Blog Archives

Just Sayin'

31/8/2021

by Heidi Sinnett

I just heard on the radio that today is "World Pinot Noir Day". I looked on the Days of the Year website and funnily enough it is also "Never Give Up Day".

I know a few people who won't have any trouble on either score!

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August Update

9/8/2021

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So, what’s new?

Life may not be full of exciting adventures currently but a variety of ‘things’ continue to occupy time and demand energy. Paul and I have trundled between Gloucestershire and Hampshire quite a lot over the past month or so helping his Mum. It is usually a two-hour journey, through lovely countryside, but that driving and petrol costs add up surprisingly easily.

Fortunately, as of this past week, I have ‘mopped up’ the majority of all my job roles for the next month – until it all kicks off again in the new academic year. Although, having said that, I have handed in my notice at Bredon School and will officially leave at the end of August – despite being on a term-time only contract. It is a shame because I enjoy working there and the team is fabulous, but the part-time hours coupled with driving time, distance (17 miles each way) and related costs really made it frustrating and ultimately financially tenuous.

So, I decided a month or so ago that my ‘portfolio career’ should be more locally focused. Coincidentally this was supported by the suggestion that I apply for a very part-time school office administration job at one of ‘my’ primary schools [where I am already Clerk to the Governors]. I was offered the job role and that will start at the beginning of September. I will need another set of hours and am keeping my eye open for other suitable vacancies - but not stressing about it too much. As it is, I have an interview towards the end of the month. It is for the role of administrator / coordinator within a Church Parish Office (St Philips and St James at Leckhampton, Cheltenham). They call it Pip and Jim's - which I think is pretty cool). It is a flexible part-time role. Apparently, they are interviewing four people, and there will be an exercise sent to candidates a few days before the interview date. It does look quite interesting - and would fit in with everything else.

I received a very positive acknowledgement to my handing-in-notice from Bredon School, so I know that I can rely on them for a good reference. However, if I don’t get a new job-role it just means I’m not the right person for that environment – I can’t be bothered to be too upset about it. Let’s face facts, an employer is an employer is an employer and loyalty is usually a one-way street.

What else? I am house-sitting for my sister, Alison, and this will be a version of a ‘staycation’ as I will be in north Worcestershire for a week. I plan on doing some applications and personal official [boring] tasks as well as looking after the cats, chickens and ducks…the dogs will be on their holidays elsewhere! This in the intent as I shan't be distracted by checking on my tomato plants or weeding, which is my usual modus operandi. Well, that's my thinking!! Whilst I am in ‘foreign climes’ I might take the opportunity to visit places like Ludlow, Leominster and Shrewsbury. Depending on the weather, naturally!

So, that’s about it. As I said, trundling on regardless.

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Holiday Haircut

5/8/2021

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Holiday Haircut!

Despite the fact we aren't going on holiday per se, a change has been in the offing for a while. I spied some grey hairs at the temples and white flecks in my eyebrows so challenged my hairdresser to do something for someone who has hit 52 years but doesn't want to look too much like she is suffering from a mid-life crisis!

Well, no more than usual.

BTW: the definitions of a mid-life crisis [noun] in various dictionaries are:

"a loss of self-confidence and feeling of anxiety or disappointment that can occur in early middle age" and
"a period of emotional turmoil in middle age characterized especially by a strong desire for change".

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To Weed or Not to Weed

3/8/2021

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Sculpture by French artist Emeric Chantier

Henry VI: William Shakespeare

Paul 's homage to Shakespeare's Hamlet
(Act 3, Scene 1):

To weed or not to weed that is the question:
Whether it is nobler in the ground
To suffer the beans and marrows of herbaceous fortune,
or to take plants against a lea of troubles and by hoeing defeat them.
To die, to sweep no more;
and by a sweep to say
we end the dirt rake
and the thousand natural rocks that grass is heir to?
Tis a compostation devoutly to be wished.
To spray to clip to clip perchance to prune
Aye there's the trug:
For in that week of Feb
What dreams may come
When we have truffled out this mortal soil,
must give us pause....

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