Watered the lower part of the garden, repositioned the fig tree and completed two loads of washing; have a coffee and and apple, sitting in the shade.
It's a beautiful day.
Monday mornings were never the nicest day of the week.
Returning from two days away from school and the classroom was always a wrench and the knowledge the students felt the same and would respond with churlish comments never made the prospect any easier.
I'd stagger into the staffroom at about 7am and grab a strong coffee. Some people had arrived and would grunt their recognition but conversation was sparse.
Coffee drunk and excuses finally gone, I'd make my way up to my classroom, unlock, and get the lessons organised ready so as to be 'on the ball' when the angels walked in.
- Register? Check.
- Exercise books all marked? Check
- Text books/ practical work organised? Check
- Pens, pencils, rulers and rubbers in pots on desks? Check. (You'd never believe I taught 12 to 18 year olds! Rarely brought their own pens)
- Sorted ready for Head's meeting at 8.30am? Check......heavens is that the time.....
The day began and passed. I would gain a mess in the classroom which I would need to clear up before Tuesday, books to mark and lesson plans to review, a markbook to annotate and extra work to be created. Lessons to prepare for the next day from lesson plans already drawn up then work in my classroom until 6pm when I was told to leave. Teaching block would be locked at 6pm sharp.
Home to finish what I'd failed to do during the day and then catch a bit of mindless TV and bed. Urgh!
I truly hated Mondays.
Now?
I've drunk my coffee, eaten my apple and am contemplating the repotting of my orchids. The sun is shining and the washing is drying beautifully on the line.
It's really quiet in the garden save the tree surgeons dealing with a large oak. Other than that, the occasional plane, the bees chasing nectar and pollen and a faint hammering as another house extension is completed.
......and breathe. Retiring was a scary experience to begin with. Not having a workplace to go to, to work in, prepare for, to almost kill myself for, but now, well, I know people say this but it's TRUE, I HAVEN'T TIME TO WORK,
IM FAR TOO BUSY