Well, sorry for not blogging for ages. I was feeling that if I blogged it would all come out wrong and depressing, so decided to avoid it for a while! Some have said I should blog however black my mood, but who wants to read that??
Anyway Ridley Term has ended (Praise God and many Hallelujahs)and I have Steve back for two weeks. I was even able to assist him with part of one of his essays at the end of term- shh don't tell anyone!!!
I'm currently reading a book called 'a handful of light' which is an Advent study, I've been trying really hard to read it while eating breakfast 'cos that's quite a quiet time in our house, especially if the children have gone to school already!!! It takes me a while to get into these things, but it's quite a good book- not sure if I'm reflecting on it quite as I should, but hey at least I'm reading something to do with God! I'm finding my spirituality and faith has taken something of a knock over the last term and frequently find myself very dissatisfied with Church and especially worship- which at Ridley leaves something to be desired and at St Barnabas is OK, but I miss St Mary's worship and especially miss singing and playing with 'Tongues of Fire'. In fact I think the teenagers are what I miss most- everyone's so serious around here and there's no-one to lark about with!!
We recently hosted a Christmas party for Steve's Ridley Staircase and everyone was gone after a couple of hours, there's not really anyone we're close enough to have that kind of banter and fun with like some old friends at home. I did have a great night last night with a few other Ridley wives; a meal and sing-along Mamma Mia at one of the other wives house which is in the grounds of Ridley Hall. It was a little disappointing to find out all their hubbies had gone out to the pub together and Steve hadn't been invited, but hey- that, it would seem, is life!
However thanks to my old friend Lorna I joined the St Barnabas Christmas Choir and thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsals leading up to the Carols by Candlelight service which we were due to sing at. The choir was amazing mainly made up of people in their 20's, 30's and 40's and a good mix of men and women and even a guide dog! There was an inspiring blind lady in the choir who had the words in braille and had incredible pitch! On the night I felt quite nervous and excited and it was fab - I sang soprano and reached all the top notes including a few top A's- which in previous years I've found impossible due to sore throats and so having a tonsillectomy last January was the best choice!! We sang a John Rutter piece, a beautiful version of In the Bleak Mid-winter and two gospel songs; one was 'Oh Holy Night' and the other was written and composed by a guy in the choir and involved congregational participation- it was amazing to see the whole Church swaying and clapping and singing 'rejoice'! I definitely want to do it again next year!
It's been a bit weird here this last month because usually by now we're up to our ears in youth service preparations, choir rehearsals, school plays and concerts, Christmas dinners and parties here there and everywhere.Here the children don't have a very active after school life and so there's no rushing around after school and Beth has no involvement in her new school musically, so no concert to go to. Isaac didn't have a play at school, but we did go to his short carol concert last week. So it's all been a bit quiet...
Currently I'm gearing up for Christmas - the tree and other decorations are up, the cards are done and sent, the presents are wrapped and hidden! I've done all the food shopping bar the fresh veg, I've iced the Christmas Cake, I've changed all the bedlinen ready for our guests, now it's just the cleaning and making up beds etc before our first guests arrive on Tuesday! I'm quite looking forward to having the family all here, but know it's going to be an interesting few days of family dynamics!
We've had a few niggles with the house too - a growing brown stain on the games room ceiling indicating a fixed leaky toilet was not the cause as we originally thought (wet carpet near the toilet caused by?? Maybe should get Steve's eyes tested?)The plumber then discovered the grout in our en-suite shower was virtually gone - so some magic gunk and hopefully that's the end of the growing stain! We had a light that mysteriously stopped working, change of bulb made no difference, the electrician fitted a new switch and hey presto we have light in the porch again!! Talking of lights - what is the deal with Christmas lights? How do they go away one year working and come out the next dead as a dodo? I have a garland on the banisters which has some nice pearly berry lights on it - worked perfectly well last time, got it out of the box, plugged it in to check it was OK and it was, but when in situ and plugged in - nothing, nada. So Steve and I fiddled with bulbs, plug fuses etc and swapped bulbs from another set and today Steve painstakingly swapped the bulbs from one set to another until ha had a full set working - but not on the garland?? So bless him he then took off the dead set and re twined the other set around the garland which are now working beautifully!!!! Why does it have to be so complicated??? Sometimes the set of lights on our Christmas tree (which have various funcions) suddenly stop 'slow glow' and go into mental flashing!! Maybe it's just us!!!
