Back from Hereford.  A very good weekend, lazing about doing nothing very much in good company.  Swam on Saturday for the first time in two years.  Swam lengths checking pulse after each one and it was great to feel a normal rate!  Hooray!  We went to Glastonbury on Monday.  I optimistically thought we could leave at 800am and be back for half five so I would not have a late night before term started on Tuesday.  Well Julian thought we could get to Glastonbury in an hour and a quarter (yikes!!!) but it took 2 hours.  Then planning a day with a small person in the party who hasn't yet learned the art of compromise - so we left Glastonbury after a stop at McDonalds at 4.30pm, encountered lots of traffic, missed the way and finally arrived back at their house at 6.35pm (my nails still intact despite clinging desperately to door and seat belt)

It is probably the last time I shall see Cheryl, Julian and James before they go to New Zealand and I don't know when, if at all, I shall make it out there to visit so a bit nostaligic.

Principal gave his "state of the union" address yesterday.  I listen out for the bit when he mentions whether/when we will get a pay rise.  Still the down side of only working 50% of the week (time teaching and on the college site and it excludes preparation time) is that I get a pitifully small pay packet eachmonth.  What I am hoping is that I don't have to pay off the loan for the PGCE fees this year.  Last year we had to pay 400 pounds of the fees - even spread out over the year I felt the pinch.

Between now and classes starting the week commencing 24 September I have to prepare all the schemes of work and some lesson plans, assessment for Foundaion Access's ICT session, help out with IAs and adult enrolment but also restart my PGCE studies.  How am I going to find time to do the pantomime AND finish my NVQ in Advcie and Guidance.  Sadly I will have to as the college has already coughed up the money for me to do it!

This afternoon I hope to make a start on CACHE's scheme of work - 2 hour lessons with the least keen students in the world.  Feeling slightly glum at present.  However I will feel better once I have started.  If I had 3 wishes, one would be to find someone in another college who takes a CACHE level 2 group for numeracy and have a brainstorming session or two with them.