One working week, one hundred and one words

Monday need to meet leadership coach with team after school. Drop me in it, all J personalities. I’m too “it’ll get done/seize the moment.” Go home and drink gin.

Tuesday quiet - hallelujah.

Wednesday busy, colleagues at moderation. Goes well, unsatisfactory teacher thinks teaching good – NO! Proof our assessments good – not same thing.

Thursday student's observation bad. Need to ring tutor – failing. Student cries when I feedback. Other student gets job – proud mama! No gin at home. Argue with Simon.

Friday, realise in charge of school–heck! Student phones sick. 3 children on breakfast club roof. Go home via gin shop!

Scenery and singing

Two weekends ago I had a lovely day with Kevan driving and then strolling through beautiful East Sussex (who knew England was SOOOOOOOOOO gorgeous) before joining the Langthorne ladies for dinner, fizz and some dodgy karaoke (who knew we were all SUUUUUUUUUUCH bad singers). It was a grand weekend!

The Belle Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head

The cliffs at Birling Gap

My niece Laura

Helen (Laura and Cat's Mum)

On the right Helen (my sister-in-law) and my niece Cat

Reads at Faversham part 2

I realise that if I was any kind of a real foodie that I would have had my fantastic food and photos all written up and posted on Sunday morning - right after my visit to Reads - BUT there's been problems with the faithful old warhorse of a PC chez moi. Every time I turn on a TV channel ... iPlayer, Channel4 Catch Up or ITV.com (well who'd miss Coleen's Real Women?) - poof, it/the fuse dies!!

So my strange but satisfying addicition to Supernanny and a series of "big poofs" have killed off any chance of finishing the review! Yes, that last sentence was for comic effect - what about it? Just enjoy the food photos why don't you??

Discs of deliciously light seafood mousse in a feuilette of puff pastry, with al dente asparagus and a butter sauce.

Ham hock terrine with piccalilli and warm sourdough toast.

Halibut on a bed of spinach and fennel ribbons with a herb gnocchi, cheese gougere and bisque sauce.

Lamb on buttered savoy cabbage with fondant potato a rosemary jus and roasted garlic served with sprouting broccoli and hollandaise.

The cheese basket - a selection of English and British cheeses with a variety of crackers and homemade bread with the best (ie saltiest farm churned butter) you've ever tasted!

Rhubarb souffle, lemon tart with a blackcurrant coulis, rhubarb ripple ice cream and coconut ice with a mango dab - yep that's right 4 desserts! Count them - 1, 2, 3, 4!

Right, now that I've wiped away the dribbles, I'd better go and have a bite to eat! p.s. Anyone know what might be wrong with my PC??

Reads at Faversham part 1

Last Saturday night I joined the other ladies in the poker coven and off we trooped to Reads at Macknade Manor, Faversham for a slap-up-meal out of the proceeds of the poker pot - we've been collecting since July 2007 and in huge anticipation we were all looking forward to the "Tasting Menu!" Two of our number had visited previously but Chris, Suzanne and I were Reads' virgins there on the recommendations of both Brid and Tracy.

No sooner had we arrived than we were shown into the elegant and comfortable drawing room. Lovely, quietly faded couches and armchairs, quietly hovering without being in your face waiters with cute French accents. We were quietly offered menus to peruse and decided on the tasting menu. Once we'd ordered, menus were replace with glasses and nibbles - their words not mine, as they were amazingly superior to what nibbles are in my mind!

Anchovy dotted cheese straws, sizzlingly hot 2-bite Welsh rarebits made with really pokey cheese and delicious olives. A good start!

After requesting a 15 minute break between each course we were shown to our table where we were offered a choice of black olive, white sourdough or pecan & raisin bread. The butter was patted and sprinkled with flaky sea-salt if that wasn't good enough on it's own - and trust me the pecan/raisin bread was - then something arrived to dunk the delicious bread into. We were presented with cup-fulls of delicious carrot and orange soup with just enough miniature croutons to get you to beg (knees were considered) for more! The orange hit just the right note - citrus without too much punch. For the first time in the evening I realised how lucky giraffes are to have such a long tongue!!

French France part 1

Well, we arrived back yesterday evening - the bags are still unpacked in the dining room ... I have neither the strength of character or the energy to tackle them, so I am instead doing something far more useful ~ yep, blogging.

