Apple muncher's number crunching

f0xh0les

I have just had an email from the school saying the last day 17th will end at 12.00, and the return to school on 4th Jan is now a staggered return from 5th Jan as the kids need to be tested as per new Guvernment guidelines - now we have been told not to do a lateral flow for uo to 12 weeks as it is unreliable and throws up false positives after covid. 

So do I send them in for their tests out of pure badness? You know I really really want to.

Glad you had the stress release on the way to work, not so good about the panda eyes though huh? What did the other passengers on the bus do?  Just kidding, you needed to get it out somewhere unobserved and private.

Karmacat

Unobserved and private was always important to me too - but if it needs to come out, it comes out.  I *do* remember sobbing loudly in the middle of Victoria Station ... it was okay too, nothing terrible happened.  Take care, apple.

apple_muncher

It's ok. I was in the car, not much traffic, familiar route. No panda eyes, fortunately. No make up. Though it did rather wipe me out.

f0xh0les

   Sending love and strength, and I am very glad there are not many days left at work for you.

apple_muncher

Another day of driving and sobbing. Did a bit of it at work too. In private. 6 more working days and rather a lot to pack into them.

Got the gcse orals all marked and graded. It takes almost as long to mark them as it does to do them!

Turns out the solution to my colleague leaving ain't gonna work. Sigh. Have thought of someone else and put them forward. Otherwise, it just ain't my baby anymore. Yes, I'll teach the exam classes but only instead of my ks3 classes and if they rejig the table so I'm not going in too much more. I haven't told them that!

Parked up at the park on the way home, and went once around the field. It takes me about 18 mins. Was wearing my coat as it's darned chilly. I reckon I can do it next Thurs with just about enough light. Then the one after that is my last day of term, dd will have finished the day before, so I might even nip to the gym...

apple_muncher

So far, so good. No tears ( no journey to work either on a Friday). Dc woke up fairly happy for a change, so I wasn't having to be all caring and kind! Dropped them at sch and hit liddle to get stuff for hampers. Still need to visit aldee as liddle's bars of choc are just that: bars. Not 5 wrapped small bars like in aldee. There were sooo many f+v boxes that I had to ignore -it was tough to not go and peek at them...

Then I hit the gym for a good session.

Finally I hit the £ emporium and also found a lot of stuff-for my secret Santa, dc, dh, toothpaste, painkillers and some munchies for that day.

Now to spread out what I've bought and divvy it up.

Later I might:

Go to local ch shops for a mooch

Cut back the rasps - oops

Write some reports -ugh

Put on a wash

Sort library books

Mark A level gubbins

I'll be doing all I can to postpone the reports and marking... I just know I will!

apple_muncher

Rasps, reports and marking not done. No surprise there. Going to park it for tonight and leave for tomorrow instead of feeling bad about it.

f0xh0les

Marking needs to be done in a big lump or you don't get consistent grades.  It is a process. You can't dip in and out, so don't beat yourself up about it. You can't do the reports without knowing the grades.    You don't mark when you are tired or you end up with your head in the fridge - well, DH does anyway.

Timetable it in to your day, and don't forget to schedule little rewards to keep you motivated. 

Here endeth the sermon according to F0xh0les that  I seem to give to DH every marking season, but he still ends up a stressed out mess on the sofa, ranting at the ceiling. 

apple_muncher

Thanks f0xh0les. When I do exam board marking, I get into the swing of it and am consistent. My gcse ones were only 12 candidates, but I did mark the speaking at work on one day (was super lucky with free time and availability of a certain room). But there are only 3 for A level, and I haven't marked them before. The combined paper has a clear mark scheme. Phew. The lit and film essays are vaguer. Yikes. So is the speaking. Eek.  They sat the combined paper on Fri, so I wasn't there to collect it, so will have to fit that in on Mon (reports deadline is Tues) . Think I'll do the essays first. Speaking later. Prob only need a max of 1 hour for each.

But writing those pesky reports.... Maybe Sunday...

Dc spent over an hour clearing some of the gubbins in their room this evening. To an outsider, there's no evidence of anything changing. But it most definitely has! I put away dc's clean clothes while they sorted, which is a rare privilege indeed.

So the week is ending smoothly. Dh is out partying and getting the midnight train and the night bus home. I've said that if he wakes me when he gets in, then I'll wake him when I get up!

Tomorrow could be Stoopid busy. But that's not really going to help us. Potentially: rasp cane chopping, tip trip, gym, books to 0xfam, bags to Sally Army, dance, fair down the road at the scout place (the one I am sooo happy I decided not to do!), marking, reports, washing. Definitely: gym, bags, fair, dance + either a level marking or gcse reports.

apple_muncher

And dh will be recovering from having to socialize, then is out from midday doing the PA at a wedding. So, no help from him tomorrow... Hmmm. Then on Sun he's opening up the local sch for a church group, so out until lunchtime. Must make sure I get to enjoy myself...