Saturday 30 March 2019

Not quite before and after


I know it's not finished yet but even after just 2 coats of undercoat, my front door is looking amazing!!  I am so pleased with it!! 😊 I'd like to replace the gold handles and letterbox but haven't found anything suitable yet.  I also repainted the 'wonky' wall OH sanded but it still needs a bit of work.  But, the end is now in sight!

Friday 29 March 2019

Some leftovers


My dear colleague and friend retired today.  She's not a party animal and didn't want a night out to celebrate.  She wanted an afternoon tea party.  So we all pitched in and made food.  One of our fabulous SLAs (Support for Learning Assistant) has loads of vintage china so we set up a proper tea party for her with white tablecloths and wee vases of flowers.

The selection of food was amazing and people went to the extra effort making sure there were GF sandwiches and cakes for me.  I work with lovely people!! 😊 But there was too much food and so there were tons of leftovers.  Interestingly the younger members of staff wanted to put it all in the bin!  😲  Luckily us oldies know the value of leftovers 😄

I came home with a dozen pancakes, 2 jars of chutney, 7 apples, a wee GF loaf and some French bread.   The pancakes and French bread aren't GF but The Teenogre will eat them.  They're already in the freezer along with the bread.


I tossed a couple of pieces to the chickens.  They went crazy for it!!  And Emma had a few sneaky pieces too!

I will miss my friend but she totally deserves her retirement!  It was a lovely send off.

And now, I'm on holiday for 2 whole weeks!!


Wednesday 27 March 2019

Unexpected savings


We popped into Sainsbury's on the way back from the gym and I got some reduced gluten free stuff.  I don't buy them very often as they're too expensive but when they're reduced it's worth the savings.  This lot will do me for a few weeks 😊

Remember that pay rise Scottish teachers were getting?  My council decided to pay us our backdated rise in this month's salary, even though the vote to accept the payrise only closed today (98% voted to accept!!)  So I got paid an unexpected extra £676.28!  I've already transferred that amount into my savings account and each month will transfer the increase as well.  I already live well on half my salary so hopefully the extra amount each month will boost my retirement fund.

Just 2 more days to hang on!

Sunday 24 March 2019

53


It was my birthday on Friday.  I'm 53.  I don't feel 53 and I don't think I look 53 (or maybe I do to other people!)  Although the kids in my class believed me when I said I was 28!! 😆 OH treated me to a cinema trip on Friday night to see Fisherman's Friends.  Fab wee film!  Last night I had a Mexican night with my eldest son, 2 of his friends, youngest son and his girlfriend, OH and The Teenogre.  It was a fun evening.  We had fajitas and I put all the fixings in the middle of the table and everyone made their own.  My head's a wee bit sore this morning!  But I've enjoyed my birthday weekend so far.


I took this pic on my birthday. I quite like it (rare!!)  It's what I think I look like to other people, if that makes sense.  I share a birthday with a colleague.  She was 55 and looks about 45.  She is retiring on Friday after 34 years of continuous service and I'm soooooo jealous (teachers can claim their teacher pensions at 55 here)  She's never had a break (not having kids of her own) so her retirement is well deserved.  When she leaves I'm the longest serving teacher on staff 😮


The weather here can't make up it's mind.  One night this week was still 13 degrees C at 9pm and then we had frost another morning.  It's been stormy, windy, rainy and brilliant sunshine.  Sometimes all in the same day!  No matter the weather the girls love their bowl of porridge n the morning.  Sometimes MarmaLady actually gets into the bowl and fluffs out her feathers to stop the others getting any!!

Just one more week of school then it's a 2 week break.  Cannot wait!!

Saturday 16 March 2019

Back to purple


I woke up to more snow this morning!  The weather forecast was spot on.  It continued all day and temperatures are set to dip below freezing tonight so I'm guessing it will still be here tomorrow.  The chickens enjoyed a huge bowl of porridge as a treat.



They've taken to rushing the door whenever I open it in the hope of some tasty treat!  Picture was last night when I got home from school.


So it was indoor activities today.  I cooked a load of chicken breasts, cleaned the kitchen and I dyed my hair purple.  💜


And OH decided that a wonky bit of wall needed to be sanded again.


Only problem was it was on the wall that was already finished!  *sighs*  There's dust all over the furniture and pictures.  And the stairs.  And somehow in my bedroom too *sighs again* 

I hate sanding so I'm grateful he doesn't mind doing it.  I got the hoover out to deal with the dust and banged about while he was watching the rugby.  Loudly!! 😄

Sunday 10 March 2019

Before and After (nearly)


Before 


After (nearly)

I just have the skirting to paint white and then I'm ready for the new carpet 😎 I would have finished the painting this weekend but thanks to someone lowering my chair at work without my knowledge (or permission!!) I hurt my back when I sat down.  I did try to do some sanding but it just made my back hurt.  So I'll finish the painting next weekend.  Can't be helped.

I've ordered my new carpet and it will get fitted during the Easter holidays.  So I have 3 weeks left to paint the rest of the treads and get started on the high wall up the stairs.  I don't want to be painting once the carpet is down.

OH and The Teenogre fitted my lovely new brushed chrome sockets and switches last night.  They really make a difference.

It feels like I'm nearly finished! 🙌

Friday 8 March 2019

Pay rise!!


After an absolutely dreadful week at our school regarding the behaviour of some kids (and unbelieveably some parents!) I came home tonight to find that Scottish teachers are to get a decent pay rise!  Not the 12% that the press have been quoting!!!!!  7% in April and another 3% next year.  It's more than some other public sectors are getting so I'm grateful.

The next campaign will be to reduce workload.  One step at a time!

Sunday 3 March 2019

A few mistakes!!


Obviously bloggers like to write about the successful parts of their lives and make their blog look nice but I thought it only fair to share a few of my mistakes this week!  I seem to be making more and more of them recently!!!

Yesterday I had my hair done, properly at a reputable hairdresser.  I had decided to go blonde again so I could play with temporary colours like purple.  It looks ok in the photo but it's actually yellow/orange in places and a lovely silvery blonde in others.  And despite doing a proper patch test several weeks ago, I have several weeping sore patches on my scalp. Not sure if I've just developed more sensitive skin since the last time I had it bleached or my hairdresser has done something wrong.  I've bought some 'purple' shampoo and conditioner in the hope that  the yellow colour will tone down.  I do hope I've not made a big mistake in going blonde again.


OH fitted the 2 new chrome light fittings in the dining hall.  I love them!  But, I didn't realise you can't fit a shade to them.  They're designed to have one of those large fancy vintage looking bulbs so I've had to order some.  The white plastic flex is actually covered in cord so they look a bit retro.  They're a wee bit bent after being shipped in a tiny box.  Hopefully they'll straighten out in time.


So the 2 orange shades I wanted to use are being relocated.  One of them will be used on a lamp base that my lovely mum returned to me.  And the other will go on the light on the upstairs landing.


Today's final 'mistake' was my attempt at marinaded and fried tofu.  Despite pressing it in my tofu press for several hours it still fell to bits when I sliced it.  I managed to get a few neat slices and a pile of crumbs to fry!!  Tastes ok but doesn't look great!

I have another busy week ahead at work *sighs* but there's only 4 weeks until the Easter break! 😎