Half Term Happiness

I have my laptop back and it's intact!!

Have laptop, will blog!

I'm afraid I won't be wading through the 607 unread posts in my google reader, but I will get round to visiting you all eventually.

So, on with the blog......

Half Term was busy as usual so I'll just give the highlights:

• daughter got new hamster, "Nibbles"

• I got a new bike! Love it!


• I got a new car!!! "Persephone Polo"
  

• We went for a walk around Alderley Edge to look for wizards and witches

• Endured lunch with MIL (precisely 11 minutes before she began to be depressing and talk about illness and death) but the food was good

• We went for a bike ride on our bikes. I love my new bike! Why did I wait so long to get a new one?


• I baked lots of bread (inspired by Lorraine Pascale)


• Bought some of these:
• and some of these:

for my neice, nephew and goddaughter.

(Now feeling very smug about getting ahead for Easter)

• I watched "Avatar" (bit disappointing, must have been great in 3-D on cinema, not so impressive on a little portable TV in my bedroom)


• I watched "Coco avant Chanel" (Very disappointing; didn't really go into any depth about her life except her ability to sleep with men for self gain)


• Reread two "Lucia" books by E F Benson; I'd forgotten how good they are.


• Booked daughter's birthday party at pony riding centre again. If it ain't broke........


• Made some biscuits:

Guess who chose the design?

Now it's back to work and "hello inspectors"!

I want a person, not a system!!

Still suffering the temporary loss of my laptop.

Have snuck upstairs to use husband's laptop while he's at City so that I can tell you the story:

So my laptop broke.

Well, to be precise, daughter broke a mouse button whilst caring for her Bratz fish (don't ask).

I rang up to see if the repair was covered by my laptop insurance thingy and luckily, yes.

However, they said I had to back up all my data in case they had to restore factory settings.

What? To fix a mouse button?

Well, the data is no problem, but I didn't want to have to install all my software again, set up my e-mail client, i-tunes, etc, etc.

So I asked what I thought was a reasonable question:

"Can you note that if you have to restore factory settings to fix the mouse button, please don't do it, I'll use an external mouse?"

No.

Apparently, their systems do not allow for this.

"Well," I thought, "I'll ask when I take it in", and I proceeded to book it in.

Now, I thought that a booking-in system means that your laptop gets fixed when you 've booked it in.

No, they need to keep it for 10 days!!

What's the point of booking in?

So I took the laptop in and asked the girl on the desk if I could leave a message that I do not want it to be fixed if it entailed restoring factory settings.

She looked puzzled.

They don't do messages.

"Well, how about we leave a message actually in the laptop?", I suggested.

"Okay, but I can't guarantee they'll read it"

Give me strength!

Then she handed me a notice to sign to say that I agree to their restoring factory settings, if necessary.

Oh, I can write a note on here", I said, and proceeded to write my proviso.

"Oh, no one reads that", she said.

"Unless someone makes a complaint", I thought.

So, I left my laptop with much trepidation and a wearying sense of doom.........

Yesterday I received an automated phone message to say that my repair has been completed and I can collect my device tomorrow.

Watch this space.......

Which do you want first? The good news or the bad news

Bad news: Hamster had to be put down today.

Good news: Daughter has seen another one she wants.

Bad news: The car I saw in a garage yesterday has been sold

Good news: They have a similar one coming in

Bad news: Laptop broken

Good news: Repair covered by insurance

Bad news: They are keeping my laptop for 10 days to fix it!!

Good news: I might get some housework done without t'internet to distract me!

See you in 10 days!

Rapunzel in a Tangle

Right, happy posts again, I promise.

Actually, I had a very happy time last Saturday.

We did our "mummy and daughter" thing:

a hot chocolate for her, a cup of tea for me and a good film.

We went to see Disney's new film "Tangled":

It almost passed me by.

I hadn't seen any publicity for it and I hadn't even realised that it was actually based on the story of Rapunzel. In fact, Disney's original title for the film was "Rapunzel":

but they changed it to "Tangled" saying it was a "really fresh, smart take on the Rapunzel story".

Well, it certainly was that.

Great story, great characters, fabulous villain.

The songs were a little cheesy, but then, it is Disney.

We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well, apart from when the mum sitting behind me spoiled the ending by telling her son what was going to happen so loudly that we all heard.

Why?

Why would you do that?

Anyway, if you're looking for something to do on a wet afternoon in half term I would recommend a couple of hours at the cinema watching "Tangled".

Just watch who you sit in front of!

Feel the love

Baking always makes me feel better.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Riding along on my pushbike, honey

Haven't posted for a while. Bit busy. Bit stressed. Bit down.

Everyday there seems to be more bad news.

Both personally and nationally.

And this recession feels more like a depression.

Taxes going up, prices going up, and the latest blow - the Government have declared that from next year they are going to take an extra £1000 a year out of my salary for my pension.

I need a new car.

We have decided that we cannot holiday abroad this year.

I know people will say I'm lucky, I've got a job, I can still have a holiday, I don't have to worry about paying bills, I can still afford a decent lifestyle, but here's the thing:

I've worked hard to get qualifications, I work hard at my job, I have spent 20 years living within my means and now it feels like I'm being financially punished for the excesses of others.

I've done nothing wrong!!

I can't change it. I just have to lump it.

The only thing to do now is to stop moaning about it.

And I promise I will.

Stop, that is.

And with expert timing, my dad has decided to cheer us all up!

He has suddenly decided he wants to treat us all.

He said he wants to buy us all something we want, but won't buy for ourselves.

Clever dad.

He knows that if he gave us each some money it would go on food, petrol and clothes.

He will only get us something we won't buy ourselves so that it will be a real treat.

So I'm getting.............

........... a new bicycle!!

My old one was on its last legs (or wheels!) so I got rid of it when we moved house. I said that I would get a new one when daughter had learned to ride so we can all go cycling together, but haven't got round to buying one yet.

So, I'll be off to the local cycle shop soon to get my new wheels.

When I told daughter I was getting a new bicycle she thought for a minute, and then said,

"Will you need stabilisers?"

Pass the chocolate.............

It seems to have been the week from hell workwise.

A very long and difficult Parents' Evening on Monday night followed by the arrival of the Inspectors on Tuesday was not a good start.

For those who asked, it isn't an "OFSTED" inspection because I don't work in a state school. Independent (private) schools have their own type of Inspection which consists of a two pronged attack; they came this week to check compliance and regulatory stuff and did some preliminary work on lesson observation, pupil interviews, pupil and parent questionnaires, etc and then they come back after half term for a much more detailed inspection including lots of lesson observation! So I find myself having to write quite detailed lesson plans for every lesson just in case they pop in, which is very time consuming. It's all in my head, I just don't usually write it all down in minute detail for someone else!

Consequently, I don't seem to have caught up with myself at all this week and, despite taking a packed lunch into school every day, I am still drowning in a sea of admin and marking.

Then, remember last week my mixer blew up? Well, this week my hairdryer blew up! Imagine, a stressful week at work and trying to dry your hair every morning with a travel hairdryer!

It's no wonder I've cracked open the box of Cadbury Heroes left over from Christmas!