Teachers' holidays are reknowned for their length and frequency. But "holiday" is a misnomer really... most teachers spend their "holidays" working. This is not a whinge about how hard done by we are - far from it. I am lucky enough to be spending the next four days with the rest of the teaching staff from my school at the Habits of Mind Bootcamp in Hamilton. Our school is paying for all of us to go ($850 per person investment), renting a car to get us there and a house for us to stay in. The Board of Trustees will buy us lunch on Thursday, before we drive the five hours back to Wanganui, so that we can discuss what we've learnt from the course and how we think we can implement it back at school next term.
And I all need to do is go along and lap up the new learning, and find ways to improve the quality of our school through its implementation.
I love learning new things (although HoM are not new to me personally as I worked with them in Auckland and attended a workshop with the King of Mindfulness, Art Costa) and this is an opportunity to extend my knowledge. I'm not looking forward to being away from my lovely hubby for the next 5 days, but on the scale of things I know it's a worthwhile investment of my time.
So HoM here I come. I can't wait to review my knowledge and add to it, to create an action plan with the rest of the staff and to return to school next week enthused and refreshed.
Bring it on!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Adventure!
I'm so looking forward to today - hubby and i are going on a little adventure all of our own! It's not far, and it's not huge, but it IS a day that we can head out early and please ourselves for a change.
I know I've got a mountain of work to do, and my assignment is due in next Monday, but this is a mental health break for both of us.
Things are busy right now, and that's fine. We both like busy, especially when it's invoiceable! But every now and again it's important to spend a day recharging the batteries, sharpening the saw (in Shaun Covey's phraseology) so that tomorrow becomes more productive.
So today we're heading off in the car. I'm going to get a haircut, and spend some time on mooching around with hubby. Retail therapy may be involved. Coffee in a quiet coffee shot certainly will be. Lunch together, and maybe an art gallery or bookshop (or two) are distinct possibilities.
And then later we'll do our evening class in business development together, and tomorrow the busy-ness starts once again.
But today is just for us. Aren't we lucky?
I know I've got a mountain of work to do, and my assignment is due in next Monday, but this is a mental health break for both of us.
Things are busy right now, and that's fine. We both like busy, especially when it's invoiceable! But every now and again it's important to spend a day recharging the batteries, sharpening the saw (in Shaun Covey's phraseology) so that tomorrow becomes more productive.
So today we're heading off in the car. I'm going to get a haircut, and spend some time on mooching around with hubby. Retail therapy may be involved. Coffee in a quiet coffee shot certainly will be. Lunch together, and maybe an art gallery or bookshop (or two) are distinct possibilities.
And then later we'll do our evening class in business development together, and tomorrow the busy-ness starts once again.
But today is just for us. Aren't we lucky?
Friday, April 19, 2013
Holidays!
Wow! - just got to the end of a massive 12 week term in the day job... a good 2 weeks' break now to get everything done that I've let slip over the past 2 - 3 weeks especially.
I always end up with far more on my "to do" list than time available to do it, but I'll make my best effort as usual... and this time I'm determined to have at least 1 day of ME-time as well.
and 16 days to do it all in... hmmmmm.... time to break out the lycra tights and cape again, I think!
I always end up with far more on my "to do" list than time available to do it, but I'll make my best effort as usual... and this time I'm determined to have at least 1 day of ME-time as well.
- I can feel some tidying up and housework coming on, and also some
- baking,
- painting,
- reading (LOTS of reading as I have an assignment due next week as part of my university paper!) and
- writing.
- Possibly time for gardening,
- walking with friends,
- planning the next stage in my world domination.
- Definitely a hair cut, and also
- a little work on hiding the natural highlights that have crept in again!
- Oh, and a four day Habits of Mind bootcamp that all the teachers in our school are attending in Hamilton, so a roadtrip and some nights away from home as well.
- A huge pile of wood on the driveway needs to be rehoused in the woodshed
- kickstarting my visits to the fitness centre and swimming pool with a couple of workouts
- filing last term's work
- planning next term's work
and 16 days to do it all in... hmmmmm.... time to break out the lycra tights and cape again, I think!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
What a lovely day!
Not much else to say, really! It has been a lovely day - the weather was fabulous after a chilly autumn morning; the kids at school have been awesome and we've had a really good laugh together even while we've achieved loads; husband got an unexpected koha from somebody he did some work for... he thought it was a favour, they were so thrilled with what he did that they put some cash his was today.
Generally, an all round lovely day. I've worked hard, achieved a lot (both at school and in my own business as well) and laughed until my sides have ached.
What more could you ask for in life?
Generally, an all round lovely day. I've worked hard, achieved a lot (both at school and in my own business as well) and laughed until my sides have ached.
What more could you ask for in life?
Monday, April 1, 2013
Recharge!