So I've survived this first term of 6 at Ridley and I'll admit it's not all been as I'd imagined, some good, some bad. Things look just as mad for next term, but without the whole getting to know you pressure! There are other pressures! I do think that I will struggle financially after Christmas as I'm not working and the nice cushion from Steve's redundancy has gone - it's a huge change for all of us (the children still don't really get it!) and old habits die hard, but new year, new attitude and I pray we'll cope. Well here's to the New Year, I pray for a good, healthy and happy one for all!
Well I need to stop this blog for now and go get my beauty sleep - this Wilkinson family is lighting the 4th Advent candle at St Barnabas tomorrow morning!
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Sunday, 19 October 2008
The Time Factor
I am currently entering a seemingly strange and bizarre world of inbetweenness (is that an actual word?) I was sitting listening to a sermon at St. Barnabas this morning all about their 5 year vision - which has been the theme for the last 3 weeks. It slowly began to dawn on me that I wouldn't be around for the realisation of that 5 year plan and then felt quite detached from it and switched off from the sermon and my mind began wandering... My entire life here suddenly feels like everything is in limbo. My involvement in anything is not half-hearted, but knowing I cannot fully contribute to any long-term plan is actually quite frustrating. So far I have taken on quite a bit in terms of activities, but don't seem to have as much gusto as in the past.
I am volunteering at Isaac's school one morning a week and I've been on two school trips with them as well! I felt I wanted to do this on several levels - it's good to get to know Isaac's classmates and teacher, I enjoy working with children (hearing readers is not the most stimulating of activities though!)and all experience is good for future career moves! I don't feel really involved though, however I was offered a job this week in Yr 1 as a 1:1 TA(the perfect job) - which is frustrating in itself as it has implications on state benefits and Diocesan grants and might not be financially viable (so I am supposed to have my career in limbo for these two years it would seem!)
SPICE (Ridley Hall Spouses group)in itself is no too bad because everyone is in the same boat, except that some are only here for 1, 2 or 3 years so you find yourself gravitating towards people with 2 years to go - which may exclude some great friendships with others. I have become involved with one of the worship teams at Ridley which is great, but there are many teams and you only get to play twice a term and so doesn't really lead to great bonding with the other team members - maybe it's just early days on that one?
I've also started going to a Cafe Church called Thirst held at Isaac's school on a Friday morning and am planning to join some of them for a twice monthly bible study too, so far it's been different people every week (apart from those running it) so no great chance yet to build relationships.
I am so grateful for my old friends Lorna and Beccy who I have been able to spend time with without needing to start from the beginning, but they already had their lives here and I don't want to rely too much on them, but man is it good when we do get together for lunch or coffee and you can really be yourself again!
I guess I'm feeling a bit lonely and miss my friends back home - people who know me well and understand me!! The frustrating thing is that it takes time to build relationships and time is something I don't have and maybe it feels a little bit false to make friendships too quickly. I think I'm missing having relationships with a bit of meat to them, relationships are skeletal so far. So I've invited all the SPICE members to coffee tomorrow in the hope of getting to know them better! As yet I don't have any new friends who just drop by or who I could drop in on for a chat.
There are so many opportunities here for an Ordinands wife: meeting new people and varied activities to try, but I feel I don't have enough time to see any real fruits from those relationships. It would actually be really easy to spend these two years alone and in limbo - suspended from all normal relationships until we move again in 20 months time. Then I will face the barrier of being 'The Curate's Wife' when trying to build relationships wherever we end up!
I'm off home at 1/2 term where I can be me!
I am volunteering at Isaac's school one morning a week and I've been on two school trips with them as well! I felt I wanted to do this on several levels - it's good to get to know Isaac's classmates and teacher, I enjoy working with children (hearing readers is not the most stimulating of activities though!)and all experience is good for future career moves! I don't feel really involved though, however I was offered a job this week in Yr 1 as a 1:1 TA(the perfect job) - which is frustrating in itself as it has implications on state benefits and Diocesan grants and might not be financially viable (so I am supposed to have my career in limbo for these two years it would seem!)
SPICE (Ridley Hall Spouses group)in itself is no too bad because everyone is in the same boat, except that some are only here for 1, 2 or 3 years so you find yourself gravitating towards people with 2 years to go - which may exclude some great friendships with others. I have become involved with one of the worship teams at Ridley which is great, but there are many teams and you only get to play twice a term and so doesn't really lead to great bonding with the other team members - maybe it's just early days on that one?
I've also started going to a Cafe Church called Thirst held at Isaac's school on a Friday morning and am planning to join some of them for a twice monthly bible study too, so far it's been different people every week (apart from those running it) so no great chance yet to build relationships.
