Elevenses !!!!!!

[MaryAnnSingleton]

ah, we can only do 1000, so here's the new one, hope you find it !

Thanks you two I will think of these lovely messages when I start to feel flustered...
Have made myself a packed lunch as I don't know how long I will be working for, will clarify hours with bursar/admin lady when I give her my paperwork (application form because they still wanted me to fill one in and a new crb as mine is nearly out of date)

Will let you know how I get on this afternoon

Dilly was fine - nurse undecided about the need for anitbiotics so she told me to keep an eye and come back on Weds if it is still red and weepy, but she thinks it will sort itself out. Indeed this morning it was looking a lot less angry so hopefully there is no need to go back to the vet

lots of luck today hippi - thinking of you and also glad that Dillydog is better

Hope it's all going fine Hippi! We're thinking about you Very glad Dillydog seems to be on the mend too!

How are you doing MAS? I can't remember if you're working on anything ATM, or if you're taking a well-earned rest!

It's so lovely and sunny now. I wish this weather could last a bit, it definitely brings my mood up.. I've got meringues in the oven - thanks to a surfeit of eggs. Yum! I'm going to try to get upstairs sorted out while they cook. Wish me luck!

meringues sound heavenly !
hope today was fine and dandy hippi..
Have been out and about today in Basingstoke, sort of looking for boots/shoes - I am living in flipflops at the mo and don't really have proper shoes as such - I have boots but not terribly smart -well, 1 pair of fairly smart brown ones and some very pointy ones with heel..not exactly practical - I want smart-ish and practical and comfy !! Did try on some in Zara which were v nice but chickened out.Not expensive really either. I did buy a navy blue short belted raincoat with blue and white stripy lining in there - just the thing I need and yet another cardi in the Gap - am obsessed by cardis.
Walked a lot round and round...exhausting - I get very overwhelmed by looking for clothes and making decisions about them as money is tight and am afraid of making a mistake - coat though is def. ok !!
No work yet - am doing a bit of childminding for P this week -a drop off and pick up and mind for a few hours. Am going to look at paper tomorrow and at some prints in the New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham for inspiration !!
My agent rang to talk to dh about his book (she is taking it to publishers) and told me the website for agency is almost up ands running and looks fab, so I do hope it gets me some work.

Ooo, meringues sound heavenly - as does the shopping trip.
Today was fine, but very very tough. Am dreading tomorrow.

The poor boy really is completely illiterate, unable to recognize or write numbers, does not know his colours, shapes nothing. And because of this there is a lot of attitude and point blank refusal to do anything. I completely failed to get through to him today, had no authority over him whatsoever and it felt very very scary.
I just don't know how I am expected to teach him anything if I am not even able to get him to sit upright.
Ont he plus side, the other staff were very nice and I found it lovely being there. I really want this job to work out but at the moment I completely and utterly fail to see how it possibly could. Sob.

And I am exhausted and still have to do homework with my two, do laundry, cook dinner.... Aaaargh!

don't be disheartened hippi, it's early days yet - he needs to get to know you and you him..hang on in there.

These things often seem insurmountable at the beginning Hippi... As MAS says, give him time to get to know you and vice versa, and he'll discover that you're not the big bad wolf after all. He must be so scared and out of place Make sure you ask for advice from the staff though, or they'll just assume everything is OK. They will have resources etc to help.

I've come home to a message from the mother of the boy I was tutoring, asking if I'll carry on... I can't see how I can, even if I want to, as he's now at school too... I'm not packing B off, just so I can earn a pittance looking after someone else's child

Basingstoke sounds lovely MAS! I know what you mean about pottering aimlessly... I need a new winter coat, but need to pluck up courage to venture out shopping!

Right, off to bed. Good luck tomorrow Hippi!

