Shiny Happy Crepeys

[Blackduck]

Over here all........

Well done Junior-QQs!

Hello Polly. I also have a Y9 DS and a Y6 DD (and another DD in between). There are quite a few of us waving a tearful farewell to primary school this summer.

Herbs - interview and presentation?! I'm getting a cold sweat on your behalf just thinking about it.

Scatty teens, Hattie? Oh yes. Yesterday morning I had a panic-stricken text from DS, who had forgotten (how?!) the semi-final of the Surrey Schools Cup that afternoon. So dutiful mummy flew home during her lunch-break (20 minute drive each way) only to find out that DS's boots were actually in the back of DH's car 200 miles away. So he played the match in last-year's boots and came home with blisters and a filthy temper (They lost. And were last year's champions too. Boo).

Then this morning, five minutes after leaving home, DD1 announces she's left her PE kit at home, and she "reeeaallly needs it". Back we go, and I eventually drop them off at school late and set off for work. Just as I'm parking the car at the office a call comes through from DD1, who has (yes, you guessed) left her PE bag in the car. Fume. So back I go to school, making me late for work.

When I dropped DD1's PE bag at the school front desk they were just looking through the Late Slips that were being handed in by the latecomers. "Sorry I'm late, my horse had a heart attack" was written on one. Only in Surrey.....

Congratulations to Herbs - really well done - you should come to the Crepeys for inspiration (but not me as I am useless at things like that).

Well done, MiniQQs.

Commiserations to those who have been to-ing and fro-ing chasing after the juniors.

We have spent the morning sorting out excursions for upcoming cruise. This was slightly hijacked when the post arrived with a speeding fine for DH; he is furious. The letter says where it happened (Brampton) so it was when we were away last week - so obviously he hasn't seen a speed limit. He doesn't really speed, but I am always nagging him to be careful, so I couldn't resist feeling self-righteous.

Herbs, that's fab!

Polly, fingers crossed your DD (and any others) will have a great time in Y7. DD was fine in Y7 and 8, but towards the end of Y9 it went pear-shaped and Y10 has also been very tricky for her. DH says Y9 is the nightmare year in secondary schools!

Well done QQ's boys

I am greatly enjoying (when I should be writing about Babies and the Brain) the thread about the most pointless rows you have ever had with your partner. Ours was about the rabbits on Tellytubbies

Congrats to Herbs and Mini-QQs! Wish my two had a work ethic... DD2 isn't too bad, but DD1 tends to concentrate on what she enjoys and is good at, and everything else can go hang - eg maths, physics, chemistry. It is like flogging a dead donkey sometimes.

We had that row too MI... Was it along the lines of 'They're really big rabbits', 'No, they're really small Teletubbies!'

We don't have rows. Which I realise is weird and undesirable. We just seethe and resent.

Off to go and take DS to his 'Perform' end of term play. He's Gavin the Ghost Cowboy, and has some lines. Last performance my PFB view was blocked by a woman's phone, filming the entirety of her PFB's performance. I shall ensure not to sit next to her this time.

Yes! I said they are big rabbits. I WAS RIGHT.

Herbs many congratulations although I have no clue what the question means. Also a three hour interview and only five minute presentation? What will they be doing the rest of the time .

Hello Polly - not sure which years are which in the UK but I generally find the years where they are 13/14 are the worst. After they start getting a bit nicer. Whatever happened to the days when classes were called upper five alpha?

Well done to the mini QQ's - with mine, the higher up the school, the worse the reports seem to get.

Well, there's an introductory bit with Q&A, test of English ability, TWO interviews, and the presentation.

Though if the interviews use the same language as the website, and the interview question, I'm doomed - I can't make head or tail of what they're talking about. Though I could maybe offer to rewrite all their materials, at vast consultancy rates.

I'm thinking smart dress, and industrial quantities of Mitchum.

I am going to have to push a hoover round here today. The cats seem to fight every day, and liberally sprinkle the hall and sitting room with clumps of fur. They are curled up prettily together at the moment, giving each other a wash. This won't last. Perhaps I should wait until the next fight, before hoovering?