I am so grateful for my old friends Lorna and Beccy who I have been able to spend time with without needing to start from the beginning, but they already had their lives here and I don't want to rely too much on them, but man is it good when we do get together for lunch or coffee and you can really be yourself again!
I guess I'm feeling a bit lonely and miss my friends back home - people who know me well and understand me!! The frustrating thing is that it takes time to build relationships and time is something I don't have and maybe it feels a little bit false to make friendships too quickly. I think I'm missing having relationships with a bit of meat to them, relationships are skeletal so far. So I've invited all the SPICE members to coffee tomorrow in the hope of getting to know them better! As yet I don't have any new friends who just drop by or who I could drop in on for a chat.
There are so many opportunities here for an Ordinands wife: meeting new people and varied activities to try, but I feel I don't have enough time to see any real fruits from those relationships. It would actually be really easy to spend these two years alone and in limbo - suspended from all normal relationships until we move again in 20 months time. Then I will face the barrier of being 'The Curate's Wife' when trying to build relationships wherever we end up!
I'm off home at 1/2 term where I can be me!
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
This is life, but not as we know it.
Mmm, well today has been kind of strange. I don't know why, but Isaac turning 9 has really hit me. My baby boy is 9 years old, which as he told me today means he's a big boy now. I thought it would be bad when he turned 10 especially as Beth turns 13 the same year, but no today I felt bereft and even suggested to Steve we should get a dog! My baby, my youngest is 9.... Maybe it's because at Ridley I seems to be surrounded by babies and toddlers and people of a similar age to us who haven't started families yet! I've been feeling quite broody - what is it about Theological college that does that to you?? By the way, just in case you were wondering - no we are not about to have another baby - actually it would be impossible if you catch my drift! Although I do know that through God all things are possible...
So today my little boy had a new bike for his Birthday- which he was very excited about! He was also very happy to receive money from various relatives which he has already planned to spend on Star Wars Lego!! We had a family Birthday Tea at a Chinese Buffet Restaurant called Lucky Star in Cambridge, which was great because you don't have to wait ages and Isaac can have as many puddings as he likes - 4 tonight!!!! On Saturday he has a few friends coming round for a DVD, popcorn, pizza and Ice-cream Sundaes! Should be interesting! I went on his school trip yesterday as a helper which meant I was able to suss out the other children in his class - I managed to persuade Isaac to invite a few girls too!
I seem to have managed to fill up my week completely without even going to work!!! I didn't get an interview for the supply teaching assistant post - they had lots of 'strong candidates' apply apparently. Obviously my credentials weren't good enough on paper! So I have taken this to mean that I should not work while we are here!!! So instead I booked some courses to further my knowledge and education! The Digital Photography course was cancelled due to lack of interest -only 9 applied and they needed 12 to make it worth running! So I have volunteered to help in Isaac's class every Tuesday morning instead! Which is how I ended up on his school trip and next week I am going on another one- this time punting! Their topic this term is water so they're going to see how a lock works and then have a guided punt on the river Cam! Isaac's teacher is lovely- a little scatty, but great with the kids.
Anyway this is how my week looks so far;
Monday am - Cleaning (allegedly!)
Monday pm - Gospel Choir (fortnightly)
Monday eve - SPICE
Tues am - St Philips School
Tues pm - Bible Study (fortnightly)
Wed am - Psychology A-Level
Wed pm - Washing/Ironing
Thurs am - SPICE
Thurs pm - Food Shopping
Thurs eve - Ridley Communion and Supper
Fri am - Coffee with friends and or Cafe Church at St Philips School.
Plus I have volunteered to be secretary for the St Philips PFSA (PTA)and to work on the Worship working comittee at Ridley as the SPICE rep. Also I'm hoping to get involved with the worship team at Ridley, I am meeting one of the Worship Deacons tomorrow so he can show me the Organ in the Chapel at Ridley Hall- I'm quite excited about playing the organ again as I haven't got my hands on an Organ for a few years!!! Ooh er missus! Does still leave me time for Facebook,EBAY and playing flute/piano etc though!!!
Cycling is starting to become a habit, the car does seem to sit on the driveway most of the time. I've got my cycle computer working and it's 2.52 miles to Ridley from our house. So I worked out that if I cycle to Ridley/City at least 4 times a week and with walking Isaac to and from school everyday I probably only need to do one more session of exercise to fulfill my 30 minutes 5 times a week! Actually I've just worked out that just by walking to and from school every day is 120 minutes!So if you're supposed to do a total of 150 minutes a week... Even if I only cycle to Ridley twice a week I will be doing 200 minutes(sometimes longer)altogether, so I'm actually over the recommended amount!!! Marvellous!!!! However I do wish that my heel would heal so I could start running again because it's so lovely and flat round here!Anyway I must go to bed - I'm so tired at the moment I nearly fell asleep whilst hearing readers this morning!
