Tourists

We were big tourists today. We went through the park (bit chuffed with my river shots) past Buckingham Palace then on to Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus. Later across the river for yummy bbq with Rob and Jen. It was great to catch up even if poor old Gareth had to sit through a bit of uni chat. I was shattered by the time we got back as we clocked up some miles walking everywhere we could - me as tour guide - I love my A-Z! Great day out.

New camera

Had a fab day shopping - spent far too much again. Spent ages looking for something nice for Sam's wedding. Sam I cannot imagine having to organise and buy everything else this was a nightmare and I had the whole of London to choose from. I also bought a great little camera in the half price sale. This is a picture of me on my new skype phone (for my free telephone thing on the internet). It's great because it's like a real phone. It rings so I won't miss any more calls and I won't look like an idiot anymore talking into a microphone.

Tomorrow we're off to get Gareth's passport done then hopefully on to dinner with friends.

Shopping, pies, chocolate and crisps

I don't know which was the best bit eating pub junk or shopping. I was in heaven. I had a great day out and spent far too much but it's not stopping me from getting back on Oxford Street today!

We met with Julie - Australin girl from my old school to watch Australia play Italy. Then Rob and Jen joined us. It was so great to catch up and realise no-one has really changed and sad to know how much I miss everyone. I talked far too much and was very excited. I'm worried out weeks here are going to go by too quickly - there are so many people to see.

Home again home again jiggity jig!

Yey back in the UK! All this week I've had a complete blank on today ever happening. It's partly because I hate flying and just didn't want to think about it. But also it is so weird living somewhere that seems like home for a year then returning to real home. Nothing changes back here but it all seems different. I can't quite explain it. I love being back surrounded by English-speaking people but I still expect to be misunderstood so I end up talking very clearly especially in shops.
I can't wait to go shopping in town on Monday. I am planning on buying a nice digital camera so I will take lots of snaps of my adventures in London and Guernsey. I am so excited as I am also meeting up with Rob and Jen. I can't wait to catch up with all my friends. The problem is they are all over the place I can't seem to get everyone together in one place at one time. I am looking forward to strolls along the South Bank, a lazy afternoon in the Tate Modern, pub lunches and best not forget a first swim of the year in the Guernsey sea brrrr. I want to revisit all the great places we went to when me and Gareth first started going out. Hooray I love being back!

Satisfied

Yesterday was great. All the children went to experience secondary school with the intermmediate teachers. I felt proud and sad to see them all grown up. I had a satisfying day sorting things out getting all my files straight for next year. I am very anal and love nothing more than a good clean out. I might even do my wardrobe tonight.

Today has been really busy. We had to practice for the leavers' assembly this Thursday. It's the last bit of work I have to do but now I'm all nervous about playing piano and cello at the concert. I only learned the pieces today. I'll be so excited to finish the term it will go really quick.

I can't wait to pack. I'm itching to do ot already and have a few things chucked in my case. But I have to withstrain myself until I have washed everything on Friday to pack properly. London in 3 day I can't wait!

Cute Dog

This is the little dog that turned up on my street this year and I accidentally adopted. I just fell in love. She was a wierd blue colour and all her fur was matted. I had to take her to the vet to be shaved and vaccinated. I wish I had a photo of before as she was so shabby. Rowena at school said she'd take her in and as you can see now she is fat and spoiled and loves. She is now called Lucy and lives with her friend Fred. I feel so proud!

Chilled Weekend

I have had a really nice weekend. I really miss having Gareth around especially in the evning but I have totally relaxed now reports are finished and I just have an easy week to go till London!

I didn't get up till 11am on Saturday and was very good trotting off to the gym. I then went shopping with Jo and was very naughty buying a skirt and two pairs of shoes. I needed a pair for school as a kid trod on me the other day and destroyed my shoe ripping it right off my foot. It was irreparable. I saw a second pair and just loved them so I am all set for trecking around London hopefully blister-free. We then had some dinner at the Beer Factory which does amazing burgers and tap bber (unfortunately I can't touch a drop as I'm on anti-biotics).

In the evening we went to say hello at the kids' graduation party. They were really pleased we'd made the effort as we were the only teachers to bother going along. It was a bit of a shame really as not many kids went along and one mum had made all this effort to organiose a dj, lights, food etc. After that we went on to Kev and Jude's desperdida (leaving thing)- Jude works for the European Commision here and they are leaving Mexico next week for good. It was fun but sad to say goodbye. I really wanted a nice margarita or chapagne but I was very good and resisted. It turned out to be a good night. We danced a bit of salsa and of course the obligatory Grease mega-mix etc. Didn't get to be till half two and I was really shattered.

