A long over due post!

I mentioned in a previous post about the wonderful gift from my lovely friend. I hadn't spoken to her for a while but she sensed that I wasn't quite myself. She also reads my blog, or she would if I wrote something! She knew that I loved to take part in swaps so she collected lots of things that she knew that I would love and she posted them to me...

 I opened the gorgeous Cath Kidston sewing box and inside were such a selection of 'bits and pieces' that I'm not quite sure how it all fit in there!

 I just love the little touches...

 Inside the pocket were masses of scrumptious buttons bursting to get out!

 And little packages...

 with lots of stitchy goodies...

 And these are too lovely to use...

 And the most beautiful fabrics...

 And look at this beautiful pin!

 And yes it truly did make me smile and continues to do so...

 An action shot of my air freshener!

It was the most thoughtful and amazing gift and really did gladden my heart.  I am so grateful and blessed to have such wonderful friends

Back again 2

It would make much more sense (if that is possible) to read from the beginning...back again You don't have to of course because lots of things in life don't make sense.

That evening I didn't hear from the school, I was disappointed but the other candidates seemed quite strong; one of the ladies had worked there before, one was working with the school currently and one had bucket loads of experience. Such is life. I went off with my little friend to teach a Christmas angel workshop to lots of lovely ladies.  This of course meant that I was up until midnight making resources for my interview the following day.  I went off to my interview.  There was much involved, group tasks, interviews with governors, interview with panel, teaching activity, lunch and meet the teachers.  The morning went really well and at lunch I happened to look at my phone to discover three missed calls. It as the first school and I phoned them because good news or bad I really needed to know.

They were really pleased to tell me that I had the job. I was totally honest with them and told them that things were going very well with my interviews that day too.They were very kind in wishing me luck and asking me to let them know as soon as I had made up my mind.  It had always been a wish of mine to work at the second school, I'm not sure where or when it happened but somewhere in those afternoon interviews it dawned on me that School One was for me.

Once it was all over I went to collect No 4 from school with only a small detour to Sainsbury to buy some new celebration boots. I rarely drink and boots make me happy! I collected No 4 and visited School One to tell them my decision.  I saw the Financial Manager who had broken the good news to my earlier and told her that I was delighted to be joining the school. I was ushered in to see the headteacher and  chair of governors. I couldn't possibly be in trouble so soon...
They wanted to chat to me about the possibility of doing a different role within school.  I was given the background and details, warts and all and was offered a week's trial to see if I liked it, whilst still having the fall back of the original position.

So here I am four weeks into that job having been offered two others (that feeling in my water was right after all) in as many days.  Whilst it didn't lift the darkness immediately it certainly switched the light on which grows brighter with each day.  So maybe things do happen for a reason.  Time will tell.

Back again!

I'm not quite sure where to start as it has been such a while. I could kind of start at the beginning... 2014 was not such a great year for me.  It was not one mammoth thing but a collective.  I lost the job that I had put my absolute heart and soul into and it took a great while to recover from it.  Quite honestly I was bereft.  I wasn't the only person that was upset about my loss, many of my friends and colleagues were upset too.  I'd like to say time has been a great healer but it hasn't so far. Everyone told me that things happen for a reason but I just couldn't see it. If you were to ever ask me how I was in real life, I am always 'fine' but one of my lovely friends saw through my 'fineness' and sent me the wonderful parcel to cheer me.  (I am going to shoe photos honestly) It really did cheer me up more than I can say, but I still felt very down. I started supply teaching and that was 'fine' too with some schools more 'fine' than others. Then I started blocking some of my days in my diary so that I couldn't be called for those days.  I had the grandest of intentions but I stayed at home and wallowed. Even when Christmas24 started on TV it wasn't enough!  Then I spotted a job that I would quite like to do, then I spotted another and then another! I have a rule to only apply for one job at a time because quite honestly I like to swat up completely about a new school and my memory is not quite as retentive as it once was, and I would really hate to quote a brilliant fact about a school to find out that it is a different school I am talking about!

I broke my own rule by applying for two jobs at the same time and lo and behold had an interview for both.  I am none too special at interviews, externally all my faculties are intact apart from a little rash around my neckline but internally I am mush. Sadly this expels itself in the form of sh**e (you get the picture) that I proceed to talk. It's awful but hilarious all rolled into one! And not surprisingly I don't get the job!  I decided to maybe even treat the first interview as a practise for the second one.  I got there, all sweaty handed (I forgot to mention that in my external bit) and rashy and once I'd left home my shoes grew and became too big.  People tell me that Coco is still fashionable although I'm not convinced it's the clown.  I stuffed tissues into the toes and carefully strutted my stuff right into that school. All the candidates had a lovely tour and chat, then down to the formal business of the interview.  It was one of those out of body experiences and I couldn't believe the stuff that I was saying. I was saying proper valid stuff as if I knew what I was talking about and I just couldn't believe where all this stuff had been hiding! I went away with a good feeling that even if I didn't get the job I had without doubt done my best.

I didn't mean to write all this, it wasn't my plan but I'm going with it anyway.  I think it's time for a tea break and then a new post to continue!

Thank you lovely people for remembering my little blog. I fully intend to be here far more often than I was last year. It's not a new year resolution just a good intention. I'm in Wales at the moment but once I'm back I'll blog properly again as goodness knows we have much to catch up on. TTFN

Happy New Year. 

May it be blessed with good health and prosperity.