More Course Work and Buying Flowers (Tuesday 25th August)

Today was more getting course work sorted out and completed. I've now completed the Summative Profile and tidied up some other bits for the learning journal section which I will complete tomorrow hopefully.

This afternoon it was something much more fun as I headed off to the flower wholesalers I use just the other side of Woburn Safari Park, near Eversholt in Bedforshire. I took Jamie as he hadn't been before. It is one of those places that if you are a flower arranger it is heaven on earth there is so much stuff you just want to have it all, and everything you see you think, I could use that, I could use that, and that and that. So I have to be very disciplined with myself. I had a shopping list, as I was going with a purpose, although I did spot a couple of things which will be going onto a future shopping list!

I wanted to get some sundries and some flowers as I am entering the Bucks County Show flower arranging classes on Thursday so I wanted to get my flowers and get them conditioned (let them have a really good drink) so they will be ready to work with. I ended up spending a small fortune but at this stage I don't really know how much of everything I am going to need. I tried not to have everything I was doing set in stone, as I may not be able to get the flowers or foliage that I am after, so would make final choices once I had seen what was available. Luckily I managed to get just about everything I was after either at Hillyards or at Frosts Garden Centre at Woburn Sands. But as a taster some of the flowers I am using are chrysanthemums, roses, calla lilies, phlox, carnations, asters and even a petunia or two out of the garden.

Here are some pictures of some of the things I bought, some for Thursday and some for general use. For pictures of the flowers you will have to wait and see the completed designs and see how I do on Thursday (fingers crossed). I started flower arranging less than a year ago and here I am on the eve of entering my first competition, it is so exciting!

One of the classes for the Bucks County Show is an arrangement in a basket, I bought this one as I thought I may use it, but decided on a different one I bought today instead, but this will come in very handy too, also in this picture is the biggest ball of string (ever!) which cost me less than a small one would at Hobbycraft, and I suspect I will use it up (eventually!) and a small bag of feathers, which may or may not get used on Thursday.

I totally fell in love with this basket, and it was only £1.75 I have an idea to do a rustic continental or parallel arrangement in this, it should work well.

Finally a kenzan or pin holder (85p a snip!) used for Ikebana, some copper coloured wire, feathers, candle holder and some blacks beads on wire.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 8/16 - currently reading Lovers and Players by Jackie Collins
Jamie's Reading challenge 4/12 - currently reading Rotten Romans by Terry Deary
SLYMI - 1/52

Radiazios

I did some work on my assignments today and managed to get one polished off (one about record keeping) and watched some cricket. Later on in the day Mike took Jamie over to his Mum's as Mike and I were going out with our friends Anne and Martin for a meal, which I was looking forward to very much. We were going to Rodizios Steakhouse, a newish restaurant in the Theatre District of Central MK.

I was certainly in the mood to celebrate so once we were seated the cocktails menu was a must. I headed straight for the raspberry daiquiri, Mike had a creamy concoction, Martin a Mojito and Anne I can't remember, must be because of the second daiquiri that followed my first.

Rodizio's is a Churrascaria (pron. Shoo-rah-scah-ree-ah) and that is a Brazilian Steakhouse which serves Rodizio. Rodizio is when you pay a fixed price and the meat waiter (lots of them young and handsome!) regularly brings around selections of barbecued meat (beef, steak, gammon, chicken, sausages in our case) and they slice it for you at your table with HUGE knives! You have a little sign on the table and you have it showing green if you want more meat or red if you are resting. There is also a huge selection of vegetables, salads, rice, lasagna, and some hot Brazilian vegetables and bean dishes in sauces. The salads, rice cakes, carrots and roast potatoes were superb and the meat was lovely, especially the gammon - maybe a tad too salty for some. I wasn't too keen on the sausages but I'm a bit picky about sausages.

We certainly enjoyed ourselves, perhaps my only criticism was the noise, it was very noisy - maybe on another night, not a weekend it may not be so noisy. I would certainly go again, and when we explained it to Jamie he is very keen to be able to go. Worth checking out, it is a different concept and you certainly can have plenty to eat. It is cheaper earlier in the week than weekends. We never even bothered to look at the desert menu, but managed a coffee each.

It was nice to see Martin and Anne, I need to organise for them to come to us, as we had a lovely Sunday Lunch with them a little while ago, but it can be difficult finding dates, as Mike and Martin are opposite each other shift wise, but I will start throwing some dates about soon.

I took a huge bone home for Binnie which was a mistake, as it turned her little tum over quite badly and she was not a well bunny the following day. After a little lie in, we came downstairs to an unmistakable, doggy has been unwell smell. No more bones for Binnie, she likes them, they don't like her. But she is fine and dandy again now!