So today my little boy had a new bike for his Birthday- which he was very excited about! He was also very happy to receive money from various relatives which he has already planned to spend on Star Wars Lego!! We had a family Birthday Tea at a Chinese Buffet Restaurant called Lucky Star in Cambridge, which was great because you don't have to wait ages and Isaac can have as many puddings as he likes - 4 tonight!!!! On Saturday he has a few friends coming round for a DVD, popcorn, pizza and Ice-cream Sundaes! Should be interesting! I went on his school trip yesterday as a helper which meant I was able to suss out the other children in his class - I managed to persuade Isaac to invite a few girls too!
I seem to have managed to fill up my week completely without even going to work!!! I didn't get an interview for the supply teaching assistant post - they had lots of 'strong candidates' apply apparently. Obviously my credentials weren't good enough on paper! So I have taken this to mean that I should not work while we are here!!! So instead I booked some courses to further my knowledge and education! The Digital Photography course was cancelled due to lack of interest -only 9 applied and they needed 12 to make it worth running! So I have volunteered to help in Isaac's class every Tuesday morning instead! Which is how I ended up on his school trip and next week I am going on another one- this time punting! Their topic this term is water so they're going to see how a lock works and then have a guided punt on the river Cam! Isaac's teacher is lovely- a little scatty, but great with the kids.
Anyway this is how my week looks so far;
Monday am - Cleaning (allegedly!)
Monday pm - Gospel Choir (fortnightly)
Monday eve - SPICE
Tues am - St Philips School
Tues pm - Bible Study (fortnightly)
Wed am - Psychology A-Level
Wed pm - Washing/Ironing
Thurs am - SPICE
Thurs pm - Food Shopping
Thurs eve - Ridley Communion and Supper
Fri am - Coffee with friends and or Cafe Church at St Philips School.
Plus I have volunteered to be secretary for the St Philips PFSA (PTA)and to work on the Worship working comittee at Ridley as the SPICE rep. Also I'm hoping to get involved with the worship team at Ridley, I am meeting one of the Worship Deacons tomorrow so he can show me the Organ in the Chapel at Ridley Hall- I'm quite excited about playing the organ again as I haven't got my hands on an Organ for a few years!!! Ooh er missus! Does still leave me time for Facebook,EBAY and playing flute/piano etc though!!!
Cycling is starting to become a habit, the car does seem to sit on the driveway most of the time. I've got my cycle computer working and it's 2.52 miles to Ridley from our house. So I worked out that if I cycle to Ridley/City at least 4 times a week and with walking Isaac to and from school everyday I probably only need to do one more session of exercise to fulfill my 30 minutes 5 times a week! Actually I've just worked out that just by walking to and from school every day is 120 minutes!So if you're supposed to do a total of 150 minutes a week... Even if I only cycle to Ridley twice a week I will be doing 200 minutes(sometimes longer)altogether, so I'm actually over the recommended amount!!! Marvellous!!!! However I do wish that my heel would heal so I could start running again because it's so lovely and flat round here!Anyway I must go to bed - I'm so tired at the moment I nearly fell asleep whilst hearing readers this morning!
Friday, 12 September 2008
I've been a really busy bee...
Well I think I may have made a few decisions about my spare time today! I have now signed up for a distance learning course where I'll be studying A-Level Psychology - so watch out if I start asking you weird questions!
I have also enrolled on a 10 week course to learn more about digital photography - which includes how to use Photo-shop to edit and manipulate your images. I'm hoping to become more of a whizz on that front! Now we need to buy that digital SLR that Steve keeps talking about.
I have also seen a job advert that looks interesting, so I rang up for a application form. It's for a supply teaching assistant post at a new purpose built special needs school in Cambridge, which would mean I could continue with my studies and also earn a little bit of money - have to be careful how much because it could effect our child tax credit payments otherwise! It will also mean more experience and in a different setting than before. Watch this space!
So this is how my weeks will be looking: Monday- Psychology and SPICE(eve), Tuesday- Photography, Wednesday- Psychology, Thursday - SPICE, Friday - Psychology.Plus work if that happens, so all in all looking a little less uninspiring!
My latest dilemma is that Beth has been invited to a sleepover by a girl in her class whom I have never met, don't know her family, don't even know where she lives! I have to say it's not something I've ever had to think about before. Beforehand we either knew the family really well or had known the child a long time! So at this stage I've said to Beth that I would like her to invite Hannah round after school next week and I will get her address and telephone number and speak to Hannah's parents! Beth of course thinks this is way over the top and unnecessary!
