Stage Combat

Every year in November I teach the entire year 9 cohort unarmed stage combat.

It is two full days of slaps, punches, eye gouging and falling to the floor.

While I love teaching this workshop it is intense and very noisy.

This year I have an extra problem. At four and a half months pregnant, apparently it is not advisable for me to approach the next two days with my usual gusto and enthusiasm – and definitely no falling to the floor! The two fellas who help me out are extremely enthusiastic but they are not specialists. However they are very protective and looking forward to throwing some punches on my behalf tomorrow.

So in the words of Drowning Pool: Let the bodies hit the floor – as long as none of them are mine!

Dear Universe

Dear Universe,

Hi there, it’s Z here. Now I don’t ask for much – I never have. I am fairly easy to keep happy. However I have been advised that in order to achieve our deepest desires all we need to do is ask you nicely, so I thought I would give it a go. That way we both know where we stand.

My deepest desire for a number of years now has been to own a house. This is not a new goal but it is becoming increasingly important to me as I will have my own child mid way through next year and I want him/her to have a safe and comfortable home to live in. So really I m not even asking for myself – I am that selfless!

I have just seen the most perfect place. As is always the case though, the deposit is a sticking point. I am trying really hard to raise as much as possible as quickly as possible but I am paying high rent and bills for my current accommodation and it is tricky. Now I understand that asking you for money is considered crass so I will simply say that I really want my own home and could you lend me a helping hand?

It could be in the form of a loan or maybe a small lottery or scratch card win, – I don’t care about the top prize on the Euro Millions but £7500 ought to do it. That isn’t a lot to ask is it? Achieving a perfect credit score would also be a small help in the right direction. And I genuinely believe that I am more deserving than another property developer who will charge high rent for another professional couple to shell out each month – no doubt preventing them raising a deposit for their own place.

So please, please, please Universe help me out.

Love and hugs Z


Ripples

A nice bubble bath is a great way of relaxing on a Sunday evening and tonight was no exception.

I was wallowing in my soapy heaven and admiring my rounded tummy as I hummed the theme tune to Dangermouse.

As I am currently 17 weeks pregnant my tummy is rounding nicely and it was above the level of the soap suds with a little pool of water collected in my belly button. I was about to get out and dry off when I noticed ripples in this little pool of water. It was a few moments before I realised that the ripples where bouncing in a regular rhythm – Lumpy’s little heartbeat.

My own heart skipped a beat at this wonderful reminder of the little person growing inside me. It continues to amaze me that some people don’t believe in miracles.

“Did I get it right Miss?”

At the end of my pretty mad week a yr9 boy bounced up to me in my last lesson of the day.

He reached into his pocket and produced a packet of milky buttons and a packet of chocolate buttons and with a beaming face asked me, “Did I get it right Miss?”

Seeing an opportunity for mischief and not fully grasping his question I took the packets and walked away exclaiming “Ohhhh, these are my favourites at the minute!”

As I grinned and offered the packets back to the still beaming child he repeated his question, “So, did I get it right Miss?”

I was a little confused and asked “Did you get what right sunshine?”

“Well you said that the baby is making you want buttons at the minute. I couldnt remember what type so I bought you one of each with my paper round money. One packet is for you and one is for Lumpy.”

In truth I dont remember sharing this information with my class so it must have been an aside at some point. But the fact that this 12 year old boy had not only taken it on board but gone home and decided to spend his hard earned pocket money on such a thoughtful gift has really moved me.

Even in the worst weeks working in education, there is always a child who you have reached, who in turn will reach back to you at a time when you most need a reminder of why one of the most rewarding careers available is in teaching.

Happy Friday xx

Heartbeat

Today was my 16 week appointment with my midwife.

All is well with Lumpy and my all my tests have come back with great readings, suggesting everything is good. Baby is happy, healthy and bouncy.

The best part was hearing Lumpy’s little heartbeat for the first time.

The midwife started to explain that it can be hard to find it at only 16 weeks but she didn’t have the opportunity to finish the sentence as the room was filled with a sound like a racing drumbeat.

