As before, I've been a bit reluctant to spend any extra time online- I have been trying to come and do some visiting but I just didn't have the energy reserves to blog properly apart from my book review post which was long overview!
So, I'm taking the form of the 'Lately' post that I pinched from Bev a while back to catch up.
Eating...
Indian Takeaway for two nights from Monsoon plus left over red cabbage
Veggie Heck sausages plus roast potatoes, roasted tomatoes and courgettes and red cabbage.
Sweet potato and Kale red lentil Dhal with Coconut chutney and red cabbage x2
Instant Noodles with peas and sweet corn.
Hummus, carrots, olives,
Olive bread
Donuts
Greggs' Bacon and Omelette baguette. It's been a bit of a meaty week- I've had meat 3 times with the bacon and 2 meals from the Indian Takeaway!
After Eight mints
Drumstick squashies
Watching...
Dawson's Creek (Netflix)
Masterchef the Professionals (Netflix)
Come Dine with me Couples (Netflix)
Neighbours (Netflix)
Doctor Who Day of the Doctors (DVD)
Sherlock (BBCiPlayer)
All Creatures Great and Small (the original one on YouTube)
Reading...
Mr Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore by Robin Sloan
Playing...
ScrabbleGo This past week, has been a good one. I am in the Sapphire league (for the arena games) which is the 2nd highest, scored my highest score for a single word 140 points for Sturdies (thank you double triple word score) and my longest word ever - Inequalities. This started as Equal, then became equalities and finally inequalities. I love playing Scrabble! Trying to ween myself off it a bit though!
Wishing...
That everyone would get down on their knees and pray about the state of our world and for the health of our country and world.
Buying...
A teapot from Portmerion and a teatowel for my Stepmum's birthday (Wrendale designs) - ordered on Wednesday- they arrived Thursday!
A second hand Whistles shirt worn on Doctor Who which I IDed and miraculously found! This is my one purchase for January. Trying to only buy one thing a month
Teaching...
A lot! It's been another full on week of lesson creation. I have had technical hitches again although I am fathoming them a bit more now. I found that Monday was hell as things went wrong and had to be resolved and then I fathomed some solutions. I am so grateful to one of the mums in Year 2 as she sent me a lovely video last week of her daughter playing London's Burning on my online glockenspiel helped by her older sister (who was one of my star pupils before she left 3 years ago- I used to sponsor her learning the cornet) and a sweet message accompanying it. On Tuesday morning, after I posted the lesson link to the interactive powerpoint with videos, audio and pictures, she messaged me to say that it wouldn't download at all. I then tried uploading in a different form (which took another hour or so....after spending most of the previous afternoon on it) and asked if she could test things for me and she was brilliant with feedback on what worked and what didn't. Later, she sent a wonderful video of her daughters performing a fireworks piece using the recycling (which was the final outcome of the lesson).
I thought I was doing ok for being ready for next week's lessons (As I am in school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday taking the Year 4 keyworker bubble) but I got to Friday 4pm and realised I didn't have any complete powerpoints - I'd recorded videos and audio but nothing complete so I ended up having a frantic scamper through putting together the powerpoints (still not complete- will have to do some work tomorrow) till about 8.30pm. I realised I'd spent waaaay too long preparing for my Year 2 lesson for next week- I've prepared recordings with interactive questionning (on a great site called EdPuzzle where you can insert question at key moments into YouTube videos) which was perfect for my year 2 lesson where they have to listen to and compare 2 great pieces about Fireworks (by Stravinsky and Handel) - I started trying to create a series of posters featuring instruments of the orchestra from different angles including playing position to help the children recognise the instruments in the videos and it seemed to take a whole load of time getting instruments out and photographing them (and getting distracted playing the clarinet and flute), messaging various friends to see if they'd take photos also.
Next week is going to be busy and tricky.
Other doings...
I have taken three walks this week apart from my last Sunday trek- I walked for an hour on Thursday night and Friday and CBC and I walked this afternoon. We parked our car about 2 miles away and did a short circular walk of about a mile or so and then when we got back to the car, I decided to walk home. CBC said he'd nip to the COOP on the way back and I said I'd meet him there. He was incredulous that I'd actually get there in time. I immediately got my skates on and he was still in the COOP when I walked back- I did do some running also! I also beat him home (I went via the Chipshop!)
Drawing and colouring food pictures for my Year 3 lesson
Listening to:
Stravinsky Fireworks
Handel Music from the Royal Fireworks.
Henry Wood variations on sea songs- Sailor's Hornpipe-
Creating a body percussion version for my year 5's- it took me ages to record it as I kept getting it wrong!
Playing...
The Cat from Peter and the Wolf (on the clarinet)
Vivaldi's Goldfinch concerto (recorded a little video for family)
Bach E major flute sonata