Had a lie-in again this morning. I had plans for the gym but it got too late and it shuts early on Sunday. So I went up to Maz and Ben's to watch Australia play in the world cup. Maz was gutted they lost but it was Brazil and they are pretty good (I know that and not much else about football).

I have just been baking like a good house-wife! Gareth is back tonight and I wanted to treat him to some nice cakes. I have tried making coffee kisses and they are very good if I say so myself.

Summer Performance

I have finished the hardest part of the term. Last night we did the summer school performance. It was so great and a bit crazy as the orchestra consisted of 150 kids and the choir 200. We did a film music theme. While we played the pieces they played clips from the films on 2 big screens the parents loved it especially the dads who were dragged along as they had something to entertain them. It was just the right length - didn't drag on for three hours like last year. I can now relax with just an easy week at school tidying up and packing away.

I am missing Gareth as he has gone away on a trip. I don't mind him being away but he's in an area where there is no reception so I don't even know if he got there ok or anything. I realise how nice it is to have someone to share dinner with and slob out watching endless episodes of Lost. But I am going to make the most of it by watching my new box set of Sex in the City that Gareth bought me. It's going to be a long slobby weekend. However, I have been very good as I was tempted to buy a tub of Haagan Daas and sweets etc. But have settled on a few bars of skinny chocolate. They are now importing Cadburys chocolate but only something called thins which are a bit weedy so you have to have a couple!

Over and done with

I'm glad today is over because I had to hold a staff meeting to introduce the maths scheme. I was really nervous as there are some really mean teachers in our school - a bit like being back in sixth form with bitchy girls! But it went really well, despite me not being able to sleep all night worrying like mad.

Our school is unbelievable. On Friday we only have to teach a half day because Mexico are playing in the World Cup and of course we all have to get home in time to watch it. I can't believe my luck having a long weekend. Great!

Feeling better

I made it to the gym tonight hooray! At last I'm feeling a bit better and now it's count down till I go back to London so I want to get in shape. I'm not sure you can do that in 2 weeks but I'll give it a try. I just hope I don't go nuts on the cadburys when I get back.

This weekend I'm off shopping for the last of my presents to take back home. I'm going with a couple of girls from school to have lunch then a good shop in the market. In the morning it's the first England game. We've been invited to go to friends to watch it for breakfast. Little baby Cali is going to be there and I really want to see her again as her mum and dad say she's smiling now. But I really don't think I'll make it out of bed by half seven in the morning. We'll see.

Big Pig

I was a big pig this weekend. I couldn't keep my hands off a lovely lemon meringue pie which embarassingly I polished off alone in 2 days (a couple of slices went on Friday night by other people). When Gareth asked for some and there was none left he was a bit shocked at my eating capacity. He's lived me long enough now he must have realised. I then went on to scoff a load of digestives -so much for healthy eating.

Today I have been better - 2 apples! I was feeling a bit sorry for myelf as I have a very sore throat and dodgy stomach. Caught from my horrible ill children in my class. I went to bed at 4pm on Tuesday and slept right through with a roasting temperature. I felt a lot better today and didn't want to go into school. But I had to go in as it was the start of the exhibition and it was more hassle than it was worth to try and write down instrucitons for a cover teacher.

The exhibition went really well. Our classrooms (mine and Jo's) went down really well with big and little kids. There was more than enough to entertain them - I was worried they might be bored. Some even came back again in their breaktime. Success hooray!

2 more weeks till we fly to the uk (if Gareth gets on the flight as it clashes with an England World Cup game). I have my suitcase out already. I can't wait for holidays!

Exhibition

Here is a glimpse of our exhibition. It's still in the process of being finished. Lots more work on Monday.

A birthday surprise

Last night was fun. We set up a surprise party for Jo and managed to keep it a total secret! She had no idea. She had a good time but she also says it's now all out war because we both agreed to never do surprises as you always turn up looking like crap and everyone else is all dressed up.
We started the night with melon margharitas which were a bit amazing but bloody strong. I'm feeling a bit delicate today. We played pictionary and everyone was shocked at what a bad looser I am.

