A lot can happen in a week.

I really need to bring you up to date with what has been happening in my first week of the holidays (and it hasn't really been a holiday).

Day One: Saturday

A casual shopping trip and to go get my old laptop fixed.  Faced with a massive charge to get it repaired, I opted to just pay to get my data recovered - brilliant.  Only it didn't stop there.  Soon I'd found the laptop of my dreams.  It was just sitting there purring out my name.  And so, I bought it :(

Now normally this kind of behaviour does not merit a :( but it does this time as I simply can't afford impulsive expenditures like buying a fantastic, state of the art laptop on the spur of the moment.  But here I am, sat typing this blog on it (really this blog is just an excuse to try out the keyboard for something other than gaming! Not that this won't be put to good use next year).  I personally blame my mate for this.  He's a bad influence.  Last time this happened I walked away with a Playstation 4.  Seriously need new money conscious friends in my life!

Day Two: Sunday

Have no real recollection of this day other than spending it on my new fancy laptop and finally getting our old Minecraft server up and running!

Day Three: Monday

Trying to be productive, I managed to secure two appointments that I've been putting off and putting off.  One to do with hair, the other to do with a feminine requirement (won't go into detail!).  

Day Four: Tuesday

Really much of the same as Monday.  I did try to strip a wall at the house, and invited my partner up too.  Within minutes he had put a huge hole in the wall ('It wasn't coming off!) and then broke the water spray to dampen the wallpaper ('I swear you gave it to me like that!).  Just great! So home we trudged and enjoyed a nice meal out before being slaughtered at the usual Tuesday night quiz.

Day Five: Wednesday

A lovely day out to the Metro Centre where I finally began to relax.  One of the many many issues of being a teacher is the inability to switch off.  And even 8 days later I'm still having thoughts about things that are no longer relevant to me.  SHUT UP BRAIN!.  Unfortunately, although we enjoyed a nice viewing of the new Terminator film, bought all the relevant birthday cards, browsed for shopping items, we ended up walking away with 10 new candle holders (really cheap, honest!), one king sized duvet, two new lamps for the front room and a 43 inch HD 4K Smart TV (sigh!).  Honestly, my money is going to be non-existent by the end of all of this!

Day Six: Thursday

Was meant to shop with my future mother-in-law, my actual mother ruined this though.  End of story.

Day Seven: Friday

Actually has time off with the mister, sorted our laptops out.

Day Eight: Saturday

Sunderland Airshow.  Now whilst this is becoming a tradition amongst me and a friend, it is becoming rather repetitive.  What we've seen once we've seen a million times now.  But it was still a great day.  Personal highlights include: finding out we were driving a death trap (no brake pads - could have ended badly!); were utterly convinced that we'd been shot at by an enemy airman having talked through the announcements that this was going to happen (really should have been a bigger warning for that); been offered by an exasperated mother to adopt her children who wouldn't stop touching one of our group; learning that Morrisons have enough workers for one to be at the end of every aisle during the mad rush that was happening; actually spending time with my friend's child who is going through some rough times due to his leukaemia.  All in all it was a good day only to be spoilt by electricians ruining my to-be-house.  They'd left a bomb site in their wake, ruining several goods and throwing out things that were being carefully stored.  Throwing things from windows nevertheless.  I spent the night, not drinking with the friends as envisaged, but rather on my hands and knees cleaning up some of the dust and rubble created by them.

Day Nine: Sunday

Actually a relaxing day, considering the unsettled night I had the night before thinking about what I should say to the electricians that I was to be encountered with the next day.  I was so unbelievably angry at how they had treated the house that I was dying to go up there and meet them first thing.

So what a lovely jam packed week.  Day 10 is going to be spent scrubbing floorboards and seeing a delightful old friend of mine.  That's if my knees and back don't finally give in.

I wish I could just enjoy this holiday and not think about how much this is costing us as a family :( Feel so so terrible.  I hate spending a penny and this is costing thousands :/

I need to clear my mind and think of the future though!

