Sore thumb

I have a sore thumb. It's gone really big and throbs like crazy. It's much bigger than the other one. Not sure what's wrong with it. I'm going to see if Gareth will do all the washing up and cooking tonight on account of the out-of-action thumb.

Having a good week. The weeks seem to be going quite quickly now after I got over the shock of having to come back after Christmas. I am still rubbish at getting out of bed and poor Gareth has to deal with my moaning. The kids are really crazy at the moment and I am becoming one of those out of control teachers and finding myself shouting to be heard over the craziness. We have a long weekend with the following Monday off school. I am really looking forward to sleeping in late. Hopefully that will calm the kids. Next week we are off on a school trip so hopefully they will behave as it's always embarassing being the teacher out with a crowd of horrible, noisy children.

Pie for dinner. Friday tomorrow. Hooray!

BBQ Night

Great night last night. Feeling a bit jaded today. Here you go Mum. At last here are some photos of me! xx

Half-way Mark

We are exactly half-way through the school year which is a bit scary as I'm sure I haven't covered half the stuff the kids need to know yet. Work is crazy busy at the moment. I am trying to organise a trip to the kids museum but it's rally hard as they need loads of paper work and it's all in Spanish. I hate talking on the telephone. They go too fast and I can't see what they are saying.

The kids are really mad at the moment. We are doing a space topic and I'm glad they're excited but it's starting to be a bit much. Gareth is coming in as our specialist speaker tomorrow and they all think he's a spaceman and has walked on the moon. I didn't correct them so he'll have fun tomorrow - he's not used to talking to six year-olds and is a bit scared of 50 of them all asking questions. I can't wait to see it for a laugh. I just know he's going to freak out when the kids at the front start playing with his shoes and legs. Great!

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today. There are loads of bugs going round and I have been coughing and sneezing since the weekend. I had to miss a night out too. I had my bottle of wine and nibbles all packed and had to cancel at the last minute. I hope I feel better tomorrow as I want to keep up my resolution of going to the gym at least three times a week. I have managed it since the start of the year.

Employed!

I am so glad the pressure is off. It is so stressful applying and interviewing for jobs. It's so hard to wait for replies when you have no idea what they want or think of you. But at last we have been offered a job after our interview last night. We will be working in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam next year. Anyone wanting to visit is very welcome! I thought my interview had gone really badly. I had a horrible cold so my head was all fuzzy but it seems they liked me. Gareth and I will be working in the same school but on different campuses. We will have an apartment right in the city centre, where apparently the night life is really good and there are lots of other expats around. So it should be a bit easier to socialise than here in Mexico where we are all spread out.

The good news means at last I can get an early night and shake this cold. I have been far too wound up this week to do that yet. So good night!

Interviews!

It's all going crazy this week. We have an interview tonight in about twenty minutes in fact. I am shitting myself Gareth is pretending to be calm. We have another one this Thursday so we could possibly have a job by the end of the week. Oh my god! I am freaking out!

I can't mention names or places right now in case the school are googling me and find this! So fingers crossed for our interview. I really, really want this job so I hope I don't swear or start mooing like a cow. Now it's in my head it might happen. Aaaarrrrggghh!!!

BBQ Party

I have just come back from a really nice afternoon. We went to our friends' house who live just near our road who were having a BBQ. There were lots of people there and I got to catch up after the Christmas holidays as I felt like I didn't have a chance at school this week. It was really great to see Cali - our friends' baby as it's been a while and she has really grown up. She's really got a personality now and knows what she wants and doesn't. I ate far too much and am now shattered so Gareth walked me home. Night!

Back to school

Gareth was just saying the other day how long the holidays felt. But suddenly it's all over too quickly again. Tomorrow is a normal day up at 7am. I know we have it easier than most people who get up much earlier but I love my sleep and have been getting up about lunchtime everyday this holiday. I know I'm a lazy sod. I have been going to bed quite late. I think tomorrow after a day with the kids I'll be tucked in before 9.

Whenever we go back to school we start talking about where we should go for our next holiday. I don't want to wish my life away but it is exciting. We're thinking about Cuba for a bit of a beach holiday and hopefully see the country before Castro dies.

We have heard back from some interested schools and have a telephone interview planned for the end of January. I have my fingers crossed for a few other schools that they will like our applications. I'm so glad they understand how costly and time consuming it would be to fly all the way to London (although we would be prepared to do it). I'm hoping other schools will be just as understanding.

