Tuesday

And here we are, ready to go back to school again after an unheard of 10 days away.  It feels like going back after half term although it was nowhere near enjoyable as half term tends to be.  It will be lovely to see the children again though - I have missed them.

I've just been out to the shed for stuff from the freezer and it feels chilly although iPod assures me that it is actually an unchilly 6C.  I'm not sure I believe it today but it makes no difference really.

The conference yesterday was good.  Not good in a 'wow, wasn't he a funny speaker' type of way but good in a 'plenty to think about' sort of way.  At the least conference of this type we all attended, the speaker was hilarious and had us rolling in the aisles for much of the time but I can hardly remember anything he said.  I have a feeling that this time the impact will be much greater although it won't necessarily be comfortable.

The venue wasn't as good as last time though.  For a start there was inadequate parking so it took ages to get a place (on the grass, eventually).  I gather this was because there were three conferences booked.  Then the internet connection was so bad the speaker couldn't use his online resources until after lunch as the connection kept dropping.  As for lunch itself . . . well, there was plenty but it was bread, bread, pastry, pizza and bread again followed by cakes and tarts.  I was all carbed out, I can tell you.  Fortunately I managed to get an apple from the rather inadequate fruit platter which was a great relief after so much stodge.

As a result, when I got to the Hare in the evening for our monthly girls' time, I wasn't even a little bit tempted by their delicious chips or their smaller plate range!  Instead I had a bacon and blue cheese salad that also contained a mixture of leaves, grapes, caramelised walnuts (absolutely delicious) mixed peppers and their house dressing.  It was more than I usually pay there but so, so scrummy and I finished it off feeling satisfied but not bloated!  I wish they did a smaller plate version too.

Today is a lo-o-o-ong day.  There's so much to do, the results of missing a week, and it is the first consultation evening this evening so I won't be home until around nine o'clock.  I shall be glad when tomorrow is over, believe me!

Goodness, I need another coffee to recover and I reckon I will be on caffeine to keep me going before the end of the day.  Thank goodness tomorrow's is earlier, even if it is a rush to be ready straight after school.