Wow! It's been a little while since I posted, but life got really hectic really quickly (as it is prone to do!). My evening class in Applied Business Growth has started, along with the homework i need to do for that; the deadline for my first assignment in my PGDipEd is less than 4 weeks away now; and school continues to be full on busy!
However, I have had the most amazing Easter weekend which has left me recharged and invigorated... and ready for anything (and everything!)
My wonderful husband was working down in Wanaka, photographing a jetsprint meeting, and initially I was going to stay at home and work through the weekend. However, friends of ours who were meant to be racing decided to pull out - which left them with non-refundable flights and a motel booking... which they gifted to my husband for his birthday. So I got to go to Wanaka with him this weekend, and it was fantastic.
We got up in the early hours of Friday morning, after about 3 hours sleep, and I drove us to Wellington to get the plane. We checked in at about 5.30am, and enjoyed a bit of people watching while we waited.
After a beautiful flight, watching the sun come up over the mountains, we landed at Queenstown and picked up our hire car. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then headed off towards Wanaka. The 120 Km drive took far longer than it needed to because we kept stopping to admire the view!
The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and was just so impressive that even I was rendered speechless... managing an awestruck "wow" every time we rounded another corner and were confronted with yet another majestic view.
I will admit to a little nana-nap once we had checked in to our motel, but in my defence I had been awake for 12 hours already, and it was only 2.30pm!
Once I was refreshed and awake again, we drove out to the new jetsprint track to check out vantage points for the camera and we were really impressed with the new facility that has been created there.
A long dinner with a large crowd of our friends (also in town for the racing) was a brilliant way to end an amazing day.
Although we worked long and hard on Saturday, photographing the racing and the presentations, it was the most beautiful working environment - I found myself just stopping a few times and looking around me in awe and wonder. What a place to call "work"! Hubby was as excited as a dog with two tails when he was invited up in a helicopter to take aerial shots of the track... he just about floated through the rest of the day on the adrenaline-rush of hanging out of the side on the end of a harness!
We drove back to Queenstown early on Sunday morning, and arrived back in Wellington just before lunch.
After a weekend of glorious weather, Wellington lived up to its wet and windy reputation, but we still enjoyed a mooch around, people-watching on Cuba and Courteney.
This was the best weekend - and the longest time that we have been away together without the kids in 16 years. Another plus was that the boys stayed at home on their own... number one son is 16 now so was "in charge".... and they managed really well.
It was only a short break, and it was damned hard work with long hours of travelling, but it was brilliant. My brain feels refreshed and ready for anything.
Bring it on!
However, I have had the most amazing Easter weekend which has left me recharged and invigorated... and ready for anything (and everything!)
My wonderful husband was working down in Wanaka, photographing a jetsprint meeting, and initially I was going to stay at home and work through the weekend. However, friends of ours who were meant to be racing decided to pull out - which left them with non-refundable flights and a motel booking... which they gifted to my husband for his birthday. So I got to go to Wanaka with him this weekend, and it was fantastic.
We got up in the early hours of Friday morning, after about 3 hours sleep, and I drove us to Wellington to get the plane. We checked in at about 5.30am, and enjoyed a bit of people watching while we waited.
After a beautiful flight, watching the sun come up over the mountains, we landed at Queenstown and picked up our hire car. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then headed off towards Wanaka. The 120 Km drive took far longer than it needed to because we kept stopping to admire the view!
The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and was just so impressive that even I was rendered speechless... managing an awestruck "wow" every time we rounded another corner and were confronted with yet another majestic view.
I will admit to a little nana-nap once we had checked in to our motel, but in my defence I had been awake for 12 hours already, and it was only 2.30pm!
Once I was refreshed and awake again, we drove out to the new jetsprint track to check out vantage points for the camera and we were really impressed with the new facility that has been created there.
A long dinner with a large crowd of our friends (also in town for the racing) was a brilliant way to end an amazing day.
Although we worked long and hard on Saturday, photographing the racing and the presentations, it was the most beautiful working environment - I found myself just stopping a few times and looking around me in awe and wonder. What a place to call "work"! Hubby was as excited as a dog with two tails when he was invited up in a helicopter to take aerial shots of the track... he just about floated through the rest of the day on the adrenaline-rush of hanging out of the side on the end of a harness!
We drove back to Queenstown early on Sunday morning, and arrived back in Wellington just before lunch.
After a weekend of glorious weather, Wellington lived up to its wet and windy reputation, but we still enjoyed a mooch around, people-watching on Cuba and Courteney.
This was the best weekend - and the longest time that we have been away together without the kids in 16 years. Another plus was that the boys stayed at home on their own... number one son is 16 now so was "in charge".... and they managed really well.
It was only a short break, and it was damned hard work with long hours of travelling, but it was brilliant. My brain feels refreshed and ready for anything.
Bring it on!
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