Educational soul searching & naked teachers

Another link for you to listen to a version of Goyte's 'Somebody I used to know'.  I know, I still am a bit obsessed with this.  I seem unable to listen to it just once.  Always going back to it at least twice.

This is a very funny, intellegent parody, without jibing at the original. And it has a naked teacher. Enjoy!

This is particularly relevant to us at the moment, as we are having a big ole time of looking at the educational options for our kids.  Again.  This morning we went round a local high school which is a much closer option for our daughter than the one we are allocated.  And we loved it.  Which is not the path of least resistance & requires some work of applications etc.  But worth gaining nearly an extra hour in her day from reduced travel.

This song really reflected for me my current thoughts/angst around how much I have used my education & what is the best type of education for each of my children.  Made me laugh at it too!

Last gifts of Summer

As usual for this time of the year, I am lingering fingertip to fingertip to summer.  I really try to soak up the last of the warmth, to keep me going through winter.

This week, my children went back to school on different days.  Giving me a whole day with just my daughter.  A rare and welcomed treat.  And treat ourselves we did.  An expensive but expansive trip to our local health food & gift store.  Then, and I am embarrassed to admit that its our first trip this summer,  we made it to the beach at long last.

image courtesy I didn't have my camera. It was even sunnier when we went!

Oh it was so heavenly.  The beach we chose, while a bit further to get to, feels so secluded, even in a built up area.  As we had no pushchair, went down the steep steps to access it.  The dappled shade of the trees gave way to a glorious wide open vista of sea, and expanse of beach.  All to ourselves, with the exception of one couple enjoying the rays.  The sea was sparkling and glittering, and you could see the Needles on the Isle of Wight.  So delightful.  I felt my heart expand and release all the tension I didn't know I was carrying.

Later, when Bini had played in the sea, & I had read to her whilst she was making a sandcastle, we went back to the nearby castle.  She wanted to visit it, so in my expansive mood I agreed to fund a visit.  As if this day couldn't get any better, we get to the entrance & see that it is free today because some of the castle was closed off for a function!  So we got to see an lovely textile & painting exhibition in some of the rooms & try on replica victorian clothes in the great hall.  There was very few people there  so we wandered around pretending to be mistress of the house & servant.  I was the maid if you were wondering!

image credit

All in all, it was a gorgeous end of summer holidays day.  Even Tintin wasn't too upset to have missed it as he had finally got to go fishing with his uncle on his last day of the holidays (he was been wanting to go for a couple of years).  And he caught a fish for his tea.

Love Letter to Head Lice

Dearest Headlice & Nits

Thankyou so much for coming to stay with us.  We have really enjoyed your visit.

Thankyou for allowing the space for me to spend time with my children.  I have loved having their sweet heads in my lap while we watched our family movie, gently going through their heads with the nittygritty comb.  Feeling the warmth from their bodies against my legs while we went through the routine.  And there is a certain perverse pleasure in evicting you!

I would also like to thank you for your special attention to me.  In the process of combing out my hair with half a bottle of conditioner & leaving it in for a while my hair has become more conditioned.  And the fact that you wouldn't leave with the first eviction notice allowed the process to be repeated.  So much so, on my trip the community cafe the other day I was complimented on my glamourous hair more than once!

Well, my nitty friends, its an ill wind that blows no good as my granny used to say.  Thankyou for your visit.  Please feel free to move onto a new destination at your earliest convenience, but it has been a lesson learned.  Thankyou.

Much love

Jacs x

Renaissance, Scanner, Multipotentialte... a Me by any other name

So, I have this problem.  See, I am 'just good' at too many things.  I know, I know it sounds kinda braggy, but let me explain.

Since school I have been a Jacs of all trades and master of none.  I came away from that erstwhile learning establishment with 10 O'levels (yup, I am that old, just before GCSEs) of which 7 were B's.  (2 C's and 1 A if you're interested)  So no clear outstanding areas of expertise.  Pretty adequate really, enough to fly under the radar, not being exceptional either way.

[with the exception of what I considered an anonomoly of English Literature 'A'.  I still don't understand how that happened as I detested my teacher and loathed the concept of over analysing an author's motives.  I just happened to know the texts because I love a damn good story!]

I digress.  Which actually proves my point.  I find it REALLY hard to stick to just one thing.  I am super obsessed with something until I feel I have it, then, oohh bright shiny object over there....

I will often come back to the original passion which is why I need more cupboards.  Does anyone else have this issue?

I would love to start my own business, an enterprise of some kind.  A way to share my gifts with the world.  But what to choose?

I recently read John William's book which mentioned the term 'scanner'.  Suddenly I felt a huge sense of relief that other people needed large closets too for all their interests.  I knew the term Renaissance (wo)Man to define someone like Leonardo da Vinci or a Polymath.  But recently I have heard the term 'renaissance business' where people have made their mark being themselves in all their diversity.  Emilie Wapnick's website Puttylike coins the phrase multipotentialate which she writes about well.

Scanner, Renaissance, Multipotentiale, whatever you call it Doctor, I think I've got it!

Edit: just after writing this post I clicked on my iPod to hear Rise to the Top's interview with Kirsten Casey, who has changed her career a couple of times.  I think I am in love.  Big girl crush!

If anything were possible...

If anything were possible what would you dream for? Asks Jamie Ridler on Wishcrafting wednesday.

Right now, I would dream for me to step into my bigger life.  To don my 'big girl panties' and step into the dream.  To run my own awesome business, to be a rocking mumma & a glorious womanly wife.  To live life out loud.  With fire & passion.  And a bucketload of energy.

What would you dream for?  As you wish for yourself, I wish for you too. x Jacs

Satan has a secretary?

So, I was at the petrol station.  Filling my thirsty car who had been travelling on kisses and a promise.

Looking up I see a man coming towards the same pump.  At first glance I could tell he was a biker, a very pleasant looking one at that, then I spotted the handles of the harley davidson on the other side of the pump.  Over his biking gear he had a waistcoat/jerkin/gillet type thing.  This had badges on.

The top one, obviously denoting his tribe:

SATAN'S SLAYERS...

Then, underneath this, was another one:

SECRETARY.

I was giggling to myself all the way home.  The anarchic hell raisers of the New Forest have organised themselves into a committee.  Which it has to be said, committees are indeed all kinds of hell.

Thankful Thursday 5th July

Today I am grateful for:

• Swimming lesson me-time.  My beloved was home in time to look after the other kids whilst I took Tintin to his lesson & I got to sit in the sun writing.  Yep, the SUN, people.  It put in a truly welcome appearance this afternoon
• Hot baths in this rather wet summer weather.
• Sewing up the hems on my new cargo trousers.  It only took me about 6 months to do this.  Go me!
• Washing dry.  Did I mention that the sun shone?
• Recording meditations on my new computer with the kind loan of a microphone.  So exciting.
• Booking tickets for our summer festival in August
• Finally finished patio, with the new table on it.  It looks fantastic & we sat outside in the sun (yes, I know I mentioned it again.  Its just kinda noteworthy at the moment!) this evening.
• Tintin getting allocated a fantastic teacher for next year.  She rocks!
• Sweet birthday treat for Roo's friend, held at a country park play area.  I hesitate to mention that the sun came out especially.
• Managing to sew up a quick super hero cape for this sweet friend who is now 4.  And seeing him running around in it for the rest of the party.
• Jumble treats on Saturday with my awesome brother.  (No sun, in case you were wondering)