Ssssh, Simon thinks I'm de-cluttering the office!

Anyway ... arriving Chez le Laquet in the earlyish morning of Saturday 20th December gave us bags of time before Christmas to do all those French things I like the most, of course shopping and eating figured high on the list. On Sunday morning we trooped off to the Christmas market in Souillac - small but perfectly formed - for a wander around before lunch.

The weather was cold and crisp, the sun shining, bright blue skies BUT everyone was bundled up against the cold. Locals were buying bunches of holy and mistletoe, swigging down mugs of mulled wine or chocolat chaud. The air was thick with the scents of Christmas - ginger, cinammon and cloves. There was pain des epices to taste, gaufres and crepes being freshly cooked and tasting plates at every stall - saucisson, jambon, St Andre and cabecou, pain aux lardons/noix, nougat and aligot with duck sausage ~ yum!!

"Gosh, you must have been stuffed" I hear you say ... merely warming up to the challenge ahead my friends!! Lunch to follow!

A Year’s End Meme

Teuchter over in the middle of it all has come up with her very own meme. It's a Year's End Meme so here's the four statements that I have to write about. Right let's get going!

The best things that happened in 2008 …
The worst things that happened in 2008 …
The standout highlights of 2008 …
My ambitions and hopes for 2009 …

The best things that happened in 2008 ... right, well it's not been a bad year, but the very best thing has to be the fantastic week I had in Rosas in May with my parents. We talked and laughed and toured and ate! And then talked some more - it was a real coming together of our relationship ~ we hadn't spent quality time together like that since the previous Summer and times like that always remind me how well I get on with my Mum and Dad. Yes they're my parents but I really like them as people.

I also have to give a memorable mention to a weekend in Wales, when I got to have coffee with Liz - thank you Facebook - AND dinner in Twickenham with an occupational therapist, her Coldstream Guards bandsman husband and two gay men ;o)

The worst things that happened in 2008 ... well it has to be the day of Nana's funeral - she died on Boxing Day 2007. We got a phone call in France just after lunch, my parents left for Wales 2 hours later. Simon and I stayed on for a couple of days and then made our way back to Kent. Because of the time of year things were very slow - the funeral wasn't until January 11th or somewhere around there. It was a horrible day - tears all round but lots of laughter and good memories too! But of course they don't stand out at the time!

The standout highlights of 2008 ... Strangely there's a work one of these! I say strange because it should be leisure/family times that are the "standout highlights" ... I have one of those too! Right, in July we had an OFSTED inspection. It was a horrifically stressful week - we had a phone call on the Monday, they arrived on Wednesday morning and by 4pm on Friday (after a 66 hour working week by that point!) I was a sobbing, snotty mess in the middle of a table in the nursery. Thank goodness it was over! Thank goodness it went well. Thank fuck they're not coming back!!!!

My other standout highlight was my summer, yes the weather was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed being in France and showing my GBF around the local area BUT it was also wonderful because I got to meet Bev. My Mum's cousin Roy and his wife Margaret came to stay - there's lots of garden Chez le laquet to camp in - along with Margaret and Roy came their grand-daughters and their Mum ... my cousin Bev. I know we're cousins BUT we'd never met before ... but it was wonderful, we clicked straight away - hell, we even look alike!! A new friend. But one who's going to last. Always on the end of a phone - I feel like I've known her forever.

My ambitions and hopes for 2009 ... all the usual suspects I imagine - a continued decline in my weight. An increase in my life-work-balance. And finally continued good health, happiness and love for me and mine AND of course, for you and yours.

Oh and if the lottery fairy wants to look my and get the divine Hugh to deliver the ticket ... well I won't complain ;o)

Yes! It's just an excuse to drool!!

The duck has quacked

So, here's a post to stop anymore ... it's either shut her up or we'll be making a vat of orange sauce and really finishing her off!! ;o)

So, Saturday night's ambitiousness* ... "2 gay men, an occupational therapist and her Coldstream Guards bandsman** husband " - piece of cake. Our evening out was a huge success, we had a fantastic time. I drove to Bethan and Phil's in Hounslow and we caught 2 buses to get to Twickenham - only time I've been there before was to watch the rugger - where we met Stuart and his partner Wayne in a little Thai*** restaurant.

