A mixed bag of a week

18/52

Wednesday Weekly

I ended last week (Sunday Evening) on a walk up on the Poldens. 

With the nicer weather, I'm trying to get out for a walk after tea, even if it's just once around the block. It was too nice an evening not to take advantage of, and get out for a longer walk.

I'd given myself Bank Holiday Monday off, Jeff still had to work!!

As it was dry, I headed over to ham Wall, as it's been a while.

I managed to get this capture. 

Sadly the two kingfishers I spotted were far too fast to capture. 

I did hear a cuckoo too

It's so good for me to get outside for a walk.

I feel the weight of the world lift off my shoulders and I feel so calm and content.

I always feel so restrained by work and not being able to get out and make the most of any dry weather, particularly at this time of year. 

I had a short exam on Thursday afternoon, so popped over to Sainsbury's to collect my Argos order. A few bits and pieces for Sam's new flat. Glad I'd amassed a few Nectar points to spread the cost!

And then on Saturday we headed to IKEA bright and early! 

It was a successful trip!

Bed frame and mattress were top of the 'must buy' list. 

I shouldn't of laid down!!

It was a cheap trip for me, just coffee and a muffin!

Sam on the other hand is mourning the dwindling of his funds! 

The joys of being an independent young adult!!

He has a delivery booked in for next Saturday and then a few days of putting it all together!

He went out to friends in the evening and Jeff and I got to enjoy tea out in the garden. 

Always feels like such a treat x

I then sat out the front, enjoying the last of the sun, whilst Jeff prepared the front planters... 

....ready for planting out the geraniums today.

Sadly we're not planting out sunflowers this year, even though it's our 30th Wedding Anniversary. We'll be away for too long, when they need a little care and attention, so it will look a little different this summer. I wonder if anyone will notice!

This week marked the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough. 

This mural has been done in Bristol in his honour. I must go and see it! 

I can always go and see Sam too once he's all settled in.

So we go into week four of exams, slightly more pressure as these are 'real' exams now, rather than mocks. I am doing 7 out of 10 available slots. I'm hoping to get a walk with Sam before he moves out and I have a couple of coffee catch-ups booked in with friends. Then I think Jeff and I are booked in to help build Ikea furniture on Sunday! So another busy week ahead.

Pinch and a punch...

17/52

Wednesday Weekly!

It's been a big week for Sam! 

He officially finished at Millfield on Monday...

....and got on with flat hunting!!

Securing a flat by Wednesday - hurrah!!

Although I feel he now thinks he sorted and forgets he has still a lot to do! 

Like, order furniture, sort through all his Uni stuff in the loft, buy work appropriate clothes, tidy his room before he leaves!!!!

I've had a super busy week with exams. I have felt a little fed up this round! 

It's the classic case of doing more and not feeling appreciated or thanked for doing that extra bit, whilst still being paid the same as everyone else. We have so many new invigilators and it's been left up to us to train them, so when they know nothing (and that's not their fault) you are effectively doing the work of three people!! It grates and I hate feeling myself moaning. It feels a little deja-vu from my Sainsbury's days!! So I need to rethink what else I could do, so I'm not dependant on invigilation in the summer and I don't spiral into just moaning and doing nothing about it!. Ideally, I need something one day a week, that would give me enough money. It's just finding something that also doesn't include working in the holidays.

So Friday was the 1st of May!

Sam met friends and went to the Beltane celebrations in Glastonbury.

I mustered up enough energy in the evening to go for a slightly longer walk. I've missed not having the free time and flexibility to go out walking. I feel I've missed a huge chunk of the changing seasons.

So when I am free, I must make the most of my time and get out!

We've had rain, typical for a Bank Holiday weekend. 

It does make all the greens 'pop' but it's not sitting outside weather.

My fig is doing well.....

....and more alliums are flowering.

And the garden is full of young birds. 

Jeff refereed this morning. He doesn't get bank holiday Monday off, I could have given availability for exams but have given myself Monday off instead!! I had hoped it would be a wonderfully sun filled day but rain is forecast. Will fill my day with plenty of other things I need to get done. 

Like chivvy Sam on!!!! 

Here's to a good week x

Exam invigilation commences

16/52

Wednesday Weekly

So, it begins!!!

Exam invigilation commences.

I'd given myself Monday off, so I could catch up with friends, get my hair cut etc. but then it is in for the duration. I've signed up for 7-8 exams a week, already agreeing to do an extra exam in a free session. I have to do lots to get my summer money, as I don't work July and August and so don't get paid! For my sins, I have been tasked with the back of the hall laptops for the majority of my sessions!! I am no computer whizz, so there is always a level of anxiety if things might/could go wrong.

