Memories, Chairing and Surprising Ben!

Morning folks, I’m officially on school holiday, I can’t describe just how good that feels. I have spent the week motoring on reserve energy and really don’t know how I made it to Friday, but I did.

I had an extra busy week, as day-job work intensifies at the end of term as you want everything ship-shape for the beginning of the next. Anyway here’s an account of my week.

Monday – I was exhausted by the day job as it was a parents’ day event – so I had appointments with students and their family from 7:45am through to 6pm – a long day. By the time I arrived home, my voice was broken and I was too knackered to write - I just wanted food and then bed.

Tuesday – I was absent from school for my Teacher Training Graduation. OMG, disaster! If you’ve followed this blog for a while you’ll know I qualified on 1^st June, so was looking forward to having a fabulous day of celebration alongside hubby and mum. It never happened. I had planned and paid for everything eight weeks ago but, I suppose it must happen to someone, but my graduation robes hadn’t been delivered to the venue. I’d stood in line to be robed, handed over my confirmation slip and number, only to have the man say ‘they’re not here’. I honestly thought he was joking. My heart hit my stomach, as I stood watching him fumble with row after row of graduation robes. They quickly ushered me aside, away from the other ‘happy’ student, to explain ‘this never happens, honestly’ – I should have gone home at this point, really I should. We stood as three listening to their constant assurance that everything would be fine – no, my memory was tarnished and there was no way it would be O.K. Anyway, to cut an incredibly long story short by four hours – I did graduate in a set of robes secured by another student from the afternoon ceremony. Did we go for a celebration meal? No. Did I drink champagne? No. I came home, changed and moped on the sofa for the rest of the day – before writing my letters of disappointment to Hogwarts Ltd who provide ceremonial robes – hey, let’s hope they get it right for the next Coronation!

Wednesday – I had the joy of day-job colleagues helping me to laugh about the events of Tuesday! The girls are making me a set from black bin liners so the same doesn’t occur at my next graduation in 2014 – oh, yeah, I already know they’ll be another. Good job really!

Thursday – I buzzed about work like a blue bottle at a window trying my hardest to get everything in order for my form group’s class assembly on Friday. There has been lots of problems by I had written a small scene script for them to follow and we’d filmed it last week – though it needed finishing ready for Friday. On the evening, I chaired the Grace Dieu Writers Circle – which was a great success. I have performed this task once before, so I enjoyed it this time rather then let the nerve take over. We had a decent turnout of members too – which helps. The meeting’s theme was ‘horror’ due to the nearing Halloween celebrations and the members didn’t fail to impress. We had lots of short stories and a poem related to the theme. This morning I have typed the minutes and emailed them to the members. During the meeting we had several interesting discussion, the first was about workshops – many members have experience of attending one of the many advertised. It really was a mixed bag of opinions, some positive, many negative. We discussed the quality, content and experience of the leading mentor – and decided that the reason for the workshop could determine the outcome. Some did it purely for the hard cash and others because they genuinely wished to support fellow writers in their journey towards publication. Interesting topic. On arriving home, I suffered a massive migraine – which kept me up till four in the morning – oh well, these things happen.

Friday – boy, was I glad to see Friday! It slipped by in a dream as I could hardly keep my eyes open having had very little sleep. The highlights of my day was having another unexpected visit from Barbara Catchpole, who magically appeared in my teaching room – always a please to receive such a smile. The next was my form group’s assembly – the entire assembly hall roared with laughter – they did me proud. I cried with laughter and yet, I’d seen it several times through. Anyhow, the school bell finally rang loud and clear – holiday time! Believe it or not, it took three journeys to my classroom to load my car with books and papers – but hey! The saddest moment of today was saying goodbye to a dear friend – I don’t class many people at the day-job as a friend, just a handful, but one young man is definitely in the group. Ben is off to travel the world and I pray that he will come home to us at school and train as a teacher, when his itchy feet have settled. I hate goodbyes, with a passion and struggled to hold the tears at bay. He’s been a smiling face every time I’ve hollered at my IT not working, he’s been my Ma Parker bitch collecting my lunch every Friday, my little brother at work and I am so going to miss him. So much so, I let him into my secret as a final present hoping he keeps in touch throughout his travels. I’ll miss you, matey. My classroom won’t be the same without you walking through offering me a smile and tea!

27th Oct, today is a strange day for me - mixed emotions regards events that have previously occured on this day. But one very happy event is the celebration of a childhood friend who is 40 today. He doesn't know this but seeing him as a baby is my earliest memory. I remember being picked up as a tiny child, and ducking my head under the hood of a pram, to view a sleeping baby. The image is so clear, I could draw it. My mum confirmed many years ago my details of the navy blue pram with the string of yellow ducks strung across the hood front. Its comforting to know who the baby was, and today I wish him the happiest of birthdays.

So, finally to my holiday – my plan Stan for the coming week is:

Send ‘Her’ out to more agents.

Begin the NaNoWriMo challenge on 1^st November

To complete an inventory of my short stories

Remember you can follow me on Twitter by searching for odwyer_author – that way you can accompany my creative holiday. Enjoy!