Do they know it's christmas time at all?

Hello! I am still tying to get used to the fact that it is still 10 sleeps til xmas! I don't feel festive. Despite the fact that every school I have been to I have been enduring xmas carols and other fun stuff like rehearsals for plays, reading '6 white boomers' everywhere I have been, kids making decorations, and school classrooms that look like a tinsel monster threw up in them! I have no decorated anything, partly because I have nothing to decorate things with, and partly because I wont be here for xmas, as I am going to the rellies, so I don't see the point. I am most missing my xmas nails tradition, as thats what gets me in the mood for xmas.

We had our band concert last weekend. It went ok. Considering a lot of the pieces I have no played the whole way through at a rehearsal (due to me missing some, and due to us not making it through in one go) it could have been a lot worse! The conductor(s) were pleased, so I spose we didn't do anything too bad!

I am waiting for a phone call at the moment, as I have been in demand for work! The school I have done a lot of work at, I got approached by the Head Teacher (what we know as a Principal) who asked if the Deputy Head had found me to discuss dates for next year. I then went off in search of her in the afternoon, and she said she had heard lots of good things about me, and how consciencous I am, and asked if I was interested in covering a couple of the teacher's PPA (programming time), as I had been requested. I said yes, gave her my dates I am going to be on trips for, and was told they would call Select who would call me. I am now waiting to hear back from Select, I just rang them and asked them to chase it up, as it could be 2, maybe 3 days work. Probably 1/2 days, but I can find additional work for the other 1/2 of the day, and at least it is teaching, so if they gave me a 9 hour nursery shift (like they did yesterday... in Swindon again) i would still be earning the same amount as 3 hours teaching! So, the moral of the story is, I am brilliant!

I have discovered the worst thing about working over here. It's not the traffic jams from hell, it's not the shocking education system, its not the unenthusiastic teachers, nor is it the lack of pay...it's the playground duty when it is gale force winds and 6'C before you factor in the wind!! I tried to keep my hands in my pockets but the kids found a worm, so I picked it up for them to look at, and I couldn't put my hand back into my pocket then as it had worm guts and dirt on it!

I don't think I have anything else to share with everyone, so I will leave you now. I am going up to Northampton for xmas, and I will try and write more during the xmas/new years break, as I am taking the laptop with me, but until then, MERRY XMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!