No wonder I am so exhausted all the time. Between the frantic pulsing in its little chest and the constant bouncing and jiggling round in my tummy, I wonder how I have the energy to do anything else.

Dad-to-be seemed proud as punch with his little gymnast and neither of us can believe that I am almost at the half way point already. The midwife also had the most fantastic idea which I wanted to share as it is the sweetest thing…as my 20 week scan is on 16th December which is very close to Christmas and we both want to know the sex, she suggested that we ask the sonographer to write the sex on a Christmas card and place it sealed under the Christmas tree to open on Christmas morning. What an amazing gift to look forward to, news of whether we are having a son or daughter.

So excited about my little one 🙂

 

Poorly Finger

Epic Fail whilst wrapping Christmas presents last night. Whilst running my scissors along my shiney silver ribbon to make it curley I managed to take a massive chunk out of my index finger.

I needed a plaster and it still hurts now 😦

Feeling sorry for myself.

I am sure it would get better quicker if my plaster had pictures on it of cartoon characters.

Virtuous Sunday

I cannot believe it is almost 10pm already.

In contrast to my plans of indulging in one relaxing day a week I have had a very busy Sunday. I am feeling quite virtuous but I will no doubt pay for it tomorrow.

My activities of the day included:

1. A large load of coloured washing.
2. Marking GCSE essays.
3. Marking KS3 books.
4. Ordering a DVD for Enterprise Day and a script for my year 11’s.
5. Writing a reference for a student.
6. Filling out a dull form.
7. Updating my address book.
8. Writing more than half of my Christmas Cards.
9. Wrapping a few more Christmas presents.
10. And finally, my personal favourite: arranging the flowers bought for me by my wonderful husband who appreciates all my hard work.

jhg

The problem with Cadbury’s Roses

Like many households in the run up to Christmas always make sure there is a tin of Cadbury’s Roses to hand. This year will be no exception especially as I am not drinking right now I have an increased in chocolate. In fact I am working through a box as I write that was a gift from a student.

Much as it is easy to be drawn to the promise of variety, we all riffle through the tin looking for our favourite flavours and hoping that when we share Roses with friends and family they do not share our own tastes. I often wish I could buy a tin of Roses that only contained my personal preferences.

For me it is all about the soft centres: the ‘Tangy Orange Cream’, ‘Golden Barrel’ and the absolute bestest ever ‘Strawberry Dream’.

Of course it would remove the element of surprise when I encounter an unfamiliar wrapper and the sickly sweet gooey treats may lose their appeal when not tempered with the occasional bitter dark chocolate or nutty alternative. But the sugar high would be awesome.

What would you put in your own personalised tin of Roses?

 

 

Prancing round like fairies wearing white unitards

It has been a very cultured week for me. Following my attendance at an opera on Tuesday tonight was Shakespearean comedy at the Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford.

The tickets were a birthday present from my husband who escorted me on my second theatre outing of the week and I think it is safe to say that I was more excited about the experience than he was. I have wanted to see Propeller Theatre Company in action for some time and having recently directed my own version of The Dream it was a welcome opportunity to see how the professionals approached one of the Bard’s most enduring comedies.

Hubby is not a theatre fan.

He is most definitely not a Shakespeare fan.

Had I any reservations about his response to the production or lingering hope that he would find it an enjoyable experience – any hope was crushed within moments of entering the auditorium. The pre-set featured a box draped with white cloth and netting adoring the backdrop. There were also a number of the actors scattered round the performance space wearing plain white unitards. A sideways glance confirmed that he was not impressed however this was nothing compared to the look of horror in the opening ensemble section which featured the coming together of the all male cast in a glorious display of graceful Elizabethan dancing accompanied by the sweet sound of close harmony as they performed a fairy song.

For what it is worth, I throughly enjoyed the experience and thought it was a fantastic production.

However ,I think I may owe my other half a cinema trip to see Thor in the very immediate future!

Mr. Bump PJ’s

My new favourite outfit!