Isaac seems to be settling into school and is really enjoying school dinners! He's joined the running club and said there were 49 children at it this week! His teacher thinks he's lovely - she's not the one who has to motivate him in the mornings! He also has set homework now- which he's none too happy about, but really it's not much more than he had to do before! Boys -eh!
Steve and I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday-well I say celebrated, I bought Steve a gift and a card and Steve bought me a card and some chocolate on his way home from taking Isaac to school on Wednesday morning. I suggested we should go out for lunch - Steve made me cycle into Cambridge and then we did a bit of shopping and shop exploring. When we were in Debenhams Steve went off on his own (always a mistake!) when he found me again he showed me a jacket that he wanted to buy - he has it in his head that now he's an Ordinand he needs a blazer or jacket to wear - even though apart from a suit he's never worn a jacket before - he doesn't really have clothes that would go with a blazer, but that's another story- he's a combats and t-shirt kinda guy - why a blazer, why???? It was a Jasper Conran jacket (part of a suit!)and cost £99. It was black, too formal and almost a shiny material, not suitable at all! then to finish off we went to Pizza Hut for a buffet lunch - I did insist on a Magners instead of the usual Pepsi refill! He is so the last romantic,I did get some nice flowers, which i then had to carry home in my pannier, somewhat precariously!
On the jacket front - it was made somewhat worse the following day when we went to a SPICE coffee morning at a cafe in town, one of the other husbands got up to leave and put a jacket on.... however he was wearing smarter casual clothes and it wasn't shiny material and had a less formal look to it, but it hasn't helped my case!!! SPICE in case I haven't already explained in the group for Ordinands spouses at Ridley Hall, the college Steve will be studying at.
Well, time to read Isaac a bedtime story - must drag him away from a Top Gear repeat!
I have also enrolled on a 10 week course to learn more about digital photography - which includes how to use Photo-shop to edit and manipulate your images. I'm hoping to become more of a whizz on that front! Now we need to buy that digital SLR that Steve keeps talking about.
I have also seen a job advert that looks interesting, so I rang up for a application form. It's for a supply teaching assistant post at a new purpose built special needs school in Cambridge, which would mean I could continue with my studies and also earn a little bit of money - have to be careful how much because it could effect our child tax credit payments otherwise! It will also mean more experience and in a different setting than before. Watch this space!
So this is how my weeks will be looking: Monday- Psychology and SPICE(eve), Tuesday- Photography, Wednesday- Psychology, Thursday - SPICE, Friday - Psychology.Plus work if that happens, so all in all looking a little less uninspiring!
My latest dilemma is that Beth has been invited to a sleepover by a girl in her class whom I have never met, don't know her family, don't even know where she lives! I have to say it's not something I've ever had to think about before. Beforehand we either knew the family really well or had known the child a long time! So at this stage I've said to Beth that I would like her to invite Hannah round after school next week and I will get her address and telephone number and speak to Hannah's parents! Beth of course thinks this is way over the top and unnecessary!
Isaac seems to be settling into school and is really enjoying school dinners! He's joined the running club and said there were 49 children at it this week! His teacher thinks he's lovely - she's not the one who has to motivate him in the mornings! He also has set homework now- which he's none too happy about, but really it's not much more than he had to do before! Boys -eh!
Steve and I celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday-well I say celebrated, I bought Steve a gift and a card and Steve bought me a card and some chocolate on his way home from taking Isaac to school on Wednesday morning. I suggested we should go out for lunch - Steve made me cycle into Cambridge and then we did a bit of shopping and shop exploring. When we were in Debenhams Steve went off on his own (always a mistake!) when he found me again he showed me a jacket that he wanted to buy - he has it in his head that now he's an Ordinand he needs a blazer or jacket to wear - even though apart from a suit he's never worn a jacket before - he doesn't really have clothes that would go with a blazer, but that's another story- he's a combats and t-shirt kinda guy - why a blazer, why???? It was a Jasper Conran jacket (part of a suit!)and cost £99. It was black, too formal and almost a shiny material, not suitable at all! then to finish off we went to Pizza Hut for a buffet lunch - I did insist on a Magners instead of the usual Pepsi refill! He is so the last romantic,I did get some nice flowers, which i then had to carry home in my pannier, somewhat precariously!
On the jacket front - it was made somewhat worse the following day when we went to a SPICE coffee morning at a cafe in town, one of the other husbands got up to leave and put a jacket on.... however he was wearing smarter casual clothes and it wasn't shiny material and had a less formal look to it, but it hasn't helped my case!!! SPICE in case I haven't already explained in the group for Ordinands spouses at Ridley Hall, the college Steve will be studying at.
