This Week: 26th August 2013

Yes, I am still here!

The weather ... beautiful late summer weather, warm and mostly sunny. Perfect as we are spending the week in a caravan on the Dorset coast at Weymouth

I am wearing ... pyjamas. Enjoying being lazy.

I am reading ... It's a Don's Life, the book of a blog by Cambridge classicist Mary Beard. Easy to dip into, but also teaching me snippets about the classics and the ancient world as I read.

I am creating ... a light green sweater, knitting in the round top down. I can't remember the pattern name offhand. I wanted mindless knitting and non-taxing reading this week.

I am listening ... to noises from outside the caravan and Rose watching something on the iPad. Helen and A (who has joined us for a few days and really needs a blog name) are about to take Rose to the soft play area. Marie is not with us this week as she has gone back to Bulgaria to work with the gypsy community again. This time they are painting a school, helping to set up a pig farm, and running children's activities.

I am watching ... not much. I'm coming to the conclusion that TV and I mostly don't get along. Watching TV is so far at the bottom of my pecking order of things to do that I rarely bother, and the less I watch the harder I find it to focus even on things I really want to see.

I am enjoying ... rest. Catching up on sleep. Time to read, walk, swim and just be.

From the learning rooms ... I finished my course! The whole thing! I submitted my two final assignments on Friday and should now be a qualified archivist and records manager. The last three months have been tough going, trying to combine full time work, family, music and studying something I really didn't enjoy - the rest of the course has been fine, but records management is just not me. The last effort on the final assignments was a constant battle not to lose focus. The last few weeks have left me feeling overtired both physically and mentally and dragging through everything. I badly needed this break and an opportunity to recharge my batteries.

On the menu ... whatever we feel like that takes minimal effort. Quite a bit of eating out and takeaways.

On the calendar ... nothing!

A picture from yesterday ...

This Week: 5th August 2013

The weather ... Wet and miserable today, which is a shame as I was not working and had planned to take Rose to the zoo. We went swimming instead.

I am wearing ... Dark pink trousers, sleeveless navy top, navy cardigan.

I am reading ... Not much. I have downloaded a few Kindle books intending to read them. Dos that count?

I am creating ... Coursework assignments. I spent a long day on Saturday writing an essay which is one of two final assignments for the final module of my archive course. The end really is in sight!

I am listening ... Usually I fix on classical for a while or rock / pop for a while. At the moment I'm mixing it up and listening to a very random mix of music.

I am watching watched ... Now You See Me at the cinema with Tevye last week. We both enjoyed it, as did Helen when she saw it the week before. A kind of magical / sleight of hand thriller. Not the most believable plot, but very watchable.

I am enjoying ... Having extra time at home over the summer, thanks to a mix of taking odd days of my holiday allowance and flexi days (days off in lieu of extra hours worked)

From the learning rooms ... Records management, records management, and more records management - but only for another two and a half weeks and then I'm DONE!

On the menu ... Menu planning in the holidays just doesn't work. I don't think I stuck to last week's plan for more than a day or two. Everything is out of routine and I never know much in advance how many people I need to feed.

On the calendar ...
Monday: day off work. Took Rose swimming. Marie is spending Monday to Friday this week babysitting for a friend. Well, not babies exactly - 11 and 8 year olds. Teenagers can be very useful!
Tuesday: back to work for me. Dental appointment for Tevye. Rose has a friend coming to play in the afternoon.
Wednesday: helping to run an archive related activity day at the library, band orCtice.
Thursday: going to look round a newly refurbished museum. This is work. Did I mention I love my job? Tevye has a routine hospital appointment.
Friday: nothing out of the ordinary
Saturday: more work on the wretched records management.
Sunday: playing a "Proms in the Park" concert with the band in the evening. Should be fun. Tevye and Rose are coming to listen and we will take a picnic (so long ad the weather is ok!)

A picture from last week ... Today's healthy lunch. Wholemeal bagel with eggs microwaved in a mug (easiest eggs ever!), mushrooms, sliced tomatoes and baby spinach