Waking up and remembering the fab night I had last night! My friend and I had organised a night in with board games, tray bakes and a little bit to drink, but because it was very last-minute lots of people weren't able to come. In the end there were just six of us, of which my friend and I were the only girls There was lots of singing, viola and guitar playing which was great I didn't know the guys very well so it was a good chance to get to know them! All in all, it was a super-fun night.

EDIT: I am, however, feeling a little worse for wear today... Apparently, wine is a lot stronger than I thought

I have actually MADE a decision!!!!

Helping the kids go through their stuff and get rid of loads of it - we are moving to a smaller flat (!!) and they need to lose alot. Managed to get rid of about 7 full carrier bags so far....

Been on a bit of a spending spree today

Went out to buy a new jacket, but came home with a lava lamp, christmas lights bridge and the Toy Story trilogy boxset

1) It being my last Saturday at Guildhall (and therefore a very early start) until 15th January.

2) For the first time this term, not having two or three more lots of teaching to go and do after Guildhall (I'm always pooped by the end of a very long day).

3) Being SOOOO pleased and proud of my two GH groups that I've had since they were five (now Y4 and Y5) - the parents watching today were so amazed at how they're doing and I just felt a hugely proud Kodaly mummy...

4) Having only my second Sunday off tomorrow since the beginning of September.

5) Opening my copy of 'Music Teacher' to find an excellent article on Dalcroze by my friend and colleague Jacqueline Vann - and seeing that the students in the two photographs are the people that I teach solfa to on the Dalcroze course (one of them being a forum member)!!!

There are quite a few things that are making me feel very at the moment so it's been nice to celebrate so many things that have put a smile on my face.

Going to the Harry Potter film
Having time to chat to friends at music club this morning
the cold
not having to do gym runs this weekend (hence going to the cinema)

Not having to put up with my flatmates. I've come home to Winsford to stay with my Mum, Stepdad and sister for the night Sure, it means I'll have to get up at 04:00 tomorrow morning to head back to Manchester, but it's worth it!

Took the kids and dog for a walk up a snow covered mountain and managed to get back down without falling over once

Now enjoying a lovely cup of coffee with a dash of the free whisky that someone very kindly posted a link to on another forum a few weeks back

Going out to town on the bus with my mammy-was really lovely and Christmassy!

William Byrd, Henryk Gorecki and one or two others.

Not my day to play the organ so instead of skulking at home, went and enjoyed an Advent Sunday service in the pew at the gorgeous huge gothic church in the market place, complete with proper organ playing, a choir and sung psalm, the lot!

As we knelt for communion and the choir sang an anthem I could see through the windows all the great, fat flakes of snow coming down silently outside. My heart sang as husband and I brushed the snow off the car beside the church as more fell gently down.

BUT - I feel guilty for leaving the home crowd in the lurch with a CD player that apparently didn't work last time, and the old lady whom I ALWAYS have to transport there and back.

An amazingly fun Cadet Christmas Camp - food, friends and First Aid

Awwww.... !!

Chocolate biscuits.

The thought that after the end of this school term I will be a man of leisure and will not have to get up so early to de-ice the car, will not have any last minute projects to get done and will never have to attend another staff meeting, ever.

Attending a candlelit Advent service at Lichfield Cathedral. Amazing atmosphere tonight

Wow! That sounds fantastic!


Lovely!

My "happy" was attending the christening of my niece's second daughter, near Hebden Bridge. Glorious, though very cold, day, and a beautiful Advent Sunday service; then a wonderful time chatting with people I haven't seen for ages. Great!

An afternoon spent playing string quartets!

W

Getting a snow day off school! I love school, but I've been pretty ill so an extra day's rest is nice

Today I have:
Paid the vet the bill I owed
Been to the supermarket and got cake glaze and a cake board
Taken stuff to the recycling
Filled up with petrol
Sorted out the windscreen washer on my car - full tank plus 2 litres in the boot to refill with if needed
Posted a load of post (including adult learners concert application form)
Proof-read and edited down my latest OU assignment and sent it off
Phoned some window repair people to come and look at our ill-fitting kitchen window
Phoned Adobe to check my eligibility for sutdent discount software
Ordered the Xmas meat
Ordered some cutlery (to take our existing 6-place set up to a 10-place!)

Now I just have to phone my mum to see if she is getting a new dining table (if yes, we'll have her old one; if no, we'll order ourselves one) and clean out the ratlets...phew!!!

Teaching Panthera this afternoon (and having a good laugh in the process!).

Being one step closer to getting out of this ######-hole

Edit: That was supposed to be h.ell!

excellent, all the best with resolving this. the first 3 years I was in college I was miserable because of where I lived but nowhere near as badly as you are - in my case I just didn't get on with them, I wasn't actually picked on.

Thank you! Sorry to hear that you were miserable all three years though

oh well, twas a long time ago. Thanks for the thought! It was more a lowgrade sort of misery not the I-need-to-get-out-now-before-i-bite-someone thing that you seem to be going through...

I think it would be more appropriate to say the 'I-need-to-get-out-now-before-I-shoot-someone' thing

I actually thought about writing "before-I-kill-someone" bt I didn't think it was appropriate to ascribe murderous intent to someone whom I don't know in real life!

Oh feel free! My lack of sleep is making me so hysterical at the moment that I would probably actually do it (kidding!)

It's stopped snowing, I've dug the car out of the snow drift and it still works!

Edit : it's snowing again

Jen's String Orchestra concert tonight. Very good it was too.

Matthew and I have just applied to go to Fiji next summer to teach primary children English, and to help built water storage.

Really really hoping we're accepted.

Wow, Fiji would be great. Hope you get accepted Celeste. When will you find out?

I'm happy that my headache has eased and I've got a quiet day at work

Fingers crossed, both of you...

That sounds amazing! I've got my fingers crossed for both of you too.

As for me... I'm just happy. I think it's because I know there's a high chance I'll be out of this flat soon! I feel like I'm running on adrenaline though because I've had no sleep these past two nights. Oh well, at least I'm feeling happy for now, even if my flatmates did put sellotape over the keyhole in my door today so that I couldn't get in

Had a nice pupil
It's not snowing:)

I got lots of notes, actually most notes, in tune on my violin tonight

Well done you.


I have just had a hold of an eagle owl! Cubs can be awesome..... if cold.....

Excellent going!

Dinner.

my car still working despite being buried under six inches of snow for the last few days

flute practice at lunchtime

will be nice for you to stay in the warm and do a bit of fluting...

I suspect things like warm drinks, warm soup, warm food, warm radiators etc. will be the things that make me happy today!

The bad weather!

So many treats in the office today for making it to work!!

Snow Also the fact that I have Sonic Invention tomorrow, yay! Composition =

It has stopped snowing so I didn't need an umbrella when i went out.

Having a snow day off skool!!!

Woohoo! My meeting in London tomorrow has been cancelled. I was dreading the journey, I had visions of standing on freezing station platforms for hours. I taken leave from work instead, so I can get on with my essay. Give me Monteverdi over Carousel Trading any day.

Snow

The cat has discovered that her cat-sized tent is nice and warm in the slightly chilly house. And she looks so cute with her head sticking out of it, that I may puke. I normally hate cute.

A snowy walk by the sea.......simple pleasures!

A fabulous lunchtime concert by Black Voices, an amazing a cappella quintet - they were fantastic.