So, a little background history; Stuart, Bethan and I went to comprehensive school together in Gorseinon nr Swansea. We left six form in 1987 and whilst Bethan and I have kept in touch over the years (Christmas cards, birthday cards, hen nights and the odd lunch "in town") neither of us have seen Stuart since. 21 years. How nervous was I on Saturday morning? Just because ... would we all find anything to talk about? Would the three of us get on as well as we did in school? Would Beth's husband and Stuart's partner feel left out****? Well I needn't have worried at all - other than a quiet moment or two at the very beginning you'd have needed gags to keep us quiet. We had a riot ... ended up back at Beth and Phil's ... eventually got to bed at 3am - including changing the clocks!

Can't wait (tentative plans already in place) to get together again.

* Kenny's words not mine :o)
** Ok Leilani, Phil is a soldier, he's in the Coldstream Guards ... he currently plays the bass drum (guitar and bass guitar when performing in concerts/at functions) for the marching band and does all the ceremonial duties like Changing the Guards at Buckingham Palace and other state ceremonial events across London.
*** The bistro was full, my fish cakes and beef Pad Thai were delicious.
**** Let's not even get me started on why I neglected to take my "little social misfit" along for the drive!!

The unfairness of life

I have a wonderful friend who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

I knew her as an acquaintance for maybe 5 or 6 years years but she has truly become a friend since she started working at the school in September 2006.

I have found out that life hadn't always treated her well - she lost her parents when she was fairly young, she had an unfullfilling marriage and a long term relationship that simply didn't meet her needs.

And then recently she met someone.

Someone who makes her smile and laugh.
Who fulfills her completely - or so it appears to me.
Someone who she can really be herself with.

So, four or so weeks ago she had to have a hysteria-rectomy which she bounced back from full of vigour, love and all things good.

And then a week last Monday, the surgeon called her back told her the BAD NEWS ... they'll have to operate on June 9th and follow that up with chemo and she sent her off to see a consultant - who apparently looks like George "hubba hubba" Clooney - and the good thing is he says the prognosis looks good BUT isn't life fucking unfair BECAUSE at this time when everything should be good for the two of them, they've got this shit to put up with. And whilst I will do all I can to be there for either of them at any/ all of the time the bottom line is I just don't want to loose a friend who I'm only just coming* to truly appreciate. I'm not ready to do that and I don't want to.

Life is so fucking unfair.

*well when you look at the 18 months I've really known her against my 30 odd years of other friendships

p.s. Mandy and Kate ... if you are reading this, "welcome" I have admitted where my blog is and you have come and perused the (odd and often dodgy) ramblings of my mind. I need you to know that I wrote this whilst I was feeling really shit about when this all happened and needed to purge. Having spent this very afternoon with your glowing self I now know more of the fighter that you are and realise I can only loose YOU if I make you count to 10,000 and hide - really well. "Love you D.O.D.!!"

Round-up

Back from Swansea ... great weekend BUT how wrong was I about the rain that I was bound to see being in Wales and all that - not that it didn't rain you understand, I was in Wales after all BUT it was at night.

I left work on Friday - pegged it down the M4, well tried to peg it ... driving rain (only in England), gale force winds and the M25 meant that a 230 mile drive took me 5 1/2 hours ... I have done it in just over 3 hours before now.

Arriving at my friend Marion's was lovely as I was welcomed with a big old bowl of Cawl Cennin, a glass of red TLC and a couple hours of gossip & chat. I think we eventually fell into bed at about 1am and I was out for the count in about 10 seconds flat. Saturday was a glorious day, Marion lives in a bungalow on the edge of the family farm so the views out of her window in the spring sunshine ... I'd show you BUT I forgot to take my camera with me - yeah I know, one friend has already called me a dufferdil - I probably deserve it.

So the rest of Saturday was spent in the bosom of family - all those things you miss when you're not with them all the time ... fighting, gobby teenagers / sarky little brothers (mine, not theirs) / kisses and cuddles from 2 1/2 year olds etc. We did fit in a trip down to the Mumbles where we strolled in the sunshine and ate ice-cream. What was really lovely was that there were littlies everywhere in Welsh costume, it being St David's Day and all that.

Of course after legging it back up the M25 on Sunday I had a stack of schoolwork to do - never mind at least I had Saturday off. Back down there again in April - I promise to take the camera next time.

