WASH DAYS AND I'M OFF TO SUNNY SPAIN

I’m looking forward to putting my feet up next week – I’m off to incredibly hot and sunny Spain, I’m told the temperature is hitting 40 degrees and that is very hot!

I will be going just for one week to Torrevieja near Alicante; my parents have a flat there, which they haven’t been able to go to since my Dad was seriously ill two years ago. He is not allowed to fly anymore as he has a heart condition and many other ailments – despite all these afflictions he still manages to tend to his beloved: tomatoes, peppers and aubergines and is expecting a good crop this year, as long as we get some decent sun here in London (fat chance of that!) I will be travelling with one of my many nieces – I have nine nieces and five nephews – the niece I will be travelling with is the daughter of my sister from Palmers Green. She has been taking a foundation course in Art and will be starting a BA in Photography in September, so I thought it would be nice for us to have something different to photograph, apart from rainy skies. I really enjoy photography too, so am looking forward to getting some decent shots to post on my deviantart webpage, maybe something other than flowers perhaps?? Hee hee!

I finally have a new washing machine – woo hoo!! My lovely brother London Cabby took me to Comet in Colindale where I chose the machine, paid for it, my brother and son loaded into the cab, unloaded it (very heavy) and then my wonderful brother plumbed it in for me. I have already washed 10 loads of washing, it’s amazing how much mounts up when you don’t have a machine for a couple of weeks, it also makes you realise just how many clothes you have – too many really. My Mum used to say when we were children, well she still says it now and again “When I was a girl I had a dress, which I wore everyday and one special one for Sunday” and ‘neecas’ knickers or panties “ We only had quita y pon” one on one off. I suppose it makes sense really, I must have about one hundred pairs of knickers, most of which don’t fit or are uncomfortable – no wonder I have to do so much washing – we really are quite a wasteful society now.

Well I’m off to find some more washing now.

Laters

Jo xx

RAIN, WASHING MACHINES AND HARRY POTTER

Rain rain go away, come again another day.

I have water pouring through my living room ceiling, right where the TV should be - the TV is on a small table in front of where its normal position should be. In its place there is a bucket and a pile of towels - more money to be spent! I think it's coming in through the guttering, which cannot cope with the volume of rain and is finding a pathway through my bedroom window and down to the living room - I have wallpaper hanging in shreds in my bedroom - even more money to be spent!!! Oh well - at least the house is still standing.

I'm not too happy with Currys(Store), where I purchased a washing machine two weeks ago to replace my 12 year old washing machine. After two changes of delivery dates and being told that the machine, which was supposed to be in the warehouse was sold - I agreed to take the machine that was displayed on the shop floor, as long as it was in perfect condition! When the perfect machine arrived at my home, it had several dents a loose front panel and the top didn't have one area that wasn't covered in scratches. Infact it looked older than my machine!! I told the delivery guys to take it away - they emphatically agreed with my decision (nice guys) - and loaded it back into their van. I have now asked for and received a full refund of my money - I still have no washing machine - so the launderette is beckoning.

Finally I have read the latest Harry Potter book - The Deathly Hallows. For some reason I kept falling asleep whilst I was reading it(sleeping sickness??), so I had to take a little nap for a couple of hours before I could continue and finish it - it has tied up loads of loose ends, but possibly still left a lot of unanswered questions. It is a very dark book - a lot of death and destruction also very moralistic - I won't say anymore, I don't want to spoil it for any Potter fans out there! It's a good read!!

Wingardium leviosa (tee hee)

Jo xx

QUICK HELLO

Just a quick hello, to say that I am still alive and kicking, but exceedingly busy with work stuff. The last few weeks have been hectic here in the school, we have had Excel week, which is a week of activities, trips out, sports days and team building competitions. Suffice to say everyone was knackered by the end of the week - only one more week to go and then a six week break from early starts and loud children.

As usual I have still be short staffed, but hopefully this should be resolved by the end of this week, I am interviewing four candidates on Thursday - none of them are particularly inspiring on paper, but who knows perhaps in person they are the answer to my problems. We didn't get an awful lot of applicants as the wages are rubbish and the hours are not to good either. One of the applicants is a prison officer - perhaps this might scare some of the students into behaving - heh heh!

This last week of term is a string of get togethers, bbq, pub outings and many good byes to leaving staff and then the whole thing starts again in September. Ah well - it's a living.

Hopefully I should get a bit more time to post stuff over the holidays.