I am still here, honest!

Hello residents of blog land! Such a long time since I blogged, I've not been in the right place to blog lately but I am at home today with yet another kidney infection so I thought I would pop in and update.

The biggest change this year has been that I've been working full time since February. I love having my own class, being part of school and all that, but working full time is no fun when coping as a lone parent too. My girls have suffered while I've been putting the hours in. Teaching full time does take up my whole life. I've been grumpy and shouty with the girls, and that's not good. I finish my contract in just under 7 weeks' time, and then I am going back to supply teaching. It is the better option for the girls and for me, as I have much more time for them.

This year has been an interesting one. At the end of January, I spent 3 days in hospital, having been rushed in with suspected appendicitis. Fortunately it was just a severe kidney and bladder infection, but it has left me with recurrent infections every few weeks. Because of this, we had to cancel our planned trip to Egypt at February half term, which was disappointing, but had to be done. We are booked to go next February so we will experience all that is Egypt next time instead.

Work plodded on until the Easter holidays, and we spent some time in Scotland with my parents. It was gorgeous in early April, and we came home all sunburnt! The next half term was stressful as my class was year 6 and so they were taking their KS2 SATs tests. Once that was out of the way, we moved on to preparing for the end of year production, which was Beauty and the Beast. In the middle of all that, the girls and I had a week in Portugal with our friend Avril, and then I spent a week at Ingleborough Hall with my class for their residential visit. The end of term was a total whirlwind, so I was glad when the holidays arrived!

We rushed around doing this and that over the summer, spending a week in Majorca with my family in a beautiful villa. Then before we knew it, we were back to school. Usual stuff going on, workload getting heavier and heavier. I love teaching but I don't love the paperwork that goes with it!

So now I am on countdown to the end of term. Lots to do, both with work and at home. I've joined a choir, the Rodillian Singers, and I am loving being a part of a musical group again. I have various plans for 2012 so I am very excited for how things will move along. I have had the usual roller coaster of ups and downs with how I have been feeling, lately has been a bit of a downer but I think that seems to be my pattern. My mood usually dips around now, so I need to find a way to help lift it in these darker months.

Keep checking back, I will be sharing various crafty loveliness soon I promise!