Categories: uncategorized
Date: 02 July 2008 15:15:04
Well, I tried. I failed. Miserably.
The new word I'm working on begins with N and ends with O. Any idea what it might be? Somehow every time I open my mouth to say it, the sounds emerge sounding remarkably like the phonemes (technical word there, are you impressed?) - y - e - and - s- .
This is the reason I am currently running around like a mad thing, trying to reassemble my home into some state of habitability after the latest round in our home improvement cycle (How is it that home improvement seems to necessitate home demolition first?) so that I can play host to not deux (as first arranged) but trois (as it turned into last night) ten and twelve year olds from France on an English Language course for a fortnight. And this at a week's notice! I blame the Smudgelet for being so keen to do it. The most interesting bits will be - the fact that I'm booked to go to the theatre on Friday night and simply can't find anyone willing to babysit three young French boys (strange that! - so, what are YOU planning for Friday night?) and the fact that Tiddles comes home for the last three days of it and I am obliged to move the Smudgelet back out of his room and into... well.... er.... I'm sure I'll find somewhere for him to sleep. After all, I've got nearly two weeks to think about it.
Add to this, the fact that I had a phone call a week ago from my head teacher. "Smudgie, I am sorry to ring you at home but we have a small emergency at work. Would you mind awfully moving classrooms tomorrow afternoon - lock, stock and barrel - into the tiny room which nobody else will agree to work in? I'd be very grateful. In fact, I promise eventually to have electricity and a SmartBoard installed in there". It's been an interesting week! The room is now only big enough for a maximum of 16 pupils so it looks like I'll be teaching small groups next year, doesn't it? The real interesting bit was when the head, needing some practise at observing before our proper mini inspection next week (an inspection in the middle of the last three weeks of school, together with room changes, I ask you!) asked if he and a colleague could come and observe me teaching my eighteen Year Eights in there. Needless to say, I was quite pleased to greet him with the words "I'm sorry, but there's nowhere for you to sit. That little space by the door would be the safest place for you to stand" :D So thus is my career at this school - from caravan to corridor to cupboard.
Having said that, I've had a promotion :D . It was another case of opening my mouth and the wrong words coming out. Big time.
When I get a bit of time I'll blog about our weekend and the trials and tribulations of being the mother of a teenager, God bless him. But I suppose I'd better go and make four packed lunches for tomorrow. Yes four. When the Smudgelet heard that the French boys were having a packed lunch every day, he asked whether he could have one too so that he can sit with his friends at lunchtime (they have sandwiches, you see) and like someone with the letters M.U.G tattooed on their forehead, I opened my mouth to say NO and the wrong sounds came a-tumbling out.