November

November seems to have flown past. Here’s what I’ve been doing:

Teaching more adult classes. I now tutor a literature group on Thursday afternoons  as well as my established creative writing group on Wednesdays.  And the classes are now face to face rather than on Zoom. At least for now. This term I’ve offered a course on Modern Irish Literature. I’ve spent a long time preparing the sessions but don’t really mind as I’m no longer constrained by exam board requirements so can follow my own interests and those of the group.  I’ve discussed Colm Toibin’s Nora Webster and Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel and some Heaney poems.  

Learning to drive again.  My car has become Kate’s car since she needs it for a long journey to her teaching practice school.  When I need to drive anywhere, which isn’t that often, I now use Paul’s car, a large automatic.  I don’t much like it, especially parking. Getting used to it now.

Supporting Kate as some of the realities of teaching begin to hit home - ridiculous workload, the challenge of dealing with wide variations in ability in the same class, late nights for events like the Christmas Fair, the huge amount of time spent in preparing resources - printing, copying, trimming etc. She’s ok but it’s been tough. We drove through the snow on Saturday to visit and spent an evening with her and Calum in a cosy holiday cottage. We’d planned a walk but it was so icy we abandoned that idea and just spent time eating and watching TV. 

Planting tulips and then chasing the squirrels which threaten to dig them up again.  The garden looks very bare now after the storm finished off the dahlias. 

Getting up early with Alfie who insists on waking us around six every morning.  Admittedly Paul does this more often than I do, but then goes back to bed when I get up for a while. He’s been rather adolescent in his behaviour recently.  (Alfie not Paul, though it’s true of him too, with his recent monosyllabic grumpiness)  He seems to have forgotten his training especially when there is food around and will take any opportunity to pinch/lick things in the kitchen. 

Got my booster jab on Saturday morning and felt a bit shivery and headachy on Saturday night and Sunday. I’m ok now. Paul’s turn tomorrow..