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's already 2007. It's been almost ten years since I left school - very scary. Everyone is getting engaged and having kids it's becoming very real that I'm growing up. Unfortunately I still think I'm 18 and I get a shock every now and then when I look in the mirror.

My new year's resolutions are to:
look after myself - eat well and exercise regularly - Gareth is my guru and personal trainer
not get stressed or worried about work (even if we are unemployed)

I feel very clear headed as I had a big clean out. We can't take everything with us when we leave so I'm trying to get rid of the stuff we don't use and give it to people who actually need it. I always like the new year for that motivation. Mum you should do the same with all your clutter! I got rid of shoes and clothes I don't use and have had a good tidy round the house. Hooray!

Happy New Year Everyone!

It's new year's eve and Gareth and I have been playing the poker game I got him for Christmas while drinking a bottle of very nice champagne one of his kids gave him (he'll be getting good grades). We decided to have a chilled one as it's always overrated when you go out on new year's eve and never meets expectations. I cooked a nice roast dinner and we have far too much lemon pie for pudding. I'm not sure if we'll make it to midnight as we're almost out of champagne!

Ice Hockey and Niagra Falls

We went to an ice-hockey game on Boxing Day. I thought I was going to be freezing and bored sat by the ice but we had a great time. We pigged out on hot dogs and I made friends with the usher who bought me a Maple Leafs flag. It was really violent and now and then the referees had to break up a scrap. I love the American style sports. Whenever they have stoppage time they fill it up with ridiculous quizzes and tasks for the audience to do.We filled up our last day at Niagra Falls. We got a great deal. We paid $30 for the bus then a casino gave us back $25 expecting us to spend it there. I have never been so disappointed (at least we hadn't paid much). I expected the water falls to be set in a national park with the possibility of bears around and lovely trees and rocky climbs. We got dropped off at the casino where we walked a couple of minutes to the falls. They were surrounded by high-rise hotels, casinos, concrete and flashing attractions like famous criminals made of wax! The bonus was it finally snowed. It didn't settle and I was glad it hadn't actually snowed all holiday because it was far too cold for me. We got the casino bus back with all the little old ladies and their winnings. We had the nicest meal before we came back. Far too much garlic and we did stink that night!

Christmas Day

Everyone has gone nuts today. The whole town centre is full of crazy shoppers. I can't stand it so I'm hiding out in this nice quiet internet cafe. Yesterday was really nice. We went to a bit of a smart hotel which turned out to be just the right thing to do. They had Santa walking around and a little group of carol singers - very festive! But it wasn't snobby and we felt really comfortable. I ate far too much. It was a big buffet with just about any good food you can think of on offer. I ate loads of oysters, prawns and salmon to get our moneys worth and felt far too stuffed by the end I should have pre-planned and bought an expandable skirt. Gareth gave me some really nice presents. I had gorgeous, cosy and soft jumper, some bath stuff and a couple of games. We spent a lazy afternoon in the hotel eating chocolate and other rubbish food. I had a junk food headache this morning and a craving for fresh fruit. I need desperately to exercise. Aaargh!

Doh a Deer la la la la...

I am feeling more Christmassy now despite the fact that we still don't have snow. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and it will be snowy. You never know! I watched the sound of music today and felt very nostalgic. I'm not sure how many times I've watched that film. I did the last of my shopping for Gareth today and had to buy a nice dress to go to dinner tomorrow. We couldn't find anywhere good for Christmas day on the internet but a nice lady helped us today. The only thing is I think it's going to be really posh. I hope we can scrub up ok to be let in!

I was very good yesterday and went to the hotel gym and pool. But after that we did have a bottle of wine in the lovley Japanese restaurant across the street. I ate so much I felt stuffed for hours afterwards. I normally eat alot so I must have really overdone it. I wole up this morning starving though so back to normal!

Happy Christmas everyone. Have a lovely day tomorrow wherever you are!

Montreal

Today was pretty cold outside so I got my hopes up for snow. Then I heard some people talking about how it's as warm as April and on the news wason and on about global warming. Looks like it's going to be a warm Christmas this year for us.

Today we went for a long walk after seeing the art gallery. We went through the university campus and up into the park. It was all uphill and I was pooped so I had a long nap this afternoon. I met some friendly squirrels who posed for loads of photos (I think I took a few too many I must aim for more people shots). This evening we had champagne and room service for dinner - just to spoil ourselves a bit.