Wise words from both of you

I just feel like I am expected to make a fully functioning Year 5 boy out of him within the next few months or else I will ahve failed. Which is nonsense of course.
But it does seem unsurmountable at the moment, but that is just me being over dramatic and flapping too much.
I did enjoy actually being at the school, the other staff are lovely (most of whom I know anyway) and very very helpful. I love the athmosphere in teh school (good thing too as O is there adn E will be next year), it is just the battle that was teh 1-to-1 with this lad that was mindboggingly difficult and has made me feel quite down.

But then seriously, what was I expecting???

Anyway, better go to bed, tomorrow is another day.

And Dill's scar is looking red and weeping again. Will give it 24 hours (have washed it in salt water and applied some doggy-skin cream I bought when he had a cut in his paw) and if no better it's straight back to the vet [sigh]

poor Dillydog really hope it heals soon.
I think you are expecting too much of yourself hippi - but I do think you will be making a significant difference to this boy's school life -it'll all fall into place, but as hotcross says,you must ask for help/advice otherwise they'll think you're managing perfectly on your own.
Hotcross - don't see that the tutoring can carry on really,esp if you had to pack B off somewhere -really not worth it.
I do like Basingstoke,though the range of shops is pretty limited (Guildford choices much better but much prefer B or Winchester)
Was meant to be going to gallery at Farnham today but S can't make it. Should do some work, but am not sure how to get started !

Hi

Hope today was better Hippi. Was thinking of you... New things often are tricky until things bed down a little. Hope Dillydog's scar looks better now too!

How was your day MAS? Anything exciting going on?

I've had a lovely day today, inspite of a headache which wont shift. We had B's little friend J here from 7.30 am so that her parents could go very early into London to try to beat the traffic. She was as good as gold, thankfully. Then my friend came for coffee and we had a lovely relaxing chat, which we never manage on the school run. After school,J came home to play and has only just gone. the girls had a great time dressing up etc, and tea was a hit! Phew, I always get stressed feeding other people's children.

Dh and I are having homemade chicken soup later, and the smell is wafting round the house making me hungry!

mmm,chicken soup -yummy (pasta for us )
Glad you had a lovely day - hope hippi's was too.
Did nothing much at all - some laundry and dusting and cleaned the inside of kitchen windows, thought about work and collected P's dcs from school and minded until about 5.20.

Morning

The chicken soup was yummy! I always feel like a proper housewife when I make chicken soup

Have just got back from a PTA coffee morning for the new parents. It was lovely, lots of chatting - hope some of them feel like joining the PTA! Then the head collared me for library duties again this year. I'm needed tomorrow to label new reading books. She asked me what I was doing for the rest of the day and my mind went blank. I really need to sort out something to do with my time which isn't just cleaning/tidying etc, but that I can manage healthwise....

Hello

I typed a long post yesterday about what an awful day I had had, complete with an indepth explanation of why I ended up crying in teh ladies loos, but then the pc crashed and I lost it all.

So, in summary, yesterday was crap.

BUT, today was much better. I am learning to completely lower my expectations of the boy and to stay calm (need to work on that still though )
the SENCO has gone through my timetable with me as the headmaster has also asked me to take on 5 hours of general Year 5 support () and I now know exactly when I am supporting him and when I am not.
I have 12 hours a week with the boy and 5 hours general support (the fun stuff, model making, putting together props for presentations, and well as some photocopying etc)
As long as I keep things fun with the boy and don't allow myself to get hung-up over what he should be doing and just go with the flow and keep him vaguely on topic) then that is fine.

But it is a job I think I will absolutely love and today was lovely. Largely due to the fab people I am working with - they (the other TA's) are arranging my 'initiation into the coven' which apparently involves wine

Will check in and see how you are both doing later today - need to collect my urchins from school

see hippi - it's all falling into place - it'll be fab once you just find your footing and try not to be too hard on yourself - you'll both be learning from each other and it's sure to be rewarding as well as a challenge.
The rest of the job sounds a hoot too ! so sorry that you were so upset though.
Library duties sound fun too hotcross
Can I ask your opinions on something ?
Am seeing my breast care nurse next Wednesday (just to talk,see how I'm getting on with tamoxifen etc) and I wanted to take her a copy of my newest book (hot off the press,not published until Oct but my editor is sending me some) to say 'thank you' as she's been great - she was encouraging about me doing the work during radiotherapy and seemed interested in it as well as in how I was feeling throughout all this. I also wanted to show her that I am not just a limp old thing and that it is possible to function during cancer treatment !! but do you think that'd be appropriate/ not show offy ? (it's a book of terrible jokes,for kids) I don't want her to think what on earth has she given me this for ?(and would rather have chocs!)
thanks girls !