I am going to do nothing this weekend. I just want a good rest because this week has been pretty manic. At least we get the kids' exhibition over and done with this week and then only 2 weeks before jetting back home. I can't wait.

Couch Potato

I have been mainly watching films and tv at the moment as I am feeling very lazy. This weekend we saw The Davinci Code at the cinema. It was ok but not as good as the book. I'm not sure that Tom Hanks was action man enough although he's a great actor. I am addicted to Lost at the moment Gareth and I are only on the first series and the sencond is on tv but I want to watch them all in order. Love it!

My headteacher made my day today. Next year I am moving from junior 5 back to the teeny ones in junior 1. I didn't realise how much I wanted that till he told me that was the plan. I jumped up and down with joy. I am really looking forward to next year I know I am definitely more suited to the little ones. Yey!

Gorgeous Garden

Today I have been out in my lovely garden and have noticed the guy who chops the grass has also chopped the top right off a nice little plant of mine. I'm gutted! I'm wondering if it was my fault though as he was blabbing on in Spanish and I was just saying si si si. Not really knowing what I was agreeing to.

Finished my reports. How keen am I - they're not due in till next week. Now I can start to enjoy the summer term. All the tricky stuff is behind me and it's a straight run now to the holidays. Only 18 teaching days left!

Mum this is a picture of the gorgeous throw I bought in San Cristobal - where you're thinking of visiting. Nice hey?!

Poodle-do

Here is my curly hair do. I am a bit scared I look like a poodle with all the curls. And I'm a bit freaked out how much I look like my sister (not that you look like a poodle sis)! Again I look a bit dazed as I took the photo myself. I don't normally try to look whimsical!


I am planning on a totally lazy day today. I have nothing planned and am feeling so relaxed as I almost finshed writing my reports last night. Hooray!

The longest week of my life

This has been the longest week of my life. It has dragged on and on and I feel shattered. But I have got lots done and my classroom is starting to look pretty cool with our exhibition stuff. Today we created a forest right across one corner of the room. I love all this art stuff although it does have draw-backs especially the mess. I went to a really important meeting today with pink paint down my forehead and across one eyebrow. Smooth!
Today I had my hair chopped. My heart was pounding because she put in some layers. Last time I had that done I ended up with a real bowl head- triangle style do - enough to break my weak teenage confidence. But I think it looks pretty ok, but I can be sure it will never be this straight again in my hands. (I look a bit stunned in the picture because it's very hard taking a picture of myself).

21 days to end of term!

Only 21 school days until we break up! I don't like to wish my life away but I am very excited to get on that plane back to London. I am lucky because Gareth has to go into school on the Friday, for the leavers' end of term awards thing, but I get the day off. last time I sneaked out with Jo to get a cheeky MacDonalds (without the boys knowing - they are too healthy). I might just arrange that again. Then that night we jet off. 10 hours to London and then hopefully, as we arrive, we are off to an Ascot party. We will miss the races but will be there for the fun part!


This weekend I'm thinking of heading into Taxco a great place for buying cheap, but real silver. I need to get all my Christmas presents arranged. I took them all home last summer and left them with mum. It was great not having to worry about it as the post here is crap. If I don't make it to Tasco (I have reports to write and am feeling lazy) I will go to Balderas market - a great place for nice Mexican gifts. I must make a list. Any requests let me know!

Breakfast by the Lake

Snow!

The volcano was amazing. We climbed up from about 4000m altitude to almost 4800m. It was so tiring. It felt like I had weights attached to my knees hard to lift them up for each step. When we reached the top the ridge we looked over into the crator. It's incredible how big the crator is - it now contains three lakes. We walked for about three hours along the ridge, down a very steep scree slope into the crator, around a lake and then back up the other side back on to the ridge. Although very tiring the views made it all worthwhile. As we went up it was snowing then sunny - really bizarre. But just as we got to the car it snowed proper big snow-flakes. Amazing! Back down in Valle de Bravo, where we stayed the night, it was in the high 20s - wierd weather.

Today we woke and went for a late breakfast with some friends. We went to someone's house that they knew which was so beautiful - overlooking the lake. Before heading back to the city we visited a site where we might take the kids next year on their field trip. It was a really beautiful 400 year old hacienda with loads of space for them to run about. They have the time of year we want to visit available, so if it's not too pricey I really hope we can go there next year.