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 8/16 - currently reading Lovers and Players by Jackie Collins
Jamie's Reading challenge 4/12 - currently reading Rotten Romans by Terry Deary

SLYMI - 1/52

Thursday 13th August

Working hard today to get some more work finished and I am hoping to hand in 3 more assignments today. I need to complete the assignment to do with current legislation and then I can get them dropped off. Mike is my proof reader and can make any comments and add bits etc and it's so useful to get feedback on the work.

Yippee! I have handed 3 more assignments in today, that makes 5 in all so only 2 more theory to go, but they haven't been set yet, so fingers crossed they will all be about on the mark. There are two grades (level 3 or level 4 and Refer). If you get referred you can resubmit, it's quite hard to fail in education these days, which is no bad thing. So I am expecting to get the work back next week, but not sure what I'm expecting in the way of grades, or even passes! I guess I will just have to wait and see.

Mike starts his holiday today, just about in time for me to be heading back to college for the next week! Although we do have a few things planned over the next couple of weeks.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroughs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Steven Cole
SLYMI - 1/52

Wednesday 12th August

More of the same today, plodding on with my PTLLS assignments and doing all of the usual stuff as well. Lots of housework to catch up on in due course, Jamie happy playing with his friends which is a big plus, he would rather be out playing with them than hanging around Mike and I at the moment. Mike is doing his stuff too so we are all busy! I'm pretty much finished the ground rules assignment and working on another too which is about embedding functional skills in any teaching programme, all good stuff!

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroughs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Steven Cole
SLYMI - 1/52

Tuesday 11th August

I handed my first two assignments in this morning and I am hoping they are what is required. It can be hard to know just how to pitch them at this stage. I've completed one on roles and responsibilities and one on assessment methods. After that it was back to work on the next one about establishing ground rules. I've also been working on my scheme of work which is one of the practical assignments, of which there are also 7.

Not too much time to blog, I need to get back to my PTLLS, but Mike and Jamie are keeping themselves busy and keeping out of my way!!!!

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroughs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Steven Cole
SLYMI - 1/52

Monday 10th August

Jamie's Friend Comes to Play


Jamie's friend G came to play today, he is from Jamie's old school and is a super little boy, they kept themselves so busy I hardly even noticed they were here playing. Later T and J joined them and they were all playing with each other so well, off to the park, playing on the xbox, back out to the park. At one point they were Guitar Hero Metallica (ing) and all my cushions became the drum kit, great imaginative play!!

I have been getting on with my PTLLS assignments. There are 7 theory assignments, the first and the last are the bigger assignments so Idecided to try and get those out of the way first. Today I've been working on the roles and responsibilities of a teacher and feel as though I have just about cracked it so I'm getting it wrapped up as best I can today and then I can drop the first two off tomorrow. I guess for me for the next couple of weeks it is very much head down and working on this course work. Hopefully I can fit a bit of fun in somewhere along the line too!

Everything else, just about has been left to Mike to look after, I have been very blinkered with what I am doing, and he is coping very well, I'm lucky!



Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroghs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Steven Cole
SLYMI - 1/52

Saturday 8th August

The 4th Test Match is on at the moment, and for me that is a really big distraction. I've said before I love cricket and I love The Ashes particularly, so I have been watching quite a bit of the cricket. Jamie has been splitting himself between playing with L on the computer via the telephone and with T and J who came round to play with him and they have been scootering around between each others houses and the park, having tons of fun.

I've made a start on my next assignment, but the cricket is a big draw away from it at the moment - ah well there's always tomorrow.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroughs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Stephen Cole
SLYMI - 1/52

Friday 7th August

Activity Land

The kitchen is largely finished now, with only a few bits a pieces to go back up on the walls and it looks good, Mike has worked really hard and done an excellent job. I'll get some photos up as soon as I can. We (well I) decided I wanted to move a couple of things around and so we did that today, I think it works. The magic triangle (cooker, sink and fridge) you're 'supposed' to have in the kitchen is smaller now, as we've moved the fridge and freezer, so we'll see how it works. I guess we'll be going for stuff in the old place for weeks now and trying to put the milk away into the dresser. Some pictures will follow, when the pictures are back on the wall.

I took Jamie and his friend L to Activity Land today, so they had a really good play around amongst all the fun stuff there and they had tea there too. They seemed to have a really good time, and got outside for a play too, even though the weather was not brilliant. In fact on our way to collect L the heavens opened and the rain was running down the streets like a stream and we saw a couple of drains which were struggling to cope - ah the British summer!

I decided to get on with one of my assignments while the boys were playing and stuck myself in a corner with a drink and my books, shut out all of the noise and starting working. It went well and by the time I got home I was ready to put pen to paper, well fingers to keyboard and got my first assignment in the bag, which pleased me no end. It was my assignment on Assessment methods, thank goodness the word count is only a guide as I have gone way over it. I am hoping to drop that assignment and at least one more off on Monday.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 7/16 - currently reading Controversy by Dillon Burroughs
Jamie's Reading challenge 2/12 - currently reading Astrosaurs by Stephen Cole
SLYMI - 1/52