Well, time to read Isaac a bedtime story - must drag him away from a Top Gear repeat!
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
To study or not to study -that is the question?
Having got the children seemingly settled into their new schools and with Steve about to set off on his own voyage of dicovery I have been turning my attention to some studying of my own. I am in a quandry... I have several options, that is the problem. Currently I have several GCSE's, 1 A-Level and an NNEB Diploma to my name. I never went to Uni because I failed French A-Level twice (2nd time worse than the 1st!) and by this time had met Steve and wanted to settle down etc etc.
There are many ways that I could follow: the full-time Mum and dutiful wife path, the finally get my own career path in teaching, the part-time mum dutiful wife and part-time student of life enhancing little courses. Anyone who knows me reasonably well might well assume that the first option is not really me - true I think, although today I did sleep in until 11am - the joys of Steve being at home! Isaac said I was being a lazy lump!
The 2nd option would entail several years of hard study - 2 years to gain another A-level or complete an Access course and then somehow fitting in a Degree after that and quite possibly a PGCE beyond that. I have looked into an Access course here in Cambridge which is part-time over two years, but with the prospect of 2 or 3 days in college and timetabling as late as 4.30pm it all started to sound a bit complicated with school pick-ups and after school clubs etc. Still the idea lolls about in my head.
Today I have spent far too much time looking at Adult Ed classes on the web here in Cambridge. I'd quite like to do A-Level Pyscholgy, but as yet haven't found a course that runs in the daytime. Then I picked up a leaflet that fell out of the local newspaper about ICS distance learning courses that you study at home - which set me off at another tangent looking at all those possibilities, which led me to the OU web site and so on and so on.
Now my head is positively reeling from course information and I'm still none the wiser for what to do. Steve is not really helping by having no comment to make on the subject other than "do you really want to be a teacher - all that extra responsibilty and work at home etc. At least when you're a TA you can leave it all there at the end of the day" So after that gem of wisdom I thought OK still interested in Psychology, but what else could I do.
I really would like to increase my computer skills - have you ever looked at the vast array of IT and computing qualifications out there, it's a minefield of letters and driving licenses. No idea what course means what! Then I struck upon the idea of something less educational more crafty. In the past I have completed an Interior Design City and Guilds course and a Photography Skills course, both at evening classes. So I had a look through what the local colleges had to offer and found a Digital Camera skills course which includes using Photoshop to manipulate images on your computer. Sounds interesting I thought and so for the moment I'm considering the third option, some cosy crafty type of courses, but still would love to do Pyschology-aargghh!!!! If anyone reading this has ever done a distance learning course I would love some thoughts about it, good or bad!
I just feel that being a full-time Mum (difficult when they're at school 6 hours a day), housewife and wife is not quite enough, but as yet I haven't come up with a plan for me.
There are many ways that I could follow: the full-time Mum and dutiful wife path, the finally get my own career path in teaching, the part-time mum dutiful wife and part-time student of life enhancing little courses. Anyone who knows me reasonably well might well assume that the first option is not really me - true I think, although today I did sleep in until 11am - the joys of Steve being at home! Isaac said I was being a lazy lump!
The 2nd option would entail several years of hard study - 2 years to gain another A-level or complete an Access course and then somehow fitting in a Degree after that and quite possibly a PGCE beyond that. I have looked into an Access course here in Cambridge which is part-time over two years, but with the prospect of 2 or 3 days in college and timetabling as late as 4.30pm it all started to sound a bit complicated with school pick-ups and after school clubs etc. Still the idea lolls about in my head.
Today I have spent far too much time looking at Adult Ed classes on the web here in Cambridge. I'd quite like to do A-Level Pyscholgy, but as yet haven't found a course that runs in the daytime. Then I picked up a leaflet that fell out of the local newspaper about ICS distance learning courses that you study at home - which set me off at another tangent looking at all those possibilities, which led me to the OU web site and so on and so on.
Now my head is positively reeling from course information and I'm still none the wiser for what to do. Steve is not really helping by having no comment to make on the subject other than "do you really want to be a teacher - all that extra responsibilty and work at home etc. At least when you're a TA you can leave it all there at the end of the day" So after that gem of wisdom I thought OK still interested in Psychology, but what else could I do.
