Back to the Grind:) or not :P an Impulsive crossroads

Well I'm back to work. (sort of ) lol. I've been off ill almost two weeks and today was my first day back - the crazy bit is that the school is shutting down for Term break Thursday so really I only have to teach 3 more days until I'm off for another two weeks!!

What ever - I can' t plan these things but I do feel well rested so it should be a proper holiday as the destress phase has been completed:~)

In other news I've had my first inkling of building a nest: GASP some may say, but after 6 years of student living I've decided I wouldn't mind having nice things. It all began sitting in my unpainted room, with my violet-oh-so-manly borrowed duvet, in the aftermath of my sister purchasing her first home that I realized I've become a squatter!! It's time to build up my sexy bachelor pad with a King size bed, leather seats and skylight!! Keeping my student loan in check might be a pain, but the seed has been planted. I've discovered how much I despise budgeting (thanks to generation want now pay later); the next few years will be a major balancing act between getting financially sorted and liberating my 20 something Mojo.... It's like Ying and Yang to the MAX:P I very much like the little man in the red suit, pointy forked stick and mischievous moustache sitting on my left shoulder these days when it comes to impulsive fun.... My budget conscience has some major work to do come April and beyond!!

I'd never believe it!

RE: swollen member posting

Last week had been a slow recovery - and this week is about the same really. I'm feeling much better but still not %100 - pain in the neck (or knee) virus!! I can walk around alright and sleep comfortably at night, but my left knee and forearm are still tender. Last week my doctor gave me a note to rest for two weeks. I thought this was a little excessive, so after taking last week off I went back to work Monday. At the end of Tuesday I noticed that my entire left leg swelled up - it wasn't extremely painful but was about 1 and 1/2 times bigger than normal. I went to the cover supervisor, and she said due to insurance reasons I have to take off the full time that my doctors note prescribed & I got sent home!!! So now i'm off for the rest of this week as well. I feel like such a slacker. I guess If I take the time to recover now - everything should be back to normal faster.

In the mean time - I celebrated St. Patties Days in proper Green style. Out came the food colouring and plenty of Shandies were celebrated:)

Dirty Dancing:)

I was recently given these photos from a school fund raiser I took part in for Children in Need. It's a big celebrity thing on TV where celebrities (generally not singers) do a cover of a famous vocal artist. They dress up like them etc. At our school we had the teachers put on a performance; Sarah Holmes and I did Dirty Dancing and WON #1st Place!!! I believe our school raised over £1000. It was a pretty fun event:) The days of Mr.Beardsley are long gone :P

TRICIA GILL

Biggest News on the Grapevine!! The very first person I ever met moving to Victoria and University life, is planning to get married!! I still remember arriving at Cedar House to the warmest smile of TRICIA GILL waiting to let me in.

And NOW she's getting Married!!!! The lucky groom to be is Dave Poilievre

This is such exciting news:) and so I've decided to pay tribute to a great friend via embarassing blog photos from the past!! I wish her and Dave all the best.



Mike and Pat (center white trash party photo) have missed their chance!!!

Trish and Dave in Love
It's now time to celebrate
many happy thoughts

Swollen Member!!

And I'm not talking about the R&B group :P

Friday my left forearm was very tender and sore. I didn't think much of it until Saturday when I woke up and my left knee was starting to flare up as well. Sunday morning I woke up with swollen joints in both knees, my right ankle, left arm and right pointer finger; it was extremely painful to move any of my limbs. I spent the day with packs of frozen peas everywhere and resting. What was going on here!? Sunday night I started to develop a fever and headed off to the hospital to get things checked out. Two hours later they gave me some anti-inflamatorys, did a blood test and sent me home. Tuesday I get to go back for a follow up appointment. It was really bizaar going from dancing up a storm on Friday night to barely walking on Sunday. It took me about an hour to walk to the corner store and sleeping at night has been very unpleasant when my joints don't want to move without major pain......

Today I took my first sick day of the school year and it hasn't been too bad. I've been popping pills every couple hours mixing it up between anti-inflamatories and pain relief tablets. Tiger Balm is the Bomb!!!! I'm not too sure what colour my pee's going to be, but the pill cocktail has made the day fly by a lot easier:) It's kind of annoying to have to send Cover work (lesson plans) on my sick days, but c'est la vie when you're a teacher. I just hope this is a one off experience because the last few days haven't been very much fun :(

Canadian Teachers on the Rampage:)

The last week and a half I've been pleasantly distracted by the lovely presence of one Jaymi Daniels. One of my British colleagues has been off with a back injury since January. Count it - THREE Canadian Music teachers molding the minds of British Youth at North Leamington School!!! Completely crazy but when you have connections that's how cool things happen. Plus they're short on music teachers around here, so we're in high demand. Sadly Jaymi's headed back to Leeds today, getting herself packed and sorted before flying to Canada on Monday. We still don't have anyone to take over covering - Any other Canadian Volunteers in the area??? lol. I'm hoping my school gets Jaymi a new work permit and she can come back for round two:)

What have I been up to since Spain?? It's all about planning for Easter really!! lol. Under Jaymi's council i've booked my first Haggis Tour to see all of Wales April 7-9. The details are on the website: http://www.haggisadventures.com/HTML2/RTG-GB-337.aspx
how exciting!!! I've had a couple benders in Birmingham - I've got the worst of memories - but thanks to Jaymi's digital camera I had the pleasure of reliving each embarassing moment frame by frame - In my defense the Lemonade (british for gingerale) was out so I had to drink full pints to keep up with everyone else "that's my story"!

I had a good observation teaching a GCSE class a couple weeks back. It was nice to have some positive feedback with so much student disruption in the classroom. I would like electric collars placed around all students necks - numbered by student registrar with three levels of electric shock.

Level 1 - ZAPP I've already asked you kindly not to talk to your neighbours and to keep your hands to yourself

Level 2 - ZZZZZZZZZAPPPPPPPPP you're out of your seat again, paperballs are illegal and I'd rather see the front of your face instead of the back of your head

Level 3 - (the smell of smoke fills the room) James has disintegrated into a pile of charcoal.

How wonderful indead:) I'm off to volleyball practice and pray to all deities that Saturday can come faster than usual. All the best everyone:)