilled out day today and done absolutely no work. Just knitting group, knitting in front of the TV and this blog. Delightful.

Blue Monday

My last picture from Llandudno, I promise.

For now, anyway.

So many blues in this one!