Is the solution to happiness...

forgetting and letting go?

Two days I've now been off work, but there's not been two minutes where I've thought back to it, cringed at something or worried about something. 

A holiday is meant to be exactly that - a break from everything. How am I meant to rest when my mind is completely and utterly consumed by something else? 

It occurs to me that animals don't have this problem. Neither do children. And the similarities and differences are that there memory is yet to be developed to a point as our poor adult brains. They don't over think, over evaluate and over complicate. 

They simply let it be. 

Why can't I live like that? What ever will be will be. 

Feeling optimistic

After a DREADFUL start to the weekend, it's turned out to be quite a good one.

Saturday was met by an early start to get to Durham for the Big Meet. Only the divy that I am meant that I'd left my mobile in the car. With a mad dash back and a quick decision to drive instead, we were in Durham within half an hour and soaking in the already moving banners. Alas we didn't see our home town this time. 

The sun came out and everyone has smiles on their faces. It was a brilliant day and although I had reservations about certain company joining us, it turned out to be a fantastic time. 

Although I must admit the bus journey home could have been done without. 

Fast forward to Sunday and it's more work on the house day. We've cut through the crap and removed four of the cupboards.  Just the ones on the other side now!

Just as we'd spent hours and hours removing the cupboards, one panel finally gave way to show us something that has been lodged there for almost 50 years- The Dandy! An orginal copy too! And the name of our family written in pencil in te top corner. Must have been ordered by the newsagents. It was dated 1967. Whilst my dad thought it could be a time capsule, it looks to me that it's been dropped by accident with some colouring pencils. Although my mam said it could be my grandads sense of humour as they'd moved into the house in 1967. 

Lodged in all the debris was a coin too. A two shilling one with George 6th on it. 1949. That's a load of history just hidden in a load of dirt. 

Can't wait to keep unearthing it all! 

Going too slow

Updates on the house:

And that's it. Yes that's all in the last month. Far too slow. 

In other news, my boss has suddenly started complimenting me. Can't actually understand it. Sure she wants a favour from me. 

Anyways. 6 more get ups!!

A joke of a day

I slept through a storm last night. Hail the size of golfs. Nineteen thousand thunder bolts shot through the air. Many houses were without power. Others burst into flames. 

Whilst this was going on, I was having my very own nightmare. I dreamt about the reality of what life is becoming. No glue sticks. No books. No white board pens. Then the latest development, no printers. 

These endless pains were coupled with the prospect of an observation this morning.  So I heaved myself out of bed and tried to get to work soon.  Yet I lost my car keys. Then behind a car that stuck precisely to the speed limit. Then a lorry. Only when I get to work, no printers are working at all. It takes 40 minutes to check all of this. With 5 minutes to spare, I mention a printer in nursery. Another teacher runs over there and back, tells me he's taking my class and the year up for an assembly giving us time to set up. 

After 20 frantic and tense moments, I've finally printed out everything.  The boss walks past. Stormy look on her face. Yet she has no response. No "sorry for putting you through this". Nope she walks up quarter to 9 and thinks everything will be alright. 

Luckily the lesson went fine. Me roasting in the front. 

This wouldn't have been the worst thing, if it wasn't for the comment. The comment "I'd like people to turn up at the leavers disco this time. I think it was only me and [enter name of TA] last year". That angered me beyond belief. So angry.

So ungrateful. No thanks. 

Speechless. 

Hottest day on record since 2006

Hottest day of the summer. Sweltering hot. Too hot to even go outdoors. 34 degrees. 

I come home. There's a lengthy powercut a thunderstorm. More blistering weather and then boom! A thunderstorm, a full on power shower that this houses' electric shower would be jealous of, and hail the size of golf balls. Almost literally!!

Think I'll take the standard British summers day anyday. None of this Spanish stuff! Though I am currently sat with Benji, all curled up and relaxed :)