I really would like to increase my computer skills - have you ever looked at the vast array of IT and computing qualifications out there, it's a minefield of letters and driving licenses. No idea what course means what! Then I struck upon the idea of something less educational more crafty. In the past I have completed an Interior Design City and Guilds course and a Photography Skills course, both at evening classes. So I had a look through what the local colleges had to offer and found a Digital Camera skills course which includes using Photoshop to manipulate images on your computer. Sounds interesting I thought and so for the moment I'm considering the third option, some cosy crafty type of courses, but still would love to do Pyschology-aargghh!!!! If anyone reading this has ever done a distance learning course I would love some thoughts about it, good or bad!
I just feel that being a full-time Mum (difficult when they're at school 6 hours a day), housewife and wife is not quite enough, but as yet I haven't come up with a plan for me.
Monday, 8 September 2008
Time to get in on the blogging act!
I have decided to give you all the chance to read my side of the story...
My husband Steve is about to embark on a two year training course which will lead to him becoming a Vicar one day, currently he is known as an Ordinand. He has a blog of his own - from his perspective. This blog is intended to give you a glimpse of what an Ordinand's life is really like from a wifes' point of view! As I have been sorting out our new house, getting the children prepared for school and organising life in general I am behind him in posting blogs of life so far. A potted history:
July 2008: Left a job which I loved and colleagues who were great, watched my children say goodbye to life as they knew it, friends, lovingly cherished bedrooms, Guides, Cubs and other clubs. Started the sorting and packing process. Said fond farewells to church family - I spent quite a lot of July leaking from my tearducts!
August 2008: Went to a family wedding, packed up one 3 bedroomed house in leafy Ferndown, Dorset, packed up 2 children, 2 rabbits and went for tea at my best friend's house - for some reason it felt a bit like The Last Supper and I was the betrayer! Said see you soon and meant it.
Arrived 3 hours later in Cambridge City with two quite excited children and a worn out husband, didn't really get much sleep on an airbed masquerading as a waterbed - it was that kind of motion everytime one of us turned over.
The removal men arrived bright and early the next day with a mahoosive lorry - well alright it was 2 trailers. Thankfully it was bright sunshine and blue skies overhead and the children were bouncing on their new trampoline - bribery as part of the moving deal! Then followed a near constant stream of plants, boxes, furniture and yet more boxes, which were emptied into our new 4 bedroomed, 3-storey townhouse. Finally we collapsed in a heap sometime after 6pm!
An old friend took the children out for a couple of hours and then fed them tea, Steve and I had a Macdonalds - neither of us could think by this point and we knew where the golden arches were! The following day my parents arrived ( I now really understand the term Godsend) Dad was putting stuff together - well he had to or they'd have been sleeping on the floor, Mum was rapidly unpacking boxes like a whirling dervish - I on the other hand would have happily gone and hidden somewhere! By Sunday evening everything that could be unpacked was, there were even pictures hanging on the wall in the lounge! One room was full of empty boxes - neatly stacked and organised by mum and mostly garage and shed stuff, but everywhere else was beginning to resemble a home - maybe that's when it hit me. This was now home, so how long before it would really feel that way?
The next couple of weeks were filled with putting pictures and clocks on the walls and sorting out more permanent homes for things. It was also the time to discover the little irritating things about living in rented accomodation - like washing machines nearly catching fire and Lawnmowers with official not safe labels on them. A tiny dishwasher for a family of four, a range cooker that isn't a patch on my humble double oven back in Ferndown and a really stupid and impractical white kitchen floor (which has 2 doors to the back garden!)
I also had to endure several nights where my children found it really difficult to settle - what I don't yet understand is how they seem to think that I have the answer to why they can't get to sleep and how I can magically make them fall asleep! This is after applying all the usual techniques known to man on settling babies, toddlers, children and adults!
Then finally after buying last minute items for school and trying out routes to new schools the last day of the Summer holidays was here.
September 1st 2008
Quite a horrible day, both children were grumpy - I put this down to nerves about the reality of new schools. Isaac has declared that he wishes Daddy would change his mind - then we can all go back to Ferndown and he can finish Yr 4 at Hampreston. We got school things ready and tried to get them to bed early -Ha Ha
I was going out at 8pm to a Pimms O' Clock evening being held by the Ridley Hall spouses group - more about that later. In the end I left after Beth had stropped out majorly and Isaac had procrastinated so long in the bath that he was more raisin than prune!
September 2nd 2008
First day of new schools. Steve cycled with Beth to St. Bedes and I walked a reluctant Isaac to St. Philips. It was a shock for me, it was like another world. St. Philips is a C of E Primary School in the Romsey area of Cambridge - we live in that part of the city, I don't know what I was expecting, but the multi-ethnicity and appearance of pupils and parents made me feel like a fish out of water. I also was not prepared for how I would feel leaving Isaac there. I went with him to his peg and then to the classroom door, gave him a big hug and said right off you go then - see you later and watched as he dejectedly swaggered into the classroom looking for a seat and flopped into one. He looked so out of place and lost. It's hard to describe but I felt a very real sense of abandonment, what had I done putting my baby through this. I cried on the way home.
