Saturday

Well, actually, it isn't.  Saturday, I mean.  It's Friday evening and my brain is a-buzzin' so I though I would write my blog entry now for posting tomorrow morning.  A bit of a cheat?  Well, maybe, but I know a lot of people write their blogs in a planned and very organised way, sometimes prepared days or even weeks in advance, especially those who get some financial gain from it.  And good for them, it's OK if you can, I guess, but I'd rather have the freedom to write when I can and about what without any adverts marring the pristine beauty of my pages (and if you believe that . . . ) - and I'm just not that organised.

So - why is my brain a-buzzin'?  Because I have just hosted a lovely Pot Luck Supper.  It should have been a Chinese and Chat but so many people were not able to come that I first cancelled it and then thought 'what the heck' and made it a pot luck supper for whoever was able to come.  We ended up with nine of us (out of about twenty two) and we have had a wonderful evening.  June, dear June, who was my year one colleague last year and who is retiring at the end of next week, came along and the whole evening was packed with reminiscences and laughter (so much laughter) plus a visit from Secret Santa.  It's been just lovely, one of the nicest evenings in a long while.  And I've been left with enough food and drink (OK, wine) to last me into the New Year and beyond!!!   No complaints there.

For this Pot Luck Supper I made sticky sausages.  I used a Nigella recipe as a basis but had to adapt it and it was utterly and totally delicious.  They all got eaten - a sure sign of success.  One to do again, without a doubt, the sooner the better.  I'll post what I did as a separate entry.
Today has been fantastic but very tiring.  For a start, it rained all day so the children couldn't go out.  We're a bit tough with playtimes and if it is drizzling, they go out, but this was far more than a drizzle.  Fortunately (if that's the right word), they were so tired that they stayed pretty subdued all day, regardless of the lack of fresh air and exercise.  As it was SEN day, I didn't take my class, but I was working just outdies the bay and could see that they were worn out and utterly weary.

It was Christmas dinner and the food wasn't all that bad, given that it was a school dinner.  Not hot enough, of course, but pretty well cooked.  I enjoyed it anyway.

We had a specialist support  teacher in and, as always, she was incredibly supportive and helpful.  As SENCO, I am finding that the support services are becoming a lot sharper, musc more on the ball and ready to work with, rather than dictate to, the schools they are serving, with advice that is valid, reliable and helpful.  Exactly what we need from these specialist support teachers and an awful lot better than a few years back when they came in with the latest ideas, the buzz talk and the glib solutions (which didn't actually solve anything).

And now it is the weekend.  Downstairs is pretty tidy, thanks to our pot luck supper.  We will not mention upstairs right now, OK?  And I can feel my brain unwinding and calming down . . .

And I will send this tomorrow . . .