Montreal

I did my Christmas shopping for Gareth yesterday. I met a really nice girl from Windsor who pointed me in the right direction for some good shops. We had a big lie-in not getting up until after 11 and decided just to go straight to lunch. It's a bit weird having to speak French. I find I'm speaking a mixture of Spanish and French and really confusing people.

We went to a nice pub for dinner after getting too cold looking for the jazz place I wanted to go to. (Back to the curly, scraggy hair Sam!) We had far too big beers and great French food starting with a really naughty brie fondue! We're off to do some tourist stuff today starting with the Modern Art Museum and I spotted a castle which I want to take a look at.

Snow!

Last night we went for a great meal at a Belgium restaurant. They served huge beers Gareth got a big one and me a small one I thought that was a bit sexist, especially as I can probably drink more than Gareth.

Gareth and a big beer

Steaming mussels

We took the train from Toronto to Montreal today. It was a bit longer than expected - 5 1/2 hours but I managed to do some sleeping and read my magazine so I didn't bug Gareth too much, who as usual was in protable entertainment heaven. I saw some snow on the way to Montreal and it is definitely colder here so I'm hoping it will snow more soon. The city is lovely I feel like I'm in Paris. We went out for steak and chips in a lovely little French restaurant - just like in St Malo. I have forgotten all my French it's quite depressing. But I did help a lost guy from Panama get off at the right stop and had a good conversation with him in Spanish. He even recognised my Mexico City accent so I must be getting better! We have a nice room but it's a bit weird. It has a full kitchen in the bedrrom and a dining-room table all laid out. We probably won't be using it much though having seen all the nice retaurants nearby.

Snow!

Sight seeing tomorrow. I hoping to drag Gareth to the zoo and botanical gardebs. I did do his sport museum the other day. And I must but his Christmas present too. Why are guys so hard to but for? There are loads of nick-nacks I would love. Any ideas are welcome!

News!

My sister is engaged! (I wasn't going to put this here but as she has on her blog so I thought it would be ok). A very tasteful ring well done Tim! I'm glad it doesn't have a sticking-out diamond as my newly engaged friend has one and is always scratching her nose on it when she sleeps. So it's going to be wedding plans and colour schemes from now on in (Sam I remember all your crazy plans). I can't wait to see Gemma waltzing down the ailse. It makes me feel very grown up.

Toronto in a heat wave

We got here and there's no snow. On the news they're saying it's unusually hot for this time of year. It's not much different to Mexico! It was probably a welcome surprise for us so now we can acclimatise gently - we're off to Montreal tomorrow which will be really cold. We have been shopping today. I got my hair coloured and cut - so great as Mexico is crap for hair. I'm glad it's back to my realy colour. I did a very bad red thing myself which didn't realyl work but I don't really rcognise myself without th curls. We went up the CN Tower about 500m up. I felt very scared but a bit brave when I went out on the glass celing with only 500m of nothing below me. Whoooaa! Gareth took me to the hockey hall of fame where we saw silver cups and ice-hockey kits. Gareth had a go on the saving goals game but I didn't want any pucks flying at my face. Especially as my eye has only just healed from when Gareth tried to poke it right out in his sleep.

Tomorrow we're catching a train to Montreal so I have been practicing my French. Au jourd'hui! (sorry mum if that's spelt wrong)

Christmas in Guernsey

Mum's nativity

Marmalade (my Guernsey cat) taking an xmas nap

Grandma and Grandad with their tree

Had a little Christmas dinner tonight. Cooked a beef pastry thing my sister taught me that turned out really good and roast potatoes. I tried this Camembert, garlic and cranberry starter which you are meant to cook in the microwave. Not having one I tried the oven but ended up with a big, fat, greasy mess. Still tasty but not really a success. Good brownies for pudding though!

We opened our presents form our family. Thank you to everyone reading this! I had some nice underwear from my sister (not easy to buy here), great clothes from Gareth's family, earrings from my Aunt and Uncle and best of all a mouse mat with a picture of my Guernsey cat from my Grandma and Grandad - I love it and am using it right now! I'm tempted to take it to school but I don't trust the kids not to nick it.

We're off to Canada tomorrow so Gareth is off packing. I'm getting really excited now but really hate flying so I'll be glad when we're there and that's all over and done with. Photos of Canada will follow soon!