Category: about me

There are few things that can put a smile on my face more than returning home from work to find post on our doormat that isn’t a bill/junk mail.

I love the thrill of receiving post. My best friend Roz is brilliant at sending good post. Recent arrivals have been the ridiculously cute cat card above, which arrived with perfect timing after a bit of a nightmare day at work, and a Jurassic World sticker book. I’m a child. The sticker book made my day. The girl knows me well.

My Mum is also a great post-sender. Whilst at university I used to get lovely ‘I saw this and thought of you’ clippings from magazines and the newspaper and generally super cute little note-cards just checking in that I was OK and letting me know someone was thinking of me. I saved these and they still make me happy when reading through them now.

I also have a few magazine subscriptions, Oh Comely and Glamour (sometimes you just need to read trash) magazines and the Lucky Dip Club box. These give me something to look forward to, knowing I’ll be getting post at least 3 times a month that isn’t dull and/or disappointing.

Being completely honest here, even getting my cervical smear all clear letter in the post made me smile. I’m aware I’m sounding like I need to get out more.

As a teenagerI had a pen-pal and regularly exchanged letters with life updates (mainly about boys and how rubbish school was) and I miss that now as a grown up. I’m currently planning on making more of an effort with friends who live far away that I don’t get to see as often as I like to send little cards/mementos to let them know I’m thinking of them. The thought of spreading a little joy via post is a lovely one.

Long live snail mail.

Well, I can proudly say that I’ve survived my first week as a Year 6 teacher. My new class aren’t the worst in the world nor, unfortunately, are they the best.

I knew they were going to be a bit of a challenge so needless to say I spent last Sunday night tossing and turning and having the inevitable back-to-school blues.  Every new term it’s the same. I think teachers are as bad as children, if not worse, for dreading going back to school. Don’t get me wrong I generally enjoy my job, but it’s hard to muster up the enthusiasm for it after a glorious 6 weeks off!

My new little team have been an interesting bunch to get to know and I think I’ll have my work cut out getting them (and me!) SATs ready for next Spring. The post it above was from one of the ‘naughty boys’ (labelled by a previous teacher, not me!) who was trying to get me back on side after being an absolute monkey!

To all the teacher’s out there. Congratulations on getting through the start of a new term. Here’s to the countdown to October half term! (Kidding… Not kidding!)

Source

I love looking back and reminiscing, whether that be looking through old photo albums/scrapbooks or reading through old diaries so I thought I’d incorporate this into a blog series. I’ll be looking at things that spark memories for me (both good and bad) whenever I see them.

The first up is the little red Ford Ka. This was my first car back in 2007. I think part of me will always love these little bugs, the love of a first car stays strong! It was bought with my own money/savings from the parents and I knew exactly what I wanted.

With the help of the mothership I  negotiated for the dream car, a red Ka with black bumpers. I thought I was the coolest kid in this little guy, with its manual sunroof and windows and a tape deck. I loved the tape deck and the chance to play old childhood, and charity shop, cassettes.

It was a trusty little ladybird until unfortunately the sunroof started to leak and it started to make a worrying screaming sound when starting on colder mornings.  I reluctantly traded it in, for a car I definitely didn’t love as much. Fortunately my current car has reignited this. Good work Fiat 500!

What was your first car? Do you have happy or less than cheery memories of it?