Hello

Definately give the breast care nurse a copy of the book. Could you handwrite inside it (or on the enclosed card) something along the lines of 'thanks for encouraging me to work during treatment - this is the result' (but much less cheesy of course )
It would be far more personal than a box of chocs!!

Hotcross, library sounds fun One of the TA's here is in charge of the library and I am a bit because it is such a nice job. A lot to sort out but you can do it at your own pace without being bothered by pesky kids

Right, better go and do dinner - homemade burgers tonight, yum!

thanks hippi
and homemade burgers - yum yum yum !
Did you watch the lovely Nigel Slater last night making his burgers wrapped in lettuce - I love him...

Oh Hippi, I'm glad today was less stressful. It takes a while to find your footing in school IME, and although you're surrounded by people, it can be quite a solitary experience if you're left to organise things yourself. I'm sure your being there is easing the boy into school life, and he'll make great, tangible progress quite quickly. I've retreated to the loos a number of times to weep....and it always helps! Burgers sound fab!

MAS - I would LOVE to get a copy of one of my patients books! I think it's perfect

The library is my natural home. I just love the peace and quiet of it, the organisation, the smell - everything. If they would pay me, I'd be in seventh heaven. No such luck so far though

hotcross I feel exactly the same about the library. Especially very large old ones with lots of reference books
I did search for a number of years for a library-assistant job with an aim the become a librarian but there was just nothing available. Mind you, this TA-ing is not bad either. I really really hope the boy stays at school now so I keep my job [fingers crossed] as I think I would be gutted to lose it now.

I did get cross with boy today and raised my voice a bit (just stern, not shouting) but another TA passing by just told me to be calm and breathe...

Day off tomorrow - am heading into London with dh to go to the Dutch Embassy to have my passport renewed. We are hoping to combine it with a spot of lunch and a shop or two before rushing back to collect the children from school.

Have a nice evening, back tomorrow

hey hippi - it's your BIRTHDAY !!

and thank you hotcross... will give her the book

How do you know these things MAS???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIPPI

well,facebook is useful at times !! plus I do remember that September is our joint birthday month,isn't it ? yours must be v soon hotcross !
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIPPI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah! Still haven't got into facebook, I have an account but never use it or even look at it. Must go and try to find my lovely Elevenses friends

I have a poorly B at home today She went to bed last night with tummy ache and was up all night racing to the loo. She's much improved today, but still getting gripey tummy pains. I'm struggling to think of gentle food for her to eat, which she fancies eating. So far she's had some bread and honey, a few rich tea biccies, and has just requested a little hammy sandwich. Will see how that goes

oh poor B - toast is always a comfort I think...
hotcross never uses her facebook - I am very naughty and waste huge amounts of time on it,but have some very jolly fb friends so it's usually a laugh -and lots of my old art school chums too who has been unearthed after the twenty odd years since we were there (I can bring myself to type exactly how many years !) uh oh,T home !!

Hello Thank you for the birthday wishes and the beautiful card MAS!
Now, could you both please tell me when your birthdays are as I am useless and have no record of them

hotcross, I never go on FB either,just could not get into it...

Poor B - I hope she feels better soon

Have had a nice day. Dh had bought me a lovely work bag from Kipling, and I had some lovely bits and pieces in teh post this morning. My passport needed renewing at the Dutch Embassy so we did that and then had some lunch before doing a spot of shopping. Treated myself to a book

Dh's family will be popping round later so that will be nice

Have a great weekend both of you, will try to check in over the weekend