My husband Steve is about to embark on a two year training course which will lead to him becoming a Vicar one day, currently he is known as an Ordinand. He has a blog of his own - from his perspective. This blog is intended to give you a glimpse of what an Ordinand's life is really like from a wifes' point of view! As I have been sorting out our new house, getting the children prepared for school and organising life in general I am behind him in posting blogs of life so far. A potted history:
July 2008: Left a job which I loved and colleagues who were great, watched my children say goodbye to life as they knew it, friends, lovingly cherished bedrooms, Guides, Cubs and other clubs. Started the sorting and packing process. Said fond farewells to church family - I spent quite a lot of July leaking from my tearducts!
August 2008: Went to a family wedding, packed up one 3 bedroomed house in leafy Ferndown, Dorset, packed up 2 children, 2 rabbits and went for tea at my best friend's house - for some reason it felt a bit like The Last Supper and I was the betrayer! Said see you soon and meant it.
Arrived 3 hours later in Cambridge City with two quite excited children and a worn out husband, didn't really get much sleep on an airbed masquerading as a waterbed - it was that kind of motion everytime one of us turned over.
The removal men arrived bright and early the next day with a mahoosive lorry - well alright it was 2 trailers. Thankfully it was bright sunshine and blue skies overhead and the children were bouncing on their new trampoline - bribery as part of the moving deal! Then followed a near constant stream of plants, boxes, furniture and yet more boxes, which were emptied into our new 4 bedroomed, 3-storey townhouse. Finally we collapsed in a heap sometime after 6pm!
An old friend took the children out for a couple of hours and then fed them tea, Steve and I had a Macdonalds - neither of us could think by this point and we knew where the golden arches were! The following day my parents arrived ( I now really understand the term Godsend) Dad was putting stuff together - well he had to or they'd have been sleeping on the floor, Mum was rapidly unpacking boxes like a whirling dervish - I on the other hand would have happily gone and hidden somewhere! By Sunday evening everything that could be unpacked was, there were even pictures hanging on the wall in the lounge! One room was full of empty boxes - neatly stacked and organised by mum and mostly garage and shed stuff, but everywhere else was beginning to resemble a home - maybe that's when it hit me. This was now home, so how long before it would really feel that way?
The next couple of weeks were filled with putting pictures and clocks on the walls and sorting out more permanent homes for things. It was also the time to discover the little irritating things about living in rented accomodation - like washing machines nearly catching fire and Lawnmowers with official not safe labels on them. A tiny dishwasher for a family of four, a range cooker that isn't a patch on my humble double oven back in Ferndown and a really stupid and impractical white kitchen floor (which has 2 doors to the back garden!)
I also had to endure several nights where my children found it really difficult to settle - what I don't yet understand is how they seem to think that I have the answer to why they can't get to sleep and how I can magically make them fall asleep! This is after applying all the usual techniques known to man on settling babies, toddlers, children and adults!
Then finally after buying last minute items for school and trying out routes to new schools the last day of the Summer holidays was here.
September 1st 2008
Quite a horrible day, both children were grumpy - I put this down to nerves about the reality of new schools. Isaac has declared that he wishes Daddy would change his mind - then we can all go back to Ferndown and he can finish Yr 4 at Hampreston. We got school things ready and tried to get them to bed early -Ha Ha
I was going out at 8pm to a Pimms O' Clock evening being held by the Ridley Hall spouses group - more about that later. In the end I left after Beth had stropped out majorly and Isaac had procrastinated so long in the bath that he was more raisin than prune!
September 2nd 2008
First day of new schools. Steve cycled with Beth to St. Bedes and I walked a reluctant Isaac to St. Philips. It was a shock for me, it was like another world. St. Philips is a C of E Primary School in the Romsey area of Cambridge - we live in that part of the city, I don't know what I was expecting, but the multi-ethnicity and appearance of pupils and parents made me feel like a fish out of water. I also was not prepared for how I would feel leaving Isaac there. I went with him to his peg and then to the classroom door, gave him a big hug and said right off you go then - see you later and watched as he dejectedly swaggered into the classroom looking for a seat and flopped into one. He looked so out of place and lost. It's hard to describe but I felt a very real sense of abandonment, what had I done putting my baby through this. I cried on the way home.
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