In other news my parents arrive tomorrow evening - SHIT - I could have sworn I had a weekend to tidy-up before they came ... what do you mean I spent it swanning around in Wales??

Facebook

My niece Laura went on and on* about Facebook 12 months ago and I completely dismissed everything she said about it out of mind. Poke someone? Why? Talk to complete strangers because they had the same surname as me** ... look I know I married someone I met on Yahoo! but don't you think that's taking things a little far? Nope, no Facebook for me - I had Blogger and that was just fine!

And then, at the end of July, the lovely Miss Leah - one of my fellow teacher's returned home to Bloomingdale, Illinois; so come September I was dragged kicking and screaming to Facebook as an easy way to keep in touch with her***. I mean look at that dance, that smile, you'd need to keep in touch too - right? So, I blithely entered the world of Facebook and soon I was, throwing sheep, trout-slapping, sending growing gifts and playing Scrabulous ~ I am such an addict I currently have 19 games underway ~ with the best of them.

I hooked up with a couple of mates from college, friends from work, an ex-colleague who is currently in Korea, my nieces - lovely. I'm a fairly social girl and it was nice to be able to just say hi to mates. Of course I searched for other friends - of course you do, pure nosiness makes you do that if nothing else. But nothing - no-one special. And then 3 weeks ago ~ I hit the jackpot!

I found a very, very good friend of mine who I shared a house with in college who had moved on and we'd lost touch! This was the kind of friend who'd have shared a toilet cubicle in a nightclub****, broken in to the park with you to ride on the roundabout at 3am, danced on the pool table in a dodgy pub, created a 3 foot penis as a birthday cake, danced in the back garden and got stuck in the brambles with, held your hair for you to throw up, cooked beans on toast for you at 4am after the park break in*****. A fab friend. A friend who'd I cried over loosing. So in honour of the wonder that is Facebook I give you a photo of Cherry and I circa 1995 in the backroom of the same dodgy pub we danced on the pool table in - wotcha Chesa ... it's good to have you back!

* ... and on and on and on and on - Mrs Doyle eat your heart out
** I still don't do this ... you never know who's out there!
*** Anyone who can walk down the school corridor, wolf whistle and holler "hey honey can I get some fries to go with that shake?" is worth staying in with touch with!
**** Maybe it's a girl thing? But wait - in a nightclub you guys "all share the cubicle!"
***** Yes mum, I'm sorry, we did all of those things! Trust me, I've edited the list ;o)

Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!

Sorry I bitched and moaned yesterday/Wednesday but that's all over now because - WHOOP - it's the weekend, well as good as. I only teach on Friday mornings, paperwork in the afternoons - saves me bringing it home eh? And then it'll be Friday eve - officially the weekend. So, what are you going to do with it?

We'll be eating lamb kebabs a la Fi tonight ... because they made me dribble when she wrote about them. I'm going to start re-reading this after being reminded about it by la bella Stella. I am going to breathe deeply and enjoy fresh air walking along this dotted red line. And I am joining friends for a long walk through the park and brunch on Sunday in Greenwich. It'll be fab. I know the wind will blow and it might rain (they've even had snow in Aberdeen) but I don't care because it's the weekend people! ENJOY!

Oooh!

samosa, originally uploaded by Laquet.

I am off to spend the day with my nursery nurse - Shisho - and one of my teaching assistants - Harpreet - and they are going to teach me how to cook samosas and mattar. I am going to try and persuade them that as we have the whole day, there's enough time to learn roti too. And then I just have to refill my masala dabba and I'm good to go - no more takeaway curries in this house. In return I will be showing Shisho how to make homemade pasta sauce. I'll be back later with lots of photos and some recipes to share.

Facebook

It's a little addictive isn't it? Don't you think? I find that I have managed to meet up with 2 old friends who I haven't seen since university, 1 who I have seen since ... oh, probably 1990 and there's the whole immediacy of it all. There's also the fact that it is so far removed from blogging. It's not like pouring your heart, soul and bullshit out onto the screen as we so often do when we blog. There's also the fact that my blog is still anonymous, well at least to my work mates and the large majority of my friends and family ... with the odd exception of course! Not that I'm calling you odd Helen, or you Tracy! Lol! Go on, give me a poke!

In more exciting news - it's a very special day today. Fizzy is fabulously 40! So go on over to her Nuthouse and wish her a very happy birthday!