MrsS, My DCat is black and white and he leaves fur everywhere. The cat from across the road is causing us all stress as I can't keep him out of the house unless I keep the cat flap closed which we are doing when we're in. We open it when we go out and then find the wretched thing on a bed or lying on the landing when we get back. Dh chases him out and then he comes back and bats at the flap. Dcat has never worn a collar so I don't think we can go that way with a magnetic flap (he's nearly 16).

The job I have been waiting for has finally been advertised. It has this fantastic essential aptitude and skill 'attention to detail and ''getting 100% of the way there'' '. I mean Whaaaat?!?!

Sheesh really?!

BD, are you really sure you want the job? I hate that kind of language; to me it says that they don't actually know what they want. Is it within your organisation? At least if you know the people involved you can make an educated guess. Good luck if you decide to go for it.

Oh I love job adverts jargon, particularly internal ones. Where I work:

Challenging - there is too much for one person to do.

Demanding - ditto

Particularly rewarding - ditto

Good preparation for promotion - ditto

For someone who thrives on change - we haven't worked out what you will be expected to do yet.

Opportunity for travel - two days a week are in Milton Keynes and Glasgow.

May be able to accommodate flexible working - we won't.

Plus all the other jargon about "seeing the bigger picture", "setting your own agenda" etc etc.

A friend has dared me to ask in the interview if they get 100% of the way there EVERY TIME :)

MrsS - yes there are a fair few phrases like the ones you list in there too..... I am wondering if the minuscule pay rise (they will only put me on the bottom of the scale) is worth the monumental grief that will come with it....

Many congratulations to you Herbs!
Now get in there and tell them they'd be bloody lucky to have youyes to jacket -Mitchum combo.

Job ad speak reaches a new zenith within the public sector . Core competences , 4 years experience in a similar role( for grade 1 refuse operative / parks and leisure high hedges officer) wtf?
Yes they pay someone to stand and look at Leylandii and say "hmm that's definitely erm, high.
There is an 'art' to this kind of application that I am unable to acquire.

Well done to QQ's marvellously conscientious boys.
BD go for it. Apply and decide later if needs be. in the style of Cremola

My thinking exactly Cremo ;)

Good stuff Herbs! how long have you got until the interview? agree with Crem, lucky to get you

Go for it BD, agreeing with Crem again

• one of the things I liked about the advert for the job I've got at the moment was the complete absence of the word 'passion'

just ordered some Dune loafers so will have to hide feet from some of loafer-haters at next meet

Link please Addle

Well done Herbs! Getting an interview is no mean feat. How long do you have to prepare. Do you have any teacher friends in rl whose brains you can pick? Or maybe start a thread on here in the Staffroom topic? I'm sure there's a wealth of mn collective knowledge about such things. The crepey contingent will be rooting for you.

I used to have a particularly annoying and chaotic boss who wanted to introduce a specific new programme at work and constantly - and publicly - accused me of "not seeing the big picture". And I kept pointing out I could see the big picture perfectly well but we also needed the details of how it would work (it involved persuading local authorities to back, create and fund a new post...)

He also used to go on about being a 'right-brained' creative type (unlike, clearly, a plodder like me). I cannot tell you my joy when this myth of different-brained types was finally exploded (and indeed have been writing about it today)....

It may have been left-brained. Whichever side doesn't deal with boring detail and leaves that for girls.

Right, then, MI. As in, you were right first time. If it were true, which it, as you pointed out, isn't .

I'm also singing in a concert this w/e, so good luck for yours, MI and herbs. Will think of you as I warm up.

I've got through (almost) another week without resigning & have a holiday next week for an intensive singing course with DH. It is in the same city as my current family problems, so let's see how that works out

Welcome Polly. My DD loved Y7 and the girls were all v. nice to each other.

I have just disemboweled my trusty Miele vacuum cleaner after the cleaner reported that "it just fused and stopped working". Anyone care to guess what I found inside it?

A bottle of shower gel.

A small travel sized one, admittedly, but how the hell did she suck that up and not notice? No wonder the poor machine overheated.

And in Style news, I spent about an hour in a branch of M&S this evening, and bought three pairs of shoes. Not a brogue or a loafer to be seen. I will prepare links.....

Yay! Links!