Snip Happy

I am feeling very satisfied at the moment. We are working towards a big exhibition in school which the final year always does. They are assessed on this and people from outside the school come to check it out so it's a really big deal. We have got loads done and I just had a shift round of furniture in my classroom (which I love) and it's looking great. The kids are starting to share my perfect vision. Hooray!

I bought some new rose cutting scissors this weekend and tried them out today. I started on a huge, bushy rose tree in the garden and went a bit mad and couldn't stop. It now looks emaciated and is now mainly just thick, brown branches. I hope it grows back because it's not really the time of year to cut it. It's really thick and gnarly at the bottom so I'm thinking it's quite resistant. We'll see...
On Saturday I'm off to climb a volcano. It's 5000m up which is extremely high. Apparantly it's very hard work to walk up and because of the altitude you have to count 10 paces then rest. My friend Jo (in picture) did it a couple of weeks ago and loved the views so her and her boyfriend are going to take us. Gareth is gagging for the challenge. There's snow up there and it's 30 degrees C this time of year so it just shows what difference the altitude can make. After that we're off to Valle del Bravo a really nice little town by a lake - very chilled out with good bars and restaurants. I can't wait! Yes mum I will take care and yes it is dormant! x

Teachers' Day

We have a day for everyone here. Today was mine - Teachers' Day.

It started a little shaky as I woke up and my face had swelled up to twice the size - I think I must be alergic to something. It soon went down but was a disturbing start to my day because I couldn't open my eyes right.

I was inundated by chocolates unfortunately most of them were nutty. However, I did get a gorgeous bar of belgian chocolate and despite being on a health kick tucked on in. Yummy - that kid is getting a good report. I had some really nice jewellery. Some obviously chosen by the kids and some by the parents who have more sense and actually care that I enjoy having to wear it (because once it's been given to you you have to wear it once in a while). We just had the teachers' day meal - it was a curry!!! I hadn't had one (apart from homemade - not quite the same) since London but it was amazingly tasty. A good finish to my afternoon of teaching. I still maintain that on teacher's day we should have the day off.

Birthday

I had a great night last night. It was Catherine’s birthday – a teacher at Greengates. Nush and I spent the morning icing a cake she had made to make it look like a chilli pepper, I thought it ended up more like a strawberry, while Gareth and her watched the final of the FA cup. Football doesn’t really interest me much, but because I know soon enough I will be overwhelmed by the World Cup frenzy in this football-mad country, I thought I’d better start trying to enjoy it. Today I even bought an England t-shirt!

The party was fun and I got to practice my Spanish all night – I talked for an hour to one guy with no English and he understood mostly everything. Hooray - I am improving or maybe it’s the confident haze of a few too many glasses of wine and I just imagined I was amazing? Not sure! Catherine had hired some mariachi singers (very popular in Mexico) – a band of about 6 people singing and playing a strange combination of instruments (trumpet, harp…) and wearing bull- fighting outfits. I even tried my two left feet at salsa dancing – I must take lessons I can’t come back from here not being able to dance.

This morning I was a bit delicate but had to go to lunch with Jo and Jesicca. It was fun and a big sub-way sandwich did just the job for my rumbly tummy.

Being a Hypercondriac

I have a little worry. About two weeks ago while gardening (I know I must be officially middle-aged) I got my arm on a rose thorn and it went in. Trouble is it hasn't come out. I know foreign objects come out by themselves but I wish my Grandad was here as he was always good at getting a needle and digging it out! I am probably being a hypercondriac and am sure it can't do me any real harm.
On an up note I have watched some very good stuff this week. We have started the first series of Lost that I bought Gareth for Christmas - loving it! We watched a depressingly real film called Lord of War about a weapons traffiker - Nicholas Cage. Tonight we did March of the Penguins. It was really sweet, but I hated it when the big birds came and ate the babies. The mum and dad penguin work together look after the baby together and stay together for 9 months of the year ahhh! Watching an educational film on a Friday night - I feel so virtuous.


I was very good and went to the gym for a mammouth work-out and now I'm shattered. So although it's only half nine I'm going to slope off to bed. Hopefully Gareth won't clock on.

Crazy Mexico

I love Mexico. They love partying here and will make any excuse for a day off. Today we finished at half twelve beacuse it was mothers' day. Great! I phoned my mum and she was chuffed about having a second happy mother's day of the year! I took a cheeky nap in the afternoon. It felt like uni-days again. I miss my naps but I know they were one of the main contributers to tummy fat (as well as a little too much beer).

