Cat-astrophes

I did up a new template which I was happy with...but Blogger is being a bit possessive of their html and is crashing every time I try to upload the new layout. So...pre-made design it is for now.

At least it isn't grey.


xxx

Oh my...what a fortnight.

The next person who says that teaching is an easy profession is going to find some sort of implement lodged between their eyeballs.

I love it, I do...but let me give you a run down of the past two weeks:

1. Tuesday - Newsletter report due: create a three page report on what the class has learnt this year, experiences, quotes etc and add cute photos...
2. Wednesday - program due (anyone who knows a teacher will know that creating/submitting your program is a BIG stressful ordeal)
3. Thursday - Observation of colleague: Set work for the Deputy Principal to teach my class whilst attending two meetings and observing another teacher, then providing feedback information. Photographer leaves a voicemail message to say probably can't do the wedding after all....ARRRRRRRRGH!!!!!
4. Friday - Demonstration lesson: more meetings. Try to settle a crazy class on a Friday to demonstrate a Quality Teaching Writing lesson...HA
5. Weekend - family, friends....REPORTING
6. Monday - a VERY 'trying' student returns: back to his normal ways in a matter of hours. Mother jokes 'you must have enjoyed the break. You probably felt sick when you saw him return'. I smiled and said 'not at all'...but on the inside I was screaming "TAKE HIM BACK!!!". Supervisor noticed I'm a little stressed and offers for me to hand my reports in on Friday (when they are due anyway....?) I decline as that is the busy part of this horrible fortnight.
7. Tuesday - finished reports (HALLELUJAH!!): Supervisor away and not planning on coming in for the rest of the week....so I could've handed them in NEXT TUESDAY!
8. Wednesday - Breathe....went to bed at 6pm
9. Thursday - Observation lesson - again...watch teachers, prepare work, meetings, feedback. Went shopping with mum, had nails 'done'. On an aside...I like now just being able to say I had my nails 'done'...I feel like a should add 'darling' on the end.
10. Friday - okay...get ready for it....meeting, art groups, sport, assembly (yes...my class were presenting it...so that includes a LOT of coordination), demonstration lesson, duty, choosing time. I didn't have time to pee. Literally. By the end of the day I was dancing around waiting for late parents to pick up their kids just so I could visit the toilet. PARENTS PLEASE PICK UP YOUR CHILDREN ON TIME!!! Your teacher will love you for it. On another aside I have one student that is consistently picked up at least 15 minutes late daily. That is an extra hour and 15 weekly. Given the course of a year, that is more than an extra working week that I spend looking after this one child! To top it off, anyone living in Sydney (or central coastal New South Wales for that matter) would know that the weather was hideous yesterday. Pouring rain galeforce winds...and all of that equals CRAZY KIDS. I was shaking with the stress. Apparently I appeared very calm though...amazing.

So now it is Saturday morning and I'm listening to the rain outside from my nice warm bed. The wind has finally subsided. My reports are finished. My program is finished. All of those horrible extras are over. My Deputy Principal happens to be into photography and has done a few weddings...and offered to do mine for the price of a memory card. I have 3 days off!!! Huzzah for the Queen...Oh...AND (I just remembered) I get to see lots of my beautiful friends for a bridal shower today! It certainly will be a shower with all of this rain...less than 4 weeks to the wedding and just over 2 weeks until my hero returns.

All is well in the world once more...

xxx

If you have read any of my entries in the last few months you would know that sleep is very precious to me.

Lately it hasn't been happening.

I love my neighbours, I truly do. They are lovely people. Apparently they love each other very much too.

It is great that they have a healthy relationship, and fine if their healthy relationship kept me awake for a night...but when it has been four nights running (long nights) and no volume of music played in my room can drown out noises it gets a bit much.

What is the etiquette in these sorts of situations? If I was in a hotel, I would throw a shoe at the wall because I don't know them, they don't know me and I probably won't see them tomorrow anyway.

If I throw a shoe at the wall here it is a little obvious as to who owns the shoe. Do I slip a little note under their door - 'Can we please all get a little shut-eye tonight?'

Surely they must be tired too?

Originally I thought 'hmm, how awkward', but it is becoming a little more awkward as their healthy relationship appears to be getting healthier, and there are now strange noises throughout the day also - which has made entertaining visitors very awkward.

You know that little pause of quiet when you both break from talking about your latest shopping bargain to take a sip from your hot chocolate? I used to savour that moment. Now I find that I am doing all I can from preventing that moment because I know that it isn't going to all be 'quiet'... unless I have music playing at a deafening level...which isn't very hospitable now anyway...

I was wondering whether this was pay-back for my latest addition - for Christmas I was given a surround sound system...

Now I'm certainly surrounded by sound, but it is coming through 30cm thick concrete walls.

So I'm at a loss. I need sleep. I don't want to offend good neighbours. I don't want to have x-rated sound effects at g-rated hours of the day when I can't turn up music loud because my friend is chatting about her latest hair style and whether she should go from chestnut to fireball.

WHAT DO I DO???

At about 4am last night I discovered that headphones were more effective than speakers and finally got 2 hours sleep before my phone (which doubles as mp3 player) ran out of songs and I was awoken again.

...do you think I could hand out complimentary headphones to guests?


xxx