Brick up the Mersey Tunnels

A and I had a great trip last night to the Royal Court Theatre our friend R. We saw comedy/musical Brick up the Mersey Tunnels. It was rather rude, but extremly funny, full of great take song take offs like'Somewhere over the Mersey' and 'The Blue Rinse Mansions of the Wirral'. It featured Andrew Schofield who as always was just perfect. The highlight for me had to be the demolition of the Widnes Runcorn Bridge accompanyed by the song 'Bridge over troubled waters'. All in all - not Shakespeare - but lots of fun and just the thing to cheer us up.

First day of the holidays

I love the summer holidays - and now I have a car it is so much easier to get out and about with the children. Yesterday we went swimming at Northgate in Chester (it's a bit of a drive but the pool there is such fun it's worth it). After tea we all went to the park before the rain started again - I love this picture of M having fun.

School Holidays

The summer holiday has officially begun and I'm looking forward to lots of time with the children. I said goodbye to my class yesterday - they have been a lively and at times challenging bunch - but I will miss them all the same. We have packed up all of the contents of the infant building - the new and extended classrooms are meant to be finished for September. M and B both finished school today. M said goodbye to Mrs L and Y 4, while B left Mrs A's care in Y1. Mrs A came as a supply teacher in March when B's original teacher Mrs F went off sick. Mrs A has been wonderful for B -she is off to work in a nursery for a bit - and I am very grateful for her patience and calm approach.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.....

I spent the morning writing IEP's for school, but got them finished by 12 o'clock. I didn't have to go to school until half past 2 for a parents meeting, so I decided that I had plenty of time to go to Colwyn Bay to pick up the glazed and fired pottery from M's birthday party. I didn't count on there being torrential rain all the way there - the A55 was an absolute nightmare. I made it to school with no time to spare - not the best way to meet the parents of next years class!
At least M was delighted to have her little kitten and birthday tile - we can give out all the other pieces tomorrow morning in the playground.

Seven Random Facts

Been tagged by Gallifrey - so here are my seven random facts

1. I was a Christmas baby .

2. My maternal Grandfather was killed in Malta during WWII when my mum was a baby.

3. As a small child I believed there was a dragon living at the bottom of the garden - when we moved house my mum told me it followed our car down the M62 to our new house.

4. I started wearing glasses at the age of 9, but as a vain teenager I wore contact lenses. I went back to wearing glasses in my 20's.

5. My reading record for The Lord of the Rings is 4 days - on a family holiday to the French Alps

6. Al asked me out for our first date on 12th July 1989 - we saw Dirty Rotton Scoundrels (Michael Caine and Steve Martin).

7. During my three years in Oxford I wrote a letter to Al every day - and he wrote one to me every day.

New Roof

We've been having problems with our roof for the a couple of years, we keep getting leaks into the bathroom when it rains heavily. It's been patched a few times, but nothing has solved the problem, so we are having the roof completely re-tiled. Worked started on Wednesday, with the men stripping the tiles off the front and laying felt and batons. Thursday they re-tiled the lower part of the front. Friday was too wet for any work to be done - and I spent the day terrified that we would have water pouring in, though luckily we were ok. Today they have finished the front, stripped and felted the back. Hopefully everything will be finished by Tuesday - though obviously that depends on the weather.

Welsh Party Time

M's birthday party was a grand trip to Wales with seven super friends. They had a great time pottery painting at Glaze Away in Colwyn Bay, followed by party food and TARDIS birthday cake. Next they had a splash on the beach, followed by ice creams on the prom and a play at the park. After days and days of rain we enjoyed some beautiful sunshine - everyone had a great time.

Birthday Girl

M's 9th birthday. She asked Gpa to get her a balloon, and asked me to make a chocolate cream cake.

Blow

B blowing out the candles on his Power Ranger Birthday cake. Six years old on the 1st July.