Taking the long way home

It's good to be home, especially after yesterday.

Whilst the gales were causing the North West to grind to a halt, I, dear reader, was stuck bang in the middle of it. At the best of times (7 am!), I can travel the 18 miles to work in 35 to 40 minutes.

Yesterday, because the Runcorn Bridge and Thelwall Viaduct were both closed, the world and his wagon tried to get through Warrington.

As did I.

6 hours 10 minutes.

I got out of the car in a hunched position...

Afterthought

Wasn't the video for the magnificent You Have Killed Me (mentioned in dispatches here) set in a 70s Eurovision contest? Perhaps he was trying to tell us something...

Still disturbed by such a great poet entering the cheese-fest.

But, dear reader, happier times are here - my 27 charges and I are back in our own (admittedly still whiffy) classroom today.

OK, I needed to have all the windows open ("What do you mean it's cold? Just write quicker!") and I needed a quick squirt of Oust at the end of the day, but nevertheless...

Last Night I Dreamt That....

... I'd been watching an item on the regional news about Morrissey's attempt to represent the UK in the Eurovision. I laughed so hard I couldn't turn on the computer to blog about it.

This morning, even Wogan was talking about it.

A truly incongruous image is still lodged in in my mind.

And it's unsettling.

Like imagining Hannibal Lecter doing Saturday morning kids' TV.

Ho hum

The man with the marigolds had not turned up by the time I left work today, so I still have no idea about when I will get back into my classroom.

*sigh*

Closing shots

[Cut to aerial shot of shop in the dark, only light comes from shop windows. A figure in a brown overall, hands thrust into pockets, strolls out and begins to take the stock in in a contemplative manner. Voice over is reflective in tone]

It's been a strange few days... Funny how much water can actually back up in an overflow before the pressure gets too much... I wonder how early in the Christmas holidays the thing sprang a leak? They only filled the old sink outlet with expandable foam, you know... no wonder it was a weak spot...

I don't envy whoever was first to find it on Wednesday morning. It was soaked right into the carpet area and the cupboard... Those cushions in the reading corner will have to go... and the soft toys and puppets - well if they can survive a 40 degree wash we might be alright...

You'd have thought gravel from the flat roof would be easy to jet out, wouldn't you? Don't envy whoever has to put the marigolds on on Monday to fish them out of the drain by hand...

I wonder how long the whole Infant department will smell of rotting vegetation? I wonder when the classroom will be useable again? I wonder how long I can teach in a spare Reception classroom before my knees go completely?

I wonder why it always happens in my classroom....

[Roll credits]

And so it starts all over again...

Happy New Year!

We've landed again this evening, much later than intended, thanks to very heavy traffic between Carlisle and the M62. All those we saw going up to Scotland on Saturday on their way back home again, complete with hangovers the size of a heeland coo, no doubt.

School again tomorrow, and the children are in. I can't remember a time I was back teaching this early, but there you go. Still haven't really got my head around what I'm teaching, but no surprises there... My niece in the North East doesn't go back to school until next Tuesday, though, so tomorrow's early start will seem all the harder.

I have a number of pictures I want to upload from the New Year period, but I haven't got time tonight ... keep your eyes peeled!