Received some new trainers this week. My old faithful Asics got thrown away in Naples, they had given me many years of good service (my old Sainsbury's work trainers) I go for comfort over style but I reckon I could get away with these on holiday!

Have been trialling them, walking around the block every evening after tea.

Made Jeff go to Lidl on Friday after work. They had trollies of geraniums, so we stocked up, ready to fill the front planters. We're not going full out on sunflowers this year, despite it being our 30th wedding anniversary, as we'll be away when they need attention. I guess we could plant seeds when we leave and see what they do whilst we're away, will be quite late though!

Typically, as schools go back, so the sun comes out. It's been a glorious sun filled week. Chilly wind at the start but the evenings have been lovely.

And yesterday felt like full on Summer!

When you remember you have leftover cones in the cupboard!!

Finished my book!

How lovely is it, to be still sat outside at 7pm reading!!

We need more of this gorgeous sunshine, but alas I think rain is on the horizon!!

The alliums are beginning to flower, which always makes me happy.

So the week ahead......

 Sam finishes up at school tomorrow!!. He's managed to bring his final day forward to Monday, so it gives him a little more time to sort out a flat in Bristol. And he really does need to use these few extra days to get sorted. Ideally he needs to be all moved in before he starts his job in May, which indecently, has been pushed back by a week, giving him an extra few days. So really he has no excuses to get himself sorted. I can foresee our half term week will be spent in Bristol building Ikea furniture!!!

Have a good week xx

Easter hols, home bit!

15/52

Wednesday Weekly

So the weather at home was not as nice as Italy but....

the cherry blossom is out ....

....and I'm getting back out for my 'walk around the block' after tea!!

On Thursday I went over to Wells to do the Valley walk.

 The bluebells were out in their masses, banks of  beautiful blue but....

....it was however very muddy and slippery and there were a lot of fallen trees down over the paths, which made it quite a tricky walk, navigating your way through. Worth it to see the bluebells but not one I'll repeat this year.

Thankfully, we got home before the tulips went over in the front planter.

My fig tree is leafing up and it looks like there will be another good crop of figs.

Saturday and I had the company of Sam on my day out in Bristol. He was going to view a potential flat (which cancelled on him!!) Time is not on his side but I'm sure he'll sort himself out!! He's got 2 weeks left up at school, then 2 weeks off to sort himself out before he starts his new job!!!

Bristol was nice and quiet first thing.

I wanted to go to the new Uniqlo store before it got busy. I love Uniqlo. Could only visit it previously in London, Edinburgh, Nice... basically in a big city but now it's in Bristol....well, it could be dangerous!!

Met Sophie for a bit of shopping and.....

....lunch (Zizzi)

Ready for the main event....

.....the moment we've waited for.....

....the Greatest Showman!!!!

Quite rightly, no filming, keep it new for everyone else!!

It was Exceptional. 

Very cleverly done, slick, great performances and vocals. Absolutely loved it xx

The only negative are some audience members. Number one, are people incapable of holding their bladders for an hour? IF they must go to the loo, I don't think they should return to their seats during a song or big scene. Number two, taking your child! Now I took Sophie to the theatre when she was young. We'd been to child specific shows previously and I was sure she could sit through the 'Sound of Music' without disruption to other people, when we saw it in London aged 7. Two rows in front of us, a family, just constantly moving, faffing, fiddling, going to the loo, child on knee, being moved along family members, in your eyeline....just sit still!!!! The Greatest Showman was expensive, it's not a pantomime! It's a completely different experience. Rant over!!

So the Easter Holidays are coming to an end!

Jeff goes back tomorrow, I go back in on Tuesday for the start of exams! Not gonna lie, I'm not looking forward to it. It wouldn't be so bad if you were put in with fellow invigilators who knew what they were doing but I've looked, and I'm with newbies for every exam. The trouble is, when you only have 20-30 mins to set up 10 laptops, you don't have time to show and teach new people and that's when mistakes happen!! You need at least one person with you who knows what they're doing, or you feel you are having to do all the work on your own, yet being paid the same as everyone else. It's the classic case of being good at what you do, being relied on but not necessarily feeling appreciated and the old adage of fairness!!! A small pay increase would go a long way!! I only do it as it facilitates having holiday time off with Jeff, if I could find something that could give me the equivalent money, I'd stop!!

Will see how it goes!!

At least the exams stints are in short bursts and you can have time away.

8 weeks and it will be done!