Waiting... waiting... what to do when waiting

So life's not that fantastic at the moment. The job hunting is time consuming and often demoralising.  My health is not too great either.  Nothing major but the odd little niggly thing that tells me I'm not at my best.  I'm even falling out with my Girls :0(


So when the youngest headed off to town with Dad, probably to give poor beleaugered Mum (that's me!) a bit of Alone Time, I decided to get on with carding up the last bit of Shetland I've been blending for the Brown Man Jumper I'm knitting as a commission.


Whilst listening to some soothing music with ipod set on shuffle and feeding fibres into my trusty Drum Carder I had a lightbulb moment.  

I haven't been making enough Yarn!!

If that's not the cause of my recent malaise, then it will certainly help the symptoms, especially when considering the bag of lushious Mullberry Silk I got for christmas, patiently waiting for the return of the creative juices.  It seems so obvious now.  Instead of fretting about not getting a job RIGHT NOW.....I shall start visualing blends of jade, petrol and peacock blue with ripples of silk running through.   I have placed an order with Wingham Wool Works which will make the postman even more eagerly anticipated when he comes!

Hopefully some lovely pics to follow :0)

TTFN x x

Summer Flu and Job Hunting...

I've been ill....

I thought it was the type of 'ill' where I diligently listen to my body, take to my bed and sleep it off.  I knew it was this type of 'ill' as I wasn't even able to watch tele with my knitting and a sniffle  :0(

Of course, I fully expected to bounce back in about 2 days but no a week and a half later and its lingering....
.... on the up side I can knit and read, but I'm still croaky, snotty and lethargic.....none of which is particularly assisting me in my Hunt for a Job (who wants to employ someone with a snotty nose?).  In fact the stress and worry is probably making it worse!

The competion for teaching jobs is very high at the moment, almost to the point that visits to prospective schools (to see how we might fit into the school's family) are becoming like reunions with often the same faces popping up.  With about 100 people applying for one teaching post I can sometimes get a little panicky.  My skills at filling out application forms and writing personal statements, my key to getting a look-in, are woefully poor, how will I ever stand out!?

But then last night I had a realisation. I am a square peg that isn't going to fit in a round hole!!  There is no point getting stressed and upset at NOT getting a job in a school that I don't fit into and don't really want to work in.  So, I just need to chill out a bit, enjoy the sun and remember there is definately a Clare shaped job out there in a school that's right for me, I'll know it when I see it.

I did rally enough over the weekend to thoroughly enjoy a lovely Hen Day with my mum and sisters. I was even able to fit in a bit of knitting for the Bride to be.....

 TTFN X X X

The End of a Chapter.....

It is with the very greatest of pleasure that I can announce that my PGCE that started here is now 

well and truely, 

completely and utterly 

COMPLETED!!!!

There have been highs and lows and it has been a slog, but above all it has been another great journey of discovery.  I have grown into a Teacher and it feels like a pretty good fit right now.  

But of course the last 18 months wouldn't have been possible without the support of my family.  Thanks Girls for not going completely off the rails, and Thanks 'Man of the House' for the cups of tea and cooking my dinner.  I really wouldn't have managed with out it ..... I am blessed x x :0)

During the last 18 months of study there have been a number of things that I felt I couldn't really do without a tinge on guilt.  Much as I (appear!) to enjoy studying it will be quite a little while before I contemplate the Masters!!  In the meantime, as I slowly adjust to not having to plan things and write stuff I can now turn my attention to the things I put off .....

Reading Novels...

Having lunch with friends...

Gardening...

Working the allotment...

...and many other things...

....as we await the start of the Next Chapter.

The one where I enter into the world of work.....there will probably be some knitting too :0)

With much love and relief........TTFN x 

Avoiding? No just resting.......

Well, here I am again trying to write another essay and yet finding it very easy to distract myself with blogging and updating my projects on Ravelry!  I suppose I had better write something insightful to make it seem more necessary.


I'm gradually getting over a low patch (probably caused by a combination of stress, circumstances and hormones).  It left me feeling very tired and unmotivated to do anything that required leaving a compfy spot.  Luckily I could still knit and spin so I tried really hard to go with that and not give myself a hard time.  So what if I had a mountain of books and articles that needed reading, so what if I was meant to be helping organise a social event for the PTA and so what if.....well just so what.  At one point I even let the children eat pot noodles for tea (I wonder if that admission will be one of those internet things that hounds me for the rest of my life!!) 


I think I must be naturally busy person because after a week of being 'kind to myself' I started to get a bit impatient and frustrated. I started thinking a week is long enough surely?  Haven't  I got things to make and do, lists to write? blogs to update? carpets to hoover? 

The thing is when you're in that funk its so hard to keep in mind that it will pass. The energy, enthusiasm and motivation will return when its good and ready and forcing it is counter productive.  Luckily I am on the upswing and just in the nick of time (the social event is this weekend).  My energy has returned and I'm sure motivation and enthusiasm are lurking somewhere near.  


It's taken me a good few years to accept and recognise the rhythms of life and to go with them rather than fight them but even though deep down I 'know' this The Low still takes me by surprise when it happens. It is  hard to trust that things will turn out ok, but essentially that is all you need to do.


There....lecture over....I shall reward patient readers with a pic of my lovely new Tolosa Park hat....

 Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing.......hence why I'm blogging about it now rather than a week ago.


So, if anyone out there is feeling a bit low or out of sorts, I would like to urge you to go and make yourself something nice, find somewhere comfy and repeat after me "So What.....I need a rest".


Best wishes to all whether you are up, down or half way between the two x