My health kick is still going well (second day into it). My sister and I are trying to support each other. But I still get mad when I think about it. Why can't I just eat a whole tub of ice-cream if I feel like it. Why is good food bad? The world is wrong.

A Fresh Start

I am on health kick as of today, when I woke up feeling really determined, spurred on by the guilt of eating at least 5 digestives in a row yesterday and after that lost count. I just found that Superama sell dark chocolate Mcvites which I up till now I couldn't get in Mexico. Big mistake buying as many packets as I could because I scoffed them all in no time. Gareth is shocked. Today I was very good and have been to yoga and the gym since Monday. A good start!

I am motivated by the fact that my friend Sam is getting married this summer and lots of mates I haven't seen in ages will be there. I want to buy a nice outfit in London. As friends we haven't all been in one place since we left school 9 years ago. I love it though as after minutes it's always as if we haven't been apart even if it has been ages. I can't wait it's the highlight of my summer and the first wedding of a close friend. Hooray!

The second motivation is that I will, without doubt, eat my bodyweight in chocolate when I get back as we can't get it here. (My mum has even saved us an easter egg each). So I have to take that into account in order to fit in my clothes come the end of the holiday in England, where I will have to head straight into a bikini for the beach.

I just have to change my mentality now. I hate biscuits. I love fruit.

Pictures from Tepoztlan

Killer Walk

We went to Tepoztlan (an hour south of the city) this weekend as we had Friday off school. It was a pretty little place with a big market. I had to restrain myself from going shopping mad as I already have enough pots and rugs at home which somehow I have to get back to England. I just love the colours and bold patterns in Mexican design. I did managed to buy some funky jewellery made from seeds. I love it.

The highlight was meant to be climbing up to a pyramid way up above the town. I didn't quite calculate how far (see picture looking back over the town) and how hot it would be (above 30C). I was dressed in jeans. The first part was great then I realised the path stretched on and on. It was a real scramble up big chunks of rock. Gareth somehow kept his cool and was really tolerant of my whinging. (I just have to say I normally love this sort of thing but I wasn't quite feeling right and I was very inappropraiately dressed). We made it right to the top, where I guzzled an energy drink. There was a little pyramid, apparantlywhere the god of the cactus plant lived so I'm not sure why people were graffitiing the cactus and kicking them off a hill. Suerly you just wouldn't risk it the Mexican gods are meant to be pretty violent. On the way back down the real low point came when I realised all I had to go to the nice restaurant in the evening was the sweaty clothes I was wearing and the tears came. But we made it and I did feel really great afterwards. Needless to say Gareth loved every minute and said if he lived here he would run up and down everyday?!

In the evening we had the nicest time. We ate with the mountain rising up in front of us in a really pretty garden. The food and wine was amazing just what we deserved after our mammoth climb.

I slept so well and the next day we headed back to Mexico City. We were so lucky with the traffic getting back in no time.

Grumpy Pants

I was a grump today having to go to school. I don't know how Gareth puts up with my moodiness at having to go to work. He is lovely to me when I'm being a spoiled brat. I had a great weekend and didn't want to face the kids and planning etc. again.

I was really good Friday and went to the gym. Then we had fish finger sandwiches which I love! I cooked and shopped all day Saturday (I bought a really nice top to go out in). We went to Ruth's birthday Saturday night. The restaurant was pretty quiet but the staff were really friendly. I had a great risotto - not stingy on the rice - but a great big pile I ate till I was stuffed. They also served great wine in what could be a flower pot. As soon as you were finished they would scoop it up and refill. I had trouble keeping count of how many cups I'd had which is never good. We met a guy from Bangladesh starting a business selling clothes. How wierd is this world now? What makes you up and move from Bangladesh to Mexico?

On Sunday I did a little picnic. It was really to show of my garden, which if I say so myself, is looking a bit special. It was a cool day where I caught uip with loads of people I hadn't seen in a while. We also made out like bandits as everyone brought alcohol and no-one drunk it so we have a real bar load now. We'll have to have another party. Did nothing much on Monday but loved not having to get out of bed in fact I didn't get dressed till after lunch. I was forced to have a shower after Gareth dragged me in from the garden in my pyjamas. I know I'm scummy and I don't care!